CIO Roles in Flux

By Joshua Bolkan, Campus Technology
Nearly all, 95 percent, of chief information officers expect their positions to be changed or remixed owing to digitalization, according to a new report from technology market research firm Gartner. The two largest changes, according to respondents, will be to become change leaders and to assume increased and broader responsibilities. “The CIO’s role must grow and develop as digital business spreads, and disruptive technologies, including intelligent machines and advanced analytics, reach the masses,” said Andy Rowsell-Jones, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, in a prepared statement. “While delivery is still a part of the job, much greater emphasis is being placed on attaining a far broader set of business objectives.”

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/10/04/cio-roles-in-flux.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=32401

Google’s bet is that smartphone hardware is a commodity and artificial intelligence will win the day

 

By Larry Dignan, ZD Net

Google launched the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones in a move that shows how it aims to embed its artificial intelligence knowhow, be a serious hardware player, and ultimately compete with Apple’s iPhone 8 and iPhone X as well as Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8. Toss in smartphones from the likes of Lenovo’s Motorola unit and LG and you get a feel for what’ll equate one helluva battle. Google’s pitch is that it’ll win with AI. Google’s Pixel will be smarter and more simple in 6-inch and 5-inch versions with three colors: Kinda blue,

http://www.zdnet.com/article/google-launches-pixel-2-pixel-2-xl-ai-first-phones-for-649-849/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=32391

The top 2018 strategic IT budget priorities: AI, IoT, conversational systems, security everywhere

by  Larry Dignan, ZD Net

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and tools such as conversational platforms, digital twins and blockchain are among the most strategic 2018 technology investments, according to Gartner. At Gartner’s Symposium/ITXpo in Orlando, Gartner outlined its top strategic investments. These investments will be pushed into a global It spend of $3.7 trillion, up 4.3 percent from a year ago. Respondents in a Tech Pro Research survey found IT budgets will be up modestly, but there are a number of uncertainty. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said their 2018 IT budget will be up 1 percent to 10 percent.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-a-look-at-the-top-2018-business-technology-priorities-ai-iot-conversational-systems-security/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=32381

Deep learning boosts Google Translate tool

by Davide Castelvecchi, Nature

Google’s online translation service, Google Translate, will soon be using a new algorithm that is entirely based on deep learning, the company announced on 27 September. The algorithm, which is also described in a paper posted to the preprint server arXiv1, is the first widely-available computer system for translating languages that relies on the increasingly popular AI technique. Compared to the firm’s existing service, the algorithm reduces errors by around 60%, Google computer scientists say. A Chinese-to-English service that uses the algorithm is now being used on the Google Translate mobile and web-based apps, and Google says that it will roll out other languages over the next few months.

http://www.nature.com/news/deep-learning-boosts-google-translate-tool-1.20696

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=19059

A new “MicroMasters” online learning program offered by major universities

by NICHOLE DOBO, Hechinger Report

A new kind of credential has entered the crowded market for online learning. EdX, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that provides online courses, announced last week the creation of 19 “MicroMasters” courses, a new type of online educational program. These courses are tailored master’s degree-level classes that can help students hone skills that will be immediately useful in the workplace. “I think the MicroMasters is a big next step in the evolution of education,” Anant Agarwal, the CEO of edX and an MIT professor, said in an interview last week. These courses – offered through 14 universities including Columbia, Arizona State University and the University of Michigan, as well as some in Australia, Europe and India – are open to anyone who wants to take them. No transcripts or prerequisites required. Students don’t even need a GED to enroll.

http://hechingerreport.org/new-micromasters-online-learning-program-offered-major-universities/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=19047

LAUSD credit recovery vendor finds strong demand for online makeup courses nationwide

by Craig Clough, LA School Report

Ever since LA Unified vaulted from a looming graduation crisis to potentially breaking its graduation record last school year after implementing a wide-scale online credit recovery program, questions have been raised about how much students are actually learning. The apparent ease with which the district was able to substantially boost the number of diplomas it handed out through a $15 million credit recovery program turned heads and has some asking if the online courses are rigorous enough. Board President Steve Zimmer has questions, as did the Los Angeles Times editorial pages and some academics.

http://laschoolreport.com/lausd-credit-recovery-vendor-finds-strong-demand-online-makeup-courses-nationwide/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=19039

Should you build your own LMS?

By Bridget McCrea, eSchool News

The online education movement has pushed K-12 schools and districts to rethink the way they develop and deliver content. No longer relegated to using textbooks as their core instructional materials, teachers look to their institutions for help selecting, aggregating, and then delivering relevant content to their pupils. Districts, in turn, must decide whether to build out their own online content platforms, farm it out to a learning platform.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/09/30/build-lms-605/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13992

Snow days no match for e-classes

by Daniel Morgan, Daily Reporter

As local schools gear up for the possibility of snow days this winter, two local districts are eyeing options that would allow teachers to conduct class even when bad weather keeps students home. Southern Hancock School Corp. was the first district in the county to make use of the Indiana Department of Education’s virtual-learning program, in which students log on to school-issued computers from home to complete assignments during days classes are canceled. Now the school district is prepared to repeat the program this school year, and Mt. Vernon School Corp. is hoping to take advantage of the opportunity, too. Officials from Southern Hancock say the program went well last year, and the district used the virtual lesson plans during all three days of its weather-related cancellations, sparing staff and students from making up that time later in the year.

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/local_story/Snow-days-no-match-for-e-class_1443655429

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13989

Point-Counterpoint: Online classes are perfect for independent students

by Kelly Wynne, College of DuPage Courier

Online learning allows me to take my education into my own hands. I know that if I don’t understand the material I cannot blame it on a teacher. I have to blame it on my own lack of attention and lack of care. Because of this, I have been nothing but successful in an online classroom. I don’t think there is an accurate way to measure the effectiveness of an online class, simply because every person learns differently. For someone like me who pays more attention when I am in control, these classes give me a true sense of freedom and responsibility. Someone who learns better in a classroom setting may find himself or herself failing to stay on top of assignments without constant reminders and a physical representation of a teacher who can answer questions on the spot. The only way to accurately measure your ability to flourish in an online learning environment is to try it for yourself.

http://codcourier.org/3012/opinion/point-counterpoint-online-classes-are-perfect-for-independent-students/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=13986

EDpuzzle Review: Easy-to-Use Tool Lets Teachers Quickly Turn Online Video into Lessons

by Edudemic

There is a staggering amount of free video available online that makes great fodder for teaching students, particularly in flipped classroom settings. Instead of giving students YouTube links or telling them to search for a video on a particular subject, with EDpuzzle teachers can select videos, edit them down, assign them to students, and quiz them as they watch. EDpuzzle is a very simple tool that walks teachers through the video lesson creation process, with only a few limitations. With this solution a teacher can make the most of the video assets he or she has access to, plus everything the Internet has to offer. It is also an easy enough experience that you can quickly create individualized video lessons for different students and their particular needs or areas of interest. It is not a replacement for a MOOC platform or LMS, but it is a nice complement to those and perfect for the teacher that wants to make sure that online video assignments are actually being watched and that students are grasping the concepts and information being presented.

http://www.edudemic.com/edpuzzle-review-easy-use-tool-lets-teachers-quickly-turn-online-video-lessons/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/WTU70p3ub-8/

Use These Classroom Upgrades to Revolutionize the School Day

By Edudemic

Contemporary classrooms have moved far beyond the worlds of pen and paper. Many technological advances are helping teachers everywhere engage and educate students of all ages and abilities like never before. Take a look at some of the best recent innovations that you can use to revolutionize your classroom. Begin with Google Drive.

http://www.edudemic.com/use-classroom-upgrades-revolutionize-school-day/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/v_hloP21Fz0/

Guide to Creating Tech-Friendly Classroom Management Strategies

by Edudemic

One of your jobs as a modern-day teacher is to invite your students to the technology table. Since most kids get a lot of their at-home entertainment from computers, tablets, and smartphones, it’s not hard to entice them. The trick is to convince them that tech gadgets aren’t just for entertainment; they’re also for learning. But how do you convince a die-hard Zelda fan that algebra games are fun on the iPad? How do you persuade a Facebook addict that Edmodo can be just as fun when shared with friends? Your kids won’t reach their learning goals if you don’t lure them in. Also, once you hook them, there’s also a question of keeping them under your control. Any teacher with experience knows that classroom management is a delicate dance that often crumbles at the first misstep.

http://www.edudemic.com/guide-creating-tech-friendly-classroom-management-strategies/

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