Learning Blade®, an Innovative STEM Interest Solution, Joins Forces with STAAR MASTER® to Prepare Students in Texas for High Demand STEM Careers
April 12, 2018 — San Antonio, Texas (Business Wire) | ECS Learning Systems, a leading Integrated Standards Prep™ company in Texas and the developer of STAAR MASTER®, today announced a partnership with Learning Blade®. Learning Blade is an online STEM career awareness system that provides teachers with a digital solution to engage students and build awareness in STEM and Computer Science careers. Learning Blade uses STEM-based missions to enable project-based learning to solve real-world STEM challenges. At the end of these missions, student deficiencies in core subject areas are diagnosed and teachers can be pointed to the recommended STAAR MASTER® Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) aligned material.
Next week, April 16-18, ECS Learning Systems is attending the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego to discuss the partnership. Further, CEO, David Cumberbatch is presenting on ECS Learning Systems expansion plans, and how strategic partnerships like Learning Blade drives student interest, and proven solutions like STAAR MASTER® translates that interest into improved test scores during the Basics: Growth / Venture Track on Monday, April 16 starting at 3:00 in Harbor I.
“ECS Learning Systems believes in the power of blended learning to transform education for ALL students and this partnership with Learning Blade reinforces that vision,” said David Cumberbatch, CEO of ECS Learning Systems. “The partnership with Learning Blade drives relevance and interest in Math and Science for boys and girls of all backgrounds and that translates into improved scores for students preparing them for high demand careers in STEM.”
STAAR MASTER® prepares students for the rigors of the Texas STAAR assessment with confidence to achieve the highest scores. As a comprehensive preparatory system for the STAAR evaluation, STAAR MASTER® covers all STAAR-eligible TEKS and prepares students from grades 1 through 8. STAAR MASTER® provides authentic test practices, an easy to use lesson format and open-ended items for expanded student responses.
Learning Blade grows interest and sharpens skills for STEM by delivering excitement for STEM education for students and provides fun ways to understand STEM careers. The company’s validated, unique approach to STEM addresses the key question affecting student performance: “Why are Science and Math important?” Learning Blade demonstrates the relevance of academics to careers, helps prepare students with the required academic skills and aligns to all states’ middle and early high school standards.
“Learning Blade has been proven to double the number of students who want to be in a high-demand STEM career,” said Sheila Boyington, co-founder of Learning Blade. “Working with ECS Learning Systems and STAAR MASTER®, we look forward to expanding this program into Texas to grow our usage in 30 states including two statewide programs in Arkansas and Tennessee. We believe this partnership will have a positive impact in students’ lives and better prepare them for STEM education and career opportunities.”
Learning Blade requires minimal teacher training and classroom materials and is complementary to project- or lab-based activities. Used in combination with STAAR MASTER®, these solutions allow a teacher to create a highly effective blended-learning approach to STEM education. This solution is intended for public, charter, and private school classroom usage, and could also be suited for summer enrichment programs.
The high demand for experts in science, technology, engineering and math is expected to continue, requiring exposure to STEM careers earlier in the educational process. STEM-related careers command higher wages and the Learning Blade program delivers a focused, pro-active approach that resonates with children and in turn benefits society. In conjunction with STAAR MASTER® Companion and Student Practice Books for reading, math, writing, social studies, and science, students will be prepared and ready for Texas’ assessment tests.
About Learning Blade
Learning Blade, owned and operated by Chattanooga-based Thinking Media, has assembled a team of accomplished professionals in the STEM, education and technology spaces in order to produce the innovative Learning Blade approach to linking STEM careers to academics. Thinking Media was also the creators of ACT’s KeyTrain® and Career Ready 101® for WorkKeys®. For more information, visit http://learningblade.com/.
About ECS Learning Systems
Founded in 1982 in San Antonio, Texas, ECS Learning Systems is the Integrated Standards Prep™ company that helps over 250,000 students annually with STAAR MASTER®, TESTSMART® and NOVEL UNITS®. Building on its strong presence in Texas with STAAR MASTER, the Company publishes proprietary supplemental test-prep materials nationally under the TEST SMART brand and also offers NOVEL UNITS For more information, visit http://ecslearningsystems.com/