Each year, thousands of teachers, administrators, ed tech leaders, and thought leaders gather for the NYSCATE Annual Conference. At the conference, attendees have an opportunity to listen to special guests speak on where educational technology is going and what to expect in the future. This year, in lieu of a traditional conference, NYSCATE 2020 will be going virtual!

“STEM can be affordable. STEM can be easy-to-implement. You just need to know where to go and what to do.” – Braydon Moreno, co-founder of Robo 3D

At this point of the year, many educators have grown comfortable with managing ed tech tools for in-class, remote, or hybrid teaching. But there is still quite a learning curve for those not altogether comfortable with ed tech and the virtual classroom — both teacher and student. With this in mind, Boxlight-EOS has designed the Platform Essentials (PE) Course for teachers and students to get acquainted with all that Chromebooks and G Suite, or Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 have to offer. Each course includes seven ready-to-use materials and resources that engage the learner, help them apply necessary skills for distance teaching and learning success, and build the confidence needed to use these tech platforms.

In response to the growing need for incorporating quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) instruction while distance learning, MyStemKits, a division of MimioSTEM, has created Virtual STEM Kits. These 10 kits are designed to work with MyStemKits standards-driven lessons to continue important STEM learning regardless of the learning environment.

Boxlight ProColor Series 3 display supports OTA firmware updates. This functionality requires that the built-in Android OS on the display is connected to a live internet connection. OTA firmware updates are helpful in keeping the panel up to date with the latest apps versions and bug fixes available. By using the OTA method versus a manual method, file settings are retained.

On October 7, 2020, Boxlight UK and EMEA held its first virtual event for Partners. The event began with Boxlight CEO Michael Pope and Sahara CEO Mark Starkey sharing the combined mission and vision for the company. The acquisition of Sahara Presentation Systems PLC will greatly strengthen the presence in the technology solutions markets globally. Michael and Mark helped set the tone for the rest of this inaugural event, reinforcing that Boxlight is in a powerful position to become the leader in education technology worldwide.

Moving forward, activation of Mimio products will be different. For Boxlight hardware such as our Interactive Displays and MimioFrame, a user will be provided a license key. This will allow them to activate additional software now included with each new panel and display.

On August 20, 2020, we held our first Boxlight Virtual Event for Partners. The event began with CEO Michael Pope sharing a short video of the successful and supportive relationship we have with Clayton County Public Schools. If you haven’t already done so, listen to a podcast with both April Mayo, Director of Instructional Technology with CCPS, and Dr. Alex Leis, CEO of Boxlight-EOS: Clayton County Schools GA – The Return to School and the Use of High Tech Professional Development. This was followed by a brief discussion of the state of education and our mission in the global smart education and learning market, as well as Boxlight financial and product highlights.

Boxlight-EOS understands the value of using teaching and learning technology so that it works for everyone in the classroom. The EOS Educator Essentials Professional Development Package helps teachers make the most of their technology to deliver meaningful live lessons no matter the student’s location — in-class, remote, or hybrid. As we see more and more schools switch to remote or hybrid learning this school year, we want to help teachers meet the challenges of providing quality instruction whatever the classroom environment.