Report: Ed Sector Target of More Malware Events than any Other

By Joshua Bolkan, THE Journal

More than a third of all malware events in 2014 occurred within the education sector, according to NTT Com Security’s 2015 Global Threat Intelligence Report (GTIR). The report, which analyzed more than 6 billion attacks for trends, points to the rise of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs. “[C]onnecting large amounts of users to public networks through a variety of devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones), cyber criminals know to target this vulnerable audience segment, resulting in this sector having the most detected malware-related events,” according to a news release. “Students and staff use these vulnerable networks to check grades, schedule meetings, log into financial assets and more, opening up their personally identifiable information to criminals.”

http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/06/23/report-ed-sector-target-of-more-malware-events-than-any-other.aspx

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Future of textbooks increasingly looks digital

By Lee Shearer, Athens Banner-Herald

Students and teachers in some University of Georgia introductory biology courses experimented with using a free digital textbook instead of expensive paper texts in fall 2013 courses, and liked it. About 86 percent of nearly 700 students surveyed after the courses said their online textbook was as good as or better than a traditional paper textbook. But that experiment was just a fraction of what’s coming, according to Houston Davis, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer of the University System of Georgia.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/future-digital-textbooks-563/

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/zEBfilVFME0/

Common Core in Action Series

by Edutopia

Grade-level and subject-specific resources for Common Core-aligned lessons. This collection of blog posts highlights lesson plans, ideas, and other useful resources to help you bring Common Core-aligned lessons into your classroom. We’re actively building this repository of ideas every week, so make sure to bookmark this page. You can also follow #CCSS or #CCSSChat on Twitter for the latest updates.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/common-core-in-action-series

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New bill would support innovative internet pilots for students

By Laura Devaney, eSchool News

New legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate would support innovative methods to give students access to the internet and digital tools outside of classrooms. The Digital Learning Equity Act of 2015, introduced by Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), would support pilot initiatives that increase student access to digital resources, increase student, parent, and educator engagement, and improve students’ chances to participate in new learning models. It also provides for a national study of data related to the digital divide, including barriers to students’ home internet access, how educators confront that reality in their classrooms, and how no at-home internet access can impact student engagement.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/06/23/bill-internet-plans-784/

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Virtual reality STEM program helps special needs students

by eSchool News

On a typical day at Lee Mathson Middle School in East San Jose, California, students can explore the inside of a volcano via a three-dimensional, holographic image. The Mathson students are just completing their first year learning with the zSpace STEM lab, which includes a set of student virtual reality stations and a teacher station, each outfitted with an interactive stylus as well as a wide variety of educational software ranging from science and physics to engineering. Virtual-holographic images can be “lifted” from the screen and manipulated with the stylus. The impact of zSpace for students and teachers is exciting, particularly because many students using the system have special needs, and have experienced frustration learning in the traditional way.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/06/24/san-jose-virtual-093/

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New Research Links Online Support With Increased Course Completion and Better Retention for Community College Students

by Marketwatch

Conducted over a two-year period across four community colleges, the study found that access to online tutoring had a significant impact on retention rates, and student performance within selected courses. Over 1,600 students enrolled in college algebra, introductory statistics and introductory English composition courses participated in the research. College completion has gained nationwide prominence in recent months, with an intense focus from the White House and lawmakers, as community college completion rates hover at just 20%. According to the study, the use of online tutoring had a significant impact on student persistence, cutting in half the percentage of students who failed to return in the subsequent semester. The study also found that that Tutor.com’s effect on retention persisted beyond just one semester. After one year 61% of students who used Tutor.com sessions returned, while only 51% of those students who did not use Tutor.com sessions returned.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-research-links-online-support-with-increased-course-completion-and-better-retention-for-community-college-students-2015-06-23?reflink=MW_news_stmp

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Virtual Reality Helps Bridge the Gap Between Online and In-person Learning

by Noelle Phansalkar, Outer Places

Since the recent surge in virtual reality development, experts from all fields have been eager to study its potential impacts. Most recently, Conrad Tucker, Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Design at Penn State, conducted a study to test whether using virtual reality would have a significant impact on online learning. Tucker selected the Oculus Rift for his purposes, undoubtedly due to its relative inexpensiveness and accessibility. He also fitted participants with a haptic glove, which allows the wearer to simulate the feel of virtual objects. The participant sample consisted of 54 undergraduate engineering students who were tasked with assembling a virtual coffee pot from a number of disparate pieces. Half undertook this task with the help of the virtual reality hardware, while the other half used a simple computer program. The results were unsurprising; the mean completion time for the control group was 49.04 seconds, while the mean time for the group using V.R. was 23.21 seconds – less than half the time.

http://www.outerplaces.com/science/item/9154/virtual-reality-helps-bridge-the-gap-between-online-and-in-person-learning

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