U of Florida to Open IoT Institute for Future Engineers

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

A new facility at the University of Florida (UF) hopes to design, develop and test state-of-the-art Internet of Things (IoT) systems. The Warren B. Nelms Institute for the Connected World will facilitate collaboration between resident expert research faculty in the Florida Institute for Cybersecurity Research and industry professionals in the IoT space. The institute is supported by a recent $5 million gift from the children of Warren B. Nelms, an alumnus of UF’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) who built a solar “smart” house in which he raised his family. Another ECE alumnus and Japanese telecommunications mogul, Sachio Semmoto, put up a $1.5 million gift in July to establish a term professorship within the institute.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/03/24/u-of-florida-to-open-iot-institute-for-future-engineers.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=25577

10 Podcasts That Promote Reading

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Not all students enjoy reading, nor are all students visual learners. Using audiobooks in conjunction with hard copies has long been a practice in classrooms to engage all students. However, podcasts offer something more. For example, English teacher Michael Godsey used the popular podcast Serial in his classroom because “he was impressed by the critical thinking and engagement he saw from students. He also liked that students were having deep discussions about the stories with other adults who were listening to the same podcasts” (source). By using podcasts in conjunction with their transcripts, or by finding engaging podcasts that discuss books benefit students’ different learning styles. Podcasts bring together reading, writing, analysis, listening, language and many other ELA Common Core Standards (source). Here is a list of 10 podcasts that promote reading.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/10-podcasts-that-promote-reading/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=25562

5 FREE Online University Courses for Learning Mandarin Chinese

BY JESSICA SUOTMAA, Beijing Kids

In the three years I’ve lived in Beijing, I must confess that I haven’t once attended a Chinese class. Admittedly, my Mandarin isn’t that bad to begin with (thanks to my mother’s homeschooling and a year of Chinese classes in first grade), but taking the HSK (standard for measuring your Chinese proficiency in China) has crossed my mind more than a few times. Now, as I’ve been getting busier (what with children and all), I really doubt I’ll ever drag myself to a legit Chinese class. Here’s a roundup of FREE university Mandarin courses we could all potentially benefit from (if we can just make ourselves do it). The benefit of these courses is that they’re all “verified” and thereby trustworthy sources of information (which is more than we can say about some private tutors):

https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2017/03/25/5-free-online-university-courses-for-learning-mandarin-chinese/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=25547

Examity Shares Data on Cheaters

by Inside Higher Ed

About 6 percent of students who took an online final exam proctored by Examity last fall broke the rules, the company said on Tuesday. That adds up to 3,952 out of the 62,534 exams the test-proctoring company reviewed. Most of the attempts to cheat came in the form of a cheat sheet (21 percent) or using Google to look up answers or translations (14 percent). Examity also shared some more sophisticated attempts at circumventing the rules.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/03/30/examity-shares-data-cheaters

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15462

Digital Overtakes Print

By Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

Major publishers report sales of digital course materials surpass sales of print textbooks for the first time. When McGraw-Hill Education this week reports its finances for 2015, the results will show that the company’s digital products — including learning platforms ALEKS, Connect and LearnSmart and digital textbook service SmartBooks — for the first time sold more units than its print products. The company already teased that detail in a press release earlier this month, showing healthy year-over-year digital growth. McGraw-Hill Education isn’t alone. A spokesperson for Cengage Learning, whose digital offerings include the MindTap learning platform, said the company is on track this fiscal year to see digital sales surpass print sales, both in terms of unit sales and revenue.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/03/30/publishers-report-digital-sales-overtaking-print-sales

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15460

Google wants to make your landline phone useful again

by Marguerite Reardon, CNet

Google is taking on traditional providers with its $10-a-month Fiber Phone service. Customers can make and answer calls from any connected device anywhere Internet is available. Google is adding home phone service to a bundle of services that also includes ultra fast broadband. Fiber Phone includes a Fiber Phone box that works with the phones you already own. Handset not included. Fiber Phone, is a service will be sold alongside its 1Gbps broadband service and its video offering in cities where Google has deployed its all-fiber network. The service comes at a time when Google faces competition from traditional broadband providers, like AT&T and Comcast, which are also delivering ultra high-speed services. As of 2013, about 40 percent of adults in the US said they used a cell phone exclusively for voice communications, according to survey data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

http://www.cnet.com/news/google-fiber-phone-broadband-service-bundle-home-phone-landline/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15457

The Changing Cost of Open Source

by Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Rather than committing hours of staff time to develop software, Unizin’s founding member schools (including Indiana University and Colorado State) are committing dollars — $1.05 million each over the course of three years. If it sounds hefty, remember: That’s still a pittance compared to the cost of equivalent digital content services on the commercial market. Unizin is also partnering with commercial entities — “companies that support open standards and open access to content and to data,” said Qazi. That doesn’t necessarily equate to open source, he pointed out. For example, Unizin has locked into the use of Instructure Canvas, a learning management system available to the consortium members under a discount arrangement.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/03/26/the-changing-cost-of-open-source.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/05g2x3fO5RY/

7 Proven Strategies for Winning Ed Tech Grants

By John K. Waters, THE Journal

In this era of limited budgets, K-12 educators looking to add technology to their classrooms often have to find creative ways to pay for their projects. Fortunately, there has never been a wider range of ed tech funding sources. Joining the lineup of traditional federal, state and private foundation grants is a new generation of donor programs and contests. “Writing a grant” today can mean anything from stating your case in a Word document to producing a video or making a direct pitch on a Web site. Whatever the medium, it’s how you tell your story that sets you apart from the competition. Whether you’re writing a traditional grant, entering a contest or reaching out online to a potential benefactor, you’ll increase your chances of success by applying these seven strategies.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/03/26/7-proven-strategies-for-winning-ed-tech-grants.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/PaWO24M4jKY/

New technologies gain traction at notable university libraries

by eCampus News

3D-labLibraries throughout the U.S. are implementing new technologies to adapt to the changing habits of the digital age by adding additional services such as wireless internet, e-readers, and tablets. Technology is also driving a different trend that is redefining the very role that libraries play. By offering access to 3D printing, libraries nationwide are turning into labs of experimentation and innovation for aspiring entrepreneurs, and to help advance creativity for everyone. To date, MakerBot® 3D Printers and Scanners are in an estimated 500 libraries across the U.S.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/business-news/innovation-center-3d-389/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/ejfbNrhEmTE/

The Top 5 Things Hiring Managers Look For On Social Media

by MARIANNE STENGER, Lifehacker

The key to landing any job is to present yourself professionally, and these days that includes how you come across online as well. More employers have started using sites like Twitter, Google+, Facebook and LinkedIn in the hiring process, and according to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 43 per cent of hiring managers now use social media to screen candidates. Career advisor Matt Tarpey explains that most employers don’t necessarily visit your online profiles looking for a reason not to hire you, but if they do happen to find one it will almost certainly take you out of the running. Knowing exactly what employers are after when they scrutinise your online persona can help you scrub up your image and hopefully get bumped to the top of the list.

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/03/the-top-5-things-hiring-managers-look-for-on-social-media/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/9OVM1GexsuA/

College Textbooks May Become Free at the University of Maryland

by Andy Diaz, Guardian LV

A successful student campaign in the University of Maryland served as a catalyst for changing the way college textbooks are sold on campus by making them free. Students wrote on a whiteboard explaining the costs of their textbooks some claiming they paid over one hundred dollars for one book while another student paid near a thousand dollars for a semester of books. Stories like this are common across the country where college prices are rising exponentially. The University of Maryland has taken the student’s complaints into consideration and have begun a pilot program to transition all needed course material to an open source electronic textbooks. Open source textbooks are not protected by copyright and therefore available to all who have an internet connection. A similar program has been done by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California State University, and the Washington State College, but went beyond just textbooks and created the “open courseware” program to allow anyone who wants to get an education in a variety of topics.

http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/college-textbooks-may-become-free-at-the-university-of-maryland/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/e-6bcVyhnEI/

The Top 10 Google Glass Myths

by Google

Myths can be fun, but they can also be confusing or unsettling. And if spoken enough, they can morph into something that resembles fact. (Side note: did you know that people used to think that traveling too quickly on a train would damage the human body?) In its relatively short existence, Glass has seen some myths develop around it. While we’re flattered by the attention, we thought it might make sense to tackle them, just to clear the air. And besides, everyone loves a good list – see the link below.

https://plus.google.com/+GoogleGlass/posts/axcPPGjVFrb

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