Educational Technology

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

With growing state support, K-12 and higher ed have a role to play in the workforce development model. Though some critics still say that such programs disrupt higher education enrollment and shortchange a liberal arts curriculum that gives students lifelong “soft” skills they need for success, more and more stakeholders in the industry are deciding to embrace it as they see long-run advantages.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/president-trumps-support-for-apprenticeships-puts-them-back-into-the-spotl/446856/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

The Rice University non-profit that has released almost two-dozen free textbooks into academia is beta-testing a new personalized learning system that works with its materials. OpenStax, which stated that it provides open educational resources to a million students each year, has been developing OpenStax Tutor for three years. The new service will be available this fall for three courses: college physics, biology and sociology. The tutoring service, which is available online, uses web-based OpenStax textbooks to deliver content, simulations, videos, “spaced” practice questions and instant feedback.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/07/12/oer-pioneer-openstax-launches-personalized-learning-tool-for-3-courses.aspx

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

In America, 1 in 1000 kids will be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This disease is classified as on a spectrum because it impacts children differently. Some children may be high functioning while others may need a lot of assistance throughout their life. For parents, a diagnosis of autism can be an overwhelming challenge. Thankfully, there are a lot of resources, including apps, that can help children with autism develop important social skills. Here is a review of the top eight apps for children with autism.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/8-must-autism-apps-tools-resources-kids/

By Jennifer Goodman, Inside Higher Ed

A math professor takes his ideas for open educational materials to campuses across Georgia to try to help save students millions of dollars. It makes sense that the College of Coastal Georgia math professor and OER advocate German Vargas relies on open educational materials to help reduce textbook and material costs for courses like calculus and trigonometry. But he’s equally passionate about the importance of open materials for courses in economics, philosophy and sociology – and not just for his college’s students. Vargas, who has been assistant vice president for academic student engagement at Coastal Georgia since October 2015, is meeting with instructors and department heads at colleges across Georgia to share his message that OER makes sense in every discipline.

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2017/07/12/german-vargas-crisscrosses-georgia-advocating-oer

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

In most cases, people agree that a traditional textbook approach is insufficient for subjects like coding. While the idiosyncrasies of the language can be introduced that way, it’s hard to assimilate the information until it is in used entirely. But sticking children in front of a blank screen and having them write line after line, though functional, isn’t very inspiring or even interesting. If you want to capture the interest of young students while giving them access to a valuable skill set, then turning to coding tools and games may be the ideal method. To help you get started, we have compiled a list of 31 apps, tools and games that teach kids to code.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/tech-edvocates-list-31-apps-tools-games-teach-kids-code/

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Although many teachers now have grown-up in the technology age, many traditional or “old-school” teachers are still not feeling equipped to teach in the classroom of the 21st century. Teachers that earned their certificates in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and even the 90’s may or may not feel prepared to operate and utilize today’s education equipment in the classroom. From the replacement of chalkboards with smartboards to the use of iPads in the classroom with apps for learning in English, Math, Science, and many other areas, the advances in technology are taking hold in today’s classrooms. The question remains how do we educate our teachers on how to use the technology?

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/helping-teachers-use-technology-technology-experts-teach/

BY RAEGAN JOHNSON, Associations Now

Does your association provide massive open online courses (MOOCs) or virtual continuing education courses to members? Perhaps you should suggest that your members do their learning together. Taking an online class can be solitary experience. But Lifehacker notes that online courses can be turned into group activity. “I say meet up with a couple of friends instead and turn one of these courses into something that feels like a real classroom,” recommends Patrick Allan. Keep participants engaged by facilitating group get-togethers, classrooms, or study sessions. A group setting may make it easier for your members to learn from the material, ask questions, and talk about ideas. “Almost every online course has a forum or some place you can chat with other students, but it’s not the same as having an open debate in person,” writes Allan.

http://associationsnow.com/2017/07/wednesday-buzz-use-moocs-build-community/

By Tara Beams, THE Journal

When you make the switch to a blended learning model, you find yourself making instructional choices for students that empower them to utilize technology in a very independent and deliberate manner. Defined by the nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank Clayton Christensen Institute as any formal education program in which students learn at least in part through online learning with “student control over time, place, path and/or pace,” blended learning needs to be a purposeful and thoughtful endeavor.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/12/how-to-build-a-successful-blended-learning-model.aspx

By Clifford Maxwell and Julia Freeland Fisher, EdSurge

The report builds upon over five years of research that the Christensen Institute has conducted on the rise of different blended learning models in K-12 schools. Typically, as schools and classrooms integrate online learning into instruction, the choreography of online and offline learning coalesces into a particular architecture. In 2012, we codified 7 models of blended learning that were cropping up in schools. Among the most popular is the Station Rotation model, which builds on the decades-long tradition of rotating students among “learning centers”—self-contained sections of a classroom where students could engage in various independent learning activities. Increasingly we’ve begun to observe how schools treat these discrete models, particularly the Station Rotation, as a starting point, rather than the finish line. As the teachers we interviewed and observed illustrate, to fit their students needs educators often want elbow room from the strict schedule and flow of a rotation model.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-07-13-these-5-teachers-showcase-the-future-of-blended-learning-s-station-rotation-model

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

As promised in March, Code.org, which runs Hour to Code, has released new curriculum for grades 7 to 9, along with teacher guidance. “CS Discoveries,” as it’s called, fits between the organization’s existing courses, “CS Fundamentals” (for lower grades) and “CS Principles” (for high school). Students need no experience with computer science or programming; but if they have it, the developers asserted, with the new lessons they’ll be able to review “familiar topics in novel and more challenging contexts.” Each of the six units that make up the curriculum includes lesson plans and “code studio.” The latter are videos and hands-on activities that guide the students through creation of programs. For example, for one early lesson students use visual programming tool Blockly to direct Elsa and Anna from Frozen in creating ice patterns. The video is introduced by Lyndsey, an actor, fashion model and programmer who writes her own apps. After a few test runs, Paola, a developer with Microsoft, steps in to explain looping.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/13/code.org-releases-free-cs-course-for-grades-79.aspx

by Jeff Mao, THE Journal

Despite the limitations of the technology back then, I learned a lot from my time at Brewster Academy. One of the things that we did well, that I still recommend to schools today, is to be targeted and intentional about how you use the technology. At Brewster, we measured success one skill at a time and one student at a time. A decade later, I joined the team at the Maine Department of Education that led the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) — a much larger initiative. Whereas Brewster’s total student body was fewer than 350 students, MLTI served about 35,000 students in more than 230 schools.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/12/evaluating-the-success-of-your-ed-tech-program.aspx

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

In order for the apprenticeship models to work, governors that went abroad saw the importance of private businesses and education leaders actively working together to create the internship spots for students, in addition to working with states to lower regulations on students being able to work. “I think that education leaders are leaders in their communities. I’m not going to be able to tell someone from Yankton what businesses he should be considering doing apprenticeships with; I should be asking him what businesses he thinks would be a good opportunity for apprenticeships,” said Weber. He explains that superintendents ought to know the types of programs that will lead to more success for their students.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/president-trumps-support-for-apprenticeships-puts-them-back-into-the-spotl/446856/

By: Debbie Kelley, the Gazette

Two schools under the wing of an incubator for blended and online education are closing, displacing 59 students and nine employees, the Colorado Digital Board of Cooperative Education Services announced this week. The organization’s board voted 4-1 last week to shut down Denver-based Mountain View Virtual and Colorado Springs-based Rocky Mountain Digital Academy. “One of the criticisms of education is when we see a program that doesn’t work, we keep doing the same thing. We’re trying to break that mold,” said Colorado Digital BOCES board president Marie La-Vere Wright.

http://gazette.com/two-schools-shuttered-amid-declining-enrollment-low-performance/article/1606234

by Mark Prigg, Daily Mail

While children’s book are often brightly coloured and stuffed with pictures, new research has found they could actually be making it harder for children to learn to read. University of Sussex psychologists have shown that having more than one illustration per page results in poorer word learning among pre-schoolers. They say more than this leads to ‘picture overload’ among toddlers.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4655838/Childs-reading-books-ONE-picture-page.html

by ATD

Most professors approach us for assistance, so there’s already some trust. When I do collaborate with a long-time professor who isn’t keen on working with us, I barely talk in our first few meetings. I actively listen for what’s really going on until I understand the teaching philosophy, and then I start addressing issues. I emphasize that the professors are the content experts and I’m the learning consultant. This highlights our shared mission to educate students and usually gives me some leeway to offer solutions.

https://www.td.org/Publications/Magazines/TD/TD-Archive/2017/07/Bringing-ID-to-Higher-Ed

By Joshua Bolkan, THE Journal

Two-thirds of parents report that effective classroom technology use provides an opportunity for their children to develop college and career skills, according to a new report from Project Tomorrow and Blackboard. Meanwhile, motivating teachers to change their instructional practices is the biggest challenge to adopting digital learning or deploying new technology, according to school and district technology leaders. The report, “Trends in Digital Learning: Building Teachers’ Capacity and Competency to Create New Learning Experiences for students,” is based on a survey of more than 38,000 teachers, 29,000 parents and 4,500 administrators.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/06/29/2-in-3-parents-say-classroom-tech-is-key-to-student-futures.aspx

by Janice Neumann, Daily Southtown

The staff of the Green Hills Public Library District in Palos Hills hope a new option there gives adults who never finished high school a chance at a better future. The library recently launched the Career Online High School and five scholarships to make the high school degree and career certificate program affordable. The degree is for adults age 21 or older and must be completed in 18 months or fewer. Candidates also must take a self-assessment to ensure they are a good fit and then complete a prerequisite online course with a passing score of 70 percent or better to be accepted.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-online-high-school-st-0619-20170628-story.html

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

In general, most students are comfortable interacting with people, actions, and ideas that they are familiar with but react with fear and apprehension when faced with the unfamiliar. Among its other goals, culturally responsive instruction aims to educate students that differences in viewpoint and culture are to be cherished and appreciated rather than judged and feared. How might a culturally responsive educator push against human nature’s natural aversion to the unknown and help students become more respectful of cultures with different ideas? Thanks to the edtech explosion of the last two decades, they are several apps that teach students cultural awareness and sensitivity. For the purpose of this blog, we will list the best of those.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/9-apps-teaching-global-cultural-awareness-sensitivity/

BY SCOTT RAGIN, eSchool News

A handful of customizable online assignment ideas that will keep online learning students interested and motivated in their work. Online learning students, like any other students, like to spend time procrastinating before they get to completing assignments given in class. Many teachers struggle to come up with tasks and projects that really engage and motivate students to skip procrastination and get working. Teachers: if you find yourself at a roadblock when it comes to designing engaging projects, here are a few easily customizable online assignment ideas that will keep your students interested and motivated. These assignments can also be applied to many different subjects, as they aim to test a variety of skills and abilities at once.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/06/30/social-online-assignments/

by Gale Holland, LA Times

The survey results come during a time of intense competition over the distribution of proceeds from a quarter-cent county sales tax for homeless services. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors this month designated homeless college students among the beneficiaries of the tax fund, which is expected to produce $3.55 billion over 10 years. The California State University system last year released a preliminary study saying that 1 in every 10 of its 460,000 students was homeless, and 1 in 5 had spotty access to food.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-homeless-community-college-20170628-story.html

by Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report

How dramatic is the falloff? There were just over 18 million students enrolled in higher education nationally in the semester just ended — 2.4 million fewer than there were in the fall of 2011, the most recent peak, the National Student Clearinghouse reports. “That’s unprecedented in the history of as long as data has been kept on higher education,” said Kevin Crockett, senior executive at the enrollment-management consulting firm Ruffalo Noel Levitz. There’s no upswing likely until 2023, and even then the recovery will be slow, projects the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. When it comes, it will be comprised largely of low-income, first-generation-in-college racial and ethnic minorities. These are the kinds of students institutions have generally proven poor at enrolling, and who will arrive with a far greater need for financial aid and expensive support.

http://hechingerreport.org/universities-colleges-struggle-stem-big-drops-enrollment/