Online Education Doesn’t Have to Be Isolating

By Sarah Carr, Slate

Bronx Arena is a “last chance” high school—one of a rapidly growing number of them that rely at least partially on online learning and aim to serve students who’ve been kicked out, dropped out, or simply checked out of traditional educational settings. Like these other new programs, Bronx Arena takes advantage of online curricula to help its students—many of them older than average and way behind on course credits—advance as fast as possible toward graduation. But unlike most of their peers, Bronx Arena’s leaders knew when they opened the school seven years ago that online courses alone would be insufficient to educate teenagers well—particularly the academically struggling students they serve.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/schooled/2017/05/bronx_arena_is_doing_online_credit_recovery_right.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=28380

Take These Students, Please

By Francesca Berardi, Slate

Schools across the country are pursuing an extreme form of online learning: It’s all their struggling students do. Virtual schools have existed for years, but alternative programs like Bridgescape, where students at risk of dropping out come to brick-and-mortar schools or centers to complete a mostly online curriculum, represent a newer phenomenon. Nationally, the major for-profit providers include Ombudsman, which runs more than 100 programs in 14 states, including three sites in Chicago; Catapult Academy (a division of the New Jersey–based Catapult Learning), which runs more than 20 alternative high school programs in Georgia and Florida; and AdvancePath, which runs 10 programs (located inside traditional schools) in five states. In Chicago, the main providers are Magic Johnson Bridgescape and Ombudsman, both for-profit, and Pathways, a nonprofit.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/schooled/2017/05/chicago_now_has_schools_where_online_learning_is_all_the_kids_do.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=28368

Where do teachers turn for tech help?

by Matthew Lynch, tech Edvocate

Being a teacher and being a technology expert are two very different professions, and although some teachers are also technology experts, many teachers are left in the dark with regards to technology. Where can teachers go for technology assistance in our very technology heavy 21st century? For some teachers, especially those who have more experience, and are inching towards retirement, advances in technology are happening too quickly for teachers to keep up with the changes.  The first place many teachers are looking for help regarding technology issues is the internet. Within the last 30 years, the internet has become the primary source of information sharing worldwide. According to a 2016 survey taken by the thejournal.com, 37% of teachers go directly online to look for help regarding the use of new technologies in the classroom. The second largest category where teachers seek help is not surprisingly peers at 23%.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/teachers-turn-technology-assistance/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=28356

Cutting class: trades training shifts online

by RUSSELL HIXSON, Journal of Commerce

Spending months away from work without income and away from one’s family can often discourage apprenticeship training and skills upgrading. This is why some training providers are experimenting with alternative programs that utilize technology to speed up learning and minimize time on campus. And with such a huge looming demand for skilled labour, the industry is looking to remove any barrier it can to train up the next generation. Victoria Pazukha, strategy and business development manager at SkillSource BC, spoke at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s annual conference this month in Vancouver about a new program with Thompson Rivers University (TRU). “We analyzed some of the needs readily showing themselves,” Pazukha said.

http://journalofcommerce.com/Labour/News/2016/6/Cutting-class-trades-training-shifts-online-1016536W/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16034

Why You Should Take Online Classes This Summer

By Rosie Foulger, ULoop

So, school’s out! Your finals are over, you’ve handed in that last assignment, and now summer stretches before you. Weeks and weeks of uninterrupted time. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be bored within a couple of those weeks. But I have a solution: online classes. Online classes over summer are a great (and often free) opportunity to explore your major. They give you the opportunity to discover new things within your field, and will give you some context for choosing classes next year. There are a huge number of classes on sites like Coursera and Future Learn (and even Uloop!) which will help you to find your area of specialism within your major, or to get some background knowledge from the beginning. Did you find something particularly difficult this semester? You can take an online class to solidify your understanding and practice key skills and concepts. All from the comfort of your own home.

http://www.uloop.com/news/view.php/203864/Why-You-Should-Take-Online-Classes-This-Summer

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16031

MIT Media Lab Introduces Blockchain Technology for Credentials

by EdSurge

Still think blockchain is a mythical beast? The technology just got a big endorsement from MIT’s Media Lab, which introduced a project for issuing official credentials on blockchain. MIT is working with Learning Machine, a Boston-based enterprise software company that offers solutions for enrollment management and portfolio review in addition to blockchain credentials, to build an ecosystem for issuing, displaying and verifying blockchain-based educational credentials. “Our goal is to help create an entirely new environment where individuals are the custodians of their official records and can easily share those records with others,” Learning Machine CEO Chris Jagers writes in a blog post.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-06-07-mit-media-lab-introduces-blockchain-technology-for-credentials

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16027

Florida districts monitor early warning indicators

by eSchool News

Performance Matters solution aims to help administrators identify struggling students. In Florida, all schools that include grades 6, 7 or 8 are now required to implement an early warning system to identify students who need additional support to improve academic performance and stay engaged in school. The early warning system must include the following indicators: attendance below 90 percent, suspensions, and course failure or a Level 1 score on state tests in English language arts or mathematics. When a student exhibits two or more of these early warning indicators, a school-based team must convene to determine appropriate intervention strategies.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/06/04/early-warning-indicators-652/

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How to survive an ed-tech crisis

by Dennis Pierce, eSchool News

When North Carolina’s Guilford County Schools had a tablet charger melt inside a student’s home in October 2013, it could have marked the end of the district’s $16 million effort to give every middle school student a digital device. Instead, district leaders reacted quickly and decisively, suspending the program until they could ensure the safety of every child. They also negotiated for higher-quality devices and other concessions from their tablet supplier, and they kept the community informed at every turn. With these improvements in hand, Guilford County relaunched the program last fall, which is part of an overall $35 million effort to personalize instruction—and so far there have been no major problems.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/06/04/ed-tech-crisis-485/

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Is your institution under Chinese cyberattack?

By Andrew Barbour, eCampus News

A recent cyberattack at Penn State by Chinese hackers may be part of a much broader attempt to steal intellectual property at universities nationwide. In May, the College of Engineering at Penn State shut down its network for several days in response to a cyberattack, making it the latest in a long line of higher education institutions to suffer network breaches in recent years. But this particular attack may not be over. In fact, the Penn State incident is likely just the tip of an ongoing espionage effort to infiltrate similar schools nationwide, according to Ken Westin, senior security analyst at Tripwire, an Oregon-based cybersecurity company.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/technologies/cyberattack-education-penn-176/

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New Research from SRI International Offers Insights into Blended Learning Models

by SRI International

Blended learning models— the combination of teacher-led and online instruction— may improve education by enhancing personalized learning in schools and freeing teachers to focus on helping all students develop higher-level learning skills. However, successful implementation of these models requires adequate infrastructure, reliable technology, quality software content, and changes in classroom management practices, according to new research by SRI International. “The explosion of digital content and resources available for teachers and schools is driving changes in practice, and there’s no question that more online resources are going to be used in K-12 classrooms,” said Robert Murphy, Ph.D., director of evaluation research for the Center for Technology in Learning, SRI Education. “But our findings make clear there are foundational issues to be addressed for blended learning to be successful in improving teaching and learning.”

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1958934

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/6Y007HG2U00/

The NEA Foundation Launches New Online Courses to Support Educators

by the NEA Foundation

To equip educators with the impactful tools they need to lead and transform their profession and public education, the NEA Foundation has created and is sharing a set of open-sourced online courses. The courses were created to provide union and district leaders, and the education sector, with skills and knowledge to support and inspire effective labor-management collaboration necessary for systems change. “The evidence is clear. Effective education policy and practice can more likely be achieved if the wisdom, experience and expertise of educators at the frontlines of practice is systematically brought to the table,” said Harriet Sanford, President and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “For teachers and unions to be a part of the key decisions that will shape the future of the teaching profession, they must have knowledge and capacity on issues of teaching and learning. These courses are designed to help build both their knowledge and leadership skills.”

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1961198

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/obiiVym5h20/

14 Google Glass Innovative Uses In Education

by Vala Afshar, Huffington Post

Google Glass is finding its way into almost every industry, with applications in healthcare, construction, gaming, tourism, and law enforcement. Gartner believes that smartglasses will save the field service industry $1 billion per year. One domain that is especially ripe for Google Glass innovation is education. I spoke with Brian A. Rellinger, CIO Ohio Wesleyan University about the ways Glass can be used on campus. The OWU Information Services Department purchased Google Glass in March, 2014 and started brainstorming about ways to use it with a cross section of campus groups. Since Glass is a new technology, the ideas continue to multiply as individuals gain hands-on experience. Even so, the faculty, staff, and students at OWU came up with a diverse list of initial ideas.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vala-afshar/14-google-glass-innovativ_b_5410893.html

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