Educational Technology

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

To promote student health and wellness, the university created a walking path throughout the campus that incorporates the augmented reality game. Pikachu and other beloved Pokémon are taking over California State University, Los Angeles as part of a university initiative to promote physical fitness and wellness for students and employees. Cal State LA’s Mind Matters initiative constructed a health walk that runs throughout the campus and incorporates the popular augmented reality game Pokémon Go. Formally called the #MindMatters Pokémon Go Health Walk, the route travels through the 175-acre campus and has players complete approximately 9,555 steps or five miles. The route includes 35 PokéStops, where players collect items to help them catch the pocket monsters, and three gyms where Pokémon battles take place.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/08/03/cal-state-la-launches-pokemon-go-health-walk.aspx

By David Weldon, Campus Technology

Technology has the potential to solve the affordability and access problem in higher education, according to the author of Revolution in Higher Education. Richard DeMillo, author and director of Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities says “We’ve gotten to this state by choosing the most expensive – and least effective – way to run our universities…. The cost of tuition is rising at four times the cost of inflation. And I don’t think that will change anytime soon.” In order to be sustainable, universities must find new ways to deliver education, he said. “One way to think about it – you’ve got this fight between a method of teaching that is thousands of years old, and something that is very different.” In particular, he believes massive open online courses will be a key part of the transformation. DeMillo envisions is the broader use of MOOCs to enroll more full time students than was previously possible – for entire degree programs.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/08/04/demillo-on-moocs-and-college-affordability.aspx

by Janel Davis, Atlanta Journal Constitution

Efforts to cut college costs are paying off for Georgia students. Students in Georgia’s public University System saved the most money of any school or school system on textbooks last year through an open publishing program known as OpenStax, a Rice University-based publisher. The savings information released this week by Rice shows that the almost 36,000 University System of Georgia students participating in the textbook program saved more than $3.5 million during the 2015-2016 school year. OpenStax uses grants from nonprofit groups such as the Gates Foundation to publish textbooks in about 20 subject areas including biology, economics, and algebra that are popular on college campuses. The books are free for students online, and hard copies can be purchased at a much lower cost than traditional books.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/how-much-are-georgia-college-students-saving-on-te/nr86k/

By JOHN HAWKS, The Shopper

Central Heights high school students have a new kind of education before their eyes. Joining the wave of virtual learning sweeping the country’s educational climate, Central Heights is partnering with Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, known as Greenbush, to offer a virtual learning program for students in grades 9-12 for the 2016-17 school year. “We are excited to provide USD 288 students with a quality accredited virtual learning program, that meets state curriculum standards, and that provides demonstration of student mastery,” Brian Spencer, Central Heights superintendent, said.

http://www.ottawaherald.com/news/local/virtual-learning-coming-to-central-heights/article_6eb1bdd8-8a0f-5379-bb8b-a24f094be0d5.html

by Nicole Villalpando, Austin 360

From the mind behind the summer camp MoolahU, Gayle Reaume, comes an online course for parents to take that teaches them how to teach their kids about money. The $37 online course promises to help you: Create everyday opportunities for your kids to learn about making purchases. Support your child’s learning through their mistakes. Give your kids the experience of being powerful with money. Remove tension around purchases. Relax knowing your kids are learning about money through practice.

http://parenting.blog.austin360.com/2016/08/01/teach-your-kids-about-money-through-online-course/

By Erin Weeks, Indianapolis Tribune

Kannapolis City Schools’ student family just got a bit bigger. Starting this fall, homeschool children in the district will be able to enroll in the system’s online classes, which range from fun electives to core subjects to high-level Advanced Placement courses. “It’s been successful in some out-of-the-box kind of situations, so we figured we’d apply it and offer that to our homeschool students, as well,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kelly Burgess said of the online program. “Especially for those higher-level courses—foreign language and AP—or just those high-interest courses like psychology, civics and economics, creative writing, we want to be able to offer that to all students, so we figured that would be a good partnership and a good opportunity for us to reach out to that community.”

http://www.independenttribune.com/news/kcs-opens-online-classes-to-homeschoolers/article_b6765a62-57f4-11e6-9002-5fca186f110f.html

by CHRIS BERDIK, THE HECHINGER REPORT

VLACS is part of a nationwide boom: In the last decade, the number of full-time virtual schools has grown from a handful to over 450, enrolling more than 260,000 full-time students and millions more part time. Amid all the bad news, VLACS stands out as an online success story. On average, the school’s full-time students typically equal or modestly exceed New Hampshire average scores on state reading and math tests, as well as on the SAT. The secret to VLACS’ success may be that it does things differently from most virtual schools. It puts a focus on building strong student-teacher relationships. It breaks up traditional courses into specific skills and abilities, called “competencies,” that students master through a personalized blend of traditional lesson plans, offline projects and real-world experiences. Also, VLACS’s funding is based on student performance rather than enrollment.

http://www.wired.com/2016/08/inside-online-school-radically-change-kids-learn-everywhere/

By Kristine Walker, Parent Herald

In the age of industrial revolution, the demand for competency-based hiring is on the rise, making professional education degrees appeared irrelevant in most job descriptions. That’s why, many experts believed that education technology’s (EdTech) potential to transform the field of education can also be useful in bridging the burgeoning skills and learning gap in the workforce industry. As professional education continuously evolves, having a college degree seemed to have lost its importance in the society these days. In fact, only 20 percent of college degree holders are ready to work in spite of the fact that millennials are currently the most educated generation, Quartz revealed. As smart technology and automation continue to rise, the workforce industry is needing individuals who are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to launch a career hence investing in lifelong learning could be a competitive advantage, Parent Herald previously reported.

http://www.parentherald.com/articles/59043/20160804/education-technology-latest-news-updates-how-edtech-bridge-learning-gap-age-industrial-revolution.htm

by Deke Farrow, Modesto Bee

For about two hours, Harvard-educated consultant Alan November shared research, tips, examples and stories to help the seventh- through 12th-grade instructors harness the power of the internet. He showed them how to use search engines at an academic level and urged them to teach their students the same. “He talked about how to really engage students in (online) searches to promote academic conversations,” said Greg Havens, digital instruction coach at Davis High School. “… One example was finding a PDF about Shakespeare on a website from England. What does London have to say about Shakespeare?

http://www.modbee.com/news/local/education/article93611512.html

by Dentistry UK

The feedback from the residential courses as well as the online blended courses has been fantastic. The way we live our lives has been changing rapidly, and our learning habits have been changing too. The traditional classroom environment is still right for many of our postgraduate students, but a growing number prefer the flexibility and freedom that online learning can give them. An online postgraduate student: ‘This online course for me is extremely convenient, as I don’t have to take time-off from work to attend it, as for other courses. ‘I can watch the videos, read the material, whenever I have time. ‘I found the video presentations very well structured; reading material cover in more detail what is presented in videos.

http://www.dentistry.co.uk/2016/08/04/online-blended-courses-a-big-hit-with-postgraduate-students/

By Patrick McCreless, The Anniston Star

Piedmont High is set to expand its online classes this school year — enough to cover nearly every course offered, giving students more flexibility, choice and the opportunity to finish school faster. Piedmont’s expansion comes as a state law takes effect that requires all Alabama school systems establish policies to offer some level of virtual school by the start of this school year. Now in its third year, Piedmont’s online program offers high school students virtual courses that they can take at school or at home with laptops provided by the system. “This year we’ve expanded to some general core classes,” said Superintendent Matt Akin. Akin said that with the expansion, the high school will offer all of its classes online except for college-credit AP courses and extracurricular classes like band.

http://www.annistonstar.com/news/education/piedmont-school-system-expanding-online-courses/article_2d72e2fa-59c8-11e6-aa56-470ac6b42ea1.html

BY ALYSE KALISH, Inc

It’s something you’ve probably heard a decent amount: “You should take an online class,” “That’s what online classes are for,” “Online courses are a great resource.” But what exactly are you getting yourself into by enrolling? Why exactly is it a useful tool? Is it even worth it? Trust me, you’re not the only one with these questions. That’s why I spoke to real, live people who’ve taken classes before to get the real scoop on what they entail. And what I learned is that they’re more than just worthwhile–they can be complete game changers.

http://www.inc.com/the-muse/10-things-you-should-know-about-online-classes-skills.html

by WhaTech Channel: Market Research Reports

According to the Virtual Schools Market in the US 2015-2019 report by MarketResearchReports.biz, the U.S. virtual schools market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.02% through 2019. Virtual schools scrutinized in the report are categorized in one of three categories: primary schools, high schools, and K-12 schools. So, what’s contributing to the virtual schools market’s growth? You’ll have to read the full report for a complete list of market drivers, although one of the drivers cited is the customized learning experienced offered by virtual schools.

https://www.whatech.com/market-research/news/189257-virtual-school-and-learning-programs-analyzed-in-new-reports

By Pearson

Pearson announced a three-year collaboration with Red Clay Consolidated School District in Wilmington, Delaware, to provide GradPoint® online and blended learning courses to hospitalized students. The new collaboration gives students in grades 6-12 who are hospitalized and homebound with diabetes, sickle-cell anemia, severe asthma, cancer and other illnesses that preclude attendance at traditional school an opportunity to attend First State School with their peers at Wilmington Hospital while receiving the medical treatment they need. First State School is co-sponsored by Christiana Care and the Delaware Department of Education through Red Clay Consolidated School District.

http://www.pressreleaserocket.net/pearson-collaborates-with-red-clay-consolidated-school-district-to-offer-gradpoint-online-courses-to-hospitalized-students/477298/

by Kylie Lacey, University Business

Devices will talk to other devices on campus. Here’s how to get ready. While little pockets of IoT are springing up in higher ed—both in the form of institution- and student-owned devices—campuswide installations are predicted to be a few years away. That’s not an excuse for sitting back and waiting for smart coffee makers to pop up in every residence hall, however. Enough bandwidth needs to be purchased. Data storage and usage policies, including around security, need to be developed. Processes for managing more expansive networks need to be defined. The potential of IoT could touch every aspect of campus life. Student traffic patterns could be tracked by networked wearables such as Fitbits, mobile phones and maybe even the next generation of access cards.

http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/higher-prepares-internet-things

By Elana Goodwin, ULoop

Nowadays, there are a lot of different opportunities online to continue your education, take classes, or earn a degree. However, you shouldn’t necessarily consider becoming an online learner an easy feat — here are some characteristics and abilities you’ll want to have in order to be a successful online learner.

http://www.uloop.com/news/view.php/208702/What-Makes-A-Successful-Online-Learner

by Leila Meyer, THE Journal

In 2013, President Obama launched the ConnectED initiative with the goal of connecting 99 percent of K-12 students in America with access to broadband Internet in the classroom by the year 2018. As of 2014, nearly one quarter of American households still did not have Internet access, according to a March 2016 Issue Brief from the Council of Economic Advisers . Low-income households are far less likely to have Internet, “with just under half of households in the bottom income quintile using the Internet at home, compared to 95 percent of households in the top quintile,” according to the report.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/07/28/home-connectivity-and-the-homework-gap.aspx

by Matt Hunckler, Forbes

Fear can be a powerful motivator for parents. Of course, for most parents, fear motivates them to keep their children close. Tony Leonard, however, was terrified that his daughter would never leave home. His daughter was a struggling nursing student, and Leonard was afraid that she would fail her NCLEX exam. Leonard had statistics on his side too. There are over 500,000 nursing students who sit for the exam every year, and about 50% fail on their first attempt. There are 2.3 million who have graduated from nursing school and never passed the exam. And as Leonard commented in his recent pitch to a full auditorium, in Indianapolis, “I don’t know how many baby boomers we have here, but we’re going to need more nurses.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthunckler/2016/08/01/a-fathers-fear-leads-to-online-learning-platform/#679981dc6d58

By Nathan Thompson, Examiner-Enterprise

Ever-evolving technology advances is a challenge Bartlesville Public School leaders hope to address in the upcoming bond election. Voters will head to the polls Aug. 23 to decide the fate of a proposed $19.4 million bond issue, of which $2.8 million (15 percent) would be used to modernize technology across the school district. Granger Meador is a physics teacher at Bartlesville High School. He also is the chair of the science department and handles school district communications, after state budget cuts forced Bartlesville schools to eliminate the community relations coordinator position. In 2017, he is slated to become the executive director of technology and communications. According to Meador, the bond issue money would provide students with the instructional technology other districts offer but isn’t yet available to Bartlesville students.

http://examiner-enterprise.com/news/local-news/official-technology-boost-would-increase-efficiency

by Matt Alderton, USA TODAY

The ear-assailing sound of chalk on a chalkboard. The woody aroma of pencil-sharpener dust. The dog-eared pages of old textbooks. The blinding light of an overhead projector. These are just a few of the classroom quirks that 21st-century students may never experience. Instead, they’ll suffer through slow download speeds, frozen screens and drained batteries — minor inconveniences that pale in comparison to the promise of digital learning: an experience that’s infinitely more interactive, engaging and immersive than analog education. It may seem light years in the future, but the transition in many schools is already underway. In fact, spending on computer hardware was up last school year in nearly half (46 percent) of all U.S. school districts, according to market research firm MDR.

http://www.khou.com/features/smart-classrooms-give-tech-boost-to-learning/284580426

By Sri Ravipati, THE Journal

Words With Friends is out with a free, educational version of its popular Scrabble-like game for mobile devices. Created by Zynga, a social game developer, Words With Friends EDU includes new education-focused features to help students in grades 4-8 learn high-value academic vocabulary. “Words With Friends EDU reimagines the Words With Friends experience for a game that’s as entertaining as it’s effective for students, whether they have an advanced vocabulary or are learning English as their second language,” said Vaibhav Sahgal, general manager at Words With Friends, in a statement.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/07/28/words-with-friends-reimagined-for-classrooms.aspx