Educational Technology

December 31, 2013

Millennials View Education as Least Satisfying Segment for Empowerment, Workplace Collaboration

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:39 am

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

For young people seeking innovation in the organizations where they work, education as a sector may not be the most conducive environment. “Millennials,” who make up a quarter of the current workforce, consider educational institutions the least innovative, at least when compared to retail, technology, healthcare and advertising, marketing and PR. This segment of the population, also known as Generation Y, were born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, putting them somewhere in their early 30s and younger. Nearly half of this group — 46 percent — indicated that the school districts, colleges, and universities where they’re employed have outdated collaboration practices. More than half said they believe their employers make it tough for ideas to be shared or taken to the next level. Sixty-one percent disagree or strongly disagree that their organizations have a “simple process” for converting good ideas from brainstorming sessions into a “productive outcome.”

http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/12/10/millennials-view-education-as-least-satisfying-segment-for-empowerment-workplace-collaboration.aspx

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What Is Social Learning (And Does It Work)?

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:34 am

By Jessica Leach, Edudemic

Distance learning, e-learning, mobile learning, blended learning. There are a slew of educational learning trends that have been happening for years now. And now, we’re adding social learning to the mix. The something-learning trend is continuing to move forward, this time putting popular social media to use. Social learning employs things like gamification, peer feedback and review, ranking, and awards to engage students in the material and learning process. The handy infographic below takes a look at the growing number of internet users worldwide, the proliferation of smartphone usage, and how leveraging these tools can benefit both students and teachers.

http://www.edudemic.com/social-learning/

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5 Powerful Assistive Technologies Being Used In Classrooms

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:29 am

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

One of the amazing things about technology is that it can do some of the work to bridge the gap between students. There are a ton of amazing technologies out there that help students who are hearing, visually, or physically impaired. Unfortunately, many of these technologies come with a huge price tag – that schools or districts may not always be able to afford. Luckily, the more widespread (education and non-education alike) market has seen the development of many new technologies that can be used as assistive technologies in your classroom, and many of them are low-cost or even free. Many of them can even be used in online as well as traditional classrooms. We’ve put together a list of a few of our favorites for you to check out!

http://www.edudemic.com/assistive-technologies/

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December 30, 2013

IBM predicts: Goodbye password, hello digital guardian

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 8:40 pm

by GMA News

By 2018, people could be bidding goodbye to passwords as they will have so-called digital guardians protecting their identities online. The concept of a digital assistant is one of the innovations that IBM predicts will potentially change people’s lives in the next five years. “In five years, each of us could be protected with our own digital guardian that will become trained to focus on the people and items it is entrusted with, offering a new level of identity theft protection. Security will assimilate contextual, situational and historical data to verify a person’s identity on different devices,” it said. A digital guardian can also be trained to tell the difference between “normal or reasonable activity” and advise the owner if it senses something unusual.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/340769/scitech/technology/ibm-predicts-goodbye-password-hello-digital-guardian

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These tech trends will rule your life in 2014, says IEEE

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 8:35 pm

By David Weldon, Fierce CIO

“Online courses demand seamless, ubiquitous approach,” IEEE says. Today, students throughout the world can sign up for online classes to study virtually anything, and everything. This is fueling growing interest in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). In turn, there will be a corresponding need for technology to support these new learning systems and styles. “Platforms such as Coursera, with more than 3 million users and 107 partners; and edX, a partnership between Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University with 1.7 million users; are hosting classes with thousands of online enrollees each,” the association writes.

http://www.fiercecio.com/story/these-tech-trends-will-rule-your-life-2014-says-ieee/2013-12-20

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Innovative online school designed for students who are parents, too

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

by Linda Borg, Providence Journal

Imagine a high school where students attend class two days a week and work online the rest, where teachers are available by email and students get help with housing, public assistance and anything else they need. The Sheila C. “Skip” Nowell Leadership Academy, one of two new online charter schools in Providence, is designed to make it easier for young parents to complete high school. The school provides daycare on site, along with a full-time nurse and guidance counselor. A private agency provides psychological services. If a student has a need, the academy will handle it. Students spend two days a week on campus, studying in a classroom with their teachers. Two days a week, they work online, using a virtual curriculum that measures their progress, tests them regularly and allows teachers to monitor and comment on their work.

http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20131220-innovative-online-school-designed-for-students-who-are-parents-too.ece

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December 29, 2013

University CIOs Share the Biggest Challenges That Lie Ahead for Their Schools

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:37 am

by Molly Greenberg, BH Courier

Whether it’s budget cuts making research funding all the more difficult or new technology wreaking havoc on the traditional brick-and-mortar education world that has remained untouched for years on end, universities across the U.S. are facing a whole slew of challenges these days. Rather than make assumptions about what’s happening on school grounds, though, Education Dive took it upon themselves to spend a couple of months interviewing higher ed CIOS. They set out to gain a better understanding about what the biggest issues on campus are and will be over the duration of the next decade.

http://bhcourier.com/budget-reductions-spells-end-of-beloved-nj-place-educational-program/2013/12/20

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Top 100 Tools for Learning in 2014

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:35 am

By Katie Hurst, Business to Community

We are big fans of online tools here at OpenSesame. Websites and apps help us connect with others, keep up with current events, learn new skills, as well as can inspire us to think big. Online tools enable and empower us in ways never imagined, and thousands are being created every day. Last year we covered the top 100 tools for learning in 2013 to help you achieve your goals. This year, we’ve expanded on that list to include 100 new tools that have made us more effective, made a splash or made us think. As there are few repeats, we encourage you to take advantage of ALL the tools we’ve mentioned in your personal and professional pursuits for 2014.

http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/top-100-tools-learning-2014-0719766

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The Global Race for Online Learning: How Does America Compare?

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

by Matthew Lynch, Huffington Post

It seems that the tip of the iceberg has not even been chipped when it comes to online K-12 learning in the U.S. But how do we measure up to other countries? The short answer is that the U.S. is the leader in online learning due in part to our widespread access to broadband Internet and how common it is in households and schools. Other nations are racing to catch up, though.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-lynch-edd/the-global-race-for-onlin_b_4467118.html

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December 28, 2013

Blended school program working at Haverford

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:40 am

By LOIS PUGLIONESI, Daily Times

A blended school program is performing well and saving money, according to a recent presentation to the school board by Coordinator of Secondary Special Programs David Parker and special education instructor Nicole Battestelli. Parker noted that while blended school students take some or all of their courses online, they retain access to district resources associated with learning and emotional support, athletics/sports programs and other activities. They’re also eligible to earn a Haverford High School diploma, Parker said.Of the 16 students currently enrolled, nine are special ed and seven are regular ed. Additionally, 22 students participated in some level of blended programming. Battestelli said the program is useful to students taking recovery credit or accelerating.

http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20131217/blended-school-program-working-at-haverford

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William Mitchell law school first to offer ABA-approved online degrees

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:36 am

by: MAURA LERNER, Star Tribune

Students will spend only a week or two on campus each semester, and take the rest of their classes online. It’s the first such program at a fully accredited law school. And depending on whom you ask, it’s a risky, or a long overdue, venture that could shake up the tradition-bound halls of legal education. “It moves them slightly forward into the 21st century,” said Robert Oliphant, a professor emeritus at William Mitchell who supports online teaching. “Law schools are about the last institutions in the world to try to change. They’re just very stuck in the mud.” The ABA, which accredits 203 law schools nationwide, has imposed strict limits on online classes for the past decade. But this month, for the first time, it approved a pilot project at William Mitchell that will permit students to complete up to half their coursework online.

http://www.startribune.com/local/236314681.html

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Virtual meetings and online learning praised by experts

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

by UK Virtual College

Video conferences and online lectures are effective means of employee training and development, audience members at the Associations Congress in London have been informed. According to experts speaking at the event, digital tools like webinars and live streaming offer workers a convenient way of accessing the information they need to thrive in their role. Wendy Holloway, operations manager for the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said the video content launched by her organisation has had a number of benefits for members. While 80 per cent of her trainees identified the technology as main resource they want to use when they sign up, “we have found over the last two or three years that web lectures and online learning has become the second most important membership delivery,” she explained. This is likely to be because e-learning is a much more engaging way to train, and offers both employers and staff the flexibility to manage and study at their own pace.

http://www.virtual-college.co.uk/news/Virtual-meetings-and-online-learning-praised-by-experts-newsitems-801672894.aspx

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December 27, 2013

What Role Is Google Playing In Education?

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:39 am

By Eugene Rudenko, Edudemic

It’s not a secret that Google is omnipresent in the modern world. So Google’s attempts to penetrate into the sphere of education come as no surprise. About a year ago the company calmly expanded its presence in the sphere and today it increases its share at the educational goods market. Thanks to the Google Apps for Education program, which has been offered to schools for free and introduced by a number of them, Google make it clear that the company is interested in this sphere. But up to this moment the use of the program has been limited by cloud services. So with the release of Google Play for Education the intentions of the company have become crystal clear, as the company has presented a service which will combine their best software and hardware and their app market .

http://www.edudemic.com/google-in-education/

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What Is Social Learning (And Does It Work)

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:35 am

By Jessica Leach, Edudemic

Distance learning, e-learning, mobile learning, blended learning. There are a slew of educational learning trends that have been happening for years now. And now, we’re adding social learning to the mix. The something-learning trend is continuing to move forward, this time putting popular social media to use. Social learning employs things like gamification, peer feedback and review, ranking, and awards to engage students in the material and learning process. The handy infographic below takes a look at the growing number of internet users worldwide, the proliferation of smartphone usage, and how leveraging these tools can benefit both students and teachers.

http://www.edudemic.com/social-learning/

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GIBBON: PEER-TO-PEER ONLINE LEARNING

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

by Will Hagle, All My Faves

Gibbon is an online education platform that allows users to teach and learn from others about anything.Gibbon is an online education platform that allows users to teach and learn from others about anything. Gibbon is a peer-to-peer learning network that connects users that want to teach each other and learn about anything. The website was built upon the motto that “almost all knowledge is already available on the web, all you need is someone to guide you to it.” Gibbon makes it easy for users to guide each other to that knowledge and content. The site offers online learning with a different approach than most websites, which usually offer courses that mimic the lesson and test plans of college courses. Instead, Gibbon offers “Learning Flows,” which are like playlists of articles and other content created by experts of a certain subject. These learning flows are updated often, and they create a space for experts to post all of the articles, links, videos and books that helped them accomplish whatever goal it is other users are attempting to learn. The learning flows also display the other students in the various classes, making it easier to connect with other users.

http://www.allmyfaves.com/blog/education/gibbon-peer-to-peer-online-learning/

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December 26, 2013

Leading the e-Learning Transformation of Higher Education

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:35 am

by Gary Miller, Meg Benke, Bruce Chaloux, Lawrence C. Ragan, Raymond Schroeder, Wayne Smutz, Karen Swan

Announcing a new book!  Written by pioneers in the field of online learning, Leading the e-Learning Transformation of Higher Education is a professional text that offers insights and guidance to the rising generation of leaders in the field of higher education. It explains how to integrate online learning into an institution during a period of rapid social and institutional change.   This important volume:
• Shares success stories, interviews, cases and insights from a broad range of leadership styles
• Reviews how technology is transforming higher education worldwide
• Provides an overview of how distance education is organized in a range of institutional settings
• Breaks down current leadership challenges in both unit operations and institutional policy

http://stylus.styluspub.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=295407

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How to Use Technology in Education: Just remember how the book revolutionized teaching – Frederick M. Hess & Bror Saxberg, National Review

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

The book first became available to the masses after the invention of the printing press in the mid 1400s. Previously, teachers and students had relied on painstakingly hand-inscribed parchment. As statistician Nate Silver has observed, “Almost overnight, the cost of producing a book decreased by about three hundred times, so a book that might have cost $20,000 in today’s dollars instead cost $70.” The availability of books skyrocketed. Educators today have expressed plenty of questions about new technologies, so it’s useful to recall that educators also didn’t exactly welcome the printing press. Schools were predominantly church-run affairs, and religious leaders worried about the lack of moral and interpretive guidance for learners left to their own devices. There were also fears that printed books would be a poor, cheap substitute for the rich experience of reading a scribe-written book. In 1492, abbot Johannes Trithemius fretted about the loss of “devotion to the writing of sacred texts. . . . Printed books will never equal scribed books, especially because the spelling and ornamentation of some printed books is often neglected.”

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/366375/how-use-technology-education-frederick-m-hess-bror-saxberg

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Grab Your Free ThingLink EDU Upgrade

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

by Susan Oxnevad, Cool Tools

It’s no secret that ThingLink EDU is one of my favorite and most frequently used tools. I love ThingLink because it provides users with the ability to turn any image into a multimedia rich interactive graphic. Add video, images, audio, and links to any content on the web with the click of a button. Pack a lot of content into a small space and embed it into a variety of online learning platforms for easy access, 24/7. ThingLink is a user friendly and flexible tool that’s just gotten better for educators!

http://d97cooltools.blogspot.com/2013/12/grab-your-free-thinglink-edu-upgrade.html

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December 25, 2013

Why Does Google Need So Many Robots? To Jump From The Web To The Real World

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:32 am

by John Biggs, Tech Crunch

Robots, then will be the driver for a number of impressive feats in the next few decades including space exploration, improved mapping techniques, and massive changes in the manufacturing workspace. Robots like Baxter will replace millions of expensive humans – a move that I suspect will instigate a problematic rise of unemployment in the manufacturing sector – and companies like manufacturing giant Foxconn are investing in robotics at a clip. Drones, whether human-control or autonomous, are a true extension of our senses, placing us and keeping us apprised of situations far from home base. Home helpers will soon lift us out of bed when we’re sick, help us clean, and assist us near the end of our lives. Smaller hardware projects will help us lose weight and patrol our streets. The tech company not invested in robotics today will find itself far behind the curve in the coming decade. That’s why Google needs robots.

http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/14/why-does-google-need-so-many-robots-to-jump-from-the-web-to-the-read-world/

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Adapting teaching skills & learning librarianship

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:30 am

BY SIOBHANMAC Blog

If libraries are adjusting their vision to incorporate the many elements of technology we as librarians have to keep abreast of the many new elements of learning guidelines. Taking Montiel-Overall & Grimes (2013) vision on 21st Century Learner Guidelines declaring that “librarians must be sure to target their information literacy instruction toward essential twenty-first century learning skills, to collaborate with members of the community and to implement inquiry-based learning approaches regarding the information search process”.

http://siobhanmac.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/adapting-teaching-skills-learning-librarianship/

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Leading the E-Learning Transformation of Higher Education

Filed under: Educational Technology — admin @ 12:10 am

by Gary Miller, Meg Benke, Bruce Chaloux, Lawrence C. Ragan, Raymond Schroeder, Wayne Smutz, Karen Swan

Written by pioneers in the field of online learning, Leading the e-Learning Transformation of Higher Education is a professional text that offers insights and guidance to the rising generation of leaders in the field of higher education. It explains how to integrate online learning into an institution during a period of rapid social and institutional change.   This important volume:

• Shares success stories, interviews, cases and insights from a broad range of leadership styles
• Reviews how technology is transforming higher education worldwide
• Provides an overview of how distance education is organized in a range of institutional settings
• Breaks down current leadership challenges in both unit operations and institutional policy

http://stylus.styluspub.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=295407

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