Educational Technology

by Andrew Garrett, Google

Google Classroom is designed for everyone involved in a student’s education. More than 20 million educators and students use it to teach and learn together, as do administrators who oversee how this tool is used across classrooms, and developers who are building educational technology for the next generation. As everyone heads back to school to start the new semester, we’re releasing new Classroom updates designed specifically for each of these groups.

https://blog.google/topics/education/new-google-classroom-features-make-it-easier-learn-teach-manage-and-build/

By Laura Briggs, the Edvocate

Bloomz provides an easy way for me to communicate with parents, and also lets them communicate privately with me. They all have at least one connected device – whether a phone, computer or tablet, and using my own phone during school allows me to share photos or video, resources, and personal messages with all of my parents. I can send school flyers and announcements, as well as schedule school and classroom events using the calendar. I am completely paperless with my communication, while still keeping parents happy and knowledgeable about what is happening in our class. This additional communication has helped me build a classroom community where parents are engaged and interested in seeing the activities in which their child is participating at school.

http://www.theedadvocate.org/how-an-app-helped-me-build-a-classroom-community/

By Michael Feldstein, EdSurge

Personalized learning is not a product you can buy — it’s a set of strategies that teachers can implement, sometimes with the help of products that are designed to support those strategies. The distinction between adaptive learning and personalized learning, between a tool and a teaching technique, is necessary to the basic logic that enables us to understand how the various parts of any teaching intervention work together to make a difference. When we conflate product talk with learning-intervention talk, we lose our ability to distinguish the factors that are critical to achieving the learning outcomes we want. Until we make this distinction clearly and consistently, we can throw unlimited amounts of money at researching, developing, and promoting the spread of educational technology and still fail to make a difference in students’ lives.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-01-09-when-personalized-learning-is-a-logical-fallacy

By Richard Chang, THE Journal

Virtual reality and robotics will become widely adopted in education in the next two to three years, while wearable devices are expected to become mainstream in the education space over the next four to five years, according to a recent report published by the New Media Consortium and the Consortium for School Networking. The “NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2016 K–12 Edition” examined emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in teaching, learning and creative inquiry in schools. The report, released at the end of 2016, looked at tech trends in the short term (one year or less), mid-term (two to three years) and long term (four to five years.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/01/06/report-wearable-devices-expected-to-become-mainstream-in-education-in-next-4-5-years.aspx

By Joshua Bolkan, Camus Technology

Nearly all librarians (97 percent) say information literacy contributes to workforce success and more than four in five (83 percent) say it affects college graduation rates, and yet 44 percent said their library does not support information literacy as much as it should, according to a new survey from ProQuest. The survey polled more than 200 librarians from university, community college, high school and public libraries. Other key findings include: Only 21 percent of librarians said their users recognize information literacy’s effect on lifelong success. Thirty-four percent said their users do not and 33 percent said they weren’t sure; 91 percent of those surveyed said they rely on one-on-one in-person consultations to reinforce literacy skills.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/01/05/report-librarians-say-info-literacy-is-important-they-dont-have-the-tools-to-teach-it.aspx

By Mary Grush, Campus Technology

In the face of instant communication, continuous connectivity, and data analytics, the key research question at UT-Arlington’s LINK Research Lab is “What does it mean to be human in a digital age?” Here, LINK Lab Executive Director, PI/Researcher, and Professor George Siemens brings our attention to some key issues about our connectedness and how it is changing the way we interact, work, and learn in the digital age.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/01/09/data-centric-models-and-the-equity-of-information.aspx

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

The reason that many teachers strive for a more virtual experience instead of the traditional talking points is that the interaction makes the lesson more memorable to the students. Concepts and ideas that seem too complicated under time-honored instruction methods are easier to grasp when the students can experience the lessons. This does not mean that you need a VR machine to create a virtual experience either. There are a number of tools that can help you establish a virtual environment that makes lessons more entertaining while making the concepts easier to understand. One of the biggest problems with edtech is the price tag – it can be incredibly cost prohibitive. However, that does not mean that you and your students have to be relegated to using only the old learning methods. Regardless of your budget, there are several things you can do to create a virtual learning experience that will make lessons feel more relevant.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/5-ways-to-create-virtual-learning-experiences-in-your-classroom/

BY MERIS STANSBURY, eCampus News

At Bluefield College in Virginia, students can pay one flat, discounted fee that allows them to receive all their required textbooks before classes start. “It’s no wonder that colleges and students need to think outside the box when it comes to textbooks; they represent a staggering cost that just seems to get worse,” says Chris Manns, managing director of the price-comparison websites CheapestTextbooks.com and TextbookRentals.com. Both free services aim to help students locate the cheapest prices for millions of books. One study by the Student Public Interest Research Groups showed that the cost for college textbooks has risen 73 percent over the last decade – more than four times the inflation rate.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/featured/featured-on-ecampus-news/high-textbook-costs/

By Riley Beggin, WBUR

The neurotechnology is called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS for short. At its simplest, the method involves a device that uses little more than a 9-volt battery and some electrodes to send a low-intensity electrical current to a targeted area of the brain, typically via a headset. More than a 1,000 studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals over the last decade suggesting benefits of the technique — maybe regulating mood, possibly improving language skills — but its effects, good or bad, are far from clear. Although researchers see possibilities for tDCS in treating diseases and boosting performance, it’s still an exploratory technology, says Mark George, editor-in-chief of Brain Stimulation, a leading journal on neuromodulation. And leading experts have warned against at-home use of such devices.

http://www.wbur.org/npr/507133313/students-zap-their-brains-for-a-boost-for-better-or-worse

by Megan Raposa, Argus Leader

South Dakota students aren’t waiting for graduation to start college. The number of high school students taking classes through state universities more than tripled since 2014. The surge is helping state universities pad what otherwise would be declining enrollment numbers. If the rapid growth continues, the program’s success could threaten its sustainability. State leaders are happy to see the dual-credit program succeeding after a multi-million dollar investment. South Dakota started the program in 2014, allowing high school students to take discounted college courses for both high school and college credit. It’s aimed at making college more affordable. Having high school students participating in college classes benefits the instructors too, said Michael Card, associate provost and dean of distance education at USD. “By adding high school students to our existing sections of courses,” Card said. “We get a degree of enthusiasm in an online course that you ordinarily wouldn’t get.”

http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2017/01/07/more-south-dakota-students-starting-college-early/96149022/

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Techh Edvocate

As an educator, you already know the importance of reading. When it comes to technology, there is a constant flow of new books and publications, but many of them only capture a small part of what you need to know, and they become outdated far too quickly. Getting your hands on an edtech book is really simple, but finding one that will help you can be an incredibly time-consuming endeavor. Whether you want to see how technology can help (or harm) in the classroom, see what tools are available, understand how students today view technology or see how technology has affected education in the past (and how it is likely to affect education in the future), there is a book that can help. This list of 10 books includes some of the most insightful and inspiring details to help you determine the right path forward for your students or school. They are listed in no particular order.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/10-must-read-books-about-edtech/

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

Makerspaces are popping up across the nation, but a startling number of educators are unfamiliar with the premise. So, what the heck is a Makerspace? It’s a doorway to a new learning paradigm. It’s designed to help teachers and students of all ages engage in an exploration of various STEAM subjects.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-the-heck-is-a-makerspace/

by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

EdSurge profiles the growth of massive online open courses in 2016, which attracted more than 58 million students in over 700 colleges and universities last year. The top three MOOC providers — Coursera, Udacity and EdX — collectively grossed more than $100 million last year, as much of the content provided on these platforms shifted from free to paywall guarded materials. Many MOOCs have moved to offering credentialing programs or nanodegree offerings to increase their value in industrial marketplaces.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/once-thought-to-be-a-fad-moocs-showed-staying-power-in-2016/433204/

By Cheyenne Derksen Schroeder, St. John News

In December, Maria Loewen’s science class at McPherson Middle School took a field trip to the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. – a virtual field trip, that is. Loewen uses FieldTripZoom, a program that facilitates virtual field trips between schools and organizations, ranging from zoos to national parks. The class connects with a representative from the organization live through a webcam and participates in interactive and engaging activities geared toward classroom learning. “This has been an amazing opportunity to give all of my students the chance to experience life outside the classroom and interact with people and places they may never see in person. These experiences bring relevance and life to our curriculum, and help students understand the importance of what they are learning,” Loewen said.

http://www.sjnewsonline.com/news/20170106/fieldtripzoom-provides-class-with-mobility

BY MICHAEL SPIKES, Bill Moyers and Company

The Center for News Literacy’s new course, “Making Sense of the News,” aims to teach people how to critically consume information and become more informed and engaged citizens. It starts on Monday. The age of “truthiness,” a term coined by Stephen Colbert during the inaugural broadcast of The Colbert Report, is here. It refers to the feeling that something must be true, even if we have no evidence to prove it. We’ve seen many examples of this all over the internet, where misinformation often resembles news. Tweets from conspiracy theorists don’t look much different from New York Times news alerts. The Facebook post that purportedly contains KFC’s secret recipe looks the same as the investigative report from The Guardian. At the Center for News Literacy, we have developed a course that has been taught to more more than 10,000 undergraduates at Stony Brook University, and thousands more at schools around the globe.

http://billmoyers.com/story/check-free-online-news-literacy-course/

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

VR allows for high-impact learning experiences and as this new age of affordable VR tech presents itself, the opportunities for improving education abound. Educators are well aware of the positive impact out of classroom experiences have on learning. From K-12 classrooms, to college internships, to undergrad research and studying abroad, high-impact experiences provide increased learning and retention. Unfortunately, these types of programs have traditionally involved a good deal of time, money and personnel. With both the availability and affordability of VR, students nationwide will have access to high-impact educational experiences. From taking a guided tour of the Great Wall of China, to examining world-renowned art in a museum halfway around the globe, these micro experiences are able to shape student learning far more than an in-class lecture. Imagine biology students exploring the Great Barrier Reef firsthand or students in a history class having that ability to observe an ancient Mongolian tribe.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-virtual-reality-is-changing-education/

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

Makerspaces have become one of the latest trends for libraries as they continue to adapt to the changing needs of users. Like other library services, makerspaces have developed as the needs of library users have expanded from print resources and traditional services to include a variety of digital formats and services. As a result, both public and school libraries have moved towards providing access to materials and resources that promote literacy in digital information and technology. Makerspaces can provide librarians and educators with an ideal method for allowing students to develop many of the digital information and technological skills they will need to be successful in society. Makerspaces are collaborative learning spaces, and according to Koh and Abbas in their article Competencies for Information Professionals in Learning Labs and Makerspaces, users can, “explore traditional and digital media, interact with mentors and peers, and engage in creative projects.”

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/why-makerspaces-are-perfect-for-school-and-public-libraries/

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

Knowing how to code can secure well-paid jobs in the future, and that means more freedom to choose and say “no” to mediocre positions. So, when children learn to code, they are not only gaining higher-order thinking skills but a chance to choose exciting and more challenging jobs in the future. When children learn how to code, a whole world full of possibilities opens; they can create new solutions in their way. You might think it is hard for kids to learn to code, but in reality, it is quite easy. Learning coding at a young age makes kids better thinkers and communicators. This leads to more innovations, which is certainly beneficial throughout life. Even if later they decide that they want to be musicians, artists or something else, thinking logically can be helpful in the long run. Critical thinking and problem solving are skills that are important way outside computer science.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/why-learning-to-code-is-so-important-for-children/

by David Matthews, Times Higher Education

You may soon be engulfed by a new wave of predictions that the days of the physical university are numbered. A few years ago, just about every interested publication in print, ran an article that asked a question along the lines of: “will Moocs replace the university?” In 2017, unless we’ve learned lessons from the Moocs hype cycle, expect to read plenty of headlines that ask: “will virtual reality replace universities?” As we detail in a feature this week, advocates of virtual reality are claiming that after donning a headset, students will feel like they really are in a lecture hall speaking with their lecturers and classmates. It could make online learning as engaging and immersive as a campus, they claim, solving the problems that dogged massive open online courses. The trouble with this kind of techno-optimism about new ways to deliver teaching – be it through Moocs or VR – is that it rests on the quaint idea that the main point of going to university is to acquire knowledge.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/vr-universities-dont-believe-all-hype

by WLUC

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Nursing Policy announced the launch of its second of three online Nursing Transition to Practice modules in conjunction with the Michigan Public Health Institute. The second module, Safety in Healthcare, is now available online. The Safety in Healthcare course describes the importance of safe patient care, offers strategies for engaging patients and families in care processes, and provides critical thinking exercises that allow nurses to practice identifying examples of adverse situations, human factors associated with errors, and safe team practices. The first module, Communication in Healthcare, launched in December. The Communications in Healthcare course describes the importance of effective communication in healthcare settings and provides critical thinking exercises that allow nurses to practice applying a variety of communication techniques.

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Michigan-nurses-can-earn-continuing-education-credits-receive-support-in-online-training-series-409800195.html

by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

Ed Tech profiles Magazine outlines four strategies for campus IT departments preparing for the emergence of the Internet of Things — a phenomenon of online networking providing real-time data on human behaviors and preferences in connection with common items and environments. Addressing campus WiFi performance, improving data security and privacy standards, and training faculty and staff on new technology will be among the most important steps in preparing a campus for new forms of connectivity. For all of the changes, experts recommend that campuses have honest conversations with network vendors about expectations and mandate training as a part of implementation.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/how-the-internet-of-things-is-reshaping-campus-it-strategy/433469/