The Geek The Ory

Office 2016  may still be getting the finish touches in Redmond, but Microsoft is opening up its productivity suite for public preview. If you'll recall, some apps were included in previous releases  of the  Windows 10 Technical Preview  and made available for both IT folks and devs. As of today, though, regular folks can get an early look and offer feedback on all the new stuff -- including those redesigned  universal apps . This means that you'll gain access to OneDrive attachments in Outlook, real-time co-authoring and retooled applications that learn how you work to lend a hand. Specifically in Excel, there are updated charts and graphs alongside one-click forecasting and more data analyzing tools. Looking to take it for a spin before the official release this fall? Even if you're not an Office 365 subscriber, you can nab a trial version  right here .

As districts and schools try to find the best way to implement Common Core State Standards in the classroom, early research shows that they are better off when teachers hold the reigns. Researchers at Center for American Progress have begun the process of assessing schools that give "teachers formal leadership roles in the transition to the new college and career standards. As detailed in a new report, these school districts recognized from the start that teachers would be integral to the success of the common core standards, and treated teachers as true partners in implementation," according to US News. They found that when school districts enabled teachers to control Common Core instruction from early on, it created trust between teachers and administrators, made it more likely for teachers to "buy-in" and support the instruction, and overall gave teachers confidence to implement the standards thanks to the engagement. "Based on interviews with teac...

MyScript Calculator - Handwriting calculator What does it promise? T he MyScript Calculator app promises a very intelligent interface that recognizes equations written by the user and gives them the answer instantly. It allows you to easily edit and scratch out scripts that you need to replace. It promises an innovative way to solve math problems without having to punch equations into calculators. Does it deliver?  This app delivers with flying colors. It can be used by children ages four and up because of how easy it is to write using the simple interface. For younger children, they will be able to appreciate the fact that they can use their hands to write the equation and see the answer magically appear in front of their eyes. It's an app that will save students a lot of time but where it fails is in teaching students how to actually solve equations. It does all the work for you and that’s fine but when it comes to an app that teaches, this one falls a little short. F...

Measured Progress, a not-for-profit organization responsible for creating standard based assessments, open up about their latest challenges with the online assessment delivery platform provided by Smarter Balanced and developed by a Smarter Balanced vendor. Measured Progress  is known for connecting the K-12 educational community with innovative and flexible assessment solutions. Their major goal according to the most recent release is to accurately test the students learning period making it easier for teachers to pinpoint the areas that need extra attention. Martin Borg, president and CEO of Measured Progress, gave a statement on the Smarter Balanced platforms that have run in to a few challenges, however, Borg says that Measured Progress is working on fixing the bugs and accessing woes upon the platforms launch. “Measured Progress has a long history of successfully deploying online assessment,” said Borg in a statement for Measured Prog...