Techno-News Blog

July 31, 2014

SOLE: Motivate Students to Teach Themselves (and Each Other)

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by Laura Bradley, Edutopia

What if we asked our students questions (straight from our curriculum), and then we let them, in groups and with the internet, find the answers themselves? That’s what Dr. Sugata Mitra suggests might motivate and inspire students to learn and teach one another on their own, without adult interference. Winner of the 2013 TED Prize, educational researcher Dr. Sugata Mitra has shown with his ‘Hole in the Wall’ experiments that, “in the absence of supervision or formal teaching, children can teach themselves and each other, if they’re motivated by curiosity and peer interest” (http://bit.ly/N0esFy).

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/sole-motivate-students-teach-themselves-and-each-other
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Do I Need a Digital Teaching Portfolio?

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by Edwige Simon, Edutopia

Designing a well-organized and professional teaching portfolio can give you an edge in a competitive job market, and help you score high marks on your school’s teacher evaluation form. It is, however, a time-consuming endeavor (the average portfolio takes about two to three days of work), and once built, your portfolio will require regular attention. This post will help you decide whether or not a portfolio will serve your professional goals and how to go about designing a professional-looking site that showcases your teaching skills.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-teaching-portfolio-edwige-simon

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The Neuroscience Behind Stress and Learning

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by Judy Willis, MD, Edutopia

The realities of standardized tests and increasingly structured, if not synchronized, curriculum continue to build classroom stress levels. Neuroimaging research reveals the disturbances in the brain’s learning circuits and neurotransmitters that accompany stressful learning environments. The neuroscientific research about learning has revealed the negative impact of stress and anxiety and the qualitative improvement of the brain circuitry involved in memory and executive function that accompanies positive motivation and engagement.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/neuroscience-behind-stress-and-learning-judy-willis

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July 30, 2014

Open online courses: Ready to be MOOCed?

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By Muhammad Adil Mulki, Adnan Rizvi; the Express Tribune

The concept of online learning is fast picking up an audience, which is evident from the spike in enrollment numbers for MOOCs that have escalated from a million in 2012 to over 10 million as of date. The list of subjects offered through MOOCs is extensive, including everything from psychology to computer science to astronomy and history. The primary components of MOOCs include video lectures, virtual group projects, peer-to-peer assessments and social meet-ups for students belonging to the same geographical area. Timings are flexible and a course can be taken at whatever time is best suited to the student. Moreover, some platforms, such as Coursera, have also added a further option of sub-titling and closed captioning for disabled students. While there is no substitute for live, person-to-person interaction between an instructor and a student, the structure and precision with which MOOCs are designed and delivered compensate for that missing element substantially.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/736471/open-online-courses-ready-to-be-mooced/

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Accessibility-as-a-Service in Georgia

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by David Raths, Campus Technology

As faculty members add online and multimedia elements to their courses, colleges and universities across the country continue to struggle to ensure that disabled students (and employees) have equal access to course material and university Web sites. But by taking a centralized approach, the State of Georgia finds itself in an enviable position. Its AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center, situated in the Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture, has grown into a hub for training, technical assistance and manufacture of hard-copy textbooks and publisher files into accessible media, for universities in Georgia and across the country.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/07/16/accessibility-as-a-service-in-georgia.aspx

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Wearable Learning

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By Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

When you think about the learning potential of wearable technology, the first thing that typically comes to mind is students, well, wearing it. A student might use a head-mounted GoPro camera to film a first-person narrative, or perform chemistry experiments informed by a Google Glass overlay. Along the same lines, most of the futurist thinking regarding wearables seems to revolve around what can be done with the hardware: how students can engage by wearing the devices.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/07/17/wearable-learning.aspx

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July 29, 2014

The pros and cons of open technology

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By Meris Stansbury, eCampus News

Campuses are moving into the future…and professors may be rejoicing. It’s not just the high cost of textbooks that have libraries scrambling to provide open education (OER) resources. As professors look at alternative options to retain copyright on printed works, and campuses look to expand community partnerships while decreasing budget, going open has never looked so good. According to a new report, “Open Education Resources: The New Paradigm in Academic Libraries,” by Carmen Mitchell and Melanie Chu of California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) [published in the Journal of Library Innovation, Vol. 5, Issue 1, 2014], a combination of factors have converged to make the use of open resources integral to campuses across the country.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/pros-cons-open-813/

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I Tunes U’s update includes an iPad course creator—but will prove useful?

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by Molly Schulson, eCampusNews

There are over 500,000 free lectures, videos and other resources available on iTunes U, which was created in 2007 as a section of the iTunes store dedicated to providing users with educational content. Over 155 countries have access to iTunes U’s repertoire of material, made easier by Apple’s most recent update. Apple announced on June 30 that they have enhanced the iTunes U experience for iPad users. For example, educators are now able to create and edit their own iTunes U courses directly on their iPads for the first time. They can incorporate pictures and video captured from their iPad’s camera and also add their work from other apps such as iWork or iBooks Author to their iTunes U courses.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/business-news/itunes-u-update-199/

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Google and Udacity want you “thinking like a Developer”

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by Nate Swanner, SlashGear

Google is practicing their own version of Inception. Three Developer Advocates from the company are using an app to teach you how to make apps. A new, free course on Udacity, called “Developing Android Apps: Android Fundamentals”, teaches you all you need to know in starting your path toward app development. Like any good tutorial, the aim is teaching you how to think like an Android Developer, not simply run you through coding exercises. The course will also school users on the history of Android, and give them insight on the current (and evolving) face of Android development.

http://www.slashgear.com/google-and-udacity-want-you-thinking-like-a-developer-15337395/

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July 28, 2014

EdX inks deal with Saudi Arabia and women are among those said to benefit

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by Mary Moore, Boston Business Journal

The courses will start with a pilot program for Saudi women, youth, the disabled and citizens in rural areas, the press release said. These groups will be the ones likely to realize the greatest opportunity as a result of the new MOOC because they will have access to education, which can “advance their careers,” the release said. “Through extending educational opportunity to the people of Saudi Arabia, the initiative will help provide the skills necessary for economic empowerment,” said Anant Agarwal, CEO, edX, in a prepared statement.

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2014/07/15/edx-inks-deal-with-saudi-arabia-and-women-areamong.html

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Toward a Video Pedagogy

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by Paul Dean, the Sociological Cinema

Since launching The Sociological Cinema in September 2010, we have cataloged over 450 videos for teaching and learning sociology, and written numerous blog posts about teaching with video and other multimedia. We have marveled at the explosion of course-relevant videos now available on the Internet and the ways that technology has enabled the production and sharing of videos previously unavailable to instructors. Along the way, we have continuously reflected about how these videos can be useful in an educational context.

http://www.thesociologicalcinema.com/blog/toward-a-video-pedagogy

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INFOGRAPHIC: 10 advantages of online courses

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By Meris Stansbury, eCampus News

“Although some would argue that online education is only an awesome alternative to traditional education because of the savings and convenience, there are actually many other advantages,” says Brad Zomick, SkilledUp’s chief content officer. “Only online education fully integrates itself into today’s educational technology. It is also more efficient for fast and especially motivated learners and offers skills that lack resources in traditional education despite high demand from employers (coding and social media marketing are common examples). One could even claim that it isn’t an alternative at all but rather a different path with its own rewards.”

http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/advantages-online-courses-349/

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July 27, 2014

How To Watch The Internet Happen In Real-Time

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By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

I stumbled across this neat site via a mention on Twitter recently, and I thought it was definitely worth a share. Sometimes when we talk about internet statistics, the numbers are huge and there isn’t really a ton of take-home besides the fact that lots of people share lots of information on the internet. The Internet In Real Time changes that, at least a little bit. When you access the site, it is as though someone has started a watch – all the counts start at zero, and count up from there. It shows how many new accounts are created, messages sent, searches performed, etc on popular sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.

http://www.edudemic.com/internet-in-real-time/

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IS E-LEARNING ALL IT’S CRACKED UP TO BE?

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By Maria Mirakaj Brownsell, Community College Campus News

All in all, online classes seem to be helpful for certain lifestyles, but seem to disappoint many. If someone is looking for an easy class where they won’t have to devote much time, they may wrongly turn to e-learning. If someone is looking for a way to take a class in between other activities but has plenty of time to put into, then they shall succeed!

http://cccnews.info/2014/07/13/is-e-learning-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/

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So You Think You Can Educate Adults?

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by Alexander Russo, edSurge

Indeed, adult education is experiencing a much-needed surge of interest from the innovation and entrepreneurial communities, according to experts, observers, and providers. They hope that this interest will develop new human capital, improve outcomes, and attract additional resources. Some of the developments – flipped, blended, gamified, mobile learning – are familiar trends generally mirroring those taking place in other sectors. Others trends and concepts – contextualization, “braided” funding, and “bridge” programs – are more specific to the needs of low-skill adults and adult education programs who serve them. Here’s a roundup of some of the most interesting trends and innovations in adult education from our interviews with experts and leaders in the field.

https://www.edsurge.com/n/2014-07-11-so-you-think-you-can-educate-adults

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July 26, 2014

Are tablets about to get a promotion in the workplace?

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by Steve Ranger, ZD Net

According to research, nearly three-quarters of organisations are issuing corporate-owned laptops (74 percent) and smartphones (71 percent) to their workforces, while less than half of businesses dish out tablets. But the analysts at Frost & Sullivan said the number of business-issued tablets will rise over the next three years “as many of the more data-intensive mobile applications migrate over to the tablets”. By 2016, enterprise ownership and regular usage of smartphones is expected to decrease from its current base of 66 percent to 58 percent, while tablets are expected to increase from 49 percent to 56 percent — almost the same level.

http://www.zdnet.com/are-tablets-about-to-get-a-promotion-in-the-workplace-7000031259/

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Decoding the hidden messages in Satya Nadella’s letter to Microsoft employees

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by Ed Bott, ZD Net

When the CEO makes a big speech, even if it’s delivered on a Snowfall-style web page, it’s carefully vetted by the company’s brain trust (and by its lawyers). And you don’t have to play Kremlinologist to discern major themes for the next year or two. Just as it pays to read annual reports carefully, it’s also worth picking out the substance buried beneath the yadda-yadda in a presentation like this one. Here are five small but meaningful details that caught my attention.

http://www.zdnet.com/decoding-the-hidden-messages-in-satya-nadellas-letter-to-microsoft-employees-7000031472

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Facing the Facts: Facial Recognition and E-Learning

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by Kate Everson, Chief Learning Officer

Facial recognition software developer KeyLemon has released a new program that applies its product to online education. Not only will it identify users when they first log into a program, it will confirm whether they’re the one taking the test. It also tracks eye movement to make sure learners are paying attention to a lecture instead of just half-heartedly listening while playing a gripping game of Tetris. For learning leaders, this development means they can add some integrity to online development programs that are plagued by plagiarism and cheating. It also means they can make e-learning more personal and responsive by giving the administrator a firmer grasp on what students are paying attention to during lecture.

http://www.clomedia.com/blogs/2-from-the-editors/post/5717-facing-the-facts-facial-recognition-and-e-learning

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July 25, 2014

MOOC dropouts – What we learn from students who leave

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by Sherif Halawa, University World News

The wide gamut of interactions that MOOC platforms record helps us not only to predict and understand more about dropouts but also to distinguish between learners who leave because of lack of time, learners who leave because of lack of motivation and learners who leave because of course difficulty. In a classroom setting, the teacher can observe students’ active engagement with a discussion, but cannot measure non-participating students’ engagement (whether or not they are silently following the discussion). MOOCs record forum post visits even for students who never post to the forum. MOOC forums also record conversations between students, which is difficult to capture in a classroom setting. In a dropout diagnosis experiment, we asked students to self-report on their state of perceived course difficulty, motivation and their amount of weekly free time. Analysis of respondents’ learning interaction data revealed that certain behaviours are associated with high or low levels of each of these three factors.

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140708163413797

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A cheaper, faster version of a college degree

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Mary Beth Marklein, USA TODAY

No one appears quite ready to dismiss the value of a college degree, but cheaper, faster alternatives are gaining credibility in the workplace. The latest example: AT&T is working with a for-profit online education provider to develop “nanodegrees,” its name for a series of courses that will take less than a year to complete and lead directly to entry-level jobs at the company related to Web and mobile applications development. The coursework, to be launched this fall by online education provider Udacity, will cost about $200 a month. The only prerequisite: the ability to do high school math. A more advanced learner can skip the courses and go straight to a final project.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/11/nanodegrees-alternative-credentials/11236811/

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Minerva Project Mixes Online Learning With World Travel

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By KIRK CARAPEZZA, WGBH

Would you attend a college that sends you around the world to live in different cities while taking all of your classes online? Minerva Project CEO Ben Nelson is banking on the notion that the world is ready for a new and different kind of university. “If you want to have a student experience that is around the concept of a campus, sheltered environment, go to your local football games, fraternities, you have plenty of options,” Nelson said. “But if you want to go to school while really immersing yourself in the best the world has to offer, we are your only option.”

http://wgbhnews.org/post/minerva-project-mixes-online-learning-world-travel

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