The New Classroom

"So the right question to ask is: Who will be the Southwest Airlines of online education – delivering..."

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:27:36 -0400

“So the right question to ask is: Who will be the Southwest Airlines of online education – delivering what customers need, but doing so much more cost-effectively? It could be a private-sector university. Or perhaps a very innovative traditional university with a clear vision of educating and granting credentials to millions of qualified students from around the world, along with a willingness to throw aside its existing model. Either way we arrive at a conclusion that refutes the Times: it will not be MIT, Stanford or an Ivy League institution. Their impact is likely to be limited to the extent other universities opt to incorporate their content into new programs – equivalent to today’s textbook publishers. And just as many people who can afford to pay much more actively seek out Southwest over traditional carriers, rather than cementing their leadership, the coming revolution could very well change up the pecking order in higher education for the first time in the history of the Republic.”

- Elite universities won’t upend the online learning market (essay) | Inside Higher Ed (via infoneer-pulse)

Report: Robots stack up to human professors in teaching Intro Stats

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:02:30 -0400

Report: Robots stack up to human professors in teaching Intro Stats:

infoneer-pulse:

Without diminishing learning outcomes, automated teaching software can reduce the amount of time professors spend with students and could substantially reduce the cost of instruction, according to new research.

In experiments at six public universities, students assigned randomly to statistics courses that relied heavily on “machine-guided learning” software — with reduced face time with instructors — did just as well, in less time, as their counterparts in traditional, instructor-centric versions of the courses. This largely held true regardless of the race, gender, age, enrollment status and family background of the students.

The study comes at a time when “smart” teaching software is being increasingly included in conversations about redrawing the economics of higher education. Recent investments by high-profile universities in “massively open online courses,” or MOOCs, has elevated the notion that technology has reached a tipping point: with the right design, an online education platform, under the direction of a single professor, might be capable of delivering meaningful education to hundreds of thousands of students at once.

» via Inside Higher Ed

"I see libraries of the future, those that survive, as acting like high-tech services companies, mini..."

Sun, 20 May 2012 20:46:41 -0400

““I see libraries of the future, those that survive, as acting like high-tech services companies, mini Googles focused on a particular demographic and physical footprint. Like Google providing, as best it can, a massive variety of services, I see the university library doing the same. This Google Model would require more than the cool Google offices and transparent walls (we have some of those in some of our buildings). Instead, it needs small, agile teams focused on doing really good work and recognizing the value created by supporting a broad constituency.””

- Future U: Library 3.0 has more resources, greater challenges | Ars Technica (via infoneer-pulse)

A new way to make six figures on the Web: teaching

Thu, 17 May 2012 22:02:01 -0400

A new way to make six figures on the Web: teaching:

infoneer-pulse:

Miguel Hernandez, the founder of a company specializing in explanatory videos for startups, said he spent about three hours a day for three weeks making an online video course explaining his craft. But, last year, that one video series earned him nearly six figures on the online course platform Udemy. This year, now that he’s created a second course for students (on “How to Create an Awesome Online Course,” of course), he said that if momentum keeps up, “I’ll be making more money selling online courses than through the studio.”

And he’s not the only one finding a new stream of income from Udemy. This morning, the San Fransciso-based startup released the salaries of the top 10 instructors on the 2-year-old platform. In total, the group earned $1.65 million in the last year, with all of them bringing in more than $50,000 on their own and the top individual making more than $200,000. All of the instructors’ top courses focus on Web development, programming and tech entrepreneurship – not a surprise given Udemy’s roots in those field and increasing interest in coding.

» via GigaOM

"It’s just a matter o time until we see the same meltdown in traditional college education. Like the..."

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:00:37 -0400

“It’s just a matter o time until we see the same meltdown in traditional college education. Like the real estate industry, prices will rise until the market revolts. Then it will be too late. STudents will stop taking out the loans traditional Universities expect them to. And when they do tuition will come down. And when prices come down Universities will have to cut costs beyond what they are able to. They will have so many legacy costs, from tenured professors to construction projects to research they will be saddled with legacy costs and debt in much the same way the newspaper industry was. Which will all lead to a de-levering and a de-stabilization of the University system as we know it.”

- The Coming Meltdown in College Education & Why The Economy Won’t Get Better Any Time Soon « blog maverick (via infoneer-pulse)

jottingmatt: Scratch 2.0 Preview (by scratchday) I cannot wait...

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:20:39 -0400

jottingmatt:

Scratch 2.0 Preview (by scratchday)

I cannot wait for Scratch 2.0 to go live!

politicalprof: There is wisdom...

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:55:58 -0400

politicalprof:

There is wisdom here—Politicalprof

pol102:

theyuniversity:

I think any employer would be lucky to have you if they need stuff looked up on Wikipedia.

Via someecards

Strive to be more valuable than Wikipedia.

"College is not trade school. Who’s really complaining? The people really who are pissed off are the..."

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:56:09 -0400

“College is not trade school. Who’s really complaining? The people really who are pissed off are the 22- and 23-year-olds who thought were going to get out of school and get some swell job and now have to figure out where to get it. It’s spoiled brats who thought they bought their ticket. It’s an absurd one-to-one expectation to think that a college degree guarantees a job. That’s not the reality anymore, and it hasn’t been for a long while.”

- Using Standardized Tests To Develop Flexible Minds | Fast Company (via infoneer-pulse)

"Today knowledge is ubiquitous, constantly changing, growing exponentially… Today knowledge is free...."

Sat, 05 May 2012 11:37:30 -0400

““Today knowledge is ubiquitous, constantly changing, growing exponentially… Today knowledge is free. It’s like air, it’s like water. It’s become a commodity… There’s no competitive advantage today in knowing more than the person next to you. The world doesn’t care what you know. What the world cares about is what you can do with what you know.””

- Creating Innovators: Why America’s Education System Is Obsolete - Forbes (via willrichardson)

Cometdocs: 6 Great Tools for Taking Notes

Thu, 03 May 2012 10:37:50 -0400

Cometdocs: 6 Great Tools for Taking Notes:

cometdocs:

As technology continues to advance, the pen and paper have all but disappeared from classrooms. More and more students are taking their laptops or their smartphones to school with them and taking notes on these gadgets instead of in their notebooks. This not only goes for students, but for…

"Ms. Morgan borrows the phrase “free-range learning” to describe students’ behavior, and she finds..."

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:42:30 -0400

“Ms. Morgan borrows the phrase “free-range learning” to describe students’ behavior, and she finds that they generally shop around for content in places educators would endorse. Students seem most favorably inclined to materials from other universities. They mention lecture videos from Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology far more than the widely publicized Khan Academy, she says. If they’re on a pre-med or health-science track, they prefer recognized “brands” like the Mayo Clinic. Students often seek this outside content due to dissatisfaction with their own professors, Ms. Morgan says.”

- ‘Free-Range Learners’: Study Opens Window Into How Students Hunt for Educational Content Online (via world-shaker)

smarterplanet: TED-Ed’s New Video Tool Allows Anyone To Create...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:05:50 -0400

smarterplanet:

TED-Ed’s New Video Tool Allows Anyone To Create Video Lessons Online

TED-Ed’s new free platform allows anyone to “flip” any video on YouTube by adding custom content to play alongside it, making it possible to turn any piece of video content into a teachable moment.

Read more->

Technology in Education: DigiPlaySpace creates a virtual playground for kids to have fun, learn and create

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:17:22 -0400

Technology in Education: DigiPlaySpace creates a virtual playground for kids to have fun, learn and create:

techedblog:

NOTE: This is AMAZING for teachers in Toronto or within the Greater Toronto Area!

April 10, 2012

Three-year-old Cole Epstein is discovering that a healthy forest needs water to feed the trees, help the flowers bloom and keep the insects, birds and wildlife healthy.

But he’s not absorbing this…

What does my Flipped Classroom look like? (letter to parents)

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:09:56 -0400

What does my Flipped Classroom look like? (letter to parents) :

revolutionizeed:

Here is a letter I wrote for parents and other concerned parties about what my flipped classroom looks like.

Nice overview and explanation about the Flipped Classroom for this teacher!

New Tool Helps Students Predict Their Student Loan Debt

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:33:21 -0400

New Tool Helps Students Predict Their Student Loan Debt :

As part of the recently launched Know Before You Owe project, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education have developed a new interactive cost comparison tool to help students evaluate the costs and risks involved in paying for school. The tool, which is still in beta, lets students enter up to three schools they’re interested in and whether they’re going for an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree.

3 Reasons The Future of Learning Will Be Online

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:47:01 -0400

3 Reasons The Future of Learning Will Be Online:

world-shaker:

Here’s the first argument:

Technology in Online Learning

Online learning programs are also beneficial because they allow students to interact with technology more frequently. Because of the prevalence of technology in today’s world, an online component can be advantageous for college graduates.

Though traditional classroom-based courses can incorporate technology, online programs require students to use computers and the Internet as a means to an end. Students who complete such programs might understand technology on a deeper level and can apply advanced skills throughout their academic careers and professional life.

poptech: School’s boring: Learn differently with Simon Hauger

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:57:05 -0400

poptech:

School’s boring: Learn differently with Simon Hauger

unlearningschool: A major flaw in how we educate our students....

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:40:21 -0400

unlearningschool:

A major flaw in how we educate our students. As a teacher, I’m as guilty as anyone else of this.

Why The Next Big Ideas In Education Will Come Out Of New Orleans

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:15:31 -0400

Why The Next Big Ideas In Education Will Come Out Of New Orleans:

infoneer-pulse:

Seventy-one percent of New Orleans’s schoolchildren attend charter schools, a legacy of Katrina. While charters’ performance as measured by student test scores both nationwide and in the city has been mixed, they undeniably increase the local appetite for trying new educational ideas. “If you’re an edtech entrepreneur who wants to pilot an idea, you have the most efficient and smartest market in the country here,” says Matt Candler, CEO of 4.0 Schools. That’s because instead of a centralized bureaucracy, there are more than 40 schools making independent decisions on both hiring and procurement. Organizations like KIPP, Teach for America, and the Gates Foundation have established beachheads, drawing top teachers and fresh blood from all over the country. These are intersecting with a nascent startup scene dubbed “Silicon Bayou” to produce a hothouse of ideas to change education: for-profit and nonprofit, from school redesigns to apps, often from younger, female entrepreneurs.

» via Fast Company

johntspencer: Create a class that your school does not...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:47:22 -0400

johntspencer:

Create a class that your school does not currently offer. Format: syllabus that includes the educational value.

Photo Credit: Rhino Neal