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EdTech Show Daily 1 9 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 Reduce Teacher Sick Days & Increase Test Scores at the Same Time Today's classrooms are built for many things, but proper acoustics is not among them. While flat walls and linoleum floors are ideal for motivational posters and low construction costs, they are hor- rific for sound projection. Additionally, background noise in the classroom can feature a relentless onslaught of air con- ditioners, whirring computers, squeaking desks and sounds from the outdoors. This can have great consequences for student success. The Journal of Urban Health reported that 8- and 9-year-old stu- dents who experience higher ambient noise levels in the classroom perform significant- ly worse on standardized tests, after con- trolling for socioeconomic background. Other studies have shown similar results. These superfluous acoustics and background noises also impact teachers as they battle to talk above the noise. Adults, who rely on context to intuit missed words, require a signal-to-noise ratio of around over 6 decibels, meaning a speaker's voice has to be about 50 percent louder than ambient noise for comprehen- sion. In contrast, children, who lack this ability to fill in the blank, need the sound to be 300 percent louder. Additionally, because sound disperses over distance, some studies suggest a teacher needs to speak at a level of 83 decibels to provide the proper signal-to-noise ratio for studen sts in the back row. That's about as loud as a garbage disposal. As you can imagine, this level of volume is unhealthy. According to one study in the Journal of Voice, teachers are 32 times more likely to be plagued with voice problems than any other voice- dependent occupation. Possible fixes include the installa- tion of sound-dampening materials, such as carpets, or attempts to lower ambient noise, such as requests that grounds maintenance happen during weekends. But a more effective (and less expensive) solution is sound-enhancement which spreads a teacher's voice evenly, mean- ing there is no difference in volume between the front and back of the room. Additionally, the sound is distributed mechanically so the instructor can speak at a conversational level. Not only is this more pleasant for students to hear, it also is much healthier for the teacher's voice. The result? 2003 study shows the Stanford Achievement Test scores of stu- dents in amplified classrooms were 10 to 15 percent higher than students in unam- plified classrooms. Studies have also linked sound amplification with improved student behavior, motivation and general engagement in classroom activities. Sound enhancement is better for teachers too: In 1996, the Dubuque Community School District reported that teachers in classrooms with sound enhancement averaged just 19 sick days per year due to voice, jaw or throat prob- lems, compared to 52 sick days per year in classrooms without sound enhance- ment. Imagine – if a school is paying less for substitute teachers, sound enhance- ment refunds itself. So yes, it is possible for test scores to go up and teacher sick days to go down. It's one of the few examples where you can have your cake and eat it too. Visit www.buyqball.com to learn why Leslie Fisher, over 8,000 classrooms and 150,000 students trust the Qball for sound enhancement in the classroom. For more information, go to www.buyqball.com. The Digital Academy and Connect2Compete By Jennifer Cobb, Product Director, Cox Communications Cox Communications is taking steps to provide broadband access to those that most need it with the Connect2Compete program. This initiative is designed for low-income families in need of internet access at home. As we've seen, broadband at home can make a big difference when it comes to education. Some homework assign- ments must be completed online, and not having access can spell a world of hurdles for a student before education can begin. During a press conference in Washington, D.C., Cox President Pat Esser announced that Cox is expanding its commitment to bridge the digital divide with a pledge of $20 million annually. Furthermore, the recent survey (Families Report Internet At Home Results In Higher Grades And Improved Graduation Readiness, Cox Raises Commitment To Bridge Digital Divide With $20 Million Pledge) of more than 1,700 Connect2Compete participants shows that our program is working. Parents agree that Connect2Compete: makes it easier to communicate with teachers and the school (95 percent); sets children up for success (94 percent); makes chil- dren more interested in school work (88 percent); and the conven- ience of having internet access at home is among the greatest bene- fits (97 percent). Building basic digital literacy skills is key if students want to compete in the job market. To help first-time internet users, Cox Communications offers free digital literacy training and resources through the Cox Digital Academy. These programs are designed to empower low- income families to build the educational, economic and social opportunities that can arise from a home internet connection. Building for a Future Looking forward, Cox has already sur- passed a significant program mile- stone and is expanding its commit- ment. To date, more than 400,000 people have been connected to the internet via the Connect2Compete program. Cox has offered a low-income internet program for nearly two decades. Through its public-private part- nerships and a dedicated focus across the entire Cox organization, the company continues to lead the way in closing the digital divide in the communities it serves. As we move forward in the 21st century, we are continually looking for ways to innovate and provide a leg up to those that need it most in the digital age. For more information, go to www.coxbusiness.com/education. and inclusion aren't just trending terms or practices. They're woven into the fabric of who we are and play a major role in the impact we have been able to sustain. You're now aware of the ideals that make us unique, but what would Genius Plaza be without a platform that ignites a movement? For Genius Plaza, Spark is that platform and peer-to-peer learning is the movement we know will change the dynamic in the classroom as students become the protagonists of their own learning. Sparks ensure that students from around the world connect and com- municate with one another. Children can teach other children according to their point of view, giving a new meaning to peer-to-peer learning and culturally rele- vant classrooms. A day at Genius Plaza may expose you to students interacting with STEAM professionals by way of our MEET A Champion initiative or melt Genius Plaza (Cont'd. from p. 1) your heart as you witness Sparks created by students. Why should a world-class education be in the hands of a selected few? How do we use technology to our advantage? How can we broaden the horizons so everyone can learn? How can we make it easier for people in other countries to connect with one another? How can we teach values such as toler- ance, creativity and curiosity? Providing an answer to these ques- tions evolved into an initiative and thus, a movement. We're committed to giving students access to the tools that will help shape them into global citizens. We invite you to log in and experience the impact that Genius Plaza has for yourself. Download one of our many apps or con- nect with us online. We look forward to you joining us in our mission to Ignite the Genius in Every Child. Learn more at booth #1200 and www.geniusplaza.com. 5G EOC from RP Digital RP Digital is offering the next generation of wireless services today. Introducing 5G EOC, its latest technological break- through that features rich content man- agement systems, enterprise streaming and a social-commerce engine and secured data services all in one place. The EOC (evolution of communication) rep- resents the paradigm shift from telephone, broadband and cable companies of the '70s, '80s and '90s to the wireless service companies of present day. Remarkably, the common thread between all these eras expound on the need to push for higher speeds and broader service options that push the balance and behavioral patterns of customers across the country. The role of yesterday's telephone company was defined by speed and distance. The idea was largely about connecting people to people. Today's wireless industry has pierced the notion of merely connecting people to people by enabling all things to communicate everywhere. Time and dis- tance has appeared to shrink in our cur- rent use patterns, making available the ability to experience the web like we've never thought possible. The introduction of LTE has changed the state of the tele- com industry by erasing the borders that were once drawn and defined by GSM and CDMA bands. RP Digital believes that EOC will have as great an impact on the entire market as LTE has in recent years. The choice of staying with a carrier based on brand loyalty is now erased from consumer conscience. Brands are now sold across every carrier platform – no longer do device makers have to choose whether they will support GSM or CDMA when all carriers now operate on 4GLTE. No longer is a consumer forced to use a carrier because of area restric- tions or limited choices. Today's con- sumers demand best value as defined by their experience with a service provider. Having to choose between a broadband operator, wireless carrier, local telephone company and cable company should not be the choice of today's consumer. Answering the call to this market dilem- ma is RP Digital, offering all services once provided by five different compa- nies on one integrated service portal that is simple to use. It believes that simplicity and reliability over all secures market share in today's industry. The opportunity in wireless is better now than ever before due to a demanding consumer base that seeks telecom services as the utility it was meant to be. The role of RP Digital's 5G EOC Framework is to provide a best-in- class standard for the integration of mobile, social, eCommerce and secured data hosting services for customers throughout the world. Voice, data, text and cable services are viewed as fashions of data within the EOC Framework and not treated as independent service offer- ings. RP Digital believes the roles of tomorrow's telecom will be to create user defined platforms that are robust and modular in scope. These platforms should be built to provide the user with seamless integration across multiple platforms. Emphasis should be placed more on the experience that affords the user the ability to toggle between social engagement and commerce. For more information, go to www.noitavonne.com.