Educational Technology

By Ruth Reynard, THE Journal
While most users do not really care to see the coding “source” page for each web page or application, it nevertheless exists, as, without it, the screen would not have an interface nor provide navigational options or functions. Therefore, the combination of the “front end” and the “back end” computer code is what provides our user options and the functions of each page. We do not even really think about it, however, as we are the users, not the creators or the designers, for the most part. It is important to realize, too, that like other languages, the languages of computer coding (programming) not only have a language system but also a logic. That is, coders must use the code systematically and logically within any given context of use.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/08/07/beyond-point-and-click.aspx

BY DAVID WALLACE, eSchool News

For years, professional development (PD) has been out of touch with what we as educators already know to be best practice, and how we are asking teachers to think about their classrooms. Far too often, PD agendas are set without any input from teachers and do not include time to reflect or discuss real classroom application. Far too often, strategies and tools are discussed once, and then never again. As an instructional coach at Fairbanks Middle School in Milford Center, Ohio, I have been a core part of charting a new path for PD that uses a blended model of professional learning. Here are the reasons why we revamped our PD.

6 reasons we broke free from traditional PD

BY STEVE BAULE, eCampus News

In today’s world where hacking and other forms of cyber-attacks abound, it isn’t enough to simply expect that the IT staff has data security under control. According to the White House Council of Economic Advisors, in 2016, cyber threats costs the U.S. economy between $57 and $100 billion. The same document articulated that “cybersecurity is a common good.” Schools are not immune, and a recent review of a dark web marketplace by Flashpoint for access to compromised Remote Desktop Protocol servers proved that. Two-thirds of the server information available was from educational entities. School district leaders needs to be proactive in asking the following questions to ensure that data security is being taken seriously. Are realistic safeguards in place to protect student and staff privacy? Can your district recover data in the case of an emergency or disaster?

4 simple questions school leaders should ask about cybersecurity

by Julia Piper – The Chronicle of Higher Ed

Kelcie Chandler estimates that she owes about $25,000. “It’s a pretty significant burden when they’re asking for $150 a month out of your paycheck,” she says. As an undergraduate at Christopher Newport University, Kelcie Chandler did not know that there was a significant difference in how much debt women and men hold after graduating from college. But she did notice that her female classmates were much more likely to talk about their debt than were the men she knew. Women talked about “what kinds of jobs they were getting, and the pay for those jobs, and being concerned about whether or not they can pay rent, and pay for their groceries and their car payment, and also student loans.” One question, she noticed, was on a lot of female students’ minds — “Am I going to be paying off these debts until I die?” Though the question may have been posed hyperbolically, it does reflect the daunting task students face upon graduation.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/Student-Debt-Is-Worse-for/244145

by Leo M. Lambert, et al; the Conversation

In order to have a rewarding college experience, students should build a constellation of mentors. This constellation should be a diverse set of faculty, staff and peers who will get students out of their comfort zones and challenge them to learn more – and more deeply – than they thought they could. Students should begin to build this network during their first year of college. Those are some of the key takeaways from a new Elon University Poll of a nationally representative sample of more than 4,000 U.S. college graduates with bachelor’s degrees. These are points two of us plan to explore more deeply as co-authors of a forthcoming book on mentoring in college.

http://theconversation.com/mentors-play-critical-role-in-quality-of-college-experience-new-poll-suggests-101861

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Interactive whiteboards are one of many tools at a teacher’s disposal. Most schools now have these hands-on learning tools in each classroom. They allow teachers to present slideshows and interactive forms to their class quickly. With these tools, students become more engaged in their lessons because they can visually understand the concepts with videos, interactive presentations, and other supplements that teachers can incorporate. As powerful as these learning tools can be, not all educators are maximizing the impact of their interactive whiteboard. Studies have proven that these tools can represent a sixteen percent increase in student achievement in the classroom setting. If you aren’t using your whiteboard to its maximum capacity, you might want to try incorporating a few of these activities in your class.

Are You Maximizing the Impact of Your Interactive Whiteboard?