technology

May 22, 2025

NCDPI, Friday Institute, MCNC Highlight Scope of No-Cost Cybersecurity Resources and Services for the First Time During NCDPI K-12 Cybersecurity Bootcamp

The same day IT professionals across the state convened for a Public School Unit (PSU) Cybersecurity Bootcamp, North Carolina schools’ student data was under threat, with potential connections to last…

May 6, 2025

Friday Institute, Center for Educational Informatics and EngageAI Institute Collaborate to Advance AI in Education

By bridging immersive storytelling, real-time adaptive support and authentic science inquiry, the game-based platform EcoJourneys is engaging students in meaningful curiosity-driven learning experiences. As research and development continues, this project…

Apr 24, 2025

Catalyst Grant Empowers Rural Students, Enhances Computational Thinking Through STEAM Club

West Middle School sixth grader Olive Cleckler discovered an unexpected way to complete her interactive project—by turning her braces into part of a functioning circuit. Using a custom-designed platform called…

Apr 22, 2025

NC State Puts AI Forward at the Friday Institute on National AI Literacy Day

National AI Literacy Day is a nationwide day of action focused on exploring the fundamental question, “What is AI?” On that day, March 28, 2025, 104 NC State University researchers,…

Mar 25, 2025

Friday Institute Joins Connect Everyone Coalition to Bridge Digital Divide

The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation has joined the Connect Everyone Coalition (CEC), a group of leaders committed to educating the public and policymakers on the important role of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity and how this technology can bridge the digital divide.

Mar 10, 2025

Harnessing AI Prompts to Build Critical Thinking in Classrooms

As an instructional designer and educational coach at the Friday Institute, I work with educators navigating both the possibilities and challenges of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. The…

Feb 24, 2025

LASER Institute Serves as Model for STEM Education Research Professional Development

Since 2020, the Learning Analytics in STEM Education Research (LASER) Institute has empowered 142 early to mid-career researchers across 30 states and 7 countries to examine and improve STEM learning…

Feb 7, 2025

‘My vision is for CS to become a foundational literacy’: New NC CSTA President, Friday Institute CS Education Scholar Russell Dirgo Shares His Vision, Hopes for CS Education in North Carolina

Russell Dirgo, a computer science education scholar at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, has been a dedicated advocate for computer science (CS) education in North Carolina’s K-12 schools throughout…

Jan 31, 2025

The State of Computer Science in North Carolina

The Friday Institute has been a computer science education leader in North Carolina for almost ten years. We have trained hundreds of educators in kindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum, participated…

Jan 23, 2025

Lenovo Grant, MSEN Program Increases Exposure to STEM Careers for Students

Chelsea Coleman Acosta loves participating in the North Carolina Math/Science Education Network Pre-College Program (MSEN) at her school. The eighth grader has been in the program for three years, since…