Can robotics teach problem-solving skills to students

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Advocate

Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential to success at university and in later life. However, the traditional classroom model has done a poor job of imparting these skills to students. The way children have learned in the classroom for generations has focused on lectures and worksheets. Past generations would depend on group sports, clubs and teenage jobs to impart these vital skills onto students. However, new ideas suggest that robotics may hold the key to teaching problem-solving skills to students. Using robots to teach real-world skills may be a strange concept, but is it worth exploring? We think so and here’s why.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/can-robotics-teach-problem-solving-students/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35304

Instead of textbooks, Mt. Wachusett Community College turns to online materials

By Scott O’Connell, Telegram & Gazette Staff

The high cost of textbooks is an issue throughout higher education, but the problem is especially apparent at a relatively affordable school like Mount Wachusett Community College, where in some classes, at $250 or so, an assigned textbook costs more than a single credit hour. “The thing is too, those books get quickly outdated – when students bring them back to the bookstore, they can’t even get a return on it,” said Jess Mynes, the college’s assistant dean of Library and Academic Support Services. “It’s a bit of a racket.” Equipped with a new $16,235 Performance Incentive Fund grant from the state, however, Mount Wachusett is zeroing in on a potential solution for cash-strapped students: Open Educational Resources. Already being used on a small-scale on campus, Open Educational Resources are widely available, usually free academic materials online that can be assembled by college librarians and professors into curricular replacements for textbooks.

http://www.telegram.com/news/20171228/instead-of-textbooks-mt-wachusett-community-college-turns-to-online-materials

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35289

What’s ahead on the edtech landscape in 2018

by  Richard W. Walker, EdScoop

John O’Brien, president and CEO of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association for higher ed IT leaders, thinks that 2018 may mark the beginning of real digital transformation in education. “I am convinced that this year we will see demonstrable developments at the intersection of higher education and technology,” he told EdScoop. “First, we’re convinced that 2018 will be marked by the shift from digitization to digital transformation. Whether we’re talking about enterprise technologies in general or teaching and learning in particular, we think the days of ad hoc innovations and one-off digital breakthroughs will — and should — be replaced by increasingly interrelated, interdependent and interoperable digital transformation experienced across campus divisions.”

http://edscoop.com/predictions-whats-ahead-on-the-edtech-landscape-in-2018

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35279

Music training speeds up brain development in children

by Assal Habibi, University of Southern California

Over the past two decades, several investigators have reported differences in the brain and behavior of musicians compared to nonmusicians. Music training has been found to be related to better language and mathematical skills, higher IQ and overall greater academic achievement. Also, differences between musicians and nonmusicians have been found in areas of the brain related to hearing and movement, among others. Our findings suggest that music training during childhood, even for a period as brief as two years, can accelerate brain development and sound processing. We believe that this may benefit language acquisition in children given that developing language and reading skills engage similar brain areas. This can particularly benefit at-risk children in low socioeconomic status neighborhoods who experience more difficulties with language development.

http://www.theedadvocate.org/music-training-speeds-brain-development-children/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22047

Building an App Store for Learning Tools

By David Raths, Campus Technology

Rather than rely on a single LMS to manage all aspects of teaching and learning on its 17 campuses, the University of North Carolina system created an app store that gives faculty a chance to experiment with cutting-edge tech. Matthew Rascoff has a name for the enterprise learning management system: a “Swiss Army Knife of mediocrity.” As vice president of learning technology and innovation at the University of North Carolina General Administration, which oversees 17 university campuses with almost 225,000 students, Rascoff has observed that the most innovative faculty members at his institution use the LMS the least. Many professors working on experimental efforts hate the LMS and have sidestepped it, he noted.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/12/21/building-an-app-store-for-learning-tools.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22031

How to Solve 6 of the Biggest Classroom Problems with EdTech

By Matthew Lynch, The Tech Edvocate

Some of the biggest problems in education occur in the classroom and consequently, are issues that need to be sorted out by teachers. These issues broadly fall into two categories: student problems and parental problems. Did you know that EdTech can help to resolve many common in-classroom problems? No matter what type of problems you are facing in the classroom; EdTech can assist in the following ways.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-solve-6-of-the-biggest-classroom-problems-with-edtech/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22035

The 10 Skills Modern Teachers Must Have

By Amanda Ronan, Edudemic

There’s been a lot of talk recently about what it means to be a learner in the 21st Century. Earlier this year, we put together a guide with skills important for students today. So, why not a list for educators, too? The list goes beyond technology and social media. Check out what skill we think makes a modern teacher, and let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments below.

http://www.edudemic.com/the-10-skills-modern-teachers-must-have-2/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14716

Distance Education for People with Visual Impairments

by Maria Liakou and Evaggelia Manousou, Eurodl

This paper studies the standards of higher Distance Education, focusing on the Hellenic Open University, for people who have visual impairments, so that it becomes fully accessible and thus helps reduce social exclusion. Specifically, it aims to study the operational context of Distance Education, the possibilities that modern technology provides the educational needs of the visually impaired and the factors that prevent their full social integration.

http://www.eurodl.org/?p=archives&year=2015&halfyear=1&article=671

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14719

Top 10 Education Systems in the World

By Amanda Ronan, Edudemic

Every three years, the Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) conducts an international assessment of the educational programs provided in countries across the world. The test measures the skills and knowledge of 15-year olds in over 70 countries, regions, and economies, covering reading, math and science. In addition, education systems can also choose to test their students in creative problem-solving and/or financial literacy.

http://www.edudemic.com/learning-curve-report-education-2/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14714

Computers, coding focus of science center’s Hack Shack club

by Palm Beach Post

Welcome to the Hack Shack. It’s South Florida Science Center and Aquarium’s newest technology club for students in fifth to eighth grade (no hacking involved!) who want to explore computers and coding. Fox Lopez is one of them. “I really want to make my own apps and games for mobile devices and I thought the Hack Shack would be a good way to learn,” says the 11-year-old Delray Beach resident. “I also enjoy seeing what the other Hack Shackers are working on. I enjoy the interaction with other kids who like what I like.” Chris Pait with Spencer Brown, 10, of Wellington at the December session of Hack Shack. The club, which meets monthly, provides a relaxed and informal environment where kids can explore and experiment with different kinds of computer-based technology, says Chris Pait, the center’s technical programs coordinator.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/computers-coding-focus-of-science-centers-hack-sha/njWhH/

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Vocab Tech For Toddlers Encourages ‘Anytime, Anywhere Learning’

by Lynn Neary, National Public Radio

These days, a toddler is just as likely to meet Big Bird for the first time on a tablet or smartphone as on TV, says Michael Levine, executive director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. “Kids tend to consume across platforms and across settings,” Levine says. “They’re on the couch, they’re in the living room, they’re outside even, or they’re on the go. So these mobile media and these interactive platforms allow for anytime, anywhere learning.” Sesame Workshop is building on the popularity of characters like Big Bird as well as 45 years of educational research to create new digital products for young children. Testing is a key step in the development of these products.

http://www.wbur.org/npr/374033373/vocab-intensive-tech-for-toddlers-encourages-anytime-anywhere-learning

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The 12 Rules of Smart Edtech Procurement

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

Implementing technology in schools can yield great results. Often times, teachers have technology wish lists that include laptops, tablets, software, and apps. Many schools are trying to figure out what the best technology options are for their classrooms, but that isn’t always an easy decision. In a rush to implement, schools and districts can often make under-informed purchasing decisions. They pay too much, get too little, and discover that their purchases don’t work well together? How can schools avoid wasting money and ensure that all of their technology works well together? The handy infographic below takes a look at “smart buying” for classroom technology. Keep reading to learn more.

http://www.edudemic.com/edtech-procurement/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/iHVrCct0eIE/

Why Is Machine Learning (CS 229) The Most Popular Course At Stanford?

by Anthony Wing Kosner, Forbes

“The largest class on campus this fall at Stanford was a graduate level machine-learning course covering both statistical and biological approaches, taught by the computer scientist Andrew Ng. More than 760 students enrolled.” And several previous versions of the course are available online for free. The most recent is from Coursera (which Ng cofounded with Daphne Koller last year) but the 2008 course is on iTune U, YouTube and Stanford’s Engineering Everywhere. For robots to act autonomously and intelligently and for other forms of technology to function unobtrusively in the world, this kind of machine learning is essential. It is no wonder that Stanford students can’t get enough of it.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/12/29/why-is-machine-learning-cs-229-the-most-popular-course-at-stanford/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/6ci4Tmkcsfk/

Virtual, brick and mortar combination serves educational needs

By Kent Bush, Pratt Tribune

There aren’t many schools that have grown almost 1,000 percent in four years. But Andover’s eCademy has, and the unique program still has room to grow. The alternative education program that is comprised of both brick and mortar classes and virtual education provides better opportunities to children including home school students, students involved in highly-competitive sports programs like rodeo and gymnastics, those suffering from chronic illnesses, advanced students, victims of bullying and even students in rural districts who have less access to specialized classes.

http://www.pratttribune.com/article/20131228/NEWS/131229601/-1/news?rssfeed=true

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