Category Archives: Education Solutions

Centres And The Scottish Qualifications Authority To Deliver The Scottish Personal Licence Holder Exam In A Secure Electronic Environment

PLH Online launched a pioneering e-learning solution to Personal Licence Holder training in April 2009, and since then have provided a huge number of employers and individuals across Scotland with a welcome solution to their licensing training needs.

Centres And The Scottish Qualifications Authority To Deliver The Scottish Personal Licence Holder Exam In A Secure Electronic Environment

PLH Online enables users to achieve full certification in accordance with the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 or the Licensing (England and Wales) Act 2003. The modules are fully approved by SQA who are accredited to award the Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (Off-Sales and On-Sales) and the QCF Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.

SQA Head of Business Development & Customer Support, Alasdair MacRae said, “SQA are delighted to be working with PLH Online to deliver our Personal Licence Holder qualifications through their innovative e-learning system. This will provide flexibility and choice for our candidates in when and where they undertake the course, benefits which are key in this busy and diverse industry.”

Pearson VUE are the world’s leading computer-based testing company and have the largest network of owned test centres in the UK. Pearson VUE provide learners with a secure testing environment and are conveniently located throughout the UK. 80% of the population (either at home or work) are no more than 20 miles away from their nearest test centre.

PLH Online has been developed in association with Montpeliers (Edinburgh) Ltd. who have extensive knowledge of training in the UK licensed trade, and helps managers become qualified personal licence holders quickly and conveniently. The training can be purchased and used instantly on-line, and used at a time and a place to suit.

Director Karen Calvert explains “We are extremely pleased with the success of our Personal Licence Holder training so far. We have attracted customers from a wide range of businesses across the industry and from all parts of the country. It is proving to be a very cost effective and practical training solution, and the feedback on the quality and content of the course itself is fantastic. We are also appealing to a wide range of age groups proving that e-learning is for everybody.”

The training modules – which have been in development for over two years – have been tailored for both on and off-sales operators in Scotland. PLH Online are now set to launch the Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders in England and Wales in April.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

ICMA Centre Launches New Portfolio Simulation Platform

The International Capital Market Association (ICMA) Centre has announced the launch of a new Portfolio Simulation Platfrom.

ICMA Centre Launches New Portfolio Simulation Platform

The new web-based ICMA Centre portfolio simulation platform that has been developed by StockTrak Inc and customised by Dr George Alexandridis allows students to trade securities in most major markets around the world in real time and build and manage large portfolios.

MSc and BSc students at the ICMA Centre that take the portfolio management course are involved in an assessed group project where they have to build and evaluate a hypothetical portfolio with securities of their choice using real time data.

Dr George Alexandridis, Lecturer in Finance at the ICMA Centre said: “Our custom made portfolio simulation platform and other simulations used in the centre can really help us bridge the gap between theory and practice and progress the students’ learning experience to a higher level. Students can apply the tools they learn in the class and improve their investment skills. It is very much like real-life on-line trading platform that not only allows students to get some hands-on experience but also ignites a spirit of competition in the class room. Moreover, it helps improve students’ investment awareness and potential in securing better jobs after graduation”

The MSc Portfolio Management challenge runs between January and April by Professor Jacques Pezier. Each group of students is required to submit a detailed report where they critically explain and justify their trades and profitability compared to appropriate benchmarks. The final winners are determined based on both their final profit and reports. This allows for students to be evaluated on their critical judgment as well as their skills of practically applying what they learn from core courses such as portfolio management and derivative markets.

The ICMA Centre is one of the very few Business Schools in the UK that have adopted similar portfolio simulation platforms that are becoming an essential training tool in business, finance and executive education.

About the ICMA
The International Capital Market Association (ICMA) is the self-regulatory organisation and trade association for the international securities market. Its primary role is to oversee the fast-changing marketplace through the issuing of rules and recommendations relating to trading and settlement practices.

ICMA currently has over 400 members in almost 50 countries and has a proven track record in representing their interests. In addition to its regulatory role, ICMA also provides its member firms – and other users – with a range of services, products and support, including investment management, studies into Islamic finance and FSA compliance training.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean Launches Test Prep Course

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, has launched a new programme to help prepare students for college entrance exams.

Promethean Launches Test Prep Course

Created in collaboration with the Chicago International Charter School (CICS), the Preparing for Standardized Tests program is designed to improve student’s performance on the reading and math sections of the PSAT, ACT, and SAT exams.

The Preparing for Standardized Tests program, a collection of interactive whiteboard (IWB) lessons, engages students in mastering essential college readiness and provides them with advanced test preparation. Students can practice how to answer questions from standardized tests using the guided practice lessons and the innovative interactive whiteboard tools of Promethean’s ActivClassroom. Every week, they will complete two essential skills lessons and answer the corresponding practice questions that are presented in a formal testing format.

“This innovative collection of lessons has been carefully designed to support the development of core college readiness skills using our ActivClassroom technology. We believe students will find these unique interactive lessons helpful when preparing for important college-entrance exams,” commented Brent Taggart, Chief Strategy Officer for Promethean.

Preparing for Standardized Tests extends CICS’ ACT Practice Tests, an earlier series of test preparation courses developed by the school. In creating the new program, CICS licensed its intellectual property from their tests and consulted on the development of the core content of the lessons. In keeping with the mission of CICS to prepare all students with a college preparatory education, this new IWB program fully utilizes the interactive power of ActivInspire software and the ActivExpression learner response systems from Promethean.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean Gets The Scottish Vote

Following the implementation of Promethean’s ActivExpression learner response system, an innovative handheld voting device, Students in Scotland are getting the vote early at the Scottish Parliament’s on-site education centre in the Holyrood building.

Promethean Gets The Scottish Vote

ActivExpression is being used to enhance the Parliament’s education programme, by making activities more interactive, engaging and relevant to the young visitors. Using ActivExpression, students are given the chance to ‘vote’ on key political issues and their responses provide education staff with opinions to encourage, debate and enhance review sessions at the end of the visit.

Alongside ActivExpression, Scottish Parliament chose to implement additional ActivClassroom solutions, including Promethean’s ActivBoard interactive whiteboard solution and accompanying interactive whiteboard tools and ActivInspire software. Bringing topics to life, education staff have used the technologies to create lively resources on the history of Holyrood and daily duties of parliamentary members, incorporating a variety of multimedia, including images, videos and sound.

Margaret Allen, head of European market development at Promethean, commented: “This is a fantastic example of how the ActivClassroom is being used in an alternative learning environment to promote participation and collaboration in a way that appeals to today’s digital learner.”

Beyond the Parliament’s on-site education centre, ActivClassroom technologies have been integrated into Holyrood’s ‘chat room’, a space where visiting students get the chance to question Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). To ensure the effectiveness of these questioning sessions, Parliament staff decided to implement Promethean’s ActivSound audio enhancement system, to make sure that students are fully engaged and involved in the experience.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean Announce New Collection Of Interactive Grammar Courses

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, has announced a new collection of interactive grammar courses designed to help students develop critical language arts and writing skills.

Promethean Announce New Collection Of Interactive Grammar Courses

The new English Grammar II Essential course is being offered through a strategic partnership between Promethean Planet and Core Learning, an innovative publisher of K-12 digital content.

“Our goal is to give teachers a curriculum that encourages student participation and fosters a greater understanding and use of language arts concepts. We are delighted to offer this resource to the hundreds of thousands of teachers who are exploring new ways to make their Promethean ActivClassrooms even more effective,” said Core Learning President and CEO, Douglas Hatch.

The course has forty-one lesson plans which explain sentence structure and development, punctuation and capitalization as well as how to properly use speech when writing. Different course activities allow students to participate in the classroom using the ActivPen, ActivBoard and a Learner Response System, such as ActivExpression or ActiVote. Each lesson includes notes and teacher resources to help guide instruction and pre-built assessments designed for the interactive whiteboard to help teachers gauge how well students understand the concepts as they are being taught.

“As more and more teachers join Promethean Planet, our goal is to provide them with exceptional resources that help make learning more interactive for students. Beyond offering teachers access to a vast collection of quality content, we give them the opportunity to share best practices and ideas on how to build a 21st century learning environment,” commented Chief Strategy Officer Brent Taggart.

A free lesson from the course can be downloaded from the Promethean website. The course can be purchased and downloaded individually or as a complete program at the Promethean Planet Shop, an online store where educators can find a wide variety of digital content, including ActivInspire, the software needed to run this program and interactive whiteboard resources.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Facts About Jesus’ Resurrection Lead Online Students to the Full Story

Understanding the Bible isn’t always easy. The language, the cultural references and the seemingly inconsistent accounts from book to book can all cause confusion for a student starting out on the path to enlightenment. Jesus’ resurrection proves that He was exactly who He said He was, yet much misunderstanding surrounds these events for students without the proper guide. The United Church of God hopes to clear up the confusion with its online study guide,“Jesus Christ: The Real Story.”

The free online guide, found at ucg.org, tackles many misconceptions and questions, including:

• When did Jesus die? – The chronology of Jesus’ resurrection and crucifixion becomes clear only when a student reads the four Gospels at the same time, and corroborates between them. Luke, Mark and John offer what seems to be conflicting information in their references to the Sabbath, but by understanding the differences between the different types of Sabbaths, you understand that Jesus died on Wednesday, which was just before a high-day Sabbath, and was resurrected on Saturday, at the end of the weekly Sabbath. The chronology of Jesus’ Resurrection and crucifixion are detailed in the study guide.

• Did Jesus’ enemies acknowledge that His tomb was empty? – Yes, they did, by creating a lie to discount Jesus’ Resurrection. The Bible tells us that they bribed the Roman soldiers who were responsible for guarding the sealed tomb, telling them to say that the disciples (who would become the founding members of Jesus’ Church) came and removed the body. The study guide points to an account in Matthew to help students understand the events surrounding Jesus’ Resurrection.

In addition to “Jesus Christ: The Real Story,” the United Church of God offers many other free study guides on its website. They include:

• What Did Jesus’ Church Believe and Practice? – The beginnings of Jesus’ Church are documented by eyewitness accounts in the book of Acts. This study guide reveals many overlooked truths.

• Modern Christianity’s Forgotten Roots – The practices of today’s Christian Church can vary greatly from Jesus’ Church – the original Church Christ built.

• Bible Study Tools: Twelve lessons make up this Bible Study Course, which helps its students find biblical answers to crucial questions such as “Why are we here?” and“What does the future hold?”

All study guides on the United Church of God’s website are free and available to all.

About the United Church of God: The United Church of God traces it origins back to the original Christian Church, founded in the early first century. The Church follows the same doctrines, teachings and practices as the original Church, and it strives to educate all about Jesus Resurrection. In addition to the many free online study guides – about the Sabbath and other topics – students can follow the United Church of God on twitter.com/ucgia, become a fan of the organization on Facebook, and watch video commentaries and excerpts from Beyond Today programs on youtube.com/user/BeyondTodayTV.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Christian Church Provides Free Online Resources for Those Wanting to Better Understand the Bible

In today’s busy world, a significant portion of learning takes place on the Internet. Whether it’s a high school student learning algebra or a busy mom studying and teaching her kids Bible stories, online resources are the key to continuing one’s education on any subject. The United Church of God understands this and has created numerous in-depth lessons on the Christian Church, Bible stories, and the Kingdom of Heaven.

All of the resources found on the United Church of God’s website, ucg.org, are free and available to all. They include:

• Bible Study Course – In 12 lessons, students will study everything from “Why the Bible Is the Word of God” to “Christianity – A Way of Life.” This resource gives students a good base from which to begin study of the Christian Church.

• Bible Stories – Profiles of Faith – These guides tell the Bible stories of Abraham, Sarah, Mary and Martha, just to name a few. There are also children’s Bible stories for parents and educators to use in their teachings.

• Kingdom of Heaven – Here, students will find a true definition of the Kingdom of Heaven that clears up the many misconceptions of this realm.

• This Is the United Church of God: Learn more about the Church that provides all of these free online resources. Its mission is to help Christians better understand the gospel taught by Jesus Christ and to prepare them for the Kingdom of Heaven.

In addition to the many Christian Church online resources, the United Church of God has many publications. Students can read them online and also request printed versions. The titles include:

• The Good News Magazine – This bimonthly publication offers in-depth study of the Bible and Bible stories, while its website also features current news and commentary, video segments and additional resources.

• Vertical Thought – This quarterly publication targets tomorrow’s leaders with articles on everything from dating advice to how to hold onto Christian Church values while in college.

All of these resources are available online at ucg.org, where you’ll find many more ways to learn about the Christian Church and the Kingdom of Heaven.

The United Church of God traces its origins back to the Christian Church founded by Jesus in the early first century. The Church follows the same Bible Stories, doctrines, teachings and practices as the original Church. Follow the United Church of God on twitter.com/ucgia, become a fan of the organization on Facebook, and watch video commentaries and excerpts from Beyond Today programs on youtube.com/user/BeyondTodayTV. Learn more about the Kingdom of Heaven through its online Bible studies.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Jesus’ Birth and More Outlined in Free Online Bible Study

It’s said that Jesus Birth, life and death were the greatest gifts given to humankind by God. To truly understand these gifts and their impact even to this day, the Christian religion asks that its followers study the Bible extensively. The United Church of God understands that often the Bible can be difficult to follow, though, and has created exhaustive online Bible study resources so that any and all who wish to learn may do so.

The free online Bible Study Course contains 12 lessons that will help students better understand the Bible and find answers to life’s most important questions, such as “Why are we here?” and “What does the future hold?” They are:

1. Why the Bible Is the Word of God – This online Bible study lesson shows students how to connect with the Creator and understand the Bible’s mysteries.

2. The Word of God: The Fountain of knowledge – Knowing more about the men behind the Bible stories will help students to better understand.

3. Why Did God Create Mankind? – Humankind was created in the image of God, but what does that mean? Students also will learn what God has in store for them.

4. Why Does God Allow Suffering? – In times of war and natural disaster, this question is often asked. This online Bible study lesson reveals the ultimate hope offered by God.

5. Is There Hope for Human Survival? – This lesson looks at the warnings of Prophecy and the hope that Jesus will rescue the world from destruction.

6. What Is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God? – When Jesus saves the world, He will rule over the Kingdom of God. Students will explore the portions of the Bible that talk about this news.

7. The Calling of God – This lesson teaches students how to have a relationship with God through the Christian religion, and how to receive His loving gifts.

8. What Is Christian Conversion? – God will transform us for good, despite our nature to be otherwise. This lesson explores the process of conversion to the Christian religion.

9. The Transforming Power of God’s Spirit – Students will learn about how to use the power of the Holy Spirit to transform their lives.

10. What Is the Church? – This lesson looks at the original Church and its transformation over the centuries. Students will learn how to recognize it today.

11. Christianity: A Way of Life – Students will learn the key elements of living a godly life in the modern world.

12. The Annual Festivals of the God – Holy Days differ from holidays. Discover the difference and understand their meanings within the Christian religion.

About the United Church of God: The United Church of God traces its origins back to the a Christian Religion founded by Jesus in the early first century. The Church follows the same doctrines, teachings and practices as the original Church, and it strives to educate Christians through its a Online Bible Study. Follow the United Church of God on twitter.com/ucgia, become a fan of the organization on Facebook, and watch video commentaries and excerpts from Beyond Today programs on youtube.com/user/BeyondTodayTV.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

New Testament and 10 Commandments Help Believers Keep the Faith During Troubled Times

War. Natural disasters. Rampant crime. In a time of such unrest in the world, Christians should embrace the New Testament and its support of God’s law, not dismiss it as irrelevant. The United Church of God continues its mission of keeping these ideals alive and also bringing about better understanding of the New Covenant through the numerous free study guides found on its website at www.ucg.org.

Around one third of the New Testament contains quotations of and references to the Old Testament, including Jesus Christ’s direction in Matthew that the way to the Kingdom of Heaven was through obedience of the 10 Commandments. The New Testament also describes the fulfillment of many an Old Testament Prophecy, including through the life of Jesus Christ, from birth through crucifixion. The United Church of God offers the following study guides to the New Testament and New Covenant:

• The Ten Commandments in the New Testament – This guide helps students to see that it does matter whether or not they obey the 10 Commandments. By fully understanding that Jesus Christ supported God’s law and continued to preach its value, believers will see how the age-old road map to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven helps those who follow it keep the faith.

• God’s Law and the New Covenant – This guide also looks at Jesus and His institution of the New Covenant and teaches that it did not make God’s law obsolete. By following God’s law, Christians can find a renewed faith in the Creator God.

In addition to the many resources on the New Testament and the New Covenant, ucg.org offers multiple free study guides on Prophecy that can help today’s believers see
more clearly God’s plan. The United Church of God suggests starting with:

• You Can Understand Bible Prophecy – The principles and framework of Bible Prophecy must first be known before any individual Prophecy can be understood. This guide unlocks the mysteries surrounding Prophecy.

By offering its study guides for free, online, the United Church of God hopes to help those who have lost their faith find it again.

The United Church of God traces its origins back to the original Christian Church, founded in the early first century. The Church follows the same doctrines, teachings and practices as the original Church, and it strives to educate all about the New Covenant. In addition to the many free online study guides – about the New Testament, Prophecy and other topics – students can follow the United Church of God on twitter.com/ucgia, become a fan of the organization on Facebook, and watch video commentaries and excerpts from sermons on youtube.com/user/BeyondTodayTV.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Peoples Education Launches Measuring Up Express for the CST

Peoples Education Launches Measuring Up Express TM for the CST New Quick and Easy Test Preparation Available for English Language Arts, Grades 2-8.

Peoples Education Launches Measuring Up Express for the CST

Saddle Brook, New Jersey, February 4, 2010 – Peoples Education, a leading provider of supplemental educational material for the K-12 school market, today is pleased to announce the launch of Measuring Up ExpressTM English Language Arts, Grades 2-8 materials in California. Measuring Up ExpressTM includes student worktexts, Diagnostic Practice Tests, and Formative Assessments, and boosts students’ test-taking confidence by targeting the California blueprint standards.

“Educators were looking for a short program that would fit into a busy school day,” commented Vince Konoske, the company’s Western Regional Vice President. “This new standards review program and CST preparation is the perfect tool.”

Measuring Up ExpressTM worktexts are a companion to the successful Measuring Up® to the California Content Standards program. In areas where students need extra instructional support, Measuring Up lessons can be selected for in-depth standards coverage. Measuring Up ExpressTM is perfect for quick and easy test review 3-6 weeks prior to the CST. The short lessons provide a brief review of the standards and relevant vocabulary, as well as test practice in the format of the CST. The Grade 7 Measuring Up ExpressTM worktext also includes a special End-of-Book writing prompt review section to familiarize students with the types of writing that appear on the CST.

The Measuring Up ExpressTM program includes free Formative Assessments as blackline masters so teachers can monitor student progress at the end of every chapter. Two free Diagnostic Practice Tests for each student allow teachers to diagnose student weaknesses and prescribe review lessons in the Measuring Up ExpressTM OR Measuring Up® worktexts. This diagnose-prescribe-instruct model in the Measuring Up® program has helped over 1.3 million California students improve test scores.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Peoples Education Launches Measuring Up Express for the NYS Test

Peoples Education Launches Measuring Up Express TM for the NYS Test Quick and Easy Test Preparation Now Available for Mathematics, Grades 3-8.

Peoples Education Launches Measuring Up Express for the NYS Test

Saddle Brook, New Jersey, February 4, 2010 – Peoples Education, a leading provider of supplemental educational material for the K-12 school market, today announced the addition of Mathematics, grades 3-8 materials to the successful Measuring Up ExpressTM for the NYS Test program. The Measuring Up ExpressTM line also includes grade 8 Science materials to prepare students for the NYS Test in Science. The Mathematics, grades 3-8 program, includes student worktexts, Diagnostic Practice Tests, and Formative Assessments, and provides excellent preparation for the 2010 test and beyond.

“Peoples Education has a history of responding to New York educators’ needs promptly and with high-quality NYS Learning Standards and NYS Test-customized content,” commented Brian T. Beckwith, the company’s President and CEO. “This new mathematics NYS Test preparation and review program is no exception.”

The Measuring Up ExpressTM worktexts are a companion to the successful Measuring Up® to the New York State Learning Standards program. The new books address recent changes to the Grade 3-8 Mathematics Testing Program, with lessons on prior year May-June Performance Indicators and exclusive 2010 Transition Lessons that cover March-April review content from the prior year to prepare students for the May test.

“The instructors at Mechanicville Middle School have successfully used the Measuring Up® series to accommodate various classroom situations,” commented Maria Fusco, a retired Mechanicville Middle School teacher. “The versatility of the materials and alignment to state standards allows the instructor and the students to manage the skills that have either been mastered or need further attention.”

In areas where students need extra instructional support, Measuring Up® lessons can be selected for in-depth standards coverage. For quick and easy test review 3-6 weeks prior to the NYS Test, Measuring Up ExpressTM is the perfect tool. The short lessons provide a brief review of the standards, as well as test practice in the style and format of the NY Test.

The Measuring Up ExpressTM program includes free Formative Assessments as blackline masters so teachers can monitor student progress at the end of every chapter. Two free Diagnostic Practice Tests for each student allow teachers to diagnose student weaknesses and prescribe review lessons in the Measuring Up ExpressTM OR Measuring Up® worktexts. This diagnose-prescribe-instruct model in the Measuring Up® program has helped over 1.4 million New York students improve test scores.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

IC School Promotes Healthy Habits With Their Walk On Wednesdays Initiative

The International Community School is one of the best known international school London has to offer. The institution has recently stepped out of the classroom with their new Walk on Wednesday program that involves all of their Primary Year students. The initiative seeks to promote healthy habits and to teach the important habits of keeping a regular exercise routine to avoid the health problems related to obesity.

IC School Promotes Healthy Habits With Their Walk On Wednesdays Initiative

Childhood obesity has grown to be a major problem in several western countries. Kids these days walk far less than the ones from the past generation and the statistics regarding obesity are shocking. Walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise since almost anyone can do it. Thus taking daily walks can become the foundation from which children can learn a host of other healthy habits and learn to incorporate a proper diet and exercise in their lives.

Walk on Wednesday

The ICS has become a rather well-known independent school London because of its many projects that involve more than just regular classes. The institution has a host of activities that involves kids from all ages and that take the learning experience to new levels, both inside and outside of the classroom. The Walk on Wednesday project is a perfect example of these type of teaching methodology. The goal: to have kids exercise at least once a week and teach them the value of keeping a regular exercise regime. The implementation is simple – the school buses that usually take the children directly to the institution drop them off at the top of Regents Park instead. There the students are joined by a group of ICS teachers who then walk with them towards the school. Each student shares the activity with his or her friends and the journey is seen as an achievement that they make as a group.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

New Parenting Interview Series ‘Enlightened Parents, Empowered Kids’ Helps Parents Raise Emotionally Healthy Kids

I Shine, which offers character building and self-esteem programs for children and conscious parenting programs for adults, announces the release of its free expert parenting interview series “Enlightened Parents, Empowered Kids”. The new interview series offers tips and strategies from top parenting experts to help parents nurture the healthy development of their children and better manage common parenting concerns.

“This interview series is for parents looking for simple strategies they can use immediately to address everyday parenting concerns,” said Jill Hope, founder of I Shine. “It provides valuable information on how to develop healthy habits in children and avoid common parenting mistakes. The tips and techniques shared by our experts will help to ensure that our children develop the skills they need to grow into emotionally healthy adults.”

Highlights from “Enlightened Parents, Empowered Kids” include:

• Cultivating a “Giving” Mindset and Prosperity Consciousness in our children

• Building Inner Strength and Resilience in Your Kids

• Helping Your Kids Manage Stress, Anxiety, and Anger

To gain access to this free interview series, visit
www.ishinekids.com/empoweredparenting

About I Shine
Founded in 2008, I Shine (www.ishinekids.com) helps parents around the globe cultivate the mindset necessary to be conscious and positive in their parenting approach and raise emotionally healthy, empowered kids. Owner Jill Hope has designed and developed several unique and innovative programs that focus on teaching parents how to foster self-esteem and build character in their kids. Her free weekly e-newsletter provides tips and resources for conscious parenting, and has become one of the top parenting newsletters on the internet.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean Unveils Self Paced Learner Response System

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, demonstrated the self-paced learning functionality of its popular ActivExpression Learner Response System at the British Education & Training (BETT) Show 2010. With its unique ability to allow each student to work through question sets at their own pace on individual handsets, while also allowing teachers to instantly view progress via a ‘teacher dashboard’, the self-paced learning proved an immediate hit with learners and educators of every age group.

Promethean Unveils Self Paced Learner Response System

Using self paced learning, teachers can pose a series of questions to the class, grouping them into categories, for example, by levels of ease. The system then automatically allows a learner to progress to the next level of difficulty if they correctly answer questions. Teachers can programme rules, determining the number of questions a learner needs to answer correctly before they are moved up to the next level or alternatively set the software to randomise questions and prevent learners from conferring on an answer.

Alison Lydon, Head of Junior School Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) at The Mary Erskine and Stewart’s Melville Junior School, was involved in a pilot of the new self paced learning application. The response from the seven and eight year olds involved in the trial was extremely positive: “We had great fun,” said Alison. “The children loved it, the ease of use was staggering, and the teaching and learning potential was massive.

“The children really were able to work at their own pace. Questions appeared quickly on their screens and children who were able to answer questions easily were not held back by others who took longer. Children could progress to harder questions when they were ready to, rather than when a teacher thought they should.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean Announces Southampton To Adopt ActivExpression City-Wide

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, has announced that, as part of its pioneering Assessment for Learning project, Southampton City Council has adopted Promethean’s ActivExpression Learner Response Systems across all of its 77 primary and secondary schools. This is the first time that a UK Local Authority has implemented such a large-scale, comprehensive adoption of ActivExpression, recognising the significant benefits they bring to teaching by improving the way students engage and interact.

The ActivExpression device, which is similar to a mobile phone in appearance and features an alphanumeric keypad, allows students to text responses to a range of question types from multiple choice to ‘open’ questions, and offers teachers an innovative way of assessing student progress and stimulating debate in lessons. Results can be instantly displayed on an interactive whiteboard for discussion in class, anonymously if required, and stored to help teachers assess students’ performance.

The funding for this project was a Harnessing Technology grant from Becta, the Government agency dedicated to promoting effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. Promethean’s ActivExpression Learner Response Systems will be rolled out to primary and secondary schools throughout Southampton in the spring term 2010. Teachers will be provided with comprehensive training to ensure they make best use of this new innovative technology.

Daryl Misselbrook, e-Learning Consultant for Southampton City Council, said: “We wanted to implement a technology that could offer students a more differentiated and personalised learning experience, which would improve engagement levels of all learners regardless of their abilities. In consultation with schools, we evaluated several systems and found Promethean’s ActivExpression offered the most benefits. It is simple to use, can be incorporated at any point during a lesson and is compatible with a range of interactive whiteboards. Teachers also liked the range of response and assessment options and found it the most durable and visually appealing.”

Duncan Wells, Deputy Headteacher at Hollybrook Junior School, participated in the initial pilot and described his experience using the new educational software: “One of the most valuable contributions of ActivExpression has been its ability to engage pupils, and this was something that teachers witnessed straight away – every child has a say and can take part, without fear of embarrassing themselves if they get it wrong. It makes it a highly inclusive tool, ideal for working with pupils with special educational needs or with mixed ability classes.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean Planet Membership Passes The Half Million Mark

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, has announced that membership of Promethean Planet has passed the half million mark, doubling in only one year. Promethean Planet was launched in 2006 and in less than four years has become the world’s largest online community for users of interactive learning technology.

Promethean Planet Membership Passes The Half Million Mark

Available in ten languages with members in more than 150 countries, Promethean planet is free to join and enables teachers from around the globe to exchange ideas, share new and innovative lesson plans and have access to a wide variety of professional development materials. The site contains more than 16,000 fully customable lesson resources for all ages, representing more than 225,000 pages of teaching resources, and includes interactive whiteboard resources and premium interactive educational content from leading publishers such as Dorling Kindersley, National Geographic, Scholastic, Waterford Institute, Harper Collins and Oxford University Press.

Promethean Planet received the Worlddidac Foundation Award for Excellence in Education in 2008. Recent monthly statistics show that there were more than 250,000 unique visits, five million page views and more than 550,000 downloads on the site (November 2009). Planet is currently supported in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Kazakh and Arabic.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

New Classroom Technology Solution For Schools

RoomPro Technologies has released RoomPro ONE, a fully integrated, all-in-one classroom control and microphone system that enables K-12 educators to provide an enhanced audio and video experience to improve student learning.

New Classroom Technology Solution For Schools

RoomPro ONE is equipped with a built-in infrared (IR) microphone system that offers optimized voice enhancement and 360° sound reinforcement for full-classroom auditory learning. It also includes a wall panel for simple, one-touch control and notably features a Virtual Control Panel, RoomPro’s proprietary control panel emulation software that allows teachers to operate the system using multiple instructional technologies.

Dean Olds, president of RoomPro Technologies, says the system’s patented design offers educators several advantages.

“RoomPro ONE solves the problem of uneven classroom sound distribution and as a result the related problem of uneven learning experiences from student to student. And, with the addition of our Virtual Control Panel, we have found a way to provide educators with more convenient system control and access. Teachers can now quickly and easily operate the system at the touch of a button, whether they are working from a laptop, a wireless tablet or an interactive whiteboard,” Olds says.

Olds adds that the system’s powerful multimedia management and control seamlessly integrates devices educators need while eliminating devices they don’t—such as remotes, which can be cumbersome to use and are easily misplaced.

According to Olds, another critical advantage for educators is that the system is priced with tight school budgets in mind. “Our system is well-positioned to help schools create the classroom of tomorrow within the budget limitations of today. It essentially can be purchased for what you would expect to pay for a classroom microphone system alone,” he says.

About RoomPro Technologies
RoomPro Techologies is a leading manufacturer of audio and visual products specializing in the K-12 market and is based in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Its all-in-one control and microphone systems are found in classrooms, conference rooms and training rooms across the country. More information is available at www.roomprotech.com.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Algae Educational Kit Will Grow On Schools

World of Algae.com announced today that they are weeks away from launching the Algae Educational Kit. This brand new hands-on Kit is packed with information and gadgets to grow algae.

“We have been getting increased interest from teachers, educators, and students about producing a guide for those who want to maintain algae cultures and carry out simple growth experiments. There seems to be detailed books for the more advanced student or worker, but very few books for inexperienced people. We hope the kit we have put together will bridge that gap”, said David Sieg, author of the Algae Educational Kit workbook.

The World of Algae website was launched in 2009 by Mr Sieg and Steve Ewings. “The Algae Educational Kit was developed for both the school and home market and it is part of our commitment to providing up to date information on the world of algae”, said Mr Ewings.

It is true that companies like Exxon and BP are investing $100s of millions in algae biofuel research and development. This new Kit may provide students with the opportunity to contextualise what is happening in this developing field.

The Algae Educational Kit includes everything to begin growing algae including: a CD containing the workbook and lesson plans; specially formulated algae nutrient; a digital temperature gauge; pH sticks; air stone; silicone air lines; gang valve; light clamp and 75 watt algae grow bulb; check valve and an air pump.

According to Steve Ewings, one of the founders of World of Algae, “Alga has the potential to radically change our lives… undoubtedly children of the future will see green pond slime through very different eyes, and our Kit aims to become part of that process.”

The Kit will be available towards the end of January 2010, and to avoid disappointment educators are invited to register their interest: http://www.world-of-algae.com/Algae-Education-Kit.html

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

The Swedish National Encyclopedia (NE) Presents For Free The Largest Swedish Educative Quiz With Over 6,000 Questions

Millions of Swedes find a question like this amusing. This is why the Swedish National Encyclopedia (NE) presents for free the largest Swedish educative quiz with over 6,000 questions. You can find all the answers on the website NE.se.

The Swedish National Encyclopedia (NE) Presents For Free The Largest Swedish Educative Quiz With Over 6,000 Questions

In our digital world, people ask for knowledge through new channels. Therefore, the Swedish National Encyclopedia has gone from being a traditional printed encyclopedia to acting in several ways on the Internet and in mobile phones. Our aim is, wherever you may be, to provide answers and inspiration for you to learn new things. This new quiz is the largest Internet quiz in Sweden , and our aim is to attract people who are eager to acquire factual information. Players can test their knowledge in areas such as history, geography, science and sports. Excellent results will appear in a top-ranking list.

Anders Hansson, quiz editor and developer at NE, says:

“Our aim has been to develop a quiz that is both entertaining and challenging for people to learn more. The aim of a quiz should be to arouse interest, not to discourage. ”

On the Internet there are three versions of NE.se:

•  The free section which gives everybody access to 64,000 entries which are more concise than the entries to be found in the subscription section of NE.se. These entries are also available on mobile phones.

•  The main section of NE.se includes some 530,000 verified articles. With its new design, additional functions and regularly updated content, the main section has become a website offering rapid answers and easy access to in-depth information. Also, there are smart add-on features, such as maps, illustrations and crosswords.

•  NE school is a section of the website which primarily addresses teachers and students. You will, for example, find theme packages, study questions and learner packages. A learner package is a function which enables you as a teacher to create your own theme packages or materials to form part of a lesson.

In addition, NE has its own social networking sites on Facebook and Twitter. Also, NE publishes the blog Kunskapsbloggen.se, which is a way for us to communicate with our subscribers as well as other people searching for knowledge.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Promethean’s Global Distribution Doubled In Three Years

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive educational technology, has announced that, following the installation of its ActivClassroom products in Panama, the total number of countries deploying Promethean technology has reached 100. This is double the number compared to only three years ago and reflects both the pace with which educational systems are introducing interactive learning technology and the rapid global growth of Promethean.

Promethean’s ActivClassroom helps bring learning to life and improve engagement and interaction between teachers and students, thereby helping raise learning standards. The ActivClassroom comprises the interactive whiteboard -ActivBoard, interactive whiteboard tools, Learner Response Systems (ActiVote and ActivExpression) and a suite of specialised teaching software (ActivInspire).

To date, over 500,000 Promethean ActivBoard interactive whiteboards have been purchased by schools, bringing the number of students worldwide now being taught with the aid of Promethean technology to over 12 million. In addition, in 2009 alone, over a million students were introduced to Promethean’s Learner Response Systems, making the Company the largest provider of these systems in the K-12 market during the year*.

Iwan Streichenberger, Chief Marketing Officer of Promethean, commented: “Today’s announcement is a reflection of the speed with which Educational technology is being introduced into classrooms and transforming teaching across the world. Our broad geographical reach means that we are well placed to capitalise on further opportunities in this rapidly growing global market.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases