Educational Technology

by Ryan Quinn, Charleston Gazette-Mail

The West Virginia Board of Education is accepting input on policy changes that would, among other things, require high schools to offer students an optional computer science course and change science and social studies course requirements and offerings.The proposed new Policy 2510, which the state school board placed on 30-day public comment last month and is accepting comments on through 4 p.m. March 14, would also make other significant changes that’d take effect next school year.

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160305/wv-board-of-education-policy-would-require-offering-computer-science-courses-among-other-changes

By Charles Swenson, Coastal Observer

Students who enroll in online courses this fall in Georgetown County’s high schools will find the virtual classroom looks a lot like the brick and mortar variety. The goal of the program is to expand course offerings, not to let students sit at home in their pyjamas, according to school district officials. “We can offer more opportunities,” said Patti Hammel, the district’s director of student performance. Foreign languages and Advanced Placement classes are a particular focus, but the online curriculum also includes some core classes. That will aid students who transfer mid-year and students who need to make up classes, she said.

http://www.coastalobserver.com/articles/2016/030316/2.html

by Laura Devaney, eSchool News

As college and career skills are touted as essential for students’ success after high school, students in one New Jersey school got a lesson in one fast-growing workplace trend: learning and working from home. Park Ridge High School in Bergen County, N.J., gave its 500 7-12th graders the option to stay home as part of a planned virtual learning day. Part of the impetus came from the realization that students should prepare for online-only college classes and for positions involving varying degrees of work-from-home options, said Troy Lederman, Park Ridge High School’s principal.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/03/04/why-one-district-gave-students-a-virtual-learning-day/

By Tori Funkhouser, Tech Republic

This product manager by day and coding student by night tried about a dozen massive open online courses. Find out which platform she gives top honors. As a software product manager with an English degree, I needed to better understand software development without accruing more college debt. So, for the past couple of years, I’ve been slowly and painfully teaching myself software development, mostly via massive open online courses, or MOOCs. These courses allow learners such as myself many free and inexpensive ways to learn to code. Though learning to code has been fascinating and fun, it was daunting at first. I didn’t know where to start, and I didn’t know which online course would be best, so I tried about a dozen of them. Some of the options allowed me to try coding in a curated environment to see immediate effects of forgetting a semi-colon. Other options employed a more traditional lecture-response approach. Some allowed access to a community where I could interact with peers or instructors.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/my-favorite-moocs-for-learning-to-code/

by Third Sector

The course is targeted at learners who work or are aiming to work as paid members of staff or as volunteers in voluntary or community organisations. The Open University Business School has launched its first free online course to help sector leaders operate in a “highly competitive, increasingly commercialised” environment. The philanthropically funded centre wants to become a leading resource for voluntary sector organisations by providing access to leadership development modules and research-led insight.

http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/open-university-launches-first-free-online-course-voluntary-sector-leaders/digital/article/1384626

by Hannah Louise, Teen Vogue

I work in fashion, but I have never studied fashion. I’m a firm believer that you don’t necessarily need a degree or qualification in order to be successful, but studying anything at an academic level, be that at university, by very disciplined self-study, or an online course, gives you a much deeper understanding of your subject and its context that I think is really invaluable. With that in mind, I have embarked on the Teen Vogue x Parsons Certificate Program! There’s so much more to fashion than I think that many people realize – fashion is everywhere. It can be controversial, political, and even on a purely aesthetic level there is so much more to think about than “that dress looks nice.”

http://www.teenvogue.com/story/4-things-surprised-to-learn-online-fashion-course

By Leila Meyer, THE Journal

Mobile apps, online platforms and other technologies are transforming world language education programs by “creating more dynamic, interactive experiences that expose students to the nuances of languages and cultures,” according to a new report from the New Media Consortium (NMC). The role of technology in innovating language education is being driven by pedagogical trends and challenges. The report, “Innovating Language Education: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief,” was commissioned by the Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center (LFTIC) at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. It identifies trends and challenges affecting language education as well as developments in technology for language education. It concludes with a list of five recommendations for improving language education through the use of technology and pedagogical approaches.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/02/29/report-innovating-world-language-education-through-technology.aspx

By Leila Meyer, THE Journal

A virtual field trip is an opportunity for students to visit other places, talk to experts and participate in interactive learning activities without leaving the classroom. Dacia Jones, district science specialist at Durham Public Schools in Durham, NC, has been using virtual field trips in her classroom for 20 years. “My first year in the classroom, we took all of our kids to China by setting up our classroom as a plane, and when we got them out of the makeshift plane, they were in China, and we had passports,” she said. These days, virtual field trips are more high tech, with students experiencing other places on the globe in three-dimensional virtual reality, exploring outer space or under the ocean and video chatting with experts in real time.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/02/24/students-explore-the-earth-and-beyond-with-virtual-field-trips.aspx

by JOEY YE, Yale News

“Music and Social Action” is the first massive open online course launched by the School of Music, but it also stands out in other ways. Taught by music lecturer and MacArthur Fellow Sebastian Ruth, the course explores the societal roles of musicians and how classical music can enact social change. Executive Director of the Office of Digital Dissemination and Online Education Lucas Swineford said Yale Broadcast Studios, a part of the Center for Teaching and Learning, was instrumental in constructing many elements of the class that set it apart from those produced in the past. In particular, the course includes many visual components and seminar-style discussions. It is also the only MOOC so far to have required traveling outside of the state of Connecticut for filming.

http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2016/03/03/school-of-music-seminar-launches-online/

by Patty Patria and David Sherry, EDUCAUSE Review

By addressing policy, looking at business processes, assessing risk, reviewing roles, and applying the appropriate responsibilities, you can reduce your risk and help your institution become more secure. The first step is to create an advisory committee that includes representatives from across campus, then implement the appropriate policies to manage risk and compliance. After working with your people and processes, technology has a role to play in preventing and detecting breaches. Cybersecurity insurance and an effective incident response plan help address breaches when they occur, but most important is weaving the security mission into everything your institution does.

http://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/2/risk-management-through-security-planning-lessons-from-a-cio-and-ciso

by Mylea Charvat, Huffington Post

What is the best way to meet today’s students “in the middle?” Kids today are more tech-savvy than ever before, and teachers are struggling to make sure that every student is educated according to their needs. From elementary to secondary school, students learn at different rates and have varying needs of social and educational interaction. How do we use cognitive data and blended learning to the students’ benefit? Blended learning is defined as a formal education program in which a student learns, at least in part, through delivery of content and instruction via digital and online media with some element of student control over time, place, path or pace. This is critical as standard school curriculum is designed to the needs and ability of the average student, leaving many students to slip through the cracks.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mylea-charvat-phd/blended-learning-helps-st_b_9350242.html

by BUSINESS WIRE

Technavio analysts expect the education PC and tablet market in the US to exceed USD 16,131 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 20%, according to their latest report. Education PC and tablet market in the US to exceed USD 16,131 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 20%. The education PC and tablet market in the US has grown rapidly in the past few years and is expected to maintain high growth during the forecast period. The K-12 schools segment is the biggest consumer of these devices as a result of the US government’s efforts to support the digitization of education. Also, the government’s emphasis on improving the quality of education through standardized tests culture is triggering growth in the education PC and tablet market in the US.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160301005172/en/Digitization-Learning-Content-Expected-Boost-Education-PC

By Daniel McDonald, Daily News X

Anyone paying attention to the mobile marketplace knows that there’s big money to be made in developing and launching apps. Whether you think you have an idea for the next Candy Crush or Uber or Postmates, taking your app from abstract thought to touchscreens across the world is a big undertaking, but not out of reach. For any Android users hoping to get their app on the market, or for any iPhone coders that want to expand outside of the Apple Store, Udemy is offering a course entitled Android 6: Master Android Marshmallow Development With Java that could be of great service to you. Marshmallow, released last October, is the latest edition Android and the most popular OS in the world.

http://www.dailynewsx.com/news/life-style-news/this-top-rated-online-course-will-help-you-create-your-own-android-apps-47926.html

by Kayla Nick Kearney, State Scoop

The California State University system is on the hunt for companies interested in offering a new online learning platform to its students. The RFP is part of a larger effort to offer professors access to technology that helps students learn. Kathy Fernandes, lead for the CSU project, wrote in an email to StateScoop that dependability in an LMS is critical. The California State University system is on the hunt for companies interested in offering a new online learning platform to its students. Earlier this month, it issued a request for proposals for a new learning management system that could potentially serve its 23 campuses. It closes the solicitation Monday evening. The RFP is part of a larger effort to offer professors access to technology that helps students learn. Kathy Fernandes, lead for the CSU project, wrote in an email to StateScoop that dependability in an LMS is critical.

http://statescoop.com/california-state-university-seeks-new-online-learning-system

by the Aquinian

Imagine if you could lay in bed all day, not have to talk to people, pick and choose what you want to learn, and still get an education at your own pace – for free. Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, are kind of like that. They are online university courses open to the masses and accessible online. To some, MOOC sounds like the name of a goofy cartoon character, but to many, these are considered to be the future of higher education. For Ryan Elliott, 26, MOOCs provide him with extra bits of education that compliment his job as a fulltime instructor at the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School. “Being a good student is essential in being a good instructor,” he said. Elliott is taking two MOOCs on Ancient Chinese philosophy and Sustainable Urban Development through edX, as well as Physics through Udacity. He is also studying trigonometry, calculus and algebra on a similar program, Khan Academy.

http://theaquinian.net/mooc/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Although Stephen Fry has left Twitter, the popular British actor and writer hasn’t given up on social media altogether. Numerous sources have reported that Fry is involved in an education start-up being pitched as a “Pinterest for education.” Pindex allows teachers, students and anybody else to create online pinboards for collecting “the best educational material.” A “board” in Pindex parlance is a collection of content — images, video and documents. To add content to their boards, users get a bookmark button from the site and then click it as they browse the Web to capture a specific image and link.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/02/29/pindex-promises-pinterest-for-educators.aspx

BY REBECCA MEAD, New Yorker

The décor evokes an IKEA showroom: low-slung couches, beanbags, clusters of tables, and wooden chairs in progressively smaller sizes, like those belonging to Goldilocks’s three bears. There is no principal’s office and no principal. Like the five other AltSchools that have opened in the past three years—the rest are in the Bay Area—the school is run by teachers, one of whom serves as the head of the school. There is no school secretary: many administrative matters are handled at AltSchool’s headquarters, in the SOMA district of San Francisco. There aren’t even many children. Every AltSchool is a “micro-school.” In Brooklyn Heights, there are thirty-five students, ranging from pre-kindergarten to third grade. Only a few dozen more children will be added as the school matures. AltSchool’s ambition, however, is huge. Five more schools are scheduled to open by the end of 2017, in San Francisco, Manhattan, and Chicago, and the goal is to expand into other parts of the country, offering a highly tailored education that uses technology to target each student’s “needs and passions.” Tuition is about thirty thousand dollars a year.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/03/07/altschools-disrupted-education

By Elise Franco, Shelby Star

Cleveland County Schools is developing a full, four-year online high school diploma program that will look to draw more home-schooled students into the district. The program, called Vanguard, was developed to give students in Cleveland County who are currently home schooled the opportunity to graduate with a Cleveland County Schools diploma. Jason Lineberger, the district’s digital learning coordinator, said more than 700 registered home schools and 1,200 home-schooled students exist in Cleveland County, and the program would help pull some of those students back into the district

http://www.shelbystar.com/news/20160228/district-looking-to-pull-in-home-schooled-students-with-online-program

By David Mekeel, Reading Eagle

The Red Knight Learning Academy at Reading High, which began last fall, allows students a few courses short of graduating the opportunity to earn those credits through online classes. Students can work at their own pace, and have the support of teachers who can help guide them through any tricky parts. The program is designed for students age 17 and older, and runs from 1 to 6:25 p.m. That allows students who might have to work during the day a chance to attend.

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/returning-to-learning-at-reading-high

by TANU KULKARNI, the Hindu

With the onset of exam season, students in Bengaluru are enrolling in online tuitions where they interact with teachers through video and voice chat. Tutors hail from different parts of the country and are chosen by students based on their qualification and rating. While some of the classes are personalised with one-on-one interactions, others are group sessions. On an average, fees range from Rs. 200 to Rs. 800 for an hour-long session. It’s well worth the price, say students who not only get some of the best teachers in the country to tutor them, but also don’t waste time travelling long distances or stuck in Bengaluru’s unpredictable traffic snarls.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/class-in-session-at-home/article8291959.ece

by MELANIE PINOLA, Lifehacker

Top 10 Tools for a Free Online Education! For lifelong learners and self-made scholars, the internet is a priceless resource. Continue your education with these top free online tools.

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/02/top-10-tools-for-a-free-online-education/