Education needs innovation to keep it fresh. Can social learning environments provide the boost?

by Kulmeet Bawa, ET Rise

Much of today’s established working population comes from an era that offered only static learning using limited resources. Most of us had to be self-motivated and acquire skills on the job to emerge as high-performers. The modern generation of learners, on the other hand, use technology to shape their careers in a more deliberate and thoughtful manner by signing up on websites and apps such as Coursera, edX, Byju et al. Learning has become an immersive experience for them.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/education-needs-innovation-to-keep-it-fresh-can-social-learning-environments-provide-the-boost/articleshow/63242961.cms

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37741

Online AP courses offer expanded options to rural schools

By Amelia Harper, Education Dive
Online Advanced Placement classes, provided through organizations like the Global Teacher Project, offer a way to expand access for the more that 7,100 rural school districts in the U.S. that find it difficult to offer rigorous pre-college courses to their students, explains an article produced by the Hechinger Report for KQED. Online courses, either through consortiums, through video-conference classes with other schools who share an instructor, through virtual academies, or through pre-produced online AP offerings, can offer students the opportunity to learn more advanced material and a chance at reducing college costs for those who pass AP exams.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/online-ap-courses-offer-expanded-options-to-rural-schools/518791/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37731

10 Resources for finding edtech jobs

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

If you’re on the hunt for a new job in education technology, or just simply curious about the opportunities that might be out there, you should explore some new roles. Whether you’re looking for a job, looking to hire, or just looking, consider checking out the following resources in education technology career building.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/10-resources-for-finding-edtech-jobs/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=37721

Bill Gates explains why classroom technology is failing students and teachers

by Amy X. Wang, Quartz

While technology is “starting to improve education,” he said, it’s not personalized or focused enough to truly help teachers figure out how to improve. And most educational technology thus far has benefited only the most motivated students, he said, not those who need extra encouragement most. Added Gates, “A lot of the issue is helping kids stay engaged. If they don’t feel the material is relevant or they don’t have a sense of their own ability they can check out too easily. The technology has not done enough to help with this yet.” While more teachers say they welcome technology, most gadgets and digital techniques haven’t shown they can boost learning. Many schools have abandoned using iPads, for example, and online learning has yet to live up to its promises. Silicon Valley will have to do better yet if it’s going to make a genuine difference in the classroom.

http://qz.com/634289/bill-gates-explains-why-classroom-technology-is-failing-students-and-teachers/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15369

4 Surprising School Supplies Online Students Might Need

By Darwin Green, US News

Even though your classes are online, you’ll still be using plenty of pens and paper. Online students should ensure they stay organized and have a comfortable place to sit and work.  It was my first day of online classes. I sat at the computer eager to learn new things. The syllabus called for the usual items: computer, monitor and so forth. I didn’t know, however, that I would need some standard school supplies as well. Deep into the second week of classes, I found myself heading to the office supply store. I learned online students should consider buying the following for their classes.

http://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/2016/03/18/4-surprising-school-supplies-online-students-might-need

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15366

Right Signals initiative aims to make sense of credentialing

By Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

The American Association of Community Colleges, with funding from the Lumina Foundation, will create a new model to help students, employers and colleges make sense of the variety of credentials across higher education. In announcing the initiative, the AACC said it would focus on degrees, certificates, industry certifications, apprenticeships and badges in a model that will allow people to identify courses, skills and continuing education credits that students have with each credential. Community colleges in Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Iowa, New York, Texas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Florida, Arizona, Alabama, Washington and Minnesota are among those participating in the Right Signals initiative.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/right-signals-initiative-aims-to-make-sense-of-credentialing/415575/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15364

5 Ways to Keep Social Media From Being a Legal Headache

By Bradley Shear, THE Journal

Most states don’t require their school districts to create social media guidelines. However, some states, such as New Jersey, require their schools to draft and implement policies that adhere to certain principles. There is no one-size-fits-all social media policy for students, teachers and school administrators. State law and community standards differ around the country, so what may be acceptable in one jurisdiction may not work in another. If your district decides to draft a social media policy, leaders should discuss the plan with the proper stakeholders to avoid a major backlash when the new policies are implemented.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/03/17/5-ways-to-keep-social-media-from-being-a-legal-headache.aspx

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How to Crowdfund Your Classroom

By Amanda Ronan, Edudemic

Because of budget cuts, and the need for a tremendous amount of new technology due to the latest testing requirements, a lot of school coffers are running on empty. Teachers who want to do anything beyond sit in the classroom all day with their students reading ancient textbooks have to come up with the money to do so. Some get creative by finding free field trip locations and using public transportation. And still others find help online. In fact, crowdfunding has become an indispensible resource for teachers looking to find money for classroom projects, materials, and field trips. There are several crowdfunding websites out there, a few of which are designed to raise money specifically for educational projects.

http://www.edudemic.com/how-to-crowdfund-your-classroom/

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5 Questions to Ask About Online Community College Courses

By Ian Quillen, US News

The vast majority of two-year schools offer at least some online learning options. And as far back as 2008, a third or more of community college students in states like Virginia and Washington took at least one online course during their studies, according to the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College. But online learning at public two-year schools presents some unique challenges students may not expect. So before students choose a partial or fully online route for their community college experience, they might want to answer the following five questions about any potential program.

http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2015/03/18/5-questions-to-ask-about-online-community-college-courses

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Technology Leadership Evolved

By David Raths, THE Journal

Four K-12 technology leaders explain how they’re changing the way they work with educators to meet the new demands of 21st century schools. They also offer up some of their trade secrets for building consensus, overcoming poor morale and generally keeping the peace between IT and academic staff. Years ago, typical K-12 IT leaders came up through the administrative ranks and focused on keeping computers and business applications running. Whether they were called CTOs or CIOs, they had compartmentalized skill sets that tended to favor technology over teaching. In 2014, however, the role of chief information officer or chief technology officer is just as likely to go to a former teacher or principal with an interest in finding new ways to harness technology to collaborate with curriculum and assessment leaders.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/03/13/technology-leadership-evolved.aspx

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The 64-Bit Mobile Processor Race Is On

By David Nagel, THE Journal

Tablet and smart phone processors will increasingly shift toward 64-bit architectures, though it will be a few years before these chips power the majority of devices. The shift is being driven, at least in part, by Apple’s rollout of its 64-bit A7 processor, according to market research firm ABI Research. According to a new report released this week by ABI, “Intel, Marvell, MediaTek, Qualcomm and Nvidia all announced their first 64-bit mobile processors at Mobile World Congress this year but 64-bit-compliant smartphones are unlikely to hit the market before the release of the next Android update, expected in the second half of the year. By the end of 2014, ABI Research expects shipments of 64-bit mobile processors to exceed 182 million, of which only 20 percent will power Android devices.”

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/03/12/the-64-bit-mobile-processor-race-is-on.aspx

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FLN Shares its Four Pillars of Flipped Learning

By Christopher Piehler, THE Journal

The FLN definition of Flipped Learning is the following: “Flipped Learning is a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter.” Along with the definition, FLN announced its Four Pillars of F-L-I-P and a checklist of 11 supporting indicators for educators. Jon Bergmann, coauthor of Flip Your Classroom and secretary/treasurer of the FLN, said of the checklist, “Educators can use it as a frame of reference because it demonstrates what effective Flipped Learning looks like. It’s a baseline — or roadmap — containing the principles of Flipped Learning.”

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/03/12/fln-announces-formal-definition-and-four-pillars.aspx

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