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Education Technology, a business
of Texas Instruments, is a technology leader working with educators
throughout the world in developing classroom technology.
TI works with educators from inception to production to design products,
training programs and support materials that enrich the classroom learning
experience at every grade level. TI offers a wide range of advanced
classroom tools that enable students and teachers to interactively explore
a diverse curriculum of educational subjects.
Connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications, TI's
technology includes an array of handheld technology, computer software and
data-collecting devices.
Education Technology Origins
TI's Education Technology
group and its invaluable relationship with teachers and students
started more than 20 years ago. In 1986 TI received a request from
the state of Connecticut
for 10,000 simple "four-function" calculators. These activities
alerted TI that the educational community was largely ready to accept the
use of new handheld technology as a teaching aid.
Thus began TI's highly successful practice of having its product
development teams meet with educators to design better, more useful
classroom tools. By incorporating educators into the product development
process, the products more accurately reflect the functionality that
teachers want and need.
Educator Support
One of TI's greatest strengths is
helping educators integrate new technology into classrooms. TI provides
classroom activities, training resources and supplemental materials such
as downloadable online teacher resources for classroom instruction,
activity books and presentation aids like the ViewScreen™ projector
panel and the TI Presenter™ video interfaces. Many of the materials and
training materials are written by educators and include sample lessons,
activities and suggestions for teaching particular concepts.
Another support program is the Workshop Loan Program, in which TI loans
handheld units and data-collection devices for teacher evaluation and
workshops.
TI is also the primary sponsor of T³ - Teachers Teaching with Technology™,
the largest professional development program for math and science teachers
in the United States
and Canada. The T³ program trains about 14,000 teachers a year on the appropriate
use of handheld technology.
Also offered are Web site discussion groups and Internet email lists for
teachers to share ideas and ask questions of other educators. Educators
are also encouraged to take part in courses offered throughout the year by
other educators trained to use new classroom technologies.
Introduction of Flash Memory Technology
TI pioneered the use of Flash
memory in handheld graphing units, developing a line of Flash-based
handheld tools and add-on software applications (Apps). In 1998, TI
introduced the TI-73 Explorer™ handheld device with Flash for middle
grades, as well as the TI-89 and TI-92 Plus and the
TI-83 Plus product -
the company's most popular graphing unit.
With the addition of Flash, users have the ability to upgrade the
functionality of their units by installing current and future calculator
software Apps. Using a cable attached to a computer, a handheld graphing
unit's operating system can be updated to the newest release or latest
application software. This enables users to customize their graphing units
to support their curriculum.
From "Topics in Algebra I," which provides specific curriculum
topics, overviews and supporting activities, to "Inequality
Graphing," which provides additional capabilities to support
important concepts, TI offers a deep and wide variety of software Apps for
its users.
Vice
President
Susan Herman joined TI in 1986 and currently serves as vice president of product development, responsible for the product lifecycle process for the Education Technology business. In this capacity, Herman leads worldwide product strategy and development for a portfolio of products, including the newest innovation in education technology; the TI-Nspire platform.
Herman’s
technical background helps her lead the business to effectively evaluate the
needs of the educational customer while synthesizing the role of new and needed
technology. This results in products that fit existing classroom needs with the
flexibility for growth and customization. Because educational technology has an
extended life cycle, it’s often difficult to gauge when the market is ready
for a new product. Herman’s department interacts with hundreds of educators in
multiple countries to ensure that the business is on track with its plans and
projections.
A TI veteran
for more than 20 years, Herman has also spent time working with TI’s
semiconductor and defense systems groups.
Herman holds
a Master in Business Administration from the University
of
President, Education Technology, Texas Instruments, Inc.
Melendy Lovett is president of
Texas Instruments' (TI) Education Technology business and senior vice
president of Texas Instruments, Incorporated. She has worldwide
responsibility for TI's leadership position in math and science
educational technology and professional development. She is also a member
of TI's strategic leadership team.
During her eleven years with TI, Lovett has specialized in leading
cross-functional initiatives involving major investments of company
resources. Her work has included leading large projects in TI's Enterprise
Systems Consulting Group including the development and implementation of
the company's highly successful compensation and benefits strategy.
Prior to joining TI, Lovett was a senior manager with consulting firm
Coopers & Lybrand. While at C&L, Lovett advised clients in the
manufacturing, distribution, real estate, publishing, communications, and
oil and gas industries.
In addition to her strategic strengths, Lovett possesses a long-standing
personal commitment and passion for math and science education. She helped
found, and currently leads an initiative of TI women who are working to
improve math and science education for girls.
Lovett is a certified public accountant with a master's degree in
accounting from the
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Texas Instruments Incorporates, Dallas and Joerg Woerner, October 14, 2007. No reprints without written permission.