Schools replace snow days with online classes

by Bailey Loosemore,Courier Journal

On a Monday morning in November, Louisville awoke to it’s first snow day of the school year. With a layer of white covering lawns and roadways, Mercy Academy geometry teacher Amy Wheatley scrapped that day’s plan and came up with a new one — a video lesson her students could view without leaving their homes. She determined what type of problem they’d be tasked with solving, filmed a video of herself working through an example and uploaded it to an online classroom program, Edmodo. Then, she waited for questions to come via email.

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/southeast/2014/12/18/schools-replace-snow-days-online-classes/20603225/

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How to Help Students With Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

By Leah Levy, Edudemic

The first time I encountered the term, “nonverbal learning disability,” I was in the middle of an intake call with a parent, and I had no idea what she was talking about. “Is that a kind of autism?” I asked, feeling sheepish. The answer was complex: yes, according to some academics and educators; no according to the DSMIV. That’s probably why I hadn’t heard of it, and many educators still probably haven’t either. Still, squabbles over exact definitions aside, the parent told me, this was her son’s diagnosis. It came with an array of symptoms that certainly fit, and she needed my help. I told her I’d try my best, and immediately began my research.I learned a lot over the next year, both in my preparatory work and as I worked up close with my student, even as the disability was continually redefined by the educational community. Here is what I learned.

http://www.edudemic.com/how-to-help-students-with-nonverbal-learning-disabilities/

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FBI Seizes Los Angeles Schools’ iPad Documents

By CHRISTINE ARMARIO, Associated Press

FBI agents seized 20 boxes of documents related to Los Angeles Unified School District’s beleaguered $1 billion iPad project, officials confirmed Tuesday. Agents confiscated documents at the district’s offices Monday regarding procurement practices involving the Common Core Technology project, LAUSD’s plan to equip all schools with 21st century learning devices. The FBI confirmed an investigation into the district, but would not provide any further information, citing the ongoing probe. “The L.A Unified School District will offer its full cooperation to federal authorities during the course of the investigation,” Interim Superintendent Ramon Cortines said in a statement. The FBI action was first reported by The Los Angeles Times.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fbi-seizes-los-angeles-schools-ipad-documents-27311468

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Rural kids get fewer AP classes

By Catherine Candisky & Jim Siegel, Columbus Dispatch

Students in Dublin schools can pick among dozens of rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement studio art, computer science and calculus, along with engineering design, statistics, theater and a variety of International Baccalaureate classes. In all, Dublin offers 92 advanced courses to students. That’s 10 times as many as are available to Hamilton Local students on the other end of Franklin County. According to state data, they have nine available. Some state legislators want to take a more serious look at ways to level the field, including interactive distance learning, in which a teacher can present a class to students in a number of districts. State data show that 99 percent of high-school courses are taught face to face.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/11/30/rural-kids-get-fewer-ap-classes.html

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West Michigan school leaders talk online lessons when classes are canceled

by Monica Scott, MLive

“It was just a very logical next step for us,” Cathedral President Michael Mullin, told USA Today about the Google software allowing teachers to upload taped lesson plans for students to view, but also to conduct real-time discussions with students. Public schools are embracing the idea, with more than 2,000 New Jersey students at Pascack Valley Regional High School logging on for their lessons during a February snowstorm. While some West Michigan school districts say they lack the technological capacity to implement a virtual program like Cathedral now, others are already doing it on a limited basis or are in the planning stages.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2014/11/ending_snow_days_west_michigan.html

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Syracuse University offering free, online class about lava

by Dave Tobin, Syracuse

Want to learn about lava? For free? Two Syracuse University professors are teaming to teach their first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) together. It’s called “The subject is Lava.” Bob Wysocki, assistant professor in the department of art, and Jeff Karson, professor in the department of earth sciences, have become a lava-making celebrity team, holding monthly lava pours on SU’s campus, and being reported on by national media outlets like Earth magazine and Gizmodo. Their lava project website has received more than 5 million hits in the last 18 months, said Karson, so they are expecting a large turnout for the class. The seven-session, non-credit, online class will be offered between April 7 and May 26. People who enroll can take their sessions whenever they want during that period. Students can post questions and suggestions for experiments and take quizzes.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/syracuse_university_offering_free_online_lava_class.html

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E-learning should replace snow days, expert says

by CBC News

School snow days should be turned into e-learning days with students attending class online, a Halifax education expert says. Paul Bennett, director of Schoolhouse Consulting and adjunct professor of education at Saint Mary’s University, said the “throw away” days hurt students’ education. He said in 2008/09, Nova Scotia had a record high number of snow days — and test results fell in every board. Bennett said the lack of make-up days means students miss about two weeks of learning each year. In the U.S., some districts have introduced e-lesson days when snow days pile up. In Ohio, it kicks in after five snow days in one year.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/e-learning-should-replace-snow-days-expert-says-1.2544975

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English Class Includes Tweeting

By Associated Press

Tweets and other social media posts are part of modern communication and are modern forms of expression. Some schools and colleges are embracing them. On students’ desks are hand-written notes and copies of “Rebecca,” a psychological thriller by Daphne du Maurier. But instead, the focus of Valerie Williams’ ninth-grade English class were often on a different tool: their smartphones. In recent years, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy has incorporated social media and other technologies into the classroom, encouraging teachers to allow smartphones as part of their lessons.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/471775-english-class-includes-tweeting/

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3 Fun Web Tools That Let You Remix Web Pages

By Jeff Dunn, Edudemic

What if you could look behind the scenes of a web page? What if you could easily make a video mashup or a fun meme? There are a few web tools from Mozilla that are definitely worth trying out. They may be some of the most fun and interesting tools you’ll try today. In fact, I could see any of these options becoming a fun tool to bring into your classroom of eager students. Imagine assigning students with a project (project-based learning anyone?!) to create a mashup of videos that tells a story or explains a key concepts you’re working on.

http://www.edudemic.com/fun-web-tools/

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Illinois School Drops Snow Days for E-Learning Days

by KMOX

In one Metro East school district last week’s snow days were replaced by e-learning days. It doesn’t quite have the same ring, but Russ Hart, Gibault Catholic High School Principal said it’s saving them from tacking on those additional days at the end of the year. The system is called, My Big Campus, and it allows teachers to post assignments even instructional videos online. To get state credit for an E-Learning day teachers are required to post all assignments by 7:30 a.m., then students check-in by 9 a.m. This year was the first year for the program, but it has already proved its value outside the freak snow storm. Hart said one high school senior battling cancer has been using the program so he doesn’t fall behind.

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2014/01/14/illinois-school-drops-snow-days-for-e-learning-days/

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Technology Since 1998

By Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

If you were asked to name the most important technology milestones in the last 15 years what would make your list? The thing is, 15 years does not seem like a very long time. My list of the most important technologies (or gadgets or platforms) in the last 15 years would include:

Google 1998

Wikipedia 2001

Facebook 2004

YouTube 2005

Twitter 2006

iPhone 2007

Kindle 2007

http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/technology-1998

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Is Putting Expensive Technology In Classrooms A Recipe For Disaster?

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

Damage is one of the biggest concerns from teachers and adminstrators when planning to deploy iPads in the classroom. We often talk about the importance of teaching your students how to handle their class devices carefully, having a clear and reasonable acceptable use policy, and the best super tough iPad cases to protect the investment. That said, it turns out that kids and teenagers don’t break as many devices as adults to. The handy infographic below takes a look at some statistics surrounding broken devices. It was created by a company that fixes devices and wants to encourage you to repair them rather than replace, but it is pretty interesting all the same! Keep reading to learn more.

http://www.edudemic.com/putting-expensive-technology-classrooms-recipe-disaster/

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UAE universities embracing mobile learning

By Emerates 247

Leading global experts in mobile and digital learning have gathered in Dubai for the HCT Mobile Learning Festival, where they have discussed world’s best practice for online learning. Hundreds of educational and technology specialists attended the inaugural event which took place recently, where a series of workshops and panel sessions were held to facilitate the sharing of ideas about the most effective ways of utilising new mobile learning technology. The HCT Mobile Learning Festival celebrates the remarkable uptake of mobile learning technology in the UAE.

http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/uae-universities-embracing-mobile-learning-2013-12-25-1.532451

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