Computer & Technology
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State making pandemic learning program available for 2 more years | Education

John A. Ratliff

An educational software program used by about 6,000 North Dakota students during the coronavirus pandemic will remain available at no cost for another two years, according to State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler.

Edmentum Exact Path offers personalized online instruction in math, reading and language arts to K-12 students. It adapts to each student’s needs and documents learning progress.

The state Department of Public Instruction last August announced it was using $1.2 million in federal coronavirus relief aid to make the program available to all public, private, tribal and homeschool students until September 2021. If a student uses Exact Path regularly through September, he or she will be eligible to continue using it at no cost for two more school years, until September 2023, according to the department.

The cost of the new contract is being negotiated. It will be paid for with federal pandemic recovery money.

“North Dakota students and families

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Computer & Technology
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Hoteliers Opting for Onsite Technology Training Despite Pandemic

John A. Ratliff

Online learning has its advantages, especially amidst a pandemic. Convenience, flexibility, and cost savings are just a few pluses that come to mind. But when a hotel migrates to a completely new financial management platform or adds new software modules, on-site training is still preferred. It’s not that the technology is too difficult to grasp online, but rather, hoteliers seem to thrive when they connect in person with their peers and vendor partners, and they desire to build a relationship with the people behind the software from day one.

2020 was a year of disruption, but it also proved to be a time of productivity. Many hoteliers used their downtime to analyze operational efficiency and technology performance. Those with legacy systems or older software versions took the time to perform systemwide upgrades, while others set out in search of new technologies that would better prepare them for recovery.

For

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Computer & Technology
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Square’s Shift in Its Seller Platform Is Driving Pandemic Growth

John A. Ratliff

Square (NYSE:SQ) started out as a way for merchants to capture in-person credit card payments, which has been a foundational growth engine as the company has built out its ecosystem. But since the coronavirus pandemic, in-person selling has plummeted and its sellers have had to adapt. On this Motley Fool Live episode, recorded on March 3, Fool contributor Brian Withers talks about the transformational shift Square’s customers are making, enabled by its ecosystem of software tools, and how that’s made a difference for its merchants during the pandemic. 

Brian Withers: I’m up with Square. Square, they released a couple of new reports which are really interesting. Part of their original business was all around the seller platform, and allowing entrepreneurs, small businesses, restaurants, to be able to take credit card payments. They surveyed 500 restaurants and retailers along with thousands of consumers, and really came up with

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Computer & Technology
Read Time : 1 Minutes

Pendo CEO Todd Olson Turns Pandemic into Possibilities, Reinvents Digital Communication in Businesses, Schools

John A. Ratliff

“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger —but recognize the opportunity.”

This quote from President John F. Kennedy could well be applied to CEO Todd Olson and his company, Pendo.

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated many U.S. industries, but speeded the transition to the digital economy — and Pendo took full advantage of the opportunity.

Todd Olson
Pendo CEO Todd Olson

The Raleigh, North Carolina-based information technology services company provides step-by-step guides to help workers master new software packages. Pendo’s software is designed to boost employee proficiency through personalized training and automated support.

Demand for its services soared as schools shifted to online teaching and many companies permitted employees to work from home during the pandemic.

“More people are using digital products,” Co-founder and CEO Todd Olson told Newsweek. “Many

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