Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Arkansas Department of Ed Provides Statewide Access to STEM Activities

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 09/10/12

Students in Arkansas will have access to a Web-based tool to help them master math and science. The Arkansas Department of Education will be providing access to Penda Learning, a Web-based standards mastery resource for students in grades 4 through 10.

Penda uses avatars and competitions to engage students as they work through multiple activities, which are standards-aligned. Instructors can take advantage of the service's reporting features, which can report data by grade level, class, and student. That data can be imported by gradebooks and can show time spent on a given task as well as the activities and standards mastered.

"[Science, technology, engineering, and math] education is a key state priority and we are always on the lookout for innovative and proven STEM tools for the students of Arkansas," said Jim Boardman, an assistant commissioner with Arkansas' DOE Division of Research and Technology. "By giving our students access to Penda's engaging and standards-aligned math and science activities, we are supplementing our classroom teaching and helping teachers improve student proficiency."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Students using laptops in classroom

    Stop Asking Whether Students Can Use AI

    As generative AI has become embedded in the tools students use to search, write, create, translate, organize, and receive feedback, the boundary between "using AI" and "not using AI" has become increasingly difficult to define. More importantly, treating AI use as a binary choice does little to help students understand the different roles AI can appropriately play in learning.

  • abstract malware attack

    Security Researchers Find AI Ransomware Can Now Run Much of an Attack Without Human Help

    Ransomware attacks are becoming more automated, and AI could take that much further, according to cybersecurity company NCC Group's July 2026 threat intelligence report.

  • abstract spiral of multi colored lights

    OpenAI's New Astra Model Reaches Critical Cyber Threshold

    OpenAI has introduced GPT-6 Astra, its most capable broadly deployed model and the first system the company says has reached the "Critical" cybersecurity capability threshold under its Preparedness Framework.

  • Blurred silhouettes of business people in a modern office with a glowing blue network overlay

    Open Secure AI Alliance Moving Under Linux Foundation

    Governance of the Open Secure AI Alliance has moved to the Linux Foundation, giving the initiative what the organizations describe as a neutral home for developing open source tools, shared standards and defensive practices. The Alliance was launched by NVIDIA in July to develop open security technologies for AI systems and agents.