Alexandria, Va. (September 28, 2012) – The National School Boards Association (NSBA), with more than 25 years experience through its Technology Leadership Network (TLN), is pleased to announce the establishment of a Technology Innovation Showcase. Small companies with new solutions are emerging yet few of the nation’s 90,000 board members and their school districts are aware of those innovations according to Ann Flynn, NSBA’s Director of Education Technology and State Association Services.
NSBA’s Technology Innovation Showcase is designed to offer a sampling of innovative solutions across the curriculum, administrative operations, and communication channels as a way to acquaint board members with the developments that are underway. Six companies will be selected for the 2012-13 TLN Technology Innovation Showcase program to reflect a diversity of product offerings. They will be featured by NSBA in an exclusive Innovation Showcase Pavilion and Showcase session during the NSBA Annual Conference in San Diego, April 13-15, 2013. In addition, the Showcase companies will be featured in American School Board Journal (ASBJ), NSBA’s magazine for school leaders, and highlighted through webinars and white papers designed for districts active in NSBA’s Technology Leadership Network.
“Through the Showcase approach, NSBA hopes to build awareness about new approaches by serving as a bridge between the entrepreneurial community and the nation’s decision-makers. The Showcase also offers an opportunity to shift the technology conversation to what these innovations enable rather than dwelling on the technical aspects,” said Ann Flynn. The deadline to be considered for the 2012-13 Showcase is November 15th. For details, visit www.nsba.org/tln.
Entrepreneurial interest in the education market is being fueled, in part, by the common core standards and assessments, the shift from print to digital content, new requirements for teacher evaluation, and dropping price points and a relaxing of rules for the use of personal devices. Many start-ups can now use alternative marketing strategies, delivery methods, and professional development options to get their products in the hands of the fragmented education market. The combination of old business barriers disappearing at the same time districts are exploring flipping, blending and personalizing learning to improve achievement and stretch their limited resources, provides a great entrée for new players, and a chance for long-term success for those whose products deliver results.
School board members, elected by their local communities, represent a cross-section of the general public, many who often have had little exposure to emerging technologies that can potentially impact learning. Board members are charged with creating the vision for learning in their districts in collaboration with the superintendent and other community stakeholders. Ultimately, they must align the resources to ensure the district staff have the essential tools to execute the vision and meet the goals that have been agreed upon.
The Technology Leadership Network (TLN), launched in 1985 by NSBA and its state school boards associations, helps advance the wise use of technology in K-12 education to support learning, operations, and communications.
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Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a not-for-profit organization representing state associations of school boards and their more than 90,000 local school board members throughout the U.S. Working with and through our state associations, NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership. www.nsba.org.