EdTech 10: It’s Finally Here… #CSEdWeek

It’s finally here… Since Monday, Computer Science Education Week (#CSEdWeek) has engaged MILLIONS in lessons in all things CS, with an emphasis in coding. From President Obama to Getting Smart Teacher Bloggers, people are taking to desktops, laptops, devices and even the classic pen and pad to celebrate using computer science in the classroom.

Blended Schools & Tools

1. Drumroll Please. Seven schools and districts were selected by Fuel Education for their 2014 Transformation Awards. Selection was based on their innovative use of online and blended programs to improve learning.

Announced! @FuelEducation's 2014 Transformation Award Winners http://t.co/iDDMCF3cmt #EdTech10 #BlendedLearning

— tyler (@post_west) December 8, 2014

2. Mastery-Based in BK. Chris Sturgis (@sturgis_chris), CompetencyEd guru, penned a profile on Brooklyn’s Carroll Garden School for Innovation that shares what she calls the “CGSI Approach” – an approach so effective it needed its own name.

.@sturgis_chris: Best ex. of a school designed so personalized, mastery-based ed works – for all students http://t.co/n3m7EDFi6m #edtech10

— tyler (@post_west) December 9, 2014

Digital Developments

3. This Time It’s Personal. Professional Learning Maps, unveiled by Amplify is a new approach for teacher PD with personalized interactive maps used for charting a learning pathway unique to each educator.

Professional Learning Maps from @amplify personalize educator PD http://t.co/W7Mf1n5ZrE #TeacherPD #EdTech10
— Megan Mead (@MegMarMe) December 8, 2014

Dollars & Deals

4. That Makes Cents. PwC (@PwCFoundation) teamed up with visual game-based math creator MIND Research Institute (@MIND_Research) to transform how students learn financial concepts with the first financial literacy curriculum using the proven ST Math.

Financial Literacy: Every Penny Counts http://t.co/Be1OyLB2Bi #EdChat — Jessica Slusser (@Jess_Slusser) December 8, 2014 

5. Early Learning. Obama is following up on his promise to expand early education opportunities in a $1 billion public-private investment announcement for programs that serve the nation’s youngest learners.

YES! Obama announcing $1B for early childhood education http://t.co/WFj4d5Y4jw @BarackObama @firstfiveyears #investinus #EdTech10 — Jennifer Aalgaard (@JenLAalgaard) December 10, 2014

Stem Gems

6. Bundling Up. In celebration of #CSEdWeek, Team Getting Smart and Microsoft have joined forces for a Smart Bundle blog series on Coding for College and Careers, with updated blogs on resources on all things code, from experts weighing on resources to coding as a economic and social justice issue.    

Did you know that 70% #coding jobs aren’t in ‘tech’? http://t.co/4QjrSHVcDW #csedweek #hourofcode #stem — Getting Smart (@Getting_Smart) December 8, 2014

7. AP CS FTW. Making computing coursework more engaging and available this week is The College Board and NSF with their release of AP Computer Science Principles. The course will be available in fall 2016, first exam in May 2017.   

Course from College Board & National Science Foundation launches during Computer Science Education Week http://t.co/pPhWT7FB5y #edtech10 — Megan Mead (@MegMarMe) December 9, 2014

Policy Praise

8. And the Winners Are. The Foundation of Excellence in Education (@ExcelinEd) announced the winners for the My School Information Design Challenge.   

Congratulations to all the My #SchoolInfo Design Challenge winners! http://t.co/RuEqqJvHV3 @Collaborative_ @SocialDriver @omidify @Rennzer — Jessica Slusser (@Jess_Slusser) December 9, 2014

Movers, Shakers & Ground-breakers

9. Taking The Lead. Six Red Marbles announced the new member of their leadership team. Amit Shah is joining the learning materials dev house as the Executive Managing Director. Congrats SRM + Amit!   

.@SixRedMarbles Hires Amit Shah as Executive Managing Director http://t.co/sAyOmSW3Ag #EdTech10 #EdChat
— Jessica Slusser (@Jess_Slusser) December 10, 2014

10. The Man, The Myth, The Legend. Curriculum Associates founder, Frank Ferguson, was inducted into the Association of American Publishers (@AmericanPublish ) Hall of Fame. Frank has spent nearly 40 years in educational publishing, leading his company as a pioneer in assessment and becoming a model for philanthropy.

Congrats @CurriculumAssoc founder Frank Ferguson for being Inducted into @AmericanPublish Hall of Fame http://t.co/mHLOFeZusq #EdTech10
— Jennifer Aalgaard (@JenLAalgaard) December 9, 2014

Curriculum Associates, Six Red Marbles, The Foundation for Excellence in Education, MIND Research Institute, and Fuel Education are Getting Smart Advocacy Partners.