Turn Your Students Into Data Sleuths With Geographic Information Systems

By Brittni Brown, Edudemic

Geographic information systems are essentially large databases that are able to connect entered data to a geographical reference point. More than that though, the program can be used to display data visually, which allows scientists and GIS specialists to quite literally see connections that were previously hidden in the data. It isn’t just a classroom tool used to aid in teaching the subject matter; GIS professionals can be found in almost every modern industry ranging from police departments using map data to find crime hot spots, to epidemiologists tracking diseases like Ebola in Africa, to insurance companies determining natural disaster risk. Integrating GIS into a STEM curriculum enables students to learn professional job skills before ever graduating.

http://www.edudemic.com/data-sleuths-geographic-systems/

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The Four Negative Sides of Technology

By Pamela DeLoatch, Edudemic

We live in a high tech world—with high tech classrooms. We embrace the benefits of using iPads during class, integrating tweets during presentations, and teaching students while using smart TVs. We know the many benefits of incorporating technology while teaching, such as adding diversity to lessons, increasing student interaction, and to bringing new perspectives and knowledge to the class. But there can be a negative side resulting from inappropriate or overuse of technology, and that negative side can have serious and long-term consequences. To make the best out of tools of technology, teachers and parents must also recognize their downsides and how to avoid them.

http://www.edudemic.com/the-4-negative-side-effects-of-technology/

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Online Peer Reviews Improve Literacy Instruction

by Chris Sloan, Literacy Daily

English language arts teachers have long recognized the critical role meaningful feedback from peers has in process-writing classrooms. However, one limitation of traditional face-to-face peer response I noticed in my own teaching is that I never knew who was engaged with others and at what level. I didn’t have an efficient way of knowing who was giving (and who was getting) good feedback. Over the past few years, peer feedback has been integrated into learning management systems like Canvas, Blackboard, and Turnitin. Stand-alone applications like Peerceptiv and Eli Review are online peer review systems that provide data never possible in traditional face-to-face settings. I’ve recently begun incorporating Eli Review into my teaching and am excited about the potential for learning and literacy development.

http://www.reading.org/literacy-daily/classroom/post/engage/2015/05/01/online-peer-reviews-improve-literacy-instruction

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McDonalds Celebrates First Employee Graduate of Cengage Learning’s Career Online High School

by IT Business Net

Juan Garcia today was recognized as the first McDonald’s graduate of Cengage Learning’s Career Online High School (COHS), a unique education program being offered to qualifying employees working in company-owned and franchise-owned restaurants. A graduation ceremony honoring the achievement was held at McDonald’s during a district manager’s meeting. Through its partnership with Cengage Learning, up to 1,000 employees of McDonald’s or its independent franchisees are expected to complete an elective course and move on to complete the entire Cengage Learning COHS diploma program. “We are so proud of Juan and his achievement, which marks the first of many celebrations to come here at McDonald’s,” said Rob Lauber, Chief Learning Officer at McDonald’s. “As part of our Archways to Opportunity education strategy, we are pleased to be working with Cengage Learning’s Career Online High School to make a high school diploma possible for our people — along with our other robust education and life skills building opportunities.”

http://www.itbusinessnet.com/article/McDonalds-Celebrates-First-Employee-Graduate-of-Cengage-Learnings-Career-Online-High-School-3875230

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Final 28 Corinthian Colleges to close

By Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

Corinthian Colleges Inc. will close its remaining campuses in California, Arizona, New York, Hawaii, and Arizona, effective today, on the heels of fines levied against it by the U.S. Department of Education. After already shuttering or selling nearly a hundred campuses last year, the for-profit college chain had 28 remaining under Heald, Everest, and WyoTech names. The Associated Press reports that a statement from Corinthian issued Sunday said the company would help current students continue their educations elsewhere.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/final-28-corinthian-colleges-to-close/391108/

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Idaho has room to improve its stagnated online education

By PG Veer, Watchdog Arena

Technology has “creeped in” everywhere these days, including the classroom. To many this is a good thing, because breaking technological barriers means that education is more accessible and also personalized.The Foundation for Excellence in Education, founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in 2010, aims at showing our politicians the benefits of such a transformation because “access to high-quality, customized learning experiences should be available to all students, unbounded by geography or artificial policy constraints,” as they state in their just-released report, which looks at 2014. This year, Idaho ranks 23rd, tied with New Mexico and Arkansas, at the lower end of the C grading. While not stellar, the classification is an improvement from last year.

http://watchdog.org/214649/idaho-online-education/

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Alabama to Offer Online Courses to All High School Students

by EdSurge Newsletters

Starting in the 2016-2017 school year, all public high school students in Alabama will have the option to take courses online, if Gov. Robert Bentley signs a bill passed by the state legislature. Over 27,000 Alabama high school and middle school students currently take online courses through the ACCESS distance learning program, which uses live video feeds of teachers and web-based assignments. Schools will have the option to offer ACCESS programs or contract with outside vendors.

https://www.edsurge.com/n/2015-04-28-alabama-to-offer-online-courses-to-all-high-school-students

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