New Tech Taps Blockchain to Secure Student Data

By Sri Ravipati, THE Journal
Sony Corporation and Sony Global Education have finished developing a cloud-based platform built on IBM Blockchain that allows a secure exchange of educational data. Blockchain technology records and keeps information safe by creating a decentralized record of data that can be confirmed and validated without relying on a single authority. IBM Blockchain underpins Sony’s new education platform, which harnesses IBM Cloud and The Linux Foundation’s Hyperledger Fabric 1.0 blockchain framework. “Blockchain technology has the potential to impact systems in a wide variety of industries, and the educational sphere is no exception when educational data is securely stored on the blockchain and shared among permissioned users,” said Masaaki Isozu, president of Sony Global Education, in a prepared statement.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/08/10/sony-and-ibm-to-secure-student-data-records-with-blockchain.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=30806

7 Brain Training Apps and Tools

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

Every day, hundreds of thousands of people go to the gym. They go to exercise their muscles and get stronger. But many of these same people neglect the one thing they really should be strengthening—their brain.  Brain training apps and tools are designed to help your brain be better. The idea is that by practicing daily, the brain, like your muscles, can grow stronger over time. If you’re going to take the time to work out your brain, however, you want to make sure you’re using the most effective tools possible. Let’s take a look at 7 of the best brain training apps and tools.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/7-brain-training-apps-tools/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=30791

Nearly half of prospective college students don’t expect to graduate

by Pat Donachie, Education Dive

A pair of recently released surveys suggests that half of the nation’s high school students feel academically unprepared for college, while half of the students entering their postsecondary education are anxious that they may not graduate, suggesting a variety of stressors could keep them from attaining a diploma. The concerns incoming students have about their college career can be a significant challenge for higher education institutions in supporting students when they arrive in school and throughout their college career. Dr. Jerlando Jackson, the director of the University of Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory in the Center for Education Research, said colleges and universities that recognize how important a student’s first year can be can assist students in crises of academic preparation and confidence.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/nearly-half-of-prospective-college-students-dont-expect-to-graduate/448812/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=30781

To Outsource or Not to Outsource

by Andie Burjek, Chief Learning Officer

That is the question, but there are certain factors leaders should consider when deciding whether to outsource or keep learning in-house. Outsourcing in learning and development has an inconsistent reputation. Full-time employees can lose their jobs; control over certain aspects of the business can be lost; or it ultimately cost more to outsource rather than to keep learning in house. While there’s some measure of truth to those protests, an effective L&D outsourcing program can have a positive impact on an organization. Chief Learning Officer connected with learning leaders to discuss when they know to outsource learning and development and how they choose the correct partner.

http://www.clomedia.com/2016/08/15/to-outsource-or-not-to-outsource/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=17176

How IoT can change the game for education and learning

by the Financial Express

The learning and education domain, with no exception, falls well within the gamut of the IoT. In fact, through effective use of technology, it is possible to create an infrastructure that can meet education-related needs of the country. The launch of smart classes in government schools is also expected to change the face of education. Thus, the implementation of the IoT in the education industry with outright accountability will improve the quality of the learning process, as well as let teachers remotely address students through video-conferencing and other systems. The IoT has become a part of everyday lives and the future too will be dominated by the same. Its prevalence in the education sector is increasingly becoming noteworthy. Classrooms today don’t just restrict to the traditional teaching and learning methods, but also extend to the smart ways of teaching.

http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/jobs/how-iot-can-change-the-game-for-education-and-learning/347587/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=17161

Online Classes Help Leon’s Grade Rate Soar As District Defends Its Methods

By LYNN HATTER, WFSU

The graduation rate of the Leon County School District has soared in the past five years, thanks largely to the use of online courses. School district officials have worked hard to get students to the finish line—offering a number of pathways. But some of those methods are under scrutiny.

http://news.wfsu.org/post/online-classes-help-leons-grade-rate-soar-district-defends-its-methods

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=17151

Tracking Students to Improve Tutoring and Support

By David Raths, Campus Technology

At South Mountain Community College, a homegrown Learner Support System gathers data on students’ usage of campus resources, streamlining the tutoring process and improving outcomes. With input from several areas of campus, the design team, led by programmer analyst Alan Ziv, created a Web-based application called the Learner Support System (LSS) that tracks students’ usage of campus resources as well as key academic details such as with whom a student worked, how long he or she spent with a tutor, what the focus of the tutoring session was and how effective it was perceived to be. The system provides data at the individual student, course and program level to help inform institutional strategic planning and resource development.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/08/12/tracking-students-to-improve-tutoring-and-support.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13579

10 Emerging Education Technologies

By Pamela DeLoatch, Edudemic

Are you or your students wearing your Apple Watches to school, and if so, are you using them as part of your curriculum? What about the use of digital textbooks, adaptive learning, collaboration with other schools or flipped classrooms? These technologies represent some of the cutting edge tools and trends in education. While some are being implemented now, regular use of others is on the (not to distant) horizon. We’ve scanned the gurus’ lists and found the top technologies that educators need to prepare for in the next one to five years.

http://www.edudemic.com/10-emerging-education-technologies/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13576

Can Innovation Be Taught?

by Nick Donofrio, Ed Tech

Fostering skills beyond the classroom setting is just as important as studying theories. “Driving the skills agenda,” a May 2015 report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit, cited 49 percent of teachers who said current curriculum was too rigid to allow time for wider skills to be cultivated. Instead, students tend to participate in internships for a true taste of the working world. While that supplements student studies, the experience is often too brief to provide a fulfilling environment to harbor creativity and innovation. Equally important, training educators ensures that they are up to speed on the latest educational developments and technological advances. While technology continues to influence education in all fields, educators have a tough time keeping up with it. According to The Economist survey, 85 percent of teachers report that advances in technology influence the way they teach.

http://www.edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2015/08/can-innovation-be-taught

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13573

Online Evolution

by Harvard Magazine

HarvardX and other institutions continue to create new massive open online courses (MOOCs; see the current list at harvardx.harvard.edu/modules-courses). But with hundreds of offerings available on edX, Coursera, and emerging platforms (such as the Business School’s HBX; see harvardmag.com/hbx-14), emphasis is now shifting to research on applications and assessments.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2014/09/online-evolution

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Rising Confidence in Online Higher Ed

By Timothy Zimmer, Forbes

Online higher education is steadily gaining favor as a credible alternative to the traditional classroom. According to a recent Gallup report, more U.S. adults agree or strongly agree that online colleges and universities offer high-quality education (37 percent) than did so in 2012 (33 percent) or 2011 (30 percent) when Gallup first introduced the report. Online higher education has been a divisive issue amongst academics for years, seen by many as convenient and affordable but unremarkable in value and legitimacy. When online education went toe-to-toe with traditional classroom-based learning in another recent Gallup report, Americans considered online better at “providing a wide range of options for curriculum” and offering “good value for the money.” Traditional education overshadowed this accomplishment, however, besting online in areas such as instruction, rigor, employer favorability, and student format.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ccap/2014/08/13/rising-confidence-in-online-higher-ed/

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Online K-12 education faces challenges

by Norman Rozenberg, Tech Page One

Kindergarten-through-12th grade (K-12) cyber schools have yet to receive as much attention as online higher education. For example, brick-and-mortar grade schools have largely resisted the kinds of online options traditional universities have adopted. There are problems with cyber schools that must be addressed, however. Many cyber-schooling programs have not provided students with an education that meets national averages, according to the University of Colorado study. Despite these drawbacks, the virtual option can become a viable alternative to brick-and-mortar grade schools, especially when targeted to specific groups of students for whom traditional schooling is not helpful.

http://techpageone.dell.com/technology/virtualization/online-k-12-education-faces-challenges/

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