From creating lesson plans to managing a classroom
of students with their own unique learning needs,
professional pedagogy is a frequently arduous job requiring
enormous skill patience, and organization Thankfully, in our
digital era, many technological solutions are being developed
to help out. The companies here, listed in
no particular order, offer comprehensive management tools and
gamified software to improve education for teachers and
students alike.
For # 1 we get Classcraft, which reimagines
the classroom by employing technology games, and storytelling
to create a learning environment that is culturally
relevant to today's youth. The company's platform enables
educators to use common gaming mechanics in their
instruction, which in turn helps students see meaning
in school and develop the competencies to become
better learners.
Tailored to individual classes and teaching styles, Classcraft
uses integrated tools that turn test preparation, lesson
plans, and other learning activities into engaging stories
and adventures. Students can earn points for real-world
actions, and then use those points to level
up and unlock cool gear for their avatars.
To foster teamwork, educators can also initiate a
collaborative Boss Battle, where students defeat a monster
by correctly answering questions.
Next, at # 2 is CYPHER LEARNING, creator
of the NEO learning management system for schools
and universities. NEO is an online platform that
helps with the management of all classroom activities,
such as creating and delivering educational content, assessing
students, tracking their results, and promoting communication and
collaboration between pupils and teachers and faculty.
Whether for K through 12 or higher education,
NEO can be easily customized to match any
educator's needs. Through the platform, teachers can quickly
build classes, create interactive assignments and games, and
get valuable insights using analytics and custom reports.
NEO also integrates with popular third-party tools, and
allows for the creation storage, and sharing of
resources in a centralized catalog.
For # 3 we come to Tech4Learning. Founded
in 19 99 this company develops and markets
original professional development programs and creativity tools for
K through 12 education. Its software provides a
platform students can use to share knowledge and
understanding, communicate original ideas and solutions, and share
their passions with a worldwide audience.
Among Tech4Learning's creative software tools are Pixie and
Wixie, which let students combine text, voice narration,
original art, and images for classroom projects. The
Frames program is designed for the production of
illustrated and stop-motion cartoons, while Share allows for
the creation of portfolios presentations, and interactive eBooks
Meanwhile, teachers can use the Rubric Maker to
craft custom student assessments.
Landing at # 4 is Panorama Education, a
Boston-based company that strives to improve student outcomes
by helping schools and districts act on data.
Providing an all-in-one platform, it pulls key student
information into one spot and offers visual dashboard
reporting. The group makes all of its research-backed
survey instruments open-source and free for educators to
use.
Panorama brings together social-emotional learning, a multi-tiered system
of supports, response to intervention, college and career
readiness tracking, and more. Educators can use the
system's vault of surveys to collect and take
action on the information that is most critical
to their district's success. They can also monitor
how students are doing across academic attendance behavioral,
and other categories, and then coordinate action to
support each child.
For # 5 we have Waltzing Atoms. Started
by Philipp Wissgott and Klemens Senn, this Austrian
company makes the interactive chemistry application Waltzing Atoms
Lab. The app enables teachers to create and
post playful chemical exercises that students solve on
their smartphones or tablets, and provides instant feedback
on how quickly the problems are understood.
Features of the Lab include 3D visualization of
molecules and chemical reactions, and interactive 3D riddles.
Real-time student performance is stored on the app,
and a presentation mode lets educators share their
view with the whole classroom. In addition to
the Lab, the company is the creator of
Hunting Atoms, a chemistry treasure hunt that uses
a free mobile app, and a building kit.
Finally, arriving at # 6 is Lenovo Software,
the group behind the LanSchool classroom management platform.
Utilizing cloud-based or local hosting and compatible with
all operating systems, LanSchool helps teachers connect with
students to create more meaningful online experiences, both
in the classroom and remotely. The platform is
intended to guide learning, increase collaboration, and maximize
teaching time.
LanSchool boasts a suite of solutions for student
monitoring communication, and device management. Protection features help
keep kids safe, while screen sharing and various
messaging options promote collaboration. To maintain classroom focus
and reduce the possibility of inconvenient shutdowns, the
platform also allows educators to remotely control and
track the battery status of student devices.