Software Association Opens Annual Survey at Redesigned Site

The Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) has launched its sixth annual Vision K-20 Survey at its newly revamped Web site.

"We're excited to launch the sixth annual survey and new-and-improved Web site with additional information for both educators and industry professionals," said Karen Billings, vice president of the SIIA Education Division, in a prepared statement "With the ed-tech industry becoming increasingly global, we are also pleased to announce that this will be first year to include responses from outside the U.S."

Each year, SIIA opens its Vision K-20 survey to educators, administrators, and faculty members from K-12 and higher education institutions. The short, online survey sponsored by the Education Division of SIIA offers participants the opportunity to evaluate their current technology and to compare it to previous survey results.

The survey consists of 20 statements related to the Vision K-20 initiative goals that educators can use to compare how they are currently implementing technology. By completing the survey every year, progress can be tracked over time and provide a snapshot of technology use. From the responses, a picture of "ideal implementation" helps educators determine how they can best use technology to improve learning and teaching.

Visitors to the redesigned SIIA Web site will find new resources and materials designed specifically for educators and industry professionals, including studies that support the mission of the Vision K-20 initiative, as well as resources intended to help educators meet their educational goals and technology benchmarks.

SIIA member organizations, including Digital Learning Day, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), iPopp, Intel Worldwide Education, SmartBrief, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), edWeb.net, eSchool Media and MMS Education helped develop the Vision K-20 initiative.

"We are very pleased to help SIIA again this year to conduct this important survey with educators and administrators," said Susan Meel, CEO at MMS Education, in a prepared statement. "This survey provides a very helpful tool for educators, so they can determine how their institution is progressing in terms of integrating technology and preparing students for the 21st Century."

SIIA is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry. The Education Division represents member companies that provide software, digital content and other technologies. For more information about SIIA, visit siia.net/education.

Initial results of the survey will be announced in May at the 2013 Ed Tech Industry Summit (ETIS), with a final report released in June at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) annual conference.

For further information about Vision K-20, and to take the survey, visit the siia.net/visionk20.

About the Author

Sharleen Nelson is a freelance journalist based in Springfield, Oregon. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • abstract geometric pattern of glowing interconnected triangles, hexagons, and circles in blue, gold, and white, spread across a dark navy-to-black gradient background

    OpenAI Introduces 'Operator' AI for Performing Web Tasks

    OpenAI has announced "Operator," an AI agent designed to perform web-based tasks autonomously using its own browser. Currently available as a research preview for Pro users in the United States, the tool aims to automate everyday activities such as filling out forms, ordering groceries, and even creating memes.

  • A geometric pattern of open Chromebook computers with bold outlines, subtle shading, and soft gradients, spaced evenly with vibrant green and blue accents on a neutral background.

    Challenges and Opportunities Ahead for the 'Great Chromebook Refresh'

    During the pandemic, the education community scrambled to provide students with laptops to promote online learning equity and mitigate learning loss. Today, those devices are approaching the end of their useful lives — and a "great Chromebook refresh" has been predicted as schools seek to replace them with newer models.  

  • file folders floating in the clouds, with glowing AI circuitry and data lines intertwined

    OneDrive Update Adds Copilot AI Tech

    Microsoft has announced new enterprise capabilities in its OneDrive cloud storage service, many of which leverage the company's Copilot AI capabilities.

  • outline of a modern school building as glowing blue geometric shapes, surrounded by binary code streams, with golden orbs and lines representing funding, set against a dark gray gradient with faint grid patterns

    FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Participants Selected

    The Federal Communications Commission has officially selected the participants for its Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot, the three-year program exploring the use of Universal Service funds to improve school and library defenses against cyber attacks.