Oser Communications Group

FETC 2014 EdTech Show Daily Jan 30

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E d Te c h S h o w D a i l y 2 3 Th u r s d a y, J a n u a r y 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 EDSBY SOLVES DISTRICT-WIDE DEPLOYMENT PROBLEMS THE MODERN WAY It seems like every district has had one of "those" deployments – the ones that cost double the budget and triple the time. Edsby, the new social learning plat- form, aims to make this a thing of the past. Thanks to the exclusive EdsbyLink architecture, Edsby is able to seamlessly integrate with the district IT infrastruc- ture, which leads directly to more suc- cessful deployments. For Steven F. Asbury, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Edsby, the need for EdsbyLink was clear. "I had pre- viously designed and built FirstClass, a very successful email application used in thousands of districts. When I set out to design Edsby, my goal was to be able to reduce the deployment in even the largest districts to just a few days, and at the same time, remove almost all of the day to day administration workload." EdsbyLink performs three critical integration tasks. First, it enables Edsby to automatically and seamlessly synchro- nize administrative data from a variety of sources in the district infrastructure. This includes not only information about stu- dents and enrollment from the district SIS (student information system), but also data from disparate systems such as human resources, account, ERP, etc. The net result of this is that once EdsbyLink is up and running in a district, all of the day-to-day administration of Edsby is completely driven by the existing processes in the district, with no addi- tional overhead required. But that's not all. EdsbyLink also sends data in the opposite direc- tion, from Edsby into the district infrastructure. Typically, this includes things like report card results, attendance data, etc., but may also include more detailed information like login details, raw test results and more. In all cases, the data flow from Edsby is completely transparent and automatic. This was put to the test in the recent Edsby deployment in Hillsborough County, where EdsbyLink successfully transferred over 650,000 report card line items in a single synchronization. Last but not least, EdsbyLink also provides single sign-on synchronization. Even though Edsby is a cloud-based service, thanks to the power of the EdsbyLink architecture, it is able to link directly to the directory and authentica- tion architecture present in each district, so that users continue to use the same user ID and password for Edsby as they do for other district resources. Again, the result is a smooth and seamless deployment. For Asbury, the vindication of the EdsbyLink approach is seen in the real-world results. "With EdsbyLink, we can do a complete dis- trict-wide provisioning in less than 24 hours. That includes every student, every teacher, every class, every schedule, every school, even the pic- tures. At the end of the process, users log in with the same user ID and pass- word they use for their other district applications. Best of all, EdsbyLink tracks any changes made, so that Edsby is always up to date." For more information, or to arrange for a trial of Edsby in your district, visit Edsby in booth 211. AM: It is genius to have a bank of con- tent questions in the Mixer, including those created by BrainPOP and by other actual educators. I enjoy being able to share questions. RM: Getting accurate reporting on stu- dents' quiz results. Knowing that if a BrainPOP topic was assigned within a lesson, all students completed the required viewing. SM: Being able to make my own quiz questions, so I can measure specific cur- riculum requirements or skills per each student individually. How have you put My BrainPOP to use, and what impact has it had so far? AM: I have used it to teach self-directed learning. Students love having their own accounts and the power to view and pause movies as they see fit. They feel more self-assured because they can go at their own pace. When they're ready, they take the assessment with confidence. JC: Thanks to the open-ended quiz ques- tions I'm now able to write with the Brain Pop ( Cont'd. from p. 1) Mixer, I can tell when my students truly understand a concept or not. SM: My BrainPOP allows me to select or create specific assessment accord- ing to a student's needs. The fact that I can check student progress online is super! More time for planning and individualization. RM: I use initial scores on quizzes as formative assessments for specific sci- ence standards. My BrainPOP topics are so standard-specific that quiz results often guide further instruction. Kids love that they have their own log-in! As veteran BrainPOP users, you were used to certain functionality. Was it difficult to integrate this new tool? JC: No. BrainPOP's screencasts were helpful, and there were webinars I could attend live or whenever I wanted to, in the archives. AM: From the start, I found it very easy to navigate and started creating assessments and assignments for my class right away. To learn more about My BrainPOP and other BrainPOP features, stop by booth 750. NEW ULTRA COMPACT HIGH-DEFINITION ACTION CAMERA WIDENS 2014 LINEUP The Whistler Group, Inc., a leading industry supplier of laser/radar detectors, inspection cameras, power inverters and other consumer electronics, announced a new addition to their 2014 product line with the rush™ Action Camera. Rush is the first in a series of consumer compact video camera recorders scheduled for a 2014 release by Whistler. The rush camera is an ultra com- pact, high-definition sport/action cam- era with extensive mounting capabili- ties that, when coupled with the included durable, waterproof protec- tion case (up to 100 feet), allows the user to capture stunning video footage in extreme environments that standard video cameras cannot handle. The camera features 30 frames per second, 1080p professional quality high-defi- nition video recording and 8 megapix- el photos. Data can be stored via dual card slots for removable micro-SD media that make playback, capturing and editing easy. Playback can also be achieved on the 1.5-inch on-board monitor, or by connecting the camera's HDMI output to a high-definition tele- vision or monitor. The wide variety of included cam- era mounts, a two-hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery and a durable water- proof protection case all make rush the perfect mobile companion to carry while participating in extreme activities such as cycling, skiing/snowboarding, div- ing/water sports, mountain biking, motorcycling/motocross and much more. Additionally, by using the includ- ed windshield mounting bracket and mobile charging cradle, the rush camera can double as an automotive DVR to capture driving footage that would be useful in the event of an accident, for monitoring teenage driving or docu- menting scenic road trips. Other high- lights include white light LED lighting, time-lapse recording and a G-Sensor video protection feature. "Our goal with this product intro- duction is to offer a versatile camera that has everything you need included at time of purchase," said Leslie Folsom, EVP, Marketing and Operations, Whistler Group, Inc. "The features and included accessories make this camera a terrific consumer value and a great alternative to more expensive cameras on the market." The rush camera is Whistler's first release from a family of video cameras being added to the Whistler 2014 product lineup. While rush features dual func- tionality of both action camera and auto- motive DVR, the remaining cameras are tailored towards automotive use. Retail availability expected in March. MY CLOUD: A COMPLETE STORAGE SOLUTION WD's My Cloud ® is a complete solution for users to organize, centralize and secure digital content from all of their computers and mobile devices, and access those files from any device, from anywhere in the world. By simply connecting a My Cloud personal cloud drive to the Internet, con- sumers get anywhere, any-device access without having to pay monthly fees or giv- ing up control of their personal data. Personal cloud storage is the new standard, allowing users to keep media and files safe at home on their own phys- ical drive and then access them over the Internet with any PC or Mac ® computer, or on tablets and smartphones through mobile apps. WD's web-based user interface and drive auto-detect makes setup easy for both experienced and novice users. Customers can easily connect computers and mobile devices with WD's free desk- top and mobile apps. Important files and videos can be quickly moved to My Cloud, freeing up valuable space on users' tablets and smartphones. PC users can back up digital files with SmartWare™ Pro software, and Mac ® users can utilize all the features of Apple ® Time Machine ® backup software. My Cloud is available in 2TB, 3TB and 4TB capacities, providing bountiful storage capacity with no monthly pay- ment required. With the new My Cloud desktop app, navigating, controlling and sharing these files from anywhere in the world is simple and intuitive. My Cloud also serves as a digital entertainment hub, storing movies and music that can be streamed to any DLNA™-certified mul- timedia device. About WD WD, a Western Digital company, is a long-time innovator and storage industry leader. As a storage technology paceset- ter, the company produces reliable, high- performance hard disk drives and solid state drives. These drives are deployed by OEMs and integrators in desktop and mobile computers, enterprise computing systems, embedded systems and con- sumer electronics applications, as well as by the company in providing its own storage products. WD's leading storage devices and systems, networking prod- ucts, media players and software solu- tions empower people around the world to easily save, store, protect, share and experience their content on multiple devices. WD was established in 1970 and is headquartered in Irvine, Calif.

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