Monthly Archives: November 2022

So, I used ChatGPT to help me generate the following advances in tech for education from 2005 until 2021. What I found interesting is that the AI didn’t mention Seesaw until I asked it a third time to generate even more advances. What would you say you use the most, should not be on the list, or most importantly – is missing?

2005:

• January: Wikipedia, a free, collaborative online encyclopedia, reaches its 1 millionth article, providing a vast resource of information for learners and educators.
• February: Microsoft releases the Xbox 360, a gaming console that includes multimedia features such as DVD playback and internet connectivity, providing a new platform for educational games and simulations.
• March: Google releases Google Maps, a web-based mapping service that allows users to explore the world in detail, opening up new possibilities for geography education.
• April: The Mozilla Foundation releases Firefox 1.0, a popular web browser that includes features such as tabbed browsing and advanced privacy controls, making it easier for learners to access and manage online content.
• May: The first YouTube video is uploaded, marking the beginning of a new era of online video sharing and creating new opportunities for educational content creators.
• June: Apple introduces the Mac Mini, a compact desktop computer that would go on to be used in educational settings as a low-cost alternative to traditional desktops.
• July: The first Open Education Conference is held, bringing together educators, technologists, and advocates to discuss the potential of open educational resources (OER) to improve access to education worldwide.
• August: Microsoft launches Visual Studio, a powerful integrated development environment (IDE) that includes tools for building a wide range of software applications, including educational software.
• September: Google releases Google Earth, a desktop application that allows users to explore the world in 3D, providing new opportunities for geography education and virtual field trips.
• October: The US Department of Education launches the National Education Technology Plan, outlining a vision for how technology can be used to improve education and increase access to high-quality learning opportunities.
• November: Apple introduces the iPod Video, which includes a larger screen and video playback capabilities, offering new possibilities for educational multimedia content.
• December: Adobe releases Flash Player 8, a widely-used software platform for creating and delivering interactive content, including educational games and simulations.

2006:

• January: Apple introduces the first MacBook Pro, a powerful and portable laptop designed for professional and educational use.
• February: MIT releases Scratch, a visual programming language designed for children, making it easier for students to learn coding and computational thinking.
• March: Google releases Google Docs, a suite of web-based productivity tools that allow users to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online.
• April: SMART Technologies introduces the SMART Board 600i interactive whiteboard system, allowing teachers and students to collaborate and interact with digital content in the classroom.
• May: IBM introduces the Cell Broadband Engine, a powerful microprocessor that would go on to be used in gaming consoles, supercomputers, and other high-performance computing applications, including educational research.
• June: The first annual National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) is held in San Diego, California, bringing together educators and technology experts to share best practices and showcase new technologies.
• July: The OpenCourseWare Consortium is established, with a mission to promote the use of open educational resources (OER) to improve access to education worldwide.
• August: Google releases Google Apps for Education, a suite of web-based tools and services designed specifically for use in educational settings.
• September: Khan Academy launches its first videos on YouTube, offering free, high-quality educational content to learners around the world.
• October: The first Amazon Web Services (AWS) product, Amazon S3, is launched, providing scalable cloud storage for a wide range of applications, including educational content and data.
• November: One Laptop per Child (OLPC) begins shipping the XO laptop, a low-cost, rugged device designed for use by children in developing countries.
• December: The National Science Foundation launches the Cyberlearning: Transforming Education program, aimed at exploring how advanced technologies can be used to improve learning outcomes and educational opportunities.

2007:

• January: Apple introduces the iPhone, a device that would go on to revolutionize mobile computing and have a significant impact on education.
• February: The Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization, is founded by educator Salman Khan, with a mission to provide free, high-quality education to anyone, anywhere.
• March: Intel releases the Classmate PC, a low-cost laptop designed for use in schools in developing countries.
• April: Microsoft releases Microsoft Surface, a touch-screen device that allows users to interact with digital content in a more natural and intuitive way.
• May: Second Life, a virtual world platform, launches Second Life Education, a program designed to promote the use of virtual environments in education.
• June: The first iPhone is released, offering a range of features that would make it useful for education, such as internet access, email, and a range of educational apps.
• July: The OpenCourseWare Consortium announces that its member institutions have now published over 4,000 free, open course materials online, making education more accessible than ever before.
• August: Blackboard, a popular learning management system, introduces Blackboard Outcomes System, a tool for tracking and assessing student learning outcomes.
• September: MIT launches the OpenCourseWare initiative, which makes MIT course materials freely available online, paving the way for the development of the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement.
• October: The first Kindle e-reader is released by Amazon, offering a new way for students and educators to access digital books and other materials.
• November: Google releases the first version of Android, a mobile operating system that would go on to become one of the most widely used operating systems in the world.
• December: The National Education Technology Plan is released by the US Department of Education, outlining a vision for how technology can be used to improve education and increase access to high-quality learning opportunities.

2008:

• January: The OLPC (One Laptop per Child) project announces the release of the XO-2 laptop, a smaller and more affordable version of the original XO laptop designed for children in developing countries.
• February: The first annual Open Education Conference is held in Utah, bringing together educators, technologists, and policy-makers to promote the use of open educational resources (OER).
• March: Adobe releases Creative Suite 3, which includes a number of tools useful for educators, such as Photoshop, InDesign, and Dreamweaver.
• April: The National Science Foundation launches the Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Engineering (CIF21) program, aimed at developing and deploying advanced technologies to enable scientific discovery and innovation.
• May: Google releases Google Sites, a free web hosting and website creation tool that can be used by schools and other organizations to create websites for sharing information and collaborating online.
• June: Amazon releases the Kindle DX, a larger version of its e-reader designed for textbooks and other educational materials.
• July: MIT and Harvard University launch the online learning platform edX, which offers free courses from top universities to learners around the world.
• August: Microsoft introduces Microsoft Live@edu, a suite of web-based tools and services for education institutions, including email, instant messaging, and online document collaboration.
• September: Blackboard, a popular learning management system, introduces Blackboard Connect, a messaging system that allows schools and districts to send out mass notifications and emergency alerts.
• October: The Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization, releases its first set of math videos, which quickly become popular with students and teachers around the world.
• November: Google releases the first version of the Android mobile operating system, which will go on to become one of the most popular operating systems for mobile devices, including tablets used in education.
• December: The National Center for Education Statistics releases the first report on the use of educational technology in American classrooms, finding that 97% of classrooms have at least one computer, and 93% have internet access.

2009:

• January: The Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization, releases its first set of educational videos, which quickly become popular with students and teachers around the world.
• February: Blackboard, a popular learning management system, releases Blackboard Mobile Learn, allowing students to access course materials and participate in discussions on their mobile devices.
• March: Google releases Google Earth 5.0, which includes new educational features such as historical imagery and virtual tours of famous landmarks.
• April: The Open Educational Resources movement gains momentum, with UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning hosting the first World OER Congress to promote the use and sharing of educational resources online.
• May: Microsoft introduces Bing, a search engine that offers a number of features designed specifically for students and educators, such as an academic search mode.
• June: Apple introduces iTunes U, a platform for hosting and distributing educational content from universities and other institutions.
• July: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is signed into law, providing billions of dollars in funding for education, including investments in educational technology.
• August: SMART Technologies releases the SMART Document Camera 330, a device that allows teachers to display and capture images of physical objects in the classroom.
• September: The Mozilla Foundation launches the Open Badges project, an initiative aimed at creating a new system for recognizing and displaying learners’ skills and achievements.
• October: Google releases Google Wave, a real-time collaboration platform that allows users to communicate, share documents, and work together on projects.
• November: The One Laptop Per Child project announces the release of the XO-3 tablet computer, which is designed to be affordable and durable enough for use in schools around the world.
• December: YouTube launches YouTube EDU, a platform for hosting educational videos from universities and other educational organizations.

2010:

• January: Apple releases the iPad, which quickly becomes a popular tool for educators and students to access educational content and apps.
• February: The Khan Academy launches, offering free online education courses in a variety of subjects to anyone with an internet connection.
• March: Google introduces Google Apps for Education, providing schools with free access to Google’s suite of productivity tools, including email, calendar, and document sharing.
• April: MIT launches OpenCourseWare, offering free online access to the materials used in MIT’s undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
• May: The National Science Foundation launches the Cyberlearning: Transforming Education program, aimed at researching and developing innovative technologies to improve learning outcomes.
• June: Amazon introduces the Kindle DX, a larger version of its e-reader designed specifically for textbooks and other educational materials.
• July: EdX is founded by Harvard and MIT, offering free online courses from top universities to learners around the world.
• August: SMART Technologies introduces the SMART Board 800 series, a line of interactive whiteboards designed to enhance classroom collaboration and engagement.
• September: Google launches Google Instant, a search feature that offers instant search results as users type, making it easier and faster to find information online.
• October: Microsoft releases Office 365 for Education, providing schools with cloud-based access to Microsoft’s productivity tools, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• November: Apple launches iTunes U, a platform offering free access to educational content from top universities and other institutions around the world.
• December: Google announces the launch of Google eBooks, a digital bookstore offering millions of books for sale, many of which are educational and academic titles.

2011:

• January: Khan Academy, a popular online learning platform, receives a $2 million grant from Google to develop new educational content and expand its offerings.
• February: The first version of Coursera, a massive open online course (MOOC) platform, is launched. The platform partners with universities and organizations to offer free online courses to anyone with an internet connection.
• March: Apple releases the iPad 2, which features improved processing power and a front-facing camera, making it easier for students and teachers to engage in video conferencing and online collaboration.
• April: The Khan Academy introduces an iPad app, making its educational content accessible to students on the go.
• May: The New York Times launches The Learning Network, a free online resource for teachers and students that provides daily lesson plans, news quizzes, and other educational content.
• June: Google introduces Google+ Hangouts, a video chat feature that allows up to 10 people to communicate simultaneously. This tool becomes popular for virtual classroom discussions and online tutoring.
• July: Adobe releases its Creative Suite 5.5 software, which includes tools for creating interactive e-learning content.
• August: The Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas is launched, offering schools and universities a cloud-based platform for managing online courses and delivering educational content.
• September: Blackboard, a leading provider of LMS software, releases its first mobile app, making it easier for students and teachers to access course materials and participate in discussions from their mobile devices.
• October: The first annual Digital Media and Learning Competition is launched, awarding $2 million in grants to innovative educational technology projects.
• November: Khan Academy receives a $5 million grant from the O’Sullivan Foundation to develop new content and expand its offerings in science and engineering.
• December: Pearson, a global education company, acquires Connections Education, an online learning provider that serves K-12 students in the United States.

2012:

• January: The Khan Academy, a non-profit educational organization that provides free online educational materials, launches its iPad app.
• January: Google announces the launch of a new educational platform called Google Course Builder, which allows anyone to create an online course.
• February: Apple announces the launch of iBooks 2 and iBooks Author, tools that allow educators to create interactive textbooks for the iPad.
• February: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announces the launch of MITx, a new online learning initiative that offers free courses to anyone with an internet connection.
• March: Coursera, an online education platform that offers massive open online courses (MOOCs), announces that it has raised $16 million in funding.
• March: The Mozilla Foundation launches the first version of its Webmaker tool, which allows anyone to create and share their own web pages and online content.
• April: Facebook announces the launch of the Facebook Education Portal, a new platform that provides resources for educators and students.
• April: The Open Educational Resources Foundation launches the Open Educational Resources Hub, a repository of free educational materials.
• May: The New York Times launches its Education Life section, which features articles and resources related to education.
• May: EdX, a joint initiative between Harvard University and MIT, launches its online learning platform.
• June: Microsoft announces the launch of its Office 365 for Education platform, which provides cloud-based productivity tools for educators and students.
• June: The OpenCourseWare Consortium launches the Open Education Week, a global event that promotes open educational resources and online learning.
• July: Blackboard Inc. announces the launch of Blackboard Mobile Learn, an app that allows students to access course materials and information on their mobile devices.
• July: The Open Knowledge Foundation launches the School of Data, a free online course that teaches data skills to journalists, civil society organizations, and others.
• August: The Khan Academy announces a partnership with the College Board to provide free SAT test prep resources.
• August: The Wikimedia Foundation announces the launch of its Education Program, which encourages educators to incorporate Wikipedia into their curriculum.
• September: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announces the launch of its Next Generation Learning Challenges program, which funds educational technology projects.
• September: The Open Education Europa portal launches, providing a central hub for open educational resources and online courses in Europe.
• October: The California State University system announces the launch of Cal State Online, a platform that offers online courses and degree programs.
• October: The Stanford University School of Engineering announces the launch of three new online courses through its Stanford Online platform.
• November: Adobe announces the launch of Adobe Creative Cloud for Education, which provides cloud-based access to its suite of creative software tools.
• November: The Mozilla Foundation announces the launch of the Open Badges Infrastructure, a system for recognizing and displaying digital badges earned through online learning.
• December: The Open Education Consortium announces the launch of its Open Education Global conference, which brings together leaders in open education from around the world.
• December: The University of Oxford announces the launch of OxfordX, a new online learning initiative that offers free courses to anyone with an internet connection.

2013:

• January: Khan Academy launches “LearnStorm,” a free online program to help teachers promote a growth mindset in their students.
• February: Carnegie Mellon University introduces the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) 2.0, an open-source platform for creating online courses that use learning science to improve student outcomes.
• March: Edmodo, a social learning platform for teachers and students, reaches 25 million users worldwide.
• April: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards $20 million to seven new research projects aimed at improving teaching and learning in K-12 education through technology.
• May: Pearson announces the acquisition of EmbanetCompass, a leading provider of online learning services to colleges and universities.
• June: Coursera, a leading provider of massive open online courses (MOOCs), partners with 10 public university systems to expand access to online courses for students across the United States.
• July: EdTechXGlobal, a global education technology conference, is held in London and brings together leaders from the education and technology sectors.
• August: Google launches Google Classroom, a free web service for schools that aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way.
• September: Udacity, another leading provider of MOOCs, launches a new program called “Nanodegrees” that offers online courses and projects designed to help students acquire specific job skills.
• October: The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) releases the third edition of its National Educational Technology Standards for students, teachers, and administrators.
• November: The Khan Academy partners with the College Board to offer free online resources to help students prepare for the redesigned SAT exam.
• December: The US Department of Education announces the creation of a new office, the Office of Educational Technology, to support the integration of technology in education and promote personalized learning for all students.

2014:

• January: Launch of Edmodo Snapshot, a new tool that helps teachers quickly assess their students’ progress and understanding using multiple choice questions.
• February: Release of Apple’s iOS 7.1 operating system, which includes new features and enhancements for iPads and iPhones used in education, such as improved mobile device management and app deployment capabilities.
• March: Introduction of Google Classroom, a free platform that allows teachers to create and manage online classrooms, assign and grade assignments, and communicate with students.
• April: Launch of the Mozilla Webmaker app, which provides a range of tools for creating and sharing web content, such as websites, videos, and interactive projects.
• May: Introduction of the Open Badges 2.0 specification, an update to the open standard for digital badges that allows for more flexible and interoperable credentialing systems.
• June: Release of the Raspberry Pi Model B+, an updated version of the popular single-board computer that offers more GPIO pins, improved power management, and other enhancements.
• July: Introduction of the Coursera Learning Hubs program, which allows organizations and institutions to set up physical spaces for learners to access online courses and interact with peers and mentors.
• August: Launch of the Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook Creator, a tool that enables teachers to easily create and manage digital notebooks for their classes, including sections for assignments, notes, and collaboration.
• September: Introduction of the edX Open Learning XML (OLX) format, a new standard for representing course content and metadata that makes it easier to import and export educational materials across different platforms.
• October: Release of the Arduino Zero, a new microcontroller board that features a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0+ processor and supports native USB connectivity.
• November: Launch of the Khan Academy Talent Search, a contest that invites students to showcase their skills and creativity by submitting videos of themselves solving challenging problems.
• December: Introduction of the Code.org Teacher Dashboard, a tool that helps educators track student progress and provide personalized support for learners participating in coding activities.

2015:

• January: The Khan Academy launched their new online learning platform, which includes interactive exercises, assessments, and personalized learning tools.
• February: Google launched their Classroom app, which allows teachers to create and organize assignments, provide feedback to students, and communicate with their classes.
• March: The Raspberry Pi Foundation released the Raspberry Pi 2, a low-cost, credit-card sized computer that can be used for coding and programming projects in the classroom.
• April: Apple launched their Apple Watch, which includes several educational apps and tools for teachers and students.
• May: LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com, a leading online learning platform that offers courses in business, technology, and creative skills.
• June: The United Nations launched the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) Tech Task Force, which aims to leverage technology to improve access to education in developing countries.
• July: The Khan Academy launched their SAT test prep program, which includes personalized study plans, video lessons, and practice questions.
• August: The ed tech company, Edmodo, launched their Global Classroom initiative, which connects students and teachers from around the world to collaborate on projects and share ideas.
• September: The MOOC provider, Coursera, announced a new program called Coursera for Business, which offers online courses and training programs to corporate clients.
• October: Google launched their Expeditions app, which allows teachers to take their students on virtual reality field trips using Google Cardboard.
• November: The online learning platform, Udacity, announced a new program called the Nanodegree Plus, which includes career coaching and job placement services for graduates of their online courses.
• December: The coding education platform, Code.org, announced a partnership with Microsoft to provide coding curriculum and resources to schools around the world.

2016:

• January: Launch of Google Classroom, a learning management system (LMS) that helps teachers create and organize assignments, communicate with students, and track their progress.
• February: Launch of Tinkercad Classrooms, an online platform that allows teachers to create and manage student accounts for the popular 3D modeling tool.
• March: Introduction of Quizlet Live, a team-based learning game that helps students study and review material together.
• March: Launch of Formative, an online platform that allows teachers to create and distribute interactive assignments and quizzes.
• April: Release of Microsoft’s Learning Pathways, a customizable training solution for Microsoft Teams and Office 365.
• May: Introduction of Microsoft Teams, a collaborative platform for communication and file sharing in education.
• June: Introduction of Seesaw, a digital portfolio tool that allows students to document and share their learning with teachers and parents.
• July: The University of Texas at Austin launched the first ever Cybersecurity Boot Camp, a 24-week program designed to train individuals for careers in cybersecurity.
• August: Google introduced Google Classroom API, allowing developers to integrate their applications with the Google Classroom platform.
• August: The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) launched an online platform called Synapse, which aims to connect researchers and enable collaboration on research projects.
• September: Launch of Apple’s Swift Playgrounds, an iPad app that teaches kids how to code in Swift, a programming language used for iOS apps.
• September: Release of Remind, a messaging app for teachers to communicate with students and parents.
• October: LinkedIn launched LinkedIn Learning, an online education platform with over 9,000 courses taught by industry experts.
• October: IBM Watson Education announced the release of Watson Element, an education-specific platform that uses cognitive technologies to help teachers personalize learning for their students.
• November: Microsoft launched Microsoft Teams, a collaborative communication platform for classrooms.
• November: EdSurge launched a new tool called EdSurge Intelligence, which provides data on the education technology market.
• December: Duolingo, a language-learning platform, launched Duolingo for Schools, which allows teachers to track their students’ progress and assign customized lessons.
• December: Amazon Web Services announced the launch of AWS Educate, a program designed to provide students and educators with resources and tools to learn about cloud computing.

2017:

• January: Introduction of Amazon Inspire, an online platform for teachers to share and discover free educational resources.
• February: Microsoft introduced Intune for Education, a cloud-based device management system designed specifically for schools and educators to manage classroom devices and apps.
• February: Apple released a new iPad model, featuring a lower price point and improved performance, aimed at the education market.
• February: Coursera launched a new feature called “CourseMatch,” which uses machine learning algorithms to suggest the best courses for students based on their interests and prior coursework.
• March: Launch of Kahoot! Plus, a premium version of the popular quiz game platform that allows teachers to create custom quizzes and track student progress.
• April: Google announced several updates to its G Suite for Education, including new tools for teachers to manage and organize coursework and assignments, as well as a new grading tool.
• April: EdTech startup, Classcraft, raised $2.8 million in funding to expand its gamified learning platform, which uses game mechanics to motivate and engage students.
• April: IBM Watson Education announced a new partnership with Pearson to develop personalized learning tools using Watson’s artificial intelligence technology.
• May: Release of Google for Education’s VR Expeditions, a virtual reality tool that allows teachers to take students on immersive field trips.
• June: Launch of Code.org’s CS Discoveries, a curriculum for middle school students to learn computer science.
• July: Launch of Screencastify, a screen recording and video editing tool for teachers and students.
• August: Introduction of Nearpod VR, a virtual reality platform for educational content and field trips.
• September: Introduction of Google’s Applied Digital Skills, a curriculum that teaches digital literacy and career-ready skills to students.
• October: Amazon launched Amazon Inspire, a free online platform for teachers to share and access educational resources, including lesson plans and activities.
• October: Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop, a high-end laptop aimed at college students and educators, featuring a long battery life and a slim design.
• October: EdTech startup, Kahoot!, raised $17 million in funding to expand its game-based learning platform, which allows educators to create and share quizzes and interactive presentations.
• November: Release of LinkedIn Learning, an online learning platform that offers courses on a variety of topics, including business, technology, and creative skills.
• December: Release of CodeHS, a comprehensive coding education platform for high school students and teachers.

2018:

• January: Introduction of Microsoft Learning Tools, a suite of tools that uses artificial intelligence to improve reading and writing skills for students with learning difficulties.
• January: Launch of Minecraft Education, a version of the popular game designed for classroom use.
• February: Launch of Classcraft, a gamified classroom management platform that encourages student engagement and motivation.
• March: Microsoft announced the release of Microsoft Teams for Education, a collaborative platform designed specifically for use in classrooms and other educational settings.
• April: Release of Flipgrid, a video discussion platform that allows teachers and students to create and share short videos.
• April: Introduction of Listenwise, a platform that provides curated podcasts and listening exercises for students and teachers.
• May: Introduction of Wakelet, a content curation tool that allows teachers and students to organize and share online resources.
• June: The 2018 ISTE Conference was held in Chicago, Illinois. The conference featured a variety of workshops and sessions focused on technology in education, including discussions on virtual and augmented reality, personalized learning, and gamification.
• July: Launch of Adobe Spark for Education, a suite of creative tools for students to create and share digital content.
• August: Google announced the release of Google Classroom, a free web service for schools that allows teachers to create, distribute, and grade assignments in a paperless way.
• September: Release of Kami, a PDF annotation and collaboration tool for students and teachers.
• October: Release of Edpuzzle, a platform that allows teachers to create interactive video lessons and track student progress.
• November: The nonprofit Khan Academy launched Khan Academy Kids, an app designed to provide educational content for children ages 2-7. The app includes interactive activities, games, and books that cover a range of subjects, including math, reading, and social-emotional learning.
• December: Amazon announced the release of Amazon Inspire, a free online platform that allows teachers to search for and share educational resources, such as lesson plans and videos, with each other.

2019:

• January: Launch of Classcraft Quests, a tool that allows teachers to create and distribute interactive quests for students.
• February: Introduction of Google’s AI writing assistant, which uses machine learning to suggest grammar and phrasing improvements in student writing.
• March: Launch of Pear Deck for Google Slides, an add-on that allows teachers to create interactive presentations and quizzes for their students.
• April: Google announced new features for Google Classroom, including the ability to share individual assignments with specific students, schedule assignments ahead of time, and use rubrics to grade assignments.
• April: Microsoft introduced new tools for educators using Office 365, including a plagiarism checker and a tool that suggests accessible writing improvements.
• May: Release of Duolingo for Schools, a version of the popular language-learning app for classroom use.
• June: Introduction of Smart Sparrow’s Learning Design Studio, a platform that allows educators to design adaptive learning experiences.
• June: Introduction of Actively Learn, a platform that allows teachers to create and distribute interactive reading assignments.
• July: Apple released a new version of its operating system for iPads, which includes new features specifically designed for education, such as improved multitasking capabilities and new annotation tools.
• July: Coursera, the online education platform, announced a new subscription service called Coursera Plus, which gives users access to over 3,000 courses and specializations for a flat fee.
• August: Launch of Microsoft’s Minecraft: Education Edition, an educational version of the popular game that allows teachers to use Minecraft as a teaching tool.
• September: Amazon launched a new initiative called “Amazon Future Engineer,” which aims to provide more than 10 million students with access to computer science education opportunities.
• September: Google announced new tools for teachers, including “Originality Reports,” which check student work for plagiarism, and a new “Gradebook” feature that allows teachers to track student progress.
• October: Adobe released a new version of its Creative Cloud suite that includes new tools and features specifically designed for educators and students, such as “Assign to Group,” which allows teachers to assign projects to specific students or groups of students.
• October: Microsoft introduced new features for its Teams collaboration platform, including new assignment tools and the ability for teachers to create and grade quizzes within the platform.
• November: Release of Sphero Mini Activity Kit, a robotics kit that includes lessons and activities for students to learn coding and robotics.
• November: Release of GoGuardian Teacher, a classroom management and student monitoring tool.
• December: The edtech company Kahoot! announced a new feature called “Kahoot! Academy,” which provides educators with resources and tools to create and share high-quality educational content.
• December: Google announced a new initiative called “AI for Social Good,” which includes a series of educational resources and programs aimed at teaching people how to use artificial intelligence to solve social problems.

2020:

• January 9: The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 took place in Las Vegas, where many tech companies showcased their latest educational technology products.
• January 20: The world’s first AI-powered university opened in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science, engineering, and business.
• February 12: The Raspberry Pi Foundation released the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, which had improved processing power, making it suitable for use in educational settings.
• February 20: Google announced that its Google for Education products had reached 100 million users worldwide.
• March: Introduction of Zoom for Education, a version of the popular video conferencing tool designed for online learning.
• March: Launch of Loom for Education, a screen recording and video messaging tool for teachers and students.
• April: Launch of Google’s Teach From Home, a resource hub for educators to navigate the challenges of remote teaching.
• May: Introduction of Microsoft Lists, a tool for organizing information and tracking tasks in education.
• June: Release of Coursera for Campus, a platform that allows universities to provide online courses to their students.
• July: Introduction of Codecademy Pro for Teachers, a version of the popular coding education platform designed for classroom use.
• August 4: Microsoft announced that it would release a new version of its Windows 10 operating system called Windows 10X, which would be designed for use on dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo, which had been designed with education in mind.
• August 10: Apple announced that it would release a new version of its iPad, called the iPad (8th generation), which was designed for use in education and would feature improved processing power and support for the Apple Pencil.
• September: Release of Mote, a voice note and feedback tool for Google Classroom.
• October: Launch of Google Workspace for Education, a suite of productivity and collaboration tools designed for educators and students.
• November: Release of Epic, a digital library for kids that offers access to thousands of books, videos, and quizzes.
• December 14: Google announced that it would be launching a new tool called Assignments, which would help teachers create and grade assignments more easily and efficiently.
• December 15: Amazon announced that it would be launching a new tool called Alexa Answers, which would allow teachers and students to ask Alexa questions about a wide range of educational topics, such as math, science, and history.

2021:

• January: Introduction of Udemy for Business, an enterprise-level version of the popular online learning platform.
• February: Launch of Microsoft Mesh, a mixed-reality platform that allows people to collaborate and interact in virtual spaces.
• March: Launch of Kahoot! Academy, an online community for educators to share and access educational content.
• April: Release of Microsoft Viva Learning, a tool that allows employees to discover and access training content within Microsoft Teams.
• May: Introduction of Canva for Education, a platform that allows teachers and students to create and share graphics and presentations.
• June: Introduction of Microsoft Fluid Framework, a collaborative document editing and content creation platform for education.
• July: July 6: The online education platform Udemy raised $50 million in a funding round, which it planned to use to expand its course offerings and improve its user experience.
• July 12: Microsoft announced that it was launching a new version of its Whiteboard app, which would allow teachers and students to collaborate more easily and effectively in virtual and hybrid classrooms.
• August: Release of Quizizz Live, a multiplayer quiz game that helps students review and reinforce learning material.
• September: Launch of Apple’s iPadOS 15, which includes new features for remote learning such as improved multitasking and the ability to use Apple Pencil in more areas of the system.
• October: Release of Google Assignments, a tool for creating, reviewing, and grading student assignments within Google Classroom.
• November 2: The education technology company Coursera announced that it had acquired the online learning platform NovoEd, which offered collaborative and project-based learning experiences for students.
• November 11: The online education platform MasterClass raised $225 million in a funding round, which it planned to use to expand its course offerings and improve its user experience.
• December 7: The education technology company Kahoot! announced that it had acquired the language learning platform Drops, which offered interactive language courses for students.
• December 15: The online education platform edX announced that it had been acquired by 2U, an education technology company that provides online degree programs and professional development courses. The acquisition was expected to allow edX to expand its course offerings and reach more students around the world.

I am currently having this conversation in my school about how to get others to adopt a shared calendar system. However, we currently use many different platforms. Some users feel they have no need for an online calendar. Others feel they need it greatly, especially when trying to find a common meeting time. Often it means there are 20+ emails generated between only a few members of staff. Here are some thoughts about how to get everyone on board.

For successful implementation of shared calendars in a school, it’s important to:

1. Clearly communicate the benefits of using shared calendars, such as improved communication and organization.
2. Provide comprehensive training and support to ensure that all educators and administrators understand how to use the system effectively.
3. Encourage buy-in and participation by making the calendar system a requirement for all staff and teachers.
4. Foster a culture of collaboration by promoting the use of shared calendars for scheduling events and meetings.
5. Continuously monitor and assess usage and gather feedback from users to make improvements and ensure the system meets their needs.

By taking these steps, you can increase adoption and build a culture of shared calendar use in a school of any size.

Have you transitioned your school to an online system?

If so, how?