Techno-News Blog

By David Nagel, Campus Technology

The Obama administration is asking colleges and universities for new ideas related to college affordability and technologies to advance student learning at all levels. As part of the Education Datapalooza event held today, the United States Department of Education expanded on its call for ideas to create “experimental sites” “to test alternative approaches for the administration of the federal student financial assistance programs….” According to ED: “The Department is asking the public, the higher education community, and others to send their ideas for experimental sites that would support a better-educated workforce and citizenry.”

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/01/15/feds-call-on-universities-for-ideas-for-experimental-sites-new-learning-technologies.aspx

By David Raths, Campus Technology

Last semester, the Vanderbilt University (TN) Center for Teaching’s two most popular workshops were “Flipping the Classroom” and “Leading Classroom Discussion.” “A few years ago if I had said flipped classroom to them, most faculty would have given me a blank stare,” said Derek Bruff, director of the center and a senior lecturer in mathematics. “Now they are coming to us wanting more detail. The speed of that change and the pervasiveness of the interest has surprised me.” Indeed, a November 2013 survey from the Center for Digital Education and Sonic Foundry found that half of university faculty members have flipped their classroom or plan to within the next year. Despite that enthusiasm for the model, though, the truth is that many faculty members struggle with making their lecture-free classroom time interactive and engaging.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/01/15/how-to-make-the-most-of-the-flipped-classroom.aspx

Lauren Hepler, Silicon Valley Business Journal

Education technology startup Udemy on has released its first Android app, adding to mobile competition for students interested in online classes. Coursera, a Stanford-bred Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) provider and Udemy rival released its first iOS application in late 2013. Udemy’s first Android applicationis a new frontier for providers of Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, which have only recently started experimenting with apps for iPhones and iPads.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2014/01/10/udemy-takes-the-ed-tech-and-mooc.html

By Jeff Dunn, Edudemic

What if you could look behind the scenes of a web page? What if you could easily make a video mashup or a fun meme? There are a few web tools from Mozilla that are definitely worth trying out. They may be some of the most fun and interesting tools you’ll try today. In fact, I could see any of these options becoming a fun tool to bring into your classroom of eager students. Imagine assigning students with a project (project-based learning anyone?!) to create a mashup of videos that tells a story or explains a key concepts you’re working on.

http://www.edudemic.com/fun-web-tools/

by KMOX

In one Metro East school district last week’s snow days were replaced by e-learning days. It doesn’t quite have the same ring, but Russ Hart, Gibault Catholic High School Principal said it’s saving them from tacking on those additional days at the end of the year. The system is called, My Big Campus, and it allows teachers to post assignments even instructional videos online. To get state credit for an E-Learning day teachers are required to post all assignments by 7:30 a.m., then students check-in by 9 a.m. This year was the first year for the program, but it has already proved its value outside the freak snow storm. Hart said one high school senior battling cancer has been using the program so he doesn’t fall behind.

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2014/01/14/illinois-school-drops-snow-days-for-e-learning-days/

By Jennifer LeClaire, CIO Today

The big data course offered by MIT should be required in any enterprise where business users interact with data. Business users crave big data and analytics tools, but without an understanding of what makes data good or bad they may make decisions based on insight that’s fallacious. MIT’s big data course is an important step for the industry.

http://www.cio-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=03100001OKIW

By Ari Levy, Bloomberg

Harvey Mudd College, a highly-rated engineering, math and science school in Claremont, California, to join the party. Mudd secured a grant from an anonymous donor last year to start a massive online program and hired a recent graduate, Elly Schofield, to run it. But this one won’t be so massive. Mudd’s courses — one for middle school computer science and another for high school calculus-based physics — are being developed to help teachers help their students rather than targeting students directly. A middle school computer science teacher, for example, could use video lectures from a Mudd professor along with recommended discussion topics to supplement classes. The courses will be available in the second half of the year. “I discovered as soon as I joined up on the project that this was not going to be a traditional MOOC,” said Schofield, 22, who graduated from Mudd last year with a degree in math. “It’s designed to be a tool for teachers who want to use it within a classroom.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-14/massive-online-education-gets-less-massive.html

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

With less books, paper, and pencils and more laptops, smartphones, and tablets gracing our classrooms these days, it would be logical to say that the nature of note-taking in class has changed, too. Especially with digital tools such as Evernote, writing things down on paper seems less likely to be the #1 way of taking notes. That said, does taking notes really help? Does the physical act of writing something down help you to remember it? What is the most effective way to take notes? How does all of this play into a more digitally based classroom? The handy infographic linked below takes a look at these questions and more.

http://www.edudemic.com/digital-classroom-note-taking/

By Ludmila Battista and Verlinda Ruble, Faculty Focus

There are many ways to cover course content and effective instructors may find adult learners more enthusiastic when a variety of instructional methodologies are used (McDaniel & Brown, 2001). Students, particularly adult students, become motivated when they see value in what they are working toward—when the work they are putting forth is clearly in line with their ultimate values or ideals. Students can find satisfaction in learning when their curiosity about a topic or skill level is improved. “Adults find motivation to learn within the demands and desires of their lives, in providing for themselves and their families, and in satisfying personal dreams and ambitions” (Fisher, 2006, para. 4). It is through the student’s sense of accomplishment and vision for the future that intrinsic motivation is born. An approachable instructor can be the inspiration for this change in the student’s mindset.

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/nine-strategies-to-spark-adult-students-intrinsic-motivation/

By Denny Carter, eCampus News

The 2014 U.S. News college rankings drive home a point trumpeted by many in higher education last year: Public universities are well ahead of their private counterparts in online education. Two in 10 fully online college students attend private universities. A perusal of the U.S. News rankings, released Jan. 8, shows that public campuses dominate the top of nearly every category. One would have to look well down the list of top online bachelor degree programs to find a private school in the ranks. The same goes with graduate business programs, where Indiana University at Bloomington led the way, and graduate education programs, a category led by Northern Illinois University.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/online-learning/private-online-universities-833/

by Mary Stegmeir, The Des Moines Register

Put the pencils down. In a growing number of Iowa’s classrooms, teens are going online to study for — and even take — semester exams. The change reflects an increasing use of technology in classrooms. Want students to study for and ultimately ace their finals? Then meet them in the digital land where they live, educators say. “It’s our job as teachers to find the best ways to get information to the kids,” said Graham Lundt, a Gilbert High School health teacher, who provides online study guides and tests. “For my students, this works.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/13/iowa-teens-technology-classrooms-testing/4467785/

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

With a Kindle in one hand, a MacBook Air in the other, and an iPhone shoved in my pocket, I have nearly any information I could possibly want at my fingertips. Needless to say, I visit libraries much less often than I used to. With digitized archives, web based content, and e-books, the role of libraries and librarians has certainly changed over the years. That said, all of these digital resources have not made librarians obsolete. So what is the role of the librarian in the digital age? Take a gander at the handy infographic linked below to find out!

http://www.edudemic.com/librarian-digital-age/

by Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

I have recently received a couple of messages through the Facebook Page of Educational Technology and Mobile Learning about resources on teaching coding to kids soI decided to write this guide. All students are able to learn math, coding originates from mathematical concepts,so all students can learn coding.But why is it that coding and computer science are not yet compulsory subjects in schools? The technological world is advancing in spectacular speed and weirdly enough kids and teenagers are those who are catching up with it the most and yet we do not provide them with a nurturing environment to not only learn about how to use technology for educational purposes but more important learn how this technology works.

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/01/these-are-skills-students-learn-from.html

BY CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated Press

New York state’s 64-campus university system is undertaking a major virtual expansion, adding new online degree programs and enhancing academic and technical support for students taking classes via computer. In what it’s calling “Open SUNY,” the State University of New York goes live Tuesday with eight new online degree programs at six campuses and plans to add more in September. SUNY currently offers more than 12,000 courses and 150 degree programs online. Students will be able to complete degrees online or through a combination of virtual and brick-and-mortar classes. Chancellor Nancy Zimpher announced plans for the expansion a year ago. The goal is to enroll 100,000 new online students over the next five years.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/01/13/2970275/state-university-of-ny-expands.html

by Joe Sabado, Student Affairs and Technology Leadership

I have several reasons as to why I decided to commit my money towards this device. It’s the same reason as to why I spend so much time using social media and on my mobile devices. They are integral to my work and my life-long learning. I may be mistaken but I believe wearable computing and internet of things (pervasive/ubiquitous computing) will be part of the next wave of technologies that as a higher education technology professional, I will need to be ready for. I bought Google Glass as part of my preparation and to learn more about these technologies that will become more common sooner than we think. These technologies will bring new opportunities and challenges in higher education in the way we conduct our business and how we provide support and environment towards student learning.

http://joesabado.com/2014/01/my-goals-with-google-glass/

By Mike Orcutt, Technology Review

Sunglasses made with nanoscale optical technology hint at a near future of inconspicuous head-mounted displays. Head-mounted displays could transform computing applications such as navigation, translation, gaming, and assisting people with disabilities. For all the hype around smart glasses, none of them actually look like normal glasses. But Vuzix, which develops wearable display technology for military and industrial applications, plans to change that this summer by releasing a pair of sleek wraparound shades that will let users see colorful images projected over objects in the real world.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/523151/coming-soon-smart-glasses-that-look-like-regular-spectacles/

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

School isn’t just about learning and books, as teachers are already well aware. For students, going to school also teaches them about a slew of life lessons – and interacting with others is at the top of that list. We all know (having been young ourselves) that kids can sometimes be really mean. Bullying is serious business, and as bullys move online, there are a lot of resources popping up to help out parents, teachers, and students to understand bullying and what to do about it. The handy infographic below looks at some statistics regarding cyber bullying, demographics, and the effects it can have on a student.

http://www.edudemic.com/cyberbullying/

By AlishaEllis, Edudemic

When you’re talking about learning a language in the U.S., you’re generally talking about ESL which refers to “English as a second language” or the study or use of English by speakers with different native languages. Learning a new language seems quite tough but lucky for the students of today as technology has made it a lot simpler and easier. Many schools are now making plans to increase the availability and use of technology in classrooms in order to engage students in learning English language digitally.

http://www.edudemic.com/top-9-fantastic-ipad-apps-esl-students/

by Matthew Lynch, Huffington Post

There are so many ways that academics are enhanced by technology that simply did not exist ten years ago. Today, students can benefit from online learning modules if a major illness or suspension keeps them at home. For students who are struggling under the academic and social pressures of traditional schooling, online learning provides an alternative to stay on track from the comforts of home. Online learning is just a brushstroke on the contemporary portrait of learning technology. Within classrooms, teachers can encourage students to work individually on computer or mobile devices, freeing up some time to work in-person with those who might need the extra attention. Teachers can also communicate more effectively with parents and students regarding upcoming assignments, supplementary lesson plans and areas where students could benefit from extra practice. With browser-based technology, and cloud-based options, teachers can provide easy access to information and parents and students can log in at their convenience.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-lynch-edd/the-call-to-teach-the-rol_b_4583536.html

by Michael Patrick Rutter, Harvard Gazette

In addition to covering disciplines from economics to genomics to history, the lineup represents a continuing move by Harvard faculty to reinvent the MOOC, or massive open online course, and use the Web to enhance rather than directly replicate what happens in the classroom. “We are expanding our approach to not focus exclusively on semester-based, linear courses but to now include entirely new and more flexible ways of teaching. Our faculty’s creativity demands it,” said Robert Lue, professor of the practice of molecular and cellular biology, faculty director of HarvardX, and Richard L. Menschel Faculty Director of the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/01/new-horizons-for-harvardx/

by Rick Nathanson, Albuquerque Journal

Technological savvy and entrepreneurial spirit worked out OK for Microsoft’s Bill Gates – not so good for a high school senior in Gallup who was expelled for stealing a teacher’s password, hacking into online courses and taking money from other students to change their grades. “As a school administrator, it’s the worst case of cheating I’ve ever seen,” Miyamura High School principal John Overheim said on Friday. “Part of it is the nature of the digital age. Once you acquire a password and the access is there, the temptation is great; and after all, they are teenagers and they don’t always make the best decisions.”

http://www.abqjournal.com/334887/news/high-school-student-expelled-for-cheating.html#mce_temp_url#