Every day, technology innovations transform the way people learn and how educators teach. In the last few years, the edtech field has attracted a lot of talented people, all with excellent knowledge bases and ideas. Though the edtech industry has been around for a few decades now, the last few years, in particular, have seen a surge in investment from both school districts and investors.
The education market is currently worth around $5 trillion globally, and it is forecasted that edtech investment alone will reach $252 billion by the year 2020. This growing investment into edtech start-ups has created some exciting changes in the world of education. Naturally, with increasing capital, the number of edtech companies, products, and thought leaders is also growing. In that spirit of change and innovation, we present the 3rd Annual Tech EdvocateAwards.
After 4 months of hard work, we’ve narrowed down the year’s top edtech companies, products, people and more. We solicited nominees from readers in June/July and held online voting from May 1, 2019 – July 31, 2019. The nominee’s performance during the online voting period was used to gauge their popularity, but in no way signaled that they would become a finalist or walk away with an award. The finalists and winners were ultimately selected by a panel comprised of two edtech thought leaders, two PreK-12 teachers, one college professor, two K-12 administrators, one college administrator and two PreK-12 parents. Here are our winners and finalists for 2019. Winners and finalists can access their award seals by clicking here.
Best Lesson Planning App or Tool
Winner: Nearpod
Finalists:
Curriculum Engine by Walch Mathematics
Best Assessment App or Tool
Winner: MobyMax
Finalists:
ATI’s Galileo K-12 Comprehensive Assessment System
Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready
Best Early Childhood Education App or Tool
Winner: Headsprout
Finalists:
KIBO – The STEAM Robot Kit for Children 4 – 7
Best Literacy App or Tool
Winner: Renaissance Accelerated Reader
Finalists:
Lexia Core5 Reading by Lexia Learning
Best Math App or Tool
Winner: Discovery Education Math Techbook
Finalists:
Best STEM/STEAM Education App or Tool
Winner: Edgenuity’s Next Generation Science Suite
Finalists:
Discovery Education STEM Connect
Boxlight’s Mimio MyBot Educational Robotic System
Britannica LaunchPacks: Science
Best Language Learning App or Tool
Winner: Lingvist
Finalists:
Best Virtual or Augmented Reality App or Tool
Winner: DiscoveryVR
Finalists:
Best Personalized/Adaptive Learning App or Tool
Winner: Lexia PowerUp Literacy by Lexia Learning
Finalists:
Best Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning App or Tool
Winner: MATHia with LiveLab
Finalists:
Best Coding App or Tool
Winner: CoderZ
Finalists:
Best Gamification App or Tool
Winner: MobyMax
Finalists:
Best Learning Management System
Winner: Otus
Finalists:
Best Blended/Flipped Learning App or Tool
Winner: Defined Learning
Finalists:
Best Assistive Technology App or Tool
Winner: PresenceLearning
Finalists:
Learning Ally Audiobook Solution
Best Parent-Teacher/School Communication App or Tool
Winner: SchoolBzz
Finalists:
Best Collaboration App or Tool
Winner: MindMeister
Finalists:
7000X interactive panel with convertible mobile stand (Clear Touch)
Best Tutoring/Test Prep App or Tool
Winner: FlinnPREP
Finalists:
Best Classroom/Behavior Management App or Tool
Winner: PBIS Rewards
Finalists:
Best Classroom Audio-Visual App or Tool
Winner: Boxlight’s MimioClarity
Finalists:
Promethean ActivPanel Elements Series
Best Higher Education Solution
Winner: TeamDynamix
Finalists:
Best Learning Analytics/Data Mining App or Tool
Winner: Edsby
Finalists:
Best Professional Development App or Tool
Winner: Renaissance-U
Finalists:
ADVANCEfeedback® from Insight ADVANCE
Best Student Information System (SIS) App or Tool
Winner: Campus Management CampusNexus Occupation Insight
Finalists:
Best Global EdTech Leader
Winner: Glynn Willett and Wade Willett, Co-Founders of MobyMax
Finalists:
Elliott Levine, Director of Education, Americas Region, HP Inc.
Best Global EdTech Company
Winner: MobyMax
Finalists:
Best Global EdTech Startup
Winner: Aperture Education
Finalists:
Best K-12 School Leader
Winner: Dr. Kandace Bethea, Superintendent, Marion County School District
Finalists:
Shawn Wigg, Director of Mathematics, Duval County Public Schools
Best Higher Education Leader
Winner: Dr. Rhonda Spells-Fentry
Finalists:
Jim Milton, CEO of Campus Management
Best School District Technology Coordinator/Director
Winner: Victor Valdez, Chief Technology Officer for the Pflugerville Independent School District
Finalists:
Patricia Romero, Head of Technology, AIM Preparatory School
Dan Hull, Digital Learning Facilitator for Phoenix Union High School District
Best K-12 Teacher
Winner: Crystal Avila, Socorro High School, El Paso Texas
Finalists:
Cathy Haskett Morrison, Peel District School Board, Canada
Best College/University Professor
Winner: David J. Malan, Harvard University
Finalists:
Nicole Kraft, Ohio State University
Best EdTech PR Firm
Winner: Pando Public Relations
Finalists:
Conclusion
As you can see, there is no shortage of award winners in edtech. With these innovative edtech companies, products and people in mind, it becomes clear that the landscape of education is vast and technology is carving a new path for present and future educators. Well, that does it for the 3rd Annual Tech Edvocate Awards. We will be back, bigger and better in 2020.