Tag: elemchat

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How Edtech Companies Can Make It through the Product Negotiation Phase

Negotiating can be one of the toughest phases to go through on your way to edtech product acceptance.

Microsoft refers to negotiating as one of the “complete functional and behavioral qualities that, when fully realized, can help lead to professional success.” And that’s why it’s taught as an education competence.

When you’re marketing your edtech product, your company can make it through the product negotiation phase with these steps:

Be patient

School districts move slowly through the adoption process. They like first to determine the efficacy of an edtech product and see what results in student achievement it can bring about. That alone can take time.

The IT department will review your edtech product. Employees in this department are often spread thin. Taking time to look at your product requirements and make recommendations can add delays to the negotiations.  If you, however, can provide the IT department with a list of technology requirements, you may be able to shorten the process.

Obtain buy-in

The next step is to convene with district administrators to see if they are willing to adopt your edtech product district-wide. A unanimous decision will catapult you to the next step. If only one or two schools are interested, they may choose to pilot your product for the district.

In the end, successful negotiation comes about when everyone at the table walks away with a benefit.  The stakeholders, including you, may have to concede some of the boons for which they had been hoping, but each should feel satisfied that at least one of their primary goals have been met.

Personalize the purchase process

School districts can’t afford to purchase more than they need, but they are willing to pay for what they use. If you can sell your edtech product on a per user or per device plan, you may find yourself one step closer to the end of the product negotiation phase. For example, software companies have found that perpetual licensing no longer appeals to consumers.

Instead, be willing to explore creative solutions that can be scaled over time. If the entire district won’t or can’t adopt your product, perhaps it makes sense for one school at a time to buy in.

Be communicative

School districts base their business on relationships. Communicate regularly and well with district leaders, and you may find yourself experiencing professional success and making it through the negotiation phase quicker than some of your competitors.

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7 Tips on Bringing Your Edtech Company to Market

Edtech product development doesn’t end when the last code has been written. You have to bring your product to market, and here are seven tips to help you do it.

  1. Remember that you are the solution

Teachers spend long hours in their classrooms, but their work doesn’t end when the last bell rings to dismiss students at the end of the day.

The last thing a teacher wants is something that will make life harder. Offer a time-saving product. If your edtech company can solve a problem for a teacher, your product will be the one every educator wants.

Make being the solution part of your market strategy.

  1. Data matters

Learning how to gather and use data will help drive your product to market.

Data will allow you to personalize instruction. Karen Bdoyan, the founder of ShowMe, says, “Being able to collect and store data is nearly not enough in education. The most important part is to be able to analyze and programmatically understand it. Unlike other tech industries, edtech is all about personalization.”

  1. Build stamina

Bringing your edtech product to market is a race of endurance; sprinting will not take you to the finish line. That means your edtech company must figure out how to stay afloat until you land your first clients.

  1. Plan your strategy

Having a great edtech product is not enough.

You’ll have to plan your product launch, and that means utilizing the social media platforms educators prefer. Be aware that teachers in each region of the US may prefer different communication platforms.

  1. Prepare your pitch

As your edtech product goes through its development stages, begin thinking about your presentation pitch. You’ll need to decide where and how to market to your audience, and who will be doing the presentation. Some edtech companies like to hire teachers to assist with presentations, and some prefer a professionally designed approach.

  1. Go pro

Regardless of who makes your presentation, you will need a solid pitch. Avoid spending time tinkering with presentation software unless you are a competent designer and marketer. Instead, consider hiring professional presentation experts like Duarte.

  1. Speak the right language

Whether you choose to hire a professional presentation expert, or you want to make the presentation pitch yourself, pay careful attention to the denotation and connotation of words. Word choice can make or break the sale.

Scott McQuigg of GoNoodle points out that disruption, for example, is never welcome in a classroom for obvious reasons.

These seven tips will help bring your edtech company to market.

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My Vision for the Future of Literacy in Education

pass or fail

Literacy has long been the key to communication and understanding, and education demands that we teach comprehension. Comprehension includes reading, writing, speaking, thinking and listening skills, and to be literate, students must master them all.

Adults who are literate are far more likely to have successful careers.

Now technology is changing literacy, thanks to digital content and how people engage with it. This metamorphosis is impacting education by demanding more of students in classrooms and educators who must teach the advanced skills of comprehension and analysis in every subject. Literacy involves using reading skills to investigate further, probe, and hypothesize about situations, and doing so requires new approaches in pedagogy.

As a result, edtech will be the future of literacy in education.

Young students learn to read, and older students read to learn. By incorporating digital technology in the classroom, teachers can support student comprehension with lessons that help young children build their skills in phonics, phonemic awareness, and fluency, while older students continue to expand the vocabulary and comprehension skills needed for studying all subjects.

Literacy is the pathway to learning all subjects, and edtech brings literacy instruction to life. 

How edtech will impact education

Educators ready for the future of literacy in education will rely on edtech to:

  • Provide differentiation. Delivering just-in-time instruction to a classroom of twenty-five students with varying abilities is impossible. Adaptive learning makes it possible.
  • Simulate experiences. Teaching abstract concepts has always been difficult, largely because it’s harder for students to understand something when they have no background knowledge. Tools like virtual reality can help to close that gap.
  • Promote discussions about responsibility. Reading and writing are global activities that involve an author and the audience in new ways. Everything written and published on the Internet creates a digital footprint, and this content has a digital afterlife as well. Educators must teach students about the implications of their digital content.
  • Offer an array of solutions. Teaching literacy will require that educators have a variety of apps for classroom use in every subject.
  • Require new ways to communicate and collaborate. In the past, teachers taught in isolation, but edtech today allows teachers to share ideas and strategies with each other in real time.

In summary 

In my vision for the future of literacy in education, edtech will play a huge role in helping students develop the comprehension skills they need for success in a global world.

Edtech promises to be the cornerstone of that vision.

 

 

 

 

 

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Parenting in an Era of Screen Addiction

We live in a time where our children can access anything at any moment using a smartphone. They can shop, play games, research, or communicate at any time. While there are numerous benefits, there is an overwhelming number of parents dealing with children who are addicted to their screens.

If you have a child who would rather spend all their time staring at a screen, scrolling through social media, or playing a video game, you are not alone. According to an online survey by Parents, children spend almost 55 days, or 1,314 hours, on screens each year.

Parenting in an era of screen addiction is not for the weak. If you have ever tried to get a kid to put down the tablet, smartphone, or video game controller, you know just how challenging it can be. But, you cannot give in. Screen addiction is real and prevalent. It’s up to you to do something about it.

Negative Consequences Abound

As if the parenting concerns about online stranger danger and cyberbullying were not enough, now we must worry about the negative consequences of merely spending too much time online. For instance, parents have always been aware that their children could stumble upon inappropriate content online. But, what’s a parent to do when they just cannot get their teenager to put down the phone and go outside?

Unfortunately, screen addiction has even more consequences. Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, author of Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids, claims, “I’ve worked with hundreds of heroin addicts and crystal meth addicts, and what I can say is that it’s easier to treat a heroin addict than a true screen addict.”

Plus, those children who are addicted to screens struggle with obesity, as well as healthy social interactions. These same kids read less, sleep less, and use their imaginations less. But, this can even be true for kids who have not reached the point of addiction.

An Addiction or an Unhealthy Habit?

As a parent, you will have to determine if your child has a screen addiction or just unhealthy habits. For most parents, it is primarily an issue of unhealthy habits. For instance, if your child is spending more than six hours a day staring at a screen, this is harmful behavior. However, it crosses into addiction when your child continues even after suffering negative consequences. Additionally, actual addiction will also lead to withdrawal symptoms.

How to Parent in This Digital Era

First things first, to positively influence your children’s screen habits, you must monitor your own. You cannot tell your child to put down the smartphone if you do not put it down yourself. Furthermore, parents should stay alert and involved in their family’s screen usage. Parents need to set clear limits and make sure each family member follows the guidelines. Parents may find the Family Media Plan and Media Time Calculator useful.

Next, you should speak candidly with your children about why screen time limits are necessary. Talk with your children about the consequences of screen addiction. You may even consider viewing the Web Junkie documentary to show them real-life examples.

Finally, if you do have a child who appears to be addicted to screens, there are treatment programs available, such as Unplugged. Unplugged is an electronics addiction treatment program. I encourage you to speak with your child’s doctor or counselor if you have genuine concerns about whether this is a habit or addiction.

 

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10 Things that Colleges Need to Do to Help Black and Latino Students

Not all students of color who enroll in college as a freshman stay in school to graduate. Fewer black and Latino students are completing their undergraduate degrees, compared to Asian and white students enrolled at the same college.

A college education means equal access. The bachelor’s diploma can level the playing field for students of color, but colleges need to help black and Latino students get in school and stay until graduation.

Here are ten things colleges need to do to help black and Latino students:

  1. Take responsibility for the failure. Blaming black or Latino students for not graduating is like a doctor blaming her patient for getting sick from taking a prescribed medication. The doctor might have misdiagnosed the disease or prescribed the wrong medicine. Likewise, the university might not have had the right supports in place.
  2. Provide adequate student support. This support may come in the form of check-ins, checklists, and even campus counselors and mentors. Students who know what to expect are more likely to be successful.
  3. Prioritize minority student success. Black and Latino students will not be successful until you start thinking about their success in pursuing a degree and then identifying ways to make their diplomas a reality.
  4. Give black and Latino students the attention they need and deserve.
    Students receive more personalized attention and are more successful in smaller classes.
  5. Encourage questions. First generation college students may not realize they can ask for help or seek clarification. Some students may find themselves becoming isolated because they think they are already supposed to know how registration works or how long an essay is supposed to be.
  6. Help black and Latino students understand the financial aid process. Minority students often don’t know that college is within their grasp with the help of financial aid. Far too often, students assume they can’t go to college because there is no money for it.
  7. Market to black and Latino students. Black and Latino students don’t set their sites high enough when selecting a college, and as a result, they attend inferior schools with poorer graduation rates.
  8. Begin with high school. Colleges should hold high schools accountable for preparing minority students for college academically. Include black and Latino students in AP, IB and dual enrollment classes.
  9. Develop rapport and relationships. Personal connections are what help students stay in school. Knowing that a professor has committed to a student’s success can keep that student in school.
  10. Work with communities. Reach out to the communities that are home to student minorities.. By making contact with community leaders and showing what your college can offer, you make a connection. Create an ambassadorship of graduated students who tell others about your university.

By trying one or more of these strategies, you help black and Latino college students.

 

 

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How Can I Boost My Child’s Confidence When it Comes to Reading?

When our children learn to read, we should take special care to nurture confidence in their abilities. Children who are unsure about reading often avoid reading aloud and participating in class once they enter school. However, there are some simple steps you can take to boost your kid’s confidence for reading.

Engage in Interactive Reading

Reading aloud to your child allows them to hear the way words are pronounced. Tracing your finger under the words as you go ensures they can follow along. Additionally, sounding out difficult words teaches your kid that it’s okay to be unsure. Try reading a page and then discussing it with your child for a chance to make reading more interactive. Don’t force them to read with you or pressure them to pronounce words as you go.

No Pressure Practice

Practice makes perfect but reading to an adult can make children nervous. Try having your child read aloud to a dog, cat, younger sibling or stuffed animal. This type of practice allows them to make mistakes without judgment and build confidence. Reading to animals has been shown to help children gain confidence reading and enjoy reading more.

Turn Over the Reins

Let your child choose the books they want to read from the library or bookstore. Then, allow them to decide what time of day to practice reading. Give them milestones to reach with rewards to help them be self-motivated. Just be careful not to be overbearing about reading time. A good strategy for self-starting is to make your child a “chore chart” with reading listed for each day. When they have completed the day’s reading task, give them a snack, toy, treat or other prize. 

Positive Feedback

Make sure to praise your child for their effort reading. Whether they are practicing alone, with the family dog or with you, let them know they are doing great. Focus more on the confidence of reading, rather than perfection. Be careful not to overcorrect your child.

Incorporate Reading Games

Playing reading games with your child is a fun way to engage them in books and words. There are many free educational games available online and for your devices. Games shouldn’t replace books, but the inclusion can help make reading exciting and build confidence for young children.

With these few simple steps, your child can be well on their way to confidence in reading. You can be proud of the effort you’ve put forth to build them up and prepare them for future success. Just five easy adjustments can make all the difference for your young reader.

What strategies have you used to improve your child’s reading confidence? What self-motivation techniques have you found to encourage your young reader? We want to hear your experiences!

 

 

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The Secret to Raising a Self-Disciplined Child

All parents want to raise children who will one day be responsible adults. While the end-goal is obvious; children who can deal with real-world challenges, accomplish goals and succeed in life. How to achieve this is debatable. One idea is that we must teach children self-discipline at an early age.

This method provides your child with a foundation for acceptable and inappropriate behavior by which to judge themselves. The concept is simple, and it does make sense. Children taught self-discipline can make decisions which benefit themselves and their goals without breaking societal rules. However, what does it take to foster self-discipline in your child? Here are five secrets to raising self-disciplined children that any parent can employ.

  1. Create a routine

A simple routine for each part of your child’s day will help them become accustomed to daily tasks. Making a chart with their morning, after school and bedtime schedules can help children monitor themselves. Fun magnets which your child can move to the “done” section for each task will engage them in following the routine and policing themselves.

  1. Give them the why

All too often, parents tell children “because I said so” for any task which they want to be completed. However, communicating with your child about the reason for any action is much better. Understanding why homework is done before playtime, teeth are brushed before bed and breakfast is eaten each morning will help your child make appropriate decisions in the future. As an added bonus, the open communication will reduce the number of fits and arguments you have about everyday routines.

  1. Provide Praise & Reward

Congratulating your child on completing tasks on time or cleaning up their toys will help them develop pride in their accomplishments. Children who are proud of themselves will continue to display the desired behavior. Additionally, giving your child incentives for long-term goals will help them foster self-control and learn to plan ahead.

For example, we can offer our children a trip to a local water park if they complete all their homework each day, by 6 pm for three weeks. The long-term goal will take effort, but the child will reap the reward, leaving them thirsty for more!

  1. Give Appropriate Consequences

When your children stray from the routine, break the rules or make bad choices they must have consequences. It’s important not to bail them out of every hard situation. Consequences teach cause and effect and reinforce problem-solving skills. Children soon learn that they can avoid punishment by adhering to the rules and that good behavior is rewarded.

  1. Be the Role Model

Remember children learn most effectively from your example. If your kids see you eating dessert without finishing your meal, sleeping in late for work, or leaving a mess to be cleaned later, they will learn it’s okay to do the same. As a parent, you’re always being watched, and your children will imitate your behavior. Be a role model for the right decisions and self-discipline! Also, explain to your children why you make the choices you do, so they know how these decisions are benefiting you.

Raising a self-disciplined child is not any vast mystery. However, it does take daily commitment to a routine and patience. While the investment from you will be substantial, the reward will be immeasurable. Self-disciplined children grow into responsible teens and adults. They can choose the correct path without needing direction at every fork in the road. Additionally, they will find the challenges of life less intimidating with a preset understanding of cause and effect.

What tactics have you used to encourage self-discipline in your children? We want to hear your feedback!

 

 

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My Vision For the Future of Math Education

It’s no secret that students often struggle with math. However, most education experts feel the issue is more about motivation and engagement than understanding. While advancements in pedagogy have led to more personalized learning for students, there are still problems we need to solve as educators.

The reluctance of students to become involved in higher math and pursue careers in mathematics is something teachers should strive to overcome. I believe math education will transform in the next ten years to solve the issue of student involvement. The foundation for this change has already been laid, with the introduction of edtech to math classes and education of teachers about how and why children learn. The following is my vision for the evolution of math education in the coming years.

Motivation is Key

The most critical factor for the future of math education is student motivation. Math is often an abstract concept which children have trouble imagining in everyday use. However, the technological advancements of today and tomorrow rely on mathematicians. The trick is to make the connection, between math and its application, for young children.

Hands-on learning projects can help students understand the correlation between math and technology. Teaching coding in the classroom is one-way math teachers are already connecting math to a real-world application for students. Incorporation of LEGO robotics is another innovative way educators have been encouraging children to engage in mathematics.

Neuroscience tells us that we remember and learn better when we care about a subject. So, the key to tapping into students’ mathematical brains is in making the information matter. I believe the future of math education will see a rise in hands-on learning applications and edtech math games in the classroom. However, I think teachers will go one step further to encourage students.

I believe the use of virtual reality lessons will allow students to explore the many exciting careers for which math can prepare them. Students will be motivated through exposure to exciting career paths which seek strong math skills. Teaching that video game designers, fighter pilots and animators need math is a great way to encourage students. However, career day presentations alone are unlikely to heighten student interest in math. That’s where I believe virtual reality exploration will come in handy for math teachers looking to motivate students over the coming years.

Virtual reality is already making its way into classrooms with virtual field trip units and solar system exploration. However, as teachers and schools gain access to this technology I can see it being used to motivate students. Instead of taking your class on a field trip to a game design studio, let them explore the world of game design through a VR experience ending with an intense video game demonstration. What better way is there to inspire hundreds of students a year on a budget?

Embracing Tech Tools

Along with encouraging student participation, math teachers will continue to pursue useful edtech for engaged learning. The current market offers a wide range of games and teaching tools for math students. In the coming years, I think edtech entrepreneurs will continue to develop intuitive systems to aid in mathematics learning. Additionally, as we embark on the next ten years, I expect more educators to embrace the help of technology.

While the prevalence of edtech tools in math classrooms has grown over the last ten years, we still have a ways to go. Some programs have successfully integrated technology into math education, while others are struggling to adapt. However, I think the next ten years will see an upsurge in educators advocating for technology in the math classroom. Since teachers want to see their students succeed, embracing change is inevitable.

As technology advances, it’s necessary that education must advance with it. However, no mathematics program can prepare students without first motivating them to learn and then embracing essential tech tools.

What edtech tools have you found helpful in motivating math students? What do you hope to see in the next ten years of math education? We want to hear from you!

 

 

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How to Fix EdTech’s Diversity Problem

There’s one problem in EdTech that just won’t go away—the diversity problem. Or rather, the lack of diversity. This problem has two fronts—gender and race. In fact, the tech industry as a whole is dominated by white men. According to Mashable, White people make up about 83% of tech executives. A similar number of tech executives are men.

The gender problem is less pronounced in the EdTech field, but it’s still there. Because education is a female-dominated world, there are more women in leadership roles in EdTech than the rest of the technology industry. Forbes contributor Barbara Kurshan notes that there are many examples of women taking leadership roles in EdTech companies, and the number seems to be growing.

But what about the other diversity problem, race? In that arena, EdTech falls short. Ask anyone involved in the EdTech industry, and they can tell you it’s dominated by white employees and leaders.

There are two basic approaches to this problem. Some argue that the problem is the pipeline. EdTech executives, and tech executives in general, have made the case that there simply aren’t enough qualified people of color earning degrees in technology and applying for jobs. They put the blame for EdTech’s lack of diversity on the pipeline by claiming they are stuck hiring primarily White men because those are the only qualified candidates applying.

It is true that there are fewer people of color coming through the so-called pipeline. But blaming EdTech’s diversity problem on the pipeline isn’t going to solve the problem. Kimberly Bryant, founder of the non-profit Black Girls Code, argues that the real problem is something she calls a leaky pipeline.

There are plenty of women and people of color who begin a career in EdTech, she says. But along the way, they decide it’s not for them. Figuring out why this happens, and addressing the issue, is the real key to fixing EdTech’s diversity problem.

One reason women or people of color shy away from EdTech is the culture. Because the industry has been dominated by White men for so long, it’s hard for diverse employees not to feel like outsiders. Being the only woman or the only person of color in a space is lonely and intimidating for many. By working to create a more inclusive culture that is open to all peoples’ contributions, EdTech can begin to fix its diversity problem.

Do you see a lack of diversity in EdTech? What do you think we can do to fix it?

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My Vision For the Future of STEM Education

STEM is ever present in all parts of daily life in the modern world. And, STEM jobs are more in demand every day, expected to grow exponentially over the next few years. However, STEM education in the U.S. has a long way to go. According to the latest PISA results, the United States is average in science and reading compared to the rest of the world. Additionally, the U.S. scored below average in mathematics.

To compete with global education leaders and produce STEM workers, American schools need to improve the way STEM education is approached. My vision for the Future of STEM education is for the United States to take the reins of innovation and start competing globally.

Starting Early

To compete with the rest of the world, U.S. children need to be efficiently introduced to STEM learning at an early age. While some programs have embraced early STEM learning, the application is not widespread or regulated to provide consistent results. My vision for the future of STEM education includes programs in Pre-K facilities which follow a uniform curriculum. Incorporation of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics as early as preschool will prepare children for more advanced subjects in later education. Today’s children are more familiar with technology than any prior generation; I believe we need to embrace that familiarity to support early STEM learning.

Hands-On Engagement

The inclusion of hands-on learning activities in STEM education is paramount to facilitate student engagement. Additionally, children must have the opportunity to learn through failure and exploration. My vision for the future of STEM learning includes making learning fun for students through engaging activities and lessons. One such activity, which can be incorporated throughout K-12 STEM learning, is robotics. Robotics is hands-on and encourages problem-solving and risk-taking in students.

Real-world Application

Students need to be encouraged to participate in STEM learning and pursue careers in the field. A great way to do that is through the tackling of real-world problems in educational settings. In my vision for the future of STEM education, students will continually be called upon to ponder real-world issues, like global warming or food shortages. STEM educators will encourage students to explore global challenges and find solutions through science, technology, engineering, and math.

The engagement of U.S. children in STEM education is the key to companies filling an estimated 9 million jobs in the industry by 2022. Time can only tell how many STEM careers will be created in the years that follow. However, it’s up to everyone to ensure that American students are prepared to compete for those spots.

With the commitment of parents, teachers, and communities we can offer a more inclusive and effective STEM education to children. While improving STEM learning may seem like a lofty goal, the Every Student Succeeds Act has provided support for the idea. It’s now up to us to make the changes necessary to realize a vision of better STEM education for American students.

What programs do you want to see incorporated in your local schools? Are you a STEM teacher, working on the frontlines to improve education? We want to hear your opinions and ideas.