Archive for April, 2008

Getting Ahead With an Accredited Online College Degree

Published by Erica Nielsen on April 23, 2008 in Online Learning. 0 Comments

Author: Kaye Fretz

An accredited online college degree can make all your career goals come true. This is one of your best options if you haven’t finished your degree or if you want to start one while working. Here are some facts about online degrees.

Pros of Online Degrees

Many people say that online degrees are full of advantages. If you are going to be an online student yourself, you should know the concrete benefits that you can get from online learning. Here are a few advantages.

-An online course has the same level of difficulty as a traditional course. If you get it from a good school with the right accreditation, it has the same value as a course finished in a campus. An online degree is therefore a valid degree that you can use to get employment.

-Online classes let you be your own boss with your time. You therefore don’t have to make extensive changes in your routine or in your important schedules. You can thus pursue your studies even if you are a stay at home parent taking care of the kids or if you are working. Most online classes simply require you to download lessons and tasks.

-Online classrooms are the most accessible. You can study no matter where you are as long as there is an internet connection. This is a very helpful feature if you like to travel a lot or if you have duties that frequently take you away from home.

-Online studies give you the greatest ease and comfort. You can do everything in any place, position and appearance that is most comfortable to you. You can go to class even if you weren’t properly dressed.

Accreditation and Accrediting Bodies

Getting an accredited online college degree truly is a good idea. Do remember though that not every school or program is made equal. If you do not get a good degree from a reputable, quality school, you may not benefit from your degree at all.

The best way to ensure that you get the best education is to look for accreditation. This is an accrediting body’s way of telling the public that a certain school has good standards of education. Employers typically look at accreditation to make sure that they are accepting somebody who has had solid, quality education.

Don’t just believe in claims of accreditation though. There are many online schools that do not have real accreditation. They can ask a fake accrediting body to give them accreditation just to attract enrollees.

Virtual Learning

Schools online aren’t for every student. Just as there are different kinds of schools, there are also different kinds of students. Those who expect to succeed in online programs are those who are highly independent and self-motivated. You basically hold the key to the completion of your online course.

An online student also needs to have some basic knowledge about computers. An internet connected unit will be your main tool. You cannot achieve anything if you aren’t even comfortable with technology.

If you have the dreams, the drive, and the goal, then go for an accredited online college degree. It’s never too soon to start your future.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-education-articles/getting-ahead-with-an-accredited-online-college-degree-394174.html

About the Author:

Know more about the benefits of earning an accredited online college degree. Enroll in online bachelors degree programs.

Programs in the News (April 14-20, 2008)

Published by Zornitsa Vodenska on April 21, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Scotland to teach game development in schools
In addition to haggis and William Wallace, Scotland will now also be known for teaching video game design in its schools. Scotland is home to studios like Realtime Worlds and Rockstar North, among others. — Ars Technica

New markets create university challenge
Lebanon’s cast-iron reputation as a learning center dates back almost 140 years. The country’s long and illustrious history has provided a solid foundation for the country’s education industry to build on. Currently, the Lebanese higher-education sector is growing by $700 million a year. But how well-suited is academia to the business world? It’s not always a good match; for many institutions, profitability comes before delivering high-quality programs. — Kipp Report

Gangs, Social Networks and Media Literacy
Around the country, community groups offer free Internet access to young people as a way to keep them off the streets and away from gangs, just as gangs have started using social networks to recruit teens. Are they offering the proper media literacy training to combat the problem? — PBS Teachers

Publishers in the News (April 14-20, 2008)

Published by Zornitsa Vodenska on April 21, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Fair use on campus: publishers sue school over class reading
A group of publishers are suing Georgia State University over the digital distribution of class reading materials in a case that may help define the fair use of digital materials. The three publishers involved, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press and Sage Publications, target the academic audience. Cases that defined fair use of classroom material date back to the early ’90s, where the means of infringement was the photocopier. Back then, private entities that prepared material for university courses were found to have infringed the copyright of publishers in duplicating their material. A key feature of these cases, however, is that the infringers were private businesses that charged for their copying services; many universities are not-for-profit entities. — Ars Technica

Darwin’s private papers get Internet launch
Comprising some 20,000 items and 90,000 images, the release on darwin-online.org.uk is the largest Internet collection of Darwin’s papers, according to the organizers from Cambridge University Library which holds all the Darwin papers. The website displays thousands of notes and drafts of his scientific writings, notes from the voyage of the Beagle when he began to formulate his controversial theory of evolution, and his first recorded doubts about the permanence of species. It also contains photographs of Darwin and his family, newspaper clippings, reviews of his books and much more. — Reuters

IT in the News (April 14-20, 2008)

Published by Zornitsa Vodenska on April 21, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Consumer groups urge “do not track” registry
Two consumer groups asked the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday to create a “do not track list” that would allow computer users to bar advertisers from collecting information about them. The call echoed those of other privacy advocates who filed statements with the FTC on Internet companies’ use of “behavioral advertising.” — Reuters

Japan’s high-tech displays give paper a cutting edge
TOKYO (Reuters) - Bend it, write on it, read it — just don’t try to fold it into a paper plane. Electronic paper is Japan’s answer to rising raw material costs, depleted resources and booming demand for printed matter from emerging markets such as China and India. At a high-tech fair in Tokyo, Japanese firms showed the latest versions of what is still considered a niche product, ranging from thick, sturdy readers to thin displays that look like plastic sheets and can be bent. E-Ink, which manufactures Sony’s Reader tablet, says consumers will eventually embrace the energy-saving technology as the cost of paper and fuel goes up. — Reuters

Research in the News (April 14-20, 2008)

Published by Zornitsa Vodenska on April 21, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Crossroads in Education: Issues for Web 2.0, Social Software, and Digital Tools
Advancements in technology, principally Web 2.0, social software, and digital tools, have challenged what it means to be educated and how we proceed to educate our youth in a culture where innovation and creativity, lifelong learning, personalization (my own learning space), and knowledge from and with the collective vie for a rightful place. The issues we face surround the dilemma of achieving personalization while maintaining standards (KnowledgeWorks Foundation, 2006). Students do need structure from experienced teachers and core subject matter knowledge; however, as Owen and his colleagues (2006) pointed out, their use of social software has opened up new sources of that knowledge leading to times when it would be appropriate to use “more weakly classified and framed approaches to learning” (p. 31). Let’s look at some of the issues and implications for curriculum, instruction, and integration support, which will need open discussions with educators, parents, students, the community, policy makers, and technology developers, if we are to resolve the dilemma. — The Journal

Improve Reading Skills With Computer and Video Games

Published by Erica Nielsen on April 20, 2008 in Programs and Research. 0 Comments

Author: Allison Merlino

Advances in technology have greatly increased the tools we can choose from to assist with the improvement of reading skills.   I am going to focus on computer learning software for kids.  This is of particular interest to me because while the child is increasing his or her attentional capacity by playing a video game he is also fine tuning reading specific skills such as comprehension and vocabulary.  

In ‘Action Video Game Modifies Visual Selection Attention’ published in April 2003 by Shawn Green & Daphne Bavelier a study was conducted to analyze the effects of video game playing on visual attention resources.  Green and Bavelier did find that video-game players do indeed have a greater attentional capacity than non video-game players.  Thus, we can assume that video games do in fact improve reading skills by increasing the attentional capacity. 

Children who have difficulty reading are more likely to drop out of high school and less likely to attend college.  Therefore, focusing on and solidifying reading skills at a young age is incredibly important to an individuals overall success.  Reading can be very difficult skill to motivate a young person to practice.  However, once an agreed upon method or methods are found it is an easy skill to improve and you will see progress quickly.  

I conducted a search for games that would enhance specific reading skills while incorporating the above mentioned increase in attentional capacity and offer the following reviews.  

Reader Rabbit 1 Software by The Learning Company builds early reading skills and is geared for ages 4-7.  Features include match up, sorter, labeler and word train.  Educational benefits include increasing vocabulary by associating pictures with their names, increasing the understanding of letter-sound correspondences with the use of lifelike speech throughout the program and allowing parents to customize their child’s learning experience using graduated levels of difficulty.   

Reading Comprehension Booster by Merit Software allows students to receive practice in using basic reading improvement strategies and is geared for grades 3 through 5.  Students work with interactive exercises to determine main idea, make inferences, and draw conclusions.  Assessments place students in appropriate units of instruction. Students advance as they demonstrate readiness. They receive immediate instructional feedback throughout.

The Jump Start Series by Knowledge Adventure pack extreme fun and exciting adventure into learning.  The game takes you through an adventure for example, solving a mystery while using various skills to navigate through a number of different settings. Skills include Parts of Speech, Spelling and Vocabulary, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, Prime Numbers, Fractions, Decimals, Estimation, Science, Geography, Music, The Arts and History.  Jump Start series is available from Kindergarten through 6th grade!

Technological advances have increased the tools that we can choose for reading enhancement.   I have suggested  computer learning software for kids  that I find to be of high quality as well as engaging.  This is of particular interest to me because while the child is increasing his or her attentional capacity by playing a video game he is also fine tuning reading specific skills such as comprehension and vocabulary.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/improve-reading-skills-with-computer-and-video-games-391466.html

About the Author:
I have an extensive background in Finance and Fiscal Procedure.  I also have a web business where I offer  Computer Software Games .  I am very interested in the product itself as well as the subject matter that it involves.    

Please use the link above to visit us at The Software Spot!    
Thank you,  Allison Merlino

Students and Teachers Mash It Up in eInstructionTM’s “Content Meets

Published by Erica Nielsen on April 20, 2008 in Tech Trends. 0 Comments

Classroom technology leader to give away over $25,000 in interactive technology; asks students and teachers to collaborate on nationwide GoogleMaps mashup

Denton, TX - Merging content with technology when they joined forces in December, eInstructionT and the former Interwrite LearningTtoday announced “Content Meets Technology”, a first-of-its-kind sweepstakes that asks teachers and students to submit, using 250 characters or less, their vision of the role of technology in education.  Those thoughts will then post to an interactive Google Map mashup on the eInstruction site.  The “mashup” of Google Maps (technology) and the student/teacher collaborations (content) is designed to mirror the merger of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning.

The student/teacher submissions, which will only be required for posting to the map, should highlight classroom achievements made possible by the use of technology or focus on the benefits of a technology-empowered classroom. The work, along with the name of the school, the grade, and the teacher’s name, will appear on a Google Map of the world on the sweepstakes’ Web site at www.contentmeetstechnology.com <http://www.contentmeetstechnology.com/> .

“The combination of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning helps make teaching and learning fun and interactive in a whole new way,” said Lisa O’Masta, Vice President of Marketing for eInstruction. “We’re celebrating this merger by asking teachers and students to participate in a groundbreaking, educational exercise that is itself a metaphor for the tremendous possibilities available when great content and great technology come together.”

Winners will be awarded an interactive makeover prize package that consists of:

*Interwrite Workspace with ExamViewT reader. The award-winning, easy-to-use software enables educators to create, save and share engaging, interactive lessons with a gallery of digital images and annotation tools that can be used with any application.  Workspace provides one-click integration with CPS, eInstruction’s popular student response systems.

* Interwrite BoardT. Teaching from the front of the classroom has never been this fun before.  The Interwrite Board combined with Interwrite Workspace gives you the power to control your computer from the front of the class.  Your students will be on their best behavior with the chance to come to the board.

* Interwrite PadT. Combined with Workspace, the wireless Interwrite Pad is a powerful teaching tool that enables educators to easily control their computer and instructional resources from anywhere in the classroom. Used by over 50,000 teachers worldwide, this dependable, durable pad is a must in every classroom.

*32-Pad CPS RF Clicker System.  Engage every child in class material by creating an interactive learning environment in your classroom. Students who normally remain silent in class can now answer every question without fear of embarrassment.  Join the 150,000 teachers who now spend less time grading and more time teaching. CPS simplifies taking attendance, grading tests and quizzes, creating lessons, and generating personalized reports automatically!

* One year subscription to ExamView Learning SeriesT.  A collection of over 9,500 unique high-quality standards-aligned questions that work in conjunction with the ExamView Suite. Over 50 leading publishers also create and distribute ExamView-formatted questions with over 5,000 elementary, middle school, high school, and post-secondary textbooks.

* Epson PowerLite 400W Projector.  Ideal for widescreen computers and interactive whiteboards, this 3LCD short-throw projector with WXGA resolution reduces shadows, simplifies installation, and provides 30 percent larger images than standard 4:3 projectors. It can project an 87 inch widescreen (16:10) image from just 3.4 feet away.  The 3LCD optical engine, the world’s number one projection display technology, provides vibrant color and incredible image quality and unsurpassed reliability.

* Epson Short-throw Projector Wall Mount.  This projector wall mount enables quick, efficient and low cost installation of short-throw projectors. It allows presenters to fully utilize an interactive whiteboard (IWB) or screen without creating shadows or having light from the projector shine in their eyes.

* Free installation and online training.

The contest will name one winner from the following three grade level segments: kindergarten through fifth; sixth through eighth; and ninth through twelfth.  The sweepstakes is not limited to users of eInstruction or Interwrite Learning products. It is open to all teachers and students in the United States.

To encourage participation in the Google Map mashup, eInstruction will provide those teachers a referral bonus: for each teacher they successfully refer, they will receive an additional chance to win (total chances per teacher are capped at eleven per single entry).

All participants will submit their work by going to www.einstruction.com <http://www.einstruction.com/>  and clicking the “Content Meets Technology” link.  The sweepstakes begins on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 and ends on Thursday, May 13, 2008. Winners will be chosen randomly from each grade category and announced on Monday, May 19, 2008.

The Content Meets Technology Sweepstakes arrives on the heels of Interwrite Learning’s 2007 Video Makeover Contest, in which more than 220 classes submitted music parody videos.  The success of that contest has prompted eInstruction to schedule the second annual music parody contest; teachers and students can begin submitting their musical collaborations September 9, 2008.

For further information on the sweepstakes and eInstruction, please visit http://www.einstruction.com <http://www.einstruction.com/> . For more information on Interwrite Learning, visit http://www.interwritelearning.com.

About eInstructionT

eInstruction pioneered the first student response system for the education market during the 1980s. Its Classroom Performance System (CPS) provides instructors and students with real-time feedback on comprehension during instruction. Today CPS remains the leading student response system in education, being used with over 1.5 million students in more than 60,000 K-12 classrooms and over 400,000 students in more than 400 colleges and universities.

In 2006, eInstruction acquired FSCreations and integrated its ExamViewR and Learning Series software and content platforms so instructors can seamlessly use publisher and proprietary question banks in lesson plans, quizzes and tests with eInstruction technology. The result is an integrated system for instruction and assessment with real-time feedback.

About Interwrite LearningT

Interwrite LearningT is a premier global provider of interactive learning solutions for primary, secondary and higher education markets. Interactive  solutions, including the InterwriteT Board, Pad and Panel all come with Interwrite Software, a robust software package that includes thousands of images and resources to create dynamic and exciting lessons in an interactive learning environment. InterwriteT PRS, available in infrared, radio-frequency and “virtual” software configurations, is a powerful student response system that combines interaction and assessment to enhance classroom productivity and improve student results. Interwrite LearningT has a rich 32-year history of delivering interactive solutions that are changing how the world learns. To learn more about Interwrite Learning’s Interactive Classroom solutions, please visit  <http://www.interwritelearning.com/>
http://www.interwritelearning.com.

Interview with Valerie Fox: Interviews with eLearning Professionals Series

Published by Susan Smith Nash on April 14, 2008 in Online Learning. 0 Comments

Welcome to an interview with Valerie Fox, Ph.D., who is involved in online teaching at Drexel University.  In addition to teaching and designing online and hybrid courses, Valerie has edited a number of journals and magazines.  Her innovative poetry has received very positive attention.
What is your name, and what is your involvement with e-learning?
Valerie Fox. I’ve been teaching online courses for about five years. I teach writing and poetry at Drexel University, and writing and research for Excelsior College.

How did you get interested in distance education?
I was asked a few years ago to teach and help to develop blended freshman writing courses at Drexel. Our students take a lot of credits, and they appreciate being able to take part in e-learning. The transition to teaching fully online (including distance) courses was a natural one.

What is your favorite new trend in distance education?
This may sound vague…but I just notice a willingness to “go with” the technology and the possibilities–at departmental level, but also higher levels. I can’t speak to the institutional (or overall educational) reasons behind this; I suspect they vary considerably, depending on discipline, institution, etc.

What is your favorite technology?
I don’t really have a favorite. I like including lots of various audio and video sources as suggested if not required offerings. Specifically, I’ve had some good success asking small groups to create websites. This isn’t anything new–it’s really just adding a creative or creative writing element to an assigment. The visual learners, as one would expect, do a terrific job with this. It builds their confidence.

What kinds of instructional materials do you use in elearning?
Creating materials is something I enjoy, so the flexibility of being able to combine various sources and media definitely is a plus. I guess (like everybody) for a while I was using youtube a lot, and I make a point to combine the easily accessible sources/links with those requiring the use of library databases. A librarian recently told me about archive.org and I’ve been using/recommending it a lot.

How do you use textbooks in e-learning?
Having a textbook can help ground the learners that might be new to this, so I think at least one book should usually be required. Teaching English and writing, it isn’t hard to work required readings into writings/discussions that can be efficiently read and graded. Blackboard Vista Media Library is an excellent tool also, making it possible to easily add suggested readings, videos etc. to a course. Students can be allowed to add to the Media Libraries and sometimes I give extra credit if students add items of interest.

What are your favorite social networks? How do you view them in e-learning?
I participate in various forums and writing groups. Because I enjoy this, I simply try to recreate what I think are their best features in my course websites. It isn’t always possible, but often it is. I hear more and more about students using non-official means to communicate about class work and activity. This helps to replicate the before-and-after-class information sharing that students sometimes miss from a face-to-face class. I acknowledge this but don’t interfere with their bonding, with their assisting of each other.

What is your favorite quote? or, what’s a book that caught your eye recently?
Recently I read Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink and thought it was terrific.

Online Education in the News (April 7-13, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on April 13, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

Transitioning to unified communications with e-learning
E-learning systems can help accelerate the acceptance and use of new unified communications (UC) technologies. Not only do they help workers get up to speed on the technical aspects of the new system, they can also help foster social acceptance. — Unified Communications News

Schools mull needs of adult distance learners
Many ed-tech advocates have voiced support for distance learning as a way for K-12 students to take courses not offered at their regular schools or enroll in courses for college credit. But another group of learners–adults who turn to distance learning to return or expand their schooling–is attracting more and more national attention. — eSchool News

IT News (April 7-13, 2008)

Published by Erica Nielsen on April 13, 2008 in In the News. 0 Comments

AT&T Foundation Proposes WOW Project Blending Tech, Education Outdoors
The philanthropy organization of AT&T Inc., AT&T Foundation, announced the release of $25,000 as award money in order to develop the garden’s Wonders of Wireless (WOW) proposal. The proposal delineates a cutting-edge technology project, which aims to maximize the outdoor learning experience of visitors taking so-called cellular tours, in the Key West Tropical Forest and Garden. — TMCnet

HP Introduces Full-function Mini-notebook PC for Education Market
Hewlett-Packard is introducing a full-function, mini-notebook PC, priced starting at $500, to help schools offer affordable computing and benefit mobile professionals. The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC, which will be available later this month, was designed for the education market and is flexible for students to use from the classroom to family room. — TMCnet

NEC Display Solutions Strengthens Star Student Education Rewards Program
NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading stand-alone provider of commercial and residential LCD and plasma displays and projectors, announced that schools participating in its Star Student program will receive cash-back rewards on NEC display products. Debit cards containing the cash will be mailed directly to schools and may be spent however the schools choose. — Business Wire

Intel offers Saudi Arabia a boost in WiMax and E-learning
Saudi Arabia was the first stop on Intel Chairman, Craig Barret’s whistle-stop tour of the Middle East’s Gulf States. On his travels, Barret is purportedly offering Intel’s technical support to build up the region’s high speed, wireless WiMax technology, and pilot projects aimed at e-learning in Saudi Arabian schools. — Inquirer, UK

Microsoft partnerships to transform education, technology in Latin America
At the Government Leaders Forum—Americas in Miami today, Microsoft Corp. announced new and expanded partnerships that will play a strong role in transforming education and creating economic opportunity in Latin America. — Dominican Today