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Software & Online

ABCMOUSE FOR SCHOOLS
(www.abcmouseforschools.com)

ABCmouse for Schools announced the launch of new product features to help students become third-grade ready. A reimagined Teacher Homepage helps teachers plan and build lessons and monitor class progress. Student Information System Integration streamlines the process of rostering and provides ongoing data about progress and usage at the student level and beyond. A new Mastering Math app and over 100 Spanish-language learning activities have been added and families can access these without Internet connectivity.

BLOOMZ AND AZTEA
(www.bloomz.net) (https://aztea.org)

Bloomz, a leader in the parent-teacher communication space, has partnered with the Arizona Technology in Education Association (AZTEA) to cultivate the connective and collaborative power of educational technology for educators and parents. As part of the partnership, Bloomz will also recognize Arizona teachers for their excellence in stimulating parental engagement through the use of Bloomz. AZTEA will promote Bloomz to its members throughout the 2017–2018 school year as the parent-teacher communication app of choice.

DEFINED LEARNING
(www.definedlearning.com)

Defined STEM, a web-based curriculum resource by Defined Learning, recently announced the launch of its redesigned website. Performance tasks are now broken down into four steps: Set the Stage, Explore the Background, Do the Research, and Create the Product. New to the Set the Stage step are open-ended questions to provide context and encourage critical thinking. The Design Process section is completely new and lays out the steps students must follow to reach their goals.

GETTING SMART SOCIAL LEARNING AND MINECRAFT REPORT
(http://www.gettingsmart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Minecraft-and-SEL-Release-.pdf)

A new report, “How Minecraft Supports Social and Emotional Learning in K–12 Education,” published by Getting Smart, investigates the connection between classroom use of Minecraft and the social and emotional learning (SEL) outcomes of K– 12 students. Based on responses gathered from educators representing 11 countries across four continents, the report is a deeper dive into the ways educators are incorporating gaming into their lessons via its Minecraft: Education Edition to support their students’ SEL growth.

KAHOOT! NEW MOBILE APP
(www.kahoot.com)

Kahoot! has announced its new mobile app. The new app, designed for iOS and Android, brings the magic of game-based learning outside the classroom: Teachers can send after-class challenges to students as homework, and learners can continue playing for revision and fun anywhere. The app will also appeal to teachers who can extend learning beyond the classroom by challenging students to play a Kahoot at home on their own time, either alone or with classmates.

LIGHTSPEED
(www.lightspeed-tek.com)

Lightspeed unveiled its new logo and corporate identity, along with its new Activate instructional audio and video platform. Lightspeed is expanding its focus to helping educators effectively use instructional audio and video systems to improve student achievement in the areas of whole-classroom instruction, group learning, and collaboration. Among the new products include the Activate app, helping educators to capture and share audio and video in the classroom and serving as a coaching resource for teachers.

TYPINGMASTER TYPETASTIC
(www.typingmaster.com)

TypingMaster Inc., has released its latest game-based course, TypeTastic, which is specially designed for elementary-school students. TypeTastic gets even the youngest students started typing by using just one finger to start. These pedagogical games are designed for both computers and touchscreen devices, providing easy access for everyone. The TypeTastic training course focuses first on teaching letter locations, hand-eye coordination, and typing with one finger. Within a few hours, the students can type short texts smoothly.

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