NEWS & EVENTS: Education Executives Day

Student Software Team members
demonstrate software during CFY's
February 19 Education Executives Day

Each year, Computers for Youth hosts an

Education Executives Day

to help us evaluate learning software for the home, identify the best products and select the winner of CFY’s

Family Learning Software Award.

Participating in this full-day gathering in New York City are the Education Executives Panel, education technology executives from some of the most prominent U.S. school districts, and CFY's Student Software Team.

During the event the executives participate in a one-of-a-kind assessment process. The Panel evaluates software products, nominated by CFY's Software Experts Panel, not by using them themselves, but by watching the students demonstrate them and then discussing how each software product:

improves students' academic competencies
promotes family involvement in education
develops students' life-long learning skills (such as planning and reflection)
motivates students to learn
increases students' social interaction around learning

At the end of the event, the executives select five finalists to advance to the final round. The winner of the

Family Learning Software Award

is selected by students and families and then honored at CFY's annual Tech Leadership Awards, which this year will take place on Tuesday, June 17, 2008.

The 2008 Education Executives Day was held on February 19, 2008.

"Computers for Youth's software award is truly unique and visionary. I know of no other award that involves educators, like myself, in assessing software for the home market…. By involving students in the process, we educators gained a deeper understanding of how software can support learning in the home…"

- Sharnell Jackson
Chief eLearning Officer, Chicago Public Schools
CFY Panelist