Ron Elearning

ClevrU Shares Passion for Education with Canadian Ambassador in China

2012-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Alumni of Canadian Universities meet in China.ClevrU Shares Passion for Education with Canadian Ambassador in China

Employee Departs for Khan Academy

2012-02-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

Google's First Employee Departs for Khan Academy | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Excellence in Technology

2012-02-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

Brainshark Wins Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Award, in Recognition of Superior Mobile Learning Solutions - MarketWatch

Blackboard Introduces Major Update

2012-02-08T19:15:00.000-08:00

Not again - I'm still learning the last version of Blackboard...Blackboard Introduces Major Update for Blackboard Learn 9.1 - MarketWatch

ReviewLink TM Beta Collaborative e-Learning Review Tool Proves to be a Valuable Asset to e-Learning Developers

2012-02-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

ReviewLink TM Beta Collaborative e-Learning Review Tool Proves to be a Valuable Asset to e-Learning Developers: e-Learning professionals continue to exchange positive feedback and comments since the recent release of ReviewLinkTM Beta collaborative e-Learning review tool. ReviewLink, included in Lectora® e-Learning software, proves to streamline course and training development as it simplifies and fills gaps in the e-Learning review process.

“ReviewLink makes the review process much easier and much more simple for our users, streamlining the process for feedback like never before and filling a much needed space in the e-Learning world,” said Peter Bray, Chief Marketing Officer at Trivantis Corporation. “This tool has proven to be more of a success than even we anticipated. The praise and satisfaction we continue to receive from our clients regarding ReviewLink is astounding. ”

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E-Learning Company OutStart To Be Acquired By Kenexa, and Why This Space Matters | BostInno

2012-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

E-Learning Company OutStart To Be Acquired By Kenexa, and Why This Space Matters | BostInno: OutStart, a Boston-based e-learning company, has agreed to be acquired by Kenexa, a human resources management firm. The transaction is expected to close shortly, and financial details were not disclosed. Kenexa plans to integrate OutStart’s social and mobile learning tools into its own talent management offerings.

“Kenexa has been working aggressively toward the delivery of a complete, integrated suite of SaaS-based talent management solutions,” said Rudy Karsan, chairman and chief executive officer at Kenexa. “We have the leading talent acquisition solution for large organizations, and we launched our performance management suite last year as well. With the addition of OutStart’s capabilities, Kenexa will be able to offer customers an award-winning suite of SaaS learning solutions plus learning expertise and a great team with more than a decade of experience in learning management.”

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thebahamasweekly.com - E-Learning Expert John Bain Calls for Computer Science in School Curriculum

2012-02-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

thebahamasweekly.com - E-Learning Expert John Bain Calls for Computer Science in School Curriculum: Now, an e-learning specialist who has just returned from leading a seminar of international experts says it's time to wake up and smell the future.

“The study of Computer Science is just as important as Mathematics and English,” said John Bain, the Principal of JSB & Associates and Chairman of the e-Learning Committee of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. "The study of computer science is not a luxury, and should not be an elective, but an integral part of education. It is a vital, analytical discipline, and a system of logical thinking that is as relevant to the modern world as physics, chemistry or biology.”

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Launch of Opus You

2012-02-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

Launch of Opus You: Interactive and Innovative Music Education

Workshops warn on risks of cyber bullying

2012-01-30T19:15:00.000-08:00

Workshops warn capital’s first-years on risks of cyber bullying - Education - Scotsman.com

Support the Fight Against Bullying

2012-01-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

LearnKey’s Efforts to Support the Fight Against Bullying With Online Training

Tablets for elearning

2012-01-29T11:55:00.000-08:00

Next generation ‘Aakash’ tablets for Andhra students at Rs 1,500

Media for eLearning: Top Tools

2012-01-29T11:52:00.000-08:00

The eLearning Guild : Media for eLearning: Top Tools : Research Library

Ping Identity Kicks Off Free Training

2012-01-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Elearning offered free on the cloud.Ping Identity Kicks Off Free Cloud Identity Security Training Series - MarketWatch

Teaching Excellence Online

2012-01-25T21:44:00.000-08:00

Bainbridge News Teaching Excellence Goes Online

TED TALK for 2011

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Future of education picked as one of top topics for 2011.Former Hedge Fund Analyst Number 2 TED TALK for 2011 - Technorati Technology

online education to children

2012-01-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

9 out of 10 largest school districts using program - Provo's Imagine Learning brings online education to children

Shift to electronic health records means new jobs for thousands

2012-01-23T06:42:00.000-08:00

CCC to offer electronic health records consultant training online | NJ.com

Online Training

2012-01-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

Intertech Announces 1,000th Online Training Student - Press Release - Digital Journal

iBooks 2, iBooks Author and iTunes U

2012-01-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

Event shows Apple has a vision for the future of education.iBooks 2, iBooks Author and iTunes U Unveiled - Fox News Video - Fox News

Serebra Learning Closes Private Placement – Venture Capital, Private Equity, M&A, IPO News

2012-01-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

Canadian company providing elearning solutions raises money. Serebra Learning Closes Private Placement – Venture Capital, Private Equity, M&A, IPO News

Gov't Promises Schools More Computers

2012-01-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

Jamaica Government has an E-learning initiative that has laptops promised for almost 200 schools. Gov't Promises Schools More Computers

Why Apple's Increased Presence in Education Matters | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

2012-01-21T15:50:00.001-08:00

Why Apple's Increased Presence in Education Matters | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

2012-01-21T15:50:00.000-08:00

Why Apple's Increased Presence in Education Matters | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Jewish day schools putting Apple iPads to the test | JTA - Jewish & Israel News

2012-01-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

One of Steve Jobs regrets was that he did not have more of an impact on the textbook industry. But here is one more example of the impact of iPads in schools, chipping away at the eventual elimination of paper. Jewish day schools putting Apple iPads to the test | JTA - Jewish & Israel News

Is the iPad the Future of Education? Students in Palm Beach Florida Find Out | Singularity Hub

2012-01-21T07:14:00.000-08:00

Is the iPad the Future of Education? Students in Palm Beach Florida Find Out | Singularity Hub Educators trying to assess how best to use iPad in the classroom - excuse me, but isn't this a contradiction? Shouldn't the question be to assess how to eliminate classrooms? Very interesting analysis of the pros and cons of one technology and how students are using it to learn.

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Education Hurdle Deepens Poverty Trap

2012-01-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

In Korea, 8 out of 10 high school students go on to university. In most countries this would be a remarkable achievment but in Korea, they are striving to do better with calls to improve access for lower income families. The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Education Hurdle Deepens Poverty Trap

Graduate online degree program placed in 'Top Online Education Program' ranking

2012-01-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

Graduate online degree program placed in 'Top Online Education Program' ranking: Georgia Southern University’s online graduate degree programs have been ranked among the highest in the country by U.S. News & World Report in its first “Top Online Education Program” rankings.

“Georgia Southern has long been recognized for its outstanding campus-based programs, but this ranking confirms that our online graduate programs in business, education, IT and nursing are among the best in the nation,” GSU President Brooks Keel said in a press release.

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10 Excellent, Free Online Education Resources - Slideshow from PCMag.com

2012-01-20T15:17:00.000-08:00

10 Excellent, Free Online Education Resources - Slideshow from PCMag.com: Luckily, there's good news for those with a desire to continue their education: There are many ways you can develop new skills and gain knowledge for free in your spare time. Many universities and other educational institutions offer free online courses, complete with tests, quizzes, reading material, study guides, and even textbooks. An actual degree from a university might cost you a pretty penny and leave you knee deep in student loans, but you can still further your education without dropping thousands of dollars.

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What are SOPA and PIPA? Education about the bills continues after online protests - BlogPost - The Washington Post

2012-01-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

What are SOPA and PIPA? Education about the bills continues after online protests - BlogPost - The Washington Post

The Rise of the e-Patient

2012-01-19T10:17:00.000-08:00

The Rise of the e-Patient

Idaho lawmakers review plan making Idaho first to require students to take 2 online credits | The Republic

2012-01-17T20:08:00.000-08:00

Idaho lawmakers review plan making Idaho first to require students to take 2 online credits The Republic

Study: Online classes more popular - NewsandSentinel.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

2012-01-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

Study: Online classes more popular - NewsandSentinel.com News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

California Initiative Brings Breath of Fresh Air - Forbes

2012-01-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

California Initiative Brings Breath of Fresh Air - Forbes

Here's a Sweet Resolution for 2012

2012-01-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a Sweet Resolution for 2012 - become a professional choclatier at an online school.

Blended Learning for Students

2012-01-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

Blended Learning for Students in Catholic schools in Owne Sound Ontario.

Minister’s surprising vision for higher ed – - Macleans OnCampus

2011-12-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

Minister’s surprising vision for higher ed – - Macleans OnCampus

MIT announces free, open source courses – - Macleans OnCampus

2011-12-30T18:22:00.000-08:00

MIT announces free, open source courses – - Macleans OnCampus

MIT Announces Platform for Free Online Courses

2011-12-30T18:11:00.000-08:00

MIT Announces Platform for Free Online Courses

MIT to Offer Free Online Education | Kansas City News | fox4kc.com | FOX 4

2011-12-30T18:06:00.000-08:00

MIT to Offer Free Online Education Kansas City News fox4kc.com FOX 4

Rochester school district saw plenty of change in 2011 - Post Bulletin

2011-12-30T18:04:00.000-08:00

Rochester school district saw plenty of change in 2011 - Post Bulletin

MIT’s new learning platform points to future of higher ed - Editorials - The Boston Globe

2011-12-30T18:03:00.000-08:00

MIT’s new learning platform points to future of higher ed - Editorials - The Boston Globe

Cambridge Colleges of Higher Education |Cambridge Regional Colleges | Distance learning college in Cambridge saved from closure threat

2011-12-28T18:47:00.000-08:00

Cambridge Colleges of Higher Education Cambridge Regional Colleges Distance learning college in Cambridge saved from closure threat

Google Conducts Case Study of Liberty University Online, Praising their Mobile Advertising

2011-12-28T18:45:00.000-08:00

Google Conducts Case Study of Liberty University Online, Praising their Mobile Advertising

Humboldt Park Business Resource Network Offering Free Online Learn - Hispanically Speaking News

2011-12-28T18:43:00.000-08:00

Humboldt Park Business Resource Network Offering Free Online Learn - Hispanically Speaking News

Toffee TV: A delicious way to reappraise Urdu – The Express Tribune

2011-09-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Toffee TV: A delicious way to reappraise Urdu – The Express Tribune

Online consortium expands student options - Shawnee, OK - The Shawnee News-Star

2011-08-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Online consortium expands student options - Shawnee, OK - The Shawnee News-Star

E-learning efforts at MU consolidate | The Columbia Daily Tribune - Columbia, Missouri

2011-08-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

E-learning efforts at MU consolidate The Columbia Daily Tribune - Columbia, Missouri

Cochrane Eagle Online – Cochrane's Source of News and Opinion » Blog Archive » RVS making progress in digital learning, says superintendent

2011-08-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

Cochrane Eagle Online – Cochrane's Source of News and Opinion » Blog Archive » RVS making progress in digital learning, says superintendent

Parents, time to panic about our kids' education - CNN.com

2011-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Parents, time to panic about our kids' education - CNN.com: What we need is an aggressive, multipronged strategy geared toward closing the education gap between the rich and everyone else because everyone else -- in the spirit of the Wall Street bailouts -- is too big to fail.

Instead of dangling federal dollars like a carrot that some disadvantaged educators feel they must falsify test scores to obtain, how about the Education Department uses that money to work with some of the Wall Street companies we bailed out to establish paid internships for promising high school students? It would be better to use money from the Education Department to subsidize a tax break for professionals in careers such as engineering who tutor a certain number of hours a school year.

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Local Views Vary on Online Education

2011-08-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Local Views Vary on Online Education: To some, online classes are a valuable tool. To others, they’ve been an exercise in frustration.

Personnel from the Idaho State Board of Education heard both perspectives Monday at a public hearing in TwinFalls on a new state requirement for such classes.

High school students entering class as freshmen in the fall of 2012 would have to take two online courses to graduate under a proposed rule. Monday’s feedback will be given to a board subcommittee drafting that rule.

Trent Siler, a teacher at Filer High School, said the school unsuccessfully tried to put some of its well-performing students in a pre-calculus online course a couple of years ago.

Students were unable to understand the material and had difficulties contacting the teacher, who took weeks to respond, Siler said, adding that most of the students failed.

Bonnie Mahannah, a mother from Castleford, said her son took online courses at Castleford School District last year and had technical problems, such as getting materials uploaded.

That’s time-consuming and frustrating, particularly if a teacher takes a couple of days to get back, she said.

“When it gets down to the wire and things don’t work, we’re stuck,” she said.

Wiley Dobbs, superintendent of Twin Falls School District, said student interest in online courses has been high, with successful pass rates of 93 percent and 94 percent for the last two semesters. Last year, 555 students in the district took online courses.

But he cautioned that online education shouldn’t be viewed as a tool for saving money, noting that there are still extra costs from classroom facilitators and technology.

Byron Stutzman, superintendent of Buhl School District, said it’s important to teach students the way they learn best, whether it’s online or otherwise.

“I’m a digital Neanderthal,” Stutzman jokingly said. “My daughter is a digital native.”

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Elizabethtown College Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning Launches MBA Program

2011-08-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

Elizabethtown College Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning Launches MBA Program: ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (08/23/2011)(readMedia)-- The Edward R. Murphy Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning at Elizabethtown College is pleased to announce the start of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program. Classes will begin in January, 2012 at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and at the Burle Conference and Training Center on New Holland Pike in Lancaster.

The MBA program will be offered in six, eight week sessions each year in a classroom environment, online and through weekend immersion sessions to provide a variety of learning options. Students willing to take continuous classes can graduate in two years. The program also provides an easy step-in, step-out format for added flexibility.

The curriculum for the program is designed to provide working adults the skills, knowledge and experience they need to advance in leadership roles within their companies and communities. Classes will contain a mix of accounting, finance, marketing, information systems, economics and ethics and leadership topics which will challenge students to integrate their learning into the real-world business environment.

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TPS goes high tech to do more with fewer classes - Toledo Blade

2011-08-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

TPS goes high tech to do more with fewer classes - Toledo Blade: Mike Jewell calls himself a dinosaur, but he's at the vanguard of a Toledo Public Schools technological push.

He broadcast from Woodward High School Thursday to a room full of Toledo Public School officials at Start High School, demonstrating a new program for the district this year called distance learning labs. He will be based at Bowsher High School, but will teach students throughout the district.

"It's such an exciting process for me," he said.

Toledo Public Schools will have these distance labs at all six high schools this fall. The labs allow the district to boost its advanced-placement and foreign-language courses at its high schools without having to pay for the teachers at all the schools. Students will be able to take classes such as Chinese or AP American government.

The new rooms -- still under construction at four of the schools -- look more like college labs than high school classrooms. Flat-screen TVs line both front and back walls of the rooms. Long tables are lined with microphone pods, and are tiered, increasing visibility for student and remote teacher.

A teacher such as Mr. Jewell broadcasts the class from one of the six distance labs. Students at the five other sites can see the teacher on large flat-screen TVs in front of their classes. To answer and ask questions, they hit a microphone button in front of them, transmitting to all locations.

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AFP: Internet takes "distance-learning" into the Amazon

2011-08-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

AFP: Internet takes "distance-learning" into the Amazon: TUMBIRA, Brazil — The Internet is letting a school sprout in the Amazon where teachers tend not to linger due to harsh living conditions and a scarcity of students.

Teachers in Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, conduct lessons streamed to students in the village of Tumbira using an Internet connection made possible with a generator-powered radio signal.

If not for "distance learning," children from far-flung Amazon river communities would forgo school or endure arduous boat trips to places with traditional schools.

"There was skepticism whether this system would work," Tumbira school director Izolena Garrido told AFP on Friday.

"It seemed like there was a lot of outside maneuvering to keep the school from functioning."

While Internet technology made the school possible, opposition came from traditional schools in cities that saw money spent on distance-learning as eating into government funding for public education.

"So, we established a model for teaching and learning and just got the school going," Garrido said. "With or without students, we were going to get this school going."

A home for the distance-learning school was created by Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), which built classrooms, a library and even sleeping quarters where students could string up hammocks that serve as bedding in the Amazon.

Garrido enlisted local teachers and invited parents to visit the school, which provides an intimate setting. Children from six Amazon communities aside from Tumbira signed on for the program launched about 18 months ago.

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Literature goes live as distance cut for students - ABC Western Plains NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

2011-08-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Literature goes live as distance cut for students - ABC Western Plains NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Distance education used to be all about mailing material to isolated students and providing lessons over radio with the School of the Air.

Now it's all about video cameras, live streaming and real-time interaction between students based around the state, and teachers in a small room in suburban Dubbo.

From the Rural and Distance Education headquarters on Wingewarra Street in Dubbo, authors from the Literature Live program have recently been teaching students about their craft.

In a series of lessons, the group teamed up with ABC Western Plains mornings presenter Dugald Saunders to broadcast via video conferencing to screens as far away as Albury and Talbingo in the south of the state.

"I'm working through a woman on the camera who's working with the kids in really remote farms and stations around New South Wales and it's just so nice that I get to meet those kids," author Jeni Mawter said.

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Mass copying: BU calls off degree exams - The Times of India

2011-08-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Mass copying: BU calls off degree exams - The Times of India: BANGALORE: When the entire country is chanting Gandhian mantras and fighting for a corruption-free society, closer home, Bangalore University on Monday decided to annul exams after students were found copying.

Students were caught copying in examination centres for correspondence and distance education, second and third-year BA, BCom and BBM courses.

The director of correspondence courses and distance education found students writing the exam with textbooks open before them when he went on rounds following complaints.

"In Davanagere, in a gap of four minutes, I caught eight students copying. In Vijaynagar, Bangalore, somebody was standing on the top of the building to caution the others. Then on the students pretended to write and just kept looking at each other," said Niranjan B R, director.

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Off-campus programs help keep S&T's enrollment at record levels - Missouri S&T News and Events

2011-08-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

Off-campus programs help keep S&T's enrollment at record levels - Missouri S&T News and Events: The first day of classes at Missouri University of Science and Technology began on Monday, Aug. 22, with 7,271 students, an increase of 319 students. Nearly half of the new students are enrolled in the university's distance education programs, a growth of 27.4 percent over last year's numbers. On-campus enrollment has increased 2.6 percent.

"Our distance and continuing education programs continue to grow," says Dr. Warren K. (Kent) Wray, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. "The students appreciate the convenience of online learning coupled with Missouri S&T's academic quality."

Female enrollment, typically low at engineering-dominant schools, is also on the rise. "Our on-campus female enrollment is currently at a record 1,501 students," says Laura Stoll, interim vice provost and dean of enrollment management. "We expect the total on- and off-campus number of 1,608 female students to exceed the record of 1,610 by the end of the fourth week, when we have our official numbers."

The quality of Missouri S&T students continues to be high. "Our ACT average is still among the top 10 percent in the country," says Stoll.

Missouri S&T's solid enrollment numbers may also be attributed to graduates' high starting salaries. In its 2011-12 College Salary Report, Payscale Inc., a Seattle-based research firm, ranked Missouri S&T second among Midwestern public and private universities, with an average starting salary of $58,600.

The official fall enrollment figures will be released after the fourth week of classes.

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UMass Lowell Online Breaks Record, Launches New Programs | Lowell.com

2011-08-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

UMass Lowell Online Breaks Record, Launches New Programs | Lowell.com: Fifteen years ago, UMass Lowell was among the first institutions in the nation to offer students the option to take classes online, delivering eight courses to about 80 students. This year, the university saw more than 200 times that number of online enrollments in offerings from single courses to full degree programs.

UMass Lowell saw a record-breaking 18,558 online enrollments in Fiscal Year 2011, up 15 percent over the same period last year. The university’s distance education program has seen double-digit growth since that first semester in 1996.

“UMass Lowell introduced online learning so that busy people can get the education they need to achieve their professional and personal goals,” said Executive Vice Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney, the program’s founder. “The tremendous growth over the last 15 years shows how the convenience, quality and breadth of what the university offers add up to success for our students.”

Programs include fully online bachelor’s degrees in fields like liberal arts, psychology and information technology. Online graduate study options include 10 master’s degrees in areas like business administration and education, and a variety of certificates. Highly specialized programs created in response to demand from employers and students are another hallmark of UMass Lowell’s online offerings and include new certificates in fields like network security, victim studies and treating sleep disorders. Students enrolled in online programs receive academic advising and other services specially designed to meet their needs.

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Distance learning, the mantra for city youth - Hindustan Times

2011-08-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

Distance learning, the mantra for city youth - Hindustan Times: Mohit Banka, 18, began working at a call centre after Class 12 and signed up for a BCom course through distance education. The Kandivli resident felt that a few years of work experience would help him get ahead faster than spending three years in college. “I’ll have a degree plus work
experience when I graduate. I can do a part-time MBA with the money I save. Work experience counts a great deal for an executive MBA programme,” said Banka, who is also doing a computer course.

He is among the growing number of people opting for distance education to complete their graduation while they simultaneously work. Data from Mumbai University's Institute of Distance and Open Learning shows that a majority of those enrolling in graduate and postgraduate correspondence courses are between 18 and 25 years.

In 2006, 30,838 students between 18-25 years enrolled for the distance education programme. The figure for the same age group doubled to almost 60,000 students in 2010. The total enrollment for correspondence courses has also gone up by 23% from 58,967 in 2006 to 72,666 in 2010-2011. However, the number of students in the 26-35 age group enrolling for distance education has steadily fallen in the same period.

“In the 18 to 25 age group, the maximum enrollments are in BCom (21,521 in 2010) and MCom (18,984 in 2010), which are career-oriented courses. Most students in this age group are employed. Arts is more popular among older students,” said D Harichandan, director of the institute.

But would a correspondence degree have the same value as a full-time degree course? “In Mumbai, both degrees have the same value because of the university’s good reputation. What students might miss is the social aspect of college education, but today, one does not need to go to college alone for exposure,” said Snehalata Deshmukh, ex-vice chancellor, Mumbai University.

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HRD ministry to give distance education a leg-up - Hindustan Times

2011-08-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

HRD ministry to give distance education a leg-up - Hindustan Times: To give a fillip to distance education in India, the HRD has decided on a new mechanism which will enable faster and transparent clearance to new distance education institutes and courses. The ministry last week decided that all distance education proposals will be discussed once every
month by a joint committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the three higher education regulatory bodies.

Proposals regarding distance education are cleared by Distance Education Council (DEC) under IGNOU but the UGC and AICTE have been opposing several decisions citing regulatory flaws. No distance education institute or course is allowed without a mandatory no-objection certificate from UGC and AICTE but still approvals have been given.

“The distance education council used to seek post facto clearance which we had opposed,” said UGC chairperson Ved Prakash. It meant a customary three to four months to decide on a specific proposal resulting in huge delays.

To end the continuous wrangling between different higher education regulatory bodies and speed up the approval process, HRD minister Kapil Sibal held discussions with chiefs of these regulatory bodies last week and decided to constitute a joint committee to be convened by a ministry official.

“The onus of fostering distance education will now be ministry’s responsibility,” a HRD ministry official said. But, the final decision would still remain with the regulatory bodies. “We have provided a mechanism for faster disposal of disputes,” the official explained.

The decision was fall-out of the concern raised by educationists regarding anticipated failure of existing universities and colleges to meet the increase in demand for higher education in the coming years. There are just 70 approved institutions to provide distance education as against the requirement of over 200. “Distance education is a viable alternative but we have to provide enough quality institutions to attract students,” the official said.

According to Ved Prakash, the new committee will consider all proposals and the decision will be taken there and then. Looking into quality of the courses provided is another aspect the committee will look into. The IGNOU will act as secretariat of the committee.

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Community voices concern over online education requirements - Idaho Press-Tribune: News

2011-08-22T20:41:00.000-07:00

Community voices concern over online education requirements - Idaho Press-Tribune: News

Cunningham Addresses 'Social Media Law' in Ellisville - Ballwin-Ellisville, MO Patch

2011-08-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Cunningham Addresses 'Social Media Law' in Ellisville - Ballwin-Ellisville, MO Patch: Missouri Sen. Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield) said two more Missouri teachers lost their licenses last week due to to "sexual misconduct," underscoring the need for the new law, she said, that curtails communications between students and teachers over online social media.

This pattern is why state legislators passed Senate Bill 54, Cunningham said. The law is now often referred to as "the Facebook law."

Cunningham attended the Rockwood School District board of education meeting Thursday at Crestview Middle School to answer questions about the bill and to help clear up confusion about its implications.

"A five-year investigation indicated that 2,500 teachers lost their licenses due to sexual misconduct," said Cunningham. "Missouri ranks as the 11th worst state for this, with 87 teachers having lost their license due to this reason. It is a growing problem."

She told Patch after the board meeting the bottom line of the new law rests in two main considerations:

1. Remembering that students are minors who are supposed to be protected by parents and guardians.
2. Communications between a teacher and student that is hidden from others is not allowed. Conversely, open Facebook pages established by coaches specifically for teams, for example, should not be problematic because parents and other Facebook users can see its contents.

The bill, which goes into effect Aug. 28, actually creates the "Amy Hestir Student Protection Act."

It states: "By Jan. 1, 2012, every school district must develop a written policy concerning teacher-student communication and employee-student communications. Each policy must include appropriate oral and nonverbal personal communication, which may be combined with sexual harassment policies, and appropriate use of electronic media as described in the act, including social networking sites. Teachers cannot establish, maintain, or use a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student. Former student is defined as any person who was at one time a student at the school at which the teacher is employed and who is eighteen years of age or less and who has not graduated."

The law also dictates that by Jan. 1, 2012, each school district must include in its teacher and employee training a component that provides information on identifying signs of sexual abuse in children and of potentially abusive relationships between children and adults, with an emphasis on mandatory reporting. Training also must include an emphasis on the obligation of mandated reporters to report suspected abuse by other mandatory reporters.

Cunningham said the heart of the bill is requiring districts to disclose the news about teachers' sexual misconduct if they get a call of reference. "If you don't disclose what you know as a district, you are liable in the future," said Cunningham.

"Nobody felt good about keeping their mouths shut about this, and we don’t want to 'pass the trash' from one district to another," she said.

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Internet Evolution - Editor's Blog - Teachers Fight Back Against Online 'Friendship' Law

2011-08-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

Internet Evolution - Editor's Blog - Teachers Fight Back Against Online 'Friendship' Law: We've been debating the birth of a law in Missouri that, among other things, bans private online communications between teachers and students. Many on the Internet Evolution message boards have expressed frustration with the law, and now the teachers are rising up against it.

Reuters reports that the Missouri State Teachers Association filed a lawsuit Friday saying the law infringes upon rights such as free speech. According to the suit:

The act is so vague and over-broad that [teachers] cannot know with confidence what conduct is permitted and what is prohibited and thereby 'chills' the exercise of First Amendment rights of speech, association, religion, collective bargaining, and other constitutional rights...

Plaintiffs have used and are using non-work-related social networking sites as an important avenue for contact with students, both during emergencies and for everyday educational issues, such as when a student has difficulty with a classroom assignment or identifying bullying.

In defense of the law, Missouri Senator Jane Cunningham, R-St. Louis, said it "only prohibits hidden communication between educators and minors who have not graduated." In other words, teachers and students can communicate online, or via text message, provided a parent or administrator is copied in on any and all discussions.

I argued last week that a law like this should not exist for a number of reasons. For starters, schools should set their own policies where Internet communications are concerned. Criminalizing "hidden communication" takes the power from the hands of the educators who may very well have good reason for allowing it, and it assumes every teacher who would communicate with students privately is up to no good. If that's the assumption, then the bigger problem is whom we're letting into the school system in the first place.

But is this law unconstitutional?

Joe Stanganelli, an attorney and ThinkerNet blogger, offered his personal opinion on the situation via email today, asserting that it could be viewed as an infringement upon teachers' First Amendment freedoms of speech and association.

"The state has a fairly compelling interest (preventing inappropriate student-teacher relationships), but this is hardly the least restrictive means of accomplishing that goal," he said. "Incidentally, this is not the first example of public education arguably going too far and missing the point. Some schools have enacted no-touching policies. In an effort to eliminate fighting and sexual assault, schools have banned handshakes and high-fives."

Talk about unnecessary hysteria. What's worse in this situation, Stanganelli says, is that the Missouri law is called the Amy Hestir Davis Student Protection Act. It's named for a woman who was sexually abused in the early 1980s, "long before people were trying to seduce teenagers on Facebook and Twitter."

When I was a student, it was perfectly appropriate for students to meet one-on-one with teachers to talk about grades or problems they were having -- no supervision or surveillance required. In fact, it's been my experience that meetings like these are a comfort to students who see their teachers as trusted confidantes. If we're ready to accept a law that restricts teachers from using their own judgment on when and how to communicate with students online, we might as well outlaw face-to-face meetings between teachers and students, as well.

Yet again, a law like this is an example of blaming the tool -- assuming that access to technology brings out the worst in people. And yet again, we must say that teachers who can't be trusted to communicate with their students shouldn't be trusted to lead them in the classroom.

Whether the law is ruled unconstitutional, it's a sad day when teachers have to resort to suing for their right to correspond with students. Sadder still is that, even though this law likely would not stop a teacher with ill intentions in the first place, it succeeds in stigmatizing all adult educators as inherently dangerous.

— Nicole Ferraro Follow me on TwitterVisit my LinkedIn pageFriend me on Facebook, Executive Editor, Internet Evolution

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Clicking to class: virtual lessons now the law | HeraldTribune.com

2011-08-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Clicking to class: virtual lessons now the law | HeraldTribune.com: Most high school students already spend part of their lives in cyberspace, listening to music, sharing photos with friends and chatting on social media sites.

And starting this school year, many more of them will take classes in the virtual world.

The number of Florida high school students taking online classes is expected to soar this year because of a new state law that requires all high schoolers — starting with this year's freshman class — to take at least one online course before they graduate.

Backers of the law say it will give students a taste of computer-based learning before they get to college, where virtual classes are becoming a staple of an undergraduate course load.

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DreamBox® Learning Puts Common Core State Standards Alignment Tool At Educators’ Fingertips - Press Release - Digital Journal

2011-08-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

DreamBox® Learning Puts Common Core State Standards Alignment Tool At Educators’ Fingertips - Press Release - Digital Journal: DreamBox Learning (http://www.dreambox.com), the intelligent adaptive learning™ company, today announced the release of its Common Core State Standards Report. The new feature allows all educators using the award-winning DreamBox Learning K-3 Math platform to view a real-time report on individual student progress against the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM).

As students complete lessons in DreamBox, teachers can now access the Common Core State Standards Report directly from the DreamBox Learning Dashboard. The report supports and complements any basal math curriculum and will allow educators to see in real-time how any student in the class is doing compared to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

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Salman Khan, Egan Teacher Talk About the Khan Academy Pilot in Los Altos Schools - Los Altos, CA Patch

2011-08-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

Salman Khan, Egan Teacher Talk About the Khan Academy Pilot in Los Altos Schools - Los Altos, CA Patch: He asked Khan to describe in detail, the familiar tale of how he started tutoring a young cousin in math remotely. Khan also related that he initially thought YouTube was "for dogs on skateboards," but decided to follow a friend's suggestion to put his tutoring sessions on there when more young cousins sought his help and he needed to scale.

Cadwell, an Egan Jr. High School 7th grade teacher, took time out on the first day of school to talk about how the Khan Academy modules has changed the way she teaches each day.

The academy's software includes a dashboard that the Los Altos School District teachers use to track in real time the students' progress, which helps them coach students over sticking points. With students' ability to self-pace their learning, "it does blow up the traditional classroom," Cadwell said.

"It's been amazing," Cadwell said. "It stretches us a educators."

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ROCK HILL | Rock Hill schools create 'dashboard' to aid in test data | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC

2011-08-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

ROCK HILL | Rock Hill schools create 'dashboard' to aid in test data | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC: When South Carolina releases standardized test results each year, many educators say it's unfair to judge all that happens in schools by a "snapshot" of how students perform on one test.

Yet those scores comprise the centerpiece of what little student achievement information is made public.

Rock Hill school officials hope to add context.

Superintendent Lynn Moody wants to create an online, digital "dashboard" that would give the public a look at some of the district's internal student performance data.

She also wants to include gauges showing how engaged in learning students are and how challenging their work is.

"It's a bold step for our district, to show what we are doing in the schools," said Jennise Knight, a Sullivan Middle School assistant principal working on the project. "It takes a lot of creativity and innovation.

"This gets into the meat of what's going on. Not only what their test scores are, but the academic environment - how

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Higher tech, lower cost is goal of ‘future’ school - The Jewish Standard

2011-08-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Higher tech, lower cost is goal of ‘future’ school - The Jewish Standard: “Every student learns differently,” he said. This program engages students and is more stimulating than listening to a lecture, Distenfeld said. Noting that today’s children are comfortable on computers and using e-mail and iPads, he added, “They are more progressive technologically than we were. It’s natural for them to use technology. It’s not natural for them to just sit in a classroom and listen to a teacher talk. This will result in a better education that will prepare them for the world they are living in.”

The blended learning model allows teachers to monitor students’ progress in real time. A dashboard function provides instant data that allows the teacher to intervene when students encounter difficulty or get stuck on a concept, said Fisher.

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An iPad 2 for every student; WACS seeks to integrate technology

2011-08-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

An iPad 2 for every student; WACS seeks to integrate technology: The future will be in the hands of Winona Area Catholic Schools' fifth- and sixth-graders this fall.

At least it will look and feel a lot like the future.

Along with pencils, workbooks and notebook paper, there will be an iPad 2 in every student's desk and backpack this fall. The touch-screen tablet computers will be issued to each student at no cost to the family, WACS principal Pat Bowlin said.

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Online classes growing in Florida public schools | wtsp.com

2011-08-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Online classes growing in Florida public schools | wtsp.com: Tallahassee, Florida - Summer vacation comes to a close for many students across Florida this week.

About two-and-a-half million children are heading back to public schools and some will also head online to take courses.

The Florida Legislature passed a law this year that requires high school students to take at least one online class to graduate. State lawmakers are moving to expand the use of online education for a variety of reasons, including convenience, expanded course offerings and lower cost.

The state can save about 25 percent with an online course compared to one in a traditional school building, according to the Florida Virtual School.

Those factors have fueled the growth of the Florida Virtual School created by the legislature in 1997.

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Day 2: Districts cut cords for learning

2011-08-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Day 2: Districts cut cords for learning: Citing lower costs and student comfort with the technology, teachers and administrators at several Quad-City area schools have moved to using handheld technology in the classroom rather than depending on computers to provide online learning opportunities.

Rivermont Collegiate Headmaster Richard St. Laurent said the school chose to debut the iPad 2s at the end of the school year so students and teachers would have the summer break to familiarize themselves with the devices.

"I wanted them to sort of figure out how it works and feel good about walking around with an iPad in their hands," he said. "My initial thought was that some people were going to take to it slowly. I was grossly mistaken. Everybody took to it like ducks to water."

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Centennial Citizen: Local Matters

2011-08-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

Centennial Citizen: Local Matters: "Seventeen million pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students in the U.S. will get at least some of their education virtually by 2015, according to new research from Ambient Insight. More than four million of these students will get their entire educations virtually, from full-time virtual schools.

While each family has its own reasons for choosing full-time virtual schools, the most common motive is the ability for a student to work at his own pace and level, regardless of what other students are doing. The proliferation and proven success of virtual schools like Connections Academy have also fueled the e-learning education boom.

“With the growth in online education, Colorado parents have been able to see the solid academic track record of virtual schools. They understand that technology helps deliver a more personalized education for their children, so that students’ studies can be tailored to their abilities, needs, and interests,” says Colorado Connections Academy’s Principal, Christine Tanguay. “Virtual schools are increasingly the go-to option for students who, for whatever reason, are not thriving in a traditional classroom setting.”

Virtual schools can be a great option for many different types of students – whether they’re ahead or behind their peers, have learning challenges, are pursuing athletics, require flexible scheduling or a host of other circumstances. Yet despite the growing popularity of virtual education, some parents still don’t know how virtual schools work, or hold onto outdated or incorrect viewpoints on this latest education innovation.

Here are educators’ top K-12 e-learning facts to help parents understand virtual education today:

Fact: Virtual public school is not home school

The two are very different. Virtual public schools deliver public education in the comfort of the student’s home. Like all public schools, they are tuition-free to students. State-certified teachers deliver a rigorous curriculum that correlates to state standards. Schools provide students with a variety of curriculum materials and learning resources – sometimes even computers. Virtual private schools are also available.

Fact: Not all virtual schools are created equal

Parents need to do their homework to pick a high quality virtual school that’s the best fit for their child. Look for a school with a track record of delivering student academic achievement and high levels of parent and student satisfaction. Other key quality benchmarks include: accreditation from AdvancED; full-time, certified and highly qualified teachers; state-of-the-art technology resources; and community activities like clubs and field trips for students.

Fact: Certified teachers do the teaching

At Connections Academy full-time virtual schools, students learn at home under the guidance of a certified teacher. Assisting the student in day-to-day activities is an adult Learning Coach, who is typically a parent, but also could be another family member or responsible adult caregiver. The teacher works directly with both the student and Learning Coach to develop an individual learning plan, provide instruction and evaluate assignments.

Fact: Students use textbooks, pencils, microscopes and interactive curricula

In virtual schools, the computer is a tool for teachers and parents to manage and track assignments, communicate (along with the phone) and deliver interactive curricular materials. However, students complete many assignments “unplugged,” and spend time reading textbooks, using workbooks, reading library books and doing hands-on experiments – just like a traditional school.

Fact: Students regularly socialize and interact with peers

Virtual students have opportunities to interact with each other. Just like all kids, they choose to IM, text, or talk to each other on the phone. Connections Academy sets up a number of field trips each month so students can get together as a group. Many of the students also find that the flexibility of virtual education makes it possible to be involved in activities, such as sports and volunteering.

In Colorado, parents can still enroll their children in full-time virtual school programs for the coming school year. To learn more about virtual school and if it’s right for your family, visit www.ConnectionsAcademy.com.

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IGNOU trains teachers to develop online courses

2011-08-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

IGNOU trains teachers to develop online courses: "New Delhi: IGNOU's Inter University Consortium (IUC) organised a workshop to train trainers from various universities in order to address the change which has struck the 21st century teachers and learners.

The change is the online learning/ teaching experience which has made easily accessible learning/ teaching material just a click away. Many open universities in the world and other traditional universities are developing online courses to enhance the reach of their university's study materials through videos, web content, internet, satellite or CDROM. Private institutions are also offering online courses. Online education is becoming popular day-by-day, but adapting face-to-face courses for online instruction presents many challenges and IGNOU took the initiatives to address them.

Keeping this new technological development in view, the University feels that the teachers should be prepared to meet the challenges of the future. For this the IUC organised three day training workshop 'on how to create /develop online courses'. The training objectives of this three day workshop were to explain and describe the Instructional Design for Online Courses, highlight some of the tools used to create online courses, show some examples of Online Courses offered by IGNOU, understand the Learning Management System, how to publish the course, create an online course using Moodle.

'While designing and developing any online course there are three major areas we should focus on: Instructional Design, Course Management and Instructional Media. The Design should be carefully done and then only development and implementation should come in. There should be judicious use of Multimedia, activities and interactivity among learners so that learning communities can be development for effective online learning,' said Prof. Madhu Parhar, Director, IUC, IGNOU.

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Where is India's $35 tablet, Mr Sibal? - Times Of India

2011-08-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

Where is India's $35 tablet, Mr Sibal? - Times Of India: "NEW DELHI: When Union minister for human resources Kapil Sibal announced last year that India was all set to launch a $35 tablet, it drew admiration, awe and wonder. It made headlines in mainstream media across the world. While some hailed, there were those also who derided what they called an almost impossible feat. Almost a year later, the ambitious product is yet to see the light of the day. There were many who perhaps secretly wished it would never happen.

Until Sibal made the announcement in the summer of 2010, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT) Labs and Classmate PC from Intel were positioned as the cheapest laptops targeted at school-going children and would have been directly impacted by any such product in the market.

The Linux-based tablet, codenamed Sakshat, was expected to be launched last month , but we are yet to see that happen.

On the anniversary of the minister's announcement, we bring to you a letter from the head of OLPC India Satish Jha on India's announcement to launch the $35 tablet and his take on why it has not happened so far.

It may be noted that the views expressed here are his own and do not represent Times of India's editorial take on the issue. Nor does it endorse in any way that the OLPC laptop priced at $100 plus is necessarily better suited for India's under-privileged children than the yet-to-be-lunched 'Sakshat'.

While we are still awaiting the $35 tablet to become a reality, readers are welcome to share with us their own views and discuss the issue further.

One year, no murmur?

-- Satish Jha

A year ago tomorrow India's minister for "human resource development" (people are resources that need to be developed being the moral) pronounced that India was going to deliver 100,000 laptops that will cost $35 only within a couple of months. He displayed it- NOT as a laptop as we know- but as a 7 inch screen "tablet". Picked up from the Taiwanese market, it was going to be a standard for COLLEGE students in CITIES. Not for elementary schools in rural India.

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Customers Vote SumTotal Finalist in Three Best of Elearning! 2011 Awards Categories

2011-08-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Customers Vote SumTotal Finalist in Three Best of Elearning! 2011 Awards Categories: "SumTotal® Systems, Inc., the innovator in strategic Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions, announced today that it has been named a finalist in three product categories in the seventh annual Best of Elearning! Awards:

* Best Talent Management System
* Best Learning Management Systems (SaaS, Open-Source, or Content Supplier provided)
* Best Learning Content Management Systems (All Platforms)

“Being a finalist in three categories in an award program that’s based on end user only votes is outstanding,” said Jim Upton, Executive Vice President of Elearning! Media Group. “Who better to say which products work well than those using the products daily.”

According to a recent release, Elearning! received 1,750 nominations for 20 product categories, and 37% of the finalists are new to their categories – a 205% increase over 2010. The winners in each category of the Best of Elearning! Reader’s Choice Awards will be revealed at the upcoming Enterprise Learning! Conference & Expo on September 28, 2011 hosted by Elearning! Magazine.

“Our industry is experiencing a period of innovation and transformation. The introduction of new social, mobile tools and applications is reflected in the number of new brands honored in this year’s Best of Elearning! Awards. These awards are committed to recognizing innovation and user satisfaction across a diverse group of solution providers,” said Jerry Roche, editorial director of the Elearning! Magazine Group, in a press release announcing the finalists.

As a solution provider to half of the Fortune 500, and with offices around the globe, SumTotal offers customers the most complete HR solution that manages strategic HCM functions including Talent Acquisition (acquire to onboard), Talent Management (perform to reward), Talent Development (assess to develop), and Workforce Management (schedule to pay), including an integrated core system of record. Customers benefit from a single comprehensive solution that addresses strategic HCM processes, at a lower total cost of ownership and with best-in-class capabilities and a superior user experience.

“We’re thrilled to receive this recognition from our customers,” said SumTotal CEO John Borgerding. “And as we expand our presence in the strategic Human Capital Management market, we will continue to provide our customers with an unparalleled excellence in product offerings and customer care.”

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Al-Futtaim Training Centre makes New Horizons its UAE eLearning partner | New Horizons | AMEinfo.com

2011-08-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Al-Futtaim Training Centre makes New Horizons its UAE eLearning partner | New Horizons | AMEinfo.com: "Al-Futtaim Training Centre has signed an agreement with New Horizons, selecting them as their eLearning solutions partner in the UAE. New Horizons will be providing round the clock employee development for Al-Futtaim employees using their award winning eLearning courses.

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Potter’s distance learning success - Evening Times | Sport

2011-08-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

Potter’s distance learning success - Evening Times | Sport: "Bearsden middle-distance runner Beth Potter announced herself to the whole of Britain last month and admits doing so has capped a near-perfect summer so far.

Potter, in her first season as an under-23, climbed the podium at July’s UK Trials & Championships to claim bronze in the 5000m in Birmingham.

The 19-year-old finished behind fellow Scot Eilish McColgan, in second, and winner Julia Bleasdale – more than making up for narrowly missing out on a medal at June’s England Under-23 Championships.

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CCSD's distance education provides opportunities for all | LahontanValleyNews.com

2011-08-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

CCSD's distance education provides opportunities for all | LahontanValleyNews.com: "Churchill County School District has been expanding its horizons by integrating more technology into classrooms and providing educational opportunities for all students, even those that do not fit into a traditional setting.

The school district is fine-tuning it's distance education “Wave School.” CCSD has partnered with K12, a nationwide online educational program, and A+nywhere Learning System, a software that provides curriculum content aligned to the Nevada State Standards with assessment tools to match an individual's needs.

“We have two programs that we operate out of,” Information Specialist Sherri Barnes said. “K12 and A+. K12 has purchased A+ so now they're the same company but different. They both have strengths. A+ we use for our high school level, fourth through 12th. It's great for credit recovery, assessments, to get them college ready. The classes are pretty rigorous. K12 is a program that we use for K-8. What that is, is a home-based program. Parents work with the kids, it's more one-on-one.”

Barnes added K12 is like many public online schools or home schooling programs but what sets it apart is it's part of CCSD and provides local, live support other programs cannot.

“It gives you extra support, live support where your home-schooled students, they're at the mercy of the program that you're working with,” Barnes said, adding students receive all other needed materials for free.

There are two types of distance education, Barnes explained, “blended learning” and complete distance education.

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Online degree program alternative to overstuffed schools | The Columbian

2011-08-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Online degree program alternative to overstuffed schools | The Columbian: "It’s a dilemma that has the full attention of Washington’s higher education leaders.

There simply aren’t enough seats for students today at the state’s four-year state universities. There’s little hope the cash-strapped state can build more “bricks-and-mortar” capacity anytime soon.

Leaders wince as they watch students fill the coffers of the giant University of Phoenix and its for-profit brethren, an increasingly popular option.

Now comes a fresh push to direct students to a timely alternative: The state-endorsed, nonprofit Western Governors University Washington, an online program created by a coalition of Western states.

WGU allows community college graduates, or working adults with career and education experience, to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in job-ready fields with the rigor of a state university, the flexibility of online instruction and — no small thing — affordability.

That’s the pitch made by Jean Floten, recently named WGU Washington chancellor and previously 22-year president of Bellevue Community College.

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See the lights? It's a train wreck coming | boom, baby, growth - WATTS - Odessa American Online

2011-08-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

See the lights? It's a train wreck coming | boom, baby, growth - WATTS - Odessa American Online: "Students may be at the breaking point. In December 2011, it is projected that student loan debt will exceed $1 trillion. Already, American student loan debt exceeds credit card debt. One source estimates that a third of 2008 baccalaureate degree earners will be paying on their student debt in 2028. Universities cannot just keep charging students more. There is a train wreck coming.

While analyzing an altogether different demographic problem, Thomas Malthus, a great early 19th century English demographer, believed that population growth would outstrip the resources available to support it. He believed that war, pestilence and famine would limit population. While partially correct, Malthus failed to see or imagine the development of technology that would make food supplies more abundant and scientific research that would conquer many plagues. Can technology help education, higher education, and health services?

For higher education the answer would seem to be yes. In 2009, the largest university in the United States was the University of Phoenix, a for-profit corporation with more than 500,000 students, and the bulk of its instruction is offered online. The largest public university was Arizona State with more than 75,000 students. Both institutions rely heavily on internet based instruction to serve their students. While both charge more than many traditional public universities do, the technology has many advantages over face-to-face instruction.

In 2009, a review by the U.S. Department of Education of more than 40 studies examining the effectiveness of online vs. face-to-face instruction found that students in online courses performed better than students in face-to-face classrooms. And students in blended learning classes performed better than classroom or online learning alone. Other research points to online teaching as effective.

Last year, UT Permian Basin’s online enrollment rose by 40 percent, while the university’s fall enrollment increase was 16 percent. As of fall 2010, a full 20 percent of our enrollments were online. UTPB offers a host of courses and eight degrees at the bachelors and masters levels. More are on the way. Online development is not free, but over the long term has the promise of greater flexibility, expanded offerings and, perhaps, cost savings.

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Is this website offering the future of education? — Maine News — Bangor Daily News

2011-08-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Is this website offering the future of education? — Maine News — Bangor Daily News: "Here’s how Salman Khan thinks schools should work: Students should learn lessons online and do homework and projects in class.

This “flipping” of the traditional classroom is the operating system espoused by Khan and his Khan Academy, a website whose popularity is exploding as millions tune into its free videos, practice exercises and assessment tools.

Khan’s videos provide basic tutorials, mostly in math and science, that students can watch repeatedly in class or at home and pause if they need to — something that can’t happen with a classroom lecture. Teachers are then free to work individually with students and be more creative.

And that, Khan says, enables class time to be “an optimal experience for students and teachers.”

Recently hailed as revolutionary by Bill Gates, Google and some in the media, the concept is gaining traction among educators. Teachers view the site as a useful tool to individualize learning, says Dennis Van Roekel, who taught for 23 years and now is president of the National Education Association.

“Our members see it as something that really does help students,” he said. “Everybody doesn’t learn at the same pace. But once you’ve got it, you’ve got it.”

Karen Cator, director of the Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, says Khan automated “something that is so recognizable in our view of education: I have to solve problems, and somebody has to tell me how to do that. . . . It has caught on like wildfire.”

Since Khan first posted math videos on YouTube to tutor his cousins in 2004, the former hedge fund analyst has expanded his video library to 2,400 lessons that include basic addition, advanced calculus, history and science. Users also can access exercises and track their progress.

Based in California’s Silicon Valley, the Khan Academy was established as a nonprofit organization in 2008. Its lessons have been viewed by more than 60 million users, the website says, and are being translated into 10 languages. Khan estimates the website is being used in more than 1,000 classrooms nationwide, including in a pilot math program in two fifth- and seventh-grade classes in Los Altos, Calif., public schools last year. The district plans to expand the pilot program to all fifth- and sixth-grade classes this fall.

Khan, who quit his job in finance in 2009 to serve as the academy’s executive director, views the academy as a stand-alone virtual classroom. “That’s what our mission is: a world-class education for everyone that’s free,” he said.

There’s no doubt that the Khan Academy’s videos, narrated enthusiastically by Khan himself, have struck a chord among students and educators as well as the independent learners who make up the majority of the site’s visitors. Users only hear Khan’s voice; he never appears on screen, and he uses neon colors to write on a computer blackboard.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates is a fan; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation made a $1.5 million donation to the academy in 2010. In a video posted on the academy website, Gates says he sees Khan as a pioneer in the movement to use technology to educate people. “It’s the start of a revolution,” Gates says. Google awarded the academy $2 million that year for winning a crowd-sourced contest offering money to organizations with world-changing ideas.

The Khan Academy joins a crowded field of free and for-profit online learning programs, which some tout as the future of education and as options for cash-strapped school districts looking to cut staff.

But educators caution that what Khan offers is just another tool — albeit an effective one — that teachers can use to engage students. The Khan Academy and other online learning sites are no substitute for classroom teachers, they say.

“Technology is not going to replace teachers, but it empowers them to be much more effective with students,” Cator said. “There is an unbelievable opportunity that we have to leverage how people learn through technology.”

Khan acknowledges that his website is not a new idea. “We’re not the first people to put video online,” he said. “What’s different is we started off as a grass-roots, bottom-up thing, reaching students before we started going into the classroom.”

Students in Montgomery County, Md., can tune in to the Math Dude, a series of online math videos by former math teacher Mike DeGraba designed to help middle- and high-school students improve algebra skills. And Stacey Roshan, a math teacher at Bullis School in Potomac, Md., created what she calls a “backwards classroom” by videotaping and posting online her lessons for her Advanced Placement calculus class. She requires students to watch them at home and uses class time to work on homework problems.

“It forces you to try to figure out as much as you can on your own. We’re taking ownership of our learning,” Bullis student Daniel Gray, who graduated in June, said of Roshan’s teaching strategy.

But that’s one of the problems with online learning, educators say. Even sites as sophisticated as the Khan Academy can’t be relied upon to expose everything a student hasn’t learned.

Good teachers listen to students and understand their prior experience to discover where they lack understanding, says Heidi Glidden, assistant director in the education issues department of the American Federation of Teachers.

“To suggest that all kids are able to learn using only one medium wasn’t realistic years ago, and we don’t function that way today,” Glidden said.

Even though the students can earn “badges” as they master Khan Academy exercises, a computer program is no substitute for the motivation that teachers provide, educators say. “A teacher motivates youngsters to aspire to go beyond where they’d go if left alone to their own devices,” said Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators.

Still, educators are embracing the technology because it opens doors to new resources and learning techniques. Whereas teachers and students used to rely on books for information, they can now access an infinite world of information with the click of a mouse.

But that world requires vetting. As the Khan Academy ventures beyond basic math and science lessons, and deeper into subjective material such as U.S. history, users will need to navigate lessons with a more critical eye, educators say.

The need to monitor online learning is one example of how technology is changing the teacher’s role. No longer mainly lecturers, teachers are becoming directors of learning who guide students, educators say. “The teacher is not the only one imparting knowledge. The teacher becomes much more of a facilitator of learning,” the NEA’s Van Roekel said.

Khan says he’s had to deal with the misconceptions that using the Khan Academy reduces the need for teachers or that class sizes can increase. Instead, he believes that using the website adds value to the role of a teacher, who becomes a mentor or coach.

“A mentor is much higher up the value chain than a lecturer,” he said. “Someone who designs projects and experiments is higher up the value chain.”

The concept of flipping the classroom is key to the mentoring role: If students are learning the basics through watching videos, then teachers can spend class time on more creative projects instead of practice drills and homework assignments.

Students can work problems at their own pace until they get them right, while the assessment tool tracks progress for teachers, identifying when students need help and how long it takes them to grasp a concept.

“Every teacher will tell you, ‘I wish I had more time with students,’ ” Khan says.

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Online school regulation halted; web-based learning jumped 150% in Ohio

2011-08-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

Online school regulation halted; web-based learning jumped 150% in Ohio: "The latest effort to increase oversight of the rapidly growing online education industry hit a wall this month when a federal court struck down a new regulation that would have required schools to register in every state where they have students.

The decision comes as online and distance learning jumped 150 percent in Ohio since 2004 to more than 93,000 students; nationwide 4.3 million students take at least one online course, according to federal and state data.

Much of this growth has been fueled by schools like Kaplan, which operates in 20 states and 30 countries, and the University of Phoenix, which, too, has a global footprint. Traditional schools like Miami University and Sinclair Community College are also offering more web-based courses.

Ohio and other states have little oversight of schools located outside state boundaries.

U.S. Department of Education spokeswoman Sara Gast said the new federal rule was written to “protect students and taxpayers and give clarity about states’ responsibility in this area.”

U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer tossed out the state authorization requirement, ruling that the department did not allow time for stakeholders to comment.

The “state authorization” regulation was part of a group of new rules approved by the education department earlier this year, many of which targeted the growing for-profit higher education industry. Other rules that were upheld by the court and are now in place limit how much students can borrow for degrees based on what they can expect to earn after graduation and stop “aggressive recruiting practices,” according to federal records.

Taking an online class from a college in another state is allowing Miami University communications major Natalie McKerjee to finish her degree.

McKerjee, who is living in Oxford now, is taking a three-credit hour screenwriting class from a community college in her native California. McKerjee walked in Miami’s spring graduation, and chose to finish her last required credit hours online to save money.

“It was a lot cheaper for me,” she said of the course, which she said is costing about $90.

“It’s just allowed me to take a class without paying out-of-state tuition for a class that doesn’t really apply to my major,” she said. “I definitely think the flexibility is advantageous to the school and the student. I still feel like I’m a part of a classroom. I feel like I’m getting the same level of education.”

The state authorization rule for online education targeted every institution, both for-profit and nonprofit, and would have made offering a wide range of distance courses difficult, said Kevin Kinser, a professor who studies the for-profit industry at the State University of New York–Albany. Some states would have to devise new oversight systems.

“Many states don’t have the sorts of regulations the federal government was asking institutions to meet,” Kinser said.

The authorization process is not uniform state to state, said Cheryl Young, director of lifelong learning at Miami University. Miami has registered in 10 states, with 13 more under review, but 24 states did not respond to the school’s inquiry about authorization, she said.

“Every state is so different,” Young said. “Some states are requiring thousands of dollars for this.”

It also is unclear how any future ruling could affect the University of Cincinnati’s online degree programs because they are offered through a company called Compass Knowledge. Last fall, the university had 1,264 Ohio residents and 2,302 students from other states and countries enrolled in its online programs.

The U.S. Department of Education is mulling whether to appeal the court decision or reissue the rule at a later date, Gast said. What’s clear is the department thinks online education needs more oversight.

Young said she will recommend Miami continue its authorization efforts. “The attention drawn to state laws and rules has kind of changed the landscape for online,” Young said. “All kinds of things could happen, so we’re staying the course. We believe that we do need to be authorized in those states to operate.”

R. David Rankin, executive director of the Ohio Association of Career Colleges and Schools, an advocate of for-profit education, praised the court decision. Current rules, which allow states where online schools’ “brick and mortar” facilities are located, are enough to oversee the fast-growing industry.

“I think we have plenty of regulations,” Rankin said. “The ones we have are fair and balanced for everyone. Why create more bureaucracy?”

Kim Norris, spokeswoman for the Ohio Board of Regents, said the state regulates online schools with a “physical presence” in the state, but some out-of-state institutions are exempt. Norris urged students to be cautious.

“What is most important is for students of all ages to be wise consumers,” Norris said. “Ask questions about elements of their education.”

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Looking into a small corner of the $68 billion education industry | The Washington Independent

2011-08-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Looking into a small corner of the $68 billion education industry | The Washington Independent: "Looking into a small corner of the $68 billion education industry
By Mikhail Zinshteyn | 08.04.11 | 1:24 pm

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Just to get an idea of how much money flows through the education industry, a report by the investment banking firm Berkery Noyes calculates that in the first half of 2011, mergers and acquisitions alone accounted for over $2 billion in education services like software and textbooks.

The summary points out total transaction value dipped by a billion dollars compared to the last six months of last year, though the number of transactions concerning K-12 schools jumped nearly two-fold in that same time span.

Big players in the M&A education space, according to the Berkery Noyes publication, include Pearson — the textbook giant [PDF of financial disclosures here] that owns Penguin Group, the book publisher, and the Financial Times — and SuccessFactors, a company that boasts it increases “the execution of every company we work with by 50%.”

As an investment firm, it would make sense for Berkery Noyes to focus on education; its website states the industry’s revenue in 2010 was $68.5 billion, with money flowing in from instructional materials, education and administrative software, and to public and private schools and institutions.

The firm also explains why this industry has so much monetizing potential:

* Education is the second largest U.S. economic sector after only healthcare.
* Most Americans see the value of education and are willing to pay what it takes for their children to get a “good education” because they view it as competitive advantage.
* Legislation such as No Child Left Behind is driving an accountability trend that appears to be spreading to other regulated professional designations, such as CPA, CFA, Allied Health and Building Trades.

Not included in the first year transactional survey is the purchase of online education management service Blackboard, which was picked up in July for $1.64 billion by Providence Equity Partners, a private-equity firm that says it juggles $23 billion in capital; its portfolio includes for-profit colleges. Blackboard is used by universities and K-12 schools for grade and assignment postings.

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Making money off charter schools. What could go wrong? - Blog For Arizona

2011-08-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Making money off charter schools. What could go wrong? - Blog For Arizona: "Making money off charter schools. What could go wrong?
Listen to this article. Powered by Odiogo.com

by David Safier

This story is from Tennessee. K12 Inc., a for profit online education corporation which has 'virtual schools' all over the country, including Arizona Virtual Academy here, needs to operate in volume to make a profit. So it needs, first, to get legislators to let it in and second, get students to sign up.

In Tennessee, K12 Inc.'s lobbyists got a bill through the legislature at the last minute (I imagine they wrote it, though I'm not sure), a 'virtual school act' voted for mainly by Republicans, which allowed K12 Inc. to set up shop. Then it created a media advertising blitz to attract students -- free computers for your home, textbooks shipped to you, teachers at your service online and over the phone, all that kind of stuff.

But now people in Tennessee are wondering why a school without buildings should get so much funding (They probably don't know yet that K12 Inc. maintains a 50-to-1 student-teacher ratio). They are also worried that one school district is sponsoring the school, which means it get 4% of the state funds that flow to the school, for doing nothing but signing on the dotted line.

K12 Inc. is a serious corporation which takes education seriously, so far as I know, but it takes profits far more seriously. And its top people make serious money.

K12 Inc. compensated its CEO more than $2.6 million last year, its chief financial officer more than $1.7 million, and other top executives several hundred thousand dollars each, according to its latest annual report to shareholders.

That's good education work if you can get it.

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CSU plans for online university education - News - Daily 49er - California State University Long Beach

2011-08-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

CSU plans for online university education - News - Daily 49er - California State University Long Beach: "A Cal State University online university is in the developmental stages following an initiative created by the Technology Steering Committee.

The CSU Online Overview, a document from TSC outlining the initial ideas of the framework for CSU Online, states that 'the California State University ‘CSU Online' is being developed to address California's expanding workforce needs and to provide increased individual access to high quality undergraduate and graduate education opportunities.'

TSC is a group mainly comprised of campus presidents, including F. King Alexander, who provide advice and information regarding technology to the Chancellor.

'This is really early in the process,' CSU Media Relations Specialist Erik Fallis said. 'The TSC document is a discussion draft of initial ideas to be developed. It is not final.'

The overview proposes CSU Online as an auxiliary that 'would draw upon current programmatic and faculty strength on the individual campuses to create new programs, markets and service support for online learners.'

The overview also mentions the idea of hiring a business partner to provide student services such as advising, financial aid, career services and tutoring.

This potential outsourcing is a concern to many faculty members.

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Online education: Even as acceptance grows, issues remain

2011-08-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

Online education: Even as acceptance grows, issues remain: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Nation’s second largest for-profit college corporation sued for fraud | GantDaily.com

2011-08-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

Nation’s second largest for-profit college corporation sued for fraud | GantDaily.com: "Nation’s second largest for-profit college corporation sued for fraud

August 9, 2011 at 6:24 AM by AHN · Leave a Comment
Kris Alingod – AHN News Contributor

Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The Justice Department and several states are suing Education Management Corp., the nation’s second largest for-profit college company, for allegedly obtaining $11 billion in federal aid by illegally giving bonuses to admissions workers.

The agency on Monday announced that it has intervened in a whistleblower complaint filed by former EDMC employees. The complaint accuses the EDMC of providing commissions to recruiters and falsely certifying compliance with the law that prohibits such incentive compensation.

The False Claims Act bans post-secondary schools from compensating admissions employees based on the number of students recruited, which results in the enrollment of unqualified students, and the pay out of federal grants and student loans.

The allegations against EDMC were made by Lynntoya Washington, who worked as a recruiter, and Michael Mahoney, a former training director for the company’s online education division.

The Justice Department decided to intervene in the case along with the states of California, Florida, Illinois and Indiana after investigating the whistleblowers’ claims. The agency filed friend-of-the-court briefs and did not intervene in the whistleblower case against the nation’s largest for-profit college, the University of Phoenix, which agreed to pay $67.5 million to settle allegations of incentive compensation.

EDMC has about 148,000 students enrolled in its schools, which include Argosy University and Brown Mackie College, in 104 branches in the United States and Canada.

The company has not issued a statement on the Justice Department’s decision to intervene. Early this year, it said it adopted the compensation system under scrutiny in 2003 “based on the advice of and good faith reliance on the opinion of outside counsel that [it] was lawful.”

Pittsburgh-based EDMC said it “has long maintained an uncompromising commitment to sound business principles with an emphasis on compliance with laws and regulations.”
Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved

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Army to shut down eArmyU - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

2011-08-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Army to shut down eArmyU - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times: "Army to shut down eArmyU

By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Aug 8, 2011 12:21:14 EDT

The eArmyU civilian education option that has provided distance learning support services to 64,000 soldiers over the past decade will be shuttered next year.

The 1,429 soldiers enrolled in the program today may continue to register for eArmyU courses until March 31, 2012 even if a course runs past the shutdown date.

Each of the soldiers has been sent a letter by the Human Resources Command, encouraging them to continue taking eArmyU classes until March 31, when they will be transitioned to regular tuition assistance.

HRC officials said many of these soldiers are simultaneously enrolled in traditional tuition assistance courses, so they are familiar with that program.

“While eArmyU has run successfully for 10 years, its has reached a point of maturity, essentially meeting its recruiting and retention objective (and) increasing soldiers’ participation in their own education development,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Bruce A. Lee, command sergeant major of the Human Resources Command.

Traditional TA is available within the GoArmyEd portal (www.goarmy.ed), and provides financial assistance up to 100 percent, not to exceed $4,500 per year and $250 per semester hour.

So far this fiscal year, nearly 160,000 active-duty soldiers have taken 282,609 tuition assistance-courses at a cost of $173.9 million, according to information provided by the Army Continuing Education System of HRC.

Online courses leading to degrees today account for nearly 78 percent of tuition assistance enrollments, which is a major reason why the eArmyU option is being discontinued.

Today more than 1,500 schools offer online degrees within the traditional tuition assistance portal of GoArmyEd, compared to 30 available under eArmyU.

When established in 2001 as a recruiting and retention incentive, eArmyU served to introduce thousands of young soldiers to computers and online learning.

Services provided by the program included access to online courses offered by 30 accredited colleges, program mentors, a 24/7 helpdesk, an Internet service provider, email account and a laptop computer, for soldiers who selected the technology package option.

Of the 64,087 soldiers who have enrolled in eArmyU since its launch at the dawn of the war on terrorism, 11,741 have earned certifications and degrees.

Ileen Rogers, director of Army Continuing Education, said, “eArmyU provided soldiers with a unique opportunity to continue their education regardless of location and in spite of increased missions and deployments.”

Today the Army spends about $1 million annually to administer eArmyU, a total that does not include tuition assistance expenditures.

Cost savings generated by the phase-out of eArmyU will be used to supplement administration of the regular tuition assistance program, according to a service-wide message issued by the Pentagon Aug. 2.

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Online Summer School Sees Some Successes; Improvements Needed - Lake Elsinore-Wildomar, CA Patch

2011-08-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Online Summer School Sees Some Successes; Improvements Needed - Lake Elsinore-Wildomar, CA Patch

Your 10 questions with Salman Khan

2011-08-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Your 10 questions with Salman Khan

Online schooling seeing explosive growth in Oklahoma | Tulsa World

2011-08-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

Online schooling seeing explosive growth in Oklahoma Tulsa World

Scottish school shifts wholly to the iPad - 01 Sep 2010 - Computing News

2011-08-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

Scottish school shifts wholly to the iPad - 01 Sep 2010 - Computing News: "A Scottish independent Christian school has opted to educate its pupils by ditching paper and pens and instead issuing the children with iPads.

Students at the Cedars School of Excellence in Greenock, Scotland will learn using Apple’s tablet PC, at a cost of about £14.50 per user per month.

Head of computing and IT co-ordinator Fraser Speirs said the move began as an exercise that the private school carried out in January 2010.

“Up until then we had used iMacs in the computing lab, then we moved to laptops, which could be used in other classes outside of IT,' he said.

“These laptops were booked constantly and the students couldn’t get enough of them for the things they wanted to do.”

So Speirs decided that the iPod Touch could be a solution to this demand from classes as it is relatively cheap and gives children access to the web.

“However, there were a few problems with it: it didn’t have a word processor that was suitable, you couldn’t put a keyboard on it and we couldn’t connect it to a projector.”

About a month after that exercise, Apple launched the iPad.

“It resolved all the problems we were having with the iPod Touch and many more besides,” said Speirs. “We realised this was the ideal thing we were looking for.”

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School wants to provide every pupil with an iPad 2 - 18 Jul 2011 - Computing News

2011-08-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

School wants to provide every pupil with an iPad 2 - 18 Jul 2011 - Computing News: "School wants to provide every pupil with an iPad 2

by Dawinderpal Sahota

More from this author

18 Jul 2011

Comment: 1
iPads in the Grant Museum

A UK school has claimed it will 'revolutionise learning' by giving an iPad 2 to each of its 1,400 pupils in September for the new academic year.

Longfield Academy in Kent said that it held two parents' events where an iPad project manager from Apple demonstrated the educational applications of the device. A survey was taken among those present at the event, and well over 90 per cent of respondents said that they would like to take part in the scheme.

The school added that its research shows that young people enjoy learning through technology and that it enhances motivation, which in turn helps them achieve better results.

Longfield Academy is working with a national charity – the eLearning Foundation – to support the financing of the scheme but, in addition, is asking for a donation of £16 per month over 3 years for each device, along with specified accessories.

Over the three years, the iPad remains the property of the school, but at the conclusion of this period, Longfield Academy said it will make arrangements under tax rules to enable ownership to be transferred to parents.

The scheme also involves deploying monitored, high-speed wireless networks to support the devices in classrooms.

'It will be interesting to see how this develops, and I suspect many other institutions will be keeping a close eye on the rollout at Longfield Academy over the next few months,' said Roger Hockaday, EMEA marketing director at wireless provider Aruba Networks.

'However, before taking the decision to follow in Longfield Academy's footsteps, it is important for schools to recognise that iPads run bandwidth-hungry multimedia applications in a way that laptops simply do not.

'In high density environments, such devices demand a high performance network. Schools, and indeed any organisation looking take advantage of tablets and increasingly advanced smartphones, must recognise the need not only for coverage, but also for quality of coverage.'

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1:1 eLearning initiative to begin - NorthJersey.com

2011-08-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

1:1 eLearning initiative to begin - NorthJersey.com: "Each eighth-grader at Fieldstone Middle School will start the year with a new learning tool – an iPad.
Fieldstone Middle School will begin its 1:1 eLearning initiative this fall by providing iPads for every eighth-grader. The teachers at Fieldstone have already received theirs, along with three days of training. Peter Valois, director of technology at the school, at left, and Assistant Principal Andrew Kramar are preparing the devices, installing controls and applications. The iPads will be issued to students at the end of this month.
STAFF PHOTO BY KATHRYN A. BURGER
Fieldstone Middle School will begin its 1:1 eLearning initiative this fall by providing iPads for every eighth-grader. The teachers at Fieldstone have already received theirs, along with three days of training. Peter Valois, director of technology at the school, at left, and Assistant Principal Andrew Kramar are preparing the devices, installing controls and applications. The iPads will be issued to students at the end of this month.

Nearly a year in the planning, the program will be launched as the result of a collaborative effort by entire school community – district administrators, faculty and staff, the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), the Montvale Educational Foundation (MEF) and the Board of Education.

Principal Mark Maire said the process began last fall, once the decision was made to pursue the concept. 'The first task was to switch to wireless Internet access and larger bandwidth. We couldn't move forward with the iPad initiative without it,' he said. The Internet service they had wouldn't support the new devices. The PTO and the MEF donated approximately $37,500 to fund the changeover to Optimum Lightpath. Memorial Elementary School, which serves the district's kindergarten through fourth-grade students, was upgraded to wireless as well.

Superintendent of Schools William Belluzzi said the district is leasing the iPads and will pay for them over a three year period, interest free. 'After three years, if we choose to, we can purchase them for $1 a piece.'

Maire said, 'We haven't cut any programs or staff,' to finance the initiative, adding that the cost of the program is contained entirely in the technology budget. Belluzzi said the district's current Internet provider charges $1,250 per month for the entire district. 'With Optimum Lightpath, we pay $3,000,' but he said that the improved service is worth the cost.

Teachers got their devices at the end of the school year, along with three days of training on their use and took them home for the summer to become more familiar with them and their capabilities. Maire said the benefits of the new service are already evident. 'The increased bandwidth has made service 50 times faster than before.'

Andrew Kramar, the assistant principal, and Peter Valois, the director of technology, are in the process of programming the students' devices, setting up necessary controls and applications. Maire said they are consulting with schools that have similar initiatives in order to ensure that students can use the devices safely and effectively. 'We are also installing monitoring programs and we will have access to every device,' Maire said.

He said the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, one of the first in the state to have a 1:1 laptop initiative, has also been consulting and has provided useful information that is being applied to the Fieldstone program, which Maire believes is the first in a New Jersey middle school. 'There are middle schools that have iPads for a specific subject area,' he said, but none that have integrated them into an entire grade.

During the last school year, there were a number of pilot studies undertaken to further assess the value of the technology. A school librarian used her own iPad during a reading program and reported that students were eager to use it to read to their classmates.

Kramar related the experience of a seventh-grader who was very reluctant to write. He said a number of strategies had been used to help the student overcome his reluctance, but all had failed. When the student was given an iPad to use, Kramar said, 'what he produced was phenomenal.' The student found his voice, so to speak, when he didn't have to write with pen and paper.

In another example, an eighth-grade Social Studies class was provided with MacBooks. The quick and comprehensive access to resources was another confirmation that the iPad as a learning tool was effective, Maire said.

The primary goals of the initiative are to provide more resources in the classroom and improve student engagement in learning. Maire said, 'Students who are actively engaged are better learners.'

Kramar said, 'We see this as an educational tool – an extension of school.'

In all, the district is leasing 280 devices: 116 for district personnel; 100 for the eighth-grade class; 25 each for the Fieldstone Media Center and the Memorial Elementary School Media Center; and 14 for Special Education students.

While academics are the driving force behind the program, there are other practical benefits, Maire said. Teachers can use theirs for required record-keeping, to take and transmit attendance, to access forms and for a myriad of other uses.

Asked if the teachers were excited about the iPads, Maire said, 'Excited – yes, but some are afraid – it's the fear of the unknown since it's outside some of their comfort zones,' and that's to be expected, he said. Kramar said there were some who were initially uncomfortable with the it, but he's heard from one teacher in particular who, he said, 'did a 180' as far as her attitude was concerned, once she began to see the potential.

'Then the fear turned to excitement,' he said. The district has professional development programs scheduled during the year and they also expect that teachers will work with one another and very possibly with their students to enhance the efficacy of the device.

Maire said the iPads will be given to students later this month. 'We've set up four days for registration appointments. Both the student and a parent are required to attend,' he said. Asked if any parents had expressed concerns about their children having the device, Maire said, 'There have been some questions – Why do they need them? What role will the device play in their educational experience? Will it be safe? – and we explain how the program is set up.' The last question is a frequent one. Kramar and Peter Valois have been working with Apple reps to set the controls and have drawn on the experiences of other districts to ensure that the students can use the devices safely.

Maire said the program is moving forward in phases and although they have textbooks available online, the hard copies will still be available. Teachers will not have to move away from traditional teaching practices. 'The program isn't intended to replace those methods but enhance the educational experience.'

Belluzzi said, 'Once we see how successful the program is, perhaps we will include the seventh-graders in the future.'

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E-learning news: Children should not become 'maths failures'

2011-08-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

E-learning news: Children should not become 'maths failures': "Advocates of online training programs might see a way of solving the issue of low post-GCSE maths study, as an education union urges the government not to allow a generation to become 'mathematical failures'.

Following a Conservative Party report while they were in opposition that claimed only 15 per cent of pupils continued maths following their GCSEs, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) union has suggested that the government should radically reform key areas of the education system.

The ATL's head of education policy Nansi Ellis claimed that the report's comments on ending key stage 2 Sats were 'spot on', arguing that the child should never be regarded as part of a 'bureaucratic system of accountability'.

Ms Ellis added: 'If the government truly trusts teachers it will not attempt to impose a year-by-year breakdown of the subject,' suggesting more flexibility in the provision of maths teaching is needed.

The rising prevalence of online learning and computer-based, adaptive examinations within the British education system has already been demonstrated with the news that AQA plans to roll out an electronic GCSE qualification after a successful trial with students studying French.

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OTC eLearning expands with partnerships | Springfield News-Leader | News-Leader.com

2011-08-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

OTC eLearning expands with partnerships | Springfield News-Leader | News-Leader.com: "As the cost of education rises and government support dries up, it is important for schools and students to find inexpensive alternatives to students seeking a good education.

Congratulations to Ozarks Technical Community College for finding a great alternative through its agreement with the University of Missouri to provide an online option for three possible bachelor degrees.

The traditional classroom experience, for all its advantages, in many cases is no longer the most appropriate or cost-effective way to get an education. Today's students turn to their computers for information and interaction, and schools need to take advantage of that technology and their technology-savvy students in order to provide the best educational experience for the least cost and the most convenience.

It is a shame, however, that OTC had to start by reaching out to universities in other states -- Maryland and Illinois -- to find partners in this technology and eLearning.

By partnering with MU, OTC is allowing students to stay in the Ozarks and support a Missouri school. That is a great thing.

It would be even greater, if Missouri State University were in the mix. As MSU puts more effort into utilizing online education for its students OTC students who hope to continue at the four-year university will be able to be part of that effort.

ELearning is the future of education. The concept is being embraced at all levels of education -- from kindergarten through advanced degrees.

It has proven to be a valuable tool, especially for students who are not able to spend time on a campus.

It is also a valuable tool for campuses that face the cost of keeping up physical plants to accommodate growing numbers of students.

We applaud OTC's efforts to provide its students with as many alternatives as possible to attain their education.

And we encourage MSU to follow OTC's lead and take full advantage of eLearning technology.

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Distance course dropout rate dips with tech use

2011-08-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Distance course dropout rate dips with tech use: "Guwahati, Aug. 8: Gauhati University’s effort to use technology and innovation to make distance and open education an exciting prospect for young professionals has borne fruit with a sharp decline in the dropout rates in such courses this year.

Kandarpa Das, the director of the university’s Institute of Distance and Open Learning, told The Telegraph that of the 10,000 students who had enrolled for last year’s academic session, 9,000 had taken the exams this year in various distance learning courses, making it the highest number in recent years.

He said the development was significant as the dropout rate in different courses offered by the institute was more than 50 per cent about five years ago.

The present popularity of the courses can be gauged from the fact that many young professionals from Assam working abroad, including those in the Middle East, have started enrolling in the various diploma and degree courses of the institute. More than 17,000 students have applied for admission to the courses this year.

Das said unlike conventional education, students get isolated and bored in distance learning, forcing them to quit the courses halfway. “In the conventional system of education, students are dependent on teachers and are exposed to various academic activities in their educational institutions. In distance education, students get isolated and become self-learners with the available study materials. It has been found that many of them quit studies out of boredom and isolation,” he said, adding that the institute had tried to use technology to do away with such boredom.

“The institute maintains a database of all its students and uses bulk SMS to keep them informed about its activities. Its e-learning portal, Bodhidroom, has also attracted many students. We also provide telephone counselling and for those who cannot afford the expense, we provide a toll-free number for free counselling with our faculty members,” Das said.

He said the institute has also installed interactive voice response system to enable easy and hassle-free interaction between students and the faculty.

At present, the institute is offering 26 programmes, including Assamese, English, Boro, political science and information technology. More than 304 study materials have been developed by a pool of academics. The institute takes in students from various backgrounds. Apart from technology, the institute is also giving priority to innovative ideas to make the courses interesting. “For example, many students are married women. So we generally conduct examinations on Sundays, when it’s easier for them to leave their children with their husbands and come,” he said.

“The institute organises contact programmes at its 21 centres across the state at frequent intervals to share students’ problems and grievances,” he added.

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Online school regulation halted; web-based learning jumped 150% in Ohio

2011-07-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Online school regulation halted; web-based learning jumped 150% in Ohio

University Of Ghana Revamps Distance Education - ModernGhana.com

2011-07-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

University Of Ghana Revamps Distance Education - ModernGhana.com: "The University of Ghana (UG) is making frantic efforts to revamp and resource its Centre for Continuing Education and Distance Learning in order to reach out to more people across the country.

According to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ernest Aryeetey, the move is aimed at upgrading facilities of the centre to meet the standards of modern day distance education.

Prof Aryeetey who is on a working visit to the Upper West Region, made the statement when he called on the Regional Minister, Alhaji Isaaku Salia, at his office in Wa.

He said his visit was to know at first hand the state of the facilities at the Wa centre, which was formerly the adult education learning centre, and also to fraternise with the staff. He is also to know the programmes of study and interact with the alumni of the University of Ghana in the region.

Professor Aryeetey, who was accompanied by the Director of the Centre for Continuing Education and Distance Learning, Prof Yaw Oheneba-Sekyi, and other staff of the university noted that the university had made distance education a major part of its programme.

To this end, he said there was the need to revamp and reorient Ghanaians on distance education, adding that “It is in this regard that we would want to renovate the centre and resource it, with the support of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the other local government authorities”.

He said that was to ensure that people who qualified to have university education did not miss the opportunity due to their geographical location.

Prof Aryeetey further hinted that the university would in November this year organise a special homecoming event for all the alumni to visit the campus to interact and deliberate on the way forward for the university.

He added that as part of the homecoming programme “We are currently restructuring and rebuilding the halls and other structures to make them more hospitable”.

The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issaku Salia, in his response stressed the importance of education in the life of every individual and the nation at large, and said it reduced poverty because through education people would be empowered to move on with their lives as responsible individuals.

Alhaji Salia said the expansion of the distance education programme had, and would pave way for many people to have university education.

For his part, Prof Yaw Oheneba-Sekyi appealed to the minister to support the centre to be able to organise its annual Easter School.

He explained that the southern part of the country held the New Year School while the northern sector was supposed to be holding the Easter School. “However, the centre has within the last two years not been able to hold its Easter School,” he stated.

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Yes, you CAN sell elearning to your boss!

2011-07-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, you CAN sell elearning to your boss!

Canadian HR Reporter - Article - Online education gaining credibility in labour market: Survey

2011-07-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

Canadian HR Reporter - Article - Online education gaining credibility in labour market: Survey

Ron Elearning

ClevrU Shares Passion for Education with Canadian Ambassador in China

Employee Departs for Khan Academy

Excellence in Technology

Blackboard Introduces Major Update

ReviewLink TM Beta Collaborative e-Learning Review Tool Proves to be a Valuable Asset to e-Learning Developers

E-Learning Company OutStart To Be Acquired By Kenexa, and Why This Space Matters | BostInno

thebahamasweekly.com - E-Learning Expert John Bain Calls for Computer Science in School Curriculum

Launch of Opus You

Workshops warn on risks of cyber bullying

Support the Fight Against Bullying

Tablets for elearning

Media for eLearning: Top Tools

Ping Identity Kicks Off Free Training

Teaching Excellence Online

TED TALK for 2011

online education to children

Shift to electronic health records means new jobs for thousands

Online Training

iBooks 2, iBooks Author and iTunes U

Serebra Learning Closes Private Placement – Venture Capital, Private Equity, M&A, IPO News

Gov't Promises Schools More Computers

Why Apple's Increased Presence in Education Matters | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Why Apple's Increased Presence in Education Matters | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Jewish day schools putting Apple iPads to the test | JTA - Jewish & Israel News

Is the iPad the Future of Education? Students in Palm Beach Florida Find Out | Singularity Hub

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Education Hurdle Deepens Poverty Trap

Graduate online degree program placed in 'Top Online Education Program' ranking

10 Excellent, Free Online Education Resources - Slideshow from PCMag.com

What are SOPA and PIPA? Education about the bills continues after online protests - BlogPost - The Washington Post

The Rise of the e-Patient

Idaho lawmakers review plan making Idaho first to require students to take 2 online credits | The Republic

Study: Online classes more popular - NewsandSentinel.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

California Initiative Brings Breath of Fresh Air - Forbes

Here's a Sweet Resolution for 2012

Blended Learning for Students

Minister’s surprising vision for higher ed – - Macleans OnCampus

MIT announces free, open source courses – - Macleans OnCampus

MIT Announces Platform for Free Online Courses

MIT to Offer Free Online Education | Kansas City News | fox4kc.com | FOX 4

Rochester school district saw plenty of change in 2011 - Post Bulletin

MIT’s new learning platform points to future of higher ed - Editorials - The Boston Globe

Cambridge Colleges of Higher Education |Cambridge Regional Colleges | Distance learning college in Cambridge saved from closure threat

Google Conducts Case Study of Liberty University Online, Praising their Mobile Advertising

Humboldt Park Business Resource Network Offering Free Online Learn - Hispanically Speaking News

Toffee TV: A delicious way to reappraise Urdu – The Express Tribune

Online consortium expands student options - Shawnee, OK - The Shawnee News-Star

E-learning efforts at MU consolidate | The Columbia Daily Tribune - Columbia, Missouri

Cochrane Eagle Online – Cochrane's Source of News and Opinion » Blog Archive » RVS making progress in digital learning, says superintendent

Parents, time to panic about our kids' education - CNN.com

Local Views Vary on Online Education

About the Proposal

Elizabethtown College Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning Launches MBA Program

TPS goes high tech to do more with fewer classes - Toledo Blade

AFP: Internet takes "distance-learning" into the Amazon

Literature goes live as distance cut for students - ABC Western Plains NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Mass copying: BU calls off degree exams - The Times of India

Off-campus programs help keep S&T's enrollment at record levels - Missouri S&T News and Events

UMass Lowell Online Breaks Record, Launches New Programs | Lowell.com

Distance learning, the mantra for city youth - Hindustan Times

HRD ministry to give distance education a leg-up - Hindustan Times

Community voices concern over online education requirements - Idaho Press-Tribune: News

Cunningham Addresses 'Social Media Law' in Ellisville - Ballwin-Ellisville, MO Patch

Internet Evolution - Editor's Blog - Teachers Fight Back Against Online 'Friendship' Law

Clicking to class: virtual lessons now the law | HeraldTribune.com

DreamBox® Learning Puts Common Core State Standards Alignment Tool At Educators’ Fingertips - Press Release - Digital Journal

Salman Khan, Egan Teacher Talk About the Khan Academy Pilot in Los Altos Schools - Los Altos, CA Patch

ROCK HILL | Rock Hill schools create 'dashboard' to aid in test data | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC

Higher tech, lower cost is goal of ‘future’ school - The Jewish Standard

An iPad 2 for every student; WACS seeks to integrate technology

Online classes growing in Florida public schools | wtsp.com

Day 2: Districts cut cords for learning

Centennial Citizen: Local Matters

IGNOU trains teachers to develop online courses

Where is India's $35 tablet, Mr Sibal? - Times Of India

Customers Vote SumTotal Finalist in Three Best of Elearning! 2011 Awards Categories

Al-Futtaim Training Centre makes New Horizons its UAE eLearning partner | New Horizons | AMEinfo.com

Potter’s distance learning success - Evening Times | Sport

CCSD's distance education provides opportunities for all | LahontanValleyNews.com

Online degree program alternative to overstuffed schools | The Columbian