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EdTech Show Daily 1 7 Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Teachers can use online material to prep for lessons and look up useful resources like videos to illuminate their subject matter and clarify concepts. For students, the ability to conduct research and dig deeper means they can pursue any topic that piques their curiosity. With an internet connection, they can dive into a subject and discover passions that might drive future careers. The Homework Gap The Institute of Education Sciences (part of the U.S. Department of Education) recently released the "Student Access to Digital Learning Resources Outside of the Classroom" report (nces.ed.gov/ pubs2017/2017098/index.asp), which details the "homework gap" that occurs when students have access to high-speed broadband at school but not at home. "There are gaps in broadband access among children, making it harder for them to learn at the same level as other students," says Chip Slaven, Senior Advocacy Advisor for the Alliance for Excellent Education. "It's crucial going forward that we address those gaps." Broadband (Cont'd. from p. 1) Fundamentally, the internet is a space for innovation in how students learn and how teachers can help them to grow. What used to be the realm of flashcards and mnemonics can now be handled with web apps that deepen opportunities for personalized learning and make it easier than ever to absorb complex topics. These tools are only available to those who have the connectivity to use them, so it's more important than ever that every student has access to broadband connectiv- ity no matter where they are and what their school's resources look like. Access to these tools is vital to help prepare students for the workplace of tomorrow. Connect2Compete Program As a part of our Connect2Compete pro- gram, Cox aims to help close the digital divide and bring home internet access to families at affordable price in the markets we serve. We connect to and engage with community partners and organizations to spread the word. Visit www.connect2 compete.com for details. For more information, go to www.coxbusiness.com/education or stop by booth #1440. PN: There are three main types: learning, institutional and engagement. You really need to look at all three to get a clear and holistic picture of district, school and stu- dent performance. ESD: What do you mean by learning analytics? PN: Learning analytics measure the student's actual learning state: what students know, what they don't know, and potentially, why. This insight helps you optimize learning through infor- mation, recommendation and personal- ization. Learning analytics are action- able. ESD: How about institutional analytics? PN: Institutional analytics track stu- dents across their educational lifecycle from enrollment to graduation. The data is comprised of information such as demographics (age, gender, ethnici- ty), courses, pace of grade completion, use of support services and graduation rates. This data help you align tactical initiatives with institutional, state or federal funds, identify practices with high return on investment and deter- Scantron (Cont'd. from p. 1) mine high-risk students earlier to pro- vide more targeted support. ESD: And engagement analytics? PN: Engagement analytics track student activity within the course environment. Engagement analytics do not necessarily measure learning, per se, but rather, stu- dent activity, which may or may not sig- nal actual learning. However, they can help you identify students who may need additional support as well as help deter- mine effectiveness of student support interventions. ESD: How does Scantron support these activities? PN: Through the dashboards and data visualizations in our data exploration solu- tion, Scantron Analytics. With a few mouse clicks, educators can answer the types of questions mentioned previously and much more. And they don't have to parse the information out of data tables â we present the data in charts, graphs and other visuals that make it easy to see pat- terns for the big picture of overall achieve- ment, as well as the detailed picture for each student and everything in between. For more information, go to www .scantron.com or call 858.349.9488. Cox's third casting call turned out to be the charm to get him on the air in front of the sharks and a national TV audience. After a short exchange with the sharks, Cox walked out of the tank with a $300K investment for 30 percent equity from three sharks: Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner and Rohan Oza. Then when the episode aired in early October, millions got to see him land that deal â and see the Qball. While many people think getting an investment from the sharks is the finish line for up-and-coming entrepreneurs, Cox said it was only the beginning. "Being on the show is not a guaran- tee of success, and getting a deal is not a guarantee of success," he says. "It's all about the execution based on that and knowing once the show ends, once that airing is over, where do you go from there?" Part of this execution comes with the Qball (Cont'd. from p. 1) sharks' guidance, and Cox said his access to resources was much larger with three sharks as opposed to one. Now, more than a year later, the sharks still play a big role in guiding Cox as he continues to scale his company. "They're not afraid to express their opinion," he said. "If I tell them an idea and they don't think that it's a good one they'll let me know. That's important because you don't just want a 'yes' man." "Their involvement is really as much as I want them involved," he said. "It's great from an entrepreneur perspective because I didn't want someone to come in and run my business for me, and I don't think that's what they want either." Despite the fact that getting a deal on Shark Tank didn't solve all his problems, Cox said he doesn't regret a thing. "I would do it again in a heartbeat." For more information, stop by booth #2719 or go to www.buyqball.com. peace of mind in a world dangerous to devices. It's no secret that students can be tough on classroom devices, so why take the risk? The Never Pay Guarantee covers your registered device for up to three years and has no deductible or claim limit within those three years. In addition, with the program's White Glove Service, there is no need to ship the device to a distant facility. Devices are coordinated for pickup and delivery, making it easier and more hassle free for Troxell (Cont'd. from p. 4) every school. No More High Costs The Cellairis Bundle is an excellent addi- tion to any large device purchase, and it can even be added after the devices have already been purchased. Say "goodbye" to high costs due to damaged devices, and "hello" to Troxell's 1:1 device pro- tection solution. For more information, go to www.troxell solutions.com, call 855.TROXELL, email sales@trox.com or stop by booth #1331. Content is growing on a daily basis and currently features scores of popular, maker-related items for schools to build their own custom collections. All maker items and kits found at MackinMaker are curated from many leading brands known throughout the industry. This pen- chant for acquiring quality educational material is a hallmark characteristic of Mackin that has naturally made its way to the new division. About Mackin For nearly 35 years, Mackin has provided library and classroom materials for grades PKâ12. Known the world over for exem- plary service and a stringent attention to detail, Mackin has access to more than 18,000 publishers and a collection of near- ly three million printed titles. Additionally, MackinMaker (Cont'd. from p. 4) Mackin features a robust selection of more than two million eBook titles, audio books, databases, read-alongs and video resources, all available through its free, state-of-the-art digital content manage- ment system, MackinVIA. This highly sought-after digital content management tool was recently awarded two distinctive awards: Best of Show at ISTE 2015, 2016 and 2017 and was named winner of a 2015, 2016 and 2017 Awards of Excellence by Tech & Learning. MackinVIA recently won a Platinum Award from Modern Library Awards and a designation as Product of the Year. Today, the free MackinVIA is found in thousands of schools and is accessible to more than nine million students around the world. For more information about MackinMaker or Mackin, visit www.mackinmaker.com or www.mackin.com or stop by booth #2019. AcuRite Launches Atlas Weather Station Chaney Instrument Co. has announced the release of a new weather station, the AcuRite Atlas. Built with high-precision sensor technology, Atlas allows users to connect to hyperlocal weather condi- tions. Atlas has the ability to track UV exposure, light intensity and lightning, in addition to monitoring temperature, humidity, rainfall, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction. Along with these new features, Atlas offers an enhanced accuracy rating within one degree, improved durability and more frequent readings. The launch of products like AcuRite Atlas is part of an increasing smart home technology trend providing home and busi- ness owners with highly accurate, action- able, personalized information. Weather stations are sought-after by a wide variety of audiences from industry professionals like landscapers and farmers, to personal at-home users interested in outdoor activi- ties and the latest technology gadgets. Atlas allows users to quickly and eas- ily access their data, archive it so they can look back and analyze historical informa- tion, and share it with fellow weather enthusiasts. Consumers are able to choose how they view their information, either on a high-definition touchscreen display or through remote monitoring, or both. Atlas can provide remote monitoring from any device â mobile or desktop, including via the My AcuRite smart- phone app. This feature lets users view data from anywhere, even at work or on vacation, allowing them to stay connect- ed. Customizable alerts and notifications inform of changing weather conditions that might need attention. Atlas has the capability to integrate with Amazon Echo for convenient, personalized weather reports from Alexa. AcuRite Atlas retails starting at $249.99 and is available at www.acu- rite.com. For more information, visit www .acurite.com.