Just back from the Metaverse and boy are my arms tired! This year’s CODiE awards were virtual again and while attending wasn’t as much fun as the in-person gala at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel back in the day, at least I don’t have to get my tux dry-cleaned.
Since 1986, the SIIA CODiE Awards have honored thousands of software, education, information and media products, leaders and teams for achieving excellence. SIIA is the leading association representing the software and digital content industries. The SIIA Education Division serves and represents more than 200 member companies that provide software, digital content and other technologies that address educational needs.
Over the years the awards have become recognized as the leading peer-recognized program in the business and Ed Tech industries. Each nomination receives a detailed review by two expert judges during the first round review; each finalist product receives a second, peer review by a team of industry leaders.
There are dozens of categories and winners to scroll through, but here are a few highlights:
Lifetime Achievement Award
Avraham Kadar, M.D., Founder of BrainPOP
As a physician, scientific researcher, and entrepreneur, Avraham Kadar, M.D. has spent his life learning and educating. He began his career as a pediatrician and National Institutes of Health-trained immunologist, and founded BrainPOP in 1999 as a creative way to explain difficult concepts to his young patients. BrainPOP has since become an international, award-winning market leader recognized for the ability to engage, enrich, and delight children and teachers alike with animated movies, learning games, and more. Today Dr. Kadar continues to reimagine education by serving as CEO of BrainPOP, and supporting numerous commercial and philanthropic ventures, including the Naomi Prawer Kadar Foundation, which he founded with his children in 2010.
Most Innovative Ed Tech Company
https://www.ageoflearning.com/
From the company:
As a leading education technology provider, we blend education best practices, innovative technology, and insightful creativity that results in engaging, effective educational experiences that bring learning to life. Our flagship product, ABCmouse Early Learning Academy, is the leading digital education brand for young children in the U.S. Our research-based digital education programs have proven efficacy in increasing children’s learning gains, and our content is developed by an extensive team of education experts. To date, we have helped educate more than 50 million children worldwide.
Best Ed Tech Company to Watch
From the company:
From 24/7 high-quality tutoring to after-school enrichment to college and career resources, our Educational Support System empowers students throughout their academic journeys, helping them to build confidence for what comes next.
Today, Paper serves more than 3 million students from about 300 unique school districts across 41 U.S. states and Canada. Our recent statewide partnerships with Mississippi and Tennessee added about 200 additional districts to this total.
Fun fact from SIIA below:
The origin of the CODiE Awards’ name alludes to the program’s basis in the software industry, in which the word “CODiE” is derived from the word “code”. The CODiE Awards logo, re-designed in 2004, combines the word “CODE” with the symbol for information (“i”) to visually represent the CODiE Awards’ focus on the software and digital content industries.
I’ll be digging deeper into these companies and products in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
- Meet the Winners—Dr. Kellie Wilks, Chief Technology Officer, of Ector County Independent School District, TX (ECISD) - April 12, 2024
- Meet the Winners—Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) in Manassas, Virginia wins the 2024 Community Leadership Award for Digital Equity. - April 12, 2024
- #CoSN2024 Conversation – Tom Ryan Co-Founder K-12 Strategic Technology Advisor Group (NM) - April 10, 2024