Teachers learn gardening basics in UGA class

By LEE SHEARER, Online Athens

Thirty schoolteachers learned the basics of gardening on the University of Georgia campus Thursday, but they had more in mind than backyard tomatoes. Their students will be the beneficiaries, explained MaryLauren Schroeder and Laura Ward, teachers at Athens’ St. Joseph Catholic school and two of those who came out in the blistering heat at the university’s UGArden on South Milledge Avenue. Like others in the group, they’re planning a garden at their school next year — the one at St. Joseph will involve children from pre-K, where Schroeder teaches, all the way up to Ward at the eighth-grade level.

http://onlineathens.com/mobile/2015-06-26/teachers-learn-gardening-basics-uga-class

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U California, Irvine Extension Debuts Online Courses in Student-Centered Learning

By Joshua Bolkan, THE Journal

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) Extension is offering two new online courses designed to help teachers develop their skills in cognitive and student-centered learning. The courses, “Building Cognitive Curriculum” and “Motivation and Responsibility in the Student-Centered Classroom,” are currently open for registration and will run July 6-September 13. Both courses are requirements for a larger program, “Student-Centered Learning Specialized Studies,” launching in the fall and designed to offer educators insight into classroom practices that can be implemented immediately.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/06/25/u-california-irvine-extension-launches-online-courses-in-student-centered-learning.aspx

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Online summer classes beneficial to some Horry County Schools students

BY CLAIRE BYUN, the Sun News

For the past six years, Horry County Schools has offered supplemental online courses during the school year and summer to middle and high schoolers, all at no charge to the student. Course offerings include core classes such as Algebra and history, and electives such as journalism and computer programming. Students take the summer online courses to get ahead or make up after falling behind during the school year. Most summer enrollments are middle school students who want to finish their high school computer science credit early, said Edi Cox, executive director of online learning for the district. “Some students just want to get it out of the way so they have time to take other elective courses when they’re actually in high school,” Cox said.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/education/article25606441.html

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Creating Engaging Assignments

by L. Lamar Nisly, Sarah Cecire, Melissa Friesen, and Amanda Sensenig, Tomorrow’s Professor

Miller (2011) defined student engagement as “students’ willingness to actively participate in the learning process and to persist despite obstacles and challenges. Indicators of student engagement include class attendance and participation, submission of required work, involvement in the learning environment, and participation in the extra-curricular learning opportunities provided on their campus” (2). Each of the three case studies presented here details an example of course assignments that led to significant engagement by students.

http://cgi.stanford.edu/~dept-ctl/cgi-bin/tomprof/enewsletter.php?msgno=1424

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Teachers’ Perspectives and Practices in Applying Technology to Enhance Learning in the Classroom

by Tantri Sari Safitry, et al; iJet

The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the classroom activities has become more famous to the teachers over the last decade. This study tries to investigate the teachers’ perspectives and practices toward the use of ICT in their classroom activities. A survey was conducted to collect the data of the research. Using a revised expectancy-value theory called the Technology Implementation Questionnaire (TIQ), a questionnaire was administered among 20 elementary teachers. The findings revealed that there are still teachers who have more than 10 years experiences in teaching but they never got any formal training on using ICT. The lack of proficiency in ICT such as in using software, lack of technical support from the school also make them feel stressed out even though they have positive perspectives in applying ICT in their classroom activities.

http://online-journals.org/index.php/i-jet/article/view/4356

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Apple Watch, wearable technology raising cheating fears at universities

by Larissa Garza, Phoenix Business Journal

The Apple Watch is being banned in universities and standardized testing centers worldwide to prevent cheating. The Apple Watch, along with other wearable technology, is forcing a number of universities and colleges to institute bans on the technology to curb potential cheating on exams and tests. While no university in Arizona has instituted such bans on wearable tech, the Chronicle for Higher Education reports that universities in Australia have recently placed restrictions on smart watches. The University of New South Wales also banned wristbands during exams.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2015/06/23/apple-watch-wearable-technology-raising-cheating.html

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Digital Curriculum Results in Greater Achievement for Boston Public Schools

PR News Wire

Boston Public Schools (BPS) recently announced a historic milestone with the graduation rate at the highest level in recorded history. Data released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shows the 2014 four-year graduation rate stands at 66.7 percent, up from 65.9 percent in 2013 and continuing an upward trend since 2006 when that figure was 59 percent. The data also shows the district’s annual dropout rate has dipped to a record low at 3.8 percent. Director of Online and Blended Learning for BPS High Schools, Janice Manfredi, attributes the increase in achievement in part to the use of Apex Learning digital curriculum for the district’s credit recovery program, which targets students most at-risk of dropping out.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-curriculum-results-in-greater-achievement-for-boston-public-schools-300103845.html

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