innovation

Jun 28, 2021

The Fayetteville Observer: Elon Musk’s Starlink Service Helps Wrestlers, School kids with High-Speed Internet at Home

The Friday Institute is testing Starlink, plus two new ground-based wireless technologies, in remote parts of North Carolina to help school children who need internet access for school. 

Jun 16, 2021

EdNC: Perspective | Quality Remote Learning, Without the Internet?

Friday Institute Research Associate Marie Himes shares the background behind the creation of the Classroom Connection program and three ways its programming and extension activities can be used to review and extend literacy and mathematics learning this summer. 

May 12, 2021

Education Week: How the Pandemic Prompted Teachers to Give Students More Flexibility, Choice (in Charts)

Friday Institute Research Scholar Patricia Hilliard, Ph.D., discusses instructional changes in American schools over the past year and how educators can build off of the successes that have emerged from a year of mostly online and hybrid instruction. 

Apr 26, 2021

Friday Institute Forges a Path in Online Professional Learning

Nine years ago, the Friday Institute launched an initiative focused on meeting the growing needs of schools and equipping educators with research-based professional development. Since then, online professional learning at the Friday Institute has served more than 76,000 educators in 50 states and more than 160 countries. 

Apr 21, 2021

TIME’s 2020 Top Young Innovator, Gitanjali Rao, Shares 4 Tips for Making STEM Fun

TIME’s 2020 Top Young Innovator, Gitanjali Rao, shares four tips for educators during our Next Generation Education webinar on how to make science more approachable and relevant for students. 

Apr 1, 2021

Unique Problems, Unique Solutions for Broadband Access in Eastern N.C.

Ray Zeisz, director of the Technology Infrastructure Lab at the Friday Institute, talks about broadband access for students in rural Eastern North Carolina and his work with Hyde County Schools to pilot a program of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service to improve access. 

Mar 4, 2021

New Satellite Internet Pilot Program to Connect Students in Two N.C. Counties

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology Broadband Infrastructure Office and the Friday Institute are leading a CARES Act-funded program that will assist two North Carolina school districts with implementing the “Satellite Internet Technologies for Student Connectivity Pilot,” which will allow students to access Space Exploration Technologies Corporation’s (SpaceX) Starlink internet service. 

Feb 12, 2021

A Deep Dive Into the Advanced Teaching Roles Program

On Feb. 2, the Friday Institute hosted a webinar featuring leaders from districts piloting the Advanced Teaching Roles program discussing the value of the program and recommendations for those interested in implementing it in their districts. 

Feb 3, 2021

Behind the Scenes of North Carolina’s At-Home Learning Initiative

The Friday Institute facilitated the creation and implementation of 192 literacy and math lessons for PreK-5 students as part of the At-Home Learning initiative for remote education in partnership with NCDPI and PBS North Carolina (PBS NC). Most of these lessons will air this year on PBS NC. 

Jan 14, 2021

Forever Changed: Education Predictions for 2021

Director of Technology Programs Mark Samberg shares his predictions for ed tech in 2021 in this THE Journal story.