Educational Technology

by Kansas City InfoZine

A new report shows that a majority of Missouri’s public schools have the technology necessary to conduct computer-based achievement testing set to begin during the 2014-15 school year. Missouri schools reported in a survey that about 95 percent of their computer devices provide the level of technology necessary to handle the testing. “We were pleased to see that most schools in the state have been able to invest in the technology they need to help prepare students for the future,” said Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro.

http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/54046/

by Fox 13 Salt Lake City

iSchool is made possibly through a legislation that created the Smart School Technology Program. “Some legislation ran last year in a session that set up a pilot program and the legislature appropriated the millions of dollars it took to put this in to play,” said Utah House Speaker Beck Lockhart. William Nixon, caiman and CEO of iSchool Campus, says Dixon is the first public middle school to become a certified smart school. That means iPad technology is available to every student in the classroom.“We are taking these to K through 12 and educating them how to put technology to use for their benefit for their future. It’s a whole new paradigm in learning. It really is the future,” Nixon said. Jarod Sites, principal at Dixon Middle School, says that technological programs like iSchool are inevitable.

http://fox13now.com/2012/12/07/technology-education-merge-at-the-newest-ischool/

by Dan Reisinger, Technology Review

There’s a general feeling in the mobile market that Apple is the world’s most innovative company. Those same folks tend to believe that Samsung is a close second. Admittedly, making that argument makes some sense. Looking around the mobile space, Apple’s iPhone 5 looks to be the most innovative option available. After all, it combines aluminum and glass to create a nice, appealing design. Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S III combines a huge display with sleek lines to appeal to customers. But further inspection reveals that Apple and Samsung might not be the most innovative mobile companies. In fact, the firms that are thinking outside the box might just be operating overseas. Yota Devices is one of those companies. Recently profiled in the Wall Street Journal, the company is poised to release an Android-based smartphone next year that has not one, but two, screens.

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/508706/real-mobile-innovation-might-be-happening-outside-of-cupertino/

BY News today

Over 50s are increasingly less likely to be baffled by computers and more likely to be using them as a learning resource, a new survey has revealed. And the news is described as being hugely positive in terms of older people’s health, their involvement in society and the development of their range of interests. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) has published a major new survey (November 2012) showing an increase in independent and online ‘distance learning’ by more mature people. While the proportion of people aged 50 and over engaged in learning has not changed since the last survey in 2005, the numbers learning independently and online have risen.

http://www.newstoday.co.uk/6600/2012/12/more-silver-surfers-joining-the-distance-learning-community/

by Marketwatch

The survey, conducted by MDR’s EdNET Insight, asked superintendents, assistant superintendents, curriculum directors, principals and special education directors who have experience implementing online learning to identify and rank several key success factors and best practices. More than 220 leaders responded, with significant representation from districts varying in size and metropolitan status. The majority of respondents have experience implementing online programs for credit recovery, followed by experience offering online courses, and full-time online programs. Results show that the following four factors, which were cited as “extremely important” for at least 80 percent of respondents across all three program types – full-time online, online courses, and credit recovery – are critical to implementing successful online learning programs in K-12 schools and districts.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/k12-inc-educators-survey-highlights-reporting-teacher-availability-and-training-and-engaging-curriculum-as-key-individualized-online-learning-best-practices-2012-12-12

By Rachel Metz, Technology Review

Lumi is the latest venture from two of the three founders of Last.fm, a popular Internet radio service that keeps track of what you listen to and then recommends new tunes based on your tastes. Similarly, Lumi is a browser plug-in that tracks the websites you visit and suggests other sites it believes you’ll enjoy. This service is now in a private alpha test with around 1,000 users, including me. It doesn’t require the user to do anything beyond installing the plug-in (it works on Firefox, Safari, and Chrome). You can then navigate the Web normally—and when you want to see Lumi’s suggestions, you simply log in on its site and take a look.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/508356/lumi-a-useful-web-recommendation-engine/

By RADHIKA JAIN and KEVIN J. WU, Harvard Crimson

In less than a week, two more institutions of higher education—Wellesley College and Georgetown University—have partnered with edX, the rapidly growing online educational venture started by Harvard and MIT last May. But six months after the launch, Harvard faculty continue to express a spectrum of opinions on whether HarvardX—the subset of edX courses offered by Harvard—will enhance or detract from on-campus instruction. The issue was discussed at length last Tuesday at the Faculty meeting of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, sparking vigorous discussion about how edX aligns with Harvard’s educational goals. Some faculty expressed concerns that an aggressive pursuit of online education might redirect Harvard’s attention from on-campus learning and dilute Harvard’s brand. “Will the outcome of this be less HarvardX than ex-Harvard?” English Department Chair W. James Simpson asked at the meeting.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/12/12/faculty-edx-courses-debate/

by Laura Shin, Credit.com

Late last year, total student loan debt in the United States reached $1 trillion, a situation that set off a lot of hand-wringing. And for the people bearing the burden of the debt, the crisis is a deeply personal one. At the time, few could have predicted that a revolution was already in the works that could someday make student loan debt a thing of the past. But MOOCs-the nickname for Massive Open Online Courses, which offer elite college-level instruction to anyone with an internet connection-have exploded over the last year, drawing students from locations as far-flung as Sri Lanka and Nepal and even stimulating the minds of retirees in Indiana. The biggest of the companies offering MOOCs, Coursera, had an enrollment of 1.7 million this fall. And what’s the price tag on these courses offered by professors from such top universities as Stanford, Harvard and Duke?

http://blog.credit.com/2012/12/how-a-college-education-could-cost-0-in-the-future/

by Alex Wukman, Online Courses

Launched in 2010, Udemy is an online learning platform that allows professors to host courses. The service was conceived in 2007 by Eren Bali while he was living in Turkey. He and Gagan Biyani decided to create Udemy as a way to provide the technology capabilities necessary to teach over the internet. When Bali and Biyanni tried to raise the funds to launch Udemy they were rejected 30 times because investors weren’t confident enough in the business. To solve the problem, Bali and Biyani raised funds on their own and launched Udemy in May 2010. By July 2010, 2,000 courses had been uploaded and 10,000 users had registered. They then launched a second round of venture capital financing and within two weeks had raised $500,000, they closed the round a week later, in August 2010, with $1 million in investments from 11 people.

http://www.onlinecollegecourses.com/2012/12/12/mooc-spotlight-udemy/

by Catherine Lucey, Huffington Post

I recently gave a talk to fellow medical school professors arguing that we need to take a lesson from the playbook of Rovio’s popular game Angry Birds™. The birds-versus-pigs format is so successful because it is efficient: Players experience sequential, gated challenges to defeat egg-snatching pigs, there is immediate feedback as the birds either succeed or fail, and players are challenged all over again. Practice makes perfect. Meanwhile, our smart phones have transformed into Star Trek-style tricorders. These tiny computers that fit in our pocket are able to measure vitals, provide step-by-step instructions, and even assist in diagnosing disease. And mobile applications capitalize on the fact that learning is best when the individual is motivated by a need to know the information. At UCSF, we used this blended learning approach — practice-makes-perfect and technology-enhanced learning — when we built a new, high tech gross anatomy lab. The lab, which overlooks the city of San Francisco from its 13th floor perch on Parnassus Heights, is arguably one of the most advanced in the world.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-reinis-lucey-md/mobile-tech-classrooms_b_2237813.html

by WEBWIRE

America’s top computer scientists proclaim the virtues of computer science education today. December 8th was the birthday of computing pioneer, Grace Hopper. In commemoration, her birthday every year marks Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) intended to spotlight the transformative role of computing and the need to bolster computer science at all educational levels. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pleased to join in recognizing CSEdWeek 2012. “Computer Science–or more broadly information technology or computing–drives our economy, ensures global competitiveness, accelerates the pace of discovery and is crucial to achieve many of America’s national and societal priorities” said Jan Cuny, NSF program manager for computer education and broadening participation.

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=166598

By Paula Harris and Ruthe Farmer, Houston Chronicle

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of students participating in computer science training has decreased from 25 percent to 19 percent over the last 20 years. And those who do show an interest in the field find that most public schools simply do not offer an up-to-date, rigorous computer science curriculum. While STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education is a hot topic in education circles these days, only math and science courses are required for graduation from high school. The few computer science courses that are offered are categorized as electives, not as core courses students need to graduate, so they do not receive the same emphasis as their higher profile STEM counterparts. We need to start working with students at a young age to spark their interest in technology and computer science.

http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Time-to-make-computer-science-part-of-schools-4100712.php

by Chuck Raasch, USA Today

Authors Smolan and Erwitt are shipping 10,000 copies of Big Data to opinion leaders around the world, hoping it sparks a global conversation about the oceans of data humans are swimming in. “Big data” is a label affixed by software engineers, computer scientists, and social scientists, a description of the revolutionary ability to detect, corral and compare data on scales few even dreamed possible at the beginning of the century. Copies of the book were sent to everyone from President Obama to Justin Bieber. “We need to have the smartest people on earth aware of, and talking about this” Smolan says. Smolan and Erwitt say “big data” have launched technological immortality, where “each of us now leaves a trail of digital exhaust, an infinite stream of phone records, texts, browser histories, GPS data, and other information, that will live on forever.” Others say a new kind of human is evolving from the data soup.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/12/04/big-data-explosion/1729535/

by HPC Wire

From predicting the path of severe weather to creating drugs that combat disease, big data is critical to the discoveries that improve human life. However, the current production of digital data exceeds the ability to move it over computer networks. A new Indiana University-business collaboration is changing that dynamic. A recent networking breakthrough from IU researchers, in collaboration with Orange Silicon Valley and DataDirect Networks, showed that data sharing can be faster and more efficient over wide area networks (WAN). The team performed the world’s first demonstration of RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) across a wide area network using the Lustre file system.

http://www.hpcwire.com/hpcwire/2012-12-03/indiana_university_moves_big_data_faster.html

by Michael Gelbart, the DTF for the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences (SEAS)

Salman Khan, founder of the Khan Academy, recently published his first book, The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined. The book discusses a variety of topics such as the history of education, educational theory, the development of the Khan Academy itself, and criticisms of the current school system. Then, towards the end of the book, Khan introduces his own opinions about what schools should look like. In his view, classes should have 75-100 students with several teachers per class, students of all ages should be mixed together, there should be no boundaries between different disciplines, students should spend 1-2 hours with an educational software such as Khan Academy, and the majority of the day should be reserved for creative exploration.

http://blog.bokcenter.harvard.edu/tag/khan-academy/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A company that offers free video courses to help students prepare for exams that will earn them college credit claimed that it had reached a million students in its first year of operation. Education Portal recently added its 18th course. Each course offers sets of short video clips as well as transcriptions and assessment materials that help participants prepare to take a CollegeBoard College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in order to earn college credit and opt out of introductory courses. Among the classes currently offered in complete form are Psychology 101 and Math 104: Calculus. “The psychology videos were a great study tool. I aced the CLEP exam and earned three college credits,” said Claire Steiner, a nursing student who used the site’s free videos to test out of prerequisites at her school.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/12/03/education-portal-claims-a-million-students-for-free-online-clep-prep-courses.aspx?admgarea=news

by Dave Flessner, Times Free Press

From rescuing an injured Dolphin to helping an orphanage in Haiti, middle school students enrolled in a new online training program quickly learn the value and fun of work in science, math and engineering. Chattanooga entrepreneurs Dane and Sheila Boyington, both chemical engineers who previously developed a successful vocational testing and training program, launched a new web-based toolkit Monday they believe could address America’s deficiency in science, technology, engineering and math — the so-called STEM courses. The new online program known as the Learning Blade provides an entertaining, game-based format to entice students to pursue “missions” to solve challenges using both reading and science skills. In the process, program developers hope to both teach and excite more young people into engineering and technical studies and vocations where the United States is losing its once-dominant lead in the world.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/dec/04/chattanooga-learning-blade/

by CLAUDIO SANCHEZ, NPR

Online college courses are attracting hundreds of thousands of students, and that’s forcing colleges and policymakers to rethink higher education. The online courses may pose a serious challenge to the way institutions deliver a college education.

http://www.npr.org/2012/12/04/166470215/online-courses-force-changes-to-higher-education

by ANDREA A. LUNSFORD, BedfordsMartins

Mow do you make a course with 300,000 students enrolled in any way intimate? How do you foster give-and-take among the participants? How do you avoid rampant cheating? And perhaps most vexing, how do you evaluate the work of students in such courses, especially ones that don’t lend themselves to multiple choice scantron tests. Colleagues across the country who are working on MOOCs are quick to say that they don’t know much about what they are doing and that experimentation is the name of the game—for the near future at least. The excitement and promise of MOOCs are very real: stories of people with no access to formal education suddenly being able to take courses from the best faculty in the world are heartwarming, as they signal an opening up and democratization of education scarcely imaginable in earlier times. But the problems, some of which I’ve just enumerated, are also very real. In addition, the nation’s most prestigious institutions aren’t likely to trade in that prestige any time soon.

http://blogs.bedfordstmartins.com/bits/andrea-lunsford/moocs-to-you/alunsford/

by Aurélien Mondon, the Guardian

Let’s be clear, access to quality lectures for free is a fantastic achievement, allowing hundreds of thousands to access knowledge for its own sake. But with Tedx, Coursera and others like them taking part in the democratisation of education by removing it from the shackles of consumerism and the market, there is a risk that such developments will be detrimental to the exploration of knowledge in the long term. Carole Cadwalladr recently reported in the Observer that free online access to tertiary courses and lectures was set to revolutionise education. She imagined a United Kingdom where “the ‘second-tier’ universities … could struggle in the brave new free education market world”.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/dec/07/online-course-death-of-humanities

By Ernesto Priego, Inside Higher Ed

As a researcher interested in the digital humanities and as a blogger, editor and academic blogging and social media workshop facilitator, I have observed different shades of digital literacy levels. I have witnessed it not between groups from different countries, disciplines or institutions, but within self-contained groups or communities that are often assumed to have the same skill sets or more or less similar degrees of access to infrastructure, financial means, education, and connectivity amongst others since these groups’ members belong to the same organisation, faculty or department. That members of the same organisation should not be assumed to necessarily have the same digital skills or level of access to said skills, education or resources is precisely one of the motivations for this post.

http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university-venus/various-shades-digital-literacy-new-digital-divides