Code.org Releases Free CS Course for Grades 7-9

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

As promised in March, Code.org, which runs Hour to Code, has released new curriculum for grades 7 to 9, along with teacher guidance. “CS Discoveries,” as it’s called, fits between the organization’s existing courses, “CS Fundamentals” (for lower grades) and “CS Principles” (for high school). Students need no experience with computer science or programming; but if they have it, the developers asserted, with the new lessons they’ll be able to review “familiar topics in novel and more challenging contexts.” Each of the six units that make up the curriculum includes lesson plans and “code studio.” The latter are videos and hands-on activities that guide the students through creation of programs. For example, for one early lesson students use visual programming tool Blockly to direct Elsa and Anna from Frozen in creating ice patterns. The video is introduced by Lyndsey, an actor, fashion model and programmer who writes her own apps. After a few test runs, Paola, a developer with Microsoft, steps in to explain looping.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/13/code.org-releases-free-cs-course-for-grades-79.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=29657

Evaluating the Success of Your Ed Tech Program

by Jeff Mao, THE Journal

Despite the limitations of the technology back then, I learned a lot from my time at Brewster Academy. One of the things that we did well, that I still recommend to schools today, is to be targeted and intentional about how you use the technology. At Brewster, we measured success one skill at a time and one student at a time. A decade later, I joined the team at the Maine Department of Education that led the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) — a much larger initiative. Whereas Brewster’s total student body was fewer than 350 students, MLTI served about 35,000 students in more than 230 schools.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/07/12/evaluating-the-success-of-your-ed-tech-program.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=29647

President Trump’s support for apprenticeships puts them back into the spotlight

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

In order for the apprenticeship models to work, governors that went abroad saw the importance of private businesses and education leaders actively working together to create the internship spots for students, in addition to working with states to lower regulations on students being able to work. “I think that education leaders are leaders in their communities. I’m not going to be able to tell someone from Yankton what businesses he should be considering doing apprenticeships with; I should be asking him what businesses he thinks would be a good opportunity for apprenticeships,” said Weber. He explains that superintendents ought to know the types of programs that will lead to more success for their students.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/president-trumps-support-for-apprenticeships-puts-them-back-into-the-spotl/446856/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=29637

Welcome to the harsh new IT reality: You are the battlespace

By David Gewirtz, ZDNet Government

If you haven’t already been attacked, you will be. You will be a purposely-selected target of enemy attackers. Welcome to the 21st century. You are the battlespace. Back in World War II, Allied bombers flew mission after mission to destroy the Nazi ability to make war. The bombers attacked munitions factories, aircraft factories, communications junctions, fuel supplies — just about anything that could provide infrastructure and war materiel. The Allies also bombed bridges, including civilian ones, in order to hobble the enemy’s ability to move resources and weaponry. In other words, enterprises in Nazi Germany were just as much fair game as military bases. In cyberwar, everyone is fair game. Let’s take a quick moment to answer Steve’s question about whether cyberwar is too narrow a topic when the sphere of battle now encompasses multiple battlegrounds.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/welcome-to-the-harsh-new-it-reality-you-are-the-battlespace/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16352

Microsoft’s new online certification program kicks off with data science specialization

By Mary Jo Foley, ZDNet

Microsoft is launching the pilot of an online certification program, called the “Microsoft Professional Degree”, with a data-science-focused competency. The new degree program is in beta/pilot at this point, said officials on July 13. The first certifications, which Microsoft will award this September, will be in the data science area. According to a website for the program, Microsoft consulted data scientists and companies employing them to figure out what the core skills required are in that field. Microsoft then developed a curriculum to teach the skills via online courses and hands-on labs. Graduates will receive a Microsoft Professional Degree in data science.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-new-online-certification-program-kicks-off-with-data-science-specialization/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16349

Big Data, Coding, Security: 8 Sites That Offer Free Online Courses

by Kelly Sheridan, IT Life

A growing number of online learning platforms have begun to offer free courses in tech topics like programming, web development, enterprise security, data analysis, and machine learning. IT pros can use these resources to build on their current skills or develop new ones. Here, we spotlight eight platforms where you can find free online tech classes and suggest some courses in each site. Have you used any of these platforms? Would you consider it? Feel free to add your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

http://www.informationweek.com/it-life/big-data-coding-security-8-sites-that-offer-free-online-courses/d/d-id/1326254

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16347

Making use of alternative credentials

by Sybil Pressprich, the State Journal

Credentials are as important as ever in applying for a job, but nowadays there are more kinds to choose from. Along with job experience and traditional education, today’s job-seekers have alternative methods of showing that they’ve mastered a skill. For example, they can earn a digital badge, enroll in a massive open online course or complete a certificate program. Do employers take these new-style credentials seriously? It may depend on how you present them in your application materials and interview. Given the right approach, they can help convince an employer that you’re the right person for the job. Here’s how three types of alternative credentials can be useful to a job-seeker:

http://host.madison.com/business/career-corner-making-use-of-alternative-credentials/article_e3237020-ca26-5026-bdd8-12d2ab4b51cd.html

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Find Success With Online Learning for the Trades Premium Content

by Kristin Kim Haynes, ATD

As our economy, technical capabilities, and job demands continue to grow, it may not be long before the majority of our work is done remotely. Technology, paired with the savvy and know-how of most individuals in today’s workforce, has come to a place where we are using online communications to boost our productivity. In light of these developments, online training and education have become charged for success for an increasing segment of the workforce. While remote training programs offer convenience, they also can pose unique challenges that individuals do not encounter with a traditional classroom setting, such as household distractions, scheduling, and hands-on experience. These challenges, of course, affect both employers and employees. Fortunately these hurdles can be combated successfully if all parties—students, instructors, educational institutions, and employers—work together to construct a strong program and support system.

https://www.td.org/Publications/Magazines/TD/TD-Archive/2015/07/Find-Success-with-Online-Learning-for-the-Trades

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Students fight back against widespread cheating in their ranks

by Glenn Mulcaster, Sydney Morning Herald

The project surveyed students at Macquarie and three other universities about cheating in higher education. Of the students surveyed at Macquarie, 55 per cent said academic integrity was a serious problem and many agreed to join a student-led group to help renew trust in the system. Arts student Gillian Downie, who is completing a master of arts degree as a distance learning student, joined the group. She said one initiative the ambassadors promoted was an online learning module, Academic Integrity for Students, a resource that complements the StudyWISE student support module that helps first-year and returning students plan study habits. The modules are not compulsory. Miss Downie said the AIM group was yet to find a sense of identity because it had only been operating for a short time. “They are constantly trying to be proactive to help the students do the right thing,” she said.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/students-fight-back-against-widespread-cheating-in-their-ranks-20150712-gi7qia

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What Do Teachers Think About EdTech?

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

We know there are a lot of teachers out there using technology in their classrooms. We also know there are a lot of teachers who aren’t – whether they can’t due to financial constraints or just flat out don’t want to (or some combination thereof). The handy infographic linked below draws on information from the Pew Internet and American Life survey and addresses teacher’s attitudes on technology in the classroom.

http://www.edudemic.com/tech-attitudes-infographic/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/Bo1m4my3U98/

Unbundling And Re-bundling In Higher Education

by Michael Horn, Forbes

With the explosion of online learning, a disruptive innovation, there has been significant attention paid to the likely unbundling of higher education (see Michael Staton’s AEI piece and this University Ventures Fund piece, for example). We’ve written about unbundling ourselves. In every industry, the early successful products and services often have an interdependent architecture—meaning that they tend to be proprietary and bundled. The reason for this is that when a technology is immature, in order to make the products reliable or powerful enough so that they will gain traction, an entity has to wrap its hands around the whole system architecture so that it can wring out every ounce of performance.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2014/07/10/unbundling-and-re-bundling-in-higher-education/

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3 Ways to Prepare Teachers for a Digital Transition

By Tanya Roscorla, Center for Digital Education

Roughly half of teachers lack professional development for the technology that’s coming into their schools, according to the latest Speak Up survey data from Project Tomorrow. And that’s unacceptable, said Joseph South, deputy director of the Office of Education Technology at the U.S. Education Department. In a Congressional briefing on Monday, June 2, South said we can’t move forward with a digital transition if our teachers aren’t prepared. “We need our teachers and our leaders to have the right sort of support so that they can be effective,” South said. In a North Carolina focus group, about 20 science and math teachers debated how to prepare teachers best for the digital transition so that schools can move forward. That’s an age old question, but CEO Julie Evans of Project Tomorrow has at least three ideas to prepare teachers.

http://www.centerdigitaled.com/news/3-Ways-to-Prepare-Teachers-for-a-Digital-Transition.html

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