Educational Technology

by the Borneo Post

The Bintangor community will celebrate another milestone with the opening of its first ‘e-learning’ kindergarten soon.  According to Danawa Education chief executive officer Tan Yii Ying, ‘Kinder Doc’ serves as a platform specially developed to facilitate teaching and learning in early childhood education.  “At Danawa Education, we believe that every child deserves the best education possible. We leverage on digital technology to facilitate the teaching and learning process, and aim to offer quality education programmes which are accessible and affordable to our urban and rural communities,” she said. She pointed out that ‘Kinder Doc’ seeks to fulfill three objectives namely to promote IT literacy among the young; facilitate learning in the digital age via various interesting digital tools and enhance the tracking of students’ development by educators. “We expect to roll this out in the next six months for the kindergarten’s first batch of students.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/05/05/bintangor-set-to-have-its-first-e-learning-kindergarten-soon/

By Gloria Knott, Arizona Sonora News

Melissa Wuellner, assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Kearney and a former faculty member at South Dakota State, studied natural resources courses online and face-to-face and found that online students spent more time on their classwork than the face-to-face students. She also found that grades in both online and face-to-face classes of the same course, which offered the same type of assignments, were comparable. “Mostly what we found was that students do about the same in both environments,” Wuellner said. Although research shows that academic rigor and grades are similar in both environments, online education still has its flaws — just as face-to-face classes do.

http://arizonasonoranewsservice.com/online-education-comparable-to-traditional-learning-but-still-has-flaws/

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

As more schools are moving towards digital learning environments, it is more important than ever to pay careful attention to the types of digital content students are using. With a large amount of educational digital content available, it can be overwhelming to find the best teaching tools for your students. Kecia Ray, the chair of the ISTE Board, explains, “There are a lot of options out there for free or fee, and there is the good, the bad and the indifferent.” When it comes to evaluating digital content, you want to look for the best digital content available. For example, you want to avoid content that is simply an electronic version of the textbook without any added value to the student.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-evaluate-digital-content/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A nonprofit that tests out new models of education and credentials has launched a free digital badge toolkit. The goal: to help schools outfit students with the skills employers are seeking. Education Design Lab’s 21st century skills badge program covers eight microcredentials as well as facilitation tools. The badges are intended to be used on students’ LinkedIn accounts, resumes and e-portfolios. In return, schools that use the badges agree to adhere to the specific language in their definitions, use a “360 assessment” at the beginning of the badge-earning process and share metrics and what they’ve learned in the process.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/05/01/free-digital-badge-toolkit-helps-students-show-off-their-21st-century-skills.aspx

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

The first-year median earnings for an undergraduate who received his or her degree in health and physical education/fitness at the University of Texas at Austin is $39,441. The median debt for that individual is $24,306. After 10 years, the earnings reach $70,262. For an undergraduate who majored in computer and information sciences, the median income for year one is $85,334; the median debt is $27,644. By the tenth year the CS major would have a median income of $117,418. That’s the kind of detailed information that prospective students and their families would find helpful in sorting through college choices.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/04/10/pilot-linking-degrees-and-earnings-gets-first-try-at-u-texas.aspx

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Artificial Intelligence is no longer just contained in science fiction films. It is a part of our everyday lives and in our classrooms. As we use tools like Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, we are just beginning to see the possibilities of AI in education. And, we should expect to see more. The Artificial Intelligence Market in the US Education Sector 2017-2021 report suggests that experts expect AI in education to grow by “47.50% during the period 2017-2021.” With the expected growth of AI in education, here is a glimpse into some of the roles it will play in the classroom.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/7-roles-for-artificial-intelligence-in-education/

By Sydney Johnson, EdSurge

Coursera has already released updates to its terms of service addressing GDPR requirements. And when asked if the company plans to review instructor data-collection practices, the spokesperson said Coursera is “working closely with university partners to mutually take measures required for GDPR compliance.” The GDPR will go into effect on May 25, and failure to comply could result in fines of 20 million euros or 4 percent of the entity’s global annual revenue, depending on what is greater. But there’s a caveat: “Each supervisor authority that enforces this will determine what [consequence] should be applied,” explains Johnson. “A lot of provisions are open to interpretation.”

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-05-03-moocs-are-global-so-where-do-they-stand-with-new-european-privacy-laws

by Ave Rio, CLO Media

Fred Harburg is the former chief learning officer and president of Motorola University, one of the first corporate universities. He was also the senior vice president for leadership and learning at Fidelity Investments and was chief learning officer at Williams Energy. Following, Harburg shares his thoughts on the future of corporate universities.

http://www.clomedia.com/2018/05/03/corporate-u-the-history-and-the-future/

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

With the recent advancement of technology, it changes the tools children use to learn. When it comes to reading, there are many different apps and programs that can be used to keep children engaged and help them practice reading skills. Technology used as a tool for reading instruction can supplement the skills being taught, engage students more, and allows them to take charge of their own learning. To understand how technology can be helpful to children learning to read, it must be understood that there are different types of learners and various factors that affect learning. Some of these factors are the environment in which they have learned and continue to read, socio-economic family status, and whether or not there are learning disabilities involved. Technology may be of benefit to support these types of learners, especially.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/do-digital-tools-improve-reading-outcomes/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

The top technology-related priority for community colleges in the coming year is mobile device and app support, according to a new report. About a third of those institutions have a strategy in place for use of mobile devices, and more than half (51 percent) are piloting the use of devices in the classroom but lack a formal strategy for doing so. Just four in 10 schools (44 percent) provide professional development to help instructors learn how to use mobile apps for instruction, and just one in five train faculty or have policies to follow for protecting student privacy when using apps.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/05/03/community-colleges-prioritizing-mobile-device-support.aspx

by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

The University of Rhode Island is experiencing a noteworthy boost in student outcomes, with more than 52 percent of its undergraduates earning a degree in four years and an 85% percent first-year student retention rate. What makes the achievements unusual, according to Inside Higher Ed: The university had its $26 million budget slashed by more than 30% as a result of the national recession, and its still smaller a decade later. URI leaders said that the budget cuts forced the institution to focus on degree completion, investing in predictive analytics and degree mapping technology, student advising and revitalizing its general education offerings. Officials also placed emphasis on students taking advantage of summer and winter course offerings. About 68% of first-time students now accumulate 60 or more credits by the conclusion of their sophomore year, a rate that some experts say helps the URI save money on instruction and support services.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/how-to-boost-student-outcomes-in-the-face-of-budget-cuts/522610/

BY MASON CARROLL, Daily Texan
With the school year coming to an end, many students are already looking to next year and next year’s textbooks prices. However, Texas law prevents students from seeing their textbook prices until a month before school begins. State House Bill 33 allows students to see class material and the price of textbooks 30 days before classes start. SB 810 was passed last legislative session and requires professors to submit open education resources course material.

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2018/05/02/students-want-to-know-textbook-prices-earlier-to-help-with-registration

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

Bringing the real world into the classroom is something a lot of teachers are trying to do. It’s something Johnson specializes in. His students are issued funds when they become residents, then they’re expected to pay bills, find work and learn by doing projects. And the mayor is a stickler for keeping schedules, so his students learn how to work with Google calendars to maintain their obligations and appointments. Earlier in the day, a student was waiting at home with his district-issued iPad, ready to connect Johnson to his mom for an online parent-teacher conference. “That kid set a reminder. He knew at 11:10 we needed to be on that call,” said Johnson. “When I turned it on, he was there waiting for me.”

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/04/25/9-major-trends-that-will-dominate-ed-tech.aspx

by Chuck Leddy, MIT Open Learning

The lives of refugees aren’t just disrupted by the loss of a homeland, but also by massive challenges in accessing educational and professional opportunities. A collaboration between the MITx MicroMasters program in data, economics, and development policy (DEDP), the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and the MIT Refugee Action Hub (ReACT) seeks to address these challenges. MIT’s Department of Economics and J-PAL co-developed and launched the MITx MicroMasters Program in DEDP in 2017. The new collaboration will allow refugee learners to receive scholarships for DEDP courses, participate in skills-building workshops, and connect with top organizations and companies in the field of development economics and data analysis.

http://news.mit.edu/2018/empowering-refugees-by-providing-tools-for-social-change-0501

by GLOBAL NEWS AT 5 EDMONTON

Whether it’s online courses or apps in the classroom, pencils and paper are taking a backseat to technology in a growing number of schools. But at what cost? Laurel Gregory reports.

https://globalnews.ca/video/4180715/the-pros-and-cons-of-paperless-learning

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

Universities are seeking ways to innovate and keep up with the changing expectations of students and faculty, and university libraries are no different. As physical space, available funding, and student needs change, university libraries will have to adapt to meet different needs and campus roles. Despite these future changes, the purpose of university libraries remains steady: Academic libraries provide equitable access to information for students to use in their daily lives, whether their purpose is for academic success, to solve problems, or to create new knowledge.

5 roles university libraries will play in the future

BY MATTHEW SILVERMAN, Campus Technology

In the rapidly evolving world of science, universities are creating a standard of technology in the classroom. Technology not only produces high-quality education through time-saving applications and effective communications, it also makes life easier for the user and can ultimately be incredibly cost-effective. Centralized management technology is one area seeing increased adoption in classroom settings. By creating a centralized management system, universities can simplify the monitoring and management of on-campus technology. The University of Central Florida (UCF) has implemented a centralized management system and standardized technology usage across campus.

Classroom tech is reshaping the campus experience

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Schools seem to be one of the hottest targets for cyber attacks in today’s modern age. In fact, schools are the third most breached sector, making up a full ten percent of all information breaches according to a 2016 survey from Symantec. Both teachers and students use the computer systems heavily, placing a large amount of sensitive data out there for hackers. While some hacks might not be monumental, others can have serious consequences when the cyber attack leads to document falsification or vandalism. All of the schools who use technology daily need to come up with a strategy to implement better cybersecurity. In order to limit the number of attacks on the network, administrators need to start making radical changes that limit the amount of access an individual may have. Here are a few of the top suggestions for how schools can start building better cybersecurity today.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-schools-can-protect-themselves-against-cyber-attacks/

by VICKY SINGH RAO, Technotification

If you have a busy life schedule and no time for classes to learn how to program. All roads aren’t close yet, there are various websites on the internet which provides fully guide on how to code. These sites have a very interactive interface. Whenever you have free time, you can just log into these sites and start learning.  In addition, just like any other industry, there are always at-least handfuls of experts who are considered the best on the subject mostly; they have blogs or websites which makes them the most trusted resources in the industry. For beginners to keep up with the latest tech-news, networks as well as discuss projects, they can visits these websites and stay on top of the tech field.

Top 10 Websites for Beginner Programmers to Learn Coding

by Darrell M. West and John R. Allen, Brookings

Despite its widespread lack of familiarity, AI is a technology that is transforming every walk of life. It is a wide-ranging tool that enables people to rethink how we integrate information, analyze data, and use the resulting insights to improve decision making. Our hope through this comprehensive overview is to explain AI to an audience of policymakers, opinion leaders, and interested observers, and demonstrate how AI already is altering the world and raising important questions for society, the economy, and governance.

How artificial intelligence is transforming the world

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Google Forms is constantly rolling out new updates and features that make it easier for professionals to use their software. Some of the latest updates were particularly significant for teachers who use this program to create surveys, make quizzes, and other essential items for the classroom. If you haven’t been using the Google Suite to develop products for your classroom, there’s never been a better time to start. You can let these five new Google Forms features convince you that you need to start using this program.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/5-new-interesting-google-forms-features-for-teachers/