Educational Technology

by Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

FreshGrade allows students to document their learning through pictures, videos, audio recording, links and text notes. As a teacher, you can record artifacts of learning and upload them directly to students portfolios to share with parents. ‘Using the FreshGrade Parent App and FreshGrade Student App, students and parents have secure access to view, comment and upload additional artifacts to the student’s portfolio. The FreshGrade suite of applications features student portfolios, parent engagement, custom assessment tools, custom activities/assignments with curriculum alignment and classroom announcements.’

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2017/05/an-excellent-tool-to-document-students.html

BY ALISON ALOWONLE, ANTHONY JOHNSON, AND JAMIE REESE, eSchool News

My homeroom is 4th- and 5th-graders: 21 gifted students, a mix of boys and girls. It’s nice because the 5th-graders are really the mentors, and next year the 4th-graders get to take on that role. It’s a lot of project-based learning in here. For instance, for chemistry we’ll work on teaching them the properties of atoms and bonds and we’ll go through the whole chemistry unit, but then it’s peppered throughout with different labs they can do. With intense students like mine, connecting to the family is super important. I send periodic emails to individual parents to let them know how things are going. I also send everyone a very detailed weekly newsletter about what it looks like to be a child in this room for a week.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/05/26/award-winning-teacher/

by Sri Ravipati, THE Journal

Can student scores on paper-and-pencil tests and computer-based tests be considered equivalent measures of knowledge? To find out, a recent study by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) looked at scores from 33,000 students in grades 4-12 who took two computer-based tests (CBT) and one traditional paper-and-pencil test (PPT). Overall, elementary and middle school students scored lower on the AAAS system — citing the fact that these digital exams didn’t allow students to revisit previous questions as a possible reason. Meanwhile, high school students performed similarly on all test formats.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/05/22/study-finds-digital-exam-features-impact-scores-for-younger-students.aspx

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Many students choose a virtual school to replace their traditional school schedules partially or completely for a few reasons. In some ways, virtual school has completely replaced traditional homeschooling for the sake of easier curriculum access. At the same time, students who struggle in social settings or who do not find courses at their traditional schools challenging may find virtual school a blessing. Therefore, virtual schools are on the rise in popularity. However, virtual schools are not perfect. Here are eight essentials that act as focal points to make virtual schools work.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/8-essentials-virtual-school-works-2/

By Sri Ravipati, THE Journal

Schell Games, a full-service game design and development company based in Pittsburgh, recently released a video trailer for its upcoming educational virtual reality (VR) game that seeks to better engage high school students in chemistry concepts. SuperChem VR is supported by Phase I and II funding from the Institution of Education Sciences (IES) within the United States Department of Education (ED) as part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The game was developed for use on commercially available VR systems that include headsets with controllers, such as the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/05/26/ed-funded-vr-game-simulates-chemistry-lab-experiences.aspx

by Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Experts in higher education, technology, government and research expect the future of workplace training to include new kinds of educational offerings that can train large numbers of workers in the skills they’ll need. That overall conclusion came out of a query on the topic posed by the Pew Research Center and Elon University, generating some 1,400 responses. The specific question people were answering was this: “In the next 10 years, do you think we will see the emergence of new educational and training programs that can successfully train large numbers of workers in the skills they will need to perform the jobs of the future?” Among those answering were education leaders, scholars, technologists, practitioners and other “strategic thinkers.” Seven in 10 respondents said, yes, that such programs would emerge and be successful.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/05/26/most-experts-predict-a-mix-of-models-for-future-of-ed.aspx

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

Social media should be a key component of higher education institutions’ minority recruitment strategies, according to a new report. A survey of 5,580 college-bound students reveals that underrepresented student groups are more likely than their counterparts to rely on social media such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram to learn about colleges. These student groups are also more likely to interact with colleges and universities on social media throughout their college search, according to the survey by Royall & Company, a division of EAB. The survey found that underrepresented students were more likely to initially learn about a school on social media than their counterparts.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/technologies/social-networking/social-media-campus-recruitment/

by Pat Donachie, Education dive

The Virtual High School, which specializes in online and blended learning classes, is set to partner with several schools throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with schools set to benefit from a selection of core and elective classes, according to District Administration. The schools will utilize VHS’ selection of more than 200 unique online courses, which includes 23 AP selections. The VHS has operated for 20 years, serving schools in 40 states and 33 countries. The VHS classes boast high rates of satisfaction among educators and students, according to an internal 2016 VHS survey, and the company boasts more than 600 school partners around the world, according to President and CEO Carol Ribeiro.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/partnership-expands-access-to-online-curricula-for-students-in-tri-state-ar/443437/

by Marc Poirier, SEJ Journal

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been highly predicted trends in marketing and SEO. But how are they changing the industry now? Read on to find out more about the influence of AI on the marketing world in this Search Engine Nerds episode. Marc Poirier, CEO and co-founder of Acquisio, joins SEJ’s Brent Csutoras to talk about how artificial intelligence and machine learning impacts online marketing. Poirier also gives us a primer on how AI is affecting local search, and shares his verdict on the battle between AI and humans in search and marketing.

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ai-machine-learning-online-marketing-podcast/199462/

By Zoë Kirsch and Stephen Smiley, Slate

This article is part of the Big Shortcut, an eight-part series exploring the exponential rise in online learning for high school students who have failed traditional classes. An increasing number of states are getting serious about vetting the online education companies that are now responsible for instructing a growing number of their kids. This is because many of the laws regulating them are toothless—and because of an aggressive political effort to maintain that status quo.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/schooled/2017/05/why_online_credit_recovery_courses_are_underregulated_in_many_states.html

by Jason Wheeler, Prescotr Valley Tribune

“By the time a spot opened up for the waiting list, 35 of those students had gone elsewhere,” he said, beginning the discussion for a new facilitator for the school’s online program. “By the opportunity for us to expand our online school at the west campus, the facilitator’s position will be needed so we do not have to provide a waiting list.” Board Member Paul Leon asked if the required second traditional lab and laptop carts was something that already acquired or would have to be purchase, he was told that during the summer, information services would move one of the main campus’ computer labs to the west high school and the purchase of the laptop carts was already on the schedule.

https://www.pvtrib.com/news/2017/may/24/high-school-gets-online-facilitator/

By Sarah Carr, Slate

Bronx Arena is a “last chance” high school—one of a rapidly growing number of them that rely at least partially on online learning and aim to serve students who’ve been kicked out, dropped out, or simply checked out of traditional educational settings. Like these other new programs, Bronx Arena takes advantage of online curricula to help its students—many of them older than average and way behind on course credits—advance as fast as possible toward graduation. But unlike most of their peers, Bronx Arena’s leaders knew when they opened the school seven years ago that online courses alone would be insufficient to educate teenagers well—particularly the academically struggling students they serve.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/schooled/2017/05/bronx_arena_is_doing_online_credit_recovery_right.html

By Francesca Berardi, Slate

Schools across the country are pursuing an extreme form of online learning: It’s all their struggling students do. Virtual schools have existed for years, but alternative programs like Bridgescape, where students at risk of dropping out come to brick-and-mortar schools or centers to complete a mostly online curriculum, represent a newer phenomenon. Nationally, the major for-profit providers include Ombudsman, which runs more than 100 programs in 14 states, including three sites in Chicago; Catapult Academy (a division of the New Jersey–based Catapult Learning), which runs more than 20 alternative high school programs in Georgia and Florida; and AdvancePath, which runs 10 programs (located inside traditional schools) in five states. In Chicago, the main providers are Magic Johnson Bridgescape and Ombudsman, both for-profit, and Pathways, a nonprofit.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/schooled/2017/05/chicago_now_has_schools_where_online_learning_is_all_the_kids_do.html

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

Being a teacher and being a technology expert are two very different professions, and although some teachers are also technology experts, many teachers are left in the dark with regards to technology. Where can teachers go for technology assistance in our very technology heavy 21st century? For some teachers, especially those who have more experience, and are inching towards retirement, advances in technology are happening too quickly for teachers to keep up with the changes.  The first place many teachers are looking for help regarding technology issues is the internet. Within the last 30 years, the internet has become the primary source of information sharing worldwide. According to a 2016 survey taken by the thejournal.com, 37% of teachers go directly online to look for help regarding the use of new technologies in the classroom. The second largest category where teachers seek help is not surprisingly peers at 23%.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/teachers-turn-technology-assistance/

BY MARTHA BURNS, eSchool News

The brain is an experience-dependent organ. From our very earliest days, the brain begins to map itself to our world as we experience it through our senses. The mapping is vague and fuzzy at first, like a blurred photograph or an un-tuned piano. However, the more we interact with the world, the more well-defined our brain maps become until they are fine-tuned and differentiated. But each person’s map will vary, with some sensory experiences more distinct than others depending on the unique experiences and the clarity and frequency of the sensations he or she has experienced. Educators can positively influence students’ learning by understanding how the brain is shaped by their early experiences—and how it can be rewired and reorganized to work more quickly and efficiently.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/05/24/teachers-plastic-brain-research/

By Robert Morgus, Future Tense

Because of difficulties associated with pushing patches designed to block an exploit out to the public—it takes a long time for everyone to click on those annoying little security updates, and some portion of the population never will—open-sourcing exploits like this is often a bad idea. It simultaneously notifies the software manufacturers and potential attackers of the bug. The Shadow Brokers/WannaCry case is just one demonstration of the growing challenge of countering the spread of malicious cyber capability. The code for Carberp (a “botnet creation kit”) was posted online and precipitated the outbreak of the Carbanak malware used to steal cash from ATMs. Rumors persist that versions of the BlackEnergy trojan—twice leveraged to shut off portions of the Ukrainian power grid—have been floating around in malware forums.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2017/05/it_s_easier_than_ever_to_launch_a_large_scale_attack_like_wannacry.html

by Adam Barger, Educause Review

Navigating the world of educational technology in higher education environments is an increasingly rewarding, yet challenging, endeavor. What must leaders know in order to thrive in the ever-changing space of educational technology? How can leaders and practitioners alike excel in cultivating and utilizing powerful educational technology applications, tools, and resources? In this blog, I explore these questions through the lens of threshold concepts as applied to technology in higher education teaching and learning. I propose three threshold concepts in our field, discuss their prevalence at the 2017 ELI Annual Meeting, and suggest their implications for leadership and practice.

http://er.educause.edu/blogs/2017/5/educational-technology-leadership-and-practice-in-higher-education

By Anthony Carranza, Born2Invest

When it comes to marketing or profiling your next best venture you need to think about who your audience is above everything else. Once you have a niche market you can start to develop your business scheme and build your brand. It is important to note that in order to launch an online course you must have had some previous experience using social media, and have a track record. So, what are the four broad steps to consider launching an online course?

https://born2invest.com/articles/online-courses-social-media-marketing/

by Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead, Small Business Trends

Creating courses to sell online is a great way to funnel your expertise into a rewarding and profitable channel. If you’re an expert, specialist or highly knowledgeable in a certain area, why not share your knowledge to a global audience and earn some money as you do so? Of course, successfully creating and selling online courses takes time, knowledge and commitment. To shed some light on how to effectively create and sell courses online, Small Business Trends spoke to David Siteman Garland, the creator of The Rise To The Top and Create Awesome Online Courses. David helps people create and sell online courses, and has assisted more than 3,500 students in over 100 countries to create successful courses, on everything from baby sleep training to clarinet lessons for adults.

https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/05/creating-and-selling-online-courses.html

By Sarah Cordiner, Inside Business

I have over 40 online courses, have built close to 1,000 courses for other people and have more than 7,000 students enrolled in my online courses in over 130 countries. Here’s some tips I’ve used to grow my global student base. Break it up into its smallest parts. Consumers are now in control of their knowledge because they have the power to jump onto a search engine and ask “How to xxx.” A great way to rapidly go global is to start providing your audience with those answers. If your content appears as the result for every “how to” question your audience has, then it is your courses they are going to buy. Here’s what to do: Write down every question your audience has on your topic, write a simple “tip” answer to each question and record that answer as a video.

http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/news/columns/ways-to-make-your-online-course-go-global-expert-column/article_43264387-0816-5ae6-be49-7bff487d0b96.html

by Matt Lynch, tech Edvocate

As smartphones have become more common, educators have struggled with the question of what to do with smartphones in the classroom. For K-12 educators, the answer has been to ban smartphones from the classroom completely. College professors have also banned smartphones in increasing numbers. But now there’s some evidence to suggest that banning smartphones in the college classroom isn’t such a good idea. A study conducted by researchers in Singapore found that undergraduate students who were allowed to keep their phones with them actually scored better on tasks that measured their cognitive functioning. Even when they weren’t allowed to use their phones, students who were allowed to keep their phones in their pockets performed better than students whose phones were confiscated.

http://www.theedadvocate.org/professors-shouldnt-ban-smartphones/