Engineering Education

What Schools Are Really Blocking When They Block Social Media

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:40 GMT

by Craig Watkins, Huffington Post

Education administrators block social media because they believe it threatens the personal and emotional safety of their students. Or they believe social media is a distraction that diminishes student engagement and the quality of the learning experience. Schools also block social media to prevent students from accessing inappropriate content. I have often wondered what are schools really blocking when they block social media. Working in a high school this year has given me added perspective. In one class my graduate assistant and I are working with a teacher in a Technology Applications class. Our goal is to reinvent the classroom and, more important, the learning that takes place. We structured the learning to be autonomous, self-directed, creative, collaborative, and networked. We decided to let the student teams pick which digital media project they wanted to pursue. Some students elected to team together to produce a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that target teens. These students liked the idea of using digital media to tell compelling stories about the challenges of teen life. Other students wanted to produce short narratives. They were excited about creating worlds, characters, and narrative dilemmas that allowed their artistic identities to flourish.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-watkins/what-schools-are-really-b_b_1245209.html

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Schools link smarts, phones

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35 GMT

By Collin Binkley, The Columbus Dispatch

Westerville North junior Noel Hilling uses her cellphone in her U.S. history class. Students were tweeting about the lesson; teacher Damon Mollenkopf keeps an eye on his tablet computer to watch their dialogue. ?I can say, ?Hey, this person makes a good point,?? he said. Teachers in some classrooms confiscate smartphones from students caught texting or surfing social-media websites. amon Mollenkopf doesn?t bother. The teacher at Westerville North High School actually encourages students to chat with one another on social-networking websites, with the hope that they?re talking about history. The kids can be having a separate conversation, but it can be quiet, on Twitter,? said Mollenkopf, who keeps an eye on his tablet computer to watch their dialogue.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/01/schools-link-smarts-phones.html

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Want your kid to be a scientist? Start in elementary school.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:30 GMT

By Priya Natarajan, Washington Post

The Khan Academy has pioneered the use of technology to encourage unstructured learning outside the classroom and now provides teaching supplements in 36 schools around the country. For instance, recent reports describe a San Jose charter school using Khan?s instructional videos in ninth-grade math classes to tailor lessons to each student?s pace.

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2012/02/03/essay-massive-online-courses-not-game-changing-innovation

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Why Viewers Could Soon Control Super Bowl Ads

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:25 GMT

by David Talbot, Technology Review

By the time next year's Super Bowl rolls around, advertisers?poring over social media analytics of their ads?are likely to replace less-liked versions of ads with better-rated ones as the game goes on. “Advertisers will be looking for immediate feedback to change [advertising] copy rotations later in the game,” says Kate Sirkin, the global research director of Starcom MediaVest Group, an ad agency in New York. Even social media feedback on things happening in the game could cause an adjustment. “You make a couple of versions of the ad, and different versions can run either depending on feedback by viewers to the ad, or real-time feedback to the game itself,” she says. “It speaks to the culture of the nation?it's saying, ‘We're listening to you, America, and giving you the stuff that you want.' ”

http://www.technologyreview.com/web/39590/

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How Apple Can Revolutionize Television

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:20 GMT

by Will Knight, Technology Review

Rumor has it Apple is about to start making the the world's favorite gadget. In a note sent to clients earlier this week, Piper Jaffray analyst (and longtime Apple TV enthusiast) Gene Munster, said he?d spoken to a major television component maker that has been contacted by Apple about the capabilities of its display components. Some people wonder whether Apple would really choose to enter a market that?s so crowded, and that offers such slim margins for manufacturers. But similar doubts were raised before Apple launched the iPhone and, of course, it went on to take over that market, primarily by delivering a remarkably simple and intuitive user interface and experience.

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/27548/

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What the Nook Means

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:15 GMT

David Zax, Technology Review

A Goliath has now become a David. Gigantism, it turns out, is relative. It wasn?t so long ago that Barnes & Noble was considered a Goliath, some sort of massive, heartless chain that was squashing the quaint neighborhood independent bookstores–legions of squirming Davids fumbling hopelessly for their slingshots–under its massive foot. My, how times have changed. Barnes & Noble?s CEO, William J. Lynch Jr., is the subject of a recent profile in the Times, and you might be surprised to hear the language used to describe him: ?he is playing David to Mr. Bezos?s Goliath,? writes Julie Bosman. B&N?s stock is about $12, its value in the hundreds of millions. The stock price of Jeff Bezos's company, Amazon, is around $195. Its value? $88 billion. Among the revelations in the Times piece is that a fifth e-reading device, presumably some iteration of the Nook, is to be released this spring:

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/helloworld/27540/

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Adventures in Wonderland ? Open Online Learning Leaps Forward

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:10 GMT

by Ryan Craig, Inside Higher Ed

First, MIT announced that it would extend its successful OpenCourseWare initiative and offer certificates to students who complete courses. MITx will allow students to access content for free. But students who wish to receive a certificate will be charged a modest fee for the requisite assessments. The kicker is that the certificate will not be issued under the name MIT. According to the University: ?MIT plans to create a not-for-profit body within the institute that will offer certificate for online learners of MIT coursework. Then, Sebastian Thrun, who invited the world to attend his fall semester artificial intelligence course and who ended up with 160,000 online students, announced he had decided to stop teaching at Stanford and direct all his teaching activities through Udacity, a start-up he co-founded that will offer online courses from leading professors to millions of students.

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2012/02/03/essay-massive-online-courses-not-game-changing-innovation

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Online learning courses propel UND growth

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:05 GMT

By: Pamela Knudson, Grand Forks Herald

Online education accounts for an increasing portion of UND?s enrollment, officials there say, and will be an important component as the school develops a new model for ensuring enrollment stays stable. ?Online education is very important for our growth opportunities, because if you look at high school demographics, they?re decreasing,? said Lori Reesor, UND vice president for student affairs. ?President (Robert) Kelley has said he believes we?re at the right size. Now it?s more about maintaining enrollment and shaping the class by increasing the quality and diversity of our students,? she said. ?It?s not just the right number of students but insuring that the students who come here are prepared to be here.?

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/228255/

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?Change.edu? and the Problem with For-Profits in Online Learning

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:01 GMT

By Robert M. Shireman, Chronicle of Higher Ed

It is clear that Andrew Rosen, the chief executive of Kaplan, wants to leave readers of Change.edu with the idea that for-profit colleges are innovative, efficient, and effective in serving people left out by traditional higher education, and that their bad reputation is the result of unfair attacks. The eye-opening, gasp-inducing elements involve Rosen's descriptions of the intense pressures on company executives to produce quick, huge profits for investors by shortchanging students. “An investor who wants to make a quick hit can, at least theoretically, buy an institution, rev up the recruitment engine, reduce investment in educational outcomes,” and deliver “a dramatic return on investment.”

http://chronicle.com/article/Changeeduthe-Problem/130596/

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Google Launches Redesigned Education Site

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:40 GMT

by Mindshift KQED

Google has revamped its site for educators, creating a redesigned repository for all its educational tools and resources for teachers, schools, and students. The newest feature is News and Calendar, a listing of all events and deadlines for Google?s education endeavors. Google also created an online booklet called Google in Education: A New and Open World for Learning, which lists the company?s initiatives and programs within the education realm, such as the Computer Science for High School program ? university-created workshops for local high school and middle school computer science teachers teachers.

http://mindshift.kqed.org/2012/01/google-launches-new-education-site/

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How to Create Your Own Textbook ? With or Without Apple

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:35 GMT

By Dolores Gende, Mind Shift KQED

Apple?s announcement last week about its new iBooks2 and authoring app created big waves in education circles. But smart educators don?t necessarily need Apple?s slick devices and software to create their own books. How educators think of content curation in the classroom is enough to change their reliance on print textbooks. As the open education movement continues to grow and become an even more rich trove of resources, teachers can use the content to make their own interactive textbooks. It might seem daunting, but the availability of quality materials online and the power of tapping into personal learning networks should make it easier. Here?s how to create a digital textbook and strategies for involving the students in its development in three steps.

http://mindshift.kqed.org/2012/01/how-to-create-your-own-textbook-with-or-without-apple/

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In some schools, parents and PTAs to buy technology

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:30 GMT

By Ann Doss Helms, Charlotte Observer

Asking families to buy their own educational technology runs counter to the normal way of doing things in public education. But Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools say that's the best hope for embracing the digital age, which moves faster than government budgets and bureaucratic decisions. They say kids whose families who can't afford the latest gadgets – an iPad, for instance, runs about $500 to $700 – won't be left out, but parents and PTAs that can pitch in will step up the pace of going wireless. It's not a new concept to private and charter schools. For instance, Carolina International School, a K-10 charter in Harrisburg, recently decided that all students above third grade should have tablets to use in class, and asked families to do their part. About two-thirds bought their kids tablets, and the school paid for those who couldn't. Even in high-poverty schools, such as Cochrane Collegiate Academy, many students already have smartphones. In the new Bring Your Own Technology era, they'll be able to use those for Internet research and sharing information in class.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/29/2967994/in-some-schools-parents-and-ptas.html

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Adobe Creative Cloud to Launch This Spring

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:27 GMT

By: Darryl K. Taft, eWeek

Adobe?s new cloud initiative aimed at creative professionals, known as Adobe Creative Cloud, will go live this spring. Adobe announced the Adobe Creative Cloud at its MAX 2011 conference last October. In an interview, Heidi Voltmer, director of product marketing for Web and interactive solutions at Adobe, told eWEEK the Creative Cloud would go live to customers this spring along with Adobe Creative Suite 6 (CS6) and other applications. At MAX Adobe officials said Adobe Creative Cloud would become the focal point for creativity, where millions can access desktop and tablet applications, essential creative services, and share their best work.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Adobe-Creative-Cloud-to-Launch-This-Spring-566208/?kc=rss

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Mozilla?s Firefox 10 Muscles Up on Developer Tools

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:20 GMT

By: Nicholas Kolakowski, eWeek

Mozilla's Firefox 10 is relatively light on new user features, but includes a variety of new tools for developers, particularly those creating multimedia experiences. In keeping with its rapid release cadence, Mozilla has released Firefox 10.0 for Windows, Mac and Linux. While the latest browser version features relatively few cosmetic changes, there are some under-the-hood additions that could prove vital for developers trying to create next-generation Web experiences. In the desktop version of Firefox 10.0, Mozilla has hidden the forward button until the user navigates back. It has fixed some bugs, including one that sometimes crashed the browser when the user attempted to move bookmarks. But the bigger story here is the new built-in developer tools.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/Mozillas-Firefox-10-Muscles-Up-on-Developer-Tools-477285/?kc=rss

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Apple petitioners tell firm to protect Chinese workers

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:16 GMT

by the BBC

Campaigners say they were motivated to act by media reports about supply workers' conditions. An online petition, signed by 155,000 people, has called on Apple to do more to ensure its Chinese factory workers are treated better. The campaign, on Change.org, follows reports of poor working conditions in factories that make Apple products. A separate SumOfUs petition, with more than 43,000 signatories, calls for the iPhone 5 to be made “ethically”. Apple acknowledged the demands. Its chief executive earlier said it cared about every worker in its supply chain.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16832106

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Collaborative Online Learning in Health Care Education

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:10 GMT

Catherine Westbrook and Anglia Ruskin, EURODL

At our University, the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education has delivered a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses via flexible distance learning for many years. Distance learning can be a lonely experience for students who may feel isolated and unsupported. However e-learning provides an opportunity to use technology to motivate students to interact with each other and their tutors and work together towards common goals. If done properly, this provides distance learners specifically with a sense of learning within a community and therefore enables them to learn more effectively. Five years ago, the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education started using a virtual learning environment (VLE) to expand and develop our materials and provide a variety of resources to support our students. In the postgraduate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) course this was further developed by implementing several collaborative learning initiatives where students work together online. The purpose of this was to attempt to improve the student experience of distance learning. The aim of this review is to analyze the effectiveness of three online collaborative tools used in the postgraduate distance learning MRI course and make recommendations for the implementation of similar initiatives throughout health care education.

http://www.eurodl.org/?article=475

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Effects of a Self-instruction Communication Skills Training on Skills, Self-efficacy, Motivation, and Transfer Learning Online

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:05 GMT

by Mark A. Hommes and Henk T. Van der Molen, EURODL

This article describes a study on the effects of a self-instruction training programme in communication skills for psychology students at the Open University of the Netherlands in comparison to a fully supervised training. We expected both training programmes to increase students? knowledge and skills, as well as their self-efficacy and motivation concerning the use of skills. Furthermore we expected that both training programmes would lead to the transfer of these skills to daily life situations one year after training. The results show that almost all expectations were met, and that the effects of the self instructional programme in this study were comparable to those of the fully supervised training. The main conclusion is that it is possible to construct an effective self-instruction programme in communication skills for psychology students in distance education and this method could be promising for communication skills training for others groups.

http://www.eurodl.org/?article=470

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Servant-leadership: the Online Way! Online learning where community building is key

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:02 GMT

by Sylvia van de Bunt-Kokhuis, Nabil Sultan, EURODL

The digitalisation of educational communities has increased rapidly in the last decade. Modern technologies transform the way educational leaders such as teachers, tutors, deans and supervisors view and manage their educational communities. More often, educational leaders offer a variety of gateways, guiding the e-learners in their search for finding and understanding information. A new type of leader is required for understanding the needs and requirements of geographically dispersed online learners. This calls for a compassioned kind of leader, able to reconcile the dilemma of high-tech versus hi-touch in the online classroom. This article examines servant-leadership and its implications for e-learning in the 24/7 classroom where community building is key.

http://www.eurodl.org/?article=472

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National Online Textbook Database

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:37 GMT

by UCSD Guardian

The U.S. Department of Education?s Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance proposed the creation of a national online textbook database to reduce costs of course materials. The cost of attending college is rapidly rising, and with it are the escalating costs of textbooks. The College Board has predicted that the average student at a four-year public university will spend $1,137 this year on textbooks alone. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Education?s Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance proposed the creation of a national digital marketplace that would reduce costs by uploading textbooks online. This idea is a necessary step towards affordability, as any reduction in textbook costs will provide welcome relief to already financially burdened students. With its ease of access and promises of slashed prices, a national textbook database will discourage students from skimping on their required texts. The online system would allow students to do all the same things that can be done in a printed textbook, like highlighting passages ? with the added plus that it would be much easier to search for key terms. Professors would also be able to create custom texts online, so students would not have to spend copious amounts of money on purchasing custom course readers.

http://www.ucsdguardian.org/home/item/25286-quick-takes-national-online-textbook-database

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Professors replace MyCourses with Canvas

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:35 GMT

by Morgan Johnson, Brown Herald

Canvas will replace MyCourses by spring 2013. More than 3,000 students this semester will use Canvas, Brown's new online course management system, before its slated replacement of MyCourses in spring 2013. Canvas, officially selected last spring after receiving positive feedback from student and faculty surveys and focus groups, had its first testing phase last fall when it was used in nine undergraduate courses and by first- and second-year medical students, according to the project's recently launched website. All faculty members were invited via email to participate in the second phase of testing this spring. “We received a very healthy number of responses,” said Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron of this semester's volunteers. Sixty faculty members elected to adopt Canvas, which will be used in roughly 70 courses, Bergeron said.

http://www.browndailyherald.com/professors-replace-mycourses-with-canvas-1.2691928

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More interaction, less lecturing impacts Purdue classes

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:30 GMT

by Eric Weddle, Journal-Courier

As part of the redesign, lectures are mostly online videos and classes are taught in a special room inside Hicks Undergraduate Library. There, small moveable tables allow students to interact more easily and white boards are used at each table. “Everyone has a pen in their hand,” Delworth said. “The chairs are not bolted to the floor. For what we are doing, we need to move around. A normal classroom doesn't let you do this.” In Delworth's algebra and trigonometry course, students are in the classroom for one weekly 75-minute class, instead of three 50-minute classes. Videos of Delworth's lectures are available online. Students are expected to watch the lectures before the Thursday class. Once in class, students work on problems together. In other courses, students review work of classmates, offering critiques and critically thinking about the subject, Dooley said.

http://www.jconline.com/article/20120130/NEWS0501/201300315/More-interaction-less-lecturing-impacts-Purdue-classes

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Rising Cyber-War Threat Forcing Nations to Bolster Defenses: McAfee

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:25 GMT

By: Fahmida Y. Rashid, eWeek

The threat of cyber-war and cyber-attacks is serious enough that countries need to beef up their defenses as part of their military strategy. Cyber-security experts are concerned about the prospect of cyber-war and the growing number of cyber-threats, according to a recent report released by McAfee. Over half, or 57 percent, of cyber-security specialists surveyed in the “Cyber-security: The Vexed Question of Global Rules” report said a global arms race is taking place in cyberspace, McAfee said Jan. 30. In addition, 84 percent of those surveyed said cyber-attacks threaten national and international security as well as trade.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Rising-CyberWar-Threat-Forcing-Nations-to-Bolster-Defenses-McAfee-855097/?kc=rss

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Red Hat Extends RHEL Life Cycle from 7 to 10 Years

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:20 GMT

By: Darryl K. Taft, eWeek

Red Hat announces that it has extended the life cycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 and 6 from seven to 10 years to give users more flexibility in long-term operating system deployments. Red Hat announced it has extended the production life cycle of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 from seven to 10 years in response to enterprise customer demand. With this move, enterprise customers now have additional deployment alternatives for their Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system implementations as they plan the future of their strategic IT deployments, Red Hat said in a Jan. 31 press release on the extension.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Red-Hat-Extends-RHEL-Lifecycle-from-Seven-to-10-Years-432881/?kc=rss

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Fraudsters go phishing for pop music, says producer

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:14 GMT

By Greg Cochrane, BBC

We usually hear about phishing attacks in the technology world – when impostors try to scam people out of money by tricking them into handing over their personal details. But now it's said the technique has found its way into pop music. Producer Richard X says he's received contact from fraudsters “disguising” themselves as industry workers requesting he sends them music. “They get a little bit of information by searching databases, publishers catalogues or reading forums,” says X, sat in his London studio. “That's enough for them to write a cheeky email disguised as someone from the management, touring agency or someone related to the artists in an attempt to get you, the producer, to send them finished tracks or demos.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/16785833

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Big Data?s Arrival ? Predictors of Online Learner Success, Vulnerability

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:10 GMT

By Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

A broad range of institutions, including American Public University System, Community College System of Colorado, Rio Salado College, University of Hawaii System, University of Illinois-Springfield, and the University of Phoenix are participating. Six major for-profits, research universities and community colleges — the sort of group that doesn?t always play nice — are sharing the vault of information and tips on how to put the data to work. ?Having the University of Phoenix and American Public University, it?s huge,? said Dan Huston, coordinator of strategic systems at Rio Salado College, a participant. According to early findings from the research, at-risk students do better if they ease into online education with a small number of courses, which flies in the face of widely-held belief in the benefits of full student immersion.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/02/01/using-big-data-predict-online-student-success

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Social-networking tools and learning analytics can help educators evaluate OERs for online learning

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:05 GMT

By Mary Grush, Campus Technology

A vast amount of open content is now accessible to educators online, but there's not much evaluation data or guidelines on how to use it. Campus Technology asked Michael Cottam, associate dean of instructional design and new program development at Rio Salado College (AZ), how higher ed could better evaluate open education resources (OERs) and help course designers leverage them more appropriately.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/02/01/grading-oers-for-class.aspx

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Online Learning Student Self-Assessment: A Sample Assignment

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:01 GMT

By: Maryellen Weimer, Faculty Focus

For me examples are like pictures; worth a 1,000 words. In last week?s post I wrote about the need to intervene in the development of student self-assessment skills, leaving the process less to chance and making it more the result of purposeful intervention. At a recent Teaching Professor Workshop, I saw an assignment that illustrates that kind of intervention. It was from a 100-level, Introduction to U.S. Government course, but is adaptable to any course. The assignment has two parts and they are the first and last pieces of work students complete in the course.

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/student-self-assessment-a-sample-assignment/

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U.S. Youth Reluctant to Pursue STEM Careers, ASQ Survey Says

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:40 GMT

By ASQ

While teens rank some STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) -related careers as offering the best chance of getting a job in the future, 67 percent of youth in grades 6-12 who are interested in pursuing a career in STEM say they are concerned about the obstacles they would face, according to an ASQ survey conducted online in December by Harris Interactive. ?It?s encouraging to see that more students see the value of STEM careers like engineering but clearly STEM professionals and educators can be doing more to support students along this career path.? The survey was fielded among 713 youth in grades 6-12 and a complementary survey was fielded online among 327 parents of children aged 10-17. Both studies polled respondents on their attitudes about STEM careers and study, and fielded in anticipation of National Engineers Week, Feb. 19-25.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120127005662/en/U.S.-Youth-Reluctant-Pursue-STEM-Careers-ASQ

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McAfee Updates Mobile Security With Remote Tracking, Data Wipes

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:25 GMT

By: Fahmida Y. Rashid, eWeek

McAfee's latest Mobile Security 2.0 enables remote data wipes, tracking and locks, as well as the ability to tell when applications are accessing personal data. McAfee introduced a new version of Mobile Security to protect smartphones and tablets from malicious applications and Web malware. Mobile Security 2.0 offers antivirus, anti-theft services and protection from malicious Websites and applications, McAfee said Jan. 30. The security software also includes online device management where users can remotely wipe data on the device and on a removable Secure Digital (SD) card.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/McAfee-Updates-Mobile-Security-With-Remote-Tracking-Data-Wipes-284182/?kc=rss

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Can one professor teach 500,000 students at once via online learning?

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:10 GMT

By Donald Marron, Christian Science Monitor

Former Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun has already taught a class of 160,000. Now he's aiming to teach 500,000 students. Sound impossible? Well, he?s already taught a class of 160,000 students. As Felix Salmon recounts: Thrun told the story of his Introduction to Artificial Intelligence class, which ran from October to December last year. It started as a way of putting his Stanford course online ? he was going to teach the whole thing, for free, to anybody in the world who wanted it. With quizzes and grades and a final certificate, in parallel with the in-person course he was giving his Stanford undergrad students. He sent out one email to announce the class, and from that one email there was ultimately an enrollment of 160,000 students.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2012/0127/Can-one-professor-teach-500-000-students-at-once

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eduTweetup Boston 2011 Event Recap on Storify

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:52 GMT

Did you miss eduTweetup Boston 2011 or would just like to relive some moments from the unconference event? Here's a Storify recap of eduTweetup Boston 2011. If you attended or followed the #edutweetup hashtag, please share your thoughts of the event below! View “eduTweetup Boston 2011″ on Storify Related posts:eduTweetup Boston 2011 Event eduTweetup in [...] .eduGuru, August 17, 2011.

OPENBLOCKFull ResultsCLOSEBLOCK Your education: Was it worth it?

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:52 GMT

I want to start by thanking everyone who filled out the survey. It was because of you that I could share this rich amount of insight behind how higher education is�perceived. And not to mention, make my #eduTweetup talk a success. Jump to a recording of the talk. In total the survey received 143 responses [...] .eduGuru, August 17, 2011.

100% of Colleges and Universities are Doing Social Media

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:52 GMT

The Millennial Generation is said to be constantly connected through the use of hand-held devices and online media. But how is that technology changing marketing strategies? Take a look at some of these interesting results on the use of social media in US colleges and universities nationwide. In the�2007-2008 academic year, the University of Massachusetts [...] .eduGuru, August 17, 2011.

eduTweetup Speakers Announced, 10 Bonus Tickets Remaining

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:21 GMT

eduTweetup Boston 2011 on July 29 is an event bringing together education professionals and technology leaders for a night of fun-filled dialogue around pressing issues facing the 21st century university.�Higher Ed Live and .eduGuru are teaming up with some other great sponsors to put together this event. View the eduTweetup Speaker List ? The ‘unconference' [...] .eduGuru, July 29, 2011.

Facebook Groups and Pages Compared: Communities for Accepted Students

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:21 GMT

According to a survey of 226 colleges conducted by Varsity Outreach in 2010, an overwhelming majority (88%) of colleges and universities have already created�a Facebook presence for their school. So, how are Admissions Offices utilizing Facebook as a community-building tool for their accepted students and incoming classes? Two popular options are Facebook Groups and Facebook [...] .eduGuru, July 29, 2011.

Idiot's Guide to Event Tracking

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:21 GMT

On July 23rd, 2011, I had the pleasure of presenting at the HighEdWeb Arkansas regional conference. My topic was looking at approaching our websites through incremental realignments, rather than sweeping redesigns, and doing so based on information we can get from our analytics. A core component of that topic is using Google Analytics for event [...] .eduGuru, July 29, 2011.

Your Education: Was it worth it?

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:21 GMT

As part of my EDUTweetup presentation I started talking to a lot of people inside and outside higher education about their educational experience. I found a�polarization�happening very quickly. People either started giving me a sales pitch for their institution, while others focused on themselves and how hard they worked to use “the system” to get [...] .eduGuru, July 29, 2011.

Recruitment Lessons from the 2011 E-Expectations Study

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:21 GMT

Noel-Levitz recently released their annual Online Expectations of Prospective College Students and Their Parents report.� It gives some interesting data around students and parents that will help you know if your school is on track with its recruitment efforts.� With over 1,000 students and 500 parents surveyed it presents a great sample size of this [...] .eduGuru, July 29, 2011.

ISTE 2011: Theme 2 Admin PD

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:55 GMT

Another theme was PD for Administrators, especially in the area of new technology and delivery platforms. There was a big discussion about this at the EduBloggerCon (http://www.edubloggercon.com/) and about how educators and educational technologists need to make sure that their administrators are keep up to date on the new tools and techniques. This also popped [...] Center4Edupunx, July 28, 2011.

ISTE 2011 Theme 1: Games

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:55 GMT

Digital Games Based Learning (DGBL) was everywhere. There were tons of presentations on various games and game development. My favorites were Peg Steffen and Hilarie Davis's Educational Gaming Opportunities for Classroom Engagement and Dr.Lisa Dawley's Quest-Based Inquiry Across Immersive Learning Environments. Peg's presentation focused on her experiences running a project on the games NOAA developed [...] Center4Edupunx, July 28, 2011.

EduPunx on Poetry and Life-Long Learning

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:55 GMT

In a small mountain library in Colorado, a group of beat poets and life-long learners gathered for the Gilpin County Public Library �Midsummer Poetry Evening. Naturally Simon and Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair was playing as we walked into the library. The Center for EduPunx's Poetess in Residence was invited to read. ( By the way, Karla [...] Center4Edupunx, July 28, 2011.

D2L Poster

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:55 GMT

We're doing a poster session at the D2L conference this week. el D?a de los Muertos� When we submitted it, we had hoped for the opportunity to do a presentation to share our results, but since we don't have that opportunity – here's some of the resources we already have up on the web. This [...] Center4Edupunx, July 28, 2011.

Smackdown at EduBloggerCon

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:55 GMT

Tomorrow (okay ? really today) ISTE holds what for me is one of their most exciting events ?EduBloggerCon. #ebc11 It is an unconference that last a whole day from 8 am ? 5pm. So while there has been a wiki that has allowed some people to propose topics ? many more will be suggested and [...] Center4Edupunx, July 28, 2011.

Anatomy of a blog

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

This morning I was asked to teach an Introduction to Blogging session to a class of new students in Early Childhood Teaching. As part of their first assignment they are asked to blog for 8 weeks about an “education and society” topic of their choosing. Unfortunately we were unable to book a computer lab (rarer [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

Looking for Interesting Examples of… Blended Learning

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

In my work as education technologist I'm often asked for examples of blended or online learning. “Just show it to me”. Not an unreasonable request, as it can be challenging for an educator (whether a teacher, librarian, manager or other) who has never had a blended or online learning experience themselves, to conceptualise the options [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

Tweeting it up in the Hawke's Bay – #hbtweetup

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

(This post is a cross-post from Fruitbowl.co.nz) If you've never been to a Hawke's Bay Tweetup, you have another chance this�Friday 1 April. Advintage Wines (@advintagewines) have kindly agreed to host (free wine, free tapas). It looks set to be the biggest�#hbtweetup so far… (thanks to�@dhtbrowne for taking over the organisation on this one ). [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

weekly #edtech links

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

The iPad: Enhancing Learning and Teaching in the Digital Age ? 21st Century Learning The Australian Taxation Office has said that the iPad, and equivalent e-readers or tablets, are deemed to be equivalent to a laptop and it will attract a 50 per cent education rebate. This will make iPads popular with schools. tags: ipad [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

#iMoot – Moodle Course Creator Challenge – The Rubric

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

I'm greatly enjoying the #iMoot international Moodle conference (Moodle conferences are called MoodleMoots). Over the course of 4 days, a veritable “who's who” of Moodle experts are sharing their �case studies, experiences and work. Topics cover all aspects of Moodle: teaching, course design and development, tools, Moodle development and the future of Moodle. One of [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

The Epitome of #EdTech

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

Tomorrow I'm doing a show ‘n tell presentation at our institution about Blended Learning. I will demonstrate some courses, resources and learning approaches we have designed and developed at EIT. I'll also show some work from other institutions. And then I'm keen to make my audience go: Wow! Show a few high-end examples, courses, resources [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

Twitterwalls: the writing's on the wall

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

Last Friday the Hawke's Bay Tweetup (#hbtweetup) was kindly hosted by The Crossing restaurant. The lovely drinks and positively gorgeous food were enjoyed by all the Hawke's Bay tweeps. But The Crossing offered us another benefit, a data projector, discovered a week before during my reccie. The wonderfully hospitable Richard gave us a code for [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

The ID Litany

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

Working as an eLearning Advisor in higher education, a large part of my role is instructional design.�In course design meetings with academic staff, I find myself asking the same questions over and over again. For each element of the course, I have the same questions. I thought I'd share it with you here, in an [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

Moodle Course Design: a high-wire act #mootnz11

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:44 GMT

I was very pleased to be one of �a number of presenters talking about learning design at this year's New Zealand Moodle Moot. Stephen Lowe talked about learning theories and Julian Ridden did an epic session on Game Theory which unfortunately I missed but he's uploading an open course about it to MOOCH soon. But [...] Cat's Pyjamas, July 28, 2011.

#ISTE11: On Longitudinal Web Presences for Writing, Learning, Being

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:34 GMT

I had the opportunity to hear Paul Allison, one of my favorite teachers, talk at length about his work with Youth Voices yesterday. Usually, Paul's asking about others' work, or showcasing the work he's doing – but not talking about … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

#ISTE11: #engchat Reflection

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:34 GMT

# Engchat 2011 from Ben Grey on Vimeo.1 # Special thanks to Ben for spending time capturing this work. # Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

Love as an Essential Element of School Design

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:34 GMT

I'm about to head off the grid for a week or two, with only brief glimpses of online things. �It's that time of year and I need a break – and I'm celebrating an anniversary with Ms. the Teacher – … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

The Week in Tweets for 2011-07-04

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:34 GMT

Blogging in the Blogger's Cafe. Good thing blogging's not dead. #iste11 # @Mrs_Vee @skajder No. It's a tool in the box – but not the number one tool. in reply to skajder # @skajder @mrs_vee Fair enough. So – Why … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

The Week in Tweets for 2011-07-11

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:34 GMT

Off to rent some bikes and ride around the coast. Rough day. # "We hold these truths to be self-evident . . ." http://t.co/XtETbdh # @TeachaKidd On point 8 – we should not be in the business of pre approving … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

Fuzzy Thinking: Fragmenting Us in Pursuit of, Well, Us.

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:34 GMT

No fewer than three times today, my brain was tickled into considering the question that I've buried at the end of this hurried post. Let me recap: # 1. In a few Google+ conversations about sharing1, I've seen folks state … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

The Week in Tweets for 2011-07-18

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:33 GMT

Back to work. Teaching Google mail today. Should be fun to discover how many changes have been made in the last week. # @milobo Thanks. See you soon. in reply to milobo # @garystager Have a great time. in reply … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

Leave A Little Love for Them

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:33 GMT

I've been teaching an awful lot of Google Mail and Calendar classes lately, as my school district is moving into its new email platform1. �And I mention during these classes that students will have email next year. �In fact, it's … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

The Week in Tweets for 2011-07-25

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:33 GMT

Good Monday. Teaching and playing catch up today. Nice to have some office time. Big year ahead. # @techsavvyed The joy of the summer schedule. Enjoy your break. in reply to techsavvyed # @hickstro Well thanks. What sorts of folks … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

Determining Failure

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:33 GMT

I'm off again on a short vacation, but I couldn't let this paragraph escape at least a word or two. �Over the weekend, Bill Gates was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal. �From the piece: # One of the foundation's … Continue reading → Bud the Teacher, July 28, 2011.

What Works Best: Help or Punishment?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

The other sees schools as one part of a free-market economy, where quality may be judged by data; if the results aren't good enough, then fire part or all of the people and close the store, I mean, the school and pick a new Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

Considering How One 'Sees' Things

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

We may not agree, either, on the kind of evidence that we need to use as we revise our schemes, as they go from inside our heads, to paper and pencil to actual Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

What I Learned at Siena

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

Those of us who truly care about children and the future of our society should find ways to share our ideas, to discuss our differences amicably, and to model the behavior that we want the young to emulate. I want to advance the ideals and values that are so central to the Siena community: compassion, responsibility, integrity, empathy, and standing up against Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

A Heritage of Disrespect?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

it was those with far more power and resources who made the rules that kept them out. It took an enormous battle, led by labor unions and do-gooders, on behalf of our natural thirst for knowledge and self-respect. How dare the elite question the value others placed on getting a good education for their children? But it is part of our shared history to do Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

A Dark Day in New York State

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

This isn't an argument against holding teachers accountable; it's an argument against holding them accountable for the wrong things and in a way that will result in very negative unintended Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

'We're Eventually Irrepressible'

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

Staying close and observing closely has advantages. But staying close also has disadvantages: one isn't as prepared as one should be for the larger political Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

On Treating Students & Educators 'Like Rats in a Maze'

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

Referring to No Child Left Behind, now in effect for nine years, the committee held that there were some school-level effects, "but the measured effects to date tend to be concentrated in elementary grade mathematics, and the effects are small compared to the improvements the nation hopes to achieve." Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.

Schools with Power to Adapt to Individual Children

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:05 GMT

We can't overcome the past until we make radical changes in the way too many Americans are forced to live, as well as in our ways of using Bridging Differences, July 28, 2011.