Newswire – February 6, 2018

SPOTLIGHT ON… EdTech in 2018

The Future of Education. If you haven’t read EDTECH Digest’s “State of EdTech 2017-2018: The Minds Behind What’s Now & What’s Next” you owe it to yourself to set aside some time to do so. The editor’s letter that begins the report, “A message from the future” sets the stage quite nicely:

“The future ain’t what it used to be! Goodbye 2017, hello 2018! The learning landscape is shifting. The seismic activity isn’t a mystery. There are obvious recent forces at work—sure, technology, but people are making it happen…and we’re excited to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate the innovators, leaders and trendsetters who are shaking things up, making things move, and creating a future worth living in. To care deeply about others—that human element to edtech — is just a hint of things to come. There’s much more to learn as the year unfolds!”

The report contains a ton of data and provides some incredible analysis and insight into the where we are and where we’re going. The numbers themselves are fascinating: The education market is undergoing a massive digital revolution that is impacting 1.5 billion learners worldwide. The value of the global education market is estimated at nearly $7 trillion (with global adoption of edtech still on the rise). And in 2017 alone, $3.48 billion in venture capital was invested in edtech. At more than 80 million-plus, Millennials (the generation born between 1980-1999 and today, age 19-38) are the largest, and likely the most studied, cohort in history. A wired, connected world is all Millennials have ever known.

Leading the EdTech Pack. The annual Top Influencers in edtech is out. CER’s founder and CEO Jeanne Allen was named in this year’s top 100! We congratulate all the leaders, innovators, catalysts and change agents who are making a difference for learners at all levels today. “By their example, by their actions, by what they write, communicate and the products they create—they are more than a social media follower count, they are interacting with those around them, making the world a better place through their work in education technology, and this year, they are all edtech’s top influencers.”

Loving LearnLaunch. “If it’s making waves in edtech, it’s going to be on the agenda at  Across Boundaries … the meeting of more than 1,500 educators, education administrators, entrepreneurs, investors, education companies, and technology innovators interested in driving innovation to transform learning and increase achievement using digital technologies.” And innovation central it was! From the incredible insights of Social Impact Investors from New Markets, Lumina and Reach Capital, to the inspiring words of Lindsay Unified’s Tom Rooney and Alt School’s Devin Vodicka about the importance of transforming public education from factory model to personalized (which they have accomplished), the dynamic event was one of the nation’s big highlights in education innovation. Kudos to LearnLaunch Chair Mark Miller of Good Harbor Partners and Co-Founders Jean Hammond for helping for accelerating education innovation.

DID YOU KNOW?

✔ Virtual reality is not just fun and games? 85% of teachers believe virtual reality will have a positive impact on their students.

✔ Speaking of games – 66% of teachers use games and simulations to help with learning.

✔ 37% of teachers include student-produced video content to create a more interactive learning experience.

IN THE NEWS

✔ Check out a boot camp like none other: Learn from the best in the business on Selling into the US Education Marketplace – Monday February 26.

✔ American Federation for Children’s new School Choice Yearbook is now available. Order your copy today or get the data you need fast with a new interactive map on their site.

✔ Don’t miss the latest Reality Check with @Jeanne Allen available Monday. This week’s podcast features entrepreneur, investor, scholar, economist @CarlSchramm, discussing his new book Burn the Business Plan.

TELL US YOUR STORY!

Families all over the country have school choice stories to tell. Send us yours!