Online Learning Update

by Lisa Thornton, the Charlotte Observer

“They’re more popular, and (the university is) adding online classes every semester,” Catherine Duncan, a graduate assistant at the UNC Charlotte University Center for Academic Excellence, said of UNCC’s online course offerings. Duncan teaches workshops for students interested in learning more about online classes. The next workshop will be offered 2 p.m. Nov. 9 on the third floor of the Fretwell Building. “Not having to commute, not having to manage getting to class, the prices of parking permits – I think that’s a draw for some of the students,” said Duncan. Taking online classes eliminates most of the fees students who attend traditional classes must pay. For example, a semester of 12 or more credit hours taken through online courses would cost $1,320 in tuition; adding fees, the total would come to $1,500.50. But a semester of 12 credit hours of traditional classes on the main campus would be $1,620 in tuition, for a total of $2,720 including fees.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/11/06/2746195/lower-costs-and-convenience-drive.html

by Rob Jenkins, Rockdale Citizen

Of course students who complete an online course perform just as well or better than their counterparts in face-to-face classrooms. The degree of intellectual maturity and self-discipline required to complete an online course is considerable, so it just makes sense that those students would perform well. The problem, as the Columbia studies clearly demonstrate, is that not enough students complete those courses. This is especially true at two-year colleges and other less-selective institutions. In other words, it’s especially true for the most at-risk students, who might not have the intellectual maturity and self-discipline to succeed in an online environment and may also lack other necessary skills, such as high-level reading ability and technological know-how. The bottom line is that taking classes online can be a great option for students who are highly motivated, possess the requisite skills, and require a flexible schedule for whatever reason. For others, though, online classes can be a disaster.

http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/news/2011/nov/05/jenkins-how-good-are-online-classes/

by Robert W. Mendenhall, Chronicle of Higher Education

Quality is not just how many people graduate, but what those graduates know. Quality is also related to how long it takes, and how much it costs, to deliver that learning. One of the keys to that improvement will be more effective use of technology. Technology has fundamentally changed the productivity of every industry in America except education. In nearly all of higher education, it is an add-on cost. We know that learners come to higher education knowing different things and that students each learn at different rates. By using the technology to teach—to deliver the content of a course—we are able to free students to study what they need to learn, and to do so at their own pace. Learning becomes the constant and time becomes the variable, rather than holding time constant and letting the learning vary. In an online environment that truly takes advantage of technology, the faculty role may change from delivering content to mentoring students. By using technology to measure learning, we can actually determine what students know and can do, rather than how long they spend in class.

http://chronicle.com/article/How-Technology-Can-Improve/129616/

by Open Culture

Adrian Banner, a lecturer at Princeton, has put together a lecture series (in video) that will help you master calculus, a subject that has traditionally frustrated many students. The 24 lectures (http://press.princeton.edu/video/banner/) were originally presented as review sessions for Princeton introductory calculus courses offered in 2006, and each session runs about two hours. It’s worth noting that Banner has used the lectures to develop a textbook, The Calculus Lifesaver: All the Tools You Need to Excel at Calculus. To find this course (and many others like it), look in the Math section of the collection of 400 Free Online Courses.  http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses   Here you will also find Calculus Revisited: Single Variable Calculus, a vintage introductory course filmed by MIT in 1970. Consider it a classic…

http://www.openculture.com/2011/11/calculus_lifesaver_a_free_online_course.html

By CONNOR GUYTON, the Reflector

Mississippi State University students were given a new option when purchasing their textbooks this semester: e-textbooks. Carsyn Byars, freshman English major, purchased one of her textbooks in e-book format from the Barnes & Noble campus booksellers website. “It was cheaper to get it as an e-textbook, and I already owned a Nook, so I bought it that way,” she said. When Byars went to her general psychology class on the first day and was told no electronic devices were allowed in the classroom, she said she was not sure what to do. “I asked my coworkers what I should do and one of them told me to just talk to Dr. (Tom) Carskadon about it, that if it was going to be a problem, he would help me fix it,” she said. Other students are opting for a time consuming, illegal but free method of obtaining their books in digital format. “We had iPads before e-books were really becoming popular,” one student said. “So we would buy the textbooks, scan every page onto our computer, save it as a PDF document and return the books.”

http://www.reflector-online.com/mobile/news/e-reader-textbooks-now-available-1.2665074

by Jake Desalvo, Western Courier

Online classes sound like a breeze. You can do your work and take your tests whenever you like; you don’t have to deal with students or campus interaction, and you have the material provided to you. If you miss a day of class on campus, you have to find the notes and missed material on your own. Attendance isn’t counted online, and you don’t have to fear a pop quiz. So what’s the downside? If it were limited to one, this article wouldn’t be long enough for me to get paid writing it. ut comfort brings complacency. Of the several online classes I have taken, most of them ended in tragedy. Not once, not twice, but three times have I taken a class in which the material provided was not sufficient enough to pass the tests. I would chalk this up to me being a bad student if I weren’t actively trying to prevent this problem every time I logged into WesternOnline.

[ed note: worth reading to emphasize the importance of clarity in instructional design and of diligence in student work]

http://www.westerncourier.com/opinions/skip-online-classes/article_f445bb18-0708-11e1-8c5e-001a4bcf6878.html

By Laura Devaney, eSchool News

In 2010, more than 4 million K-12 students participated in formal virtual learning programs. As more students opt to enroll full-time or part-time in virtual learning programs, a growing number of states are considering proposals mandating that students take at least one online course before graduating from high school. An important step for states considering such a requirement is to define what they mean by virtual learning and taking an online course, because definitions can vary. The motivation behind the requirement is key, too.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/11/02/more-states-look-to-online-learning-for-students/

By Associated Press

Education officials on Thursday gave final approval to a plan that makes Idaho the first state in the nation to require high school students to take at least two credits online to graduate, despite heavy criticism of the plan at public hearings this summer. Proponents say the virtual classes will help the state save money and better prepare students for college. But opponents claim they’ll replace teachers with computers and shift state taxpayer money to the out-of-state companies that will be tapped to provide the online curriculum and laptops.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/idaho-could-become-first-state-to-require-high-school-students-to-take-2-online-credits/2011/11/03/gIQAtZlHjM_story.html

 by JORDAN PRESS, POSTMEDIA

Reliable is not a word that traditionally has been associated with Wikipedia, but that’s changing. The change began in 2005 when the prestigious science journal Nature compared Wikipedia to Encyclopaedia Britannica and found Wikipedia to be almost as accurate as Britannica, a finding that set off a war of words between the two institutions. The evidence mounted this year, when Brigham Young University in Utah found that Wikipedia was a reliable place to learn about U.S. politicians. The school’s study found few inaccuracies in the biographical and voting details of gubernatorial candidates. And, in September this year, a study published in the Journal of Oncology Practice found that cancer information on Wikipedia was as accurate as information on peer-reviewed, patient-oriented websites. The only problem? Wikipedia wasn’t as readable – the wiki was written at a college level, while peer-reviewed websites were written at a Grade 9 level, the study found.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Wikipedia+gaining+respect+places+higher+learning/5663207/story.html

by LAURA PAPPANO, New York Times

Last June, when U.S. News & World Report announced plans to add online programs to its college kingmaking franchise, skeptics said it couldn’t be done. Predicted to be published in October, the ranking is now promised only for some time “when it’s cold out,” says Eric Brooks, the data research analyst tasked with developing a methodology. Setting aside the question of whether a ranking of any kind takes an accurate measurement, it’s worth noting that the effort marks an important acknowledgement. Online programs are shedding “adult learning” labels and coming of age. Enrollment in online education grew 21 percent last year compared with 2 percent in higher education over all, according to the 2010 Sloan Survey, which reports that more than 5.6 million, or nearly one-third of all students, now take at least one course online.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/education/edlife/the-online-college-crapshoot.html

BY: LINDSAY TANNER, The Australian

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently described universities as an endangered species. The university’s traditional role as creator, curator and distributor of knowledge is under direct threat from the internet, he said. This is a profound challenge for an institution that pre-dates almost all others in western civilisation. The digital revolution is transforming almost every aspect of human existence. Will the internet kill universities? We’re living through one of the most extraordinary transformations in human history. More recent digital innovations are unleashing possibilities of interactivity, collaboration and creativity that were previously unimaginable. E-learning 2.0 involves fundamentally different forms of teaching and learning: collaborative, interactive, and creative. Blogs, wikis and podcasts are changing the nature of the interaction. Where once the student learned from the teacher, now the student learns with the teacher and other students.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/universities-must-adapt-or-die-in-the-e-learning-world/story-e6frgcjx-1226176625274

by Virtual College UK

E-learning is going some way to improving schooling relations between pupils and teachers once a transition between the classroom and online is made, according to one commentator from the US. Rebecca Wardlow, educator at Ashford University in San Diego, shared her opinion on Sign On San Diego and mentioned that online learning stimulates more student-teacher interaction and creates new efficiencies in an era of severe budget constraints. Ms Wardlow said: “The initial impression may be that an online class won’t be as rigorous as one in a traditional classroom. Actually, online learning can be more rigorous. There is no credit for attendance. Students only get credit for the quality of the work submitted – no hiding in the back of the classroom.” Results of a US nationwide survey, Speak Up, show that the number of students using e-learning facilities doubled in 2010.

http://www.virtual-college.co.uk/news/Transition-into-elearning-made-easier-with-simple-guidelines-newsitems-800753557.aspx

by Montana State University

Montana State University’s online graduate courses in Native American Studies are now open for registration. In Spring 2012, MSU offers two courses: Native America: Dispelling the Myths (NAS 552) and Federal Indian Law (NAS 530). Both courses are open to on- and off-campus students, and admission to an MSU degree program is not required. However, up to three credits can be used by those students who choose to enroll in MSU’s new 12-credit online graduate certificate in Native American Studies. In “Native America: Dispelling the Myths” (NAS 550) students will use readings, videos, online conversations and creative projects to wrestle with the series of assumptions commonly held by non-Indians and sometimes Indians alike.

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=10491

By Jessie L. Bonner, Associated Press

Education officials on Thursday gave final approval to a plan that makes Idaho the first state in the nation to require high school students to take at least two credits online to graduate, despite heavy criticism of the plan at public hearings this summer. The measure is part of a sweeping education overhaul that introduces teacher merit pay and phases in laptops for every high school teacher and student. Proponents say the virtual classes will help the state save money and better prepare students for college. But opponents claim they’ll replace teachers with computers and shift state taxpayer money to the out-of-state companies that will be tapped to provide the online curriculum and laptops.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/11/03/idaho_online_class_requirement_up_for_final_ok/

 By Karen Byrd, Red, White and Blue Press

Online MBA programs have become more popular for certain students as even major universities with well-established and accredited MBA programs have begun to offer online courses or even degree programs online, which has brought up a debate over how helpful these particular types of learning opportunities will be for those who plan to study this particular subject. While there are arguments against this idea, as many reputable online college degree programs can be quite challenging and offer a quality education, advisers who are speaking with students pursuing online courses often point out that, in the case of those seeking an MBA or other degree, opting for universities that are well-established, reputable, and have a low rate of student loan debt and default may prove to be a more beneficial environment when it comes to earning a degree online and succeeding after graduation.

http://www.rwbpress.com/2011/11/04/online-mba-programs-offer-university-students-easier-access-to-graduate-degree-but-questions-remain-over-benefits/

by LEENA RAO, Tech Crunch

Online learning platform and non-profit organization Khan Academy has been granted $5 million from The O’Sullivan Foundation. The organization has previously raised $2 million+ from Google and The Gates Foundation. The Khan Academy is brainchild of Salman Khan, who brought the idea of educating young people, self-starters, people who learn at their own pace — online. The educational startup now counts over 2,600 videos in its library, with sessions or classes on everything from arithmetic to physics, including 211 practice exercises, to let students watch videos and learn at their own pace. Khan just announced that the platform is seeing 39 million pageviews and 3.5 million unique users per month. That 3.5 million unique users is up 309 percent year-over-year. Khan Academy’s free lessons have been viewed more than 82 million times on YouTube.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/04/the-osullivan-foundation-grants-5m-to-online-learning-platform-khan-academy/

by PhysOrg.com

Researchers at the IIS, the Erlangen University Clinic as well as at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg have now created an additional facility that is available to students around the clock: a platform for web-based microscopy. So far, the project partners have made digital images of 200 specimens at 40x magnification and have put them into a database. Here, students can look up and research specimens using specific keywords such as body part or diagnostic findings. At the click of a mouse, the image can be viewed with a specific degree of enlargement (5x, 10x, 20x, 40x) or with seamless zooming. Image details which present the relevant tissue changes or other characteristics are interactively labeled.  The crux of this development work is that in order to make even the slightest details easily discernible, the images have to be made available at a very high resolution.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-11-flexible-virtual-microscope-lab.html

by Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System

College education continues to play a larger role in career placement and progression within the military. Despite being deployed, solders of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (Advise and Assist), 1st Cavalry Division, soldiers are staying competitive in their careers by continuing their college education. Sgt. 1st Class James Dawson, a current college student, and Gordon Nero, the director of education service support on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, have a few tips for taking classes successfully while deployed. “Because of the number of deployments I’ve been on—this is my fifth—online classes have been a very big help,” said Dawson, a Houston native and the equal opportunity advisor for 2/1 CAV (AAB).

http://www.dvidshub.net/news/79425/soldiers-educators-offer-tips-taking-class-while-deployed#.TrMDQEMg_m0

by KGMI News

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has unveiled a way to save college students potentially thousands of dollars on their textbooks. The new “Open Course Library” is a collection of online class materials for 42 of the state’s highest enrolled college courses. Students can now access textbooks, syllabi, tests and assessments simply by logging on to the web. Whatcom Community College E-Learning Director Michael Shepherd says the new technology is available to anyone…

http://kgmi.com/State-Board-Unveils-New-Online-Textbook-Collection/11372026

by Scott Olster, Fortune

New York-based Knewton produces adaptive learning solutions. The online learning company announced on Tuesday that it is pairing up with Pearson to add its adaptive learning technology to all of the publisher’s online courses, starting with its college-level programs. Instead of selling itself, Knewton has entered into an agreement with the industry giant, which might otherwise have been an acquirer. Knewton uses an algorithm to track how students learn, tailoring courses incrementally based on a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. The system is intended to grow more intelligent as more students use it, much like Google’s search results.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/11/01/the-race-for-education-tech-heats-up/

by the Virtual College UK

E-learning provides an educational environment which is easy to keep up to date with and can be delivered in a quick and efficient manner. According to e-learningcentre.co.uk, a free information resource about e-learning and learning technologies, online learning offers a range of benefits and in a fast-paced working environment, the virtual classroom can provide a useful resource to access information quickly and at the point of need. David Patterson, director and consultant with the website, said: “The speed at which e-learning courses can be created and delivered to multiple locations allows for organisations to deliver learning that is business-critical in a much shorter time [than] it would take to deliver in a more traditional manner. This has been one of the greatest drivers in the adoption of e-learning.”

http://www.virtual-college.co.uk/news/Elearning-is-quick-to-implement-and-reactive-to-learners-needs-newsitems-800784250.aspx