The use of technology and services in education continues to grow as more opportunities become available to enhance the classroom experience. The overall education market in the US alone was valued at $1.35 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $2.04 billion by 2026, according to Zion Market Research. The current education environment is seeing a shift from traditional learning methods to include new innovative technologies and the rise of online alternatives. However, there are a number of concerns surrounding education today.
These include addressing the safety concern that has captivated media coverage the past several years, finding new ways to engage students in a meaningful and constructive way, and providing opportunities for those students with economic or geographic obstacles. Here are three small-cap companies that are driving innovation in the classroom and challenging the issues facing the industry:
Inpixon (NASDAQ: INPX)
Inpixon (NASDAQ: INPX) is a technology company that specializes in Indoor Positioning Analytics (IPA). On January 10, 2019, Inpixon announced its participation in the “Smart School” safety network solution. The Smart School program is “intended to equip schools and campuses with situational awareness and communication technologies that can enhance safety.” By utilizing GPS-enabled wristbands, all students, teachers, and visitors can be monitored and tracked allowing law enforcement and administrators to have unprecedented access to locations of individuals in case of emergency.
Their flagship IPA Sensor 4000SE will be essential to the program as it will detect the wireless signals sent from the GPS wristbands. Nadir Ali, CEO of Inpixon, commented, “We are honored to have our IPA sensors selected as the future backbone of a system intended to protect and enhance the safety of students and education professionals.” While there are no easy answers to the safety concerns of today’s campuses, Inpixon and the Smart School safety network can provide schools with perhaps the most critical piece of information in times of emergency: the locations of their staff and students.
Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSE: AMBO)
Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSE: AMBO) is a leading provider of personalized education and training services in China. On November 30, 2018, Ambow launched a cross-border college program between China and the US. This five-year program allows Chinese students to get a Bachelor of Science degree that is recognized by both American and Chinese employers. The students will attend three years at a college in China, where they will earn the equivalent of an Associate Degree in the US; before transferring to an American college for a two-year advanced education program.
Not only is this impactful for Chinese students looking to further their opportunities but it will also benefit its US university partners. Those colleges that are perhaps struggling financially now have a base of highly qualified, full-paying students that they did not have access to previously. Dr. Jin Huang, President and CEO of Ambow, said, “Achieving this mutually beneficial outcome for both students and colleges will require close cooperation among Chinese and U.S. colleges, various regulatory and U.S. accreditation agencies, and a capable coordinating partner such as Ambow.” With a “strong stateside foundation” and hundreds of Chinese colleges on board, Ambow is creating a new model for global education.
Boxlight Corporation (NASDAQ: BOXL)
Boxlight Corporation (NASDAQ: BOXL) is a visual display technology company, primarily operating in the worldwide learning market. Boxlight has developed several intriguing technologies for the classroom including the MimioFrame and MimioSpace interactive touch technology solutions which were both named finalists in the 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards. The MimioFrame touch kit, a finalist for “Best Classroom Audio-Visual App or Tool,” uses “teachers’ existing classroom whiteboard, projector and computer to quickly and easily turn any whiteboard into a ten-touch interactive whiteboard.” The MimioSpace full collaborative system, a finalist for “Best Collaboration App or Tool”, “allows students to work together in an area almost 11 feet wide and over 4 feet tall, making collaborative learning at the front of the classroom a reality.”
In addition, Boxlight developed an interactive flat panel display, the ProColor 752 featuring MimioStudio, which allows for the seamless creation and importing of lesson plans. The 75” LCD screen is touch-enabled and allows for multiple students to work simultaneously.
Recently, the largest charter school in New York, the Charter School for Applied Technologies (CSAT), selected Boxlight’s interactive displays to be included in every one of their classrooms. Boxlight’s technologies not only promote collaborative learning but enhance it by offering new ways for students to engage with the curriculum and each other.
Disclaimer: The author and Spotlight Growth has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article. Nor does either party currently have any relationship, or any other conflicts of interest, with any of the companies mentioned in this article. This content is meant for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be meant as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. Please visit a licensed financial representative to determine what investments are right for you.
Article By: Andrew Rego
