FCC Chair Proposes $200 Million Pilot for Data Security in Schools and Libraries

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel formally announced a proposal that would create a $200 million, three-year pilot program to help pay for data and information security services in K–12 schools and in libraries.

Data and Information Security Take the Spotlight at the Tech Tactics in Education Conference

The agenda for the 2023 Tech Tactics in Education conference has been revealed. The inaugural event will offer five tracks — two for K–12, two for higher education, and one for both — spotlighting data and IT security in the "new now."

K–12 Institutions Struggling to Manage More Digital Tools

K–12 teachers and students may have engaged with fewer ed tech products for learning last year, but the diversity of new digital tools has challenged school IT departments to manage them to comply with education needs, as well as cybersecurity mandates.

Enhancing Teaching & Learning Tops Digital Transformation Goals for K–12 IT Leaders, Administrators

Among the many goals for digital transformation among IT leaders and administrators in K–12 districts, "enhancing teaching and learning" topped the list, followed by "enhancing digital literacy" and "improving the student experience."

Wearable Devices Expected to Increase over the Next 5 Years

Smart watches, smart earwear, and other wearables are expected to rebound this year after the wearable tech category experienced its first decline in 2022. The comeback in 2023 is expected to be modest, with greater growth through 2027, according to a new report.

Zero-Day Exploits Dominate Malware from Web Traffic in Q1

In the first quarter of 2023, a massive 93% of detected malware from encrypted web traffic and 70% of malware from unencrypted web traffic came from zero day malware, according to a new report. And 51 new ransomware variants were detected.

Autodesk Adds Sim Lab to 3D Design Tool for Students

Autodesk has released a new feature for Tinkercad, the company's free, web-based 3D design app for use in classrooms. Called Sim Lab, the new tool allows students to "apply STEM principles and experiment with their 3D designs in a simulated space — similar to a video game. Students can simulate the effects of gravity on their design, add materials (like rubber, wood, plastic) to an object, and even build simple machines. Sim Lab draws inspiration from children's favorite video games, like Minecraft and Roblox, bringing the excitement of gaming into the design experience."

Avantis Partners with EdGate to Align Eduverse VR Lessons with State Standards

Through a new partnership with EdGate, Avantis Education is working to align its 400-plus virtual reality lessons for K–12 classrooms to meet state standards in science, social studies, and English Language Arts, in time for Fall 2023 semester, according to a news release.

D2L Adds AI-Based Plagiarism Detection via Partnership with Copyleaks

D2L has partnered with Copyleaks to bring AI-based plagiarism detection integration to its D2L Brightspace platform.

Deadline Looms for 2023 Education Innovation and Research Grants

The deadlines are fast approaching for the 2023 Education Innovation and Research grant competitions, which are open to school districts, state education agencies, universities, nonprofits, and others. Last year's program awarded 28 grants ranging from $309,000 to $2.6 million.

Epson Unveils First Extreme Short Throw Display with 4K Enhancement

Epson has introduced the PowerLite 810E, its first 3LCD extreme short-throw lamp-free laser display with 4K enhancement technology. The display features 5,000 lumens of color and white brightness for sharp, glare-free viewing. It can also create an 80-inch to 160-inch image from a short distance.

Google's New Edu Features Boost Accessibility, Differentiation, Collaboration, and Security

Google for Education has unveiled a host of new features and integrations at ISTELive 23 happening this week in Philadelphia, all aimed at amplifying teacher impact and improving student outcomes, the company said on its blog.

LG Unveils new ChromeOS Slot-In PC for Createboard

LG Business Solutions USA this week unveiled a new Google-certified ChromeOS slot-in PC for LG Createboard, during ISTELive 23 in Philadelphia, simplifying daily use and adding flexibility and features to classrooms using the Createboard, the company said in a news release.

Lumio and Canva Team Up for Free Integration

Digital learning tool Lumio has added integration with visual communication platform Canva for Education. Educators will have free access to export Canva materials to Lumio to create interactive lessons, activities, and assessments, and also free access to both the Lumio and Canva libraries, Lumio said.

New Executive Roles for Papay, Osumi, Harris, Dove, Guerrero, Harless, Sikora

Movers and shakers in education technology include a new director at Annenberg Institute, new CFO and CRO at GoGuardian, a new CEO at Ellipsis Education, a new chair at Council of Great City Schools, a new CPO at BookNook, and an educator tapped for the NAEP steering panel.

PowerSchool to Buy SchoolMessenger, Integrate with its Cloud SIS

Cloud-based K–12 software provider PowerSchool has signed an agreement to acquire SchoolMessenger from its parent company, West Technology Group, for $300 million and plans to integrate SchoolMessenger's features with the PowerSchool Student Information Cloud platform, according to a news release.

Samsung Debuts New Interactive Display at ISTELive 23

Samsung Electronics America has introduced its new interactive display, model name "WAC," at ISTELive 23 — the first Samsung interactive display solution built on the Android operating system.

Startup Nolej AI Available on Google Classroom

Instructional design company Nolej announced that Nolej AI is now available on Google Classroom. The OpenAI-based commercial authoring tool allows educators to create instructional microlearning content in near real time, the French company said.

New & Upcoming K–12 Grants