The quest for consistency in online learning

by Emily Adams, USM Free Press

The Center for Technology and Enhanced Learning (CTEL), located on the Portland campus, is working with faculty to further develop both online and blended (both online and in person), courses. “[They] collaborate [by] providing course design support and training in commonly used course technologies,” said Paul Cochrane, the department head of CTEL. On USM’s website, under CTEL, they have various resources available to professors and faculty such as grants, workshops offered and information about electronic resources for students. CTEL offers grants to support teaching and learning initiatives that will lead to higher quality learning experiences for the students at USM.

http://usmfreepress.org/2018/02/26/the-quest-for-consistency-in-online-learning/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37350

Is Learning to Learn From MOOCs a Teachable Skill?

by Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Open online learning at scale is not going to go away. In fact, I expect that scaled online learning opportunities will continue to grow. This will occur as providing open online education becomes a normal platform in any educational outreach activities. An ever greater number of organizations beyond colleges and universities, from companies to nonprofits to media outlets, will create and run open online courses. The spread of microcredentials, such edX’s MicroMasters, will drive the growth of open online education at scale. If this is how the future will unfold — see assertions No. 1 through No. 4 above – then shouldn’t we be thinking about how to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s work force?

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/technology-and-learning/learning-learn-moocs-teachable-skill

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37340

Parenting in an era of screen addiction

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

According to an online survey by Parents, children spend almost 55 days, or 1,314 hours, on screens each year.

Parenting in an era of screen addiction is not for the weak. If you have ever tried to get a kid to put down the tablet, smartphone, or video game controller, you know just how challenging it can be. But, you cannot give in. Screen addiction is real and prevalent. It’s up to you to do something about it.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/parenting-era-screen-addiction/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37331

7 WAYS TECHNOLOGY IS IMPACTING MODERN EDUCATION

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

Technology in the classroom can be so much more and so much better than the stereotypical cell phone going off in the middle of class. Technology can actually be a major tool, both in terms of pedagogical resources and in terms of connecting with the younger generations. But how does this work? The top seven important concepts to understand when examining the use of technology for educational or instructional purposes are linked below.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/7-ways-technology-impacting-modern-education/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=24553

Coursera’s gov and nonprofits arm to ‘close skills gap’

by PIE

Coursera, the US-based online training platform, has announced it is launching a new arm, Coursera for Governments & Nonprofits. Through the new division, the two groups of stakeholders will work directly with Coursera to develop study programmes for targeted groups of learners, such as their staff. “We have developed expertise in supporting blended learning models” They will then offer training on a subsidised basis. Some partners will subsidise the cost of learning completely, giving learners free access to courses, while others will cost-share with course participants or establish reimbursement schemes to incentivise learners to complete the course.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/micromasters-edx-careers/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=24538

Report: Courseware, Learning Analytics See Most Acquisitions in Ed Tech Market

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

The ed tech market is restless. With vendors constantly acquiring and merging with other companies and startups popping up every other month, it can be difficult to keep track. Courseware, learning analytics platforms and constituent relationship management (CRM) platforms are the fussiest, with these market segments seeing the most consolidations. Cloud-based student information systems (SISs) are slowly being adopted, while adaptive learning and online program managers (OPMs) seeing the most growth at disproportionate levels. Those findings come from consulting and research firm Eduventures, which published its 2017 Higher Education Technology Landscape Report earlier this week.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/03/03/report-courseware-learning-analytics-see-most-acquisitions-in-ed-tech-market.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=24568

Report: Innovating World Language Education Through Technology

By Leila Meyer, THE Journal

Mobile apps, online platforms and other technologies are transforming world language education programs by “creating more dynamic, interactive experiences that expose students to the nuances of languages and cultures,” according to a new report from the New Media Consortium (NMC). The role of technology in innovating language education is being driven by pedagogical trends and challenges. The report, “Innovating Language Education: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief,” was commissioned by the Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center (LFTIC) at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/02/29/report-innovating-world-language-education-through-technology.aspx

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The Who and What of Classroom AV Design

By Mike Tomei, Campus Technology

Understanding project stakeholders and processes is key to better management of AV installations on campus. There are plenty of resources out there informing readers about what projector they should buy or how to create huddle spaces — but when I was a higher ed tech manager, I was always looking for advice on successful project management. I will cover the different types of AV installation projects, the roles of all the stakeholders involved with classroom AV design and install, and the various phases of construction projects and how they pertain to AV, and I’ll dive deeper into each phase to highlight the major deliverables.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/02/24/the-who-and-what-of-classroom-av-design.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15257

Wearables See Triple-Digit Growth

By David Nagel, Campus Technology

Wearables are not just for gadget enthusiasts and early adopters anymore. They’ve gone mass-market. More than 71 million wearables were shipped in the last year, according to a new report from market research firm IDC. According to information released in IDC’s latest Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, 78.1 million wearables shipped in 2015, with more than a third — 27.4 million — shipping in the fourth quarter alone. Fourth quarter 2015’s shipments represented a 127 percent increase over shipments in the same period the previous year.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/03/07/wearables-see-record-growth.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15254

EdX Launches Three New Courses from the Smithsonian Institution

by edX

EdX, the nonprofit online learning initiative, will offer three, new, free MOOCs from the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum and research complex, founded in 1846. The courses, for students and educators of all ages, will interest fans of superheroes, teachers and American history buffs alike. These first three Smithsonian edX courses, developed with the National Museum of American History, include: Objects That Define America; Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact on Pop Culture; and Teaching Historical Inquiry with Objects. All three courses are currently open for enrollment on edx.org.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/edx-launches-three-new-courses-from-the-smithsonian-institution-300044597.html

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Yiwei Sun: Benefits from online courses far outweigh concerns

by Yiwei Sun, Daily Bruin

One of the heavily debated concerns about flipped courses is that online lectures would prevent real-life interaction between students and instructors. The concern is indeed valid, but classroom interaction is not an issue in all lecture settings. In fact, in a traditional large lecture hall setting with 200 students, the interaction between students and professors is minimal. Converting large general education courses into flipped courses won’t impair students’ learning at large because there are still office hours and physical discussion sessions in place for students to ask questions and discuss topics with each other. Ultimately, concerns about flipped courses are outweighed by their immense benefits, especially for non-native English speakers or students with disabilities. It’s UCLA’s responsibility to provide this alternative option to students in greater numbers and variety.

http://dailybruin.com/2015/03/04/yiwei-sun-benefits-from-online-courses-far-outweigh-concerns/

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3D Printing Heats Up on Campus

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

More than just a toy for engineers, 3D printing is beginning to move from experimental tech to multi-disciplinary learning tool. A young woman walks up to a vending machine, slides her student ID card, plugs in a USB drive, specifies the right file, chooses a color and starts the production process. When her object is printed, the machine shoves it into a tray and sends her a text message that it’s ready for pickup — practically like buying a Snickers bar. So goes another print job for DreamVendor 2, Virginia Tech’s latest experiment in open-access 3D printing.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/02/26/3d-printing-heats-up-on-campus.aspx

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Khan Academy to offer free SAT prep

by Zach Miners, PC World

The Khan Academy will offer SAT test prep materials for free, the online learning platform said Wednesday, through a partnership with the College Board that aims to help level the playing field in a college admissions process that has increasingly favored wealthier applicants. The new offerings come as some fundamental changes are on the way for the SAT, the College Board announced Wednesday. Khan Academy will provide a range of free learning tools designed specifically for the new SAT, which will do away with the obligatory essay and more esoteric vocabulary words.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2105040/khan-academy-to-offer-free-sat-prep-in-partnership-with-the-college-board.html

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Hackers turn attention to American universities

by Becky Butts, the News Record

Recent data breaches at some of America’s largest higher education institutions are highlighting the vulnerability of students’ and faculty’s private information — and the constant threat universities across the country face.

“Unfortunately, every organization in the world is vulnerable and is at a risk of being breached by a hacker or group of hackers,” said Bogdan Vykhovanyuk, associate director of UCIT information security. At the University of Cincinnati, private information — including students’ names, social security numbers, addresses, dates-of-birth, phone numbers and Bearcat Card information — are in danger of being illegally accessed on a daily basis. Everyday, UCIT security systems intercept 1.5 million threats from entering the university’s network, Vykhovanyuk said. He and four other specialists are tasked with preventing potential breaches.

http://www.newsrecord.org/for_the_record/science_and_technology_issue/hackers-turn-attention-to-american-universities/article_c2e57f96-a417-11e3-bc5f-001a4bcf6878.html

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The Case For Learning To Code

By Shannon Edwards, Forbes

While coding ‘boot camps’ have become readily available, they have historically been geared toward those who want a job in the technology industry. What’s different about this new ‘generation’ of computer science enthusiasts is that they include bankers, marketers and business entrepreneurs who just want to learn for the sake of learning. Why with the endless requirements of our 24/7 lives and multiple devices that already take up too much time and space would we care to tackle the mysteries of ‘coding’?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/03/05/the-case-for-learning-to-code/

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