How to Make Online Learning Work for You

 

by Jenny Sakr, Career Faqs

Online learning has a different set of requirements and can demand more motiviation, self-discipline and a greater level of commitment than heading to class on-campus. On the other hand, if you’re juggling a full-time job and other commitments, online study means greater flexibility. “Students often assume online programs require less work and are easier than on-campus courses. In reality, online classes are designed to be equally as rigorous and demanding as traditional courses. You need to genuinely apply yourself to get through.”

https://www.careerfaqs.com.au/news/news-and-views/make-online-learning-work-for-you

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5 Things That Every Educator should Know about Digital Equity

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

First, stereotype threat is a real problem. This occurs when student performance is negatively impacted when students are reminded of stereotypes about various groups. This means that teachers need to be extra vigilant to ensure that digital media does not include harmful stereotypes, such as the idea that women are not good at math. Educators need to carefully vet images, videos, and written materials to ensure that they undermine–and do not promote–stereotypes.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/5-things-that-every-educator-should-know-about-digital-equity/

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Goodbye, Passwords: Future Internet Demands Biometric Readings And Dorky Lanyard Security Keys

by Victor Tangermann, Futurism

Not only are passwords obsolete, they in fact pose a huge risk.  Luckily, the FIDO (“Fast IDentity Online”) Alliance is coming to the rescue. The organization developed a brand new standard called “Web Authentication” – WebAuthn, Motherboard reports. Now any web site that uses the application interface could require users to log in with at least two or more steps of authentication, with the ability to use biometric data for one or more of them. Now that basically every recent smartphone is equipped with at least one kind of biometric sensor— fingerprint-readers, facial recognition software in the cameras — the time is finally ripe. WebAuthn is easy enough to use on a smartphone, then, but what about devices that don’t have a fingerprint or face-reading device? This is where things aren’t quite so seamless — they’ll need an external piece of hardware to comply with the WebAuthn standard. Security hardware companies such as Yubico have developed hardware keys that act like a USB-stick-like authenticator.

https://futurism.com/passwords-biometric-security-keys/

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What You Need to Know About the 3.5 GHz Band on Campus

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Rare is the campus with total coverage of cellular service. Maybe the problem surfaces for your institution in its basement-level spaces, or that oldest building on campus with walls built to bomb-shelter standards, or the newest, LEED-certified facility that uses energy-efficient glass or other construction materials that block radio frequency. Whatever the site or cause, it’s a big problem. Most mobile traffic originates inside buildings (ABI Research pegs it at more than 80 percent), so people get frustrated when they can’t use their devices to make a phone call — particularly in an emergency.  What’s needed is a service that’s as simple to use as cellular but as pervasive and inexpensive as WiFi. 3.5 gigahertz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) may be the answer. This frequency could provide a cost-effective link between cellular and WiFi.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/04/05/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-3-5-ghz-band-on-campus.aspx

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New Ag School Both Hands-on And Online

By Dan McGowan, Inside Indiana Business
A new charter school in central Indiana plans to blend the teachings of a traditional Hoosier career path with modern technology. The Indiana Agriculture & Technology School is an online public school that is tuition-free, and as part of the learning process, students spend time on a 600-acre farm north of Morgantown. The hands-on opportunities include courses and instruction in animal, plant and soil science, forestry and conservation and farming.

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/37897579/new-ag-school-both-hands-on-and-online

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The new lesson plan for elementary school: Surviving the Internet

By Drew Harwell, Washington Post
The fifth-graders of Yolanda Bromfield’s digital-privacy class had just finished their lesson on ­online-offline balance when she asked them a tough question: How would they act when they left school and reentered a world of prying websites, addictive phones and online scams? Susan, a 10-year-old in pink sneakers who likes YouTube and the mobile game “Piano Tiles 2,” quietly raised her hand. “I will make sure that I don’t tell nobody my personal stuff,” she said, “and be offline for at least two hours every night.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-new-lesson-plan-for-elementary-school-surviving-the-internet/2018/04/06/8b4a8202-0417-494b-a72b-792221e08e3b_story.html?utm_term=.f84228949f58

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ChildCare Education Institute Offers No-Cost Online Course on Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

by Globe Newswire

The goal of this course is introduce participants to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the characteristics of children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Participants will also be introduced to several students with autism spectrum disorders and many of the classroom strategies that support these students. When child care providers work together with parents, therapists, and other professionals to create a plan of action, it is quite realistic to expect that the child with autism will be successful in an inclusive environment. Open communication and creating a strong support system are the first steps to take when creating the consistency necessary for this success.

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/04/03/1458840/0/en/ChildCare-Education-Institute-Offers-No-Cost-Online-Course-on-Understanding-Autism-Spectrum-Disorders.html

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Free online course teaches parents how to protect kids from sexual predators

BY JENNIFER BISRAM, PIX 11

Suffolk County Community College unveiled a free, online course Monday designed to help parents protect their kids from sexual predators. “The Apple of my Eye” online classroom was started by Parents for Megan’s Law. The organization, which focuses on preventing sex abuse, has teamed up with the Crime Victims Center and Suffolk County leaders to offer the course. It teaches parents how to prevent, detect and report child sex abuse – including how predators groom kids and teens and signs that your child may be a victim.

Free online course teaches parents how to protect kids from sexual predators

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Why an iTunes Model for Online Learning Is Bad for Educators

By Amy Ahearn, EdSurge

Many online learning platforms, such as LinkedIn Learning and MasterClass, are indeed pivoting towards business models that look a lot like subscription-based streaming services Pandora, Spotify or Netflix. Customers can now pay a monthly fee to get access to a library of content. However, just as the iTunes business model is deeply disadvantageous to artists, online learning platforms are now granting online instructors smaller and smaller shares of the revenue as they steer business models in the streaming direction. Data journalist David McCandless calculated it would take over one million plays on Spotify for a solo artist to earn the U.S. monthly minimum wage. We could be pushing online teachers in a similar direction.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-04-03-why-an-itunes-model-for-online-learning-is-bad-for-educators

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The Imperative for Fostering Creativity in Students

By Joshua Bolkan, THE Journal

Peter and Paul Reynolds say that human beings are superheros and that our superpower is creativity. And the twin brothers know a thing or two about creativity. Peter is a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator and co-founder of FableVision, an educational media company. Paul is also a co-founder of FableVision and runs the company as CEO. Peter and Paul recently gave a keynote address about creativity at the CUE 2018 conference in Palm Springs.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/03/28/the-imperative-for-fostering-creativity-in-students.aspx

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Online Ed Leaders Agree Top 2 Indicators of Program Quality Are Student Success Rates, Student Evaluations

By Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

The majority of online education leaders agree that most relied-upon metrics currently in use by online programs are student retention and graduation rates and student course/program evaluations, according to a recent survey from Quality Matters and Eduventures Research. While those two indicators topped the list by far, other quality measures, such as faculty training, summative student assessment, program reputation and external rankings, were less commonly cited by the survey respondents.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/04/02/online-ed-leaders-agree-top-2-indicators-of-program-quality.aspx

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Study: Lectures remain a steady, but ineffective, element of STEM education

by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive
Approximately 55% of college classrooms throughout the United States and Canada are using the traditional lecture model to teach science, mathematics and technology, according to a new study published in Science magazine. About 27% of classes had some levels of interactive instruction, such as technology-based question and answer modules, and 18% were described as “student-centered” in a survey of 2000 classrooms.  The study’s author says professors have to feel confident in knowing and utilizing new forms of teaching, which may be stunting the implementation of interactive models of instruction. “I think there is a growing awareness and recognition among the STEM professoriate of the benefits of active learning strategies on students’ learning and attitudes toward STEM,” said Marilyne Stains, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln

https://www.educationdive.com/news/study-lectures-remain-a-steady-but-ineffective-element-of-stem-education/520406/

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Technology isn’t going to replace teachers anytime soon

by John Sarkar, Times of India

There is this constant and misguided thought of technology as a replacement for teachers. Technology acts in one of two ways. One, it helps students in ways that teachers alone would not be able to, for example, on Toppr experts solve doubts for students at 4am, unthinkable without the platform. Two, technology amplifies the effect of teachers. A good teacher can now reach millions of students where he was earlier limited to the seats in his classroom. While technology will help an increasing number of kids learn better with less dependence on teachers, a teacherless future is very far away.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/people/technology-isnt-going-to-replace-teachers-anytime-soon/articleshow/63546486.cms

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Snow days might mean extra school for some

by Alexandra Radovic, Campus Current

AACC professors may choose to extend their classes for two extra school days in May to make up for time lost to snow. The college has built-in make-up days on May 7 and 8 between the end of the usual semester and final exam week, which begins on May 9. Since the semester began on Jan. 17, AACC has closed the campus on school days for two full days; opened late four times; and closed early once. The college is not requiring professors to hold classes on May 7 and 8, however. Instead, they may opt to cover missed class content via Canvas, the campus online learning management system. “There needs to be a continuum of learning even if there is an interruption in the academic calendar,” Dr. Michael Gavin, AACC’s vice president for learning, said. That’s why professors have been required to use the Canvas system since last fall, he said. Even so, some professors have said they can only cover content appropriately by meeting for additional in-class hours.

Snow days might mean extra school for some

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How EdTech Leaders Can Model EdTech Best Practices

by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

First, leaders can get serious about privacy and security. This means that they frequently change their passwords, use two-step authentication where it is available, and avoid falling for phishing schemes. Students and other stakeholders will know—sometimes in subtle ways (if they see a prompt for a far-overdue security update) and sometimes in not-so-subtle ways (if a leader has experienced identify theft)—if educational leaders are taking privacy and security seriously. Second, leaders need to demonstrate strong information literacy skills.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-education-leaders-can-model-edtech-best-practices/

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Weigh if a Part-Time MBA Program Is the Right Fit

By Mariya Greeley, US News

There’s growing interest among prospective MBA students to study while working. While enrollment for full-time MBAs decreased significantly in the U.S. between 2005 and 2016, enrollment at part-time programs has risen nearly 20 percent, according to a survey of about 350 accredited business schools from AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Dan LeClair, executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer at AACSB, notes that the part-time numbers signal “some really important changes that are happening in higher education.” Increasingly, students seem to value the greater convenience of these programs as well as the ability to keep their jobs and salaries.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/2018-03-29/weigh-if-a-part-time-mba-program-is-the-right-fit

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Student engagement at the heart of new online charter school

by Mindi Smith, Kokomo Herald
Indiana Agriculture & Technology School is a new tuition-free, statewide charter school that couples online learning with labs and project-based activities on a working farm.  Indiana Agriculture & Technology School is a new tuition-free, statewide charter school that couples online learning with labs and project-based activities on a working farm. Courtesy of Indiana Agriculture & Technology School
Those behind the Indiana Agriculture & Technology School say they’re changing the game for online schools. And they’re doing so by keeping the enrollment low and the student accountability high. IATS is a new tuition-free, statewide charter school that couples online learning with labs and project-based activities on a working farm.

http://kokomoherald.com/Content/Community/Community/Article/Student-engagement-at-the-heart-of-new-online-charter-school/32/759/32852

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Amazon to close TenMarks online education service after 2018-19 school year

BY TODD BISHOP & FRANK CATALANO, Geekwire

Amazon will close its TenMarks online math and writing learning service after the 2018-2019 school year, the latest surprise twist in the tech giant’s foray into education technology. The company broke the news in emails to customers this week and in a message on the TenMarks website. “We’re winding down,” the announcement reads. “TenMarks will no longer be available after the 2018-2019 school year. Licenses for TenMarks Math and Writing will be honored through June 30, 2019.”

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/amazon-close-tenmarks-online-education-service-2018-19-school-year/

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A deep dive into college data: The state of higher ed marketing analytics 2018

by Karine Joly, University Business

Why is digital marketing—so easily measurable—not measured in higher education at the level it is in other industries?  Since this project was conducted around an assessment—and not a mere survey—of the gap between best and current practices, the study participants all received a final grade computed on a 100-point scale to illustrate the distance completed on the road to digital marketing analytics, the HEDMAR score. The distribution of these resulting scores is a great tool to visualize the digital marketing analytics maturity of the industry. With 77 percent of participants scoring under 50 on the HEDMAR scale, the need for improvement across the industry couldn’t be clearer. Yet, the 14 percent of participants scoring between 55 and 80 prove that higher levels of analytics maturity are possible in higher education.

https://www.universitybusiness.com/article/deep-dive-college-data

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Foundation for Blended and Online Learning Report Examines Tech Solutions to Rural Ed Challenges

By Joshua Bolkan, THE Journal

Rural schools face a raft of challenges schools in more densely populated areas do not, including declining enrollments, high socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, high transportation costs, lack of computer and internet access in student homes, low teacher pay, high teacher turnover, fewer teachers and fewer courses available to students. A new report from the Foundation for Blended and Online Learning (FBOL) and the Evergreen Education Group looks at policies and programs in 15 states that use technology to help address some of those problems.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/03/27/foundation-for-blended-and-online-learning-report-examines-tech-solutions-to-rural-ed-challenges.aspx

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