The fascinating link between Minecraft and SEL

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eSchool News

A new report, How Minecraft Supports Social and Emotional Learning in K–12 Education, published by Getting Smart, investigates the connection between classroom use of Minecraft and the SEL outcomes of K– 12 students. The report is based on interviews, a global survey and case studies as it offers an overview of SEL, an insight on gaming in education, and advice from educators on how to support a school-based SEL program. Almost all of the teachers surveyed (97.7 percent) said problem solving is the top SEL skill their students learn from in-school and extracurricular Minecraft participation.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/08/11/link-minecraft-and-sel/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=30771

Virtual Classrooms Are the Future of Teacher Education

 

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

The virtual classroom is a brand new technology that’s quickly spreading to teacher education programs across the nation. The concept is a bit like a flight simulator that a pilot might use before getting into a real plane. Teachers are placed in a virtual classroom full of virtual students and must teach as if they were really in the classroom.There are two main options for teacher education programs looking to implement the virtual classroom in their curriculum. A company called Mursion has developed a virtual classroom that is used by school districts and teacher education programs around the U.S. There’s also TeachLive, a virtual classroom program developed at the University of Central Florida. Both programs are fairly similar, offering some of the same benefits for teachers in training.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/virtual-classrooms-future-teacher-education/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=30761

Bootcamps expanding at traditional universities, but efficacy of model still unstable

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

Over the last two years, bootcamps — not just for coding, but also for intensive skill development in other fields, like healthcare and accounting — have grown in popularity among traditional nonprofit, four year insttitutions, reports EdSurge. Though bootcamps are proliferating throughout higher ed, it is still unclear whether the model will be successful as an alternative credential pathway model, as Reuters reports that many of these for-profit schools are shutting down. For example, the well known Dev Bootcamp announced in July its plans to shut down for lack of a viable business model, even though there has been growth in enrollment.  Though some bootcamps are closing, others are thriving, like Flatiron School, which has a 97% job placement rate and has its student outcomes audited by Massachusetts, according to Reuters — highlighting not only that success of such programs are heavilly tied to ROI beyond graduation, but also that the traditional education pathway with accountability for student outcomes is here to stay.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/bootcamps-expanding-at-traditional-universities-but-efficacy-of-model-stil/449143/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=30751

L.A. Unified rethinks its online make-up courses

by Los Angeles Times Editorial

As The Times explained in June, students who flunk a high-school course can still receive credit in traditional ways — summer school or after-school classes, for instance — but they also have the option of taking online credit recovery courses in computer-equipped rooms at school or anywhere they have access to the Internet. After some academics and others suggested these courses might be insufficiently rigorous, a Times editorial writer took one of the courses offered at L.A. Unified — junior-year English literature — which included teacher lectures by video, readings, practice problems and tests that are graded by the computer program (although teachers are supposed to grade any significant writing assignments). Students are allowed to move at their own pace, so they might be able to finish making up a failed year-long course in a much shorter period of time.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-credit-recovery-courses-20160814-snap-story.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=17141

Struggling Students Find Success at Oklahoma Online School in 2016

by Business Wire

Students at Insight School of Oklahoma (ISOK), a tuition-free, online public school, began their 2016-2017 school year on August 16, thankful for a place where they can learn within a unique and highly supportive environment. Students attending ISOK come from diverse backgrounds, many of them struggling at traditional brick and mortar schools before finding ISOK. Oklahoma students in grades 7 through 12 are welcome to attend ISOK. The school’s comprehensive education approach focuses on providing struggling students with the academic, social and emotional support needed to succeed in school and beyond. The online learning environment allows students to work at their own pace, giving them time to progress faster in subjects at which they excel, while spending more time on subjects and lessons where they need more help.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/struggling-students-success-oklahoma-online-181300869.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=17126

Survey Finds Millennial Parents Supportive Of DIY Approach To Education, Diverse School Options

by Parent Herald

Millennials are now the largest living generation in the country. One of the most studied and analyzed generations, millennials are now becoming parents. A new independent survey of U.S. households, supported by Connections Education, found that millennials are supportive of alternative approaches to education, with three-fourths of millennial parents (77 percent) saying a DIY approach to education, in which learners craft a path to graduation that best fits their needs, is a good idea. “The millennial generation flipped the workplace on its head, and all signs point to them breaking the status quo for education as well,” said Steven Guttentag, president and co-founder of Connections Education. “Compared to older generations, this generation of parents has more experience in education options beyond brick and mortar schools, such as online courses and blended learning. As a result, we’re finding they’re more open to and supportive of different education options.”

http://www.parentherald.com/articles/60841/20160812/survey-finds-millennial-parents-supportive-of-diy-apprroach-to-education-diverse-scholl-options.htm

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=17111

Pittsburgh adopts online badges to reward summer learning

By Kate Schimel, Education Dive

In Pittsburgh, a program called the Pittsburgh City of Learning is giving students digital badges for completing summer educational opportunities. The initiative is a collaboration among a group of nonprofits and city organizations to help give students proof of what they learned over the summer for potential employers or universities. Students get badges for mastering skills and store them in an online portfolio, which can be shared publicly.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/pittsburgh-adopts-online-badges-to-reward-summer-learning/403987/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13571

Exams for online courses? The library does it

By Mary Rindfleisch, Ridgefield Press

Due to the huge growth in distance learning all around the world, many more students of all ages are earning degrees and certificates without ever setting foot on campus. But they often do still need a secured and supervised setting for taking exams. That’s where the Ridgefield Library comes in. We have long done proctoring for exams on an ad hoc basis, but the increase in demand has prompted us to establish a formal policy, and also a modest fee for this service. We are pleased to be able to support our patrons’ educational aspirations, but we want to make sure that the test-taking environment we provide conforms to the requirements of the institutions of higher learning involved. A $25 charge will now be assessed for each request for exam proctoring.

http://www.theridgefieldpress.com/49827/exams-for-online-courses-the-library-does-it/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13569

New Web courses make training more accessible to Scouting leaders

By Gretchen Sparling, Scouting

Scouting U’s new online training courses will help volunteers learn what they need when they need it. Listening to feedback from volunteers, Scouting U redesigned its online training for adult leaders, making it more convenient than ever to earn your Trained badge. The new Web-based courses deliver high-quality online learning experiences tailored for each volunteer’s role.

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2015/08/new-web-courses-make-training-more-accessible-to-scouting-leaders/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13566

Google Penetrates The E-Learning Market To Expand Chromebook Sales

by Lior Ronen, Seeking Alpha

The e-learning market grows rapidly worldwide and expected to reach $51B total revenues in 2016. Google introduced an e-learning platform that integrate its services into one suite that is targeted to the education sector. By penetrating the e-learning market, Google tries to increase Chromebook sales and expand its PC ecosystem. Google could use the e-learning trend around the world and expand its Chromebook sales and ecosystem presence globally.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2423025-google-penetrates-the-e-learning-market-to-expand-chromebook-sales

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

Parents with kids playing hockey now required to take online course in respect

by Meghan Roberts, CTV Winnipeg

Parents looking to register their kids for hockey in Winnipeg this fall must now complete the Respect in Sports program. The plan for the requirement was announced earlier this year. The online course costs $12 and takes about an hour to complete. One parent per household is required to finish the program. Hockey Winnipeg said the course will be good for five years.

http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/parents-with-kids-playing-hockey-now-required-to-take-online-course-in-respect-1.1954995

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