Teachers' Pet

Teachers’ Pet

By KAREN KAPLAN

Nov. 3, 1997 12 AM PT

Educational software publisher Davidson & Associates has taken the Internet plunge with a netcasting product designed for teachers and school administrators, whose goodwill helps them sell titles like “Math Blaster” and “Grammar Games.”

Educast 2.0 utilizes “push” technology to deliver lesson plans, news and other customized professional information to educators’ desktops. The free service is sponsored by AT&T;’s WorldNet Internet service and PC maker Compaq Computer Corp. and is available at https://www.educast.com.

Torrance-based Davidson developed Educast to “keep up a good relationship with educators by providing something that would be really helpful for them,” said Davidson spokeswoman Julie Gates. The service contains advertising but is designed to break even, not be a profit center in itself, she said. Two thousand teachers participated in a nationwide beta test before last month’s launch.

Karen Kaplan

Karen Kaplan covers science and medical research for the Los Angeles Times. She has been a member of the science team since 2005, including 13 years as an editor. Her first decade at The Times was spent covering technology in the Business section as both a reporter and editor. She grew up in San Diego and is a graduate of MIT and Columbia University.

Teachers’ Pet

More From the Los Angeles Times