Products
July 2011, What’s New
6/27/2011 By:
Online & Software
Advancements in Learning
(www.surescore.com)
SureScore has released an updated version
of a classroom-based core-curriculum
program that prepares middle school and
high school students for college learning.
The new version combines math, reading, and study skills with college
preparation and awareness activities.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: college preparation
ASCD new PD Online series courses
(www.ascd.com)
ASCD has announced the addition of four
courses to its PD Online series, a solution
that provides educators with on-demand
access to content from experts in the
field. The new courses are The Art and
Science of Teaching; Understanding by
Design: An Introduction; Response to Intervention: An Introduction;
and Formative Assessment: Deepening Understanding. The courses
focus on best practices and individualized approaches to learning.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: professional development
Beyond High School Library
(www.plato.com)
PLATO recently launched a comprehensive
suite of online courses that prepare
students for college entrance and placement
exams. Beyond High School Library bundles instruction for
several high-stakes tests, including the ACT, the SAT, and the GED.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: college preparation
CaptionSync
(www.nbclearn.com)
Automatic Sync Technologies,
through its service, CaptionSync,
will supply closed captioning for videos on NBCLearn.com, helping
make the resources more accessible to all learners. For sample clips,
visit www.NBCLearn.com.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: video
DYMO/Mimio
Measuring
Instruments pack
(www.mimioconnect.com)
DYMO/Mimio ITT has released a
pack for its STEM content offerings. The pack features nearly 200
images of tools, such as rulers and ultrasound machines. These
visual aids help students demonstrate proficiency in using measurement
tools, techniques, and formulas.
Price: free
Category: STEM
HP Smart Clients
(www.hp.com)
HP has announced additions to its desktop-to-datacenter
client-virtualization portfolio. The programs
offer educators flexibility, security, and productivity in
the zero-client market and require no configuration or
management on the device side. The clients repurpose
devices and provide the option of migrating
to any of three virtualization solutions:
Citrix XenDesktop via HDX, VMware
View, or Microsoft Session Virtualization
via RDP.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: management
i-Ready Common Core State
Standards Screener
(www.curriculumassociates.com)
Curriculum Associates has released a
reading and math assessment for grades
three through eight that is designed to
help educators transition to the Common
Core State Standards. The i-Ready CCSS
Screener allows teachers to administer a one-hour-per-subject online
assessment. The program identifies gaps in the curriculum and provides
other instructional recommendations as needed.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: Common Core State Standards
Kajeet for Education
(www.kajeet.com)
Kajeet, a provider of contract-free, safe
cell-phone service for kids, recently
launched its mobile-learning division,
Kajeet for Education. The K–12-focused division provides Kajeetenabled
mobile computing devices to ensure a safe online learning
environment.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: mobile
Learn360 New Content Partners
(www.learn360.com)
The company has added four partners to
supply K–12 multimedia on-demand items
to its growing digital library. These partners
are Big Kids Productions, which provides nonviolent fun and educational products; Learning ZoneXpress, a producer of educational videos that focus on nutrition,
health, life skills, and food preparation; Partners in Rhyme, an online resource for music and
sound effects; and Rethink Autism, a professional-development series that uses teaching interventions
based on applied behavior analysis.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: multimedia
LIFT (www.pcieducation.com/lift/)
PCI Education, a supplier of resources for students with special needs,
recently introduced a line of intervention programs for middle and high
schoolers. LIFT helps students who are performing at least two years
below grade level. The programs provide support in reading, writing, and
math.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: special needs
OnlineSchools.com (www.onlineschools.com)
The recently launched Web site offers educators a resource for
online schooling from kindergarten through graduate school. It
includes a comprehensive database of more than 300 online
K–12 schools and more than 1,000 colleges, as well as tools for
helping parents and students choose the best online school for
their needs. Additional support can be found in the free “Ask the Expert” area.
Price: free
Category: online learning
PBS LearningMedia
(www.pbslearningmedia.org.)
Just in time for the 2011–2012 school year, PBS is launching
a digital platform for K–12 schools that offers fine media
from 1,500 public media producers and more than 350
local PBS stations. LearningMedia delivers customizable
content aligned to curriculum standards, as well as a flexible
infrastructure, so it can be customized and integrated
into existing services.
Price: Free version and Premium service version available;
contact company for pricing.
Category: media, professional development
Six Red Marbles Spanish–English toggle
(www.sixredmarbles.com)
The company has created a unique Spanish-to-English toggle
for all audio and visual elements and integrated it into its
online education programs: Juba, a learning exploration for
the younger set; Waza, an interactive math-readiness game;
and Cabanga, a celebrity-agent role-playing math game for
middle school students. The toggle allows students to switch
back and forth between languages within the program at
any time, supporting ELL and ESL students better.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: ESL, interactive games
Snap! by Lectora
(www.trivantis.com/snap)
Trivantis has announced the release of a rapid e-learning software
and PowerPoint presentation plug-in that helps instructors create e-learning content. With Snap!
by Lectora, teachers can easily transform basic PowerPoint presentations into interactive Flash
lessons.
Price: $99
Teachscape Reflect
(www.teachscape.com/reflect)
The company has integrated
Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for
Teaching into its Reflect online software
to offer teachers 360-degree
panoramic classroom video. The tool
can be used to help analyze learning
and enable scalable observations of
instructional practices.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: professional development
Textbook and Device
Management Package
(www.follettsoftware.com)
Follett Software has launched
a package that will help K–12
educators address the transition
from print to digital
through tracking and managing
textbooks and devices
more efficiently. The product
performs all the functions of
Follett’s Destiny Textbook Manager and Destiny Asset Manager software
and helps integrate the tracking of devices.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: management
TinkerPlots Version 2
(www.keypress.com/tinkerplots)
Key Curriculum Press has announced
an update of its popular math software
tool. Designed for students in
grades four through eight, TinkerPlots
makes analyzing data fun through colorful
representations. The new version
features updated activities, tutorials,
sample data, and help movies.
Price: $49.95 for single-user license, with upgrade pricing available
Category: math
Webber HearBuilder 4th edition
(www.hearbuilder.com)
Super Duper Publications has
released a new edition of its software
series, HearBuilder Auditory
Memory: Strategic Memory Training
for Listening. The program helps
students learn key strategies for
listening carefully and remembering
numbers, words, sentences, and
stories. Students practice auditory
memory and closure as well as listening-
comprehension skills as they
engage in a mission to save Memory
Town from Dr. Forgetsit.
Price: Contact company for pricing.
Category: reading comprehension
Hardware/AV
Panasonic (www.panasonic.com/business-solutions) has announced a
passive 3-D projection system. The package includes two PT-DW530U
DLP projectors, a dual-projector stacking frame, two circular polarizers,
100 pairs of circularly polarized glasses, a 133-inch diagonal silver screen,
and the other components necessary to install the system.
Olympus (www.getolympus.com)
introduces a handheld HD video and
Linear PCM recorder that lets instructors
easily create and upload good
videos. The LS-20M captures and
edits 1,080p HD video while recording
24-bit/96 hHz Linear PCM stereo
sound and has four optional Magic
Movie special-effect features.
SMART Technologies (www.smarttech.com)
has announced the fifth-generation SMART
Board interactive-whiteboard system. It features
the ultra-short-throw standard SMART
UF75 or the wide-screen SMART UF75w
projector and is available with the SMART
Board 400i, 600i, and 800i series. Updates
include a swivel projector mount for easy
installation and projector alignment, as well
as a digital HDMI port.
Atomic Learning has partnered with Epson (www.epsonbrighterfutures.com) to provide educators with
free training on the new BrightLink interactive projectors.
The products save costs by transforming tables,
standard whiteboards, and walls into interactivelearning
areas. The free training can be accessed at
www.AtomicLearning.com/k12/epson_teamboard.
Califone International (www.califone.com) has
launched a USB Webcam that makes it easier
for schools to offer online learning and collaboration
at an affordable price ($35). Compatible
with Windows and Mac, the Webcam includes
a built-in microphone and an adjustable stand
for desktop mounting.
Cables To Go (www.cablestogo.com)
has announced the next generation of
its ultra-wide-band (UWB) wireless
products, which transmit HDMI, VGA,
and audio signals. Using these updates,
teachers can display audio and video
content on computer monitors, projectors,
and televisions from up to 30 feet
away. The models are suitable for USB
to HDMI, USB to VGA + 3.5mm Audio,
and USB to VGA connections.
BenQ (www.benq.us) announces the SH960 high-brightness projector,
which is designed for demanding settings. It uses 1,080p native resolution
in addition to BrilliantColor technology and provides a brightness
of 5,500 ANSI lumens to create vibrant, bright images on any surface.