The 21st annual report findings include a desire for active learning to foster discovery and critical analysis of information to prepare students for the technology-driven world

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Project Tomorrow, one of the nation’s leading education nonprofit organizations, today announces new insights from its latest Speak Up research about the use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms and school districts nationwide. The Speak Up research project works with several local stakeholders to collect municipal data, informing district level decisions. Findings were collected from over 100,000 K-12 students, educators, administrators, and parents across the country.

Key insights from the Speak Up research include:

61% of middle and high school teachers report engaging students in weekly active learning experiences using classroom technology, however the majority of students report more passive uses of technology than active learning in their classrooms.Currently, only 3 in 10 students say they have learning experiences in school that enable them to develop new content using multi-media digital tools to substantiate learning or explore new ideas.45% of students in grades 6-12 use AI tools as study guides, and there is substantial demand from students for more AI tools that support personalized learning.

“The report’s findings extend more than two decades of nationwide survey data, offering deeper insights and highlighting previously unexplored emerging trends,” says Dr. Julie Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow. “This year, the data underscores a miscommunication about active versus passive learning experiences. It’s no longer about having technology in the classroom; it’s about how teachers use it to connect with students, develop future-ready skills, and create active learning experiences. We must move beyond checking the box on technology and focus on how it drives real student growth.”

The national report will be released in three installments, highlighting new data findings and takeaways for districts to implement in policies and curriculums. The themes and release dates for each chapter are as follows:

Chapter 1: Active vs. Passive Learning Using Digital Tools and Resources was released October 17, 2024Chapter 2: The Value Proposition for Technology-Enabled Active Learning will be released October 24, 2024Chapter 3: Closing the Gap between Aspirations and Practices to Create More Active Learning Experiences will be released on October 31, 2024

Research detailed in Speak Up’s 2023-2024 data reflects and extends on The National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), published in January 2024 by the US Department of Education. The NETP report, supported by Speak Up research, defines active use of technology as tools used “to discover, analyze and apply learning rather than passively receiving information.” However, according to Speak Up research, 75% of high school students and 66% of middle school students say their primary use of technology is to complete an online quiz or assessment. While this is beneficial to educators and schools it does not help students develop critical thinking or teamwork skills.

The first chapter of research, along with an infographic, was unveiled at the 2024 Congressional Briefing, hosted on edWeb, where Dr. Evans discussed the data with a panel of high school students and district leaders from across the country. Together, they shared recommendations for how district leaders can improve learning experiences with technology innovations to inform strategic planning initiatives.

To view the full Speak Up survey results, visit THIS webpage.

Suzanne Lacey, Superintendent of Talladega, Alabama County Schools, has worked with Speak Up to discover district stakeholders’ views to influence strategic planning processes. The district has found the combination of local and national data to be a game-changer in determining how to adopt new classroom technologies.

“This data was instrumental in determining short term as well as long term goals and resources that would have the greatest impact on student learning,” said Lacey. “Speak Up data is especially important to district level leaders to gauge both the time spent utilizing technology in classrooms and also the types of technology being utilized by teachers to enhance learning. For example, I was pleased to see how frequently elementary teachers relied on online reading sites or subscriptions to increase the volume of reading for their students.”

Districts that value stakeholder voices and want to transform teaching and learning to be more innovative so that every student is well prepared for future success should participate in Speak Up surveys. To join the Speak Up research initiative, visit THIS webpage.

The Speak Up Research Project is generously supported by Advanced Learning Partnerships, Agile Education Marketing, edWeb, iboss, and Spectrum Enterprise.

About Project Tomorrow & Speak Up
The Speak Up Research Project is a national initiative of Project Tomorrow, an internationally recognized education nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all students are prepared to become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and engaged citizens of the world. Each year, the Speak Up Research Project polls K–12 students, parents, and educators about the role of technology for learning in and out of school and the impact of new learning models on student outcomes and teacher effectiveness. The Speak Up dataset represents the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder voices on digital learning. Since the fall of 2003, more than 6.3 million K–12 students, parents, teachers, librarians, principals, technology leaders, district administrators, communications officers and members of the community have shared their views and ideas through Speak Up. Education, business, and policy leaders report that they regularly use the Speak Up data to inform federal, state and local education programs, policies and initiatives. Learn more at https://www.tomorrow.org/speakup.

Media Contact

Madeleine Martin, Project Tomorrow, 2244365267, madeleine.martin@finnpartners.com, https://www.tomorrow.org/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/project-tomorrow-unveils-latest-speak-up-research-highlights-need-for-active-digital-student-learning-experiences-302279434.html

SOURCE Project Tomorrow

Catalyst Power’s Energy Management Services Enhance Efficiency and Maximize Value

NEW YORK , Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Catalyst Power Holdings LLC (“Catalyst Power”), an independent integrated provider of retail power and cleaner energy solutions for the commercial and industrial sector, is launching new energy management services for generators and retail energy suppliers within their service areas. The new energy management services include hedging and portfolio management, historical analysis, trading control, legislative tracking, and more. Catalyst Power’s energy management services are designed to reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and maximize overall performance for retail energy suppliers and generators. The company’s new energy management services are now available in New York, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest.

“Today’s energy markets are more complicated and offer more opportunities than ever before. The Catalyst Power team brings decades of experience helping generators and retail suppliers and can help our partners use the markets to meet their business needs whether it is energy price certainty, optimization opportunities or access to illiquid renewable energy credit markets” said Gabriel Phillips, CEO of Catalyst Power Holdings.”

Retail Energy Suppliers Management: Catalyst Power provides tailored electricity and gas management solutions designed to save retail suppliers money and simplify operations. Services include customized pricing, risk management, and streamlined billing, offering clarity and control over energy procurement. Catalyst Power also offers sustainable energy options to assist retail suppliers in easily meeting renewable goals.

Generation Energy Management: Catalyst Power offers energy management solutions for generators designed to maximize efficiency and revenue. Services include customized scheduling, risk management, and transparent billing to help generators optimize operations and navigate market complexities. Catalyst Power’s tailored approach ensures smooth, profitable energy generation with clear insights and ongoing support.

Businesses interested in partnering with Catalyst Power or learning more can contact:
Web: https://catalystpower.com/
Phone: 1-888-789-7250
Email: contact@catalystpower.com 

About Catalyst Power Holdings LLC:

Catalyst Power Holdings LLC  is an independent, integrated energy solutions provider specializing in integrating retail electricity with complementary cleaner energy solutions designed to help commercial and industrial companies reduce costs, generate revenue, and decarbonize their operations, all with no upfront investment . Catalyst Power’s suite cleaner energy solutions include customized Connected Microgrid solutions, rooftop solar, energy storage, EV Charging, and community solar. Catalyst Power specializes in serving the middle-market commercial and industrial end-use customers. Catalyst Power is a portfolio company of BP Energy Partners, LLC. More info: www.catalystpower.com.

About BP Energy Partners:

BP Energy Partners is a Dallas, Texas based lower-middle market private equity firm that invests alongside entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, and companies through growth equity and buyout transactions. The firm focuses on energy and energy-intensive industries and companies that generate returns and reduce emissions. Investment themes include Value-Add Infrastructure, the Natural Gas Value Chain, Electrification, and Environmental Management. Founded in 2013 and initially sponsored by T. Boone Pickens, BPEP manages over $600 million in committed capital.

For more information, visit www.bpenergypartners.com.

Media Inquiries:
Sam Boykin | Boykin Consulting
sam@samboykin.net; 917.447.2657

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/catalyst-power-launches-energy-management-services-for-generators-and-retail-energy-suppliers-302279663.html

SOURCE Catalyst Power

Deepening of collaboration sees Bain establish a dedicated OpenAI Center of Excellence to drive and deliver AI innovation for clients and maximize value of clients’ AI investments

BOSTON and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bain & Company today announced an expanded partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and frontier AI models such as GPT 4o and the new OpenAI o1, to accelerate AI’s transformative impact in the world’s top companies.

Bain and OpenAI have been collaborating closely since 2022, with the public announcement of a global services alliance in early 2023 bringing OpenAI’s ground-breaking AI capabilities and platforms to Bain clients worldwide. Bain has also deployed OpenAI platforms, including making ChatGPT Enterprise, available to employees worldwide, with these tools being used to deliver numerous pioneering, bespoke applications of the technology, enhancing employees’ efficiency and productivity.

Bain and OpenAI will now further extend and deepen the scope of this already fast-growing work through their expanded partnership. This will harness the combination of OpenAI’s innovations and Bain’s deep AI/technology implementation capabilities and strategic expertise to further enhance their ability to leverage the most powerful AI solutions to meet clients’ needs and lead them in their AI journey.

With the far-reaching expansion of its OpenAI partnership, Bain is investing in establishing an OpenAI Center of Excellence (CoE). Led by a dedicated Bain team equipped with in-depth experience and expertise, as well as the latest insights into OpenAI innovations, the OpenAI CoE will provide services and technologies that help clients to realize business value and impact from OpenAI’s technologies.

Bain will combine its extensive industry expertise together with OpenAI’s horizontal technology innovations to deliver breakthrough business value. Under the partnership, Bain and OpenAI will co-design and deliver the first solutions for the retail and healthcare life sciences industries, expanding to additional industries over time. Bain’s OpenAI CoE will be staffed with deep technical resources equipped to deliver client solutions that leverage OpenAI frontier technology, including multi-modal, real-time and reasoning applications.

Christophe De Vusser, Bain’s Worldwide Managing Partner, said: “At Bain, we’ve seen the power of our partnership with OpenAI as we work together with clients and within our own business as well. We’ve unlocked transformative results, driving innovation and creating lasting value. With this expanded collaboration, we will further push the boundaries, leading the way in reshaping industries and delivering even greater impact.”

OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap said: “We’re building on our partnership with Bain to turn cutting-edge AI into real, impactful results for enterprises across multiple industries. We want to make sure businesses lean into the full scale of the opportunity to operate more efficiently, better serve customers, and propel a new wave of innovation.”

The expansion of Bain’s partnership with OpenAI will build on the foundation of the powerful results secured for Bain clients, including The Coca-Cola Company and Amgen.

During this time, Bain has worked with OpenAI to embed multiple AI solutions into clients’ operations and deliver concrete business results across a range of use cases. In doing so Bain has supported clients in changing and improving processes, operating models, technology architectures, talent and data assets. Bain will continue to leverage OpenAI’s fast-developing products and platform in its offerings to clients on AI transformation consulting, which encompasses AI strategy development, process change, workforce and organizational development, and technology foundations, guiding leaders through their companies’ AI journeys. Under their expanded partnership, the two firms will also work closely through a regular series of joint industry roundtables and events to showcase the impact of their collaborations in delivering transformational results for clients around the world.

Media contacts 
To arrange an interview or for any questions, please contact:
Gary Duncan (London) — Email: gary.duncan@bain.com
Katie Ware (New York) — Email: katie.ware@bain.com
Ann Lee (Singapore) — Email: ann.lee@bain.com 

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world’s most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today’s urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 2% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bain–company-announces-expanded-partnership-with-openai-to-accelerate-delivery-of-ai-solutions-and-meet-fast-growing-client-needs-302279667.html

SOURCE Bain & Company