May 29, 2024 8:39 am

Two Imagine Language & Literacy® Studies Receive Evidence for ESSA Promising Rating; Program Celebrates 20 Years of Helping Students Strengthen Literacy Skills

Imagine Language & Literacy Celebrates 20 Years of Impact on Student Literacy Skills and Receives Evidence for ESSA Rating for Two New Studies

Tempe, Arizona – May 29, 2024 – Two research studies from Imagine Learning received Promising ratings from Evidence for ESSA for measuring the impact of Imagine Language & Literacy, the flagship supplemental literacy program, as it celebrates 20 years of accelerating the development of literacy skills for students. These studies add to the extensive body of research showing the impact of using Imagine Language & Literacy on student literacy outcomes.

Evidence for ESSA evaluated two studies measuring the effectiveness of Imagine Language & Literacy to improve English language proficiency for English language learners (ELL). The first study took place during the 2022–2023 school year in a large Louisiana school district. The academic performance of more than 1,000 students in first through fifth grade was measured by Louisiana’s English Language Proficiency Test. Overall, the performance of Imagine Language & Literacy students was significantly higher than the control group.

The second study, also conducted during the 2022–2023 school year, assessed literacy proficiency outcomes for more than 2,500 Florida students in first through fifth grade, using the WIDA ACCESS assessment and more than 1,500 students in grades four and five using the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST). Students who used Imagine Language & Literacy demonstrated significantly greater growth than academically and demographically similar non-users on both the WIDA ACCESS and the FAST assessment. The significant results in both studies qualify for the ESSA Promising category and demonstrate the impact of Imagine Language & Literacy on student learning outcomes.

“This recognition from Evidence for ESSA is especially meaningful as we celebrate 20 years of Imagine Language & Literacy helping students gain proficiency in language and literacy skills,” shared Sarah Anderson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Supplemental Programs at Imagine Learning. “The program was built with leading experts on reading science well before the science of reading was a focus of discussion in education. Additionally, we know student engagement is key to student learning, so the rich content was developed on a video gaming platform. Now, 20 years later, we continue to engage students in learning as we lead the market with our depth and breadth of content.”

Coinciding with the achievement of receiving Evidence for ESSA Promising ratings, Imagine Learning is commemorating the 20th anniversary of Imagine Language & Literacy by adding new content and characters to the program and redesigning many favorite activities that students loved over the past two decades. In addition, three classrooms from across the US were chosen as winners of the Imagine Language & Literacy 20th Anniversary Classroom Makeover Contest, earning a classroom makeover by completing the recommended 20+ hours a week on the digital literacy program throughout the 2023–2024 school year. Watch the EC Mason Elementary classroom makeover celebration.

Learn more about Imagine Language & Literacy here and read favorite student success stories from long-time Imagine Learning employees here.

About Imagine Learning

Every classroom, every student is bursting with potential. That’s why we pursue relentless innovation at the intersection of technology, people, and curricula. Imagine Learning creates K–12 digital-first solutions, working alongside educators to support 15 million students in over half of the districts nationwide. Imagine Learning. Empower potential. Learn more: imaginelearning.com.

May 28, 2024 4:58 am

Open Any Door with Creativity

In our final blog post on the 4Cs, we unpack how STEM learning fosters creativity. Discover how innovative thinking drives scientific breakthroughs and engineering solutions, proving that creativity isn’t just for the arts — it’s essential for progress in every field.

Ever thought that studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is only useful for students considering careers in science or tech? If so, then you wouldn’t be alone — but it’s time to change that perspective.

The truth is, workplaces are changing fast, and some traditional skills are becoming less relevant today. Growing digitalization of roles, AI technologies, and new communication methods demand a totally different set of skills fit for the modern workplace (Thornhill Miller et al., 2023).

This is where STEM subjects come into play. By studying STEM at schools, students pick up the soft skills that are exactly what employers look for today. Not only do these soft skills make the transition from education to the workplace smoother, they also open the door to any career — whether that’s a STEM-related role or not. These soft skills are commonly referred to as 21st-century skills, or the 4Cs: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

Gif of 4Cs of STEM, zooming into the STEM skill: Collaboration

Creativity: The Last C Unveiled

Creativity in STEM

When you imagine a “creative” person, who do you see? An artist, actor, or a musician, maybe? Likely a scientist or a mathematician wouldn’t be the first to spring to mind — but they should. It’s a common myth that the arts are creative disciplines and STEM subjects are not. But this must be challenged because such a mindset creates a false picture of what it means to work in STEM — and the skills students stand to gain when engaging with STEM subjects. The fact is, STEM is inherently creative. Think about it — every scientific discovery, every engineering solution, was born from innovative thinking and creativity. The Wright brothers didn’t happen upon the first airplane — their breakthrough was a product of some serious out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem-solving.

Why Creativity is a Key Skill

Creativity has long been included as a core competency on job adverts across every field. It’s clear why — what job doesn’t require some level of creative thinking? And looking forward to the future, it’s unlikely that this is going to change.

By 2030, it’s estimated that up to 800 million jobs will be displaced by automation and artificial intelligence (AI). In such a rapidly changing job market, creativity will be crucial for adapting to new roles and driving progress in fields that machines cannot easily replicate.

“Sometimes those things don’t always work out, but it’s still enjoyable to go through it because at the end you’re going to come out with something that you never thought you would.”

Noby Leong

Chemist

Fostering the Next Generation of Creative Thinkers

Here are just some ways STEM can help foster the next generation of creative thinkers:

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Through STEM exploration, students tackle complex, real-world problems that require innovative solutions — they develop and test hypotheses, analyze data, refine their ideas, all while working within specific constraints. It’s a process that requires immense creative thinking.
Hands-On Learning: By engaging in practical tasks — such as science investigations and engineering challenges — students apply their creative thinking. They learn through trial and error and explore multiple solutions, and in doing so, they enhance their ability to bring creative ideas to life.
Collaborative Learning Projects: We’ve already delved into how STEM fosters collaboration — but did you know that collaboration also fosters creativity? When working together to solve problems, students bounce ideas off one another, leverage each other’s strengths, and create innovative solutions that they may not have found alone.

Imagine Learning STEM

Prepare the next generation of STEM leaders with digital and hands-on learning aligned to the 4Cs.

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May 23, 2024 9:00 am

Imagine Learning Wins Two 2024 SIIA CODiE Awards

Imagine Math® and Twig® Science Earn Prestigious Industry Recognition

Tempe, Arizona – May 22, 2024 – Imagine Learning, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the U.S., won two 2024 SIIA CODiE Awards for Imagine Math and Twig Science.The prestigious CODiE Awards recognize the companies producing the most innovative education technology products across the country and around the world.

“This achievement is made possible by our outstanding development teams dedicated to creating high-quality educational solutions. We also share this honor with our invaluable school partners who play an essential role in our mission to empower learners and teachers. Together, we celebrate this recognition as evidence of our continued collaboration and innovation” shared Sari Factor, Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer for Imagine Learning. “Both Imagine Math and Twig Science have undergone rigorous evaluation and consistently demonstrated significant improvements in student outcomes. Our commitment to evidence-based practices ensures that our solutions not only meet but exceed educational standards, providing measurable benefits for students and educators.”

Imagine Learning 2024 SIIA CODiE Award Winners:

Imagine Math — Winner: Best PK/Early Childhood Learning Solution

Imagine Math combines a rich curriculum with fun, adaptive, digital learning to help students gain confidence as they master grade-level learning. This dynamic solution provides age-appropriate and engaging learning environments ideal as a practice and enrichment supplement to standards-based instruction. For grades PreK–Geometry.

Twig Science — Winner: Best Science Instructional Solution for Grades PK–8

Twig Science provides comprehensive coverage of science standards through engaging hands-on and digital investigations where Pre-K–8 students take on the roles of real-world scientists and engineers. Written to the Next Generation Science Standards, it challenges all students to become creative problem solvers, making sense of real-world phenomena.

“The winners of the 2024 Education Technology CODiE Awards represent the pinnacle of creativity and excellence in providing products and services that connect diverse learners with educational resources and instructors. We are thrilled to honor this year’s recipients — the elite in their field — who offer solutions to crucial challenges in education today. Heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s CODiE Award victors!” says Chris Mohr, President of the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA).

SIIA announced the 2024 CODiE winners during a virtual ceremony awarding products and services deployed specifically for education and learning professionals. The SIIA CODiE Award process involves rigorous reviews by expert judges, including educators and administrators, whose evaluations determine the finalists. SIIA members then vote on the finalists, and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners.

About the SIIA CODiE Awards

Since 1986, thousands of products, services, and solutions have been recognized for achieving excellence. The CODiEs are different from other tech awards: it is not a participation award; it is earned. SIIA’s unique Expert Review process provides tremendous value for each nominee. Each nomination receives a detailed review, pursuant to category-specific criteria, by two expert judges with a live demo that provides real-time Q&A and comments during the first round. Finalists’ products receive a second round and peer review by industry leaders. Even nominees that don’t win get valuable feedback on possible areas of product improvement. For more information, visit siia.net/CODiE.

About Imagine Learning

Every classroom, every student is bursting with potential. That’s why we pursue relentless innovation at the intersection of technology, people, and curricula. Imagine Learning creates K–12 digital-first solutions fueled by insights from educators, working alongside educators to support 15 million students in over half of the districts nationwide. Imagine Learning. Empower potential. Learn more: https://www.imaginelearning.com.

Imagine Edgenuity Academic Integrity Update: Now Blocking User Scripts

May 2024

Academic integrity update in Imagine Edgenuity

Imagine Edgenuity is now taking proactive steps to block user scripts. When a script is detected, students are automatically logged out and the action is noted in the Recent Actions Log as “UserScript Detected — Logged Out.”

This change also blocks any browser extensions that write to our system. Students with blocked browser extensions must uninstall them to continue using the program. If you have a student who uses a necessary extension that is being blocked, please contact our support team so we can enable that extension for your student.

Imagine EdgeEX Assessment Updates: Untimed, Reduce Number of Questions

May 2024

New assessment customization options in Imagine EdgeEX

Educators can now give untimed assessments and reduce the number of questions in assessments. These settings are accessible from the student profile and apply to all Imagine EdgeEX courses.

New Imagine Math and Imagine Math Facts Reset Procedures for Back-to-School 2024

May 2024

Improved Reset Procedures for Back-to-School 2024

The Imagine Math and Imagine Math Facts teams have improved the reset process for Back-to-School 2024:

Educators can now view the date their products will reset for the new school year
District administrators can change the assigned date to a preferred date

For more details, visit this Help Center article.

Printable Vocabulary Word Lists for Imagine Math

May 2024

Practice key math vocabulary terms with new printable word lists

Based on educator feedback, Imagine Math has added printable vocabulary word lists. With these printable lists for grades 3+, students will be able to practice key math vocabulary terms using the word, its definition, and an explanatory image. Educators can find the printable word lists for grades 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12 in Teacher Resources under “Vocabulary Lists.”

Take a look at this Help Center article for additional details.

Enhancements to “I Can” Statements Color-Coding in Twig Science Elementary

May 2024

Enhancements to “I Can” Statements Color-Coding in Twig Science Elementary

The “I Can” statements in Twig Science Elementary have now been color-coded in the digital platform to match the color coding in the print books. “I Can” statements appear at the top of every Full and Fast Track lesson in the student digital experience in both English and Spanish.

This enhancement helps students (and teachers) identify their “I Can” statements easily between their print and digital resources.

Printable Lesson Instructions Now Available in Twig Science Elementary

May 2024

Printable Lesson Instructions Now Available in Twig Science Elementary

Educators can now print the lesson instructions for the Full Course, Fast Track, and Leveled Reader lessons in Twig Science Elementary.

May 22, 2024 6:00 am

How to Reimagine Summer School for Holistic Recovery

Published by: District Administration

To address learning gaps and support holistic educational recovery, school districts can reimagine summer school programs by leveraging remaining ESSER funds to design personalized learning experiences, integrating mental health and SEL support, utilizing adaptive learning technologies, providing professional development for teachers, and engaging families.

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