Educational Technology

BY ELISA ESPOSITO, eCampus News

Interactive flat panel displays (IFPDs) have become increasingly common in educational environments, thanks in part to the technology’s flexibility and ongoing evolution. IFPDs let us easily share information with more devices in more ways seemingly every day. As a result, university users are making the most out of their IFPDs, from connecting to smartphones to help turn a lecture into a dialogue to syncing with a learning management system (LMS) to hash out a group project in real time, regardless of participants’ location.

3 ways technology has evolved the lecture

BY ERIN WERRA, eSchool News

Take cues from Maslow’s Hierarchy to build a strong, safe foundation for students to take risks and get to know who they are, and who they’re becoming.  Let’s start by identifying core human motivations using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs. Psychologist Abraham Maslow studied human motivation as a whole, rather than the discrete pockets of motivation prior studies had identified. Maslow’s Hierarchy is depicted as a pyramid, with the base of the structure housing the most basic needs and more rigorous needs building on top of those. Maslow referred to the first four levels of the hierarchy as deficiency needs, which is to say each lower-level need must be met before moving on to the next level. Should any lower-level need become deficient in the future, people will work to correct the deficiency before moving forward.

Can we design learning environments geared for maximum motivation?

By Cait Etherington, eLearning Inside

In the week leading up to World Refugee Day, there have been dozens of high-profile reports about the ongoing plight of the world’s refugee and migrant populations. From the perilous journey of 650 migrants who were turned away from two countries before eventually being granted refuge in Spain to the situation facing detained parents and children at the U.S. border, we are currently living in a world deeply shaped by the daily struggles of people who have been forced to leave their homes due to war, poverty, and environmental destruction. Educating the estimated 65 million children, adolescents, and adults who are now part of the world’s refugee population is also an ongoing challenge. Millions of children and young adults who would otherwise be enrolled full-time in school are now unable to attend either because they are on the move or living in one the world’s many refugee camps. As adult refugees arrive in new countries, retraining is also essential. Since 2016, Coursera for Refugees has reached a small but significant portion of this population and has plans to continue supporting migrant learners over the coming years.

Coursera for Refugees: Marking Two Years of Impact

By PoliceOne BrandFocus Staff

Many people associate online learning with college courses but are unfamiliar with its applications outside of attaining a college degree. While online learning is a fast-growing training and organizational tool for a variety of businesses, it is particularly well-suited for law enforcement given the nature of the job – which includes a heavy training requirement, regular policy updates and officers working varied schedules around the clock. An online learning platform can help streamline training and organization within a department – An online learning platform can help streamline training and organization within a department –  Online learning management systems are highly flexible, accessible anywhere, offer a wide variety of content, and can streamline processes for the entire police department.

https://www.policeone.com/police-products/continuing-education/articles/476610006-6-reasons-your-department-should-implement-online-learning/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology
In spite of the fact that nine in 10 people believe online and distance learning programs will grow in popularity over time, seven in 10 don’t think that students can a get a “true college experience” from an online-only program. That drops to five in 10 for those students who have attended a blended learning course. Those results surfaced in “Online Education Trendspots,” a survey intended to understand experiences and perceptions of online or distance education programs. The survey was produced by Verndale, a “customer experience” design agency. The company surveyed 320 people, ages 18 to 55, who have attended at least some level of college. Three-fifths of respondents said they had taken an online course.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/06/20/survey-7-in-10-people-dont-believe-online-classes-can-provide-a-true-college-experience.aspx

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

People who want to be inspired watch TED Talks, largely because of the stories they tell.  These stories spark imagination and motivate audiences to think in new ways. TED Talks redefine knowledge and point to potential. These five great TED Talks on the potential of artificial intelligence may be some of the most inspiring talks yet:

5 Great TED Talks on the Potential of Artificial Intelligence

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal
There’s a science to adolescent learning, which addresses how the many changes — physical, emotional, social, intellectual and psychological — teenagers experience impact how they learn and should impact how educators instruct. A new report from the Alliance for Excellent Education offered strategies for making sure that “critical education decisions are driven by science,” as author Bob Wise put it. The Alliance is non-profit that advocates for all students to excel in high school, ready for college, career and citizenship, especially those in under-performing or underserved environments. Science of learning draws from brain and cognitive research and the social sciences. Now the Alliance, known as All4Ed proposes setting itself up as a “broker” to make sure science of adolescent learning (SAL) “knowledge is adopted and implemented.” The report was published as part of a launch of a new initiative focused on bringing the science of adolescent learning into education policy and practice.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/06/21/report-adolescent-learning-requires-a-new-science-based-approach.aspx

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Audiobooks are fantastic ways to bring stories to life in your classroom and keep students engaged. Reading Rockets explains, “Audiobooks have traditionally been used in schools by teachers of second-language learners, learning-disabled students, and struggling readers or nonreaders. In many cases, audiobooks have proven successful in providing a way for these students to access literature and enjoy books.” However, educators have found that audiobooks benefit all students! For instance, the widely popular Audible site for downloadable audiobooks is a subscription-based service, but it only allows you to choose one book per month. Instead, take advantage of the wealth of free audiobooks available for teachers and students.

Where Can Teachers Find Free Audiobooks for Their Students