Educational Technology

by Larry Ferlazzo, Websites of the Day

I usually just do a year-end list on learning games and many other topics, but it gets a little crazy having to review all of my zillion posts at once. So, to make it easier for me — and perhaps, to make it a little more useful to readers — I’m going to start publishing mid-year lists, too. These won’t be ranked, unlike my year-end “The Best…” lists, and just because a site appears on a mid-year list doesn’t guarantee it will be included in an end-of-the-year one. But, at least, I won’t have to review all my year’s posts in December…

As usual, In order to make it on this list, games had to:

* be accessible to English Language Learners.

* provide exceptionally engaging content.

* not provide access to other non-educational games on their site, though there is one on this list that doesn’t quite meet this particular criteria.

* be seen by me during 2011

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/07/15/the-best-online-learning-games-of-2011-so-far/

by Fox News Latino

More than 200 students from Latin America and the United States are taking classes on preparing international haute cuisine from renowned Spanish chefs via an online platform designed by the Institute of Spanish Gastronomy, or IGE. “The objective is to (get across) to society both in Latin America and the United States our good faith in online instruction that we’ve been developing for many years in Spain in three big areas: gastronomy, hotel management and nutrition,” the IGE director for Miami and Latin America, Agustin Castro, told Efe.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2011/07/15/students-from-latam-us-being-taught-online-by-spanish-chefs/

by Brian Whipkey, Daily American

When computers work properly, operations like producing a newspaper are somewhat routine. However when computers go down life can be challenging. About a month ago while taking an online class at home, my laptop computer froze on page 38 of a 42-page test. After waiting about 10 minutes for the computer to free up the page, I realized I had no choice but to reboot and retake the test. If that was all I had to do, I’d be writing about something else in this space. When I rebooted the computer, a strange noise reverberated from beneath the keyboard. That was the last noise I heard from that laptop’s hard drive. Our computer technicians discovered the drive that contained my online bookmarks and passwords was no longer operable. For all intents and purposes, my repaired computer was a blank screen with none of my old settings.

http://www.dailyamerican.com/opinion/columns/da-ot-whats-the-password-20110714,0,3410312.column

By Motoko Rich, New York Times News Service

The administration has proposed a 20-percent reduction in its fiscal 2012 budget for career and technical education, to a little more than $1 billion, even as it seeks to increase overall education funding by 11 percent. The only real alternative to public schools for career training is profit-making colleges and trade schools, many of which have been harshly criticized for sending students deeply into debt without improving their job prospects. A little more than one in 10 students in higher education attend a profit-making institution. Proponents of career education in public high schools and community colleges point to apparent successes like Kelly and other research to demonstrate that their courses serve a group of students at most risk of being left behind. Without high school, much less college, many young people — particularly men and members of minority groups — end up doing low-skill work, relying on their youth and brawn. Those types of jobs were slashed during the downturn, and job prospects often fade altogether as workers age..

http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110714/NEWS0107/107140349/1009/NEWS01&nav_category=NEWS01

by the Jackson Sun

Public education is in the news and on a lot of people’s minds these days. School starts August 2 in Jackson-Madison County, and new opportunities to get students off to a good start and to help them learn will emerge. A key component in student learning is parent involvement. A new state website at www.readtennessee.org is a good place to start for teachers, parents and anyone interested in helping students. The new website is a collaborative effort of the Tennessee Department of Education, the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Tennessee First to the Top, Tennessee Head Start, United Ways of Tennessee and the Office of the First Lady, Crissy Haslam.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20110714/OPINION01/107140304

by Michael Cooney, Network World

Keyboard typing and messaging are the way of future no doubt but at the cost of cursive writing? That seems to be the trend as Indiana this week became one of a number of states that no longer require cursive to be taught, but rather require typing skills instead. The Indiana move is part of a larger move to a common learning and ultimately testing program known as the Common Core State Standards Initiative. That program, developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA), and adopted by 46 state governors in June 2010, outlines all manner of language and math education yardsticks for the future. Keyboarding is one of the skills students are expected to master, cursive writing is not.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/071311-computer-cursive.html?hpg1=bn

by School CIO

At Douglas County School District, a balanced assessment program is helping students acquire knowledge and skills to become responsible global citizens. An educator evaluation system focused on continuous improvement is supporting the development of competitive compensation packages and robust professional development activities to boost teacher and leader effectiveness. “By collecting, evaluating and implementing improvements based on authentic information collected from all levels – student, teacher, school and district – we believe we can ensure all students are college- and career-ready,” explained Syna Morgan, Executive Director, System Performance and Accountability Douglas County School District.

http://schoolcio.com/showarticle/40538

By Nancy Caramanico, CIO Advisor

Attending Conferences allow us to connect with ideas, emerging trends and often most importantly people who are energized about bringing those ideas and trends to life. They want to make a difference in the lives of the students they serve and believe that harnessing the power of today’s technology and new media is one key means of ‘unlocking the potential’ inherent there. The ISTE conference (International Society for Technology in Education) is the largest Educational Technology conference in existence. This year ISTE 2011 drew 22,000 people to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

http://schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/40520

by School CIO

Technology skills are essential to a successful future, according to students surveyed in the second annual 21st-Century Classroom Report, a nationwide survey of more than 1,000 high school students, faculty and IT staff. Ninety-four percent of students said learning and mastering technology skills will improve their educational and career opportunities, and 97 percent of faculty agreed. Despite those results, just 39 percent of students say their high schools are meeting their technology expectations. Noted one student, “I don’t want to type things just to say I used technology; I want to be doing something I couldn’t do without it.”

http://schoolcio.com/ShowArticle/40378

by the Westport News

This month, my family is hosting a high school student from Spain. First of all, she brought her own laptop computer. All she needed was access to our home WiFi and she was off and running. Second, she brought her own digital camera, so she was quite able to take and send photos to her family whenever she wanted. Third, while we haven’t seen one yet, it wouldn’t surprise me if she brought her own mobile phone, although it won’t surprise me if she doesn’t use it for the month she’s with us. All in all, she came very well-equipped to fit into our home with what is now pretty standard travel electronics. I do always enjoy seeing computers and other devices which are not in English. I’ve enjoyed seeing our student’s Spanish software.

http://www.westport-news.com/news/article/Living-With-Technology-Traveling-Students-1462414.php

By Andy Choi, AZ of Robotics

Georgia Institute of Technology in collaboration with the WizKidz Science and Technology Centers recently presented a 2-week ARoPability workshop for the visually impaired.  A grant was received from the National Science Foundation to fund the event. The intention of the workshop was to draw the attention of the students with disabilities to involve themselves in the fields of technology, engineering, science and mathematics. Over twenty high school and middle school students attended the ARoPability workshop. Professor Ayanna Howard of Georgia Tech stated that the goal of the workshop was to equip students with tools so that they can get involved and enter the fields of mathematics, engineering, technology and science.

http://www.azorobotics.com/news.aspx?newsID=1783

by Mitchell Nadin, The Australian

Handwriting is disappearing from classrooms in the US, with the new national curriculum dumping the pen for the computer keyboard. But Australian students will be sticking to pen and paper, with education departments around the nation yesterday saying handwriting remained an important skill for children to learn. With the increasing use of computers in daily life, the role of handwriting is under debate, with some education policymakers believing it is a redundant practice that should be phased out and students taught typing instead. About 40 states in the US have adopted the national curriculum, known as the Common Core State Standards, which dumps mandatory teaching of longhand and leaves it to schools to decide whether to teach handwriting.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/writing-on-wall-as-us-schools-drop-pens/story-fn59nlz9-1226093397559

By Shelly Blake-Plock, Baltimore Sun

In the same way social media has changed the face of journalism, politics and entertainment, it will change the face of schools. Just as no business can afford to ignore social media, no school will be able to ignore it. For our students, the value of social media will prove not to be how many followers one has but with how many leaders one engages. For most children, the key to success will continue to be sharp critical skills, strong connections, effective communication and the nerve to be creative and entrepreneurial. The difference is that we are living at a time in which all of those skills are defined by one’s proficiency in connected media. Furthermore, for students facing poverty, violence and disability, online learning networks can provide empowering educational experiences that transcend the circumstances of the classroom. Ultimately, the school that ignores the connection will be the school that we will identify as a failing institution. It is therefore even crueler that policymakers obsessed with standardized test results — like Ms. Rhee and her many disciples — ignore what the connection represents.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-digital-students-20110712,0,5145271.story

By Ben Wolfgang-The Washington Times

In her 45-minute speech, she focused heavily on the need for technology in the classroom, one of the causes for which Students First advocates. Ms. Rhee said the simple wiring problems she encountered in D.C. also plague schools across the country, and bringing them up to 21st-century standards will require “a sea change” in the minds of parents, teachers, school administrators and departments of education nationwide. She called technology an “equalizer” for children in poorer school districts who haven’t had the financial and other resources to compete with students from more affluent systems. But many children, Ms. Rhee said, are beginning to demand instruction that relies heavily on computers and other alternatives to the pencils and paper of the past.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/12/rhee-calls-technology-equalizer-for-students/

By Anamika Singh, TMCnet

New core academic standards being implemented by the majority of states will require new tests that will be delivered via technology by the start of the 2014-15 school year. The shift to technology-based assessment shows many benefits and also raises important issues, including whether today’s classroom technology is up to the task, teacher professional development needs, and how new technologies used for teaching and learning can best be used. The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA ) has released a draft of a white paper, Technology Requirements for Large-Scale Computer-Based and Online Assessment: Current Status and Issues, at Assess4ed.net.

http://education.tmcnet.com/topics/education/articles/196132-assess4ednet-launches-support-smart-school-investments-says-setda.htm

By Meghan Yost, WOFL Fox 35

High schools are going high tech, turning computers into classrooms. Starting next year, all 9th graders will need to complete an online course before they graduate. It’s part of a new law passed by Governor Scott. “I think a virtual course can be very productive,” says one local person about the new law. “I think it’s a good opportunity for those who may have a slower learning pace,” another person comments. “A lot of colleges and universities, they have those options for going online classes so I think it’s realistic,” says a local mother and teacher. “It’s part of education now.” Scott Fritz of Orange County’s School Support Services says online courses are popular.  “Last year we had 5,400 students take online courses on their own and we didn’t even offer an option at that point,” Fritz explains.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/local/071111-high-schools-going-high-tech-online-classes

by JM TUAZON, GMA News (Philippines)

At the Meridian International (MINT) College in Taguig City, pens, papers and books have been replaced with one device: a tablet computer. Beginning this school year, all freshmen students of MINT College will receive an Apple iPad 2, which they can use for studying, writing notes and sourcing information in and out of the classroom. While many enthusiasts consider the iPad a toy, MINT College believes it is an important tool for education. “It’s only right that we use technology in the classroom,” said Hendrik Kiamzon, chief marketing officer at MINT College.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/225979/technology/a-college-with-no-books-and-paper-only-ipads

By Paul Takahashi, Las Vegas Sun

Imagine a school where kindergartners use Apple iPads to learn numbers and letters and upperclassmen use them to study the constellations and create multimedia presentations. It’s not far-fetched. By next school year, Nevada will have its first “iSchool” opening at a Las Vegas charter school. Tuition-free charter schools are different from traditional public schools because they are granted a contract, or charter, that gives them greater freedom in setting their curriculum and budget in exchange for more accountability.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jul/13/clark-countys-charter-schools-experiment-technolog/

by Marketing Professor

Ok, so at this point, we are all newbies at Google Plus, right? At least if you got in recently via a Google Plus invite. At this point I’ve spent a decent amount of time with it and have concluded that Google has finally made a positive mark in social networking. It’s still early, but there is a lot of excitement around Google+ by those who have jumped on early, and for good reason. Google has launched a social network with several features designed to leapfrog its competition. What’s evident, as more and more people start using Google’s social network, is the need for help for newer users. In this post you’ll learn how to quickly add friends to your network, what circles are, how I’m using circles to be more productive, how photos are displayed, what your profile page is and why it’s important, security, some advanced tips, browser plugins, and more. May it serve as a good first step to help you and others make the most of the social network.

http://www.marketingprofessor.com/social-marketing/40-google-plus-tips-for-newbies/

by Jen – Argosy

Even if writing isn’t your strong suit, it doesn’t need to be the worst part of your online learning experience. Read on for some tips to help you improve.In order to feel more comfortable in your relationship with the written word, it helps to read as much as you can. This includes not only your assigned class readings, but novels, magazines, newspapers, blogs, or anything else that interests you. Exposure to a wide variety of writing styles can give you ideas that you might incorporate into your own writing, and it can also help you improve your vocabulary.

http://online.argosy.edu/blog/post/Writing-and-the-Online-Learning-Experience.aspx

by the Idaho Statesman

The State Board of Education will consider requiring Idaho students to take just two of the 46 courses they need to graduate online. That’s the recommendation of an ad hoc subcommittee the board tasked with the question earlier this year, said Luci Willits, a staffer for state schools chief Tom Luna. Luna supports the scaled-back mandate — down from the eight he originally sought and the four he pitched to the full state board.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/11/1723421/idahos-online-course-requirement.html