CALGARY, AB – SMART Technologies is proud to announce the launch of the company’s latest innovation for education: the SMART Board® RX series. This revolutionary display is designed with accessibility in mind and provides teachers with the tools they need to make learning more engaging for students, while saving precious time for teachers, too. This performance display comes with optically bonded glass and a multi-color stylus for an effortless inking experience, as well as leading student device integration, putting it in a category of its own.  

At the heart of the SMART Board RX series are the features and functionality, purposefully designed to help make classroom time higher quality time and engage all students in inclusive and accessible learning experiences. Most notably, the RX series comes with SMART’s exclusive Tool Explorer® technology that enables all students – including those with diverse learning needs – to actively engage with content and easily communicate with their peers and teachers.  

Tool Explorer digitally recognizes blocks that come in pre-programmed sets with images such as emojis that can help enable social and emotional learning. The blocks are also programmable, giving teachers or students the ability to program any image onto a block.  Tool Explorer provides a unique way for students to communicate and participate – including those students who are non-verbal, those who struggle to hold a pen or to write, and those who require or simply prefer different methods of communication. Tool Explorer is only available with the SMART Board RX series.  

The SMART Board RX series is Google EDLA certified, giving users native access to the Google Play store, Google Classroom, Chrome Browser, and other Google services so that teachers can have all their favorite apps at their fingertips. It comes with a completely refreshed embedded experience – iQ 4.0. The new version of iQ is designed to simplify workflows for teachers and make lessons engaging for students. 

The RX series also includes SMART’s exclusive ability for continuous differentiation of all interaction types, which enables multiple users to intuitively write, erase, and touch at the same time, without interfering in each other’s work for a truly collaborative experience. 

“The SMART Board RX series represents a major leap forward in classroom technology,” said Nicholas Svensson, CEO of SMART Technologies. “Our goal was not just to create another interactive display but rather an investment that helps to create inclusive, accessible classrooms that will stand the test of time.” 

The SMART Board RX series offers an array of features, including:  

• Android 13 for enhanced security and smooth performance, with expandable storage up to 576GB. 
• Optically bonded glass which provides a smooth, precise inking experience and unmatched viewing clarity. 
• Simultaneous Tool Differentiation so multiple students can intuitively collaborate at the display together.  
• An all-new multi-color LED stylus for easier color switching and simple, intuitive inking with color built right into the pen.  
• NFC and QR code-based sign-in with one-click sign-out for added security and convenience. 
• Integrated sound bar with two 20W speakers and a 15W subwoofer. 
• New environmental and air quality sensors including a particulate matter sensor and volatile organic compounds sensor. 
• All the software educators need, for free. 

The SMART Board RX is designed to serve districts for years to come. The RX series has an energy-efficient design that is designed to be a sound investment for many years. Automatic over-the-air updates keep customers up to date with new features, patches, and operating system upgrades—keeping pace with market trends and new options and features without spending budget on a new display. Schools and districts can get more out of their technology investment and continue to deliver high-quality learning experiences for years to come. 

About SMART Technologies ULC  

SMART isn’t just a leading tech company, but a connections company working tirelessly to create and advance technology that helps teachers, learners, businesses, and teams make meaningful connections every single day. The original SMART Board® launched in 1991, and has continued to innovate through Lumio, an award-winning cloud-based learning software. With a full range of products, including an impressive selection of easy-to-use interactive displays used by millions of businesses, educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit www.smarttech.com. 

BEAVERTON, Oregon — Vernier Science Education recently launched new resources to help science and STEM educators leverage the two upcoming eclipses—the “Ring of Fire” annular eclipse on October 14, 2023 and the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024—to create engaging learning experiences for students. In addition to sharing tips and best practices for collecting data during the celestial events, the company is offering certified eclipse viewing glasses so educators and students alike can safely observe the eclipses taking place.    

“The eclipses provide a perfect—and rare—opportunity for educators to teach students of all ages about real-world, scientific concepts related to light, temperature, electromagnetic radiation, and more,” said David Vernier, Co-Founder of Vernier Science Education. “During the eclipses, educators and students can use our glasses to observe the moon pass between the sun and earth, and they can use our technology to collect data and better understand what is happening in the world around them.”

The CE-certified eclipse viewing glasses can be purchased in class packs of 50 glasses (EC-GL50) on the Vernier website for $25.

Vernier Science Education is offering an array of helpful tips on how to collect data during the eclipse. This includes information on how to use applicable sensors, such as the wireless Go Direct^® Light and Color Sensor, Go Direct Weather System, Go Direct PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) Sensor, Go Direct Pyranometer, and Go Direct Surface Temperature Sensor, as well as a number of wired sensors designed specifically for the LabQuest^® interface.

Educators are encouraged to share data and pictures from their eclipse experiences on social media using the hashtag #VernierEclipse.

Educators can also access a compilation of reference materials about the eclipse from respected organizations such as NSTA and NASA, as well as safety recommendations and more on the Vernier Science Education website.

To learn more about eclipse resources from Vernier Science Education, visit https://www.vernier.com/eclipse.

About Vernier Science Education

For more than 40 years, Vernier Science Education has been committed to using our experience, knowledge, and passion to create the best and most reliable solutions for STEM education. Our comprehensive solutions include hardware, software, content, assessment, professional development, and technical support. At the heart of Vernier is our deep commitment to being an authentic and trusted partner to STEM educators. We are dedicated to partnering with educators and communities to build a STEM-literate society where students grow up to become knowledgeable citizens who can solve problems, fully contribute to their communities, and drive innovation. For more information, visit www.vernier.com.

Key points:

• Best practices in professional development are advancing–and AI is taking it to a new level
• Here, one educator shares her experiences with AI-powered teacher coaching
• See related article: 9 big ideas to bolster the teaching profession and boost student learning

Just like educational technology is continually advancing, so are best practices for supporting teachers in classrooms. Professional development needs to be relevant, engaging, and personalized.

Megan Schlagel, a high school math teacher in St. Vrain Valley Schools in Longmont, Colo., is an award-winning educator who is dedicated to the continuous improvement of her teaching practices. As part of this dedication, Schlagel, as well as a number of her colleagues, are turning to innovative new approaches to support their learning. This includes the use of AI-powered teacher coaching via the AI Coach by Edthena platform.

With the platform, teachers like Schlagel engage in personalized coaching cycles to further their development. The platform uses artificial intelligence to guide teachers through a self-coaching cycle aligned to common growth areas as they watch video of their classroom teaching in action.

We recently interviewed Schlagel about the use of this new technology and how her district prioritizes teacher development. 

What were your first thoughts when you heard about using AI for professional learning? Why did you decide to try it?

Last year, I was a mentor to a first-year teacher at my school, and my mentee had to record a lesson of her teaching as part of the induction program. I decided to also record myself conducting a similar lesson, so we could go over the lessons together, discuss what works and what doesn’t, and set goals for improvement.  

This was my first real introduction to video coaching. Admittedly, even as a mentor teacher, I was nervous to record myself. However, I quickly learned it wasn’t that bad seeing myself on screen and that this was a powerful way to reflect on my practice. My mentee and I both learned a lot.

So, when my district offered a new professional development course that would allow us to try out AI coaching, I signed up. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was getting into, but I was already benefiting from video coaching and wanted to see what the new AI aspect was all about. At the very least, I knew this opportunity would provide me more time for self-reflection.

How does the AI coaching process work?

During my first time using the AI Coach platform, I uploaded a video of one of my recent algebra lessons. Then, the platform’s computerized coach provided observation tips and asked me a number of questions to consider as I began to analyze my video. This helped me as I made a number of comments on the platform—both about areas I wanted to improve upon and areas I felt I was excelling in—as I watched my teaching play out.

The guidance from the virtual coach helped me think more critically about my practice (…and it also made me laugh – the coach can definitely be funny and sassy at times!).

This helped me set a goal for myself around increasing student discourse. I wanted to encourage my students to talk more in class, and the platform provided me with a number of instructional resources to help me get better at this skill.

At the end of the coaching cycle, after I incorporated these strategies in the classroom, I came back to the platform and reflected on what I learned. I thought about how these new strategies worked and created an action plan for my continued learning in the future.

How has AI-powered coaching impacted your teaching?

What surprised me most about the AI coaching process was that it opened my eyes to different things I could change (and might have missed) about my teaching. I was able to really reflect on how I was teaching and how my students were responding. 

Sometimes it can be daunting—or even feel less genuine—when a coach or administrator comes in to conduct a formal observation. You may be worried about how your students are acting or unknowingly teach differently than normal.

But, with the AI Coach process, I feel less pressure because it really is just myself reflecting on my teaching alongside a computerized coach. This gives me more freedom to try out a new instructional strategy or take a risk with how I deliver a lesson, without having the feeling of being evaluated.

Continuous reflection is so important, and I’m a firm believer that the best teachers have to be reflective—if you aren’t reflecting on your practice, you aren’t growing!

How do you and your colleagues plan to use AI Coach by Edthena moving forward?

In addition to supplementing in-person coaching, I think AI coaching will continue to be a great support for mentor and mentee teachers alike.

In chats with my administrative team, I’ve also suggested using the AI Coach platform for our school’s yearly peer observations or self-reflection observations. Traditionally for the self-reflection observation, teachers write a paper detailing their teaching and how it can improve, but I think this type of video-based reflection can be more impactful and feel more genuine. And, it will allow teachers to receive the benefits of ongoing coaching which is really about reflecting inward and trying to constantly improve.

My school and district always do a great job of supporting teachers’ growth and encouraging us to take on new and innovative professional learning opportunities. The use of AI Coach is just another example of this! 

Washington Depot, Connecticut – Slooh, the pioneer in offering live online telescope feeds of the universe and an NGSS-aligned curriculum for school communities worldwide, recently launched the next generation of its online learning platform to make space exploration even easier and more engaging for students and educators alike. The upgraded platform includes enhancements to allow for more interactivity, personalization, and student-driven learning this school year and beyond.

“Slooh provides students, particularly those in Grades 4-8, with a one-of-a-kind experience centered around hands-on, age-appropriate experiential learning,” said Michael Paolucci, founder of Slooh. “From new learning activities to a more intuitive dashboard, the new enhancements flatten the learning curve for new users and emphasize creativity and self-directed learning as students discover the wonders of the universe and collect and analyze astronomical data in real time.”

For students, the platform allows for more interactivity and personalization as students complete Quest learning activities. This includes the ability for students to create custom posters depicting what they discovered using Slooh’s fully autonomous online telescopes. Also, students are now able to participate in independent study programs – focused on citizen science, science communications, and workforce development – designed by Slooh.

For educators, the platform features an improved, more intuitive dashboard and new support resources. This includes on-demand training and onboarding videos, situational awareness of Slooh’s live telescope feeds, and easy search and browse navigation to Slooh’s learning activities. Additional improvements allow educators to easily assign these learning activities and monitor student progress, as well as integrate Slooh with popular learning management systems including Schoology, Brightspace, and Google Education.

This fall, a third observatory in Australia will be coming online to provide 24/7 viewing access to the night sky. It will join Slooh’s two other user-controlled robotic telescopes in the Canary Islands and Chile, which provide the ability for students to view celestial phenomena, capture and analyze observational data, and participate in gamified learning through the company’s patented technology.

“We know studying space can open students’ eyes to potential STEM pathways and careers, so we want as many students as possible, regardless of their location or demographics, to have access to space observatories,” said Paolucci. “We look forward to supporting students across the nation and beyond this school year and can’t wait to see the different stars, planets, moons, nebulae, and celestial events they discover.” 

To learn more about Slooh, visit www.slooh.com.

About Slooh

Slooh brings the wonders of space exploration to the public, at school and at home. For almost 20 years, the company has provided the ability to view space phenomena, capture observational data, and engage in gamified learning through its patented user-controlled network of online telescopes and standards-aligned curriculum for upper elementary through post-secondary students around the world. Slooh is funded in part by a National Science Foundation grant. To learn more about Slooh, visit https://www.slooh.com.