A new public edtech company; The race between vaccines and new variants

Plus: A simple solution to making online classes engaging

No. 521 | 02/03/21 | Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by Never underestimate the power of a book. For Jeff Bezos, it was the entry point for what would become a digital empire spanning e-commerce, media, logistics and cloud computing.   Yesterday, Bezos announced plans to step down as CEO of Amazon in the third quarter of this year. Taking over will be Andy Jassy, currently head of the Amazon Web Services division. Bezos will still be involved as executive chairman of the company's board, so "don't expect Bezos to step back from Amazon when it comes to anything strategically important," reports Axios.   In his email to staff, Bezos says he's turning his focus to other moonshot projects—some literally—in environment, space travel, The Washington Post newspaper and education. (The last of those may not be so far-fetched.)    "If you get it right, a few years after a surprising invention, the new thing has become normal," he wrote. "People yawn. And that yawn is the greatest compliment an inventor can receive." 😴  📰 THE HEADLINES NARROWED, BUT NOT CLOSED: Thanks to efforts to connect K-12 students to the internet after schools closed last March, the number of U.S. students impacted by the digital divide has shrunk, from 16 million to 12 million today, according to a recent study. But that's hardly a reason to take the foot off the gas. In fact, researchers find, at least three-quarters of those connectivity solutions are temporary. BORED AVATARS: Students learn from facial cues, and studies have shown that a positive, upbeat lecturer is more effective than a monotone one. But what happens when the instructor is a computer animation? That's the focus of a study to see how students react to real and simulated emotions. Here's what researchers are finding. SECOND SCREEN: Keeping dozens of students engaged in an online class is challenging. One simple solution? Two screens. One nonprofit is raising funds to buy and send monitors to teachers to help them maintain social interactions while staying on top of everything else. Almost 22,000 monitors have been shipped; another 180,000 are on a waitlist. 💰 KA'CHING! BEING NERDY PAYS OFF, and soon there will be another education technology company on the public market. Nerdy, the parent company of Varsity Tutors, an online tutoring platform, will be acquired by TPG Pace Tech Opportunities, a special purpose acquisition company in a deal that will value the company at $1.7 billion. Other Deals: ELSA, a language-learning app developer based in San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City, has raised $15 million in a Series B round led by Vietnam Investments Group and SIG. Other investors include Gradient Ventures, SOSV and David Evans, the guitarist for U2 known as "The Edge." MPOWER Financing, a Washington, D.C.-based provider of a financial platform and loan service for college students, has raised $25 million from Tilden Park Capital Management LP. Verge Learning, a San Jose developer of a marketplace of special educational tools, has acquired XceptionalED, a professional development platform of online courses to support disability-focused educators, parents and professionals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Wize, a Vancouver, B.C.-based provider of online video lessons, has raised $3 million from undisclosed investors.   The following is a message from our sponsor The #1 remote teaching and coaching platform! DaDesktop is a simple to use all in one remote teaching and coaching platform at an unbeatable price. Talk/text/video/slideshare all in one. Unlimited breakout rooms, unlimited multi-screen, unlimited document storage. Plus so much more. The most trusted  remote teaching platform. The future of remote is here!    30 day free trial no credit card needed!    🎧 ON THE PODCAST RACING BACK TO SCHOOL: It's a race between vaccine distribution and new COVID variants becoming the dominant strain. But there's still a good chance of safely resuming in-person learning this spring, says Asaf Bitton, a physician, health researcher and executive director of Ariadne Labs. On the podcast, we take a look at current vaccination efforts, what we know about the new strains, and how these factors will shape school reopening this year. 💬 TALK OF THE TOWN WORKING AT THE GAP: Facing existential pressures from declining enrollment, colleges are pivoting to focus on delivering better employment outcomes for students. Meanwhile, employers want experience, but no one wants to be the first to provide it to freshly minted graduates. Can they work together to bridge the gap? Vera Song, an associate at Achieve Partners, proposes "last mile training" as a way forward. RE-CODING BIAS: 2020 shed more visibility on how racism, sexism and other -isms permeate technology. At the root of these problems is human bias, argue Ariam Mogos and Laura McBain of the Stanford d.school. One solution is to beef up computer science education and put more focus on combating implicit bias. Equitable tech is possible, but it may require a rethink of how we teach tech. 🗨️ JOIN THE CONVERSATION   Tools of the trade: Educators use edtech tools daily, but how much of a say do they have in their development? Register for this webinar for a conversation with teachers, technologists and educators-turned-edtech founders to learn how educators can and do influence the design and development of today's tech tools. Events horizon: ISTE, the parent organization of EdSurge, is moving its annual conference online, June 26-30, 2021. Other events are changing plans as well. See the latest updates in our tracker of U.S. education industry events. 🏃 MOVERS & SHAKERS   Michael DeVincent is vice president of sales at GetSetup, a San Francisco-based provider of online classes for older adults. Dr. Searetha Smith-Collins has been appointed chief academic officer of 7 Mindsets, a Roswell, Ga.-based provider of online social-emotional learning programs. 👀 ALSO ON OUR RADAR   Study app developer Quizlet is partnering with TikTok to let video creators link to study materials in their clips. A look at how Chegg, a $12-billion company, is "getting rich off students cheating their way through COVID." (Forbes) Sponsored by Drexel A Modern Degree for the Modern Learning Environment  Drexel University's online MS in Learning Technologies focuses on key tenets of education technology and design to prepare you for careers in a variety of settings. Taught by Drexel's renowned faculty, this degree is ideal for those interested in game-based learning, instructional design and technology leadership. Learn more. Looking for a job in edtech? You've come to the right place. EdSurge has the leading edtech jobs board in the industry with openings from schools, nonprofits and companies. Post a job | See all jobs   District Partnerships | Goalbook | Multiple Goalbook is hiring for District Partnerships across the country to fuel our growth.  You'll lead efforts to bring Goalbook into school districts and work closely with instructional leaders.   Facilitator at Synthesis | Synthesis School | Remote We're looking for exceptional facilitators to join our team. Classroom experience is great, but not required. We are looking for smart, adaptive generalists who are passionate about what we're doing. We're hiring for part-time at $100/hour.   Regional Sales Director | ParentSquare | Remote We are seeking a Regional Sales Director with sales in their DNA and a rolodex of potential leads throughout the key regions of Southern California and Texas   Performance Marketing Manager | Brightwheel | Remote Brightwheel is seeking a data-driven, results-oriented performance marketer who will own paid advertising channel strategy & execution. The ideal candidate will have deep channel expertise, enjoy diving into data, and work cross-functionally.   Product Manager | VisionPoint Marketing | Raleigh, NC or Remote VisionPoint is seeking an experienced Product Manager to ideate, develop, and roll-out software products. We're looking for someone with the ability to strategize the full lifecycle of software product production from conception through release.   Data Analyst | ReUp Education | Remote ReUp Education is looking for a Data Analyst to help us better understand the students we work with and how we can best support and serve their re-entry to college.   Events Post an event   •   See all events and meetups   Covid-19 Challenges and Opportunities in K-12 Education | Feb 11 • Online • Free Join us for a two-day webinar on the impacts of Covid-19 on K-12 education. Featuring Sal Khan, RIDE Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green, NYC Chancellor Richard Carranza, CPS CEO Janice Jackson, BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius and many more!   A New Way Forward: Virtual Event Series | May 4-25  • Online • $51 to $250  This virtual series brings together child care professionals to discuss research, policy & practices related to the ECE community in this mid-pandemic world. Join us every Tuesday in May from 11-2 EST to discuss the future of child care. THANKS FOR READING   ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you've got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. ➔ Event planners: Feature your in-person or virtual event on our calendar & newsletters. EdSurge covers and connects the people, ideas and technologies that shape the future of learning. We are an independent news and research initiative of the International Society for Technology in Education. International Society for Technology in Education, 621 SW Morrison Street, Suite 800, Portland, Oregon 97205, USA, 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 503.342.2848 (Int'l) Unsubscribe Manage preferences