Giving Compass' Take:

• Education technology is being used to connect educators, parents, and students to each other and to outside resources.  

• How is your local school system utilizing technology to become a convenor and connector? How can donors help with funding for this tech? 

• Learn more about the role of technology in education. 

Apps are connecting teachers and parents, even if a language barrier exists. Charter school teachers from Lee County, Florida, have launched the new school year with two teacher-parent communication apps — Bloomz and Class Tag — that allow teachers to update parents on their students’ progress, NBC-2.com reports.

Teachers can send messages and pictures to parents throughout the school day, as well as reminders about upcoming projects. The apps also translate English messages into several languages, effectively overcoming language barriers between parent and teacher, teachers said.

Increasingly, technology is being used to connect schools, students and parents with each other as well as a number of outside resources. Student badges, which can be used as students enter and exit school buses, are gaining popularity as a way for school officials and parents to track students and their attendance.

New platforms are also connecting educators with community resources, like organizations looking to partner with schools.

A Chicago arts education advocacy group called Ingenuity is working with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as part of its Any Given Child initiative, to expand a data platform that connects schools looking to expand their arts education programs with local art organizations. The platform is spreading six more cities in addition to Chicago, including Jacksonville, Florida; Baltimore; New Orleans; Houston; Portland, Oregon; and Sacramento, California.

Read the full article about technology for school enhances learning by Shawna De La Rosa at Education Dive.