Category Archives: Educational System

Education, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Institution, Educational System, Schools, Society, Student, Teacher

Co-operative Revolutionises Green Education

Leave a comment

An extensive, multi-channel green education programme that will revolutionise the way young people learn about sustainable and healthy living was unveiled this month by The Co-operative.

From now, all schools are invited to join The Co-operative’s Green Schools Revolution by registering at www.greenschools.coop, which will give them free online access to a wide range of cross-curricular classroom resources and activities, as well as a number of other valuable benefits for the first schools to sign up.

It will give young people the tools to inspire change in their schools, homes and local communities and teachers will have access to materials covering key stages 1 to 4, including lesson plans, topic webs, assembly presentations, classroom activities, debating topics, quizzes and competitions.

Schools will also be able to arrange free visits to The Co-operative’s own wind farm to see renewable energy in action and to one of seven Co-operative Farms to see how food grows and how to cook it. They will also be able to take advantage of support and free materials to set up walking buses at their schools.

In addition, a series of Green Schools Revolution events will take place across the UK from the autumn, including activity days at regional science and discovery centres, funded by The Co-operative.

Written by educational specialists, Green Schools Revolution is available free to all UK schools and incorporates many areas of the national curriculum for 5 to 16 year olds, including science, geography, literacy, citizenship, PSHE, maths, design and technology and art. It also provides valuable opportunities for learning outside the classroom and complements existing Eco Schools and Healthy Schools initiatives to help support schools on their sustainability journey.

Peter Marks, Chief Executive of The Co-operative Group, said: “Green Schools Revolution forms a major part of our £30million drive to inspire young people and is a key part of The Co-operative’s revolutionary Ethical Plan.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Outsourcing, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Schools, Society, Student

Education in America: Homeschooling on the Rise

Leave a comment

The homeschooling movement continues to gain momentum as home-educated students and graduates demonstrate success academically and socially.

Gray, TN, March 7, 2011, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC — Boasting an increase of 74% since 1999 and now in its fourth decade, the modern homeschooling movement is gaining followers at an astonishing rate. Homeschool, for the most part an unfamiliar term only thirty years ago when the movement began, has become a household word. U.S. educators from both public and private school arenas are very much aware of the movement and its impact, and today popular media frequently make mention of “homeschoolers,” from characters in CBS’s #1 show, NCIS, to homeschool grads who appear as contestants on shows such as Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Homeschooling has firmly established itself as a mainstream education alternative.

Homeschoolers are here to stay, because homeschooling works:

• Homeschoolers (K–12) score an average 37 points above the national average on standardized achievement tests. (HSLDA, 2009)

• “Homeschool students possess higher ACT scores, grade point averages (GPAs) and graduation rates when compared to traditionally-educated students.” (Journal of College Admission, citing a 2010 survey of homeschoolers)

• Homeschool grads are “more likely to vote, volunteer for political campaigns, participate in boycotts or write letters to the editor. . . . Seventy-one percent of homeschool graduates participate in an ongoing community service activity compared to 37% of U.S. adults of similar ages.” (NHERI) Homeschoolers are definitely impacting the political scene, as evidenced not only by the recent election of Jaime Herrera, formerly a homeschooler, as a U.S. Representative (R-WA) but also by the enthusiastic participation of homeschooled students in grassroots organizations such as HSLDA’s Generation Joshua.

• Research conducted by multiple sources has found “the home educated to be developing as well or better socially, emotionally, and psychologically than institutionally schooled children and youth.” Homeschool graduates are excelling in their occupations, contributions to their communities’ welfare, and their own families.

The U.S. economy is benefiting too. For example, homeschooling families obviously are committed to equip their students to keep abreast of technological advancements, as statistics show that the use of computer technology in their families nearly tripled that of the average U.S. family, based on national norms. As homeschoolers graduate and enter the workforce, U.S. industries who hire these well-prepared, independent thinkers are thriving.

And there are even more winners—taxpayers benefit as well, because home educators receive no government funding, thus reducing the burden on taxpayers. “If there were 2 million homeschool students in the United States in 2009 and the direct per-pupil expenditure was $10,100, then the homeschool community saved American taxpayers $20.4 billion . . . .” (Dr. Brian Ray, NHERI).

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Outsourcing, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Schools, Society, Student

HomeschoolBlogger.com—Largest Blogging Community for Homeschoolers—Up for Sale!

Leave a comment

Four years into publishing The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine (TOS), owners Paul and Gena Suarez recognized a need for an easy-to-use, FREE, online community where homeschool moms, dads, kids, and grandparents could interact and launched HomeschoolBlogger.com (HSB). Within the first month of its existence, HSB hosted more than 30,000 visits! By the first quarter of 2008, HSB was hosting almost 400,000 unique visitors and averaging more than 9 million page views monthly. Currently, HSB logs more than 500,000 page views per month, hosts about 11,000 new posts per month, and registers 25 new users daily. For many homeschoolers—both teachers and students—a visit to HSB has become part of their daily routine.

Obviously, TOS has identified—and met—a vital need within the homeschooling community. The success of HomeschoolBlogger.com has proven it.

So, why sell HomeschoolBlogger.com and its counterpart, HomesteadBlogger.com? “We’re narrowing our focus at The Old Schoolhouse®, and we’ve fulfilled our original goal: to provide a ‘mini blogosphere’ for homeschoolers around the world,” explained Gena Suarez. “It’s time to hand over the reins to someone else. We’ve simply decided to invest our time and resources in other opportunities that have our attention.”

The site almost exclusively uses open source code, thus effectively sidestepping most licensing fees. Last year HSB rolled out a brand-new platform on WordPress, which offers lots of bells and whistles. More than 140 themes are available, including plugins that provide both secure and feature-rich styling of any of the themes. The platform changes also enabled TOS to minimize maintenance costs and support time.

The current platform makes it possible for a new owner to easily assume control of the site on the existing server. Surprisingly, even if the new owner switched to a different server, migration should require downtime of 8 hours or less! The site could grow to power more than 8 million users before a rewrite or change in platform would be necessary.

HSB operates correctly within any current browser and operating system; therefore visitors can “come as they are” from their mobile devices, Wii, PSP, and others. Use of the Anti-Splog API automatically terminates accounts used for spamming, ensuring that the site quality remains high.

HomeschoolBlogger.com has, in essence, succeeded in creating an international virtual neighborhood of homeschooling families, a neighborhood supported entirely by advertising revenue, enabling users to enjoy the perks at no cost to them. As the billion-dollar homeschool market continues to grow, the potential for profitable expansion—for everyone—appears to be unlimited.

Interested buyers should contact the owners of HomeschoolBlogger.com, Gena and Paul Suarez, or the company’s Director of Marketing, Julie Nott, directly for more details (publisher@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com). HomesteadBlogger.com, a user-friendly, customized network for the homesteading community, is also for sale.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Institution, Educational System, Schools, Society, Student, Teacher

Schools Unite To Form UK’s First Schools Co-operative

Leave a comment

More than 100 primary, secondary schools and colleges in England are set to pool resources, expertise and buying power in the first organisation of its kind in the UK – the Schools Co-operative Society (SCS).

The announcement comes at a time when the Government is encouraging greater independence in education as part of major reforms and is designed to help schools help themselves in accordance with co-operative values and principles.

Already registered as a co-operative, the organisation’s governing body is now working on a strategy that will include:
• Sharing best practice in terms of teaching and management.
• Advancing the co-operative cause in the field of education.
• Using combined buying power – estimated at £100 million plus – to purchase a range of goods and services including energy, administrative services.

All the schools and colleges involved employ globally shared co-operative values such as self-help, democracy, equality, honesty and social responsibility both in their governance and in the curriculum. They are part of the Co-operative Schools Programme, one of the community projects which has been run by The Co-operative Group, the UK’s biggest mutual retailer, and the Co-operative College, the Movement’s educational charity, for the last eight years.

Dave Boston, head teacher of Sir Thomas Boughey Co-operative Business and Enterprise College in Newcastle-under-Lyme, has been appointed Chair of the SCS Board.

He explained: “Co-operative values and principles are more relevant than ever at a time when people are being urged to be more independent and less reliant on the state.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Outsourcing, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Schools, Society, Student

Homeschooling with Heart

Leave a comment

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC — The Old Schoolhouse® (TOS) is taking the potential of the Internet to new boundaries. Promising “tips, tricks, and tools to enhance all phases of your homeschool journey from the preschool and elementary years to high school, college, and beyond,” their Homeschooling with Heart Schoolhouse Expo will feature sessions about the high school years and provide information for entrepreneurs.

Valerie McCafferty, a recent Schoolhouse Expo attendee, summed up her experience this way: “I can’t tell you how much more convenient it was to attend online. That was the most wonderful part of all. I didn’t have to pay for a sitter, could still answer my students’ questions, … didn’t have to drive anywhere, find or pay for parking, or sit in uncomfortable chairs. … I am so looking forward to the rest of the webinars!”

The weeklong 2011 Schoolhouse Expo will feature an impressive lineup of 16 dynamic speakers: authors, teachers, business owners, and researchers, and give participants an opportunity to ask questions and chat with other guests via the live text system.

Gena and Paul Suarez, owners of The Old Schoolhouse® and homeschooling parents of six children, are excited about the success of the Schoolhouse Expos: “We knew that online homeschool webinars would be great for our audience. They love being able to hear their favorite speakers, the Q & A sessions, chatting with other homeschoolers around the world, the discounts offered in our online vendor hall, the amazing freebie package, and of course the fun door prizes! It has been a winner for both our readers and our vendors!”

In addition to the privilege of attending approximately 20 live, hour-long sessions, all registrants will receive a one-year membership to the Homeschool Legal Advantage and a free will, valued at $65; 21 downloadable gifts worth more than $200; access to MP3 files of the sessions, for future reference; door prizes; access to a virtual vendor hall jam-packed with the market’s most outstanding vendors; and a whole lot of fun!

The Door Prize Extravaganza, in which prizes such as books, curricula, and games will be given away to guests, will be held on the final day of the Expo. The biggest prize offered will be a family vacation at one of the twelve Great Wolf Lodge locations in North America, a $450 value!

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Outsourcing, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Schools, Society, Student

Colleges Nationwide Recruit Homeschool Grads

Leave a comment

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC — As the modern-day homeschool movement confidently marches forward into its fourth decade, colleges and universities are opening wide their doors to welcome its mature, prepared graduates to their ranks. Homeschoolers score an average of 37 percentile points above the national average on standardized achievement tests and typically score above average on the SAT and ACT, statistics that apparently have caught the eye of college admissions personnel. Since 1999, the number of homeschoolers in the United States has increased by 74%, and today thousands of young men and women are graduating from high school—at home.

Colleges are employing a wide variety of strategies aimed at recruiting homeschoolers, including strong representation at homeschool conventions, direct mailing campaigns, and promotions in catalogs, on their websites, and in publications such as The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, the nation’s most popular print magazine for homeschoolers. Colleges sponsor “Homeschool College Days” for juniors and seniors, and at Wheaton College, where nearly 10% of the freshman class is represented by homeschool grads, applicants can even be put in touch with current Wheaton students who were homeschooled. Regent University’s website heralds the school as “the right choice for home-schooled students,” and the U.S. Air Force Academy’s website includes guidelines addressed specifically to homeschooled applicants.

A number of institutions have appointed “homeschool liaison and recruitment specialists” to serve incoming freshmen and their families. In her 2009 article titled “‘We Love Homeschoolers!’ Prominent Colleges Jump on the Recruiting Bandwagon,” author Claire Novak, herself a homeschool grad, quoted one such specialist, who said, “As the number of homeschooled students grow, colleges are finding it’s a market you can’t ignore.”

Nearly 30% of Bob Jones University’s current students were educated at home. BJU’s website reports: “As a group, our homeschooled students are among the best students in the entire university student body. They have added a fresh dimension to the body of conventionally schooled students. We consider them a real asset.” Stanford Magazine reported that “among the nation’s elite universities, Stanford has been one of the most eager to embrace them [homeschoolers]. . . .[H]omeschoolers bring a mix of unusual experiences, special motivation and intellectual independence that makes them a good bet to flourish on the Farm.” Savannah College of Art and Design“welcomes home-schooled students and recognizes the outstanding talent and achievements of this diverse group of well-rounded individuals.” And these are just a few examples of the favorable reputation that homeschooled students have earned.

Recent studies confirm the academic success of homeschoolers who attend college. Citing results of a 2010 survey, the Journal of College Admission reports that “homeschool students possess higher ACT scores, grade point averages (GPAs) and graduation rates when compared to traditionally-educated students.”

Seth Back, a homeschooler who took and passed the GED test at age 15 and is currently enrolled at Harvard, is confident that he was “better prepared for certain college situations than students who had been through the public/private school system.” During the past five years, Seth earned a juris doctor degree, passed the California Bar Exam, earned a master’s degree in church history, and studied at Oxford—all while managing his own consulting business. He credits homeschooling with fueling a love of learning and teaching him to take personal responsibility for his education, which included pursuing a wide variety of opportunities for his personal enrichment. He is but one example of the thousands of motivated, successful, visionary students who have benefited tremendously from their home education.

Colleges are looking for young people like Seth. They are excited about the exceptional potential presented by homeschool graduates and are vigorously pursuing their attention.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Institution, Educational System, Primary School, Schools, Society, Student

ICS Provides Inclusive Educational Opportunities For Pupils Aged 3 To 18

Leave a comment

The International Community School (ICS) in London has been educating children for over a quarter of century. The school uses an international curriculum with aspects of the English National Curriculum and the best of other international programmes. With International Baccalaureate (IB) World School Status in its primary- and middle-years programmes, the school intends to be an IB Diploma School for students at all levels.

The ICS curriculum is strongly focused on teaching English, providing for special educational needs in an inclusive environment and developing an environmental literacy in its students. For parents looking for high-quality IB schools in London, an excellent choice is ICS.

For parents concerned about what kind of autism education UK schools offer, a close look at ICS could be quite rewarding. No matter what the learning disability, the school provides educational opportunities, with individual learning plans tailored to each student’s needs.

IBS offers a Primary Years Programme for three- to eleven-year-olds. This programme uses a holistic approach in teaching mathematics, language, science, social studies, the arts, information technology, as well as personal and social education. For students for whom English is an additional language, the Foundation Courses Primary and Secondary teach English skills and allow the student to be a fully integrated member of the school with parallel classes, as well as individual or small group support. These programmes start at the nursery and reception level and progress through to age twelve.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Bachelor, Coaching, Colleges, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Educational Institution, Educational Products, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Lecturer, Lessons, Schools, Science, Special Education, Student, Training, Tutorials, Universities

Eastern Kentucky University Launches Online Bachelor Of Science In Occupational Safety

Leave a comment

- Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is proud to announce the new online Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety Degree Program, with classes starting in January 2011.

EKU’s online Bachelor’s in Occupational Safety arms current safety professionals and those interested in pursuing a safety career with the skills and knowledge to succeed within this evolving industry. The program’s comprehensive curriculum provides students with a solid safety foundation including: OSHA inspections, education and training, workers compensation, and auditing.

The new EKU occupational safety program provides students with relevant, real- world learning applications, from industry-leading faculty members. EKU’s faculty members have many years of safety experience. They incorporate that experience into the courses by directly applying theories to practice. Additionally, the professors use cutting-edge teaching tactics in the courses. For example, they have incorporated videos of construction safety and OSHA inspections into coursework for online students.

“The faculty truly makes this degree program stand out. They give a strong foundation and enhance the curriculum with their industry experiences, which makes our graduates untouchable,” said Program Coordinator, Dr. Michael Schumann.

In addition to the traditional Occupational Safety Curriculum, the EKU Online Bachelor’s in Occupational Safety program offers a minor in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology, which keeps EKU students at the forefront of the safety industry and makes them more valuable candidates to employers. Due to EKU’s strong reputation, employers actively seek EKU graduates to fill safety jobs.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Bachelor, Coaching, Colleges, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Educational Institution, Educational Products, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Lecturer, Lessons, Schools, Science, Special Education, Student, Training, Tutorials, Universities

Eastern Kentucky University Launches Website For The College Of Justice And Safety Online Programs

Leave a comment

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), safetymanagement.eku.edu, is proud to announce the launch of a new website hosting all of the online degree programs available through the College of Justice and Safety. The new website will be a resource of information for current and prospective students, as well as industry professionals. Vital information on a suite of online programs including Bachelor’s programs in Fire Protection Administration, Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology, and Occupational Safety and a Master’s program in Safety, Security and Emergency Management is presented throughout the website. Working professionals within the fire and safety industries will also benefit from the information on this website, including fire resources, safety resources, and a collection of course videos.

In conjunction with the new website, EKU will also launch social media. Check for updates and current news on:

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/ekuonline
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EKU-College-of-Justice-Safety-Online/170281136295

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Educational System, Knowledge

Quest Continuing Education Solutions (Quest CE) is proud to announce the solution to the 2010 NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation

Leave a comment

Quest CE is proud to announce the solution to the 2010 NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation. Quest’s simple two-tiered approach will provide an “All-In-One” Solution for Insurers, Distributors and Producers that fall under the NAIC’s new regulation.

Quest’s 4-hour annuity course in Iowa has been approved by the state and meets the Iowa Administrative Rule 191-15.72 for a one-time, four (4) hour annuity training course requirement. In addition, this course is approved for resident CE credit. Per the new NAIC Suitability Regulation, Quest will also provide insurer-product specific training in their Industry Leading Learning Management System, Renaissance.

NAIC Suitability Regulation Training through Quest allows for automated encrypted data and completion feeds. Feeds can be sent on a daily basis or as often as the program administrator desires. Quest’s system also allows for participants in the program to be bulk loaded into the training platform. Ensure your programs compliance with Quest so beginning January 1, 2011 your producers are able to sell your annuities in Iowa.

The NAIC Suitability Regulation Training platform will provide:

• A dedicated location where a producer can complete all of their required training requirements and view the status of each requirement within the Model Regulation;
• Updated training posted to the site subsequent to initial training including additional State Specific Annuity Requirements as they become effective;
• A company specific branded web portal where insurers can comply with the new regulation and update their product-specific training courses in their student profiles;
• The ability to print completion certificates online 24/7;
• An automatic e-mail notification system allowing insurers to instantly notify producers of new or updated product specific training requirements;
• Automated and PGP encrypted customized data feeds with real-time search tools for insurers and Broker/Dealers to satisfy compliance requirements and training.

Quest’s NAIC Suitability Regulation Training Solution is available now and ready for demonstration or implementation. Contact Quest at 877-593-3366 or e-mail Quest atsales@questce.com to speak with one of our dedicated Sales Team Members about guaranteeing your 2010 NAIC Suitability Regulation Training today.

Background
The Financial Reform Act requires individual states to comply with the 2010 NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation (NAIC 2010) by June 16, 2013.

Passage of NAIC 2010 means that fixed annuity producers will have to follow similar rigorous suitability standards as those imposed upon variable annuity producers, which is regulated by FINRA. Producers selling variable annuities are required to be licensed as registered representatives through a FINRA registered broker-dealer.

NAIC 2010 clarifies that the insurer is responsible for compliance with suitability requirements, including the methods their producers use to market annuity products.

The producer must have “reasonable grounds” to believe that the annuity recommendation is suitable based on 12 areas of “suitability information”
disclosed by the consumer. This information includes the consumer’s:

• age,
• tax status,
• intended use of the annuity,
• financial time horizon,
• existing assets,
• source of funds for the annuity,
• other insurance and annuity products,
• investment objectives,
• liquidity needs,
• liquid net worth, and
• risk tolerance.

Producer Training Requirements Under the Model Regulation
Section 7A requires the producer to have adequate product specific training, including compliance with the insurer’s standards for product training, prior to soliciting an annuity product.

In addition, Section 7B requires a one time, minimum 4 (four) credit hour general annuity training course offered by an insurance-department approved education provider and approved by an insurance department in accordance with applicable insurance education training laws or regulations.

For this mandated course, the provider may not train in sales or marketing techniques or product specific information.

Section 7B(3) outlines the minimum required topics for this program of instruction, which can be offered in the classroom or via an insurance department approved self study method.

If a producer is licensed with a life insurance line of authority prior to the effective date of the regulation, there is a six month grace period to comply with the training requirements; producers who obtain the life authority on or after the effective date of the regulation must complete the training prior to the sale of an annuity product.

If a producer receives substantially similar training in another jurisdiction, it would satisfy an insurance department’s training requirements. Prior to allowing a producer to sell its annuity products, insurers shall verify the producer has completed the mandated training.

Because the amendments clearly require insurers to verify completion of training prior to the producer selling annuities on behalf of the insurer, the amendments should not be interpreted to affect producer licensing reciprocity or non-resident producer licensing processes.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational System, eLearning, Elementary School, Encyclopedias, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Tests

Promethean Introduces ActivEngage To Its Range Of Learner Response Systems

Leave a comment

Promethean, a global leader in interactive learning technology, has launched ActivEngage, a new software version of its market leading Learner Response System*. This new application enables laptops or desktop computers to act as personal response devices, meaning schools can provide voting capability in classrooms via individual student computers instead of specific handsets.

Computer-per-pupil initiatives are increasingly being promoted by governments as a means of underpinning schools’ ICT strategies. That, along with schools focus on developing problem-solving and technology skills makes these a valuable classroom resource. The introduction of this software only version of Promethean’s Learner Response System has been designed to complement these initiatives and widen access to their assessment and engagement capabilities.

Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland has welcomed the development of the new software application, becoming the first local authority in the UK to adopt ActivEngage. It plans to introduce the software to primary and secondary schools across the region, following an initiative to ensure all pupils in its 122 schools have access to their own laptop, netbook or PC.

John Tait, Education Officer for Dumfries and Galloway local authority, explained: “It is vital that ICT is embedded into the teaching and learning process. Having enjoyed previous success with Promethean’s handheld voting systems, we wanted to maximise our ICT investment by providing all schools in Dumfries and Galloway with access to this assessment and opinion-gathering capability, without having to purchase additional hardware devices. ActivEngage was the perfect solution.”

Schools using ActivEngage can use the technology in a single classroom or across an entire campus. The voting interface floats over other software applications, enabling it to be deployed at any point in a lesson.

Promethean’s Head of European Education Strategy, Margaret Allen, commented: “Learner Response Systems have proved invaluable for providing teachers with flexible and exciting opportunities to engage, motivate and assess learners. Teachers gain instant insight into students’ understanding and can use the self-paced learning mode, whereby students work through different levels of question sets, to personalise learning to the capabilities of different individuals.”

Students are able to respond to a wide range of questioning formats using numbers, free text, symbols, or likert scales. Responses can be instantly displayed on an Interactive Whiteboard laptop or desktop computer and saved by the teacher for later analysis.

Promethean is also offering schools the chance to ‘try before you buy’, by enabling trial copies of ActivEngage to be downloaded and used free of charge from PrometheanPlanet.com, the world’s largest online interactive whiteboard community. This will give schools the opportunity to explore the benefits of ActivEngage and Learner Response Systems before purchasing the programme.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational System, eLearning, Elementary School, Encyclopedias, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Tests

Promethean Brings World’s Fastest Car To Maidenhead

Leave a comment

Promethean, the interactive learning technology provider, organised a rare opportunity for pupils from Maidenhead and Reading to see a life size replica of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car. They were also able to meet and question Richard Noble OBE about the Bloodhound project, and its attempts to set a new World Land Speed Record and exceed the 1,000mph milestone for the first time.

The event was organised by Promethean to mark the official opening of its new offices in Maidenhead. The company is the Bloodhound project’s official interactive education technology partner and aimed to create a genuinely exciting educational opportunity in the area to mark the occasion.

Promethean’s President of European Sales and Marketing, Paul Berry, commented: “Through our partnership with Bloodhound, we are working to give young people access to inspiring content, resources and tools to help engage them in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects that will improve their life chances. This is an ideal way to give pupils a day to remember, and set them thinking about the exceptional things that can be achieved through science and technology.”

Pupils representing Wessex Primary in Cox Green, Maidenhead; Cranbourne Primary in Winkfield; Emmbrook in Wokingham; Ranelagh in Bracknell; and Maiden Erlegh in Earley had the chance to see the 13.4m long Bloodhound replica and take part in interactive sessions involving rocket power, distance, time and speed using Promethean classroom technologies.

Building of the actual Bloodhound car is underway in Bristol. Powered by both a rocket and a jet engine, it has been designed to achieve speeds of up to 1,050mph, and is expected to become the world’s fastest car when it makes a new attempt on the World Land Speed Record in South Africa in 2012.

Along the way, the team behind the project also hope to foster a lifelong interest in science, technology, engineering and maths in young people and help develop a pipeline of talent for the future.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational System, eLearning, Elementary School, Encyclopedias, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Tests

Promethean Launch ‘Give Every Child A Voice’ Recycling Campaign

Leave a comment

Promethean, the interactive learning technology business, is launching ‘Give Every Child a Voice’, a recycling campaign among Scottish schools to support the NSPCC’s ChildLine, the 24 hours-a-day helpline for children and young people.

Promethean is bringing together schools across Scotland to help raise funds for ChildLine by recycling old or unwanted mobile phones. For every 250 mobile phones a school collects, Promethean will donate £500 to ChildLine in Scotland and an ActivExpression Learner Response System will be awarded to the school.

The ActivExpression Learner Response System is a set of handheld pupil devices which allow every child to respond to questions by texting their responses.

All schools are encouraged to participate in the campaign and can sign-up via www.giveeverychildavoice.com, a dedicated campaign website.

There are around 2,150 primary and 375 secondary schools in Scotland, and Promethean hopes to enrol as many schools as possible to help generate a target of £250,000 for ChildLine in Scotland.

Once signed-up, schools will be provided with collection bins, literature and resources to help promote recycling, fundraising and awareness for ChildLine in Scotland.

X Factor finalists John and Edward Grimes, aka Jedward, are lending their support to the campaign by making a school appearance in Scotland where they will discuss recycling and raising awareness of ChildLine’s service.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Institution, Educational System, Primary School, Schools, Society, Student

Students With Special Educational Needs Welcomed At ICS

Leave a comment

ICS welcomes applications from children with special educational needs and is passionate about its inclusive approach to international education. ICS focuses on the strengths, abilities and talents of all students. In a highly diverse and inclusive setting, ICS provides a curriculum committed to reflective and purposeful inquiry. When planning, teachers set suitable learning challenges and respond to children’s diverse learning needs. Some students with special educational needs, however, have particular learning and assessment requirements that could need differentiated strategies and support for them to access a full curriculum successfully.

The teachers and the student support department take into account these requirements and make provisions, where necessary, to support individual students and thus enable them to participate effectively in all educational and social activities that take place in the school. Children may have special educational needs throughout, or at any given time during, their school years. ICS has a comprehensive policy that ensures planning, differentiation and modification of teaching and learning strategies for children with special educational needs are implemented by taking into consideration the type and extent of the difficulty experienced by the student.

The school operates an enhanced admissions process for students who are identified as requiring student support. The process operates broadly as follows: A family makes an application to ICS and informs the school, either during the initial phone call or email, at the interview or on the admissions forms, that their child has support needs. Typically, if an offer of a place at the school can be made, the family is invited to meet the director of student support and admissions so the support plan can be outlined and discussed. Once both parties have agreed the support plan and financial implications, the offer of a place at the school is made and the completion of the admissions process is actioned.

ICS offers the three IB programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 3 to 11; the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students aged 11 to 16; and from September 2010, the IB Diploma Programme for students aged 16 to 19. It is also one of the preferred Aspergers schools London has to offer students with the condition.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Colleges, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Educational System, Exams, K 12, Knowledge, Math, Schools, Student, Tests

Peoples Education Measuring Up Worktexts for Mathematics Match the Latest NYS Test

Leave a comment

Peoples Education, a leading provider of supplemental educational material for the K–12 school market, is pleased to announce the relaunch of Measuring Up® to the New York State Learning Standards for Mathematics, Grades 3–8. These worktexts address recent changes to the Grade 3–8 Mathematics Testing Program and include special May/June Review lessons from the prior year to prepare students for the NYS Test.

“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. “These revised worktexts will help build students’ test-taking confidence and ensure standards mastery.”

The Measuring Up® Mathematics program can be incorporated into any year-round curriculum, or in areas where students need extra instructional support. Measuring Up® lessons can be selected as intervention for an entire class, small groups, or individuals.

“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.”

The complete Measuring Up® program includes instructional worktexts and Diagnostic Practice Tests, which are sold separately. Measuring Up Express® for the NYS Test, which debuted in spring 2010 and focuses on the tested NYS Learning Standards, is also available separately. This diagnose-prescribe-instruct model in the Measuring Up® program has helped over 1.4 million New York students master the NYS Learning Standards and boost their test-taking confidence.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Outsourcing, Educational System, eLearning, Knowledge, Schools, Society, Student

Largest Homeschool Blogging Community Upgrades to a Whole New Way of Blogging Life

Leave a comment

Recently HomeschoolBlogger.com (HSB)—the world’s largest and free homeschool blog site—got a clean, fresh, look with exciting new features, by implementing an important software upgrade.

According to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine® publisher/owner Gena Suarez, “The plan behind the change is to link great blogging with the ever-expanding homeschool community to usher back in the ‘blogging craze’ that hit when HomeschoolBlogger was launched in 2005. It was a lot of work, we pushed forward, and now we’re doing it. This is a major upgrade, using the popular WordPress platform and will mean a whole new way of blogging life for our members at HomeschoolBlogger.com.”

During August ALONE, HomeschoolBlogger.com received thirteen million page views! One of the draws to HSB is the ease in discovering new blogs and connecting with those of similar homeschool and family interests. This online community has a safety-net feel unlike other blog sites, where using a random blog button could reveal undesirable content.

HomeschoolBlogger’s Senior Editor, Kristen Hamilton, oversees the site. She and other authors contribute homeschool-related posts. She assists members and keeps an eye on new blogs to identify inappropriate content.

Kristen states: “HomeschoolBlogger is comprised of a large group of bloggers who make HSB their home base. This is the largest upgrade in our five-year history and makes the community even stronger with its exciting new features.” Here’s a look at some new HomeschoolBlogger.com features:
• Intuitive user interface—A “What You See Is What You Get” editor works seamlessly with the HTML editor. Also advanced image uploading and in-browser image editing.
• Widgits—Add tools like search bars or calendars by clicking and dragging.
• Backups—Click a button to create backups with instant saving capacity.
• Spam protection—Integrated blacklist and open proxy checker to manage and eliminate comment spam.
• Pages—Manage non-blog content easily.
• Themes—Effortlessly format and create blog designs. Select multiple themes with different looks, even switch designs daily.
• Password protected posts—Hide individual posts from public view by assigning passwords.

There’s even more exciting news to share: HomeschoolBlogger.com FREE classes with vibrant topics designed for homeschoolers. Over 3,500 people have signed up for these classes since the launch in July. Recent classes included “Think Biblically, Live Godly, and Serve Practically,” “Ten Stumbling Blocks to Writing,” and “Solving Your Science Struggles”; additional topics will be announced soon! Participants may sign up for classes at HomeschoolBlogger.com FREE Classes.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational System, eLearning, Elementary School, Encyclopedias, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Tests

Promethean And BrainPOP Announce Integrated Assessments For Learning

Leave a comment

BrainPOP, the award-winning creator of animated, educational resources, is pleased to announce that its curriculum-based quizzes are now fully integrated with Promethean’s learner response systems, ActiVote and ActivExpression.

The integration of ActiVote and ActivExpression, the industry-leading learner response system, with BrainPOP’s quizzes – including all BrainPOP Jr. (K-3) topics – makes it easier than ever for teachers to improve learning outcomes by providing highly individualized instruction and assessment. Linking BrainPOP’s content to learner response devices opens the door for increased student participation and higher academic achievement.

Earlier this year, educators in Georgia’s Forsyth County Schools piloted the functionality, which is powered by Promethean’s software developers’ kit.

“The ability to gather formative and immediate student responses while using BrainPOP’s dynamic content adds a new dimension to classroom instruction. The integration of these learner response systems with BrainPOP’s quizzes has been incredibly well-received by both teachers and students,” said Jill Hobson, Director of Instructional Technology for Forsyth County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia.

Administering BrainPOP quizzes with ActiVote or ActivExpression not only engages students but also helps teachers quickly identify who is struggling and might need extra assistance. By fully integrating BrainPOP quizzes into Promethean’s software development kit, teachers can work assessments into their lessons in just a few easy steps. The reporting functions allow teachers to see individual student progress and to view responses in a number of formats. Student and class results can be printed or downloaded, and then incorporated into grade books and learning management systems.

“BrainPOP’s collaboration with Promethean on the engineering of this new capability exemplifies our commitment to 21st century learning,” said Avraham Kadar, M.D., CEO and Chairman of BrainPOP. “The pairing of our quizzes with learner response systems brings a new level of engagement to the classroom, one that is sure to have a tremendous impact on student performance going forward.”

“Our partnership has provided an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate how interactive technologies and rich digital content can help real teachers in the classroom with real education improvement,” commented Mark Elliott, President of Promethean North America. “A digital learning environment empowers teachers with the tools and resources they need to support today’s student, and, in turn, boost participation and overall academic achievement.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Colleges, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Services, Education Solutions, Educational Products, Educational System, Exams, K 12, Knowledge, Math, Schools, Student, Tests

Peoples Education Measuring Up® Worktexts for Reading and Science Revised to the Latest TEKS

Leave a comment

Peoples Education, a leading provider of supplemental educational material for the K–12 school market, is pleased to announce the re-launch of Measuring Up® to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Reading, Grades 2–8, and Science, Grades 3–8. These worktexts have been completely revised to include the latest Reading and Science TEKS.

“Peoples Education has a history of responding to Texas educators’ needs promptly and with highly customized content,” commented Brian T. Beckwith, the company’s President and CEO. “These revised reading and science worktexts are no exception.” Revised Measuring Up® Reading worktexts now include new and improved Guided Reading Instruction with numbered paragraphs and cross-curricular connections that builds student test-taking confidence, a wide variety of genres to help students build reading comprehension skills and make connections across texts, and questions that address integrated language arts and 21st century skills. Revised Measuring Up® Science worktexts now include special Investigate sections at the end of every chapter to boost students’ higher-order thinking. The revised Measuring Up® worktexts also include a correlation to the new TEKS to help teachers and students as they transition to the new standards.

The Measuring Up® program can be incorporated into any year-round curriculum, or, in areas where students need extra instructional support, and Measuring Up® lessons can be selected as intervention for the entire class, small groups, or individuals. “I have taught 5th and 8th grade science for more than 11 years, and the Measuring Up® program has been a key instrument in preparing my students for the TAKS,” remarked Mandy Welch, a science teacher at Abilene ISD. “The lessons give a clear direction to concepts and provide an easy organization of standards-based material.”

The complete Measuring Up® program includes instructional worktexts and Diagnostic Practice Tests, which are sold separately. Spanish editions of the Measuring Up® worktext for Reading grades, 2-4 and Science, grade 5, are also available and have been revised to the latest TEKS. Measuring Up Express® for the TAKS, which debuted in fall, 2009 and focuses on the tested TEKS is also available separately. This diagnose-prescribe-instruct model in the Measuring Up® program has helped over three million Texas students master the TEKS and boost their test-taking confidence.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational System, eLearning, Elementary School, Encyclopedias, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Tests

Promethean Sponsors First Irish Teaching and Learning Festival

Leave a comment

Promethean, a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, has announced that it is to be the lead sponsor of the inaugural Irish Teaching and Learning Festival, held in Citywest Conference Centre, Dublin on 15th and 16th October, 2010.

The conference will feature education thought leader, and Oscar winning producer, Lord David Puttnam, presenting his vision of how Ireland can better meet the educational needs of its new generation of learners. As a former president of UNICEF UK, and non executive director of Promethean, the Cork resident will bring some very thought provoking ideas to his keynote.

Graham Byrne, head of Ireland and Scotland at Promethean said: “There has been very strong demand for an Irish event to highlight the very latest resources, technologies and trends in teaching. As a global leading educational technology company and creator of the ActivClassroom suite of classroom solutions, we are delighted to support Ireland’s first ever interactive conference and exhibition.”

Promethean will be demonstrating how its ActivClassroom solutions, comprising of interactive whiteboards, learner response systems and specialist teaching software, are bringing to life the promise of ICT in education, improving engagement and results for learners and teachers. There will also be a host of practical teaching workshops, live demonstrations and an exhibition of the latest education tools for visitors.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Audio Learning, Courses, Education, Education Resources, Education Solutions, Educational System, eLearning, Elementary School, Encyclopedias, Knowledge, Lessons, Pre School, Tests

Promethean Acquires SynapticMash

Leave a comment

Promethean World Plc (LSE:PRW), a world leader in the rapidly growing global market for interactive learning technology, has announced that it has agreed to acquire SynapticMash Inc, a start-up US education formative assessment software company. The acquisition is expected to complete before the end of July 2010.

The initial consideration is $10 million in cash, of which $1 million is deferred for 18 months. A further performance related consideration of $3 million may be payable in 18 months, dependent on retention of key SynapticMash employees and sales targets.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Seattle, SynapticMash has developed a sophisticated and modular cloud-based formative assessment platform that is being marketed to US school districts through a subscription model. Its learning management system, LearningQube, transforms the way schools collect and manage classroom data, enabling teachers and administrators to better assess and track student performance.

Formative assessment is the evaluation of student performance instantaneously during the learning process rather than by formal exam typically at the end of a term or school year. It enables teachers to modify lessons during the progression of a course, based on their students’ levels of understanding, leading to differentiated instruction and improved academic achievement.

SynapticMash directly fits Promethean’s education strategy and significantly strengthens Promethean’s formative assessment and learner response systems (LRS) offering. LRS are handheld devices that allow students to contribute in real time during lessons, and enable teachers to instantly gauge student understanding.

SynapticMash’s LearningQube software will be fully integrated with Promethean’s LRS devices and specialised educational software, ActivInspire, to create a new and powerful formative assessment proposition for the education market, enabling teachers as well as school administrators to improve student assessment and performance.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases