Gen Z women want to learn more STEM, innovative tech

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eSchool News

Female students say they feel less equipped to tackle future careers because they haven’t necessarily learned about the new technologies shaping those future career fields, according to a new survey. The Quizlet survey polled more than 1,000 Americans between the ages of 13 and 24 to ask them about their familiarity with the future of work and how they are learning about it in school. The good news is that 95 percent of students know about the future of work and why it is important and relevant to their learning. But the survey also reveals some troubling differences between what male and female students know and wish they could learn.

Gen Z women want to learn more STEM, innovative tech

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35519

5 tips to take your large school district into the digital age

by KEVIN M. MAXWELL, eSchool News

Technology changes quickly, with educators and administrators often racing to catch up. Sometimes the bigger the school district, the longer it can take to make what happens inside classrooms as engaging as what students encounter outside our doors. But just as chalkboards have given way to interactive whiteboards, so can your school system bring all aspects of teaching and learning into the digital age. Here are five ways to get started in creating digital learning environments:

5 tips to take your large school district into the digital age

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35509

OpenStax grows in popularity, but overall awareness of OER remains low

By Corinne Lestch, EdScoop
Higher ed faculty are increasingly turning to OpenStax for low-cost, openly licensed printed and digital materials for their students.  The rate of college faculty using and assigning open educational resources (OER) through OpenStax currently rivals that of most commercial textbooks, according to a new report on the advantages and pitfalls of OER in higher education. The rate of adoption of textbooks from OpenStax — a nonprofit OER publisher based out of Rice University — among faculty teaching large-enrollment courses is now at nearly 17 percent, according to the report, “Opening the Textbook: Educational Resources in Higher Education 2017.”

http://edscoop.com/openstax-grows-in-popularity-but-overall-awareness-of-oer-remains-low

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=35499

Coweta schools’ definition of bullying

By THE NEWNAN TIMES-HERALD

…. Bullying shall also include acts which occur on school property, on school vehicles, at designated school bus stops, or at school-related functions or activities or by use of data or software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, computer network, or other electronic technology of the district. The term also applies to acts of cyberbullying which occur through the use of electronic communication, whether or not such electronic act originated on school property or with school equipment, if the electronic communication (a) is directed specifically at students or school personnel, (b) is maliciously intended for the purpose of threatening the safety of those specified or substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school, and (c) creates a reasonable fear of harm to the students’ or school personnel’s person or property or has a high likelihood of succeeding in that purpose. Electronic communication includes, but is not limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writings, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo optical system.

http://times-herald.com/news/2017/01/coweta-schools-definition-of-bullying

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22231

Social Studies Should Teach Students for Tomorrow, Not the Past

By Craig Perrier, EdSurge

The most compelling way to teach for tomorrow is for teachers to avoid replicating their classroom experiences, and rather use practices that address global citizenship: a combination of knowledge, skills, and dispositions, all of which put the focus on students’ futures. Teaching for tomorrow is about providing the instructional structures, resources, assessments and technology to make global connections so students can explore topics for themselves to construct their own knowledge and form informed opinions and views.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-01-01-social-studies-should-teach-students-for-tomorrow-not-the-past

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22219

On Campus or Online

by Jennifer Rachel Baumer, Nevada Business

Online, on campus or a hybrid of the two, what these business programs share is the students are finished with school and working as leaders in their industries and in their particular business functions, said McCartin. That means, as well as sharing common goals, they can share knowledge from all the different industries they represent. The UNLV program is all on campus, with students attending every other Friday and Saturday for 18 months. “We believe strongly in the on-campus learning experience because so much of the learning that occurs is between the students,” said McCartin. “There’s 25 students to a cohort and they’re from all different industries and functions of business, so when you start talking about a particular subject, everybody is bringing their own real world experience into the classroom. They learn as much from each other as they do from the faculty.”

http://www.nevadabusiness.com/2017/01/36672/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=22207

Study explores the power of MOOCs in blended learning

By Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

A review of five case studies that examined the use of MOOCs in blended courses identifies a host of challenges and opportunities faculty and MOOC developers should consider for the burgeoning format. According to eCampus News, the meta study found MOOCs to have “substantial promise” as learning resources for traditional classrooms and as a way to give students exposure to more diverse teaching methods. Challenges include a lack of cohesion if MOOCs are not fully integrated into blended course designs, intellectual property rights issues if MOOCs are restricted by their creators, and lower student satisfaction in online portions of courses because of less interaction with faculty.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/study-explores-the-power-of-moocs-in-blended-learning/411696/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14763

AT&T business chief sees Internet of Things as next Industrial Revolution

By Rachel King, ZD Net

Certainly, there are select trends dominating conversations at the annual International CES. But most of them, from self-driving cars to smart cities, aren’t possible without the Internet of Things. And the Internet of Things isn’t possible without robust, global networking infrastructures, either. Ralph De la Vega: What we’re seeing is a remarkable transformation in business enabled by the innovation provided through smartphones, high-speed mobile broadband and the cloud. The software advances, just like the ones you saw at our hackathon here — it’s amazing what can be done with software today if you have mobile devices, mobile broadband and the cloud.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/ces-2016-at-t-mobile-chief-sees-internet-of-things-as-next-industrial-revolution/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14761

Online learning activity in public schools and districts

BY John Watson, Keeping Pace with K-12

Based on observation and information from many sources, we believe that most districts are using some form of digital learning, which may range all the way from full-time online programs, to supplemental online courses, online courses that include some degree of face-to-face instruction, digital learning enhancements to classroom instruction, and skills software used in math, English Language Arts (ELA), and other classes. With the development of online courses to supplement student learning in the late 1990’s, national and state-level suppliers—vendors, state virtual schools, regional service agencies, and others—began providing schools and districts with online courses and technology. Schools had long been using media resources and technology in the classroom, but online learning emerged as a solution to meet specific school challenges and student needs, including providing:

http://www.kpk12.com/blog/2016/01/online-learning-activity-in-public-schools-and-districts/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14759

The Globalized Classroom: 18 Key Resources for 2015

By Edudemic

All humans are citizens of the world, and teaching that fact to children in school can make them more sensitive to global issues and inspire them to look outside their own walls. A globalized classroom helps students to see the local significance of international events. How can you help your pupils adopt such a broad point of view? The following resources will inspire you to plan lessons that foster global awareness.

http://www.edudemic.com/globalized-classroom-2015/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/Ky-YDi9MFbg/

16 of the Best Blended Learning Resources

By Edudemic

In February 2014, Edreform.com published a paper on digital and blended learning that points out over “68 percent of parents support digital learning” and “digital learning has tri-partisan support, with 61 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Independents, and 67 percent of Democrats in favor.” Such strong support may make blended learning the future standard for education. How can you make blended learning a success in your school or classroom? The following resources explore the topic from various angles.

http://www.edudemic.com/16-of-the-best-blended-learning-resources/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/oTmVF9tMYK8/

Schools use cold day to try out ‘e-learning’

By Naomi Pescovitz, WTHR

Many school districts canceled classes Wednesday so students wouldn’t have to stand at bus stops in the extreme cold, but several districts decided not to call a snow day – they had e-learning days instead. Students got lessons and did their course work on their computers at home instead of going to school – 30 minutes online for each course. “I was a little stressed,” said Jacquie Chitty, a senior at Frontier Junior Senior High School in Chalmers. “I didn’t think the teachers were going to give us that much on the second day back from school.” Last year, Jacquie’s district had to make up more than 10 snow days by extending time in school. This year, each student rented a slim laptop to do the work from home, and principal Jeff Hettinger said “attendance” is required.

http://www.wthr.com/story/27785328/schools-use-cold-day-to-try-out-e-learning

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/aI5VbRFu3_4/

Who Takes UPenn MOOCs? For online higher education, the devil is in the data

By BRANDON ALCORN, GAYLE CHRISTENSEN, AND EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL, Forbes

Surveying people who have enrolled in a MOOC offered by the university and completed at least one full lecture, we collected nearly 35,000 responses from students hailing from around the world. From the survey results, a clear portrait emerges: MOOCs, at least thus far, are serving the world’s haves more than its have-nots. A disproportionate number of MOOC students are already well-educated. Globally, they’re predominately male and currently employed; in this country, they’re also older than you might expect. Far more enrollees view them as a diversion than they do as a means to a college degree or a new job.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116013/mooc-student-survey-who-enrolls-online-education

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/oKkYNc3JpAc/

100+ Influential Learning Professionals Worth Following

by Jeff Dunn, Edudemic

There is a lot happening in the world of education right now. 2014 is going to be a busy year with even more changes happening, to be sure. From seeing if MOOCs continue to grow or start to crumble all the way to how the Common Core State Standards take hold in US classrooms, there is a lot to watch. The below list of influential learning professionals comes via the hard work of Zaid Ali Alsagoff who diligently assembled this list of (at last check) nearly 150 influential learning pros who know a thing or two about the future of education and e-learning.

http://www.edudemic.com/100-influential-learning-professionals-worth-following/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/iwjxb7ibEZ8/

BYOD, Customized Learning and Virtual Academics: K-12 Trends for 2014 — Part II

by Matthew Lynch, Huffington Post

BYOD: This movement which embraces mobile technology through the devices that students already own has already gained momentum in many districts across the country, but expect it to move rapidly towards mass adoption within this calendar year. Places like Chesapeake Public Schools are already allowed to use privately owned electronic devices to access the wireless network on the school system’s filtered Internet. In Chesapeake, as in the other public and private schools where BYOD policies exist, students must sign a responsibility form that says they will only use the mobile device for academic enrichment while on school property.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-lynch-edd/byod-customized-learning_b_4536140.html

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