Educational Technology

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

The flipped classroom provides benefits for students and teachers alike. Teachers spend more time helping students with the content they don’t understand. This means more one-on-one help for students and less time listening to boring lectures in class. How can you establish a flipped classroom? Thankfully there are tons of edtech tools that will do the heavy lifting for you, and also walk you through the process. In this article, we will discuss 10 edtech tools that are perfect for the flipped classroom.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/10-edtech-tools-flipped-classroom/

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvisor

Social studies class can be boring when it only consists of reading a textbook. It can also be boring and long when students are required to research or memorize geography. For these reasons, many students claim that they don’t enjoy the social studies. But, geography, history, civics, sociology, and political science can be very enjoyable when made interactive. Many teachers are taking advantage of interactive assignments, activities, and documentaries in the classroom. How are they doing this? By making use of all of the teaching and learning resources that are available on the internet. In this article, I will list 15 of the best social studies websites for teachers.

by LAURA ASCIONE, eSchool News

States are progressing toward a number of goals that aim to make computer science education a priority, but there is still more to do–especially when it comes to adopting K-12 computer science standards, according to a new report. State of the States Landscape Report: State-Level Policies Supporting Equitable K–12 Computer Science Education also highlights key strategies and issues state leaders must address regarding computer science education. So far, 7 states have adopted K-12 computer science education standards. States are considered to have fully adopted K-12 standards once they have met three criteria: the standards cover elementary, middle and high school; they are publicly accessible on the state’s website; and they include computer science content at all levels.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/06/23/strengthen-computer-science-ed/

by MERIS STANSBURY, eSchool News

Snapchat is turning into more than just an amusing app that lets people send pictures and videos, only to disappear after a few seconds. Many educators are finding ways to make learning fun for their students by incorporating Snapchat into their lessons. In “Snapchat: Creating an Engaging Learning Experience,” Shannon Holden, assistant principal, Republic Middle School, MO, reviewed why educators should consider bringing the app into their classrooms, and provided specific ideas on how to integrate the app into lessons.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/06/23/ew-use-snapchat-classroom/

by Autumn A. Arnett and Jarrett Carter Sr.

Aggressive out-of-state recruitment tactics pay off big for some institutions, leaving students out in the cold. California legislators recently threatened to withhold $18 million in state support from the University of California System if it did not offer assurances that it would begin to cap its non-resident enrollment. The debate has largely centered around UC Berkeley, which has the highest out-of-state enrollment rate of the campuses at around 30%, as families feel increasingly shut out of the prestigious state institution. However, at 24 of the nation’s public flagship campuses, 40% or more of the freshman population is non-resident; at 11 of those, that number rises to more than half, according to a recent report from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation authored by UCLA Assistant Professor of higher education and organizational change Ozan Jaquette.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/are-we-seeing-the-dissolution-of-the-public-flagship-university/437869/

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Parents and educators across the country understand the importance of teaching kids how to code. Not only can it help them learn valuable skills that they can use into their technology-driver future, but it also helps them learn to approach problems differently. But determining the best method for teaching a child to code isn’t always obvious. 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.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/11-amazing-tools-games-teach-kids-code/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Indiana University’s Brad Wheeler explains how his institution is ditching the college textbook and replacing it with digital alternatives that are accessible to students from day one. Here’s the idea that kicked off the pilot: to negotiate with willing publishers to lower the pricing of their textbooks in return for getting the near-guarantee that every student in a course section would pay for it all upfront as a course fee and receive it in digital form. That included the ancillary content (“digital thingies” in Wheeler’s parlance) such as labs, flash cards and other digitized resources, which the university would take over and distribute — reducing support hassles.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/06/21/fixing-the-textbook-model.aspx

by Dwight Jones, eSchool News

It’s generally understood that integrating edtech into schools can be complex, but what’s less often discussed is that it represents one of the most universal pain points for administrators and educators today. And when you look at larger, more densely populated school districts–in urban markets like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, or Chicago–district leaders often face added pressures and challenges to do digital right, and often with little support. Yet, those urban districts seem to have some of the greatest appetites for edtech. According to the National Education Association, educators in urban schools are more likely to strongly agree about the value of technology, both for themselves and for their students.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/06/21/digital-urban-districts

By Richard Chang, THE Journal

MEL Science, based in London, has launched a series of virtual reality (VR) chemistry lessons for K–12. The 3-year-old company this week released a MEL Chemistry VR app, featuring a virtual chemistry lab, for free on Google Daydream. This free version, which contains the first six chemistry lessons, is available at this MEL Science site. According to MEL Science, chemistry is filled with abstract concepts that may prove difficult for young students to understand. The best method for kids to learn is through hands-on interaction, so MEL Science developed these VR chemistry lessons to enliven molecular-level science and illustrate it on an immersive, life-sized level.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/06/15/mel-science-launches-virtual-reality-chemistry-lessons.aspx

Nilesh Christopher&Sanghamitra Kar, ETtech

Amid IT layoffs, edtech startups see soaring demandOnline learning platforms are seeing a double-digit spike in registrations by Indian IT professionals in the last three months, as companies and employees are starting to realize the importance of reskilling in a rapidly changing industry. “The growing realization among Indian workforce that reskilling is the only way to stay competitive led to a 37% increase in Indian registrations during the Feb-April period compared to last year,” said Raghav Gupta, India Country Director, Coursera. Online learning platform Simplilearn saw its growth double in the last quarter. “The spike in January has led to great demand for some courses such as AWS, Azure, Big Data, Data Science,” said Krishna Kumar, CEO, Simplilearn.

http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet/amid-it-layoffs-edtech-startups-see-soaring-demand/59225667

By Lorena Roberts, ULoop

Are you behind in your classes? Have you changed your major and you’re going to be “taking a victory lap?” (Or two?) Maybe you just refuse to take 15 credit hours per semester and now you’re three years deep in a degree that you’ve barely scraped the surface of. Don’t fret; I have the solution: take classes over the summer… online. If that sentence makes you anxious because you’ve never taken an online course, stop it. It’s way easier than you think it’s going to be. You get to do all the work on your own time (or ahead of time) and you can creatively collaborate with all your classmates just like in a regular class through apps like GroupMe. Need some recommendations? I’ve got you covered.

https://www.uloop.com/news/view.php/240179/5-Types-of-Online-Classes-to-Check-Out-This-Summer

by Vinay Umarji, Business Standard

After being laid-off by an information technology (IT) major in Chennai, Ashir Sharma (name changed) recently bagged a job at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in Pune, after training himself in data analytics using the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). Sharma is part of a rising number of professionals in the layoffs-marred IT industry who are turning to massive open online courses (MOOCs) platform NPTEL, which is run by seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), including IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee, along with IISc Bangalore. In fact, on the back of rising enrolments from job seekers and professionals, the takers for MOOCs on NPTEL have grown from a cumulative one million in the past three years (2014, 2015, and 2016) to 500,000 in the first half of 2017 itself.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/worried-by-it-layoffs-open-online-courses-can-future-proof-your-career-117062000425_1.html

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Most colleges and universities are thinking and acting strategically regarding their digital learning initiatives. Most cover digital learning in their school’s strategic plan, and a large number have made it a core aspect of their plans. Yet, execution is uneven and digital learning hasn’t come close to meeting administrator or faculty expectations. That summary comes out ofa new report produced by Tyton Partners in collaboration with the Babson Survey Research Group. A similar subject was undertaken in 2014 when Tyton interviewed more than 2,700 postsecondary faculty and administrators on their use and perceptions of digital courseware. The latest report updates that research and examines findings from two fall 2016 surveys of a national sample of 3,500 postsecondary respondents.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/06/19/faculty-support-lacking-for-wide-adoption-of-digital-learning.aspx

by MTSU

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is offering the six-lesson, self-paced course titled “A SMART Approach to Student Success: Strategic Management of Advising Reform and Technology” on its website, www.aplu.org. APLU gleaned content for the course from interviews and information from MTSU and four other institutions of higher learning: Austin Community College in Austin, Texas; Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado; Georgia State University in Atlanta; and Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, Washington.

http://mtsunews.com/student-success-aplu-course/

by John Lewis, Futurism

By 2020, there will be at least 4 internet-connected devices for every person on Earth comprising the Internet of Things. The growth of the IoT is being powered by more 5G access and falling costs, and will equalize opportunities for more people. By 2020, there will be at least 4 internet-connected devices for every person on Earth comprising the Internet of Things. The growth of the IoT is being powered by more 5G access and falling costs, and will equalize opportunities for more people. According to research from Business Insider, more than 24 billion internet-connected devices will be installed around the world by 2020. To give that some context, that’s more than four devices for every person on the planet. Together, these devices comprise the Internet of Things (IoT), and its presence is permanently changing our world.

https://futurism.com/by-2020-there-will-be-4-devices-for-every-human-on-earth/

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/06/15/credit-mooc-proves-popular-among-mit-students

by Tanya Yilmaz, Swindon Advertiser

Making pupils aware of the importance of staying safe online has saw one Swindon school be presented with a prestigious award. Rodbourne Cheney Primary School has been gifted the online safety award by 360 Degree Safe for all of their efforts at promoting e-learning and e-safety with students. From making up e-safety songs in reception to creating scenarios for children to ponder over in the older years, the school has continually strived to put online safety at the forefront of their work and on Thursday, the school found out about the exciting news – much to the delight of the school’s e-safety ambassadors.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/15352957.School_s_effort_to_stay_safe_online_rewarded/

by Meghan Bogardus Cortez, EdTech

Forget summer brain drain for K–12 students in Missouri. They have access to more than 100 free online classes thanks to the Missouri Online Summer Institute, a program open to students in grades 7–12, K12 Inc. reports in a press release. Class offerings range from required electives to Advanced Placement courses and career readiness classes, such as Introduction to Agriscience, Engineering Design and Web Design. K12 Inc. reports that MOSI began as a summer course offering from Grandview R–2 School District and expanded quickly, with enrollment ready to surpass 1,000 this year. “This program allows students to attend summer school on their own schedule,” says MOSI Coordinator Mike Brown. “They can take part in family vacations and summer sporting activities yet still continue their studies online to achieve their academic goals and satisfy graduation requirements.”

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/06/missouri-online-summer-school-offers-innovative-education-more-students

By Michael Krigsman, ZD Net

As artificial intelligence proliferates, companies and governments are aggregating enormous data sets to feed their AI initiatives. Although privacy is not a new concept in computing, the growth of aggregated data magnifies privacy challenges and leads to extreme ethical risks such as unintentionally building biased AI systems, among many others. Privacy and artificial intelligence are both complex topics. There are no easy or simple answers because solutions lie at the shifting and conflicted intersection of technology, commercial profit, public policy, and even individual and cultural attitudes.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/artificial-intelligence-and-privacy-engineering-why-it-matters-now/

By Liam Tung, ZD Net

A Cray system in Switzerland is now the world’s third most powerful supercomputer, behind two Chinese systems. That means for the first time in 21 years a US high-performance computing system is not one of the world’s top three supercomputers, according to the June 2017 rankings by the supercomputer benchmarking project Top500. The only other time a US supercomputer had failed to make Top500’s top three ranking was in 1996, when the US was edged out by three Japanese supercomputers.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/supercomputing-top500-us-knocked-out-of-top-three-most-powerful-list/

By Jason Palmer, EdSurge

My bet is that by 2040, our children will look back on this period between 2015 and 2030 in education technology much the same way internet historians look to the period 1995 to 2010 as the birth of the commercial web. The new millennium started with the dot-com crash which decimated 78 percent of the value of the NASDAQ and hundreds of first-wave internet startups went bankrupt. But during that same fifteen-year period, we also witnessed the birth and growth of highly influential firms like Google, Amazon, Facebook, Tencent and Alibaba. Edtech, I believe, is going through a similar rebuilding moment powered by three trends: widely available infrastructure, the catalytic impact of spending by both the government and philanthropy in education, and—finally—the embrace of edtech by educational institutions and educators themselves. Not yet convinced? Join me on a quick tour of the past quarter century in education technology history.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-06-18-why-i-m-optimistic-about-the-next-wave-of-education-technology