IRVINE, CA, Oct. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- THE Journal, the leading K-12 education technology magazine published by 1105 Public Sector Media Group, announces the winners of its fourth-annual Readers’ Choice Awards program.

For this year’s awards, education technology professionals — educators, IT leaders and staff, instructional technologists, school and district administrators, library/media specialists and more — voted for the software, hardware, and services they consider most vital to the job of educating and supporting America’s 50 million K–12 students.

 “More than 1,100 education technology professionals voted for the tools they think have the most positive impact on the mission of education,” says David Nagel, editor-in-chief of THE Journal and editorial director for 1105 Media’s Education Technology Group. “Our winners this year can be proud of the impact they’re having on teaching and learning. Congratulations to all of them!”

 2018’s Top Overall Winners

When asked an open-ended question, “What are your three favorite technologies that you currently use in your capacity as an education professional?” the top individual products were:

• Platinum: Lexia
• Gold: Google (G Suite, Chromebooks)
• Silver: Apple (iPad, MacBook)

 When asked an open-ended question, “What are your three favorite technologies that your school or district added this year?” the top individual products were:

• Platinum: Lexia
• Gold: Google
• Silver: Discovery Education

 2018’s Readers’ Choice Award Category Winners:

(Note: Where no gold or silver winners are listed, all other nominees aside from the platinum and/or gold winners tied with a negligible number of votes.)

Best Reading Program

• Platinum: Lexia Core5
• Gold: McGraw-Hill Education Wonders
• Silver: (TIE) Raz-Kids, Newsela, CKLA

Best Math Program

• Platinum: DreamBox Learning
• Gold: IXL
• Silver: ST Math

Best Science Program

• Platinum: Mystery Science
• Gold: Discovery Education
• Silver: FOSS

Best Robotics System/Curriculum

• Platinum: LEGO Education
• Gold: Wonder Workshop
• Silver: Vex

Best Coding Tool/Curriculum/Resource:

• Platinum: Code.org
• Gold: Scratch
• Silver: Hour of Code

Best Formative Assessment

• Platinum: Lexia
• Gold: Renaissance STAR
• Silver: DIBELS

Best Summative Assessment

• Platinum: NWEA MAP
• Gold: Lexia
• Silver: Renaissance STAR

Favorite Learning Management Systems, Course Management Systems & E-Learning Platforms

• Platinum: Google Classroom
• Gold: MobyMax
• Silver: (TIE) Edmodo, Schoology

Favorite Education Networks/Professional Communities/Professional Development Systems

• Platinum: Discovery Educator Network
• Gold: Twitter
• Silver: Teaching Channel

Favorite Adaptive/Personalized Learning Tool

• Platinum: Lexia
• Gold: Renaissance Learning
• Silver: DreamBox

Favorite E-Portfolio

• Platinum: Seesaw
• Gold: (TIE) Blackboard Learn, Moodle
• Silver: Canvas

Favorite Interventions & Remediation Software

• Platinum: Read Naturally
• Gold: Renaissance STAR
• Silver: Lexia

Favorite Other education Tool

• Platinum: Khan Academy
• Gold: Discovery Education Streaming Plus
• Silver: Aimsweb

Favorite Student Response Systems & Classroom Clickers

• Platinum: Kahoot
• Gold: Promethean student response systems
• Silver: Plickers

Favorite Collaboration Tool by brand

• Platinum: Google
• Gold: Microsoft
• Silver: Nearpod

Favorite Classroom Management, Culture or Student Success System

• Platinum: ClassDojo
• Gold: PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
• Silver: Lenovo LanSchool

Favorite Student Information Systems & Data Management Tool

• Platinum: Infinite Campus
• Gold: PowerSchool
• Silver: Skyward

Favorite Lecture Capture/Screen Recording

• Platinum: Screencast-o-matic
• Gold: Adobe Presenter
• Silver: Smart Learning Suite/Notebook/Recorder

Favorite Document Camera (by Brand)

• Platinum: Elmo USA Visual Presenter series
• Gold: AVer Information
• Silver: HoverCam

Favorite Projector (by Brand)

• Platinum: Epson
• Gold: (TIE) Samsung, Mimio
• Silver: (TIE) Toshiba, InFocus

Favorite Interactive Whiteboard, Display, Flat Panel or Kiosk (by Brand)

• Platinum: SMART Technologies
• Gold: Promethean
• Silver: Epson

Favorite Videoconferencing & Web Conferencing Tool

• Platinum: Google Hangouts
• Gold: Skype in the Classroom
• Silver: Zoom

Favorite Virtual Classroom/Meeting Software

• Platinum: Google Hangouts
• Gold: GoToMeeting.com‎
• Silver: Skype in the Classroom

Favorite Classroom Audio Distribution/Sound Enhancement System (by Brand)

• Platinum: Smart Audio
• Gold: Lightspeed Technologies
• Silver: Califone

Top educational game or gamified learning tool

• Platinum: Lexia
• Gold: Prodigy
• Silver: Kahoot

Top game not necessarily designed for education but used as a part of instruction at your institution

• Platinum: ABC Mouse
• Gold: (TIE) Minecraft, ABCya, Cool Math
• Silver: (TIE) Starfall, Prodigy

Favorite Virtual/Augmented Reality Headset or Hardware System

• Platinum: Google Cardboard
• Gold: Samsung Gear VR
• Silver: Sony Playstation VR

Favorite Virtual/Augmented Reality Software/System

• Platinum: Aurasma
• Gold: zSpace
• Silver: (TIE) PBS Lunch Rush, Quiver

Favorite Gaming Platform

• Platinum: iOS
• Gold: Android
• Silver: Sony Playstation

Favorite Classroom Presentation Software

• Platinum: Google Slides
• Gold: Microsoft PowerPoint
• Silver: Prezi

Best Office/Productivity Suite

• Platinum: Microsoft Office
• Gold: Google G Suite
• Silver: Apple iWork

Favorite Multimedia Authoring Suites & Creative Software

• Platinum: Adobe Creative Cloud
• Gold: Apple creativity apps
• Silver: Ubuntu Studio

Favorite E-Learning Authoring Tool

• Platinum: Google G Suite
• Gold: (TIE) Adobe Creative Cloud, Camtasia Studio

Favorite Media Tablet (by brand)

• Platinum: Apple
• Gold: Samsung
• Silver: (TIE) Google, Dell

Favorite Chromebook (by Brand)

• Platinum: Google
• Gold: Dell
• Silver: HP

Favorite Windows Tablet (by brand)

• Platinum: Microsoft
• Gold: Dell
• Silver: HP

Favorite Convertible Notebook/2-in-1 Notebook

• Platinum: HP
• Gold: Dell
• Silver: (TIE) Acer, Lenovo

Favorite Education Notebook

• Platinum: Apple
• Gold: HP
• Silver: Dell

Favorite Virtual Desktops and Thin Clients

• Platinum: VMware
• Gold: (TIE) Lenovo, HP
• Silver: Acer

Favorite Wireless Access Point or Hotspot

• Platinum: Cisco
• Gold: Netgear
• Silver: Extreme Networks

Favorite 3D Printer

• Platinum: MakerBot/Stratasys
• Gold: (TIE) Robo 3D, Afinia
• Silver: (TIE) Dremel, Full Spectrum Laser

Favorite Network or WiFi Management, Analysis and Monitoring Tool

• Platinum: Microsoft
• Gold: Cisco
• Silver: Pandora

Favorite Mobile Device Management Solution

• Platinum: Google
• Gold: AT&T
• Silver: Lightspeed Systems

Favorite Anonymous Reporting Tool

• Platinum: MySafeSchool
• Gold: (TIE) Cyberbully Hotline, PublicSchoolWorks

Favorite Emergency Notification System

• Platinum: SchoolMessenger
• Gold: (TIE) Blackboard, School System Alert
• Silver: (TIE) K12 Alerts, One Call Now

Favorite Firewall Software

• Platinum: Norton 360
• Gold: Microsoft Windows Firewall
• Silver: Kaspersky

Favorite Firewall Hardware/Appliance (by brand)

• Platinum: McAfee
• Gold: Cisco
• Silver: Barracuda

Top Anti-Virus Tool (by brand)

• Platinum: McAfee
• Gold: Norton
• Silver: Microsoft

Favorite Classroom Furnishings and Charging Carts (by Brand)

• Platinum: Bretford
• Gold: Steelcase
• Silver: Childcraft

Detailed winner profiles will be featured on THEJournal.com and will appear in the October/November issue of THE Journal, which ships today. 

About THE Journal

THE Journal is the premier resource for K–12 senior-level district and school administrators, IT administration, and instructional technologists who make decisions and influence technology purchases for their districts, schools and classrooms.

About 1105 Public Sector Media Group

1105 Public Sector Media Group, a division of 1105 Media, Inc., provides information, insight and analysis to the Government IT and Education IT (FED/SLED) sectors. Our content platforms include print, digital, online, events and a broad spectrum of marketing services.  http://1105publicsector.com