Virtual courses are the future of education in Dothan City Schools

By Jessalyn Adams, Donthan First

“Education, as we knew it, is long gone and it’s changing every minute,” says Teresa Davis with Dothan City Schools. The Alabama State Legislature recently passed a bill that will require all school systems to offer online learning. Dothan City Schools has been using virtual technology in the traditional classroom setting for years, and with this new mandate, they are looking to expand the online programs and seek out the endless opportunities. “We have to provide virtual school, virtual opportunities, virtual learning opportunities,” says Davis.

http://www.dothanfirst.com/news/virtual-courses-are-the-future-of-education-in-dothan-city-schools

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Schools debate about whether devices improve exam scores, learning

by Abby Armbruster, Daily Journal

Within the past two years, four school districts in Johnson County have invested millions of dollars in laptops or iPads for their students. The goal: Options. School administrators said having the Internet at their students’ fingertips provides them with the tools they need to succeed in the future, either through learning how to create an application from scratch, figuring out how to repair parts of a computer or allowing them to take classes that were never offered in the past. Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson, Edinburgh, Center Grove and Franklin schools all supply electronic devices to at least some of their students. Greenwood and Clark-Pleasant schools have not decided to go all-in on providing each high school student with their own device, but continue to consider the idea.

http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/local_story/Schools-debate-about-whether-d_1445046063

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14098

Microsoft offers online course: Learn C# programming

by India Today

Microsoft has come up with a new course that allows candidates to enroll themselves for an online course on “Programming with C#”. This course is not for beginners or those new to programming. The candidates must have prior programming experience in an object-oriented programming language as there are concepts that are mentioned in the course that are assumed to be prior knowledge and are not explained in detail. Learning C# provides a solid foundation in object-oriented programming knowledge, paves the way for learning other programming languages, and positions those who complete this course for a wide variety of in-demand computer programming jobs.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/microsoft/1/500987.html

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Check out the 21st century classroom in action

By Ian Richardson, Creston News Advertiser

The classroom buzzes with the low hum of conversation mixed with concentration. In one corner, senior Jacob Routh works on setting up a 3D printer. In another, sophomore Desi Osterhout and junior Cydney Seley sit on blue-green patterned armchairs, looking through Google Cardboard goggles that use smartphones to create virtual-reality experiences. At a long, markerboard-surfaced table in the room’s center, a group of students builds robots from Cubelets, box-shaped elements that use sensors to perform different functions. Another group builds circuits using a kit with snap-on pieces. These students belong to one of Anthony Donahoo’s Environmental and Spatial Technology classes at Creston Community Schools. Better known by the acronym EAST, these classes combine the use of technology with community service.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/10/09/21st-century-classroom-729/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14056

Fundamentals of Sheltered Instruction, Featuring the SIOP Model

by Center for Applied Linguistics

This new self-paced online course from CAL is designed to help teachers and administrators increase their knowledge of research-based sheltered instruction to support the language and content learning needs of English learners. Examples are based on the widely-used and effective SIOP Model.

http://www.cal.org/news-and-events/in-the-news/new-online-course-fsi

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14048

College Credit for a Boot Camp

By Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

Students at Lynn University soon will be able to earn 15 credits by completing a 16-week academic program in technology design at a distant campus of General Assembly, the largest of the coding boot camps. The partnership between the private university, in Boca Raton, Fla., and the upstart, nonaccredited General Assembly will offer Lynn’s students an immersive form of study abroad, university officials said. “The curriculum is designed for university students to supplement the education they receive in school with industry-specific skills,” the university said in a written statement. “The new arrangement with Lynn allows students to pair a strong liberal arts foundation with just-in-time job skills.”

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/10/09/lynn-university-and-general-assembly-team-credit-bearing-study-abroad

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Learning online

by Sally Rummel, Tri-county Times

While traditional classroom settings are still the norm for most students in the U.S., especially in K-12 schools, online learning has become a mainstream reality for most college and university students today. The trend toward online learning prompted the Michigan Legislature to pass a law in 2006 to require all Michigan high school students to take at least one online course during their high school career, with the goal of preparing students for this virtual style of learning. Today, more than 80 percent of public universities and half of all private colleges offer at least one fully online program

http://www.tctimes.com/living/featured_sections/learning-online/article_0d9442c2-6cf6-11e5-865e-539d74713191.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14033

Virtual conference focuses on 13 digital literacies

By Stephen Noonoo, eSchool News

Discovery Education will host another annual virtual conference for educators later this month, featuring live presentations from various educators across the continent. Fall VirtCon, as it’s known to distinguish it from a spring counterpart, will take place on Oct. 24.Centered around a theme of “Literacies for the Digital Age,” the event will take a deep dive into Kathy Schrock’s 13 Literacies for the Digital Age, which empower educators with instructional strategies to prepare students to become well-rounded 21st-century citizens.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/10/08/virtcon-digital-123/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14027

Promoting Engagement in Larger Classes

by Perry J. Samson, EDUCAUSE Review

A while back, I was asked to teach my department’s introductory course. It was called “Weather & Climate” and averaged about 30 students per semester. Over time I changed the curriculum to focus more on extreme weather and climate issues, and I retitled the course “Extreme Weather.” Now it averages about 200 students per semester. (Here is a marketing tip: add “extreme” to the title of whatever course you’re teaching if you’d like to increase the number of students in your class.) Faced with that many students, I soon realized that I would not know what they didn’t know until after the first exam and that my learning management system (LMS) did not provide me any information about what was happening in my classroom.

http://er.educause.edu/articles/2015/8/promoting-engagement-in-larger-classes

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The 5 Online Learning Destinations You Need To Bookmark

By Georgia Simmonds, Red

Accepted wisdom: curiosity is the key to success and happiness. Learning new things is good for you, and doing it online is super convenient. Whether you want to immerse yourself in a six week course, or let your mind snack on short instructional videos on unfamiliar subjects, the online destinations below have you covered. The great bit? It won’t cost you a thing and anyone can engage – it’s a delightfully egalitarian way to educate yourself. All you need is interest, internet access, and a willingness to have a go.The greater bit? The self-directed nature of the courses means you can fit them around your lifestyle and learn at a pace that suits you. Linked at the URL below are five great starting points. What are you waiting for?

http://www.redonline.co.uk/health-self/the-5-online-learning-destinations-you-need-to-bookmark-free-courses

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14011

Interactive learning environment aims to improve student success

by Sabrina Salvatore, the Orion

The course requires students to watch videos and lectures online prior to class, Wasinger said. During class, students are divided into groups where they do different activities to recycle the material. The online videos include step-by-step visual demonstrations of course material, as well as audio explaining the content which is accessed via Blackboard Learn. This semester is the first this teaching technique is being implemented and will continue for at least four semesters, Wasinger said. The chemistry department hopes that after this trial run there will be proof that this interactive learning approach helps improve students’ grades. If the results are positive, then it will be made a permanent part of this course and possibly implemented in other departments. “As a way to hold the students accountable for actually watching the online lectures outside of class, there are random quizzes attached to the end of a video that count for credit toward their grade in the course,” he said.

http://theorion.com/blog/2015/10/04/interactive-learning-environment-aims-to-improve-student-success/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14003

Point-Counterpoint: Online classes are perfect for independent students

by Kelly Wynne, College of DuPage Courier

Online learning allows me to take my education into my own hands. I know that if I don’t understand the material I cannot blame it on a teacher. I have to blame it on my own lack of attention and lack of care. Because of this, I have been nothing but successful in an online classroom. I don’t think there is an accurate way to measure the effectiveness of an online class, simply because every person learns differently. For someone like me who pays more attention when I am in control, these classes give me a true sense of freedom and responsibility. Someone who learns better in a classroom setting may find himself or herself failing to stay on top of assignments without constant reminders and a physical representation of a teacher who can answer questions on the spot. The only way to accurately measure your ability to flourish in an online learning environment is to try it for yourself.

http://codcourier.org/3012/opinion/point-counterpoint-online-classes-are-perfect-for-independent-students/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13986

How to Kick Off Blended Learning (Hint: It’s Not Just About Tech)

by Elena Sanina Freddy Esparza, Mark Montero, EdSurge

“Quantity of devices and well-developed adaptive software is the key to a successful blended learning implementation,” said no one ever! What is key? Teacher appetite and readiness to rethink what is possible. Over the last four years, Aspire Public Schools has rolled out blended learning classrooms in 23 of its 38 schools in California and Tennessee. Along the way, we’ve learned some hard lessons about converting whole schools to station rotation blended learning models in short periods of time.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-09-28-how-to-kick-off-blended-learning-hint-it-s-not-just-about-tech

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13968

Online learning becoming more than an alternative

By KURT HAUGLIE, Mining Gazette

When online learning was created, it was meant as an augmentation to actual classroom teaching, and according to Kipp Beaudoin, it was welcomed by many educators. “It was embraced,” said Beaudoin, who is principal at Hancock Middle School and Hancock Central High School. However, Beaudoin said he’s concerned online learning, such as the Michigan Virtual School, which is used in HCHS, may soon supplant rather than augment in-class instruction, which is not what it was intended to do.

http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/547835/Online-learning-becoming-more-than-an-alternative.html?nav=5006

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Training for Success: Why the Time is Now to Let Online Learning do the Work

by Todd Thibodeaux, Talkin’ Cloud

Implemented correctly, online learning platforms let employees put their knowledge to use through interactive tutorials and simulations. Not only do interactive experiences boost information retention, they empower employees to revisit and sharpen specific skills as necessary. Rather than simply memorizing and repeating information, IT workers are able to test their knowledge for gaps, and refocus their training on areas of concern. Unlike traditional training methods, online platforms support both guided and self-directed learning, making education an ongoing workplace activity rather than a monthly or quarterly event. As the IT industry continues to evolve at a blinding rate, organizations need to invest in professional development programs capable of keeping up.

http://talkincloud.com/cloud-computing-certifications/training-success-why-time-now-let-online-learning-do-work

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Rubrics Can Work Across Colleges

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A cross-institutional experiment to see whether rubric-based assessments can scale and whether students are actually learning what the assessments are intended to measure has been called a success. The project, known as the “Multi-State Collaborative,” brought together 59 colleges and universities in nine states, including 28 four-year institutions and 31 two-year schools. The pilot was undertaken by two organizations: the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO).

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/09/24/rubrics-can-work-across-colleges.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13921

Online course innovator launches mobile player

by eCampus News

Users can take Versal courses directly on iOS and Android devices. Smartphones and tablets have become a day-to-day part of our lives. And the opportunity to learn on-the-go is not only a huge benefit, it’s a requirement. Versal is launching its new mobile player, which enables students to take interactive Versal courses via iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. In the corporate environment, employees can learn something new while commuting to work or while staffing a remote office that doesn’t have broad computer access (for example, in a retail environment).

http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/versal-mobile-player-093/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13908

Too much technology could hurt learning outcomes

By Laura Devaney, eSchoolNews

Using computers and other learning technology too often can be detrimental to student performance, OECD says. Students who use computers and learning technology at moderate levels tend to have better learning outcomes than students who use computers and learning technology rarely, according to new research from the OECD. A more startling find, however, is the fact that students who use computers very frequently at school perform much worse.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/09/21/too-much-technology-837/

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Connected Classroom: Business Schools Partner Mooc Disruptors For Growth

by Seb Murray, Business Because

The explosion of online learning has been a double edged sword for universities. Most are focused on providing the latest digital advances to their students and investing in whizzy new technology, such as analytics dashboards and high-definition video studios. But digital has also given rise to disruptive new players. The announcement by LinkedIn that it intends to host business courses on its site by acquiring online learning platform Lydna.com for $1.5 billion is one of the latest signs that tech groups are encroaching into the world of education. For many industry executives, the notion of a professional leaving the workforce for years on end to earn a degree is a doomed model.

http://www.businessbecause.com/news/connected-classroom/3465/connected-classroom-business-schools-partner-mooc-disruptors

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UniversitySpot.com Introduces Extensive, Curated List of Massive Open Online Courses for Fall 2015

by University Spot

Along with their university partners, online course platforms Coursera and edX are offering 300+ great courses this fall. UniversitySpot.com provides easy access to thousands of the best online higher-education resources for students, counselors, teachers, parents and lifetime learners, and is pleased to present its third annual list of the most current course offerings for the fall. Quickly scan through course titles from top U.S. and global universities to find the ones best suited to your interests.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/09/prweb12968644.htm

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