Tim Cook Reveals Apple’s 10-Year Plan For Future Tech

by eSchool News

Apple recently held their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and made a slew of announcements about some of the updates and new products that we can expect in the next year. The company seems to be ratcheting up their focus in the field of AR/VR. A new augmented reality platform, virtual reality development tools, the HomePod speaker, and improvements to iOS 11 on the iPad may not feel revolutionary or even particularly useful right now, but they are the building blocks for the technologies Apple is betting will power our future. Let’s break it down:

https://futurism.com/tim-cook-reveals-apples-10-year-plan-for-future-tech/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=28886

IBM’s Newest Program Uses AI to Solve the Biggest Problems Facing Humanity Today

by Futurism

IBM announced its Science for Social Good initiative and the 12 projects that will comprise it for 2017. The program uses big data, deep learning, and AI to solve complex social problems. On June 6, IBM launched Science for Social Good, a new program designed to take on some of the world’s weightiest problems using technology and data. The team of researchers, nonprofits, and postdoctoral fellows will be working on 12 projects for the remainder of 2017 alone, each aligning with at least one of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. These goals describe the most significant threats and inequalities that exist in the world today and sets them forth as problems to be solved by 2030.

https://futurism.com/ibms-newest-program-uses-ai-to-solve-the-biggest-problems-facing-humanity-today/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=28874

Tech is Improving Learning Opportunities for Students with Special Needs

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvisor

The number of students with special needs is on the rise across the United States, making it increasingly difficult for educators to teach effectively to their entire student body. Did you know that only 62.7% of students with special needs in the US graduate high school? Advances in technology are making it possible for teachers to best assist students with special needs and or limited language skills, to learn alongside the average student. Through the use of computer programs and games and other devices, students with special needs can participate in the same activity as their peers or a slightly altered program based on their specific needs and skill set.

http://www.wthr.com/article/technology-helps-students-with-learning-disabilities-excel-in-the-college-classroom

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=28862

Bay Area Organizations Help Refugees Access Free, Online Educations

by CBS San Francisco

Bay Area organizationsare helping refugees access free, online educational courses through Coursera via Stanford University, the University of California, and other major universities around the world. In an effort to increase access to education for refugees and non-profit organizations that serve refugee populations, Mountain View-based, Coursera.org launched the Coursera for Refugees program on Monday, in honor of World Refugee Day. Globally, a record 65.3 million people were displaced from their homes by persecution and conflict in 2015, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Coursera, a for-profit, venture capital-backed provider of onlinecourses, is now offering thousands of courses to refugees, as well as specialized courses such as English for Business and Entrepreneurship via the University of Pennsylvania, Career Success via the University of California, Irvine and Python for Everybody via the University of Michigan.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/06/21/bay-area-organizations-help-refugees-access-free-online-educations/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16157

No more classroom, no more books: Hazelwood Elementary takes wireless learning outdoors

By Jeremy Eaton, CBC News

Hazelwood Elementary will move some of its classes outside in September thanks to new technology recently installed at the St. John’s school. On Monday morning, teachers and students at Hazelwood launched their wireless outdoor classroom. “It’s a very special day,” said principal Dale Lambe. “One of our teachers had the idea that, not only could we construct an outdoor classroom but make it more accessible for all and make it more appealing for learners in the 21st century.” Most of the total cost of about $18,000 came from government funding and construction took about a week. Using wireless Internet and tablets, students will be able to use apps to study nature and the school’s outdoor surroundings.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/hazelwood-elementary-wireless-outdoor-classroom-1.3643324

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16154

Study: In-school support crucial for Montana online classes

By MATT HOFFMAN, Billings Gazette

This year, Montana Digital Academy took steps to add more on-the-ground support for students in the online program’s credit recovery courses. Now, a report from a Portland, Ore.-based education research group backs that decision up. Education Northwest found that schools with higher passing rates offered more in-school structure and support for students in credit recovery. Data from the 2013-2014 school year shows passing rates varied wildly from school to school, although many schools had very small samples.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/education/study-in-school-support-crucial-for-montana-online-classes/article_3d7c080e-b2d5-5d9c-be90-a7e3813af9b2.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=16151

Illinois Lawmakers OK Pilot Program To Replace Snow Days With Online Classes

by CBS Chicago

Snow days could become a thing of the past for Illinois students, under legislation passed by the Illinois General Assembly. The idea is to turn snow days – or days off school due to extreme cold, or heavy snow – into so-called “e-learning days.” Lawmakers have approved a three-year pilot plan to allow at least three school districts to provide online instruction on emergency days, which would not have to be made up later in the year. The Illinois House and Illinois Senate passed the measure last month, but have yet to send it to the governor.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/06/17/lawmakers-ok-pilot-program-to-replace-snow-days-with-online-classes/

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Clear Objectives and Ease of Use Key to Successful Online Courses

By Leila Meyer. Campus Technology

Online courses should state the course objectives clearly and provide easy-to-use technology to maximize the chances of student success, according to a recent survey conducted by Eduventures. In the spring of 2015, the company surveyed 28,000 students, mostly over age 25, who are pursuing an online degree or certificate. Based on the results of the survey, the company identified key factors contributing to high or low academic performance in online programs and came up with a list of recommendations to help educational institutions foster student success in those programs.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/06/18/report-clear-objectives-and-ease-of-use-key-to-successful-online-courses.aspx?admgarea=news

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Aggressive new Nevada law puts private schools in reach of all

By Eric Schulzke, Deseret News

Nevada went all in on school choice this month, with the new GOP legislature passing and the GOP governor signing a sweeping bill offering parents direct access to the money used to educate their children. The new Nevada law, the most aggressive private school choice program yet, allows parents to treat education as an a la carte menu, including mixing and matching public, online, private and home school options. Most parents will be able to take 90 percent of the state funds allocated to their child and put them in a restricted-use education fund. Children with special needs or from low-income families can take 100 percent.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865630714/Aggressive-new-Nevada-law-puts-private-schools-in-reach-of-all.html

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Hack Your Classroom – Week Seven: Handing the power over to the learners

by Claire Amos, Teaching and eLearning

Interestingly, when it comes to teachers not really adopting and embracing technology it often isn’t technical skill or lack thereof that is the problem, it is the teachers need to maintain power and control in the classroom. You hear the panic, the running joke that BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Distraction. Well I hate to break it to you, but if the students are distracted by the technology (particularly after the novelty of access to the Internet has worn off) the problem ain’t the technology – quite possibly your/their teaching and the students lack of ownership of their learning is. *lobs grenade and ducks for cover*

http://www.teachingandelearning.com/2014/06/hack-your-classroom-week-seven-handing.html

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Education, My Career: The digital classroom

by Kristie Kellahan, Sydney Morning Herald

Dr Marilyn Dunn-Bernstein is helping students and teachers learn through online programs. Significant growth in the tertiary education field is occurring in the online arena, with increasing numbers of students expanding their skills without leaving their house. A recent survey of Open Colleges students found that two-thirds of students surveyed already had jobs while completing their online studies. A third of those surveyed said they were studying in order to make a career change. Online learning appealed because they could study anywhere, any time and at their own pace.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/education-my-career-the-digital-classroom-20140612-zs56v.html

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For women in technology, a little support goes a long way

By Laura Raines, AJC

Tanzania Adams saw few women in her classes while earning her engineering degree at the University of Alabama about 25 years ago. There weren’t many women co-workers at Southern Company either, but she’s seeing the numbers grow and doing what she can to support young women entering science, technology, engineering and math fields. Recently promoted to area manager of Statesboro for Georgia Power Co., Adams is one of the corporate advisory board members of the Women in Technology chapter at Gwinnett Technical College. The group launched last year as part of a pilot program to put WiT chapters at Gwinnett Tech, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University and Spelman College.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/education/for-women-in-technology-a-little-support-goes-a-lo/ngG7J/

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