Educational Technology

BY ELLIE ASHFORD, CC Daily
Apprenticeship programs jointly developed by community colleges and businesses – and scaled up on a nationwide basis – could go a long way toward closing the nation’s skills gap, according to U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta. “Our job is to ensure America’s workforce is prepared to meet the demands of a global and ever-changing economy,” Acosta told participants on Thursday at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) board of directors summer retreat in Washington, D.C.

http://www.ccdaily.com/2017/08/labor-secretary-calls-national-apprenticeship-programs/

By Emily Tate, EdScoop

LearnStorm’s six-week course aligns with the start of the school year to help strengthen students’ skills and get their minds right for the new year.

The flexibility of Khan Academy will be available to students and teachers in a new way this back-to-school season — and this particular classroom program is tailored toward rebuilding students’ confidence as they work to overcome the infamous “summer slide.” The nonprofit education company is launching LearnStorm — a free, online learning challenge — to relieve some of the pressure on teachers as students get acclimated to the new school year. Signups opened Tuesday, and beginning Sept. 12, students in grades 3-12 will have six weeks to work with their classmates — or independently — to strengthen their skills in science, math, history and grammar.

http://edscoop.com/khan-academy-launches-online-learning-program-to-offset-summer-slide

By Drew Hendricks, Inc

Digital transformation is disrupting every industry, and education is no exception. Global investment in edtech companies is increasing rapidly, with some reports predicting a total of $252 billion in investments by 2020. Investors aren’t the only people recognizing the importance of technology for education. Educators and students are flocking to solutions that enhance their experience while reducing the high price associated with higher ed. In fact, research shows that 70% of students want their universities to update their digital options, with 44% of the same group saying they’d be happier with their university experience if they could engage with more digital resources. With an obvious demand from students for better digital solutions, organizations that don’t engage with the latest in technology may struggle to engage with new students and grow.

https://www.inc.com/drew-hendricks/3-ways-technology-is-empowering-educators.html

by Bridget Beale, TES

This week Robert Hannigan, former head of GCHQ, the government intelligence agency responsible for digital listening, surprised parents across the country by suggesting that children should spend more time online to “save the country”. He believes parents shouldn’t feel guilty if teenagers spend their summer holidays in front of a screen. You’d be right to feel at least a small level of unease with this notion. It flies counter to received parental wisdom about encouraging children to explore and better understand the world by scraping their knees and climbing trees. However, the truth of the matter is that in the past 10 years the world has changed at a much more accelerated rate than at any other point in human history. In the next few years alone, it’s set to change beyond our wildest childhood imaginations, as we usher in the age of driverless cars and “machine learning”.

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/children-shouldnt-waste-their-summer-just-climbing-trees-they-need

by Robyn Shulman, Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-top-15-traits-educators-need-to-teach-successfully_us_598c6cf4e4b08a4c247f28b3

by ANIL KAMATH, eCampus News

According to Carnegie Mellon University’s Dean Andrew Moore, AI students are “worth somewhere between $5 million and $10 million to a company’s bottom line.” It’s no wonder, then, that big companies are heavily recruiting PhD candidates. Over the past 10 years, nearly 20 percent more data science PhD students have taken industry jobs. Collaborating on data science projects is a great way to connect university students to real-world opportunities and private companies to the talent they are looking for. By sharing their resources and data libraries, researchers and companies are much more likely to discover AI solutions that improve human lives. A machine-learning model at Stanford sorted through 50 million images in two weeks—a task that would take a human 15 years. Researchers are using such unprecedented computational power to solve real-world problems.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/curriculum/ai-help-colleges-universities/

by Mark Surman and Meghan McDermott, Brookings

In a world where the number of internet users is growing at breakneck speeds—and where the internet increasingly shapes all aspects of society—understanding the web is essential for nearly everyone. The internet is the world’s newest, most vital, public resource. It continues to expand exponentially. Now, three billion people are online, and new infrastructure and cheap hardware mean billions more will join in the coming years. Internet speeds are accelerating swiftly. And the Internet of Things is connecting the internet to homes, cars, and the infrastructure of cities.  An adequate education in web literacy would provide a framework for understanding the internet. It’s not just about learning to type or to use a computer or smartphone, nor is it about mastering a programming language like JavaScript. It’s about the gulf in between.

https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/were-not-teaching-the-web-correctly/

By Leif Nelson and Timothy D. Harfield, EdSurge

Embedded learning analytics are not like rotisserie ovens: you can’t set them and forget them. As in the case of proactive advising, the real impact from learning analytics comes more from the relationships it makes possible and the dialogue it provokes than from the technology itself. Institutions like Indian River State College, for example, are seeing tremendous gains in student success through faculty development programs that highlight the importance of learning analytics to inform teaching and learning practices. Between 2014 and 2016, online enrollment at the institution increased by 56 percent. And yet, average grades in online courses lagged behind traditional face-to-face courses by 7.5 percentage points. Since using LMS data in support of academic advising, and training faculty in the use of analytics to identify challenges and opportunities, IRSC has eliminated the achievement gap between online and in person courses, and increased online baccalaureate success rates by 11 percent.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-08-13-giving-data-meaning-students-should-have-a-say-in-what-analytics-tell-you-about-them

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

As administrators of a school, it is essential to be on the forefront of progressive changes for education. That means implementing educational technology into everyday work as well. Administrators won’t be using it to teach or help students with homework, but there are certainly many ways to use educational technology for the duties of administrators. Some administrators may be nervous about using new technology when they already have a tradition and routine set for their responsibilities. They may not feel confident in encouraging or training their teachers in how to use technology. But, there isn’t reason to fear. There are many easy-to-use educational technology resources for administrators.

10 ed-tech resources for school administrators

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvoate

When you have 25 students in your classroom, it’s challenging to differentiate instruction for varying ability levels. As you work to help struggling students catch up, your gifted students may be twiddling their thumbs, having long ago completed the “easy” assignment. It’s important to continue challenging these gifted students. Otherwise, they may become disengaged and fail to reach their fullest potential.  These 6 must have apps, tools, and resources for gifted children can help you keep your brightest students engaged and challenged—without using too much of your limited time.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/6-must-apps-tools-resources-gifted-children/

By Marian Stoltz-Loike, US News

Research is a valuable way to figure out whether a particular online degree program suits your educational needs. Some programs have demo courses so you can explore the look and feel of the virtual classroom. But you can also check the school’s website or call to ask questions about a program to find the right fit. Ask about content, course delivery, faculty, student interaction and costs. Linked below is a checklist of six specific questions to focus on when choosing an online program.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-08-11/research-online-degree-programs-a-checklist-for-prospective-students

By Sri Ravipati, THE Journal
Sony Corporation and Sony Global Education have finished developing a cloud-based platform built on IBM Blockchain that allows a secure exchange of educational data. Blockchain technology records and keeps information safe by creating a decentralized record of data that can be confirmed and validated without relying on a single authority. IBM Blockchain underpins Sony’s new education platform, which harnesses IBM Cloud and The Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Fabric 1.0 blockchain framework. “Blockchain technology has the potential to impact systems in a wide variety of industries, and the educational sphere is no exception when educational data is securely stored on the blockchain and shared among permissioned users,” said Masaaki Isozu, president of Sony Global Education, in a prepared statement.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/08/10/sony-and-ibm-to-secure-student-data-records-with-blockchain.aspx

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

Every day, hundreds of thousands of people go to the gym. They go to exercise their muscles and get stronger. But many of these same people neglect the one thing they really should be strengthening—their brain.  Brain training apps and tools are designed to help your brain be better. The idea is that by practicing daily, the brain, like your muscles, can grow stronger over time. If you’re going to take the time to work out your brain, however, you want to make sure you’re using the most effective tools possible. Let’s take a look at 7 of the best brain training apps and tools.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/7-brain-training-apps-tools/

by Pat Donachie, Education Dive

A pair of recently released surveys suggests that half of the nation’s high school students feel academically unprepared for college, while half of the students entering their postsecondary education are anxious that they may not graduate, suggesting a variety of stressors could keep them from attaining a diploma. The concerns incoming students have about their college career can be a significant challenge for higher education institutions in supporting students when they arrive in school and throughout their college career. Dr. Jerlando Jackson, the director of the University of Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory in the Center for Education Research, said colleges and universities that recognize how important a student’s first year can be can assist students in crises of academic preparation and confidence.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/nearly-half-of-prospective-college-students-dont-expect-to-graduate/448812/

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eSchool News

A new report, How Minecraft Supports Social and Emotional Learning in K–12 Education, published by Getting Smart, investigates the connection between classroom use of Minecraft and the SEL outcomes of K– 12 students. The report is based on interviews, a global survey and case studies as it offers an overview of SEL, an insight on gaming in education, and advice from educators on how to support a school-based SEL program. Almost all of the teachers surveyed (97.7 percent) said problem solving is the top SEL skill their students learn from in-school and extracurricular Minecraft participation.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/08/11/link-minecraft-and-sel/

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

The virtual classroom is a brand new technology that’s quickly spreading to teacher education programs across the nation. The concept is a bit like a flight simulator that a pilot might use before getting into a real plane. Teachers are placed in a virtual classroom full of virtual students and must teach as if they were really in the classroom.There are two main options for teacher education programs looking to implement the virtual classroom in their curriculum. A company called Mursion has developed a virtual classroom that is used by school districts and teacher education programs around the U.S. There’s also TeachLive, a virtual classroom program developed at the University of Central Florida. Both programs are fairly similar, offering some of the same benefits for teachers in training.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/virtual-classrooms-future-teacher-education/

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

Over the last two years, bootcamps — not just for coding, but also for intensive skill development in other fields, like healthcare and accounting — have grown in popularity among traditional nonprofit, four year insttitutions, reports EdSurge. Though bootcamps are proliferating throughout higher ed, it is still unclear whether the model will be successful as an alternative credential pathway model, as Reuters reports that many of these for-profit schools are shutting down. For example, the well known Dev Bootcamp announced in July its plans to shut down for lack of a viable business model, even though there has been growth in enrollment.  Though some bootcamps are closing, others are thriving, like Flatiron School, which has a 97% job placement rate and has its student outcomes audited by Massachusetts, according to Reuters — highlighting not only that success of such programs are heavilly tied to ROI beyond graduation, but also that the traditional education pathway with accountability for student outcomes is here to stay.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/bootcamps-expanding-at-traditional-universities-but-efficacy-of-model-stil/449143/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology
A project at Penn State World Campus immersed teachers into a virtual classroom as part of a graduate-level special education course. Students could use a virtual reality headset to watch 360-degree videos or view them as regular videos on YouTube.  The course, “Special Education 801,” helps teachers learn how to respond to challenging behaviors. The 360-degree view allows them to be placed into the classroom virtually to view a teacher explaining how she has arranged the space for learning. The videos were created using a 360-degree video camera and uploaded into the course in just a few days, Penn State World Campus representatives said.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/08/08/penn-state-world-campus-taps-vr-for-educating-teachers.aspx

By Joshua Bolkan, Campus Technology
Global spending on augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) will double, at a minimum, each year through 2021, according to a new forecast from International Data Corp. (IDC). Total spending on products and services in the category will reach $215 billion in 2021, according to the company, up from $11.4 billion this year and representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 113.2 percent for the forecast period. This year the United States will lead spending in the category at $3.2 billion, followed by Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) at $3 billion and Western Europe at $2 billion. IDC predicts APEJ to take the top spot from the US for a couple years, slowing in 2019 and relinquishing the top spending slot in 2020 while Western Europe will move into the second spot in the following year.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/08/07/report-vr-and-ar-to-double-each-year-through-2021.aspx

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

The study, Launching OER Degree Pathways: An Early Snapshot of Achieving the Dream’s OER Degree Initiative and Emerging Lessons, was released by Achieving the Dream (ATD) and conducted by SRI International and the rpk GROUP. The report indicates that faculty at colleges participating in ATD’s OER Degree Initiative are changing their teaching and that students are at least as or more engaged using OER courses than students in non-OER classrooms. Eighty-four percent of faculty members surveyed said students in the new OER courses had the same or a higher level of engagement with the learning materials as compared to courses they have taught using traditional course materials. Meanwhile, faculty with experience in using open resources who received assistance from technology specialists and librarians in developing their courses were most likely to report changes in their teaching, the report says.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/curriculum/report-faculty-oer/

http://achievingthedream.org/press_release/16735/after-one-year-largest-initiative-to-promote-the-use-of-open-educational-resources-for-degree-completion-finds-robust-course-development-strong-faculty-support-and-broad-based-leadership-for-oer-use