Pearson is partnering with Edvation to help teachers track their skills development and use of technology in the classroom. The online pd21 professional development system helps teachers integrate a wealth of powerful resources into their classrooms.

http://www.techlearning.com/article/may-2012-whats-new/52468

March 20, 2012. Boston, MA. Wikis. Blogs. Flickr. Podcasts. Google Docs. If you are a teacher and you’re not yet using these kinds of online tools in your classroom to improve student learning, here’s a program designed just for you.

Pearson is partnering with the award-winning Edvation to help teachers fast-track their skills development and use of technology in the classroom with their online pd21 professional development system. Educators will be test-driving the program live at the 67th annual ASCD conference in Philadelphia March 24-26. From gaining proficiency in Microsoft Office suite to social media tools and applications like SketchUp (for learning to design) and GeoGebra (for understanding algebra), pd21 will help teachers integrate a wealth of powerful resources into their classrooms in practical and engaging ways to impact student learning and achievement.

Stefan Kohler, head of teacher effectiveness and professional development for Pearson School, said, “Every day we are talking to teachers across the country and they are telling us they are hungry to accelerate their own tech abilities in order to enhance the content of their lessons and create deeper student engagement.” He continued, “In addition to helping them quickly improve their own skills, our partnership with Edvation will also help to speed the adoption of technology in the classroom by giving teachers a library of more than 150 project-based technology integration curriculum activities to use with students that support Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts in grades K-12. Each standards-based project can be immediately used in the classroom, to build confidence and proficiency and provides an opportunity to translate professional development learning into immediately effective classroom practice.”

Edvation’s CEO Adam Smith said, “Now that we have partnered with Pearson, the #1 school education company in the nation, we have the ability to reach so many more teachers who are looking to improve their individual computer skills. With Pearson, we look forward to helping educators across the country become more knowledgeable about the many ways they can individually enhance their students’ achievement through use of technology.” He added, “We have seen teachers catapult from basically zero computer literacy to working with their students to develop games and puzzles or creating photo essays within a semester. It’s truly amazing to see the kind of creativity that our teachers bring to their classrooms once they’ve taken advantage of the pd21 system.”

pd21 meets teachers at their individual level of technology proficiency, providing various options for courses, from self-paced online tutorials to anytime/anywhere workshops that focus on meaningful technology integration and 21st Century teaching.

Kohler said one of the reasons Pearson teamed up with Edvation was because the pd21 program is proven to support systemic, district-wide success by providing for both teachers’ needs – with research-based content, planning and learning facilities; and meeting administrators’ needs – with comprehensive management and reporting tools.

About Edvation
Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing curriculum, assessment, professional development and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy, and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making. For more information about Edvation’s award winning K-12 educational solutions visit www.edvation.com.

About Pearson
Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, has as its mission to work side-by-side with states, districts, teachers, students and parents to ensure that every child is prepared for college and career (NYSE: PSO).

Edvation announces the addition of a newly developed comprehensive Cyber safety curriculum to its TechSteps K-12 technology literacy and assessment product. This valuable resource, available to all TechSteps users, has been specifically designed to assist schools in implementing online behavior and cyber bullying programs that comply with the newly updated CIPA requirements for the E-rate program. The TechSteps program is unique in that it not only provides grade appropriate interactive activities designed to teach students to be safe, secure and responsible online but also the means by which to record program participation and implementation.

“I was extremely excited to discover that TechSteps, a solution we’ve used for years to integrate technology literacy into our core curriculum content, now also includes a comprehensive Cyber-safety curriculum that meets the mandates of the new CIPA requirement for E-Rate funding,” said Randy Bailey director of technology at Letcher County Schools. “TechSteps now provides us with grade-appropriate cyber safety activities as well as an easy means to track participation and compliance. Now I know that our students are being trained in Cyber-safety and I can back this up with reports demonstrating this fact. Our librarians are now assisting core curriculum teachers to transform our students into technologically literate digital citizens.”

The TechSteps Cyber-safety activities are designed to prompt classroom dialog about important Digital Age issues such as appropriate online behavior, Internet safety, cyber-bullying and response, and digital responsibility. Through discussions, debates, role plays, persuasive writing, and videos, these lessons help students to build understanding about digital environments, while also providing them with strategies to handle, or better still avoid, the dangers of online activity. Many of these lessons involve character education as the best assurance of safety is each student’s own ability to make wise decisions when online.

About Edvation
Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing curriculum, assessment, professional development and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy, and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making. For more information about Edvation’s award winning K-12 educational solutions visit www.edvation.com.

Edvation announced today that its award-winning K-12 Technology Curriculum and Assessment tool, TechSteps, has been awarded Tech & Learning Magazine’s 2011 Award of Excellence in its “Best Upgraded Products of 2011″ category.

For nearly three decades, the Tech & Learning Award of Excellence program has honored innovative technology products that improve teaching and learning, inspire teachers and students, and meet today’s rigorous assessment and standards requirements. This year, a panel of over 30 educator-judges test-drove more than 160 entries to select the best educational offerings of 2011 for quality and effectiveness, ease of use, creative use of technology, and suitability for use in an educational environment.  Edvation has added several new features over the past year in order to strengthen TechSteps’ enterprise level evidence-based assessment design and reporting features, including:

• Strengthened and enhanced academic content
• Innovative project-based technology integration activities for Career and Technical Education
• Technology instruction in all activities for Office 2010 and Open Office
• New K-12 Cyber-safety content with record keeping features
• Improved readability features to accommodate struggling readers

“We’re delighted that TechSteps has been recognized by experts in our industry for its ability to leverage the power of technology with proven instructional strategies to increase learning and promote student  achievement,” said Adam Smith, CEO of Edvation. “This award recognizes our commitment to provide rigorous and relevant educational technology solutions needed to teach students to be career-and-college ready for the 21st century.”

Aligned with Common Core, ISTE NETS*S and many State Standards, TechSteps easily and effectively infuses technology skills into core instruction, promoting core subject area outcomes while also teaching skills for 21st Century success. This proven approach allows educators to teach and assess technology literacy in an integrated and systematic manner, while generating data for authentic performance-based assessment and reporting purposes.  For more information about Edvation’s award winning K-12 educational solutions visit http://www.edvation.com.

About Edvation

Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing  curriculum, assessment, professional development and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and  services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy, and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making.

“The new corporate name helps to further position us as a provider of innovative educational solutions to advance teaching and learning for success in the 21st Century,” stated company president and CEO, Adam Smith.  “While our company name and branding has changed, our customers and partners can be assured that we will continue to deliver the same high-quality, innovative products, service, and support that they have known from us over the years.”

About Edvation

Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing curriculum, assessment, professional development and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making. For more information please visit www.edvation.com.

Richie County Middle School teacher, Judy Bragg shares how she uses TechSteps to integrate technology and 21^st Century learning into her Language Arts classroom.

http://blogs.scholastic.com/bestintechtoday/2011/06/student-driven-learning-with-tech-judy-bragg.html

Edvation today announced that Dr. Rim Razzouk has been named Director of Measurement and Assessment.   At Edvation, Dr. Razzouk will oversee the design and development of valid, reliable, and transparent 21^st Century skills assessments through evidence-centered design processes.  This work will further enhance Edvation’s innovative inquiry-based learning materials and performance assessments that require students to exercise and demonstrate 21^st Century skills in meaningful contexts.

“We are pleased to bring Dr. Razzouk on board.  She brings deep and rare expertise in the application of Evidence Centered Design assessment methodologies to measure 21^st Century skills,” said Adam Smith, Edvation President and CEO.  “Dr. Razzouk will strengthen our psychometrically valid assessment practices and provide Edvation with new and innovative approaches to develop, measure, and assess the knowledge, skills, and attributes relevant to today’s students.”

Dr. Razzouk earned a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems from Florida State University, and has most recently worked with noted professor and researcher, Dr. Valerie Shute, on basic and applied research projects focusing on the design, development, and evaluation of systems and assessments to support 21^st Century learning competencies that help educators to assess understanding and provide informative and reflective feedback during instruction.  

 A former educator, computer programmer, and instructional designer for a client list that includes the United States Navy, Dr. Razzouk brings a wealth of experience to her new role at Edvation. 

“Edvation is an exciting company that is transforming 21^st Century teaching and learning,” said Dr. Razzouk.  “I am thrilled to joining such a talented and dedicated group of professionals and am excited about their commitment to teaching and assessing 21^st Century skills to ensure that all students are college- and career-ready. “

About Edvation

Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing curriculum, assessment, professional development, and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy, and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making.

Edvation, a leading provider of rigorous and relevant 21st Century education solutions, is committed to providing teachers with the tools and resources to easily and effectively integrate technology and 21st Century learning into every classroom.

“These awards recognize our commitment to districts and states in providing educators with tools and resources to meaningfully integrate technology to promote innovative teaching and learning for 21st Century success,” says Adam Smith, CEO of Edvation.

In a featured review of selected award-winning entries the ComputED GAZETTE, applauds TechSteps for “combining more than one subject into a truly integrated lesson. And these aren’t make-work projects–TechSteps uses ‘real-world digital tools’ to solve ‘real-world’ problems. Integrating technology and core curriculum isn’t a new idea, but Edvation has created an accessible and user-friendly website for technology integration that can be utilized by any educator.”

Aligned with Common Core, ISTE NETS*S and State Standards, TechSteps easily and effectively infuses technology skills into core instruction, promoting core subject area outcomes while also teaching skills for 21st Century success.  This proven approach allows educators to teach and assess technology literacy in an integrated and systematic manner, while generating data for authentic performance-based assessment and reporting purposes.

pd21 is a flexible, online K-12 professional development system for educators that guides teachers in seamlessly integrating technology and 21st Century instruction into a standards-based lesson design process to meet curriculum goals and maximize learning.  A supplemental  library of inquiry-based, classroom-ready activities simultaneously enrich standards-based instruction in K-12 Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies while also providing an opportunity for professional learning to immediately impact student learning.

“These awards are quite an accomplishment, “Smith comments. “We are honored to have received two BESSIE Awards.”

For further information on TechSteps or pd21, including a personalized demonstration or access to a trial subscription, please visit www.edvation.com.

About Edvation

Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing curriculum, assessment, professional development and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making.

BELLEVUE, WA (April 8, 2011) – Edvation, a leading provider of rigorous and relevant 21st Century education solutions, is pleased to accept the Best Educational Software Award (BESSIE) for TechSteps as the Best Technology Literacy Integration Website for 2011.

The BESSIE awards, sponsored by San Diego’s ComputED Learning Center, honor innovative, content-rich programs and websites that provide teachers with the technology necessary to foster educational excellence. Winners were chosen from educational sites and providers worldwide.

”We’re delighted that TechSteps has been recognized for its ability to leverage the power of technology with proven instructional strategies to increase learning and promote student achievement,” said Adam Smith, CEO of Edvation. “This award recognizes our commitment to districts and states in providing educators with tools and resources to meaningfully integrate technology into every classroom to promote learning for 21st Century success.”

In a feature review of selected award-winning entries published today by the Awards, TechSteps is commended as “appropriate for any standards-based curriculum. Projects vary by grade, and include Science, Math, Language Arts, and Social Studies, often combining more than one subject into a truly integrated lesson. And these aren’t make-work projects–TechSteps uses ‘real-world digital tools’ to solve ‘real-world’ problems. Integrating technology and core curriculum isn’t a new idea, but Edvation has created an accessible and user-friendly website for technology integration that can be utilized by any educator.”

Aligned with Common Core, ISTE NETS*S and State Standards, TechSteps easily and effectively infuses technology skills into core instruction, promoting core subject area outcomes while also teaching skills for 21st Century success.  This proven approach allows educators to teach and assess technology literacy in an integrated and systematic manner, while generating data for authentic performance-based assessment and reporting purposes.

For more information about Edvation’s award winning K-12 education solutions visit www.edvation.com.

About Edvation

Edvation empowers educators with tools and resources to support the successful integration of technology and 21st Century skills development into standards-based curriculum and classroom practice. Providing curriculum, assessment, professional development and training solutions, Edvation is focused on the meaningful integration of technology to enhance learning and support systemic school improvement processes. With proven solutions implemented worldwide since 1996, Edvation’s award-winning products and services are used to support integrated state and district-level digital learning goals, improve and measure technology literacy, and provide educational leaders with the data needed for informed decision-making.

Media Contact

Deb Oroszlan
(425) 454-3373 x 106

West Virginia’s TechSteps program is an example of an assessment system coordinated across levels of the education system. TechSteps is organized around six technology integration activities per grade level. The activities are sequenced to introduce technology skills developmentally and in a 21st-Century context and are largely open-ended and flexible, so they can be integrated into county and school curricula.

Each TechSteps activity includes a classroom assessment rubric. After a student completes a TechSteps activity, the teacher enters an assessment of his or her performance against the rubric into the TechSteps website. TechSteps uses the teacher-completed rubric form to identify the target skills demonstrated by that student and uses this information to build the student’s Technology Literacy Assessment Profile.

Through TechSteps, West Virginia is able to have statewide student data on technology proficiencies at each grade level without requiring a separate “drop-in-from-the-sky” technology test.