More kids are logging on to learn at cyber schools

By Amy Scott, Marketplace

From the outside, it would be easy to mistake the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School for a place to get your taxes done or mail a package. The downtown Erie branch is tucked away in a strip mall, across from a Big Lots discount store and a U-Haul storage center. But inside, a dozen or so kids are gathered around tables, making colorful sun catchers to understand how a liquid becomes a solid. “We are a real school,” Hayden said. “I think sometimes that isn’t the perception that people have, that we have a bunch of kids sitting in a dark room in front of a computer, isolated from the world, and that’s not what this is.”

https://www.marketplace.org/2017/07/27/education/more-kids-are-logging-learn-cyber-schools

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District wrestles with math teacher shortage

By DAVID ADLERSTEIN, Apalachicola Times

If you have three teachers, and you subtract all three, then how many are left after you add all the math curriculum requirements for middle and high school together with the total number of successful applicants willing and able to teach those courses? So far, the answer is zero. Faced with three vacancies in its math department, the district’s hopes are dwindling to fill them by the start of school August 8, particularly after a full-scale but unsuccessful effort in the spring and summer to recruit. Rather than put in the classroom another teacher unfamiliar with teaching math, or a substitute likely not certified as a teacher, Superintendent Traci Moses is moving forward with a plan she believes has the best chance of success – the instituting of a blended learning lab reliant on online technology.

http://www.apalachtimes.com/news/20170726/district-wrestles-with-math-teacher-shortage

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The Future of Learning: Personalized and Curiosity-led

By Sarah Zak Borgman, Skoll

Why should age be the key determent of where your brain is in its developmental journey? Short changing our students should not be an acceptable standard. We know children are naturally curious. They want to fully understand a topic, and have it presented in a 360 degree manner. Our education systems should follow their lead, not demand students conform to outdated and outmoded models of education. The world is a fundamentally different place now, and our education approaches need to reflect that. Khan Academy has disrupted the education paradigm by providing alternative learning opportunities that both augment what is being taught in the classroom, and allow a user to learn at his or her own pace to master a subject. Khan Academy also collects data on student performance to structure learning models according to student outcomes. Now doesn’t that sound reasonable? From learning to code and art history, to math and financial literacy, the Khan Academy platform continues to expand to meet the needs of learners at all ages and levels.

http://skoll.org/2017/07/27/future-of-ed-personalized-learning/

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Report: Educator Confidence in Technology Increasing

By Richard Chang, The Journal

Teachers still want more resources and professional development to implement tech in their classrooms. Sixty-five percent of educators expressed confidence in using digital technology in their classrooms, a 7 percent increase over last year, according to a recent survey commissioned by education and publishing company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH). While 98 percent of educators reported using digital materials in their work, teachers still said there was room for improvement in implementing technology in class. Lack of funding continues to be a significant concern among educators (58 percent in 2017). Forty-six percent said they lack time “to plan for implementation of digital resources into instruction,” according to a news release; 40 percent said there was a shortage of devices in the classroom; and 48 percent of educators said they lacked “access to technology-focused professional development” (PD).

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/21/report-educator-confidence-in-technology-increasing.aspx

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Mira Debuts Augmented Reality Headset for iPhone, iPad at $99

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

Mobile augmented reality (AR) startup Mira earlier this week unveiled an untethered AR headset for iOS. The new Prism headset — available for pre-order at $99 with an MSRP of $149 — aims to be an affordable option “to deliver premium and shareable AR experiences to the masses,” according to a company statement. It’s essentially a shell headset without any tech installed; similar to Google’s Daydream View headset for virtual reality, it only requires a smartphone or tablet to get started. Once an iPhone (6, 6s or 7) or iPad has been secured facing away from the user and Prism is paired with the Mira app, users can view objects rendered in stereoscopic 3D on the transparent visor. Prism also comes with a remote controller that enables users to interact with the AR objects via touchpad, trigger and two buttons.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/07/20/mira-debuts-augmented-reality-headset-for-iphone-ipad-at-$99.aspx

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CA Charter Boosts Personalized Learning Options for Homeschoolers

By Sri Ravipati, THE Journal

Visions in Education (VIE), the largest public charter home study program in California, has partnered with an Outschool to give VIE’s more than 5,200 K–12 homeschool students across nine Sacramento Valley counties more personalized learning options. According to information from the online learning company, Outschool provides live, online classes to 12 charter schools and networks in the United States and across 24 countries. Outschool’s online platform is designed to offer “flexible and personal homeschool, independent study and university prep programs at no out-of-pocket expense for families.”

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/21/ca-charter-boosts-personalized-learning-options-for-homeschoolers.aspx

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5 apps to innovate school libraries

BY MERIS STANSBURY, eSchool News

Convenient and creative apps to virtualize your school library program. Apps can bring technology, functionality, and creativity into your school library program. Since apps are a part of our everyday lives, especially those of students, they have the power to completely change the way students and teachers think about learning—especially in the library. In “Virtual Library Program Development,” Michelle Luhtala, library department chair, New Canaan High School, CT, reviewed an A to Z list of 50 apps to virtualize your school library program.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/07/21/ew-apps-school-libraries/

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Online class about upcoming solar eclipse offered to students this fall

By Kyle Hampel, the Collegian

Kansas State University is offering a new online math class for the fall semester focused on the upcoming total solar eclipse. The class will begin on the day of the eclipse, Aug. 21, and focus on the math and physics related to celestial events in our solar system. As previously reported by the Collegian, the solar eclipse will occur on the first day of the fall semester, and class attendance is optional for all students. The eclipse class will be offered in two sections of Math 199. The Solar Eclipse section, or section ZA, is a four-week class for one credit. The Hidden Figures section, or section ZB, is a 12-week class for three credits. Both sections are designed for students who want a better understanding of the upcoming eclipse.

http://www.kstatecollegian.com/2017/07/19/online-class-about-upcoming-solar-eclipse-offered-to-students-this-fall/

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27 Assessment Tools, Apps and Resources

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

Assessment is at the crux of educational evaluation. It’s a major factor in designating student success, and it’s a vital skill that every educator needs to have firm hold of. Succinctly, grades represent the extent to which the learner has met the defined objectives. Teachers generally define these objectives at the beginning of the year, aided by benchmarks, such as statewide academic achievement standards. Assessment is an emotionally laden procedure that implies more than the degree of compliance with the goals. Before beginning a learning activity, teachers should think of and choose the assessment criteria; students appreciate a grading system that is fair, consistent, and easy to understand.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/tech-edvocates-list-27-assessment-apps-tools-resources/

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Online Course Teaches Russian-Speaking Hackers Latest Carding Tricks

By Catalin Cimpanu, Bleeping Computer

Russian-speaking criminals are offering a six-week online course that teaches wannabe hackers all they need to know to enter the online fraud and carding scene. Discovered by threat intelligence firm Digital Shadows, the course is advertised on Russian underground sites and is available only in Russian. It’s like a carders’ university. The program, known as WWH, costs 45,000 Russian rubles ($760) with an additional $200 for course materials, sums that coursants can pay via Bitcoin or Webmoney.  Enrolled coursants will study under five expert instructors in live webinars. All classes are capped at 15 members, so instructors can cater to all attendees. The program also provides detailed notes and course materials in the form of PDF files.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/online-course-teaches-russian-speaking-hackers-latest-carding-tricks/

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Trailblazers in EdTech

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, tech Edvocate

The influencers that we chose are all active in the area of edtech, doing something influential in edtech, well-known throughout the edtech landscape, and making an impact globally. We are excited to witness how these influencers continue to change the world this year, and we are anxious to see who will stand on the shoulders of these giants, and as a result, become a part of this series. In this installment of “Trailblazers in Edtech,” we will profile Todd Brekhus, President of myON.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/trailblazers-edtech-todd-brekhus/

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The Rise of Online Learning Content

by Rhucha Kulkarni, HR

Content creation and delivery is a very important part of learning and development—one that keeps learning offerings relevant to the market and the users. This area has seen significant changes with the advent of new learning media. One such trend is the rise of the online learning course. Today, a number of reputed universities such as Harvard and Yale offer online learning programs, called Massive Open Online Courses. There are also learning platforms like Udacity and Coursera that offer a range of training material, from software development to marketing strategy to communication skills. These online courses are helping bridge the geographical constraints with regard to learning and bring virtual education under one roof to anyone across the world. What’s more, many of the basic versions of these courses are free to access or can be registered for at a nominal charge. These advancements in L&D have been possible because of the marriage of technology and learning. In the light of these readily accessible and cost-effective courses, how is organizational training and development changing?

https://www.hrtechnologist.com/articles/learning-management-systems/the-rise-of-online-learning-content/

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Weigh an Accelerated Online Degree Program

by Chris Foley and Jan Holloway, US News

You can go back to school – on your own time, at your own pace, in your own place. If you want to earn a credential quickly and potentially reduce costs, accelerated online learning may be an option to consider. Accelerated degree programs online come in various formats but generally enable you to earn a credential more quickly than in a traditional postsecondary program. These can consist of multiple shorter course terms throughout the year instead of semesters, competency-based learning, credits for past life and military experience or combined degrees such as 4+1 bachelor’s-master’s programs, which reduce the total time needed to earn both.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-07-21/weigh-an-accelerated-online-degree-program

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What Would An Online-First Academic Library Look Like?

By Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Steven Bell wrote a great piece called What Academic Librarians Can Learn from Retail’s Meltdown. It is always fun when ideas and trends also catch the interest of a colleague, and that independently you both try to make sense of what you both are seeing. That was the case with Steven’s article, as I only caught his thinking after I had written something similar in Classroom Utilization, Online Learning and Retail Store Closings. Steven asks a provocative question in his piece: “What would an online first operation look like for an academic library?” I’m sure that my colleagues in the academic library world talk about Steven’s question all the time. Not being in the academic library world, I don’t really know how the academic library community is answering Steven’s question. Having the benefits of ignorance, I thought I’d take a crack at how I’d answer Steven’s query: What would an online-first operation look like for an academic library?

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/what-would-online-first-academic-library-look

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Weigh Noncredit, For-Credit Online University Courses

By Jordan Friedman, US News

Many noncredit online courses, experts say, allow working adults to prep for certification exams in various fields. Many prospective online students aim to change careers or earn a promotion, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to get there, experts say. That might involve deciding between an online course or program that’s for college credit and one that’s not.That distinction is more relevant to some prospective online students than others, experts say. But for those making a choice, here are four factors to consider.

https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/2017-07-20/decide-between-noncredit-for-credit-online-university-courses

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3 must-have skills for today’s librarians

BY SUSAN K.S. GRIGSBY, eSchool News

Districts nationwide are looking for new and innovative ways to provide training and resources for their staff, all while keeping within a limited budget. What many administrators fail to notice is that their greatest asset is already in their building. It’s the 21st century, and school librarians are no longer just “the keepers of the books.” Librarians and media specialists are highly trained, highly versatile staff members, whose scope of responsibilities spans all students and all subjects. We embrace a train-the-trainer model when adopting new technologies or programs, so I make sure that our librarians have the training they need to not only implement these innovations, but to share them with their teachers. I want our school librarians to be seen as experts in new tools and resources, so I teach all of them these three essential skills:

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/07/17/3-must-skills-todays-librarians/

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4 ways to update critical thinking skills for a massively digital world

BY JENNIFER CONROY, eSchool News

Faced with a flood of information, we are challenged to evaluate and make sense of what we see and read, especially in the digital world. Parents, students, educators, and employers all have a stake in meeting this challenge through the use of critical thinking skills. It is vital that people develop the ability to analyze the information they encounter online and assess whether they can trust the sources behind the content. But how can these important skills be taught and strengthened? Based on my own experiences teaching both high school and college students, here are four suggestions on how critical thinking skills can be taught in the digital age:

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/07/19/update-critical-thinking-skills/

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Girls Learn Virtuous Hacking at Tandon School of Engineering

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

The program, Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS), lasts three weeks and will culminate with a cyber-mystery that involves, aptly, the theft of Wonder Woman’s iconic lasso. The students meet daily, Monday through Friday. During the first part of the camp, they receive lessons in programming, depending on their level of expertise. Then they receive an introduction to cryptography, by examining the classic cyphers, frequency analysis, hashing and related topics. From there, it’s onto operating systems, steganography (the study of message concealment) and image analysis, networks, the web, databases and forensics. The program is led by members of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Offensive Security, Incident Response and Internet Security (OSIRIS) Laboratory.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/07/17/girls-learn-virtuous-hacking-at-tandon-school-of-engineering.aspx

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Report: Millennials and Generation Z are Changing Media Habits

By Richard Chang, THE Journal

A recent study states that younger internet users, the so-called Generation Z (ages 13 to 17), are moving away from text-based content online, as well as television, while increasing their time with video and social media. These findings come from a March 2017 survey by content provider and streaming solutions company Fullscreen and market research firm Leflein Associates, which polled 1,173 American internet users from ages 13 to 34. Both the millennials and Gen Z respondents were more apt to say they were “spending more time streaming full-length TV shows and movies, and similar percentages said they were spending more time with short online video,” according to a report by eMarketer.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/17/report-millennials-and-generation-z-are-changing-media-habits.aspx

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Evaluating the Success of Your Ed Tech Program

By Jeff Mao, THE Journal

The United States Department of Education commissioned the creation of an online tool — the Ed Tech RCE Coach — that not only helps you identify what you’re really trying to measure but also will help you crunch the data and analyze it. Using the Ed Tech RCE Coach requires some work and planning and I don’t believe it’s necessary for each and every lesson that you teach. However, if you’re considering adopting a new technology tool for your district, school, or classroom or a significant change in how you teach a skill or concept, taking the extra time to leverage the tool can help you better gauge if you’re moving in the right direction.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/12/evaluating-the-success-of-your-ed-tech-program.aspx

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Listen In: The Future of Apps

by eMarketer Daily

In the latest episode of “Behind the Numbers,” analyst Cathy Boyle and researcher Chris Keating discuss the market for mobile apps, and what it means for businesses. Follow link below to the audio podcast.

https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Listen-In-Future-of-Apps/1016196

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10 Best Cheap Online Courses For High School Students

by GABRIELA VATU, Insider Monkey

As the time for college approaches, students may want to look into various courses they can take which could help them decide what they want to do in life, not to mention that any extra classes will look good in the application, so take a look at the best cheap online courses for high school students. While numerous places offer extracurricular classes, especially during the summer, we decided to look at the world’s top universities and see what type of classes they are offering. Even if you end up studying elsewhere, at least you had the chance to learn something from a prestigious school before you even hit the necessary age. In addition to this, you may also want to check out these 10 most popular courses on Udemy right now and see if anything catches your eye.

http://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/10-best-free-online-courses-for-high-school-students-590595/

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10 Apps to Help Students with Their Science Homework

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Science can be hard. Science homework can be harder, especially when the teacher isn’t there to help. Many parents now are struggling to help students with their STEM and Common Core aligned science homework, no matter what specific scientific branch it is. Rather than spend money on a tutor, surf the Internet for hours, or try to squeeze a few minutes out of a teacher’s free time, students can, instead, use these ten apps to help themselves with their homework. This way, students can take charge of their own learning and homework skills.

http://www.theedadvocate.org/10-apps-help-students-science-homework/

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Study: Potential earnings not a factor in high school students’ college choices

by ISAAC CAREY, Hechinger Report

Researchers gave students at participating high schools in Virginia access to a state-backed website called gradpathva.com, which analyzed the average wage earned by graduates and the average cost of enrollment, sorted by university and type of program. The students used the website rarely, and did not seem to base their academic decisions on it. During the three-year study, researchers were able to see where students ended up going to college, and what type of programs they chose to pursue. There was no evidence that access to salary data had a detectable impact. The next step, Blagg said, is to add information about graduates’ salaries to those larger websites students already use. Most freshmen who entered college last fall ranked “finding a good job” among their principal reasons for going to college, according to a survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. Information about what they’ll eventually earn is particularly helpful for high-achieving low-income students, the Urban Institute report said.

http://hechingerreport.org/study-potential-earnings-not-factor-high-school-students-college-choices/

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President Trump’s support for apprenticeships puts them back into the spotlight

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

With growing state support, K-12 and higher ed have a role to play in the workforce development model. Though some critics still say that such programs disrupt higher education enrollment and shortchange a liberal arts curriculum that gives students lifelong “soft” skills they need for success, more and more stakeholders in the industry are deciding to embrace it as they see long-run advantages.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/president-trumps-support-for-apprenticeships-puts-them-back-into-the-spotl/446856/

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OER Pioneer OpenStax Launches Personalized Learning Tool for 3 Courses

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

The Rice University non-profit that has released almost two-dozen free textbooks into academia is beta-testing a new personalized learning system that works with its materials. OpenStax, which stated that it provides open educational resources to a million students each year, has been developing OpenStax Tutor for three years. The new service will be available this fall for three courses: college physics, biology and sociology. The tutoring service, which is available online, uses web-based OpenStax textbooks to deliver content, simulations, videos, “spaced” practice questions and instant feedback.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/07/12/oer-pioneer-openstax-launches-personalized-learning-tool-for-3-courses.aspx

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8 Must Have Autism Apps, Tools and Resources for Kids

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

In America, 1 in 1000 kids will be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This disease is classified as on a spectrum because it impacts children differently. Some children may be high functioning while others may need a lot of assistance throughout their life. For parents, a diagnosis of autism can be an overwhelming challenge. Thankfully, there are a lot of resources, including apps, that can help children with autism develop important social skills. Here is a review of the top eight apps for children with autism.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/8-must-autism-apps-tools-resources-kids/

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Road-Tripping for OER

By Jennifer Goodman, Inside Higher Ed

A math professor takes his ideas for open educational materials to campuses across Georgia to try to help save students millions of dollars. It makes sense that the College of Coastal Georgia math professor and OER advocate German Vargas relies on open educational materials to help reduce textbook and material costs for courses like calculus and trigonometry. But he’s equally passionate about the importance of open materials for courses in economics, philosophy and sociology – and not just for his college’s students. Vargas, who has been assistant vice president for academic student engagement at Coastal Georgia since October 2015, is meeting with instructors and department heads at colleges across Georgia to share his message that OER makes sense in every discipline.

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2017/07/12/german-vargas-crisscrosses-georgia-advocating-oer

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31 Apps, Tools and Games That Teach Kids to Code

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

In most cases, people agree that a traditional textbook approach is insufficient for subjects like coding. While the idiosyncrasies of the language can be introduced that way, it’s hard to assimilate the information until it is in used entirely. But sticking children in front of a blank screen and having them write line after line, though functional, isn’t very inspiring or even interesting. If you want to capture the interest of young students while giving them access to a valuable skill set, then turning to coding tools and games may be the ideal method. To help you get started, we have compiled a list of 31 apps, tools and games that teach kids to code.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/tech-edvocates-list-31-apps-tools-games-teach-kids-code/

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Helping Teachers Use Technology and Technology Experts Teach

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Although many teachers now have grown-up in the technology age, many traditional or “old-school” teachers are still not feeling equipped to teach in the classroom of the 21st century. Teachers that earned their certificates in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and even the 90’s may or may not feel prepared to operate and utilize today’s education equipment in the classroom. From the replacement of chalkboards with smartboards to the use of iPads in the classroom with apps for learning in English, Math, Science, and many other areas, the advances in technology are taking hold in today’s classrooms. The question remains how do we educate our teachers on how to use the technology?

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/helping-teachers-use-technology-technology-experts-teach/

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USE MOOCS TO BUILD COMMUNITY

BY RAEGAN JOHNSON, Associations Now

Does your association provide massive open online courses (MOOCs) or virtual continuing education courses to members? Perhaps you should suggest that your members do their learning together. Taking an online class can be solitary experience. But Lifehacker notes that online courses can be turned into group activity. “I say meet up with a couple of friends instead and turn one of these courses into something that feels like a real classroom,” recommends Patrick Allan. Keep participants engaged by facilitating group get-togethers, classrooms, or study sessions. A group setting may make it easier for your members to learn from the material, ask questions, and talk about ideas. “Almost every online course has a forum or some place you can chat with other students, but it’s not the same as having an open debate in person,” writes Allan.

http://associationsnow.com/2017/07/wednesday-buzz-use-moocs-build-community/

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How to Build a Successful Blended Learning Model

By Tara Beams, THE Journal

When you make the switch to a blended learning model, you find yourself making instructional choices for students that empower them to utilize technology in a very independent and deliberate manner. Defined by the nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank Clayton Christensen Institute as any formal education program in which students learn at least in part through online learning with “student control over time, place, path and/or pace,” blended learning needs to be a purposeful and thoughtful endeavor.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/12/how-to-build-a-successful-blended-learning-model.aspx

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These 5 Teachers Showcase the Future of Blended Learning’s ‘Station Rotation’ Model

By Clifford Maxwell and Julia Freeland Fisher, EdSurge

The report builds upon over five years of research that the Christensen Institute has conducted on the rise of different blended learning models in K-12 schools. Typically, as schools and classrooms integrate online learning into instruction, the choreography of online and offline learning coalesces into a particular architecture. In 2012, we codified 7 models of blended learning that were cropping up in schools. Among the most popular is the Station Rotation model, which builds on the decades-long tradition of rotating students among “learning centers”—self-contained sections of a classroom where students could engage in various independent learning activities. Increasingly we’ve begun to observe how schools treat these discrete models, particularly the Station Rotation, as a starting point, rather than the finish line. As the teachers we interviewed and observed illustrate, to fit their students needs educators often want elbow room from the strict schedule and flow of a rotation model.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-07-13-these-5-teachers-showcase-the-future-of-blended-learning-s-station-rotation-model

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Code.org Releases Free CS Course for Grades 7-9

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

As promised in March, Code.org, which runs Hour to Code, has released new curriculum for grades 7 to 9, along with teacher guidance. “CS Discoveries,” as it’s called, fits between the organization’s existing courses, “CS Fundamentals” (for lower grades) and “CS Principles” (for high school). Students need no experience with computer science or programming; but if they have it, the developers asserted, with the new lessons they’ll be able to review “familiar topics in novel and more challenging contexts.” Each of the six units that make up the curriculum includes lesson plans and “code studio.” The latter are videos and hands-on activities that guide the students through creation of programs. For example, for one early lesson students use visual programming tool Blockly to direct Elsa and Anna from Frozen in creating ice patterns. The video is introduced by Lyndsey, an actor, fashion model and programmer who writes her own apps. After a few test runs, Paola, a developer with Microsoft, steps in to explain looping.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/13/code.org-releases-free-cs-course-for-grades-79.aspx

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