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EdTech Show Daily ISTE July 1 2014

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E d Te c h S h o w D a i l y 1 1 Tu e s d a y, J u l y 1 , 2 0 1 4 SYNCHRONIZED TIME FROM AMERICAN TIME An interview with Mark Lucas, Eastern Region Sales Director, American Time. ESD: What is synchronized time and what makes American Time solutions unique? ML: American Time is a small-town, family-oriented company with a global reach, and our customers are part of our family. Our integrated timekeeping solu- tions ensure synchronized time, which means all of the clocks in a building dis- play the same time. This helps schools with punctuality, improves safety, effi- ciencies with bus schedules and provides a better flow of students throughout the building. It also saves maintenance staff the time and expense of having to manu- ally adjust the clocks for the daylight sav- ing time change. ESD: What makes you excited about timekeeping? ML: As the Director of Sales for the Eastern Region, I get to work with all kinds of school districts, from the one- room schoolhouse to those with over 300,000 students. I enjoy timekeeping because it's ubiquitous; it's just as critical to the smallest school as it is to the largest, and I love to help them solve their problems. ESD: What has been one of American Time's most popular products this year? ML: Our SiteSync IQ wireless controller is a hybrid system which allows a school to retain its investment in wired clocks while integrating new, wireless technolo- gy to stretch its budget dollars. It allows for a minimal up-front investment and provides for a phased-in approach to synchronized clock replacement. It can also manage other time-based systems, from bells to HVAC. ESD: Why is ISTE 2014 impor- tant to American Time? ML: I really enjoy speaking with teach- ers directly, as they have their fingers on the pulse of what's happening in schools today. Teachers tell me how important accurate time is when every minute is mandated. By helping districts with their clock systems, I can help a teacher's day run a bit smoother. ESD: Why do you think so many K-12 schools have chosen American Time solutions? ML: It all starts with our free clock audit, which sends one of our clock experts to a school to assess an exist- ing timekeeping system. He or she will help you determine your current and future needs, and there is no obligation to buy from us. This saves building managers the enormous amount of time it takes to walk through a campus to count clocks, look for clocks that aren't working, or figure out the ages of clocks. We can handle all of that. For free. I've been up and down the East Coast auditing more than 25 school dis- tricts in just the last few months. I'll trav- el by plane, train, automobile and even a ferry through six-foot waves to get to an island school (true story)! There is simply no substitute for having a clock expert walk your facility, provide you with a quote for a new syn- chronized clock system and guarantee that it will work. For more information, visit booth 2760, go to www.atsclock.com, call 800-328-8996 or email theclockexperts@atsclock.com. COMCAST AND THE DIGITAL EDUCATION REVOLUTION By Tomás Yanez, Director of Enterprise Marketing, Comcast Business I joined Comcast Business two years ago, and in that short time I've seen school districts completely change the way they administer learning as the result of com- munications infrastructures that we pro- vide. It's something that all of us at the company can feel proud of. As we know, education in our coun- try is reinventing itself as a result of mas- sively disruptive forces converging: digi- tal information, the Internet and mobile devices. Mix in another catalyst – nation- al proficiency standards – and we have a crucible of change across the education landscape that I find exciting. I see it from two perspectives: one as the person leading the marketing charge for Comcast Business, but also as a father of three boys, one in elementary, one in middle school, and one in high school. My sons' schools are integrating interac- tive, multi-media subject matter into classrooms, making the learning environ- ment totally different than it was for me only 20 years ago. Students in some of Comcast Business' school district customers have watched knee-replacement surgeries, talked with NASA scientists, met Iditarod sled dogs and collaborat- ed with students in England and Australia – all without leaving the friendly confines of their classrooms. Still other cus- tomers, like Georgia's Forsyth County Schools, have almost completely phased out traditional textbooks in favor of tablets and hand- held devices. Electronic devices that used to compete fiercely with teachers for the attention of students are now being used by teachers to funnel educational content to ready audiences. Comcast Business is proud to be an enabler in this renaissance, because we provide communication services on which learning applications depend. However, we see that there is a digital divide among districts: those that are far ahead of the technology curve, and those that struggle to keep up. Comcast works with community leaders, the FCC-funded e-Rate program and our own Internet Essentials program to help bring broadband services to all the communities we serve, to try and close those gaps. To fully real- ize the benefits of digital learning, students need access to digital tools at home as well. Our partner Khan Academy is a good example of such a tool. Comcast Business is well positioned to help schools harness the power of technology with our network services. We hope to get a chance to discuss the possibilities at the show. Visit Comcast at booth 433, go to www.business.comcast.com or call 866- 429-0258. DEEPER LEARNING: PROJECT FOUNDRY SCORES HIGH MARKS In April, Getting Smart released a report entitled "Assessing Deeper Learning: A Survey of Performance Assessment and Mastery-Tracking Tools." Of the 16 tools evaluated, Project Foundry tied for top honors with McGraw Hill's Acuity for overall quality, feature set and effec- tiveness. In fact, Project Foundry beat out larger providers in most cases, including SchoolNet, PowerTeacher and Network Echo. While none of these tools provides identical functionality, all were assessed based on their ability to support deeper learning, which is seeing wide adoption in both private and public edu- cation nationwide. In the 21st century, most educators already engage in some form of deeper learning with their students. Deeper learning is teaching rich core content to students in ways that allow them develop critical skills in collaboration, communication and self-assessment, and to apply that knowledge to life beyond the classroom. Rigor is at the center, as students work to develop competencies that will help them be truly prepared for college and careers. But what does deeper learning look like in action? Project-based learning (PBL) is a key piece of the deeper learning puz- zle. Through hands-on work on a more in-depth problem over a typically longer period of time, project-based learning provides students with the skills they must have to be effective in the 21st cen- tury economy. But some educators are still intimi- dated by project-based learning. In prac- tice, it can be more challeng- ing than traditional chalk-talk without the right tools and training. Piles of project pro- posals, time logs and learning standard binders can weigh down teachers and students alike. Project Foundry streamlines the paperwork and validates the learning through an intuitive user interface that parallels PBL best prac- tices. With Project Foundry, teachers spend more time with students and less time organizing stacks of paperwork or folders of spreadsheets. Visit Project Foundry at booth 1463. THE PASSIVE LEARNER IS GONE By Jennifer St. James, Brand Journalist, Epson America, Inc. "I love seeing the students work together collaboratively," remarked Marilyn Gavitt, the Instructional Technology Coordinator for Martin County Schools in Stuart, Fla. "It's changing the whole dynamic of the classroom – it's getting the kids involved." She's talking about using technology in the classroom, and she's not the only one noticing. Teachers across the United States are turning to technology in increasing num- bers as school administrators are realiz- ing its power in the classroom, particu- larly with student engagement. "The kids are loving it," explained Gavitt. "Instead of reading aloud from a book while sit- ting at their desk, they are up at the front of the classroom, interacting with the technology and becoming the instructor in the room." Student collaboration and interaction with technology are becoming more essential in classrooms, especially in states where, like Florida, they have adopted the Common Core State Standards. "Our curriculum department is very busy unwrapping the Core Standards and helping the teachers com- prehend them," said Gavitt. "They have to change their way of teaching, as the standards require more critical thinking from the students." Technology in the classroom has made it much easier for teachers to change gears and teach the Core Standards, especially using tools such as interactive projectors and whiteboards. "When the Epson BrightLink came out, we tested it with both the ActivInspire and SMART Notebook software," com- mented Gavitt. "It was an advantage for us, because the teachers already loved the software, and the kids love the interactive functions on the BrightLink." Continued on Page 14

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