eSchool Media’s Annual Trends Report: 25 Trends for 2018

 

by eSchool Media

In this straight-forward report, eSchool Media discusses what to expect, overall, in 2018; how 2017 compares to 2018 for both K-12 and higher ed; and predictions from educators and industry on both K-12 and higher ed trends for the new year. 2018 promises to be a year that epitomizes the term “transformational.” Are you ready? It’s going to be a wild, wonderful ride.

https://www.eschoolnews.com/files/2017/12/eSMtrends2018final1.pdf

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35439

Students should be taught to be digital leaders instead of digital citizens

by Matthew Lynch, tech edvocate

Digital leaders do more than consume information. They synthesize learning and use it in collaborative environments. Digital leaders are dynamic change agents who transform the status quo, facilitate better communication and understanding, and integrate a variety of technology tools in their lives. Also, digital leaders improve technology experiences not just for themselves, but for others as well. They look out for the greater good.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/students-taught-digital-leaders-instead-digital-citizens/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35429

In Pennsylvania, OER is a ‘grassroots effort’

by EdScoop

For edtech directors such as Jared Mader, who is part of the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units, that means working with teachers, curriculum coordinators and content experts to help them make the most of their districts’ one-to-one programs — in particular, using the devices to access openly licensed digital materials. Mader oversees the education technology initiatives for one of Pennsylvania’s 29 intermediate units, which are regional educational service agencies established by the state legislature that provide online, innovative and technology-rich learning services. Mader’s intermediate unit serves over 100,000 students in 25 school districts, nearly all of which have deployed some variation of a one-to-one program.

http://edscoop.com/tv-radio/in-pennsylvania-oer-is-a-grassroots-effort-jared-mader

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35419

Students and teachers reveal how learning technologies impact their classroom environment

by eSchool News

Student-teacher interaction is one of the most important things when creating a positive and effective classroom environment–in fact, it ranked higher than educational technology use, according to both teachers and students in a new survey. The survey from online learning service provider Quizlet seeks to outline how teachers and students, including Generation Z students (those born in 2001 or later), feel about technology in their classrooms. Eighty-seven percent of surveyed teachers said interaction with students is an important part of their teaching environment.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/12/15/gen-z-educational-technology/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22179

2016: The Awesome, the Painful, and the Viral

By Vicki Davis, Edutopia

The past year saw ideas both good and bad spreading ever faster. How can we make our best teaching ideas go viral? But at a minimum, every teacher should care about classroom best practices. Those should be like gold. If I find something bottle-flippingly awesome in my classroom, shouldn’t I share it with my networks? Shouldn’t it go viral just as fast and far as Chewbacca mom? To be fair, lesson plans are being shared in some places. There are bubbling communities of educators at Teachers Pay Teachers and on many OER websites, where people are excitedly sharing and iterating on great educational resources. Amazon even entered the space earlier this year. Although many rush to condemn these efforts, and mainstream education media generally ignores them, I predict that one day education best practices will go viral. Things stay the same faster than ever. With a few exceptions (noted above), we’re seeing more irrelevant materials, faster.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/2016-awesome-painful-viral-vicki-davis

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22167

THE WORLD CAUGHT IN NET, ENABLED FOR LEARNING!

by Sanjay Kaul, Pioneer Press

It’s only a matter of a few years when on-line education becomes the most sought-after mode in the world. Age will no longer be a barrier and everyone will be able to join the learning curve from wherever they want. Today out of every five people living on the planet, two have access to the internet and what’s even more amazing is that nearly all of them have a smartphone. Pushed by the likes of edX, Khan Academy, Coursera, Udacity, Udemy et al, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) has emerged as a popular genre, growing into a full-fledged “for- profit” and “not-for-profit” industry. Two main formats are now available, one based on the connectivist approach known as cMOOC, where content could be repacked as per need and requirements. The other goes by the name of MOOCx, an extension of traditional and blended thinking with a clearly specified syllabus driven by recorded lectures and films through expert providers.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/oped/the-world-caught-in-net-enabled-for-learning.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22159

How to write an education tweet that adds value and gets noticed

by Thomas C Murray, eSchool News

It should be noted that what may be a great tweet for one person, may be completely irrelevant for another. Great tweets are relevant, usable, and/or thought-provoking for the viewer, thus it’s imperative for educators to connect with others with similar passions and interests. It’s important to point out, however, that it’s easy for an echo chamber to develop if one simply connects with like-minded individuals; therefore educators are encouraged to connect with a diverse audience to push their thinking and maximize effectiveness. If we are going to be better for our kids tomorrow, we need to find ways to become better today.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/01/05/what-makes-a-great-education-tweet/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14747

7 ways data collection is improving STEM education

BY LARRY PLANK, eSchool News

One district is getting students more active and analytical with data-collection tools, like probeware. Today’s students, being technology natives, expect the same kinds of engagement in the classroom as they seek out online. STEM classes in particular have a natural potential to be both tech-rich and inquiry-based, especially hands-on lab activities. The recent addition of probeware—sensory-based handheld devices for measuring things like water quality, light, and temperature—has allowed us to bring students out into nature and introduce them to the world of data collection and analysis. Here are 7 ways technology is enhancing and expanding STEM education in our school district.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/01/04/7-ways-data-collection-is-improving-stem-education/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14744

Plan for digital conversion prompts district to examine Wi-Fi availability

by eSchool News

Because of the need to make sure every student has 24-hour internet access, buses may play a significant role in Decatur City Schools’ (Ala.) plan to change how it delivers education. DCS technology director Kathy Rains said two schools will continue this month to pilot a program that turns buses into moving Wi-Fi hubs. “We’re having to be creative in our approach to make sure all our students can access the internet,” she said.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/01/05/alabama-district-puts-wi-fi-on-buses/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14741

Outsourced Online Learning Trial Period

By Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

Like most colleges, online institutions are under pressure to improve their graduation rates. Some are getting more selective about which students they admit, turning away those who appear less likely to complete. But rather than just shutting its virtual doors to applicants, Western Governors University has begun referring underprepared students to StraighterLine, an unaccredited online course provider that does not offer degrees. “We can hand those students off,” said Daren Upham, vice president for enrollment at Western Governors, “to help them gain those skills at a much lower cost than we can provide.”

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/06/western-governors-deepening-partnership-straighterline-creates-new-path-completion

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/w_eX_v_WTt4/

Free, Online Courses Through Siouxland Libraries

by Sammi Bjelland, KELOland

If you’re looking for something to do indoors on this cold, snowy night, there’s a new online education program offered through Siouxland Libraries. The online courses are now available to anyone with a library card, and it could help you further your career. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the occasional inclement weather, it can be hard to try new things. But a new program through the Siouxland Libraries website is designed to make that easier. It’s called Gale Courses. This online program allows you to sign up for classes, taught by credible teachers, for free. “Libraries are really about education. And this is one way that we can share the role that we play in education,” Mary Johns, Director of Siouxland Libraries, said.

http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/free-online-courses-through-siouxland-libraries/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/ZeD7XgJKWC4/

Claim Welsh government’s online learning tool ‘barely used’

By Carl Roberts, BBC

The Hwb+ project has cost around £4.5m since it was set up in 2012. One teaching union has questioned the government’s decision to spend millions of pounds on it rather than investing in training for teachers. But the Welsh government said the project is “hugely popular with teachers and pupils”. Hwb+ allows pupils and teachers in Wales greater access to online resources and allows them to access and share information. Pupils can access videos and tutorials on the site via a personal Hwb+ account – 529,481 have so far been set up.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-30689069

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/mvWC733cIUk/

What Should My Child Learn While Growing Up in A World of Disruptive Technology?

By Ali Hangan, OP Ed News

2013 has been a banner year for technology from: Amazon’s cyber Monday drone debut on 60 minutes to IBM’s Watson on Jeopardy to the ubiquitous twitter-sphere there is a new cultural mojo of rapid, technological change entering into the American mainstream. In the age of constant technological change, knowing the general principles of robotics systems, innovative technologies and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) will become a fundamental part of every student’s educational experience. Here are three free online resources that can help students acquire these basic principles and skills on their own time.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/What-Should-My-Child-Learn-by-Ali-Hangan-Education-Laws_Higher-Education_Online-Education_Technology-140102-634.html?show=votes

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/fdLrwcG4PSE/

7 EdTech Assumptions

By Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

We seem to understand how to judge quality in higher ed. We appear to know exactly why costs are high (or not high), why faculty have too much (or too little) power, and why too many (or too few) PhDs remain underemployed. We know what makes a great course (online, residential, or blended), and how we should (or should not) measure learning. We know exactly what our institutions should do differently, if only everyone would figure out that we have this knowledge and follow our directions. My hypothesis is that our confidence in our own opinions rests on an underlying set of assumptions. These assumptions are mostly implicit and unexamined. These assumptions are so ingrained and pervasive that we don’t even recognize them as such.

http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/7-edtech-assumptions

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

College classes without leaving your home

by the Sierra Star

The Oakhurst College Center is offering more than over 60 general education classes with classes starting Monday, Jan. 13, and 30% of the Oakhurst classes are offered online, and require no in-class meetings. Some of the online classes requiring no in-class meetings include Operations of a Small Business, Economics (Micro and Macro), Health, and Information Systems. These classes can be taken from the comfort of your home and give you a head start on your college career. All of the online classes are transferable to California State universities. The cost is $46 per unit plus an $11 health fee.

http://www.sierrastar.com/2014/01/02/65926/college-classes-without-leaving.html

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