Ed Tech Show Daily - Feb. 10, 2011

Johnjoe Farragher,CEO of DefinedLearning, talks aboutbringing a new, uniquemultimedia learningservice from the UK toelementary schools across the U.S.

ESD: What is Espresso and why is it

Many organiza-tions are plan-ning to roll outWindows 7 to enhance usability, perform-ance and security. Migrating to a newoperating system can be a daunting experi-ence full of unknown and potential obsta-cles but it doesnt have to be. MelissaKaleskas, Professional Services Manager

It all began when JohnLechman, Co-founderof a kitchen cabinetcompany in Denver,Colo., discovered aunique computer deskconcept at an office furniture trade showin Chicago, Ill. All of the computer hard-ware was contained beneath the work

Aust inOser Communicat ions GroupThursday, February 10, 2011

Arjan Khalsa, CEOof Conceptua Math,discusses the company’sfirst product launch.

ESD: The companyhas launched their first product,Conceptua Fractions. Arjan, why are youfocusing on fractions?

Wendy Pye, Presidentand Publisher ofAWARD electronictextbooks, discusseswhy the companychose to go digital.

ESD: As a developer and creator ofshared and guided reading products that

Doug Pennekamp,CEO of Education2000, discusses howto effectively integrateinteractive technologyinto the classroom.

ESD: Tell us about Education 2000 andthe products you represent.

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH TCEA

Brandon Gerard,Regional ProjectManager, Interior Concepts, discuss-es how they can help you save time.Visit Interior Concepts in booth 404 tolearn more.

ESD: How can you save schools timeversus other furniture manufacturers?

Richard H. Collins,Chairman and CEOof istation, discusseshow the company isusing technology totransform education.

ESD: Tell us a little about your companyand its role in K-12 education.

Ladibugs are theworld’s first wire-less document cam-eras designed toaddress the need forteachers to presentfrom any location intheir classroom. With this increasedrange, teachers can determine the

The education marketis a key focus for SPControls of SanFrancisco, California.Gary Arcudi, SPControls’ Director ofMarketing, says attendees at TCEA willsee a revolutionary suite of productsdesigned to give the instructor the

Mark Elliott, Pres-ident of PrometheanNorth America, re-flects on what liesahead for his company.

ESD: Thinking back on 2010, what werethe high points for Promethean?

Further advancingcollaboration in theclassroom, DLP’s newdual-pen and 3Dinteractive projectorbring added opportu-nities for collaboration between teachersand their students, as well as betweenstudents and their classmates.

Continued on Page 72 Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 63



Continued on Page 69



TI DLP’S INTERACTIVE 3DPROJECTOR AND DUAL-PENFOR HANDS-ON LEARNING

LOOKING INTO THEFUTURE WITHMARK ELLIOTT

SAVE TIME WHENFURNISHING YOURFACILITY

ISTATION GIVES EDUCATORSTHE TOOLS THEY NEED TOHELP STUDENTS SUCCEED

READY TO MAKE THEJUMP TO WINDOWS 7?GOVCONNECTION CAN HELP

CREATOR OF UNITED-STREAMING INTRODUCESESPRESSO ELEMENTARY

NOVA SOLUTIONSMANUFACTURES HIGHQUALITY OFFICE FURNITURE

SP CONTROLS’ IPADINTERFACE REVOLUTIONIZESTHE CLASSROOM

AWARD PUBLISHINGDEVELOPS TEXTBOOKSFOR THE DIGITAL LEARNER

FREE HIGH QUALITYFRACTIONS SOFTWAREFROM CONCEPTUA MATH

EDUCATION 2000 AIMS TOPUT MIMIO INTERACTIVETECH IN EVERY CLASS

A LADIBUG–THE WORLD’SONLY TRULY WIRELESSDOCUMENT CAMERA

EdTech Show Dai lyThursday, February 10, 20114

Kal Raman is an accomplishedtechnologist and businessman,and has held leadership posi-tions at companies such asAmazon, Drugstore.com andWal-Mart. Passionate abouteducation, Kal foundedGlobalScholar in 2006 to pro-vide instruction managementsoftware to K-12 schools. The companywas acquired by Scantron Corporation inJanuary 2011. We sat down with Kal totalk about the company, the recent acqui-

sition and his views on tech-nology in education.

ET: To start off, can youbriefly tell us aboutGlobalScholar?

KR: Glad to—GlobalScholarprovides software and online

services that empower educators, parentsand students through the entire learninglifecycle. Our comprehensive instructionmanagement software, Pinnacle Suite,

supports all aspects of managing educa-tion at K-12 schools and includes a stu-dent information system, gradebook,learning management system, as well asteacher development, analytics andonline learning.

We are committed to empowering theworld to learn, so our support doesn’tend with K-12 software; GlobalScholaralso provides online resources for par-ents and students, including schoolfinders, a tutoring marketplace andhomework help. By combiningPinnacle Suite’s instructional manage-ment platform with its online resources,GlobalScholar helps elevate studentperformance in school and also extends



FIVE QUESTIONS FOR KAL RAMAN,FOUNDER AND CEO OFGLOBALSCHOLAR

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH TCEA

Lee M. OserCEO and Editor-in-Chief

Steve CoxKate Seymour

Senior Associate Publishers

Kim ForresterLyle Sapp

Associate Publishers

Lorrie BaumannEditorial Director

Carrie BuiBrandon DerrowJustyn DillinghamAssociate Editors

Valerie WilsonArt Director

Yasmine BrownGraphic Designer

Selene PinuelasTraffic Manager

Paul HarrisBilly Lolos

James MartinJoe MattesonBill Morris

Account Managers

Enrico CecchiEuropean Sales

EdTech Show Daily is published byOser Communications Group ©2011.

All rights reserved.Executive and editorial offices at:

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SAMSUNG EXHIBITS PRODUCTSFOR THE 21ST CENTURYCLASSROOM AT TCEA 2011

EdTech Show Daily caught up with DougAlbregts, Vice President, Sales &Marketing, for Samsung EnterpriseBusiness Division.

ESD: Tell readers a little bit aboutyour company. What’s your main lineof business?

DA: As one of the fastest growing IT com-panies in the world, Samsung Enterprise

Business Division [EBD] is committed toserving the needs of consumers rangingfrom the home user to the Fortune 500 eliteand supporting the valued channel partnerswho serve our customers. Samsung EBDoffers a complete line of award-winningcolor and mono-laser printing solutions,desktop monitors, laptop computers, digitalsignage solutions and projectors.

ESD: How do you handle sales?

DA: We have a geo-graphic sales force thatcalls directly on endusers. The extendedteam also includesvarious types ofspecialists—i.e., Mobile,Printers, Displays, etc.Actual order acceptance

and fulfillment is through our network ofdealers and resellers.

ESD: Please assess the marketplace as itrelates to your product line.

DA: The marketplace for our products

EdTech Show Dai ly 9Thursday, February 10, 2011

through Interactive WhiteboardResources, Talking E-Books, AudioLibraries, Online Assessment and On-Demand Professional Development.All ofthe products areWeb-based and accessibleby teachers and students at any time andlocation with an Internet connection.

Interactive Whiteboard Resources

through the Benchmark Universe makeinstruction engaging and effective. Theyare designed to work with all kinds ofinteractive whiteboard hardware includ-ing Smartboard™, Promethean™, RM™,Polyvision™, Mimio™, and more. Inaddition, each interactive title includesbuilt-in pen tools that turn any computerprojection and flat surface or monitor intoan interactive whiteboard. This flexibilityallows teachers to use Benchmark’s soft-ware in every classroom.

Benchmark Education Company’slanguage and literacy series of interactivewhiteboard resources offers more than

500 science, math, social studies and fic-tion titles designed for use in the class-room. Each title contains leveled readingtexts and activities to support core con-tent standards and motivate students. Theinteractive titles may be used in conjunc-tion with the print books during whole-group and small-group instruction—or asstand-alone instructional tools tostrengthen literacy. Learners at everyreading level are engaged by being ableto see, hear, speak and touch words.

Everything a teacher needs for

Benchmark Education Company is lead-ing a new age of innovation with technol-ogy resources for learning, teaching andassessment that will engage students inincreasing their achievement. Through theBenchmark Universe™, BenchmarkEducation Company reaches the 21stCentury Classroom with digital content

THE BENCHMARK UNIVERSE—ENGAGING STUDENTS WITH INTERAC-TIVE WHITEBOARD RESOURCES



You may not have seen this coming, but2010 was the year for cloud computing,and it had an astounding impact on oureducational systems. CSI TechnologyOutfitters CSI@K12 Education Cloudnow offers greater flexibility utilizingcloud computing to implement anadvanced platform in UnifiedCommunication and Collaboration.

At CSI Technology Outfitters, thegoal is to create an instructional commu-nication platform that continuouslyleverages evolving cloud technologies in

order to facilitate focused, safe and effec-tive instructional communication for stu-dents, teachers, parents and community.

The first benefit to schools is financial.In the K12 world, 1:1 computing is thegoal, but most schools can’t afford to buyall the devices. With cloud technology,applications and full PC platforms can bequickly provided for students.

This allows students to interfacewithin the cloud regardless of the device,while still providing access to special

applications. CSI Technology Outfittershelps provide schools with a solution setthat provides a predictable cost structure.Many technologies that were previouslyexpensive or unavailable are now becomingfree to anyone with a Web browser. This istrue for websites, blogs, video sharing, col-laboration software, editing/presentationand publishing. Students already use manyof these technologies in their personal lives.Education systems should take advantage ofthe trend, which will both enrich a student’stechnology-enabled education, and mostimportantly, reduce the budget impact.

The second would be the practicaldaily benefits.CSI cloud computing tools allow educa-tional institutions to have the best of allworlds. By providing highly scalable and

simple collaboration tools, data can beaccessed using a Web browser or VoIP.CSI@K12Voice provides natural commu-nication through existing voice services.

Third is security.The need for hardware or software isn’tbeing eliminated—it’s being shifted intothe cloud. For example, intranetWeb-based applications that are currentlypublished by supported portals can becentrally authenticated through the use ofCSI’s Simple Sign-On, which eliminatesthe need for a user to enter additionalapplication logon names and passwords.

Lastly, is collaboration.With the CSI Education Cloud, students

CLOUD COMPUTING WITHCSI TECHNOLOGY OUTFITTERSOFFERS GREATER FLEXIBILITY

In response to the high demand for curricu-lum that fits the new standards for Careerand Technical Education (CTE) courseswhile allowing more flexibility in the class-room, CEV Multimedia, Ltd. has devel-oped enhanced versions of their product tobetter suit teacher and student needs.

“What we’ve learned from workingwith teachers is they want our product tobe more versatile for self-paced studentswhile correlating to the current TEKS

standards,” said Jeff Lansdell, Presidentof CEV. “These server versions will pro-vide students with hands-on access tothe curriculum.”

CEV developed server versions oftheir Business Computer TechnologiesPathway, Advanced Business ComputerTechnologies Pathway, Career ClusterExplorations Pathway and theirPrinciples of Business, Marketing &Communications Pathway. Lansdell

management systems, such as Moodle. Theproduct also allows students to access cur-riculum at their own pace, as well as reviewfor content reinforcement.

“The server version is designed togive teachers flexibility with their curricu-lum while empowering students throughthe use of their own personalized, digitalstudent workbook,” Lansdell said.

Visit www.cevmultimedia.com tolearn more about CEV and all theresources needed to integrate multi-media-based curriculum into your class-room. Stop by booth 217 for a hands-ondemonstration of CEV’s server versionsand questions about pricing.

CEV LAUNCHES SERVER-BASEDCURRICULA FOR NEW STANDARDS

said the server versions allow entireclassrooms to access worksheets, proj-ects, activity sheets, vocabulary activi-ties and chaptered videos on their owncomputer desktops.

“Students can review a video whiletaking notes on the provided work-sheets simultaneously on the samescreen, allowing students to have amore focused and personalized style oflearning,” Lansdell said. “And whenthey are finished, students can print outtheir worksheets, save or even e-mailthem to their teachers.”

Lansdell saidmaterials provided in eachPathway are compatible with classroom


With more than a decade of study-ing how handhelds help strugglinglearners, Brainchild offers a wealth ofexperience to help schools reach thegoals they determine for their specificstudent populations.

Award-winning software in Englishand Spanish assesses your state standardsand provides individualized instructionin the Achiever! series. Basic skillsinstruction for students who perform far

under grade level in language arts ormath is offered in the Mechanics series.

Kineo will assist schools in achiev-ing educational goals while connectingstudents, faculty and administrators withWeb-based reports. The rewards ofimplementing Kineo into schools areengaged students, increased administra-tive efficiency, safety and security.

Significant features of the Kineoinclude a high output battery for longoperation, manual controls in addition totouchscreen controls for commonly usedfunctions for ease of use, a Flash player,and an HDMI output for use with white-boards and LCD projectors for group

instruction. Designed with students inmind, Kineo boasts a high quality 7-inchtouchscreen, eBook reader and a sturdycase to fully protect the device.

Try out Kineo and other products atTCEA booth 1835.

About BrainchildBrainchild Corp. supports schoolimprovement by providing self-paced,individualized instruction throughmobile and Web-based educational soft-ware. Call or click for more information:800-811-2724 or www.brainchild.com.Follow Brainchild on Facebook, Twitterand YouTube.

Brainchild Corporation invented the firsthandheld device for schools in 1992, fol-lowed by Study Buddy, which addedcolor and multimedia 10 years later. Thelatest evolution in its mobile technologyis Kineo, which combines Web-basedreporting with mobile learning.

Kineo is 100 percent designed forschools. It has a “Student Mode” for safeoperation. The “Administrator Mode” letsadministrators control how Kineo is used.

EDUCATION 2000 PROMOTES NEWLINE OF MIMIO PRODUCTS: SLEEK,AFFORDABLE AND PRACTICAL

Mimio has released a new family ofproducts to use in the classroom. TheMimioClassroom products are designedto be easy to use and practical, and areinexpensive when compared to otherinteractive technologies that are on themarket today.

The MimioClassroom products aremade to fully integrate with each otherand also work on their own as individ-ual products.

The MimioTeach is a bar that isplaced on an existing whiteboard andtransforms an ordinary whiteboard into

an interactive whiteboard. There is noneed to buy or set up a complicatedand expensive board to have an inter-active classroom.

The MimioTeach is an updated ver-sion of the Mimio Xi Interactive. Thenew version of the MimioTeach comeswith wireless capabilities already inplace; there are no wires connecting thecomputer to the board. Another newaddition to the MimioTeach is that thebar comes with magnets already built-in;this allows for easy portability and stor-age. The MimioTeach comes with a

stylus that allows for interactivity withthe information from a computer.

Mimio has also introducedMimioVote, a new student response padsystem that tracks student progressthrough instant feedback and also talliesscores over time.

The MimioVote system comes withmany unique features and is designed tobe intuitive and easy to use for bothteachers and students. The responsepads ensure student accuracy becauseonly the available answer button optionslight up. There is no need to replace bat-teries because the response pads chargewhile they are in their storage tray. Also,the handsets can be placed anywhere inthe storage tray because each padrenumbers automatically to the numberit was placed in.

The MimioView is a document

camera that allowseducators to easily addpictures or live video totheir interactive white-board lessons.

The document camera connects tothe computer through a USB port andalso functions as the power source; theUSB cord is the only cord required tooperate the MimioView. The gooseneckcamera arm and the two gooseneck lightson the document camera allow for opti-mum image capturing.

MimioCapture is an ink recordingsystem that saves whiteboard notes anddrawings into the computer. This allowseducators to pull up the same whiteboardnotes for multiple classes. MimioCapturealso lets students who were absent be

AK: Children study fractions from sec-ond grade to seventh grade—longer thanany other topic in mathematics. This iscontent that people actively use as adults,and must have to move forward inschool. Unfortunately, fractions are diffi-cult to teach and difficult to learn.

ESD: Why do you think your softwarewill make a big difference?

AK: Conceptua Fractions is about usingsoftware for both the student and teacher.The student is engaged in a deeplyinstructive experience. If the student isstruggling, the teacher is alerted on thespot and given the tools to help out,remediate and differentiate.

ESD:What makes the instruction so deep?

AK: We emphasize the use of visual

models. Students progress from con-cepts to procedures, incrementally,problem by problem. We employ a vari-ety of visual models, as indicated in theresearch. And we also employ rich lan-guage, with text that is highlighted andread aloud to the student using technol-ogy from TextHelp Systems.

ESD: You said that your software isfor teachers and students. What doyou mean?

AK: We have faith in teachers. Ratherthan using our software to push them outof the way, we use the software to bringteachers closer to students, and to helpteachers meet authentic needs. Forinstance, our software has special fea-tures for interactive whiteboards, andteachers who visit us at booth 310 canenter to win a PolyVision board.

ESD: So, what does the teacher actually

Conceptua Math (Con’t. from p. 1) do to remediate student shortcomings?

AK: Each student activity ends with askills check. If the student fails,they see our Conceptua FormativeEvaluation screen. They raise theirhand, call the teacher over, and theteacher engages in a 30-second reviewand assignment process.

ESD: How does the teacher know whatto assign?

AK: For every activity, we havedesigned three branching activities fordifferentiated instruction. The teacheris delivering targeted instructionwithin seconds.

ESD: How is the software used in theclassroom? Is it a complete curriculum?

AK: Conceptua Fractions is a supple-mental software program. It supports all

of the leading math curricula and alignswith the TEKS. Students use it two tothree times per week when studyingfractions, and as needed for review andtest prep.

ESD: Which part is free, and which partrequires a subscription payment?

AK: There are three main components ofConceptua Fractions. Student practiceand student investigations involve logins,record keeping, and the use of more than400 activities. Those require a paid sub-scription of about $3 per student. Theteacher tools for whole class instructionare free and anyone can use them atwww.conceptuamath.com.

Find Conceptua Math in booth 310, wherevisitors can enter to win a PolyVisioninteractive whiteboard. For more infor-mation about Conceptua Fractions, visitwww.conceptuamath.com.

KINEO: BRAINCHILD’S THIRDGENERATION TABLET

HOW MUCH ENERGY ARE YOURCOMPUTERS WASTING?

If your school district is searching forfresh green initiatives that save money,you need to consider a PC power man-agement solution. It is one of the mostimmediate and cost-effective ways toreduce your school district’s power billand energy consumption.

With the creation of its PC powermanagement software, Faronics hasbecome a recognized industry leader inreducing enterprise IT energy waste.

Faronics Power Save provides organiza-tions with centralized computer energymanagement and real-time savingsreports, allowing companies to continu-ously maximize their savings by power-ing IT down daily.

Faronics Power Save can deliver afull ROI in as little as eight months—lessif you qualify for a rebate. Depending onthe number of PCs, districts can annuallysave hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Last year, Faronicsteamed up with industry ana-lyst Forrester Consulting andconducted a Total EconomicImpact (TEI) study verifying that organi-zations reducing their computer energywaste by deploying Power Save canachieve a substantial and rapid return oninvestment (ROI). The study focused onthe deployment of Power Save on morethan 8,000 computers at a Canada-basedutility giant. Power Save outperformedinitial estimates and saved the organiza-tion 1.2 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of elec-tricity. Also among the growing list ofmore than 1,000 Power Save customers

is California-based Chaffey Joint UnionHigh School District, which is currentlysaving $350,000 annually by shuttingdown their inactive PCs.

As regulations slowly increase,more and more schools will be mandat-ed to adopt a green IT approach.Educational facilities have a strongresponsibility to help create a greener,cleaner future. Irresponsible PC energyconsumption is not just a waste of ener-gy; it’s a waste of money.

To learn how your organization canbenefit from PC power management, visitFaronics at booth 2145, or download a free30-day evaluation at www.faronics.com.



EASI-SPEAK™ USB AUDIORECORDING LINE: GET STUDENTSENGAGED AND KEEP TRACKOF THEIR PROGRESS

Do you want to engage your studentsacross various subjects while trackingtheir academic progress? Easi-Speak™ isa full line of USB recording devices andaccessories from Learning Resources®,the global leader in providing hands-oneducational products for the classroom.

The Easi-Speak line is centered on amicrophone-shaped digital wireless MP3device that enables up to four hours ofaudio recording time and includes a

built-in speaker for playback, a head-phone jack for quiet listening, and mostimportantly, a USB connection to down-load recordings. Easi-Speak is a greatcross-curricular tool that helps educatorsleverage technology into lessons. It isideal for engaging students as young asage 4 in storytelling, fluency, phonics,math facts and much more. For group lis-tening activities, the Easi-Speak SoundStation amps up the USB Recorders via a

sleekly-styled docking station that ampli-fies the recordings throughout theclassroom. The Station provides a perfectsimple technology solution for oral lan-guage activities in early childhood andelementary classrooms, listening centersand media labs.

The Easi-Speak USB Recorders areavailable in both Standard and Pro ver-sions. At $69.99, the Easi-Speak USBRecorder offers 128 MB of built-in mem-ory in a fun, microphone shape with asingle button to record. It is easy to use,even for the youngest students. Thecharging hub (sold separately) eliminates

the need for batteries.The Easi-Speak Pro USB Recorder

offers all the same functionality andvalue with the added benefits of a built-inLCD screen, a fully integrated menu sys-tem, editing capabilities, two headphonejacks and a high-end professional hand-set design. At $89.99, the Easi-Speak Proprovides today’s educators with anaffordable, multi-capability MP3 record-ing solution in a fun to use design.

Already field tested in thousands ofclassrooms, Learning Resources’ newEasi-Speak line helps today’s teachersand students reach beyond by makinglearning as fun as it is educational.

For more information, stop by theTCEALearning Resources booth 435, visitthem online at www.learningresources.com/TCEAor call 866-374-8124.

HOW CROWLEY ISD CUSTOMIZEDLEARNING FOR CREDIT RECOVERY,CORE CURRICULUM AND IMPROVEDTEST RESULTSCrowley ISD, located outside of FortWorth, Texas, began its search for a morerigorous online curriculum and assess-ment solution three years ago to improveschool performance. Only two ofCrowley ISD’s 17 schools were designat-ed Recognized by the Texas EducationAgency; one middle school was rankedUnacceptable and was under state andfederal sanctions; and one of two highschools in the district did not meetAverage Yearly Progress (AYP) for the2007–2008 school year.

Crowley administrators wantedexpanded student access to curricula,especially for its high school students.District administrators also wanted toensure that their students had easy accessto academically rich and rigorous con-tent. With such a solution, Crowley edu-cators felt they could narrow the achieve-ment gap and strengthen the district’scredit and course recovery effort. Basedon all their requirements, Crowleyadministrators chose to implementCompassLearning Odyssey® in 2007.

Personalized Instruction for AllThe personalized learning provided byCompassLearning, based on identified

instructional strengths and weaknesses,means that all students can reach theirpotential at their own pace. For strug-gling Crowley students, personalizedlearning paths spark student interest andaccelerate knowledge acquisition.Additionally, Odyssey assigns districtstudents working above grade level morechallenging and academically rigorouslearning paths.

With personalization, Crowley stu-dents have begun to take control of theirlearning, resulting in improved studentoutcomes and teacher accountability.Theresa Kohler, Chief Instruction Officerat Crowley ISD, noted, “We tell themwhat the targets are and expect that theywill be intimately involved in keepingpace with their educational goals.”

Response to Intervention =Full PotentialCrowley’s school improvement solu-tion enabled educators to better meas-ure academic progress and to fine-tuneresponse to intervention (RtI) efforts,so students can avoid Tier III strategicintervention involving intensive or

BRITANNICA IMAGE QUEST GIVESSTUDENTS AND TEACHERSPHOTOS THEY CAN USE

Students and teachers who need photos andother images for research, papers and proj-ects can now find them easily in BritannicaImage Quest, a new online database fromBritannica Digital Learning.

Image Quest provides images frommore than 60 of the best collections in theworld, including EncyclopaediaBritannica, Dorling Kindersley, Getty,the National Portrait Gallery of London,the National Geographic Society andOxford Scientific.

The collection contains more than

a million images, with more addedeach month. Suppliers of content to thesite come from the U.S., Canada, theUnited Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan,Spain, Australia and New Zealand—“atruly global representation of the finesthistorical, fine arts and contemporaryimages,” according to Michael Ross, aSenior Vice President atEncyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., andGeneral Manager of BritannicaDigital Learning.

Image Quest provides easy access

to high-qualityphotos from trust-worthy sourcesfor students of all ages on a wide rangeof topics. Images are organized by sub-ject matter, and the site is fully search-able. Each image, which is cleared ofcopyright restrictions for educationaluse, includes a caption, citation, copy-right information and other metadata.With all the images in one convenientplace, it simplifies the search for pho-tos because researchers don’t have tocomb through multiple websites orworry about permission to use them.

The product has many uses.Students can turn to Image Quest forhomework assignments and courseprojects, and teachers can use theimages in lesson plans and classroom

activities. It’s ideal for whiteboards,school websites, newsletters, newspa-pers and bulletins.

“Students today don’t just writereports; they produce rich expositionsthat combine research and relevant illus-trations,” said Ross. “But it can be hardto find the right images, to identifywhat’s in them when you do find themand to know if you’re allowed to usethem.We’ve made all of that a lot easier.”

Britannica Image Quest is pro-duced in collaboration with theUniversal Images Group. Schools, uni-versities and libraries interested inBritannica Image Quest can call 800-621-3900 or go to http://info.eb.com/for more information. Free 30-day trialsubscriptions are available. Visit themat booth 2334.

CLEAN SLATE IS VASTLY SUPERIOR TOREBOOT TO RESTORE PRODUCTS ATPROTECTING SCHOOL COMPUTERSAchieve reliable Windows computersecurity to reduce support costs andeliminate computer downtime. CleanSlate is ideal to secure school comput-ers. Students are allowed full computeraccess to learn and explore, then at log-off and reboot, the computers return tothe original configuration, removing allchanges the user made. Keeping yourlab and 1:1 computers free of accidentalor mischievous changes is an ongoingbattle; with Clean Slate desktop protec-tion software, your computers aresecure all day, every day.

Benefits of using Clean Slate to pro-tect school computers:• User changes are cleared at reboot andlog-off, providing a clean and trouble-free computer for every user.• Students have full computer access tolearn.• Computers are safe from accidental ormischievous use.• Computers are virus-free.• Computers look and act the same forevery user, no matter what changes theprevious user made.• Drastically reduces help desk calls.• Ideal for 1:1 computing.• The computers always work.

Compare Clean Slate to other protection

software by trying the 30 day demo atwww.fortresgrand.com. Clean Slate pro-vides flexibility and security that cannotbe found in similar products.

Clean Slate offers many advantagesover traditional reboot to restore products:• All user changes are cleared at log-offproviding a clean, consistent, and virus-free computer for every user instantly,no need to waste time to rebootto restore.• Windows updates run normally andare permanently saved while securityis on: no configuration or securitydowntime needed.• Perfect for 1:1 computers because nosecurity downtime is needed, minimiz-ing the computer’s vulnerability tosecurity risks.• Zero-day rootkit and master bootrecord (MBR) protection.• Antivirus updates run properly and arepermanently saved while security isactive: no configuration or securitydowntime needed.• Works well with third-party adminis-trative software while security is on(LANDesk, Altiris, Zenworks).• Computer security can be disabled,enabled, and altered on the fly—no time

Continued on Page 52Continued on Page 52


HARRIS SCHOOL SOLUTIONSeTRITION 7: INCREASE SCHOOLNUTRITION PRODUCTIVITYAND EFFICIENCY

Harris School Solutions has recentlyreleased eTrition 7, an enterprise schoolnutrition solution. Built on the best tech-nology, eTrition 7 will significantlyincrease the productivity of school nutri-tion departments and offer benefits thathave not been available until now.

eTrition 7 utilizes a secure, central-ized SQL Server database. This meansthat the data is maintained in just one

place. Backup and other maintenancetasks are done only at the administrativelevel and do not rely on non-technicalusers for these critical functions.Preferences and setup options are alsodone centrally, which prevents invalid orharmful data from being introduced byschool site users.

With the responsibility of main-taining the data in the hands of central

office staff, the data is less prone tocorruption. Administrative users willtake comfort in the fact that data is safeand secure.

The centralized database also meansthat patrons (both students and adults) areeligible for service at any location. Thisenables school districts with special feed-ing programs to provide meals when andwhere they need. Students who attendone school and receive services in otherschools are readily recognized and eligi-ble at any location. This ability willincrease sales and reimbursements byallowing school districts to take advan-tage of every opportunity to serve stu-dents, regardless of where they may be.

Students are also able to share ameal account balance with siblings, even

if they attend different schools within thedistrict. This is a tremendous conven-ience for parents because they can makea single payment at any location to pro-vide the funds for all their students.

Because administrative users requireonly a connection to the database and abrowser, they are free to work from virtu-ally anywhere, including from their homeif allowed to by the school district. Thisempowers central office staff to be moreproductive and not be constrained to a sin-gle computer workstation.

To learn more about eTrition 7 orany of the technology solutions for K-12school districts, visit Harris SchoolSolutions at TCEA booth 2375, con-tact [email protected] visit www.harrisschoolsolutions.com.

THE NO. 1 THING YOUR EARLYCHILDHOOD ASSESSMENTIS NOT DOING

Imagine a math test. 100 questions: 50 onsubtraction, 50 on addition. Now let’s saytwo students, Christina and Alex, bothtake it and receive the same grade:50/100. What can you do with this infor-mation? You know both students needadditional instruction, but not much morethan that.

When you closely examine theirtests, you notice Christina excelled inaddition but didn’t answer a single sub-traction question. Alex had the oppositeproblem. This is a simple example ofsomething that happens in classroomsevery day. In actuality, there are manymore students, their misunderstandingsare rarely so clear-cut, and teachers

simply don’t have the time to analyzeevery child’s answers in such detail.

Unfortunately, many early childhoodassessments are still very much like this.They tell a teacher what a child can orcannot do without specifying WHY. Theadditional analysis needed to get to theroot of each misunderstanding falls onthe time-constrained educator.

Surely we can do better. Picture asmart assessment that asks follow-upquestions and analyzes a child’s patternof responses to get to the root of anymisunderstanding. Visualize an instantreport that outlines individual needsand groups children based on conceptperformance—practical steps that help

differentiate instruction.The good news is that this kind of

assessment exists. You may have heard ofadaptive testing, which adjusts in diffi-culty in response to a student’s answers.It is much more efficient and appropriatethan the one-size-fits-all tests of yester-year. However, there is still one criticalthing that a basic adaptive assessmentdoes NOT do. It does not use scaffolding(targeted hinting) to get to the bottom ofeach student’s misunderstandings (theWHY) to identify his or her zone of prox-imal development (ZPD). This unique,proven and patented scaffolding processis built into the Children’s ProgressAcademic Assessment (CPAA).

The concept of the ZPD (coined byrenowned child psychologist LevVygotsky) is the idea that the target zonewhere instruction is most effective foreach student is right in between what(s)he can do independently and what(s)he can do with a bit of targeted

assistance. Children’s Progress has builtan assessment that identifies this zone forevery child.

Two students who receive the samegrade are not the same. Our goal is notmerely to measure achievement, but toguide that achievement in the right direc-tion for each student. Our software doesnot aim to replace teachers, but to offerthem a powerful instrument that wasmissing from their toolkit for too long.

The Children’s Progress AcademicAssessment is a Pre-K–Grade 3 assess-ment and reporting tool (used byschools, districts and state agenciesnationwide) that employs an adaptive,scaffolded structure to dig deeper anddeliver rich information to guideinstruction. To find out what this pro-gram can do for your early childhoodclassroom and learn how you can pilotit at no charge, see the MeasuredProgress booth 116 or visitww.measuredprogress.org.

K-12 SCHOOLS GO GREENWITH NEW GENERATION OFPAPERLESS HOMEWORK SYSTEMS

Going green has never been easier fortoday’s K-12 schools, and advances intechnology are allowing teachers and stu-dents alike to reduce their use of paper byan order of magnitude. At ClarkstownCentral School District (CCSD), based inNew City, N.Y., school administratorsestimate that for every 16.7 reams ofpaper used, one tree is cut down. Thisfact alone has motivated teachers and stu-dents alike at the award-winning districtto get the most out of their paperlesshomework system from School WebLockers, a leader in the Web-based filesharing and storage market.

Over a five-month period, CCSDteachers uploaded 91,000 total documents

to School Web Lockers, potentially savingmore than 5 million sheets of paper (whenyou consider that each uploaded documentwould typically be printed and shared withup to 60 students).

CCSD students are also playing a rolein the green initiative through School WebLockers. During that same five-monthperiod, student usage on the systemincreased to an average of 13,000 loginsper month and an average of 21,220 filesexchanged either uploaded, downloaded orboth in the same five-month period.

At another school district in the SanDiego area, teachers have calculated asavings of approximately 260 reams ofpaper per year with School Web Lockers,

and students’ use of the system is bring-ing further savings as well.

“It’s very gratifying that paperlesshomework systems such as ours are dra-matically reducing paper usage,” saidKelly Smith, Manager of Sales andMarketing for School Web Lockers. It’salso an added bonus that this translatesinto a significant cost savings for today’sbudget-strapped schools.

With School Web Lockers, each stu-dent and teacher is given access to theirown Web locker, which is available viapassword from a secure, centralized web-site. The idea behind the system is thatusers can create work on one computer,and then stash files in their personal Weblocker for completion later either on thesame computer or on another one athome or elsewhere, without the need fora single sheet of paper.

The paper-saving process beginswith teachers simply uploading a docu-ment file and posting it into all student

lockers, instead of making multiple hand-out copies. This process takes seconds,requiring only a single mouse click todistribute a file to an entire class. In turn,students complete the assignment on anyInternet-connected computer, uploadingthe finished product into the teacher’s“homework due” folder.

“From there, a new digital mark upfeature makes it easier than ever forteachers to go about grading assignmentsonline,” said Smith.

“Teachers love our new mark-upfeature because it allows them to markdirectly on the files that students havesubmitted through School Web Lockers,and then return the marked up files to thestudents electronically,” said Smith. Itnot only saves paper, but a tremendousamount of time as well.

To learn more about School WebLockers stop by booth 1143, call 866-499-6527 or go online to www.schoolweblockers.com.

ASSESSMENT FOR INSTRUCTION—A GREEN SOLUTIONFrequent and continuous classroomassessment has been compellingly docu-mented as a key factor for delivering aca-demic progress for students. In order toachieve these formative assessment

results, teachers are required to create,grade and act on these assessments in ashort period of time. The challenge forthe teacher is to effectively executeassessment strategies to deliver on

formative assessment without destroyingany semblance of a balanced lifestyle.

ALL In Learning provides a simple,cost-effective strategy to address theeffectiveness and sustainability of deliv-ering assessment for instruction. Theirsolution is a green solution, eliminatingthe time-consuming and tedious gradingfor objective type assessment itemswhile supporting constructed response

and rubric assessment instruments. Thissolution builds on the assessment instru-ments built into all major textbooks,especially in the K-8 textbooks. Theseassessments are typically standards-based and constructed by education pro-fessionals. Additionally, any assessmentinstruments educators currently utilize



Novell Identity Manager tightens securi-ty controls and improves cost savings forfuture integrations.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School, thelargest American Bar Associationaccredited law school in the UnitedStates, deployed Novell IdentityManager to provide a consistent frame-work for managing more than 5,500student identities across physical, virtu-al and cloud environments.

According to a recent total cost ofownership analysis from Rencana, manycustomers have indicated their intention tomanage tens or hundreds of applications

through integration with an identity andaccess management environment. Using acost-per-application integration approach,the difference in TCO represents hundredsof thousands of dollars in savings. Bychoosing Novell, Cooley Law School isboth strengthening security and reducingcosts for the school.

Novell Identity Manager helps organ-izations to manage identities inside andoutside of their enterprise, with real-timeprovisioning, reporting and roles manage-ment. Using Novell Identity Manager, theschool gained an intelligent framework formanaging identities no matter whereapplications reside, benefiting the school

and students alike.Cooley Law School now uses Novell

Identity Manager to integrate GoogleApps*with eDirectory™, which authenticatesusers to various academic systems via itsWeb-based student portal. When a useraccount is created, changed or deactivated,this information is reflected through all con-nected systems without the need for manualintervention. Using CosmoKeys NovellIDM Connector for GoogleApps, theschool was able to provision students toGoogleApps in record time.

“We set out to improve the way weperformed authentication to gain effi-ciencies and adapt to the emerging needsof our student population,” said GregColegrove, Director of IT Operations forthe Thomas M. Cooley Law School.“Securing cloud-based applications, suchas GoogleApps, was part of that vision.Novell Identity Manager has given us anintelligent and secure approach foradopting new cloud applications withoutadding administrative challenges. We’re

now well-positioned to strengthen securi-ty and achieve significant productivitygains while meeting the evolving needsof our students.”

“Efficient identity management iskey to increasing security and streamlin-ing business operations,” said Jay Roxe,Director of Identity and Security SolutionMarketing for Novell. “We’re pleased tosee that the Thomas M. Cooley LawSchool had the vision to leverage NovellIdentity Manager to bring the same levelsof security and accountability to its cloud-based environment as it has for its physi-cal on-premise environment.”

For a chance to win a Nike VRSTR8-FIT Tour Driver visit us at booth409. Find out more at www.novell.com.

Copyright 2011 Novell, Inc. Allrights reserved. Novell, the Novell logo,and the N logo are registered trademarksand eDirectory is a trademark of Novell,Inc. in the United States and other coun-tries. All third party trademarks are theproperty of their respective owners.

ALLOTMENT FUNDS AVAILABLETO EIGHTH GRADERS

Effective with the spring 2011 semester,the state virtual school allotment is avail-able for eighth grade students to advanceinto high school courses offered throughthe Texas Virtual School Network(TxVSN). Students must have:• A strong academic record and theneed to advance into course work tomeet the requirements of the TexasRecommended or DistinguishedAchievement Graduation Plans.• Demonstrated mastery of the middleschool essential knowledge and skillsprerequisite to the high school course tobe taken (TAKS, credit by exam, or otherlocal measure).• Demonstrated readiness for the onlineenvironment and ready access to acomputer and the Internet. The TxVSNprovides an online tool for participatingdistricts to pre-assess student readiness

for online learning.• A mentor assigned by the district toprovide local campus support and toserve as an exam proctor.

TxVSN offers foundation and electivecourses, as well as dual credit courses. Acurrent list of courses is available by semes-ter on the TxVSN website, www.txvsn.org,under the Course Catalog tab.

ESD: What are the eligibility require-ments for students to be able to partici-pate in TxVSN?

A: A student is eligible to enroll in acourse provided by the TxVSN only ifthe student:1. is younger than 21 years of age onSeptember 1 of the school year,2. has not graduated from high school,

and3. is otherwise eligible to enroll in a pub-lic school in Texas.

ESD: How do students access coursesoffered through TxVSN?

A: In order to access courses throughTxVSN, a student should speak withtheir high school counselor or designatedTxVSN Site Coordinator. Only a SiteCoordinator is able to enroll students totake courses through TxVSN.

ESD: What is the maximum number ofcourses a student is allowed to takethrough TxVSN in a semester?

A: A student is able to take two semestercourses per semester. For example, dur-ing the spring semester a student maytake a Government course and anEconomics course. A student could nottake English 2 A&B and Biology A&B,as this would equal four semesters ofcoursework.

ESD: How can I find out if my student isprepared to take an online course?

A:All districts and open-enrollment charterschools that have completed the TxVSNregistration process will be given access toan account with SmarterMEASURE at nocost to the district. It is highly suggested thatdistricts and open-enrollment charterschools use SmarterMEASURE to assesswhether students have the knowledge, apti-tude and skills that have been shown to sup-port student success in an online learningenvironment. Several examples of the areasSmarterMEASURE assesses include: on-screen reading rate and recall, persistence,typing speed and accuracy, procrastination,availability of time, and use of technology.

TxVSN Central Operations staff arelocated in booth 2361 and are availableto answer your questions and assist youin getting your school connected withTxVSN. Utilize this opportunity to helpyour students further develop their 21stcentury learning skills.

EDUCATION DRAWS ON WACOMFOR STUDENT PREPAREDNESS

Designed specifically to meet thedemanding needs of professional cre-ators of digital content, Wacom®

Technology Services Corporation’sIntuos® pen tablets and Cintiq® interac-tive pen displays are quickly becomingthe standard for educators offeringclasses in such disciplines as graphicarts, industrial design, photography, ani-mation and illustration. Students willappreciate learning their trade on thesame equipment they will be using inthe field, and educators are assured thatthey are preparing their students for the

future by outfitting their classroomswith the right technology mix.

The Intuos4, an opaque tablet, andCintiq 21UX, a color-accurate interac-tive pen display, each offer unparalleledcreative control, comfort and productiv-ity and deliver state-of-the-art pen per-formance and innovative ergonomics.The Intuos4 and Cintiq 21UX experi-ence starts with amazing pen perform-ance, capable of capturing the slightestnuance of pen pressure against the tabletor LCD surface, as well as offering2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity. The

pen greatly improves the accuracy ofpressure-sensitive effects such as con-trolling line weights or opacity adjust-ments in such applications as Adobe®Photoshop® and Illustrator key softwareprograms in any design-oriented cur-riculum. The Grip Pen also features apressure-sensitive eraser and twocustomizable side switches that can beprogrammed for commands such asdouble-click and right-click.

Other innovative enhancementsinclude Touch Strips that are ideallyplaced for fingertip access while work-ing. Each Touch Strip has an accompany-ing Touch Strip Toggle button thatcontrols up to four different user-assigned functions per application suchas zoom, scroll, brush size adjustment

and canvas rotation. Customizable,application-specific ExpressKeys™, eightlocated on each side of the tablet (Intuos4)or display’s (Cintiq 21UX) bezel, are instru-mental in helping improve workflow andboost productivity by placing commonlyused commands at the fingertips. The closeproximity of these tools to the actual workarea is efficient and comfortable, and helpssave valuable time by minimizing depend-ence on the keyboard without taking focusaway from the pen hand.

The Intuos4 pen tablet comes in foursizes with a starting price of $229 (USD).The Cintiq 21UX, allowing students towork directly on screen in a natural andfluid fashion, is priced at $1999 (USD).Visit Wacom’s booth 1938 at TCEA 2011for a demonstration.

COOLEY LAW SCHOOL SECURES IDENTITIES FOR CLOUD-BASEDGOOGLE APPS WITH NOVELLIDENTITY MANAGER

Panda Security, the Cloud SecurityCompany and one of the leading security

vendors in the world, is exhibiting atTCEA (booth 2392) and represents the

best choice for educators who need secu-rity solutions for districts of all sizes.Working with schools ranging from 50all the way to 70,000 seats, PandaSecurity is a completely scalable and cus-tomizable solution that ensures that thePCs of school administrators, district IT

networks, teachers and students are pro-tected from todays vast and sophisticatedmalware environment.

In todays educational environment,it is an unfortunate but widely known fact


PANDA SECURITY REMOVESCOMPLEXITY OF SECURITY


MOBILELEARN HELPS WALDENUNIVERSITY STUDENTS TAILORLEARNING EXPERIENCE

Cutting edge technology offered byWalden allows students to access course-work through handheld mobile devices.

Walden University has unveiledMobileLearn™—a new tool for onlinecourse content delivery that allows stu-dents to access course materials in a waythat best fits their own learning styles.

MobileLearn is part of Walden’songoing effort to make its courses asadaptable and accessible as possible sostudents can maximize their learningoutcomes. Students can watch coursevideos and field experience simula-tions, read assigned texts, and listen tolectures and guest speakers.MobileLearn also allows students todownload and access content usingpersonal mobile devices, such as

smartphones and MP3 players.“Walden is always looking for

ways to use technology to make it eas-ier to access and successfully completeour degree programs,” said JonathanKaplan, President of WaldenUniversity. “We realize that each stu-dent has his or her own learning styles,and we believe meeting those needs is akey factor in helping students achievedeeper understanding and retention ofknowledge. MobileLearn allows stu-dents to interact with content in a waythat best fits their individual learningpreferences and lifestyles.”

Among the students participatingin a pilot program, an overwhelmingmajority said they would be more like-ly to complete their program with theaddition of MobileLearn, and also had

a deeper understanding of content cov-ered in the course after usingMobileLearn.

“I found it easier to learn withMobileLearn because it enabled me toaccess my courses online and down-load my materials,” said AnneBrooker-Grogan, a pilot program par-ticipant and Walden Education Ph.D.student with a specialization inEducational Technology. “I’m a visuallearner, and I enjoyed being able towatch the video presentations at home.With MobileLearn, I could watch andlisten to presentations at my conven-ience, helping me to better manage ahuge workload.”

MobileLearn is currently availablefor many of Walden’s programs. Allprograms began offering this technolo-gy in 2010. Walden is exploring futureexpansions of MobileLearn capabili-ties, including applications for iPhone,Kindle and Facebook.

About Walden UniversitySince 1970, Walden University has

supported working professionals inachieving their academic goals and mak-ing a greater impact in their professionsand their communities. Today, more than33,000 students from all 50 states andmore than 90 countries are pursuing theirbachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees atWalden. The university provides studentswith an engaging educational experiencethat connects them with expert faculty andpeers around the world. Walden is theflagship online university in the LaureateInternational Universities network—aglobal network of more than 42 online andcampus-based universities in 20 countries.

Walden offers more than 36 degreeprograms, with more than 140 specializa-tions and concentrations. Areas of studyinclude health sciences, counseling,human services, management, psycholo-gy, education, public health, nursing,public administration, technology andengineering. For more information, visitwww.waldenu.edu. Walden University isaccredited by The Higher LearningCommission and a member of the NorthCentral Association (www.ncahlc.org).

HITACHI INTRODUCES NEWCP-A220N LCD PROJECTOR

Hitachi is introducing its CP-A220NLCD projector, the latest addition to thecompany’s Ultimate Short Throw Seriesline-up. The CP-A220N’s free-shapedlens and mirror improve throw distanceratio and enable it to project clear,bright, high-definition images up to 80inches from a distance of just 21 inches,making it ideal for educational applica-tions, conference rooms and any loca-tion with limited space.

The CP-A220N’s sleek, low pro-file, lightweight design enables it to beeasily mounted close to a projectionscreen or whiteboard, which prevents

obstructed images and shadows with nolight shining in the presenter’s eyes.The CP-A220N can also be used seam-lessly with an interactive whiteboard.The CP-A220N delivers 2,200 ANSIlumens brightness with XGA resolutionand 16.7 million colors. It includesHDMI, S-Video and composite videoinputs, RGB computer monitor inputsand outputs, stereo mini-jack, RCA andmicrophone audio inputs, and audio andvideo outputs.

The projector also has an RJ-45Ethernet jack for connection to a localarea network (LAN), providing the abili-

ty to network, controland maintain the pro-jector from a remotelocation. The CP-A220’s CampusNotification Systemallows an adminis-trator to sendmessages to eachprojector on the network. The CP-A220N provides USB computer andmouse inputs, and an RS-232C port thatenables it to be controlled as part of anintegrated A/V system. A built-in speak-er and 10-watt amplifier eliminate theneed for external speakers.

The Hitachi CP-A220N offers a hostof useful performance and conveniencefeatures. Its Perfect Fit 2 image adjust-ment system enables the user to adjust

the four corners andsides of the image oneby one to achieve opti-mum picture quality,eliminating problemssuch as barrel or pin-cushion distortion.The CP-A220Noffers easy mainte-

nance with features such as a 4000-hourhybrid filter, which requires less frequentcleaning and makes longer operationpossible. An exclusive Input SourceNaming feature lets the user customizethe names of input sources instead ofusing the factory default settings. Uniqueto Hitachi, the projector’s Template func-tion displays lines, circles or a worldmap, making it easier to write on aninteractive whiteboard.

FASTER, SAFER, MORE ACCURATE,MORE EFFICIENT: TOOLS4EVERSTREAMLINES SCHOOL DISTRICTSUSER-ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Case Study: Judson ISD

SummaryJudson Independent School District islocated in San Antonio, Texas. The pub-lic school district covers nearly 56 squaremiles and serves the cities of Converse,Kirby and Selma, as well as portions ofLive Oak, Universal City and SanAntonio. Like nearly every other schooldistrict in the U.S., Judson is sufferingfrom increased financial pressure.

Steve Young, Judson’s ChiefTechnology Officer, stated, “Because oftight funding, we’re unlikely to gear upstaff-wise. But on the other hand, we’restill adding more schools and more stu-dents, and pressure for system support isalso on the rise. Each year we see moresystems that need to be brought online,which means more users and administra-tors. That means we’re expected to dothings cleaner, leaner and more efficiently.

That also counts for user administration.”

Keeping Systems ConnectedThe Active Directory, SIS (eSchoolPlus)and the ERP system comprise the coreof Judson’s network. All of these sys-tems are interconnected and requireusers/data to be synchronized. However,Judson didn’t have a way to automatesynchronization of identities betweensystems. The lack of automation in thiscomplex network resulted in user errorsand added a substantial amount of manhours for maintenance tasks such asadding and removing users and creatingfile shares. To make student-accountmanagement more accurate and effi-cient, Judson decided to implement UserManagement Resource Administrator(UMRA) by Tools4ever.

“When we started looking for soft-ware to automate these administrationtasks, we talked to several vendors,” said

Young. “Most of the products we investi-gated were too complex or completelyout of our price range. We needed asimple, high-quality, affordable solu-tion with the right service. We found allthat in UMRA.” With UMRA, studentinformation is now automatically syn-chronized between systems. When anew student account is entered into theSIS system, UMRA detects it and auto-matically creates an account in theinterconnected systems.

Stabilizing Labor CostsAccording to Young, the benefits gainedfrom implementing this project are clear.While the workload of the back office isincreasing, UMRA keeps account main-tenance man hours from growing in tan-dem. Additionally, the IT department isnow able to redirect resources and takeon tasks that previously would have goneby the wayside. For users, UMRA nowcreates accounts immediately, meaningthey get online faster. A new studentcoming into the district will have accessto the network and home directories thevery next day.

“We’ve never had this kind ofspeed before,” Young explained. “Itusually took maybe a week before stu-dents had an account.”

Increasing SecurityTools4ever’s solution ensures accountsare immediately de-provisioned so userscan’t gain unauthorized access to the net-work. “Security isn’t something you canquantify,” Young said, ”but it is some-thing you know you should put moneyinto. It’s a way to ensure users can’taccess the things they shouldn’t. Thanksto UMRA, we’re able to be proactive onsecurity by quickly disabling accounts.”

Enable Full ProvisioningIn the final phases of deployment, Judsonwill also be using UMRA to manage itsstaff accounts. Judson staff needs imme-diate access to their accounts; providingstaff members with readily available useraccounts will reap huge benefits for thedistrict. In a final component of the proj-ect, Tools4ever will be installing aLive@edu connector to manage e-mailrelated entities.

“Tools4ever really knows what theyare talking about,” Young said. “Theyhave a deep understanding of the prob-lems we face trying to manage identities,users and data, and they offer the rightservice and support behind the products.”

For more information on theUMRA, visit www.tools4ever.com orvisit our booth 2516.


MORE THAN 250 NEW ACTIVITYPACKS FOR THE SMART TABLENOW AVAILABLE

Thousands Of Multi-touch, Multi-userActivities Available ViaThe SMART Exchange™

SMART Technologiesannounces the addition ofmore than 250 activitypacks for the SMARTTable interactive learningcenter. Themed activitypacks each contain a number of indi-vidual activities for the SMART Table,which can be downloaded at no chargevia the SMART Exchange website(exchange.smarttech.com). With morethan 250 subject- and grade-specificactivity packs, such as the LearningColors activity pack for the SMARTTable for K3, teachers now have access

to thousands of multi-touch, multi-userSMART Table activities.

Teachers can use theSMART Table Toolkit toquickly and easily modifyexisting activities to suittheir lesson themes andlearning objectives.Teachers can also createcustom-made lesson

activities to use and share via theSMART Exchange. The comprehensivecollection includes SMART Table activi-ties created by teachers from around theworld, activities created by SMART andactivities created by a number of third-party publishing companies. In an effortto provide teachers and students with abroad selection of engaging activities,

SMART is committed to continuallyworking with third-party publishers todevelop additional content. Additionalinformation on the SMART Table inter-active learning center can be found atsmarttech.com/table.

“The SMART Exchange website isa teachers dreamyou can sort activitiesby standard, by grade level or by state,”said Mary Kate Hagmann, first gradeteacher at Gilbert Elementary in BuenaPark, Calif. “I’m constantly download-ing activities, providing feedback,gathering information and uploadingmy own activities so they can be usefulfor everyone. It’s a great tool that givesme all the activities and support I needin one place.”

“As teachers around the world con-tinue to adopt interactive technologyproducts into their classrooms, theyrequire content and activities that willengage early learners,” said NancyKnowlton, SMART’s CEO. With thebroad range of multi-touch, multi-useractivity packs available for the SMARTTable, teachers have the necessary tools

to help their young students collaborate,explore and succeed.

About SMARTSMART Technologies is a leadingprovider of collaboration solutions thattransform the way the world works andlearns. They believe that collaborationand interaction should be easy. As theglobal leader in interactive white-boards, SMART Technologies bringsmore than two decades of collaborativeresearch and development to a broadrange of easy to use, integrated solu-tions that free people from their desksand computer screens so collaboratingand learning with digital resources aremore natural.

2010 SMART Technologies. SMARTTable, SMART Exchange, smarttechand the SMART logo are trademarks orregistered trademarks of SMARTTechnologies in the U.S. and/orother countries. Find more informationon SMART Technologies atwww.smarttech.com.

ESPRESSO ELEMENTARYANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIPWITH USA TODAY

Espresso Elementary, the online teach-ing and learning site for Pre-K throughfifth grade, has partnered with USATODAY, who will provide news for itsweekly ‘News Roundup.’ This uniquepartnership provides Espresso with aweekly USA TODAY article along withtwo additional edited ‘versions’ createdto address the needs of different levelsof learners.

Espresso Elementary is a cross-curricular, multimedia learning site witha wide range of interactive, video-richresources that inspire children to learn.Each week in its news service, Espressostrives to engage children in the worldaround them. Videos and news articlesare selected for their educational rele-vance, keeping in mind children’s inter-ests and creativity. Each piece of news

has a curriculum objective, and is linkedto one or more subject areas dependingon the news topic. It is intended to buildsubject knowledge as well as encourageskills such as reading, listening, criticalthinking and discussing. All ‘NewsRoundup’ items are aligned to both stateand the Common Core Standards.

The USA TODAY partnershiplaunched with the article “Blind hikersknow no limits at Grand Canyon,” writ-ten by Dennis Wagner. It’s a very inter-esting article with curriculum ties to thestudy of natural wonders and geographicallandforms in social studies. The story alsohas cross-curricular links into physicaleducation—hiking, rock climbing and fac-ing physical challenges. The hikers fea-tured in this article were visually-impaired,and their trek through the difficult Canyon

trail is an inspirational one.USA TODAY has made a commit-

ment to education that is unparalleled inthe industry. Its education department hasbeen in existence since 1983 and is cur-rently in place in more than 25,000 K-12classes across the country, as well as in500-plus universities and communitycolleges, impacting more than 1 millionstudents daily.

Lewis Bronze, Espresso CEO, com-mented, “When we were seeking a part-ner for our news service in the U.S., USATODAY was at the top of our list. USATODAY is a household name, well-regarded for its non-fiction text and itsvast, quality coverage of news across theworld. We believe that its inclusion in our‘News Roundup’ is a great fit. There

seems to be no end to the wealth of excel-lent, cross-curricular stories that we canuse to excite teachers and children!”

Diane Barrett, Vice President, USATODAY Education, commented,“Students like reading USA TODAYbecause of our unique style, bold color andgraphics, and easy-to-access information.We believe that we cover contemporaryissues in a way that is relevant and moti-vating to young people. The news is agreat way to help students make connec-tions to what they are learning across dif-ferent subject areas. It made sense to part-ner with Espresso, whose goals related tonews and education are similar to ours. Welook forward to being part of their newproduct success in the U.S.”

Espresso is the leading educationalmultimedia service in the U.K. It’s trustedby teachers and children in 10,000 schools.

Visit Espresso Education at booth 115to learn more about the partnership and seehow Espresso can make every lessonmemorable. You can also visit their web-site, www.espressoeducation.com, formore information.

Adaptive Curriculum is pleased toannounce its application to be anapproved vendor for the Texas ScienceAdoption. Adaptive Curriculum’s award-winning instructional solution buildsmiddle and high school math and sciencemastery through dynamic, interactivelearning. Its real-world active learningapproach motivates learners to explore,make hypotheses, manipulate items, andsee the impact of their decisions.Adaptive Curriculum’s more than 450standards aligned Activity Objects, orlessons, and hundreds of customized

animations represent thousands oflearner objectives. Its easy and flexibledelivery allows it to be used for wholegroup, small group or individualinstruction. With Adaptive Curriculum,students acquire core mastery throughactive participation in an immersive,differentiated and exciting learningenvironment that provides real-timefeedback and assessment.

Unlike other programs developedfrom print, Adaptive Curriculum wasdeveloped as a digital solution to take fulladvantage of the online environment and

cutting-edge instructional tools such asinteractive white boards. AdaptiveCurriculum’s immersive learning envi-ronment engages students to explore con-cepts, create and test hypotheses andmanipulate items.

Adaptive Curriculum lessons or dig-ital Activity Objects are built utilizing themost recent research and proven instruc-tional strategies and pedagogy.Incorporating rich multimedia and real-world scenarios, Activity Objects areintentionally created to engage today’sdigital age learners and promote activelearning. This guided discovery approachbuilds deep concept mastery and lastingunderstanding.

In preparation for the ScienceAdoptive, Adaptive Curriculum isintroducing a specialized versionof its software solution—AdaptiveCurriculum Texas™. AdaptiveCurriculum Texas provides schoolswith licenses for both teachers and theirstudents and provides access to

TEKS-aligned digital content consist-ing of Activity and Animation Objects.

Activity Objects, or AOs, are inter-active lessons that typically start with anengagement section, then instruct stu-dents through the use of interactive labsand virtual manipulatives, and finally endwith a summary of the concepts covered.Activity Objects vary in length anywherefrom 15 to 45 minutes. Each ActivityObject also includes (1) an extensiveTeacher Guide that not only covers thecontent of the Activity Object, but alsoprovides sections on overcoming learnermisconceptions, extension activities andsuggested discussion questions; (2) a 10-question multiple-choice assessmentwith detailed explanations for each item;and (3) an Activity Sheet in both ateacher and student version.

Animation Objects are short,focused animation sequences that lastapproximately two to three minutes. Both

ADAPTIVE CURRICULUM ANNOUNCESTHE LAUNCH OF ADAPTIVECURRICULUM TEXAS—A CUSTOMIZED PRODUCT FORTHE TEXAS SCIENCE ADOPTION



OKI PRINTING SOLUTIONSSHOWCASES NEW PRODUCTS ANDTAILORED SOLUTIONS THAT CANSOLVE YOUR PRINTING WOES

Ed Lydon, Consultative Public SectorSales Manager for OKI Data Americas,answers your printing questions.

School ITDirector: My school needs newprinters for administrative areas and ourcomputer labs. Most printouts are blackand white, but we still need the option forcolor. Our IT budget was reduced so werelooking for affordable options.

Ed Lydon: We do have devices that aretailored to meet multiple printing needsand are affordably priced to accommo-date reduced IT budgets. OKI has justrefreshed a line of color MFPs providingthe option of color when and where youneed it, as well as a new line of monoproducts that are specific to education

and will be showcased at TCEA. Theyare more compact, faster and have higherconsumable yields for increased efficien-cy. These products also feature bannercapabilities and, as an added bonus, OKIprovides a free School CommunicationsPack DVD filled with over 100 educa-tional banners perfect for the classroom.

School IT Director: Half of my ITbudget goes towards printing. Iknow printed materials are important tothe students education, but the costs havebeen overwhelming.

Ed Lydon: It sounds like you’re havingissues with properly managing your printfleet, and we can help you with that. OKIPrinting Solutions conducts a free,

comprehensive assessment which ana-lyzes device usage and the level of colorand mono printing to better understandyour school’s printing habits. We thenpropose a strategic plan of action thatwill help you better manage your printingoperations and save you money. Thismay consist of removing underutilizedproducts, consolidating devices and/orreplacing expensive printers with cost-efficient OKI products to significantlyimprove overall performance. As a testa-ment to the potential cost-savings, justrecently OKI identified a savings of morethan a million dollars over a five-yearspan for the Donna Independent SchoolDistrict, in Donna, Texas, by upgradingtheir old fleet to OKI Printing Solutions.

School IT Director: I’ve read studies onhow color printouts help enhance stu-dents learning, but I don’t think myschool can afford the costs associatedwith color printing. Is it possible to bringcolor into the classroom affordably?

Ed Lydon: I’m familiar with the studieswhich support our belief that colorful

educational materials really do improvea students learning experience; in fact,one study shows that color documentsincrease learning and retention by up to78 percent1. Recognizing the impact ofcolor, OKI developed Color AccessPolicy Manager (CAPM), allowingschools to utilize color printing withoutwaste through accountability. WithCAPM, schools can control everythingfrom username to application to thenumber of color or black and whitepages printed, helping you better man-age your color printing and have morecontrol over costs.

If you would like to speak to Ed Lydonabout your schools print fleet, please stopby the OKI Printing Solutions booth 1346.

1Loyola College, Maryland, U.S.A., byEllen Hoadley, Ph.D.,Laurette Simmons,Ph.D., and Faith Gilroy, Ph.D. Case &Company, Management ConsultantsBureau of Advertising, Color inNewspaper Advertising MaritzMotivation, Inc., Southern Illinois.

GROW YOUR PURCHASING POWERWITH ĒNO THE LOWEST TOTALCOST OF OWNERSHIP INTERACTIVEWHITEBOARD ON THE MARKET

Although the implementation of interac-tive whiteboards is becoming increasing-ly more widespread in schools around theworld, many districts are still hesitant toinvest in solutions due to budget con-straints. When performing comparisonsof interactive whiteboards based on long-term total cost of ownership, someboards are clearly cost-prohibitive.

However, one interactive solution standsout from the rest—PolyVision’s ēno.

Ēno’s three-in-one surface enablesteachers to use just one board for mag-nets, markers and multimedia, eliminat-ing the need to buy an additional staticwhiteboard for traditional classroomneeds. Since ēno is cordless and cable-free, districts can forget about the high

cost of hiring a contractor and the staffdowntime that comes with other interac-tive whiteboard installations.

PolyVisions ēno has an open archi-tecture, meaning there is no need forteachers to master a new software to suc-cessfully use the board. The learningcurve is minimal, and professional devel-opment resources are available whenneeded (but not required). Most noviceusers can interact with the board in lessthan 20 minutes. Paula J. Reber, Principaland District Technology Supervisor ofLewisburg Area School District inPennsylvania, commented on her district’srecent implementation of ēno: “One of myteachers who began using ēno today is aself-described technophobe. She just sent

me an email that she loves it and she’sonly had it up and running for about fourhours! I think that says a lot about ēnoand its ease of use.”

The durability of PolyVisions e3environmental Ceramicsteel™ sur-face, coupled with the ForeverWarranty™, make the decision to putcutting edge technology in the handsof students simple, despite preexistingbudgetary concerns.

Visit www.polyvision.com and use theonline ēno TCO calculator to see howēnos savings for you add up. VisitPolyVision at booth 2335 to learn moreabout how your district can grow its pur-chasing power with ēno.

SURVEY SAYS: WEEKLY READERCONNECT IS HUGE HIT

What do the users of Weekly ReaderConnect think of this new K-6 onlinereading comprehension program? Fully98 percent of respondents to a recent pollsaid they would recommend WR Connectto a colleague.

Now listen to what they said whenasked why they would recommend theprogram:

“It is an excellent way to teach currentevents and teach reading comprehensionstrategies together.” Angie Taub,Rutherford County Schools, Cliffside, N.C.

“It has available all comprehensionstrategies that students need to assist withcomprehension skills.” Kim Chatman,Alma Intermediate School, Alma, Ark.

“It fulfills the needs of the visuallearner.” Deborah Famini, MeadowvaleElementary, Maryland

“ It is an excellent resource to havein the classroom.” Lisa Newberry, CrossStreet Christian School, Anderson, Ind.

“It is such an interactive teachingtool.” Marcia Jolley, Harris Elementary,Forest City, N.C.

Less than a year after its launch, Weekly

Reader Connect has already been adopt-ed by hundreds of schools in 44 states,and has won major educational and tech-nology awards. But the highest accoladesthe program has received are from educa-tors who say that Weekly Reader Connectis a superb teaching tool. The programpresents hundreds of high-interest non-fiction articles, enriched with meaningfulmultimedia that deepens student’s under-standing. WR Connect complementsthose stories with 129 on-screen lessonsthat teach reading comprehension in aclear, concise and consistent way.

WR Connect requires no additionalsoftware or tech expertise, and bringsthe following elements to all subscrib-ing schools:• Exclusive interactive Weekly Readerdigital editions presenting timely, high-interest, and grade-specific nonfictioncontent that has been carefully crafted toalign to state curricula.• Downloadable companion Teacher’sGuides that incorporate wide-rangingbackground information, informal

RAPID DEVELOPMENT IS THENORM FOR SCHOOLCITY

SchoolCity Inc., a Silicon Valley-basedK-12 education technology leader,released its online assessment deliverytool as a part of their STARS™ Suite in2009. The online testing module nowallows users of STARS to deliver bench-mark assessments via the Internet, inaddition to the paper/pencil and scanningsystem currently provided.

“We are convinced that schools anddistricts are ready to make the leap toonline test taking,” said Vaseem Anjum,SchoolCity’s President and CEO.Vaseem added, “We have had so manyrequests to add this feature; we had to actin order to support our existing and futurecustomers. SchoolCity’s rapid develop-ment process allowed the tool to beadded quickly to the main platform.”

Online testing has been available inK-12 education for years, but a lack ofstudent-available computers and lowbandwidth for schools and districts hastraditionally kept online testing fromwidespread use. However, technologygrants, Microsoft anti-trust settlementdollars and E-Rate funding over the yearshave gradually changed the landscape.

The economy and related educationbudget reductions have driven the needfor a more cost-effective, paperlessassessment method. “Online testingreduces paper consumption and costs, notto mention the positive effect using lesspaper has on the environment,” said KrisJensen, SchoolCity’s Director ofEducational Partnerships.

As a key Microsoft partner,SchoolCity’s online testing module isbuilt using the Microsoft platformincluding Microsoft .NET and MicrosoftSQL Server database backend. The newtool will also allow standards-alignedquestions to be added from SchoolCity’sAssessment Item Banks, making theirSTARS Assessment Suite completelyelectronic, if desired.

About SchoolCity Inc.Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif.,SchoolCity Inc. is a leading provider ofcontinuous improvement, assessmentand analysis software to the K-12 educa-tion market. SchoolCity’s comprehensive

Continued on Page 49Continued on Page 52


SLOW NETWORK IS THE ENEMYOF FAST-THINKING MINDS

Keeping students engaged with coursematerial is a challenge every teacher isfamiliar with. That’s why the last fewyears have seen an upsurge in the numberof classrooms wirelessly connected to theInternet, enabling students to access anduse information to help in the education-al mission. That mission is compromisedwhen the network is slower than the stu-dent’s rate of absorption, and just like weall would, the student fills in the timethey spend waiting with something otherthan the coursework at hand. “Network-induced ADHD,” “Creeping BrowserSyndrome,” or “That #%#^ Network” areall the right sort of name for this condi-tion, but whatever you call it, restassured–there are solutions.

There are a few root causes of slownetwork performance to investigate. Theeasiest is to check if your wireless accesspoints (APs) are capable of supporting

the latest (and fastest) wireless network-ing standard, IEEE 802.11n. Many net-works currently installed in schools areonly capable of supporting the slower802.11b or 802.11g standards (whichoffer 11 Mbps and 54 Mbps respectively)but not 802.11n, which can operate up to150 MBps. With all new laptops, hand-held devices, and dual mode smartphonessupporting 802.11n, it is possible thatyour school has the clients already capa-ble of 802.11n, but waiting for the wire-less network to be broadcasting at thatspeed. Upgrading existing networks to802.11n is much easier than a new instal-lation–all the wiring and AP placementsare often reuseable. With newer .11nproducts like Meru’s AP1000i, not onlyis the price very low on a per AP basis,but more than likely (due to the higherrange and Meru’s virtualized WLANtechnology) you will need fewer APs

than before to providesimilar coverage athigher performance.

Another perform-ance-crippling problemfaced by schools is thereduction in availablebandwidth that comesfrom having a largenumber of clients con-necting to the sameaccess point. As shown in Fig. 1, this“loss contention” problem starts tobecome severe with relatively few clients(at five or more clients, less than half ofthe available bandwidth is usable bythose clients). This problem occursbecause older microcell networks are notdesigned to support large numbers ofclients. As more come onto the network,the amount of bandwidth chewed up bymanaging them becomes significant.

In a microcell network, the clientscontrol the connection to the accesspoint, so as more clients come onto thenetwork more of the airspace is con-sumed by client connectivity, not data

traffic. In a classroomenvironment with dozensof clients connecting, theright solution is to use aWLAN where the net-work controls clientaccess–such as Meru’svirtualized WLAN tech-nology. Not only is band-width for data traffic pre-served, but the intelli-

gence of the network can also be used toensure that all clients are receiving equalaccess to that bandwidth.

The fast-moving minds in yourclassroom need the instructional materi-als to keep pace, and by assessing yourcurrent solution you might find thatdelivering higher speeds ispossible. Meru Networks serves over1000 educational institutions with theability to deliver high speed to a highdensity of clients; check out our websiteat www.merunetworks.com for exam-ples and case studies on how we havesolved problems like these for schoolslike yours.

ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGHSOCIAL MEDIA

Schoolwires Centricity2 helps K-12school districts across the nation supportcollaborative teaching and learning byproviding access to a variety of technolo-gies and Web 2.0 tools that enable theirstaff to create the learning environmentsthat are so critical to student engagementand success.

These technologies allow teachers tocreate stronger collaboration and interac-tion between students and their peers,and give them the capabilities to developsocial-based learning experiences thattranscend the classroom walls—all with-in a safe, secure environment.

At the end of 2009, ProjectTomorrow, a national education nonprof-it organization, surveyed more than368,000 K-12 students, parents, teachersand administrators in regard to theirvision for 21st century learning.According to their 2009 Speak Up

survey, the students articulated theirvision for 21st century learning toinclude social-based learning. Studentsresponded emphatically that they wantedto leverage emerging communication andcollaboration tools to create and person-alize their networks of experts and toinform their education process.

Todays students don’t want limita-tions on their learning, and often gobeyond the classroom, beyond teachers,and even beyond the education process tofind the information they need to bestinform their learning. Students areimmersed in the use of digital media,tools and content in most aspects of theirlives. They use social technologies todocument their lives with photos, videos,blog posts, favorites, networks of friends,status postings and rankings from onlinegames, and opinions on just about every-thing. As digital natives, these resources

for districts to positively impact studentachievement, it is a strategic imperativefor districts to provide students with acollaborative and interactive learningenvironment that engages them in thelearning process. Likewise, districts mustfind ways to safely integrate new, socialand emerging technologies into the class-room experience so that students willlearn the skills they need to be successfulin the real world. With Centricity2, dis-tricts can provide students with the toolsthey desire. The solution features snap-onWeb 2.0/social media functionality foralmost every aspect of the districts fami-ly of websites to create a fully integratedand socially interactive experience forlearners, teachers, parents and the com-munity at large.

Many districts today are using theintegrated communication technologieswithin Centricity2 to create more engag-ing learning experiences for their stu-dents to achieve better academic success.

To learn more about SchoolwiresCentricity2, visit Schoolwires atbooth 2429.

TYLER TECHNOLOGIES:PROVIDING THE BACKBONEFOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

“Establish technology in education as thebackbone of school improvement.”1According to the International Society forTechnology in Education (ISTE), this is animportant priority facing school decisionmakers. Why? Because technology—specifically software designed for the K-12 market—is crucial to the organization,effectiveness and efficiency of schools.

The education industry gathersmore data than any other industry, yet itcan be difficult to utilize that informa-tion in effective ways. The right tech-nology can change this, but for schoolsto experience the full benefits technolo-gy has to offer, companies must offersolutions that work the way school dis-tricts do—as enterprises, with disparate

departments working together to achievea single goal. Each day buses travel toand from school, students are fed, atten-dance is taken, grades are posted, budg-ets are reviewed—all with the goal ofsuccessful student education.2 Bymaking data accessible and easy tounderstand, analyze and interpret dis-trict-wide, school software enables everyschool employee to focus on providingstudents with the skills and knowledgenecessary to be successful in life.

Complete Solutions for K-12 SchoolsFor Tyler, student achievement andimproving the way schools educate stu-dents is at the forefront of every technol-ogy upgrade and application develop-

ment decision made. Today, Tyler’sschool software and services—with solu-tions for student information, human cap-ital management (human resources andpayroll), financials, student transporta-tion, information warehousing and dis-trict planning—integrate school dataacross the district. The role-tailored dash-board provides administrators with a360-degree view at the district, schooland student levels. Powerful programsmake it easy to add, modify and accesskey data. Technology is continuallyupgraded to integrate fully with otherTyler products, streamlining processesand improving the flow of information.

Tyler’s information warehouse,Tyler Pulse, is an important tool thatcan help schools focus on school andstudent improvement by changing theway they use information. Designed forthe K-12 school market, Pulse turns rawdata from multiple databases—regard-less of vendor—into meaningful, aggre-gated information which, according to

the ISTE, is crucial to school success:“…we must provide educators with thesystems, knowledge and support theyneed to effectively tailor their teachingstrategies and better meet the individualneeds of each learner.”3 By utilizingPulse, schools can determine what fac-tors affect student achievement, predictfuture student performance and targetearly intervention, increasing thechances that each student will succeed.And that’s what the mission of schoolsis all about.

For more information visitwww.tylertech.com, e-mail [email protected], call 800-772-2260 or stopby booth 2259.

1 “Top Ten in ’10: ISTE’s EducationTechnology Priorities for 2010.”International Society for Technology inEducation. http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Advocacy/Top_Ten_in_

and applications are highly engaging forthe students, while providing them withnew ways to approach self-directedlearning and educational productivity.By creating their own learning environ-ments—including the use of a widerange of learning resources, tools,applications, outside experts and theirpeers—they are generating their ownpersonalized experiences. They areessentially taking their educational des-tiny into their own hands.

Students learn best from interactionswith peers. Alan November, Founder ofNovember Learning, states that thestrongest learning occurs in a collabora-tive environment, and this requires thatdistricts provide new ways for teachers toengage students in the learning processso that they have the skills to applyknowledge in the real world.

This research suggests that in order



Does the consultant just “advise” onhow to fill out the E-Rate forms andwhen they are due, or will they do allthe work for you so you can concen-trate on what you do best?

VST Consulting and Managementoffers over 25 years of telecom and E-Rate experience. We also take pride inthe fact we are hands-on service andwill be glad to answer questions youmight have when you call, as well askeep you informed on the status of yourreimbursements. Our clients rangefrom districts with 500 students to dis-tricts with 58,000 students; this widerange of districts brings the assurancethat VST can relate to whatever yourneeds will be, no matter the size of

your district. Finally, VST manages theE-rate process from the beginning tothe end. They fill out and submit allnecessary forms and gather requireddocumentation accurately and on timeso you will have peace of mind thatyour E-Rate reimbursements will get toyou in a timely manner. They do thework and you get the “credit.”

Please stop by at booth 117. Meetthe VST team—President Russell Neal,V.P. Of Operations Tracy Neal and V.P.Marketing of Sales Maryann Staab.They look forward to meeting you, andwill be glad to answer any questionsyou might have. You can also call themat 817-430-5842 or go to their website,www.vstservices.com.

A STUDENT RESPONSE SYSTEMTHAT WORKS: IRESPONDThe iRespond personal response systemis a cost-effective way for any instructorto instantly become more productive.Combined with our proprietary TeachersDashboard Software, you may take atten-dance, collect homework, track forma-tive assessment, give timed tests, engageevery student, reduce the drudgery ofgrading, produce meaningful state stan-dards reports and much more.

Increase Instructor ProductivityBecause iRespond handles the gradingprocess, from short quizzes to end-of-term assessments, teachers have moretime for teaching. Imagine how much

more productive you can be when freedfrom the burden of grading tests.

Achieve 100% Student ParticipationWith iRespond, every student isengaged in the learning process and isan active participant. Students love thetechnology. EDCO customers say thatattendance is always better when theirstudents know they will be usingiRespond remotes. The iRespond-Liteis a wonderful addition to any class-room from kindergarten to graduateschool. It’s perfect for the individualclassroom or a meeting where you wantto capture everyone’s opinion.

Flexible and easy to use, iRespondallows for a wide variety of questions:multiple choice, true/false, multipleresponse, yes/no, numeric, fill-in-theblank and survey.

The iRespond-Lite remotes have adisplay window to show students thequestion number they are answering andthe answer they selected. This windowcan display the student grade, class aver-age, messages from the teacher and feed-back. Teachers are free to move aroundthe classroom and can remotely send pre-pared questions. The system is also easyto use for questions on the fly.

More reasons to come by booth 966and see iRespond in action: fully inte-grates with Power Point; built-in statestandards to correlate to your test ques-tions; create a quick answer key forinstant testing; unique PIN login allows

students to use any remote; foster class-room excitement and competition; sup-ports paper-based, oral and projectedtests; allows assessment of individualstudents, teams or the entire classroom;easy to create reports that can be printedor e-mailed; radio frequency for failproof two-way interactive communica-tions; runs on AA batteries; and onlineeasy-to-follow video tutorials.

See how engaging your students andimproving performance is as easy as1…2…3!

Select a class, choose a lesson, andpick your remotes. That’s it. Now youdo what you do best―teach.iRespond’s Student Response Systemcollects student answers and scores eachresponse in real-time, whether delivering

NEW REPORT URGES EDUCATIONPOLICYMAKERS TO INVEST INCOMPETENCY-BASED APPROACHESTO HELP HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS

A new report by leaders in the youthdevelopment field encourages state edu-cation leaders to lift barriers and invest ininnovative schools that implementdynamic competency-based approaches(CBA) to help over-age, under-creditedstudents earn their diplomas.

CBA is a holistic, student-centeredmethod of development with explicit andmeasurable learning objectives for youth.Services and support vary depending onthe need of each student.

The paper was compiled by leadersfrom MetisNet, a consulting firm that helpsfoundations and nonprofit organizations

maximize their community investments;Our Piece of the Pie®, (OPP®), a youthdevelopment agency based in Hartford,Conn.; the International Association forK–12 Online Learning (iNACOL), a non-profit association based in theWashington, D.C. area; and EphraimWeisstein, an independent education con-sultant who is piloting the Schools for theFuture program.

According to the report, “Clearingthe Path: Creating Innovation forServing Over-Age, Under-CreditedStudents in Competency-BasedPathways,” education policymakers

must offer flexibility to reorganizefunctions and staffing, expand high-quality content and instructional sys-tems, and incorporate new tools, tech-nologies and supports. In addition, pol-icy needs to be amended to replace thecurrent time-based system with a learn-ing-based system allowing students toearn credits based on demonstratedproficiency, not seat-time.

The report urges policymakers to liftbarriers allowing students to enroll incompetency-based online courses, trans-fer competencies across schools, and rec-ognize proficiency in learning objectivesdeveloped outside of the traditionalschool day (including jobs, participationin clubs and community service).

“Clearing the path for this innova-tive method of education is essential inensuring over-age, under-credited stu-dents have the tools to succeed,” saidBob Rath, President/CEO of OPP.“States and school districts that focus on

competency-based approaches can reaptremendous economic benefits averagingover $300,000 for every student thatgraduates high school instead of drop-ping out,” Rath said.

According to the report, a set of pol-icy conditions must be in place for stateeducation agencies to realize the full ben-efit of CBAs.

Competency-based approaches offera new value proposition for our educationsystem, according to Susan Patrick,President and CEO of iNACOL. It focus-es on a departure from seat-time require-ments to concept mastery—a vitalchange toward student-centered learning.

“There are too many young peoplewho have been left behind with gaps intheir skills because of our time-basedsystem,” said Ephraim Weisstein.“Competency-based models are invalu-able for addressing our dropout crisis byoffering a high-engagement, acceleratedpath to a high school diploma.”


APPLES TO APPLESWe have all heard the term‘apples to apples.’ Althoughthe thought might make youhungry, it refers to making acomparison while choosingthe same qualifying factors. Thisshould also apply to the E-Rate con-sultant you choose.

Some important factors to helpguide you in your decision should bethe following: What is the backgroundof the consultant? Do they have tele-com and E-Rate experience, and if so,how long? Another factor is accessibil-ity. When you contact the consultant,

do you get an automatedanswering service or do youactually talk to a real liveperson? We believe havingyour questions and concerns

addressed immediately alleviates frus-tration and anxiety. Another importantquestion to ask is what are a few of thedistricts the consultant currently has asclients. A consultant should be able togive you multiple references so youcan get direct information and opin-ions from that district about the con-sultant’s knowledge and service.Finally, but definitely a crucial factor:

STARS Suite combines continuousimprovement planning, curriculum man-agement, formative assessment, itembanks, accountability, analysis andreporting solutions–all in one integrated,easy-to use application. Since 1999,SchoolCity’s solutions have been helpingeducators across the United States tomake better decisions, dramaticallyimproving instruction and studentachievement. For more information, visitwww.schoolcity.com.

the companys flagship products, is a highlyrobust solution for managing email,endpoint and Internet security from aneasy-to-use console. Since PCP is entirelycloud-based, network administrators caneliminate the need for complex and expen-sive servers, yet still give individual schoolstaff access rights while retaining globalmanagement control at the district level.Cloud-based security is especially impor-tant in the educational setting because mal-ware samples are immediately identifiedand remediated, which should be a crucialrequirement for any school district security

SchoolCity Inc. (Con’t. from p. 42) solution. Virus updates are exponentiallyfaster with cloud-based security, happeningin minutes, as opposed to traditional client-server solutions, which can take up to 48hours for updated protection.

PCP is also becoming a top choicefor school districts across the countrybecause hardware is no longer needed tobe maintained and additional cost sav-ings are realized, which is always a boonfor educational institutions.

For more information on PandaSecurity products, please visit www.pandasecurity.com/usa or stop by booth 2392.

that budgets are continually decreasing.As such, greater responsibility is beingput on network administrators to managethe security of entire districts, even mul-tiple districts, in the most cost-effectiveand efficient manner. In addition, as moreservers and workstations are added togrowing networks, these managers arefinding that traditional security solutionscan no longer scale effectively to supportthe growing infrastructure.

Panda Cloud Protection (PCP), one of

Panda Security (Con’t. from p. 32)

10.htm. 6 May 2010.2 Technology in Schools: Suggestions,Tools and Guidelines for AssessingTechnology in Elementary andSecondary Education. Nov. 2002.National Center for Education Statistics.10 Sept. 2009. <http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/tech_schools/chapter7.asp>.3 “Top Ten in ’10: ISTE’s EducationTechnology Priorities for 2010.”International Society for Technology inEducation. http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Advocacy/Top_Ten_in_10.htm. 6 May 2010.

Tyler Technologies (Con’t. from p. 43)

assessments, and other engaging exten-sion activities along with practical tips andtechniques on how to broaden the lessons.• Concepts of Comprehension© SkillBuilder lessons, with teacher tips andadditional reading passages specificallydesigned to build reading skills andscores while improving students’ under-

standing of texts.Weekly Reader Connect is built on

the Concepts of Comprehension, aresearch-based framework of 21 inferen-tial thinking skills developed by the non-profit Urban Education Exchange. Thisframework enables students to expandtheir reading skills from year to year, anduses proven methods that teach kids toread for understanding.

Weekly Reader Connect (Con’t. from p. 42) We could tell you more, but we’drather let a teacher tell you:

“I am thrilled with what WeeklyReader Connect provides me,” said LauraHavill of the Turning Point ElementaryProgram in Ithaca, N.Y. “The material ishighly motivational for my students. Themultimedia resources are targeted andappealing. The additional work sheetssupport classroom learning and have been

an excellent way for my students to gohome as ‘experts’ to their family anddemonstrate their new learning. In short,you have made us believers! Thank youfor providing this terrific resource!”

Want to know more? If you’re aprincipal, school district leader, media ortechnology specialist, or classroomteacher, visit www.wrconnect.com andget a preview at booth 1822.

BG: When you work with InteriorConcepts we will schedule a Web confer-ence to show you a 3D layout of your fur-niture. You will be able to see your work-station designs and modify them live inreal-time. This allows you to customizethe furniture to fit your exact needs.

Our process is different from other man-ufacturers and will save time for severalreasons. First, Interior Concepts does notbuild a standard one size fits all product.With our ability to work in 1-inch incre-ments, the furniture is customized to fityour needs without extra costs or lead

times. Second, instead of waiting fordrawings after each change, the work-stations can be modified in the Web con-ference without waiting for days for newdrawings. And because the workstationsare being modified live, the furniturewill arrive as shown, with no issues afterthe order.

ESD: What are the advantages of thenew 3D Virtual Product Tours?

BG: With the 3D Virtual Product Tours,Interior Concepts can show you howyour furniture will look in your educa-tional environment before the furniture ispurchased. This leaves nothing to the

Interior Concepts (Con’t. from p. 1) imagination in terms of how the spacewill look, resulting in a faster orderprocess and better idea of how the fin-ished space will actually look.

The floorplan layout can also be convert-ed into a movie for placement onYouTube to showcase new plans anddesigns to the community. This is espe-cially helpful for bond issues.

ESD: What are some specific productadvantages that Interior Concepts hasto offer?

BG: Everyday we strive to provide thebest furniture purchasing experience in

the industry. We have served the educa-tional market for over 20 years. On top ofbeing able to customize your furnituresolutions, Interior Concepts furniture isbacked by a lifetime warranty and isMAS Certified Green.

Visit Interior Concepts in booth 404 inthe TCEA exhibit hall to learn moreabout their furniture solutions, call 800-678-5550, or visit www.interiorcon-cepts.com. Interior Concepts manufac-tures green educational furniture thatbenefit students, teachers and adminis-tration alike. Interior Concepts furniturecan be purchased easily through the TXBuyboard purchasing contract.

and solutions consist of every aspect ofeducation. In K-12 it can be found invarious settings including classrooms,administrative areas, labs and more. Ourproducts are great solutions for on-cam-pus acquisition from computer storesand bookstores.

ESD: Are you introducing any new prod-ucts this year?

DA: Samsung is introducing severalnew laptops, monitors and printers thisyear that are aligned for the educationmarket. The Samsung Sliding PC 7Series combines the benefits of a lap-top and tablet PC in one device. ThePC 7 Series has a compact design and

incorporates a sliding keyboard foreasy typing, enhanced productivity andperformance.

ESD:What products are you showing atthe booth?

DA: At this years TCEA, Samsung willshowcase our comprehensive lineup ofsolutions for the 21st century classroom.Products on display include the interac-tive whiteboard, LED projectors, the lat-est netbooks and laptops, printers andmonitors. Our products can be used indi-vidually or complementary to create afully interactive classroom.

For more information, call 800-SAM-SUNG, visit www.samsung.com, or stopby booth 2570 at TCEA.

Samsung (Con’t. from p. 4)

can be executed as well with ALL In’ssolution.

ALL In Learning populates individ-ual teacher instruction centers with thesecloud-based assessment maps (blue-prints). Thus, a fifth grade math teacherusing the Pearson Envision Series wouldhave the initial chapter assessments, endof chapter assessments, four chapter spi-ral assessments, mid-term and finalassessments available in their instructioncenter. Using reusable bubble sheets andtheir iPod/iPhone cameras they canquickly scan in results from the bubblesheets using the ALL In LearningASSIST app and then upload it to theteacher’s cloud-based instruction center.

Once in the instruction center, the

outcomes can be evaluated withALL In’sAssessment Evaluation System. Part ofthat evaluation may be to compare theteacher’s outcomes with others that haveused that assessment. This comparisoncan be campus-based, district-based,state-based or nationally. Wipe the bub-ble sheet clean and do it again. Data isaccumulated, providing a rich and imme-diate assessment track for each student,parent and administrator.

With ALL In Learning’s solution,teachers are empowered with a produc-tivity and data tool that gives them accessto unprecedented student and class datawhich flows out of the classroom intocampus and district reports.

Visit ALL In Learning at booth 1235or call them at 877-637-5353 tolearn more.

ALL In Learning (Con’t. from p. 29)


district-sponsored special educationservices. Detail-rich progress monitor-ing reports have enabled teachers tomake instructional adjustments in real-time, thus helping all students excelindividually. In addition to RtI supportat the middle school level, CrowleyISD has found the solution helpfulwith skills intervention.

Credit Recovery and Extra Credit

Expanded access has been critical in thedistrict’s efforts to prepare students forend-of-course exams and aid with creditrecovery. Additionally, Crowley studentsfalling behind on credits—as well asthose wanting to earn additionalcredits—continue to benefit from theimplementation of an always-on, Web-based, standards-aligned digital curricu-lum. And the benefits extend beyond thestudent population.

For example, a summer programpilot offering students the opportunity to

CompassLearning (Con’t. from p. 18) receive credit using Odyssey from homeresulted in all participating students earn-ing high school credit and the districtsaving money on transportation, utilities,and personnel.

ResultsSince 2007, the district’s number ofRecognized campuses has increased fromtwo to nine, even with the state competencylevel increasing from 75 percent in 2009 to80 percent in 2010. Crowley has seen:• ImprovedAYP status within the district.

• Increased credit recovery.• Enhanced RtI framework.• Improved TAKS performance in math-ematics and science.• Improved TAKS performance acrossall student subgroups.

Said Kohler, “We are extremelypleased with these results and look for-ward to achieving even better results inthe future.”

Visit CompassLearning at booth 717and at www.compasslearning.com.

is wasted rebooting the computer to makesecurity changes.• Can easily restrict executables runningfrom flash drives, with the flexibility tostill allow saving to the drive.• Free technical support.

Clean Slate (Con’t. from p. 18) • Visit Fortres Grand booth 514 atTCEA to learn even more about keepingyour computers secure, clean, consistentand virus-free.

Achieve 24/7 security. Never leave com-puters vulnerable. Keep security consis-tently on, even when running Windows

updates, antivirus updates, or using third-party administration tools like Altiris orLANDesk.

Learn more about Clean Slate to protectyour computers. Visit www.fortresgrand.com, call 800-331-0372, or visitFortres Grand at TCEA booth 514.

a random single question or a comprehen-sive “test for record” to all students. Bothyou and your students know in secondswhat has been mastered and what still

iRespond (Con’t. from p. 49) needs to be learned.Visit www.edcousa.biz and see how

iRespond allows you to link questions tothe standard you are teaching, as well asidentify and track each student’s masteryof objectives. Combined with EDCO’s

instant reporting features, teachers maymodify lessons or assist individual stu-dents who need further help. EDCO alsooffers assessment solutions and state-aligned content. Both work seamlesslyand dynamically with iRespond.


ASC Direct Inc. has released theReLANpro Mobile, the world’s first lan-guage lab app for iPad, iPhone andiTouch devices, and the ReLANpro.NET,an Internet-based language lab programallowing students to practice languagesfrom any PC―just as they would in theirschool computer lab. It’s now easy for

students to work on teacher-directedassignments from outside their schoollanguage lab environment.

The ReLANpro Mobile iPhone appoffers mobile language learning possi-bilities in the palm of your student’shands. The app is available as a freedownload for students from the Apple

Store to their devices.ASC’s ReLANpro.NET can also

access video lessons and allow the stu-dent to take written and multiple-choicetests. ReLANpro.NET plays ALLWindows™ audio and video formatssupported by the Windows Media Player.

ReLANpro Mobile app and theReLANpro.NET both include free serverspace. Teachers can upload assignmentsand tests to the ReLANpro content serv-er, eliminating undue loads placed on theschool server or restrictions in a school’savailable bandwidth. Once the studenthas downloaded the lesson they canpractice just as they would in the schoollanguage lab.

Students can listen to the lesson,record their comments and/or responsesto the lesson (i.e., listen and repeat exer-cises), and then by pressing the “submit”button send the lesson and their recordingback to the server. Teachers can then lis-ten to and grade a student’s work.

ReLANpro.NET and ReLANproMobile offer a new level of ease andsophistication to language learning hith-erto unavailable. They can now listen,perform makeup exercises or practice forAP tests anywhere, anytime, holidays,weekends, snow days, etc.

For further information, contactASC Direct Inc. at 800-613-9554 ore-mail [email protected].

RELANPRO.NET AND RELANPROMOBILE: LEARNING LANGUAGESOUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOMAND ‘ON THE GO’

Moss, Vice President of Education Sales,AVI-SPL. “Our goal is to help educatorsbecome fully trained to utilize the avail-able technology. In turn, this will allowfor more informed decisions when itcomes to planning for curriculum andfuture technology investments.”

There is a wealth of flexibility thattoday’s technology provides, notedMoss. For example, with the power ofSMARTTechnologies, instructors canmake media-rich lessons, highlight key

points, encourage student participationand even save their lessons for futurereference and use. These are just a fewof the areas that are covered in AVI-SPL’s professional development train-ing. Teachers who master technologieslike the SMART Wireless Slate anddocument camera develop a powerfulcomplement to their classroom, onethat facilitates full engagement withtheir lessons.

AVI-SPL’s professional develop-ment classes, ranging from 30 minutes tofull day courses, are taught by SMART-certified trainers. Courses includeSMART Notebook Basics, SMARTTable Basics and SMART Grade LevelSpecific Notebook Advanced, amongothers. Because learning doesn’t stop

when class is over, registered participantsgain access to an online database libraryof supporting training materials. They’llalso receive a video of their training ses-sion for future reference.

“We want our teachers to learn asmuch as possible when it comes to tech-nology’s versatility in the classroom.They can then use this knowledge to helpimprove their interactions, as well as stu-dent engagement,” said Moss.“Professional development training is acritical step in the right direction, onethat can benefit not only teachers, buttheir students as well.”

You can contact AVI-SPL by calling 866-559-8197 or visiting www.avispl.com/professional-development/.

You’ve taken the steps to invest inaudiovisual technology that enrichesyour learning environment, but what’snext? How can you be sure that you’reusing the technology to its maximumbenefit?

With these questions in mind, AVI-SPL’s education team has turned its focusnot just on the students, but the teachersas well. “We want to ensure that our cus-tomers make as much of an impact aspossible in the classroom,” said Rob

ARE YOU GETTING THEFULL BENEFITS OF YOURCLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY?

company unique?

MR: Britannica is unique in its breadthand depth of product content, its editorialapproach, and its ability to address theneeds of a variety of markets across theglobe. First, we have unparalleled prod-ucts for all age ranges, particularly withour two flagship products, BritannicaOnline School Edition and BritannicaOnline Academic Edition. We address thespecific needs of preschoolers with ourLearning Zone feature; elementary stu-dents with our young learner’s database;middle schoolers with our Compton’sbranded database; and high schoolthrough university users with the seniorBritannica database. All of these sites areedited and maintained daily by our ownin-house staff of editors, who work withexperts around the world, includingPulitzer Prize winners and Nobel laure-ates. This ensures that all of our contentis best of breed, up to date and meets thehighest standards possible. We revise oradd more than 1,000 articles a month toour sites, which is by far the largest out-put of any English-language referenceand e-learning publisher. As a furtherbenefit to our users, we have our ownin-house staff of programmers, who areresponsible for innovative site develop-ment and performance.

ESD: Are you introducing anynew products?

MR: In the last two years we havelaunched several exciting products thatcomplement our flagship products.SmartMath is our new elementary, onlineformative assessment product, whichuses wonderful animated characters anda fun and engaging interface to helpyoung learners master important mathskills. The program is unique in its abili-ty to adapt to the learners’ levels so thatthey never get frustrated and continue tomake progress. It’s perfect for both strug-gling learners and gifted learners, and anideal product for differentiated learning.SmartMath is part of Britannica’sgroundbreaking line of math programs,which includes the highly acclaimedMathematics in Context, a reform mathprogram for middle school that has beenadopted and used successfully in manydistricts across the country.

ESD: Where is your current productemphasis?

MR: There is a great need for differenti-ated learning across the curriculum, andlast year we addressed that need with our21st Century Explorer online product.21st Century Explorer is a two-tieredgeneral reference product that is gearedto the reading level of struggling readersbut has an interface that will appeal toolder learners. It has a very readable fontand uses Britannica’s read-aloud featureso that learners can follow along with thetext as they hear every word pronounced.It also has all of Britannica’s standardreference features, including theMerriam-Webster dictionary, our verypopular workspace and a multitude ofmultimedia. 21st Century Explorer willbe part of a growing line of e-learning

products from Britannica that willaddress the needs of students at differentlearning and reading levels. Right nowwe are developing a science product formiddle school that will also have a strongdifferentiated learning component thatwill be available next fall.

We have just released a fantastic newproduct called Image Quest. This productaddresses the need for students at all lev-els, and teachers as well, to have instantaccess to educational images―photos,illustrations, maps, and, in the nearfuture, video clips―that they can usefreely in all of their projects, presenta-tions, websites, lesson plans and interac-tive whiteboard activities. We have over1 million images available now and willsoon have 2 million. All image rightshave been cleared for use for education,and the database is searchable by key-word, subject or image provider. We havebrought together more than 50 of the bestimage providers in the world, and haveprovided important metadata for eachimage, including captions, full copyrightinformation, keyword and related subjectareas, and citation information. ImageQuest is a unique product and shouldhave broad appeal―from elementaryschool through university.

ESD: What distinguishes your productsfrom the competition?

MR: Britannica today is distinguishedamong reference and e-learning publish-ers in a variety of ways. Our mission is tomake sure that our customers have accessto the highest quality content on any

Michael Ross, Senior VicePresident/Education General Manager,Britannica Digital Learning, talksabout his company.

ESD: Tell our readers a little aboutyour company. What’s your main lineof business?

MR: Britannica serves the entire PreKthrough university market with a varietyof educational websites throughout theworld and in multiple languages―includ-ing Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese andJapanese. Under the umbrella of ouronline marketing division, BritannicaDigital Learning, we are pleased thatmore than 75 million students and facul-ty members have access to Britannica’ssubscription products and are findingBritannica indispensable for their researchand daily classroom needs. We are proudthat 13 states have adopted Britannica prod-ucts for their entire state, and that we evenhave national agreements with Ireland,Finland and SouthAfrica. Last year the gov-ernment of Brazil commissioned Britannicato create a learning portal for their K-8 stu-dents in Portuguese, all based onBritannica’s existing websites. We believethat the interaction we have with our globalcustomers and partners improves all of ourproduct offerings and benefits ourcustomers everywhere.

ESD: What would you say makes your

BRITANNICA UNIQUE IN ITS RANGEOF PRODUCTS, ABILITY TO ADDRESSDIVERSE MARKET NEEDS



optimal teaching location, encouragingstudents to pay closer attention tolessons as they are presented.

Students are becoming more tech-nologically savvy, meaning teachersmust find innovative ways to capturetheir attention. The Lumens line ofLadibug document cameras provideseducators an interactive tool to presenta wide variety of materials with thebest image clarity and color reproduc-tion in the industry. Teachers are moreeffective when they have the ability to

utilize all areas of the classroom, butthe ability to teach by moving aroundthe classroom can be hindered by poor-ly placed classroom control panels orunwieldy carts. “Teachers are doing itfor themselves,” proclaimed LumensProduct Manager Chris Laughary, aformer Broward County teacher andtechnologist. “You no longer have tosacrifice image quality when a longVGA cable or USB connection isn’tfeasible,” he continued.

As with any valuable teachingtool, the Ladibug wireless documentcamera is intended to empower educa-

Lumens Ladibug (Con’t. from p. 1) tors to spend more time teaching andless time transitioning between materi-als. Freedom from wires allows teach-ers to send an image from any locationin the classroom. This means nomoment will be missed, whether in alab table, classroom learning station oreven a student’s desk.

All Lumens Ladibug documentcameras are compatible with interac-tive whiteboards and boast superiorimage clarity. Included is anunmatched and unlimited five-yearreplacement warranty. Teachers sur-veyed chose the Ladibug as their

favorite classroom technology tool forconvenience and ease of use.

Hampton City Schools (Virginia)asked 40 high-tech teachers to trynumerous classroom technology tools,and they unanimously selected theLumens Ladibug document camera asthe best. The group studied used inter-active whiteboards, wireless tablets,student response systems and Ladibugdocument cameras.

For more information on theexciting Lumens Wireless Ladibugdocument cameras, visit www.myladibug.com or stop by booth 2127.

freedom to teach and interact with alltheir technology tools anywhere in theclassroom from an iPad.

ESD: SP Controls is well known for itseducator-friendly audio-visual controlsystems. Whats new for TCEA 2011?

GA: We are really excited about thisyears show. We think that our new prod-uct offering will truly revolutionize andunify how teachers work with varioustechnologies in the classroom. This newsuite of products will allow them topresent lessons by taking control of theclassroom computer, annotate (similarto the functions of an interactive white-board), and control the AV gear in theclassroom, such as play the DVD play-er or document camera—all from any-where in the room.

To give you some more detail, we areusing the Apple iPad as the user interfaceto the system. We’ve created an applica-tion that controls the classroom computer,allowing the teacher to navigate seam-lessly, among all the digital resources athandwhether they’re on the classroomcomputer or DVD, software-based orWeb-based. Our application gives theteacher the flexibility to stand anywherein the room, interact with the students,annotate the lesson, control software-based curriculum, and do free-form note-taking, all through a what you see is whatyou get interface from the iPad.

ESD: What are you calling this newproduct?

GA: We are calling it Doceri™, which isLatin for to be taught or shown.

ESD: Sounds like SP Controls is making

SP Controls (Con’t. from p. 1) the use of technologies in the classroommuch simpler—no more multiple remotes!

GA: Our goal is to unify the classroomtechnology experience into one userinterface, with the iPad controlling themany other things that are used in thetypical classroom: DVD players, audiosystems, projectors, etc. We have madecost-effective products to control thesedevices for the past 13 years, and ourexperience was incorporated into thedevelopment of the Doceri system.When used with our Networked RoomControllers, Doceri allows the teacherto control all of the AV gear in theroom effortlessly through the iPadinterface. The Networked part meansthat the NRC sits on the network, so itcan be centrally maintained and man-aged by the school’s IT/AV staff.

ESD: Are there cost advantages to the

Doceri system?

GA: It’s surprisingly inexpensive.Like other SP Controls products, thissystem is priced so school districts canafford to put them into every class-room—not just one or two specializedAV rooms. Also, because Doceri caneasily integrate with your existingtechnologies, there is no need to buyexpensive, new all-in-one solutionsthat can cost several thousand dollarsper room. Doceri from SP Controlsbrings it all together, giving theinstructor mobile and intuitive accessto the technology in their classroom.Easier to use and control, these devicesnow become a seamless resource toconnect with students and creativelyintegrate into lessons.

Be sure to visit our booth 614 for ademonstration.

DLP’s interactive projector allowsteachers and students to manipulate pro-jected images on any surface with thetouch of a pen or from a distance—with-out the need for calibration. Using a spe-cial interactive pen that functions simi-larly to a wireless mouse, teachers andstudents can interact with an image onthe screen from up to 7 meters away bysimply rolling, pointing, clicking, scroll-ing, navigating and writing.

With new dual-pen capabilities,classrooms can have two students inter-acting with the projected image at thesame time. DLP dual-pen interactiveprojectors also work in conjunctionwith 3D to create interactive 3D

teaching opportunities. Imagine multi-ple students racing each other to solvemath equations projected on the ceiling,or students viewing Earth in 3D andtaking turns using the pen to break apartthe earth into layers—all from wherethey are sitting in the classroom.

3D technology for the classroom isproviding schools a rich interactivelearning experience and being aggres-sively adopted worldwide with more than1 million 3D-enabled projectors on themarket today. TI DLP is driving 3Dadoption through unique technologicalcapabilities such as these:• Serving both passive and active 3Dsolutions and a variety of light sources.• Acting as the sole technology able to pro-vide 3D through a single-projector solution.

Texas Instruments (Con’t. from p. 1) • Enabling 3D-ready and interactive pro-jectors to also function as standard sys-tems, essentially future-proofing.classrooms by allowing for self-pacedtechnology adoption.• Offering lamp-free projector solutionsto save time, money and energyconsumption.

TI DLP 3D Worldwide Pilot Program:TI DLP has driven further adoptionthrough the success of its 3D pilot schoolprograms taking place in the UnitedStates, Europe, India and rolling out inLatin America later this year.

Among the 30 U.S. classrooms pilot-ing DLP 3D technology are Texasschools, including Hamilton ParkPacesetter Magnet School and the Shelton

School, both located in Dallas. Taught ina variety of grades and subjects, 3D learn-ing has significantly added to studentengagement and collaboration by provid-ing a fun and effective learning experi-ence. You can check out their stories atwww.dlp.com/projector/case-studies.

To experience this technology first-hand, be sure to check out TexasInstruments in booths 2155 and 2255 andvisit DLP projector manufacturersexhibits throughout the show floor.

To access the latest news, imagesand other information for DLP productsfrom Texas Instruments, check outwww.dlpcom. You can also follow DLPon Twitter at @TI_DLP, and viewvideos on DLP’s YouTube page,www.youtube.com/dlptechnology.

DC: istation was founded in 1998 fromthe desire to drive innovation in the class-room and transform our schools. Thebulk of students sitting in classroomstoday are at least a year behind fromwhere they should be. They are in need ofimmediate intervention to prevent futurefailure in all subjects. Our market focusis developing computer-based productsfor these students: Pre-K through sixthgrade intervention students that are sim-ply struggling to learn how to read.

ESD: What would you say makes yourcompany unique?

DC: We design and develop our technol-ogy and curriculum, keeping in mind

what students are experiencing at homewith all media versus the traditionalschool experience. Our mission hasalways been to create inexpensive, easyto use, cost-effective programs thatmake computer-based learning easilyavailable and simple for teachers andstudents to use, while enhancing theclassroom experience. We have success-fully utilized video gaming technologywith Disney-like animation that allowsstudents to be engaged in an interactiveassessment or curriculum that closes theachievement gap.

ESD: Are you introducing any newproducts this year?

DC: We introduce new products eachyear. We now have a complete Pre-K

istation (Con’t. from p. 1) through third grade Spanish readingassessment called ISIP Español. In fall2011 we will introduce our ISIP Mathassessment for fourth and fifth grade stu-dents, as well as a new interactive writingprogram called Writing Rules! for fourththrough 12th grade students.

ESD: Where is your current productemphasis?

DC: The cornerstone of our products andemphasis will continue to be reading andlanguage arts. We will continue to addassessments and programs in othercontent areas to enhance the totaleducational experience.

ESD: What distinguishes your productsfrom the competition?

DC: We were convinced that, bydesigning best practices into Internet-based teaching and continuousassessment software, individualizedinstruction could become the norm. Theautomaticity of our assessments, cur-riculum and reporting tools gives edu-cators the information they need todrive instruction. Many educators dis-cuss the lack of time available to meetthe needs of all students. Our productssave them hours of time, which can beused to instill best practices and differ-entiation into their teaching. It is criti-cal that today’s students receive themost innovative education so that theyare prepared to compete in the world.

To learn more about istation, visitwww.istation.com or visit booth 1327.


at GovConnection, an IT solutionsprovider, offers some strategies andapproaches that can ensure a relativelypainless migration to Windows 7.

ESD: There was a lot of initial hype and alot of people have made the move toWindows 7.What have people been sayingthat motivated them to make the jump?

MK: It’s different for everyone, butthe reason that is resonating the most isa demand for the next true businessclass operating system (OS). It’s beenabout eight years since customers lasthad real confidence and desire to moveforward as quickly as they are today.Because of that, there has also beensome hold off with desktop refreshes.With Windows 7, there are so manywonderful benefits and enhancementsthat many people are excited and readyto make the jump.

ESD: If someone is ready to go, whatare one or two steps they need to thinkabout when it comes to taking on anOS migration?

MK: The first step is to have a conversa-tion about getting a Windows 7Assessment done. This will give a betterunderstanding of the current environmentand determine the readiness to move to anew OS, where there will be new systemrequirements. It gives a detailed look intowhat’s happening in a system today, what’sready to move to a new OS, and perhapswhats not going to work. When they get tothe planning stage, they will already knowwhat is needed and where to go.

ESD: I’m sure this changes for differentorganizations, but what is a normal time-line for an assessment?

MK: In general, we run an assessmentfor 30 days. That gives a good snapshotof the trending of what’s going on in theirenvironment and how everything is beingutilized. It gives us a really good look ata full working environment. We can tai-lor shorter or longer time frames basedon customer needs, but we recommend afull 30 days.

ESD: What type of information are mostpeople going to get out of that assessmentto start moving the project along?

GovConnection (Con’t. from p. 1) MK: We stay very much involvedthroughout the entire process, from theinitial conversations about the OS to thedifferences and the benefits throughoutthe assessment. After the assessment, wetake a look at the data that is collectedfrom system speed and hardware to com-patibility requirements and underutilizedsoftware applications. We then sit downwith them and go through the data toshow them where things are.

ESD: What are your top two tips for anOS migration?

MK: First, go back to the importanceof an assessment; planning is critical tothe success and outcome. Second,make sure you have partnered withsomeone who understands what theyare doing and can walk you through theprocess as a collaborative effort. Besure they understand what you arelooking to get out of this so that theplan is tailored to your needs and youare happy with the end result.

Visit the GovConnection booth 223 andtalk to them about your migrationprojects or call 800-800-0019.

good for schools?

JF: It is a multimedia-based servicedesigned specifically for Pre-K throughfifth grade. In today’s world, it’s soimportant to engage kids in learning in avariety of ways. Espresso has thousandsof fantastic videos, interactives andlearning paths that bring lessons to life.

ESD: What subjects does Espressocover?

JF: Espresso covers math, English,social studies, science, health and thearts. It also includes cross-curricular con-nections, an important element of theCommon Core. And it has a weekly cur-rent events section called ‘NewsRoundup’ with topical news clips, age-appropriate voiceovers and a quiz thatbring the real world into the classroom.Espresso introduces fresh resources each

week and the news is archived in the sitefor future use in lessons.

ESD: How would a school use Espresso?

JF: Espresso is perfect for use onwhiteboards. Kids really engage inclass when a video is played fullscreen or they are up at the board com-pleting an interactive. Espresso canalso be used in a computer lab for col-laborative learning in small groups orfor independent learning. I thinkEspresso is an excellent way for dis-tricts and schools to make best use oftheir technology and to gain value outof the investments made in hardwareand infrastructure.

ESD: Is Espresso aligned to theCommon Core?

JF: Yes, Espresso is correlated to thenew Common Core and all applicablestate standards.

Espresso Education (Con’t. from p. 1) ESD: What about differentiatedinstruction?

JF: A lot of our customers are using theEspresso’s specific ‘learning paths’ fordifferentiated instruction in school and athome. One of the nice features is that ateacher can adapt our learning paths ormake their own to address the needs ofindividual students.

ESD: What makes Espresso differentfrom other services?

JF: We believe Espresso is the one of theworld’s largest producers of multimediacontent for Pre-K to Grade 5. It’s like noother service available today. The combi-nation of videos, Web-based simulationsand individualized learning paths empow-er and motivate children to learn at suchan important stage of their education.

ESD: We understand you discoveredEspresso on a trip to the UK?

JF: Yes, I was visiting BETT [thelargest educational technology show inEurope] and immediately saw its poten-tial to fill the gap here for resources inPre-K to Grade 3. Founded in 1997 byLewis Bronze, CEO, Espresso is used in10,000 schools [nearly 60 percent of theelementary schools] in the UK. It has aloyal following and has won numerousawards. I met with Lewis and RichardMcGrath, Managing Director, whowere enthusiastic about extendingEspresso to schools in the U.S. Wedeveloped a partnership, and starteddeveloping U.S. content and selling theservice in September.

ESD: Why the name ‘Espresso’?

JF: It’s an unusual name but a memo-rable one. Like the name, Espresso isfresh, energizing and hot!

For more information, visit EspressoEducation at booth 115.

DP: Education 2000 represents theMimio interactive whiteboard solutionand various interactive technologies forgroup instruction. With the newMimioClassroom products introduced in2010, Education 2000 is able to offer atotal solution for the classroom.MimioTeach is the new Mimio interac-tive whiteboard device; the MimioViewis Mimio’s new easy-to-use documentcamera; and the MimioVote lets all stu-dents participate during instruction. Addthe MimioPad to all of this and Mimiohas a low cost and is easy to use inthe classroom.

ESD: Why does Education 2000 repre-sent solely the Mimio interactive white-board solution?

DP: Education 2000 represents onlyMimio because it is cost-efficient andeasy to use. Districts and campuses are

spending too much money on expensiveinteractive whiteboards. The Mimio solu-tion will do the same thing for consider-ably less, permitting schools to impactmore students and to purchase otherteaching tools for the classroom.

ESD: How does Education 2000 envi-sion the Mimio interactive whiteboardsolution being used in schools andby educators?

DP: The three basic things a teacher doeswith an interactive whiteboard is click,move and write. Schools are discoveringthe Mimio solution can impact moreclassrooms with their budgets.

One district in Texas allocated $3 mil-lion for interactive whiteboards. Withthe route they ended up choosing, thedistrict will only impact about 700classrooms. If they had decided to gowith the Mimio solution, the districtcould have placed interactive white-

Education 2000 (Con’t. from p. 1) boards in 5,000 classrooms.

Education 2000 envisions Mimio inevery classroom in Texas. With schooldistricts having a limited amount ofmoney to spend on technology, Mimiobecomes the affordable interactive white-board solution.

ESD: How does your previous teachingexperience help with your business?

DP:As an educator with classroom expe-rience, it really helps to know what ateacher does as a teacher. Knowing whatteachers encounter daily, I understand theneed for products that are 100 percentreliable and easy to use. Teachers don’thave time, or often the desire, to spendhours learning how to use an interactivewhiteboard. Mimio can easily be learnedand quickly implemented in a classroom.

ESD: What distinguishes Education2000 from the competition?

DP: Education 2000 offers an interactivewhiteboard solution, Mimio, which iseasy to use and affordable. We also pro-vide training for the products purchased.Training is the key to Education 2000’ssuccess. By providing a two-hour train-ing with a Mimio purchase, teachers areshown how easy Mimio products are touse. Then with the additional online sup-port from Mimio, these teachers areready to use Mimio in the classroom.

ESD: Is Education 2000 offering anypromotions at the show?

DP: Yes, Education 2000 is offering freeon-site training with the initial purchaseof five or more Mimio products. Stop byour booth for a free Education 2000 -Mimio cap.

For more information, visitwww.edu2000plus.com, call 866-290-4646 or contact [email protected] Education 2000 in booth 730.

format they prefer, including print, e-books, websites, mobile devices and apps.Through our unique ‘universal Access’technology, our school and public libraryusers have access to Britannica Onlinecontent through any search engine.

ESD: What’s next at Britannica?

MR:We are constantly innovating, chang-ing and improving the experience that ourcustomers have with all of our products.Our editors work with more than 3,000experts in their fields in order to keep upwith the latest scholarship, to separate factfrom fiction, to maintain neutrality, and toappeal to a variety of reading levels. Ourdesigners and media specialists areconstantly updating our video offerings,interactivities, maps and other illustrativecontent so that our users benefit frominformation provided in multiple forms.

Schools, universities and librariesinterested in Britannica Image Questcan call 800-621-3900 or go tohttp://info.eb.com/ for more informationor trial subscriptions.

Britannica Digital Learning (Con’t. from p. 62)

Activity and Animation Objects are ren-dered with realistic, 3D graphics thatengage students and facilitate learning.Through My Adaptive Space, teachers inTexas will be able to search for Activityand Animation Objects by the TexasEssential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS),by topic, by textbook, or by conducting a

keyword search to create customizedlesson plans by grouping differentobjects together and assigning them tostudents. Objects are organized by theTEKS and ordered into sequences byeach course to facilitate the use ofAdaptive Curriculum Texas.

Visit Adaptive Curriculum at booth317, go online to www.adaptivecurriculum.com or call 888-999-9319.

Adaptive Curriculum (Con’t. from p. 39)


have affected major changes in Americanclassrooms, why did you move to digitaltextbooks to create new packages forearly learning?

WP: Digital natives come to school withdifferent expectations. They may only befive years old, but they have alreadybegun the journey to literacy in a varietyof interactive ways with gaming consolesand other technology. Research showsthat this early exposure impacts how theirminds work and how they see the world.They expect that they will continue tolearn using this technology. This is thereason why I developed AWARD as aresponse to the digital revolution in oureveryday lives—I’m taking it to theclassroom. I also wanted to build a pro-gram that offered everything a youngreader needs to succeed.

ESD: How are teachers using AWARD,and how does this differ from otherapproved Texas textbooks?

WP: AWARD Reading was carefullydesigned from the beginning with thedigital learner in mind, and it took oversix years to develop. It offers a range ofmore than 200 original, rich and engag-ing stories, the best in balanced literacyfor use with shared or guided reading.AWARD is also a program designed withteacher support in mind. The websiteprovides teachers with easy-to-usehyperlinks from the TEKS correlation toAWARD lesson plans to support theirskills instruction. We have found throughresearch projects that once teachers and

students begin using AWARD, they areguaranteed success.

ESD: Are the books graded in levels ofdifficulty, and how different are theyfrom e-books that everyone talks about?

WP: The 200 titles are animated andvoiced with interactive skills activitiesconnected to the text. These are not juste-books or digital copies of a printedbook. AWARD gives teachers and stu-dents the opportunity to explore textthrough animation, video clips and arange of text types. Each title is expand-ed with vocabulary, phonics, fluency,comprehension and writing tasks. Eachtext, each grade level, is scaffolded—building on the skills previously taughtand advancing the learning in a gradualprogression within an easy-to-followdigital format.

ESD: Does AWARD work alongsideexisting basal programs?

WP: Yes, it can easily fit into any pro-gram where it can become a valuableresource for teachers to use with stu-dents who need extra instruction andpractice. AWARD Reading is a largedigital package that Texas has listed andin so doing Texas is leading the way forclassrooms across America to supportthe National Education TechnologyPlan: Transforming AmericanEducation, Learning Powered byTechnology. We are proud to be part ofthis new wave in education.

Find AWARD Publishing at TCEAbooth 202.

AWARD (Con’t. from p. 1)

can create customized, personal Web-based environments to support theirsocial and academic activities usingwhatever tools they prefer.

Schools are also taking advantage ofCSI@K12 Education Cloud, whichembeds Microsoft Live@EDU into acontextually-aware communications sys-tem that leverages Microsoft Live@EDUas the nexus for interpersonal, instruction-al communications, including e-mail,tasks and calendars. In partnership withMicrosoft®, CSI is able to provide K12specific enterprise hosted e-mail with theability to take advantage of the standard

components of Microsoft Exchange,Outlook®, and Outlook Web Access andnow Voice.

The CSI Voice application is a verycost-effective alternative for expansionand enhancement of voice service. K-12 school systems are in the midst ofmajor data network implementationsand upgrades funded by E-Rate alloca-tions and other information superhigh-way initiatives. When voice is treatedas an IP data application and catego-rized as an enhanced data application,telephony systems can leverage exist-ing data infrastructure investments.

For more information call 800-953-6847, visit www.csioutfitters.com/ver3or stop by booth 2790.

CSI (Con’t. from p. 9)

learning and development supportbeyond the traditional classroom.

ET: Describe your customers.

KR: We currently support more than1,000 school districts, with a student pop-ulation of more than five million. Wework with schools of all types and sizes,from small schools with hundreds of stu-dents to large districts with tens of thou-sands of students. Many of our customersare leading the way in education reform,including school systems that havereceived funding under the Obama admin-istration’s Race to the Top program andthe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

ET:What are your thoughts on how tech-nology can improve education?

KR: I firmly believe that technology andinnovation are essential to raising thelevel of student achievement for every-one, in the U.S. and worldwide. AtGlobalScholar, our focus has been on theintelligent use of data to raise the qualityof education and help every student suc-ceed, much in the same way that compa-nies such as Google orAmazon have useddata in new ways to transform their indus-tries. We’re extremely excited about theprospects of building on this vision as partof the Scantron Corporation.

ET: Now that you’ve been acquired byScantron, what’s next for GlobalScholar?

KR: The acquisition was announced inmid-December and closed in January. Itfollowed Scantron’s recent acquisition

of Spectrum K-12, which providesresponse to intervention [RTI] solutions.Now that the transaction has closed,we’re very focused on integrating thebusinesses in a way that best serves ourcustomers’ needs.

The overall goal of the combined entity isto empower educators, administratorsand parents with the information, analy-sis, instruction and software resourcesnecessary to improve achievement levelsfor all students. Combining withScantron provides integral resources nec-essary to realize this mission.

ET: How does the combined companyimpact your customers, educators, stu-dents and the industry as a whole?

KR: For decades, the education industryhas been lacking comprehensive soft-ware that makes it easy for administratorsand teachers to achieve the kind ofinsights and efficiencies that corporationsusing ERP and CRM software haveachieved for years. Pinnacle Suite helpssolve this by providing integrated SIS,gradebook, learning management andprofessional development modules with-in a single interface. But now, with thecombined testing and assessmentresources from Scantron and SpectrumK-12’s RTI and special education solu-tions, we can provide a better end-to-endsolution with the technical support neces-sary to help schools not only deploy thesoftware, but ensure they are getting themaximum return on investment.

For more information, call 800-473-4572, visit www.globalscholar.com orstop by booth 2529.

GlobalScholar (Con’t. from p. 4)

instruction and whole-group demonstra-tion is included with each title. Teachersmay use the supplied daily lesson plansor customize their own. An interactiveTalking E-Book is also included for eachtitle. The professionally recorded, dramat-ic audio track has synchronized highlight-ing providing modeling and practicing tobuild fluency and comprehension.Students build listening and speakingskills with additional reading practice. Theon-screen tools built into the softwareinclude pen tools to write, draw or high-light words. Zoom tools allow teachers tohighlight or magnify areas to focus on.

New, highly interactive features forwhole-group demonstration allow teachers

to extend instruction with hyperlinks toexternal websites. Interactive games builtinto the newest interactive whiteboardresources build vocabulary, fluency andcomprehension. The games and activitiesmake learning fun. Additional featuresof each interactive title include on-screencomprehension activities and imagebanks so teachers may use the bookimages and photographs in other class-room presentations.

Individual classroom and school-wide subscriptions are available to theBenchmark Universe. Attendees atTCEA may visit the BenchmarkEducation exhibit booth 2150 to receive aFREE trial subscription to theBenchmark Universe. Visit the site atwww.benchmarkuniverse.com.

Benchmark (Con’t. from p. 9)

filled in on what they missed.The MimioPad is a lightweight

wireless tablet that controls the computerfrom anywhere in the classroom. Thisallows for better classroom manage-ment because educators can easilymove around. Multiple MimioPads canbe connected to one computer. Studentscan then take turns using the MimioPad

to click on the whiteboard without leav-ing their seats. There are also shortcutsembedded on the MimioPad that giveeasy access to the MimioStudio soft-ware tools.

For more information about theMimioClassroom products, visitwww.edu2000plus.com, call 866-290-4646 or contact [email protected] Education 2000, an authorizedMimio reseller, in booth 730.

Education 2000 (Con’t. from p. 12)

COURSESMART’S DIGITAL BOOKS,EREADERS APPS ARE ‘MUST-HAVES’CourseSmart, the world’s largestprovider of eTextbooks and digitalcourse materials, is currently offeringeasy, free mobile app access tomore than 90 percent of core collegetextbooks in use today at up to 60percent off traditional print prices.CourseSmart’s apps provide a user

experience today’s digital nativesseek—a replica of their textbooks, withvalue-added functionality, in an afford-able and portable option.

Students can download Course-Smart’s apps for the iPhone, iPad andiPod Touch by visiting www.coursesmart.com/go/mobile.


surface, with the monitor positioned at anangle beneath the desktop.

Lechman secured the rights to pro-duce the product in wood and laminate,purchasing the parts and materials froman Effingham, Ill.-based company.Production began on the new line ofwood computer furniture in Denver in1988. He began selling the product tocorporate offices across the United Statesand Canada. Soon after, users began toreport experiencing less neck and eyediscomfort after using the new desk tech-nology. The “Downward Gaze”™ anglewas, in fact, a viable, ergonomic solutionthat helped to alleviate many of the phys-ical problems experienced bycomputer users.

In 1990, John Lechman moved theoperation to Effingham, Ill. In 1995, thecompany changed its name from NovaOffice Furniture to Nova Solutions, Inc.The new name better reflected the com-pany’s quest to provide furniture solu-tions for computer users in a variety ofmarket segments.

In 2003, Mr. Lechman began a part-nership with award-winning designerSava Cvek of SCA DevelopmentInternational, Inc. The goal was to findan innovative solution for computer userswho preferred to view their monitor inthe traditional, straightforward positionwhile maximizing desktop workspaceand providing a level of security and pri-vacy. After years of testing, fieldresearch, and several prototypes, TheTrolley™ was born. The Trolley is aPersonal Monitor Arm System that raisesand lowers a flat panel display frombeneath the desktop on demand. TheTrolley gets its name from the innerworkings of the mechanism; the displaymounts to an arm that moves up anddown on a track much like a trolley car.

Today, Nova Solutions, Inc.,remains one of the industry’s fastestgrowing and most innovative manufac-turers of unique computer desks and

NOVA Solutions (Con’t. from p. 1) high quality office furniture.Although integrating technology via

the Downview or The Trolley remains animportant part of Nova’s success, thecompany has grown to be much morethan just a computer workstation compa-ny. Nova provides a comprehensive arrayof furniture that allows users to make themost of available workspace.

NOVA recently releasedNOVALinked™—a networking systemthat provides complete control ofNOVA’s Trolley E-Class units in a class-room or training room setting.

When in “networked” mode,NOVALinked allows the instructor orpresenter to raise or lower every Trolleyunit in the classroom simultaneously.When in “local” mode, NOVALinkedrelinquishes control of The Trolley unitsto each workstation, allowing individualstudents the ability to raise or lower theirown computer screens.

Instructors/presenters now havecomplete control over technology usewithin the learning environment.Teachers can control all computer use byraising and lowering computer displayswith the touch of a button. This is anideal solution for multi-use classroomswhere both computer and non-computerclasses are conducted. When it’s time forcomputer class, the teacher can raise allof the computer screens via The TrolleyE-Class. When computer time is over, theinstructor can simply lower all the com-puter screens to their resting positionbeneath the work surface. Additionally,testing centers can use the NOVALinkedsystem to maintain strict controls duringexamination sessions. This system is cur-rently in use at various universitiesthroughout the U.S., including CaliforniaUniversity of Pennsylvania (see photo).

From reception areas and trainingrooms to mid-management and executiveoffices, Nova provides complete solutionsfor a variety of work environments. Itssolutions and accessories are used in vir-tually every electronic environment imag-inable, including: offices, call centers,

space-constrained workspace.

TablesDo you need flexible, lightweight solu-tions for your learning, training, or con-ference room environments? NOVA’sTable solutions, ranging from nesting toconference tables, give you the tools andflexibility to create ideal configurationsfor any need. You’ll discover an exten-sive list of diverse products that include amix of laminate and metals to create theperfect design for all types of environ-ments, from traditional to trendy.

LibraryFrom study carrels to bookshelves, theLibrary series offers an extensive array ofproducts specifically selected for learn-ing resources facilities. Add one ofNOVA’s patented Visual Display Optionsto study carrels or a circulation desk, andyou’ve created a comprehensive, clutter-free work center. Choose from a numberof options and styles to meet the specificneeds of students, staff, faculty and otherlibrary patrons.

OfficeOur Office series demonstrates our com-mitment to offer quality laminate furni-ture layouts, with or without VisualDisplay Options. From entry level to theexecutive office, you can tailor yourworkspace to fit your specific needs andbudget. Select from a variety of suggest-ed layouts and upgrades, or create yourown unique office environment.

RetrofitWish you could add Visual DisplayOptions to your existing furniture environ-ment? Retrofits allow you to integrate theDownview or The Trolley technologiesinto your existing furniture. Productive,flexible, and secure working or learningenvironments are available to everyone.

Learn more about Nova online atwww.novadesk.com or drop by TCEAbooth 2658.

banks, hotels, medical facilities, airports,training companies, classrooms, kitchens,homes, and many other locations.

Overview of NOVA’s product line:Audio/Visual LecternsProviding a complete solution forinstructors, presenters, facilitators, andtrainers is the goal of the Audio/VisualLecterns series. NOVA has designed aunique set of multi-functional lecternproducts (standing and seated height)that accept today’s latest technologyproducts. Incorporating document cam-eras, visual presenters and digital projec-tors is now easier than ever. Add one ofNOVA’s patented Visual Display Optionsto create the most comprehensive A/Vlectern solution available.

Computer-based TrainingComputer-based Training products weredesigned with both the user and the net-work administrator in mind. With threedistinct styles (workstations with TotalAccess™ modesties; workstations withiMod™ modesties; and tables withiMod™ modesties), these products areideal for the classroom and trainingfacility environments. The Total Accessremovable modesty provides networkprofessionals complete access to com-puter cables and wiring. The iMod is aunique built-in wire management com-partment. With a removable modestycover in laminate or metal, the iModprovides full access to the back of yourcomputer hardware. Cables and wiresfor your computer’s electrical and datarequirements are neatly tucked insidethe compartment. Both modesty optionsprovide easy access, making networkinga breeze. With every square foot ofspace so valuable, adding a VisualDisplay Option allows you to createflexible, multi-tasking learning centers.The Downview Technology or TheTrolley Personal Monitor Arm Systemwith Intelligent Motion Technology™secures your flat panel monitor belowyour work surface, which is the idealsolution for any reconfigurable,

ME: Last year was filled with many ter-rific opportunities. We helped improveteaching and learning in hundreds ofthousands of classrooms around thecountry. Additionally, we had a success-ful IPO that prepared us for continuedfuture success. Our acquisition ofSynapticMash in July increased our abil-ity to support assessment for learning.Other highlights include our participationin NBC News Education NationalSummit that launched a national debateon school improvement needs, and in thenetwork’s school makeover show,“SchoolPride”, during which we helpedrebuild seven deserving schools.

ESD: What are your predictions for2011? How will the use of technology inthe classroom evolve?

ME: I believe the use of interactivetechnologies in the classroom is reach-ing its tipping point. Certainly, interac-tive technology makes learning funand, when effectively integrated intolessons, it produces a tremendousincrease in student achievement.

Teachers are increasingly being askedto do more with less, and easy to use,effective interactive technologies thathave been designed for the classroomwill help them. In 2011, I predict thatwe’re going to see a greater focus onthe application of technology to sup-port learning and the use of data todeliver personalized instruction.

ESD: What are your plans to help districtleaders stretch budget allocationsin 2011?

ME: In these tough economic times,teachers are having to do more withless and it’s imperative that schools uti-lize technology to boost efficiencies asbusinesses do and we want to showthem how we can help. As a proudnational partner of the National ParentTeachers Association, we are offeringmatching funds that local PTA chaptersraise to support the purchase of interac-tive technology. Additionally, ourActivBoard Mount System, introducedthis fall, offers educators a low-costanswer to what the market demands:affordability with quality. This systemis backed by Promethean’s quality

Promethean (Con’t. from p. 1) promise―superior hardware, award-winning software, trusted product war-ranty and support.

ESD: How will the enhancements toyour current products or innovative newproducts benefit educators and students?

ME: As you know, technology is con-stantly evolving. In 2011, we will intro-duce many exciting new products thatwill carry forward our tradition of solu-tions that boost student achievement andhelp teachers be more productive andeffective. One of our first new productsto be announced in 2011 is ourActivBoard 500. This next generationinteractive whiteboard introduces, for thefirst time, leading-edge technology thatallows for simultaneous use by both penand touch for a more natural and intuitiveinterface. This added flexibility allowsteachers to reach students in a variety ofways or modes, supporting a wider rangeof learning types.

Another new product on the near horizonis ActivProgress, an online platform thatdistrict leaders can use to analyze andleverage data from formative, summative

or benchmark assessments to enhancelearning. This robust system, when usedwith our market-leading LRS devices,will enable educators to customizeinstruction to individual student needs.But it doesn’t stop there. ActivProgressincludes tools teachers can use for bothpeer-to-peer collaboration and parentcommunications.

ESD: What do you anticipate being thegreatest opportunities in the year ahead?

ME: I believe 2011 is about shifting ourparadigm. By working together, we canweather the storm that is brewing andcome out stronger, with students who areprepared for post-secondary opportuni-ties that are not yet created. However,effective use of technology is critical toour success. If educators want to maxi-mize existing investments, sustainprogress and accelerate student achieve-ment, then true technology integration isneeded so that teachers have more time toteach, which we know positively impactsstudent achievement.

For more information, visit TCEAbooth 831.

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Ed Tech Show Daily - Feb. 10, 2011