Online AP courses offer expanded options to rural schools

By Amelia Harper, Education Dive
Online Advanced Placement classes, provided through organizations like the Global Teacher Project, offer a way to expand access for the more that 7,100 rural school districts in the U.S. that find it difficult to offer rigorous pre-college courses to their students, explains an article produced by the Hechinger Report for KQED. Online courses, either through consortiums, through video-conference classes with other schools who share an instructor, through virtual academies, or through pre-produced online AP offerings, can offer students the opportunity to learn more advanced material and a chance at reducing college costs for those who pass AP exams.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/online-ap-courses-offer-expanded-options-to-rural-schools/518791/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37731

Professor on online activities: They get ‘students talking more and me talking less’

by JENNIFER LEWINGTON, Globe and Mail

Last fall, University of Alberta school of business accounting professor Michael Maier experimented with his traditional lecture delivery, giving students the opportunity to watch short videos on technical topics outside of class time.   His use of videos is one example of how business professors at U of A – and elsewhere – are experimenting with technology to imagine variations on the traditional lecture format. On mid-term exams last fall, the class average in his accounting course was 82 per cent – about 10 percentage points higher than average scores in the lecture-based classes he has taught over the past eight years.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/business-education/professor-on-online-activities-they-get-students-talking-more-and-me-talking-less/article38232748/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37606

Can online learning level the AP playing field for rural kids?

by JACKIE MADER, Hechinger Report

Inside a rural high school, five Advanced Placement physics students furiously scribbled notes about a video of a Yale University professor speaking more than 1,200 miles away. With textbooks open, they watched a lecture about Newton’s Laws on a giant screen, while their classroom teacher simultaneously offered examples of those laws in action. When the lecture ended, they had yet another to chance to learn: A physics video chat with their tutor, a sophomore physics major at Yale. The unconventional flurry of both in-person and virtual academics in a school that had never before offered AP physics is part of a broader experiment that experts say could herald the future of education, especially for rural schools.

http://hechingerreport.org/can-online-learning-level-ap-playing-field-rural-kids/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37576

AI is the new electricity, says Coursera’s Andrew Ng

by E Kumar Sharma, Business Today

No discussion in information technology today is complete without reference to artificial intelligence or AI, in quickspeak. Needless to say, experts in AI are in great demand. Among them, Andrew Ng is often referred to as a go-to guru on AI. Andrew, wears several hats. He is the co-founder of Coursera, which offers online courses. He is also an adjunct professor at the Stanford University and was formerly the head of Baidu AI Group, and Google Brain. He calls AI, the new electricity. In response to an email from Business Today, he explains why and shares his thoughts on what companies need to do.

https://www.businesstoday.in/opinion/interviews/ai-is-the-new-electricity-says-courseras-andrew-ng/story/271963.html

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37546

Learning Designers as Digital Nomads

By Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Will more higher ed people go permanently mobile? If you are as clueless as I was about the digital nomad life, here is the quick and dirty summary. Digital nomads, as you would expect, combine global travel with laptop mediated employment. They work wherever they live, and live wherever they work. Anyone who has gone full digital nomad does not have a permanent address, a lease, or a mortgage. What they do have is the need to earn an income by working. The digital nomad either works remotely for a single employer, or strings consulting and freelance jobs together in the digital gig economy. The digital nomad life is such a thing that companies such as Roam have been started to cater to this creative wandering class. Roam has live / work spaces in Bali, Miami, London and Tokyo – with more on the way. For $500 a week you get a sparsely furnished private bedroom and bathroom, good WiFi, and access to a communal kitchen. You also get a community of fellow remote workers and freelancers, all working together on their separate projects.

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/learning-designers-digital-nomads

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37516

How to model and explain digital security to k/12 students

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

In her book Reinventing Writing, Vicki Davis outlines the fundamentals of responsible digital citizenship through the “9 key Ps.” Putting these practices into daily use in your classroom is a great way to model digital citizenship for your students.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/model-explain-digital-security-k-12-students/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37486

Teachers asked to use ‘snow days’ to do mandatory online course

by Katherine Donnelly, the Independent
Teachers and other school staff are being asked to use the “snow days” do a mandatory online child protection course, to avoid a need to close for another day next week for training. March 11 is the deadline for completing the training and, while some schools will have done it, others may have chalked in a day’s closure for it this week, or next. The training, for which two-half days is allowed, can be bundled into one day. It is to update staff, in the country’s 4,000 primary and post primary schools, on new child protection procedures.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/storm-emma/teachers-asked-to-use-snow-days-to-do-mandatory-online-course-36659011.html

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37457

Stoneman Douglas survivor to take online classes while advocating for gun control

by WSVN

A survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School will finish out her senior year online to give her extra time to advocate for increased gun control laws. Samantha Fuentes was among those students who returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Wednesday. However, instead of returning for class, she returned to withdraw and become an online student. “I’m withdrawing from school, so I can finish it online,” she said. “I feel mixed opinions, or mixed emotions. I mean, I want to be part of Stoneman Douglas, and I want to live out the rest of my high school career normally, but there is no such thing as normal anymore.” Fuentes was shot in both legs, and has several pieces of shrapnel lodged in her leg and face.

Stoneman Douglas survivor to take online classes while advocating for gun control

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37427

Large District Websites Have ‘Extensive Accessibility Issues’

By Joshua Bolkan, THE Journal

The Bureau of Internet Accessibility (BoIA) recently shared the results of automated tests it ran to check the accessibility of a handful of school websites and found that those tested had “extensive” issues related to accessibility. In a blog post about the tests, BoIA pointed to the fact that about 13 percent of all public school students receive special education services and nearly 500 investigations have started by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to look into the accessibility of school, district and college websites.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/02/23/large-district-websites-have-extensive-accessibility-issues.aspx

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37370

Is Learning to Learn From MOOCs a Teachable Skill?

by Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Open online learning at scale is not going to go away. In fact, I expect that scaled online learning opportunities will continue to grow. This will occur as providing open online education becomes a normal platform in any educational outreach activities. An ever greater number of organizations beyond colleges and universities, from companies to nonprofits to media outlets, will create and run open online courses. The spread of microcredentials, such edX’s MicroMasters, will drive the growth of open online education at scale. If this is how the future will unfold — see assertions No. 1 through No. 4 above – then shouldn’t we be thinking about how to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s work force?

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/technology-and-learning/learning-learn-moocs-teachable-skill

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37340

Apple confirms it uses Google’s cloud for iCloud

by Jordan Novet, CNBC

A file that Apple updated on its website last month provides the first acknowledgment that it’s relying on Google’s public cloud for data storage for its iCloud services. The disclosure is fresh evidence that Google’s cloud has been picking up usage as it looks to catch up with Amazon and Microsoft in the cloud infrastructure business. Some media outlets reported on Google’s iCloud win in 2016, but Apple never provided confirmation.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/26/apple-confirms-it-uses-google-cloud-for-icloud.html

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37311

Do women in STEM experience hostile work environments?

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

Women in STEM jobs are more likely to experience hostile work environments, including discrimination and sexual harassment, according to a new nationally-representative Pew Research Center study. Research in the study reveals that gender “is perceived as more of an impediment than an advantage to career success.” Women in three particular groups are more likely to see workplace inequities: women who are employed in STEM settings where men outnumber women, women who work in computer jobs, and women who hold postgraduate degrees.

Do women in STEM experience hostile work environments?

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37167

Colleges should create programs for middle-skilled workers

By Patti Zarling, Education Dive
By identifying job market needs and creating micro programs around skills required for middle-skill jobs, colleges and universities could help middle-skilled workers increase their earning potential, while at the same time creating a lucrative new revenue stream for the institution, says Matt Sigelman, CEO of Burning Glass Technologies in a recent Q&A with evolllution.com.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/colleges-should-create-programs-for-middle-skilled-workers/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37110

Williamson Schools to take ‘blended learning’ approach to online courses

by Melanie Balakit, USA TODAY

Williamson County Schools will offer online courses this fall, joining a growing number of districts nationwide offering virtual learning. The district already embraces technology in the classroom — students bring their own devices for classwork and teachers draft lesson plans that incorporate technology. But this is the first time the district will oversee online high school courses. Only high school students will be able to take online courses in the district’s first year of implementation. The coursework won’t be completely virtual; as of now, the district will require students to meet with teachers at least twice a week. This combination of online coursework and in-person meetings is known as blended learning.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/2018/02/19/williamson-schools-take-blended-learning-approach-online-courses/345075002/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37080

Speech Recognition Apps Propel Literacy

By Dian Schaffhauser. THE Journal
Can voice recognition apps that are as common as Siri Assistant and Cortana help kids learn to read? That was the question posed by a literacy researcher who wanted to see whether the use of speech recognition programs in early elementary classrooms would give students who struggle with reading a boost in their efforts. Elizabeth Baker, a professor of literacy studies at the University of Missouri, observed eight first graders as they participated in structured speech recognition-supported program on iPads and iPhone four days a week for five months. According to a paper published on the results, students who used the tools averaged a 97.4 percent accuracy rate on post-study reading tests, in which participants were asked to read a culmination of the words they had used in earlier compositions.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/02/13/speech-recognition-apps-propel-literacy.aspx

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37050

Tips for Organizing a Successful Hackathon

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

So, you want to host a hackathon, but you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, it’s not that hard, and there are plenty of resources out there that aim to help. Namely, the one that you are reading now. In this piece, we will discuss how you can organize a successful hackathon. The organization of a hackathon is standard, starting out with an introduction to the event, then an official kickoff where the attendees will pitch software ideas and create teams based on their skill sets and interests. We mentioned earlier that hackathons can last from 24 hours to an entire week. Without further ado, lets get started.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/tips-organizing-successful-hackathon/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37020

What is a hackathon?

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

Remember back in high school or college when you would drink a bunch of caffeine and stay up all night to prepare for a test? Now imagine a room full of programmers, coders, and creatives doing the same thing for an entire day or even a week. Instead of cramming, they are competing to create prototypes that innovate on a theme or improve upon an existing project. It’s called a hackathon, and it is has become a regular part of how technology companies and organizations do business. In fact, the power of the hackathon has extended beyond the tech industry into many other sectors.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-is-a-hackathon/

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=36990

Bill Gates Warns Sillicon Valley of Technology’s Dangerous Potential

by Chelsea Gohd, Futurism

“There’s always the question how much technology is empowering a small group of people to cause damage,” Gates said, his words primarily directed at the large technology companies currently dominating the market, such as Apple.  Gates continued, pointing out that such monopolies aren’t just about computers and smartphones. “A small group can have an impact — in the case of nuclear [weapons], on millions; and in the case of bio[terror], on billions. That is scary to me.” The warning was directed at those in Silicon Valley, as Gates worries the companies’ activities could hinder the ability of the government to do its job ( that is, “under appropriate review,” he was careful to note).

Bill Gates Warns Sillicon Valley of Technology’s Dangerous Potential

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=36960

How to use social media in the classroom

BY JON ROEPKE, eSchool News
Here are three social education platforms teachers love.  Today’s educators have a love-hate relationship with social media. They recognize that five-year-olds know how to use tablets better than their parents and that many kids have smartphones by the time they are 12. Digital natives live and breathe on social media platforms, sending messages and posting pictures and videos almost constantly. In fact, a recent CNN study on social media and teens found that among the 8th-graders surveyed, the heaviest social media users check their feeds up to 100 times a day.

How to use social media in the classroom

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=36930

Online writing resource helps students in all areas of study

by Purdue University

Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab provides students with a guide to help them successfully complete writing assignments not only in writing classes, but also in STEM coursework and multimedia presentations. “As more high school and college students participate in online courses, they are more likely to find OWL helpful,” says Tammy Conard-Salvo, associate director of the Writing Lab. “The same is also true as students are producing non-traditional writing projects.” OWL provides students of all ages with information on the basics of writing, grammar and mechanics, writer’s block, conducting research and more. It also provides students with many subject-specific resources. These resources include presentations on how to write an engineering report, how to write an experimental report in psychology and how to write as a professional nurse. One of the most popular features on the site is the style guides for how to write academic papers.

http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2018/Q1/online-writing-resource-helps-students-in-all-areas-of-study.html

Share on Facebook

from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=36895