Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1073331
EdTech Show Daily Wednesday, January 30, 2019 1 2 How Cox Is Addressing the Homework Gap and Digital Divide By Lisa Majdi, Senior Director, Cox Business "To be productive citizens in the 21st century, young people need digital access for professional and academic success," says Dr. Damon A. Williams, former Senior Vice President of Program, Training, and Youth Development at the Boys & Girls Club of America. "We are thankful for Cox Communications' con- tinued generosity to provide Club kids with internet access – as no one should have to apply for a job on a smartphone." Broadband is such an integral part of the way that we do business in 2018 that we often don't think about how important access to connectivity is for getting your foot in the door. By 2020, 77 percent of all U.S. jobs will require computer skills (www.wcfcourier.com/computer-skills- a-must-in-today-s-workforce/article_ df9f77ca-e91c-5bc8-a7a3-f4d319c8df74 .html). Yet 11.6 million students lack the minimum bandwidth for digital learning (www.edsurge.com/news/2017-01-17- 34-9-million-us-students-up-10-4-mil- lion-since-2015-now-connected-online). This becomes an issue when the internet is necessary to do homework, study and learn. Cox has been working to address the digital divide by creating a long- standing partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America to provide young people with access to state-of-the-art equipment, edu- cational software platforms and tools for staying safe online. This partnership also includes discounted internet, television and tech support serv- ices to clubs. Since 2003, Cox has contributed more than $20 million in cash and in- kind donations to BCGA and helped establish more than 100 technology cen- ters in Boys & Girls Clubs around the country. Many Cox employees also sup- port the organization through volunteer efforts. Cox has also taken steps to provide broadband access to those in need through the Connect2Compete program – an initiative designed for low- income families in need of internet access at home. To date, more than 400,000 people have been connect- ed to the internet via the Connect2Compete program. While the digital divide is a broad problem that has many complicat- ed causes, we're striving to do our best to give access to everyone that needs it so that they can compete in the high-tech workplace of tomorrow. At the same time, it's important to understand why broadband is such a crucial component of today's classrooms and how having inter- net access at home can lead to better results for students. For more information, go to www.cox business.com/education or stop by booth #1440. Singsation Karaoke and Party Systems Dominate the Category Singsation Karaoke, a brand by Voxx Accessories Corporation, made a huge splash in the category in 2017 with its 5- in-1 Solo Deluxe microphone, and had national big box sell-through last year with karaoke systems ranging from $30 to $300. For 2019, it has announced even more innovation with five new systems, filling voids from $50 to $130 while keeping the massive pro model at $300. Singsation leads the category in professional voice tuning, the most integrated sound effects and the largest room-fill- ing light shows on board. Identifying the pain points of either buying karaoke music or sub- scribing to a service, Singsation took a different approach, making the smart- phone or tablet the music source through free YouTube karaoke videos. Literally millions of lyrical tracks are available, and it keeps Singsation customers from having to buy any CDs or download and transfer videos into the machine. Recently, Voxx announced a strategic partnership with Speak Music and the Melody app, which allows your voice to simply ask for the track or artist as it pro- cures and plays it automatically from YouTube. The Melody app knows your phone is connected to a Singsation sys- tem and triggers the most popular karaoke version of your request. Now singers of any age can just say what they want to sing next, and it will play – no typ- ing, browsing or delays in the fun. Ian Geise, President of Singsation, explains, ÒThe Melody Karaoke App by Speak Music coupled with Singsation's second to none feature set of design, voice FX, Sound FX and multi- ple light shows will make Singsation the choice for all that are looking for the best and most feature-rich karaoke machines. We wanted to make it easier for the cus- tomer to enjoy and most importantly not force the customer to have to purchase music and videos that they either own or can access for free. Learn more at www.singsationkaraoke.com. ASHA Continues to Promote Healthy Use of Popular Technology Recently, the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) launched the Healthy Communication & Popular Technology Initiative (www.communica tionandtech.org), which encourages mod- erate use of popular technology. It focuses on providing practical advice to individu- als and families to develop responsible popular tech habits; conducting communi- cation health awareness campaigns that promote balanced use of popular technolo- gy; and exploring the impact of popular technology usage on healthy speech, lan- guage and hearing. These efforts are not anti-technology nor are they the first time ASHA has been a national leader in the area of safe usage of popular technology. As far back as 2006, ASHA commis- sioned a large-scale national survey about the listening habits of teens and adults who used personal electronic devices that documented widespread misuse within both groups (ASHA, 2006). Media coverage was worldwide. For the next decade, ASHA encouraged safe listening through its award-winning "Listen to Your Buds" campaign. Using a variety of tac- tics, including its safe listening concert series, which took place in elementary and middle schools across the country, the Buds campaign promoted simple preventative messages, such as keep the volume down, take listening breaks and model good listening habits. Throughout, ASHA received support from the Consumer Technology Association and others, and collaborat- ed with groups like the National Institutes of Health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the Buds campaign as an effective public education tool. As the "Listen to Your Buds" cam- paign approached its 10-year anniversary, one thing was clear: The issue of popular technology and com- munication implications encompassed more than hearing loss. With younger and younger children increasingly using tablets and other devices, ASHA raised concerns about the potential impact on speech/language development. In 2016, ASHA polled its members – audiologists and speech-language pathol- ogists – for their perspectives. A majority of respondents warned of a "communica- tion time bomb" in the form of dimin- ished hearing and speech abilities if the usage habits prevailing then didn't change. Subsequently, ASHA launched a national public service announcement campaign that promoted safe usage of popular technology.