Minecraft: Education Edition Reboots The Oregon Trail

By Sri Ravipati, THE Journal

Since its debut last year, educators and students in 115 countries are currently using Minecraft: Education Edition. Starting today, classrooms will be able to play a popular educational game from the past within Minecraft’s sandbox world.  Microsoft has launched The Oregon Trail Experience, which focuses on subjects in STEM, humanities and fine arts. The company partnered with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to bring back The Oregon Trail, a computer game first introduced in 1971 to teach students about frontier life by putting them in the role of a 19th century pioneer.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/09/18/minecraft-education-edition-reboots-the-oregon-trail.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=32214

Top 4 Cryptocurrency & Blockchain online courses you need to check out now

By Maryam Dodhy, Tech Juice

The Cryptocurrency and Blockchain buzz is riding high right now. Despite the fact that the Cryptocurrency market lost billions of dollars and the Bitcoin value dropped below $3,000 following China’s ban on cryptocurrency exchanges, it is now gradually recovering. Malaysia recently announced that it will legalize Bitcoin, Burger King introduced its own cryptocurrency called Whopper Coin, Cambridge University published the first research on the digital currency and Russia’s top 5 universities are now offering courses on it. So, a lot is happening in the Cryptocurrency world.

https://www.techjuice.pk/top-4-cryptocurrency-blockchain-online-courses/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=32194

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: ARE COMPUTERS TAKING OVER FOR TEACHERS?

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

If you’re an educator, you’ve probably noticed that the profession has undergone significant change in the last few years. With the growth of the flipped classroom model and the plethora of resources available via apps and websites, teachers are no longer considered the experts. They are moving into the role of facilitator, “guide on the side” instead of “sage on the stage.” Are we headed to a brave new world in which teachers are replaced by giant computer screens and a tech coach to assist on the sidelines? The answer is…yes and no.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/artificial-intelligence-computers-taking-teachers/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=32204

Zombies Help Stretch Innovative Teaching at Revere High School

By Seth Daniel, Journal

Flesh-eating Zombies have been slowly taking over one Revere High School (RHS) classroom this school year, but there isn’t anyone fighting it, and in fact the educational experiment has become celebrated. In response to the hugely-popular, Zombie-laden television show, ‘The Walking Dead,’ among students at RHS, teacher Nancy Barile has capitalized on that enthusiasm to use the show as a way to pound home concepts like character development, elements of fiction and essay writing – things teens in almost any classroom would grimace at the mere mention. But Barile said her new ‘Walking Dead’ class, which is for juniors and seniors, has taught students just those very things that many teachers struggle to convey using conventional methods. Now, she said her students are enthusiastically analyzing the popular television show, which features a team of young people fighting to remain human and not being turned into a ‘Walker,’ or flesh-eating Zombie.

http://www.reverejournal.com/2016/10/01/zombies-help-stretch-innovative-teaching-at-revere-high-school/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=19181

Education Sector Now Most Targeted with Ransomware

By David Nagel, THE Journal

Education has surpassed healthcare as the sector most targeted by ransomware, a variety of malware that makes data inaccessible to users until a ransom is paid. According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, some 4,000 ransomware attacks occur every day in the United States this year alone. According to a new report from security analyst BitSight, the number of attacks against educational organizations now dwarfs attacks in all other sectors.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/09/22/education-sector-now-most-targeted-with-ransomware.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=18864

Technology is key if universities want to perform well in world university rankings

by Paul Feldman, Times Higher Education

Nobody would disagree that digital technology has revolutionised the world we live and learn in. The days of bulky textbooks, overhead projectors and paper handouts have all but gone. Universities have adapted and evolved to meet the needs of their students and staff. We are now at a point where entering students consider connecting via video to be as meaningful as being in the same room. In June, Jisc, the UK higher education technology charity, released the findings of the first in-depth survey into students’ expectations and experiences of their digital environment. The results showed us that 70 per cent of higher education respondents believe that when technology is used effectively by teaching staff it enhances their learning experience. A truly successful global university must have technologically literate staff and students at its core.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/technology-key-if-universities-want-perform-well-world-university-rankings

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=18852

Learn how to deploy OpenStack for free

by CIO

The Linux Foundation is collaborating with edX to offer an online course titled, LFS152x. The course spans across seven chapters, with a quiz at the end of each chapter. Students must take a final exam in order to complete the course. The complete course is available free of cost. Students can obtain a verified certificate of completion for $99. OpenStack may be ruling the private cloud but it’s not very easy to get started with OpenStack. In fact, a survey sponsored by SUSE found that one of the biggest challenges for customers is OpenStack implementation.

http://www.cio.com/article/3123005/cloud-computing/learn-how-to-deploy-openstack-for-free.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=18840

Scenario-Based Learning in the Online Classroom

By: Rob Kelly, Faculty Focus

Scenario-based learning can be an effective way for students to apply what they have learned to realistic situations. There are many different ways to design scenarios for online delivery, from text-based case studies to interactive, immersive simulations. Regardless of the resources that you have available, there are effective ways to put students in scenarios that contribute to their learning. In an interview with Online Classroom, Claudia Howery, elearning instructional coordinator at Delta College, explained the basic principles of scenario-based learning and offered advice on how to implement it an online course.

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/scenario-based-learning-in-the-online-classroom/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13939

OpenEd Assesses ‘Most Effective’ Online Learning Resources

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

Animated flashcards and sub-two-minute videos turn out to be the most effective online resources for K-12 against all other common options. That’s the finding determined by OpenEd, which recently studied the data generated from the results of assessments given to students who used its free online resources for educational purposes. OpenEd has collected “over a million” assessments, homework assignments, videos, games and lesson plans for every Common Core and Next Generation Science standard. Some are free; some are part of a “premium” collection. Teachers use the site to assign homework and quizzes to their students. Those formative assessments are automatically graded and then the student receives recommendations about the resources to watch or work through in gaining additional mastery. It’s those scores that were used to derive the data used in OpenEd’s analysis.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/09/23/opened-assesses-most-effective-online-learning-resources.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13937

Higher ed data security an ongoing process, not a problem to be solved

By Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

Higher education institutions won’t ever get to a point where they can stop worrying about protecting data, so the best strategy is to prepare for continual training and review. Campus Technology reports that there are clear behaviors to stay away from, including treating security as an IT problem exclusively and using the same training for everyone across the institution. Michigan Tech follows the TARR system — training, auditing, reviewing, and remediating based on a mandatory survey for every staff member at the university dealing with any kind of personal information.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/higher-ed-data-security-an-ongoing-process-not-a-problem-to-be-solved/406231/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13934

Resources for Connected Educator Month 2014

by Edutopia

Edutopia is one of the many organizations, companies, and communities participating in the third annual Connected Educator Month (CEM), a celebration of online communities of practice originally developed by the U.S. Department of Education with partners. As with previous years, October 2014 is sure to include an array of rich opportunities for informal professional development, both for educators with established professional learning networks (PLNs) and for those just getting started. Explore the resources below as a guide to connecting, sharing, and collaborating with your network during October and all year long.

http://www.edutopia.org/connected-educator-month-resources

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/nv6-to_UfGc/

Library offers extra help for students taking online

by Monique Brand, Cove Herald

I noticed over the last few weeks one particular patron stuck out like a sore thumb whenever we come to the Cove library. This patron always had an overstuffed bookbag, tons of books on the table, and every once in a while, would step outside to take a few sips of coffee. His name was Owen, a Marine veteran who by day was on the computer taking online classes at the library, only to travel to Temple to his job where he worked in a warehouse at night. It sparked my curiosity incredibly. Per Kevin Marsh, the library’s director, the Cove library has aided in patrons who want to continue their education, even those who do not have a personal laptop or computer at home. “Not many people think we have the resources to cater to those patrons but we do,” said Marsh. From special library time limits for students to books that are used inside accredited institutions, patrons who want to continue their education, even if feel they don’t have the resources, can no longer make an excuse.

http://kdhnews.com/copperas_cove_herald/community/library-offers-extra-help-for-students-taking-online-courses/article_13559cf8-445a-11e4-912f-0017a43b2370.html

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Palmyra Area School District figuring out how to calculate GPA for online courses

by Monica Von Dobeneck, PennLive

High school Principal Benjamin Ruby brought the issue to the school board Thursday night. He said some students are taking extra courses because they want to graduate early or just because they want the extra challenge. But the online courses cost $400, and some parents might be unwilling to spend that money. If the extra courses are calculated into GPA, that could boost a student’s class rank and help get college scholarships. But that might not be fair to those students who can’t afford the extra classes, Ruby said. Sometimes the GPAs of top students are separated by thousandths of a point, but the best scholarships only go to the top one or two in a class. School board members were divided between wanting to encourage students who have extra drive and being fair to those who can’t afford it.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/09/palmyra_school_district_tackli.html

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