Wonder Workshop Partners with Sunburst Digital on K-12 Instructional Program
Education innovators bring hands-on, imagination-based programming lab experience to early learning instructors
Chicago, IL – September 28, 2015 - In order for coding and computer programming instruction to have a positive impact on early learning classrooms, the teaching methodology needs to embrace important social, emotional, and motor-sensory best practices set by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).
Sunburst and Wonder Workshop have partnered to release three solutions for K-12: Wonder Pilot, Wonder Class 24, and Wonder Class 30. The Wonder Pilot program provides K-5 classrooms with (3) sets of “Dash & Dot” robots, the software apps and a Wonder Teacher Kit, including the curriculum and necessary accessories suitable for small group instruction. Wonder Workshop recommends a ratio of one robot set for every three pupils.
"Our business is dedicated to serving two important constituents: schools and innovation-based partners. Our work with Wonder Workshop is exciting as it addresses what we know K-12 needs - practical tools to better cultivate 21st century skills in young learners," says Holly DeLeon, VP of Curriculum Integration at Sunburst.
Wonder Workshop began with a successful Kickstarter campaign in October 2013 to help teach elementary school kids to code through their smart, innovative robots. The company then launched Dash & Dot in November 2014, and within its first month, delivered more than $3.5M in robots to 37 countries including the U.S, Canada, European Countries, Asia and Australia. Wonder Workshop is a STEM-based interactive learning experience that introduces coding in ways suitable for K-5 learners. “Our integrated hardware, software and curriculum solution is designed to introduce 21st century skills to young students by using an instructionally sound approach where hands-on, sensory play combines with the right mix of fun and guided learning for both students and teachers,” says Raghu Sethuraman, COO of Wonder Workshop, Inc.
“As we celebrate our 30th year supporting schools, we are very excited to work with Wonder Workshop on their ‘teacher-easy’ design for introducing coding into K-5 classrooms,” says Joe DeSario, Sunburst GM. “We see Wonder Workshop filling a new 21st century lab use-case model for any elementary classroom. Teachers see great value in a step-by-step curriculum that can replace obsolete science and mathematics ‘kits’ with relevant project-based, problem-solving routines using modern technology, hardware, and apps.”
Teacher feedback indicates a bundled solution is less abstract for young learners to grasp, while older students are better able to digest software-only-based coding programs. The curriculum package includes 30 standards-based lessons for each of the partnered solutions which highlight correlated Math, Science and specific ELA skills within the instruction.
Wonder Pilot, Wonder Class 24 and Wonder Class 30 are available at: http://wonderworkshop.sunburst.com
About Sunburst: Sunburst has connected educators with instructional technology and digital content solutions for three decades. We sell, support, and provide curriculum services directly to schools. Our solutions are found in more than 95% of US school districts. We selectively work with educational development companies launching products by helping schools and partners take risk out of innovation. We believe implementing instructionally sound digital content solutions enhances teaching and raises outcomes.
About Wonder Workshop: Wonder Workshop is focused on bringing learning and laughter to children everywhere in the world. The company’s team of specialists in technology and education believe every child should be empowered to question, think, and create. Coding enables creativity and by learning to code children shape their own future. Wonder Class solutions offer elementary classroom teachers bundled award winning robots, and the software-based curriculum programs designed to effectively introduce programming and coding skills to young learners. The company has currently raised $15.9 million in funding from Madrona Venture Group, CRV, WI Harper, Google Ventures, Bright Success Capital, Maven Ventures, Vikas Gupta, Reza Hussein and Jeff Schox. For more information, visit www.makewonder.com.