Saturday, May 12, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Highlander Hosts Technology + Learning Conference in Providence
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Providence will host educators seeking to better incorporate digital technologies into their schools this month, when Highlander Institute, a regional provider of high quality professional development in education, presents the Blended Learning & Technology Conference on Saturday, May 19, 2012 from 8:30am-4pm. This day-long, hands-on conference will give educators practical insight on adopting blended learning models. Blended eLearning integrates the best of online learning with face-to-face instruction, expanding opportunities for the teacher and student.
Integrating tech in the classroom: not always easy
“Integrating technology with tried and true classroom instruction is not always intuitive or easy, but when it is done well it helps the teacher understand a student’s abilities at a whole new level," said Shawn Rubin, director of technology integration at the Highlander Institute and co-founder, Metryx. "Teachers can then use this input to create a much more individualized learning environment for the student, which leads to greater learning outcomes." Further, Rubin said, " “blended learning recognizes that technology is something today’s students already enjoy. It uses tools that are intuitive to them and increases their engagement in their own learning."
A national push toward digital learning
Pointing to the trend towards digital learning environments, President Obama, the U.S. Dept of Education and the Federal Communications Commission announced recently a 70-page guide for schools to begin transitioning to digital learning. Locally, the RI Dept of Education will soon announce the winner of the Model School Grant award funded by U.S. Dept of Ed “Enhancing Education Through Technology (E2T2)” funds, for the redesign of a school that uses technology as the catalyst for transformation.
Conference details
The Blended Learning & Technology Conference, subtitled “From Theory to Practice”, will bring together the practitioners, education technology gurus, and the people behind the tools for integration. Attendants will listen to educators already integrating technology in their teaching environments, and have the opportunity to “tinker, test and explore” applications and software on iPads, SMARTboards, and Android tablets.
“At Highlander, we understand the integration of technology for some educators and schools will be a gradual process. But the trend is moving quickly. This conference offers a comfortable environment to learn about these tools, and jumpstart the process,” Rubin said.
Featured speakers
Conference speakers include Jennie Dougherty from edUPGRADE, a nonprofit that brings beta technology to teachers in exchange for feedback; Melissa Pickering, recent manager of Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach, and founder of iCreate to Educate; and Mohit Midha, COO of Mangahigh.com, a games based teaching resource for K-12 math.
Vendors and sponsors include: Broadband RI, Educreations, Engrade, K12, Learn Zillion, Lesson Writer, and Metryx.
For more information on the Blended Learning & Technology Conference, visit www.blendedlearningconference.com, call 401-831-7323, or email admin@highlanderinstitute.org.
Online-education lawsuit misfires on state funding
MANY students in Washington's K-12 public education system take classes online, some never entering a traditional brick-and-mortar school.
Our state's challenge to serve these students while creating accountability in one of the fastest-growing sectors of education is complicated by a lawsuit filed by online-learning advocates protesting budget cuts.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction was ordered by Gov. Chris Gregoire to reduce education spending. The result: Previously, traditional and online schools received the same funding; now, online schools receive an annual average of $4,250 per student — 15 percent less.
We don't like cuts to any part of education. But OSPI had the right, and responsibility, to decide where to allocate education dollars.
Moreover, the complex funding formulas for online education and traditional schools should be different. For example, the state should not allocate transportation dollars for virtual learning. Numerous other examples abound, enough to make a convincing case that online education can be funded fairly and differently from traditional schools.
Meanwhile, cuts in online learning have spurred school districts to rethink how they serve online students. More districts are focusing on serving students in their district, a step away from the current, large, statewide online schools. Steilacoom is an example of a small district with 2,000-plus students in its online-education program. That's more students than Steilacoom's physical student population.
About 18,000 students took at least one online course last year, according to Karl Nelson, director of digital learning for Washington state. About 9,000 students are enrolled full time in online schools. More than 50 school districts around the state offer online programs — mostly through for-profit companies.
Online education is popular for disabled students, accelerated learners and at-risk students who don't mesh well in typical school environments. Working students who must do their schooling on a different schedule are also among those enrolled in online education.
The National Association of State Boards of Education called online learning the "future of education" in a much-touted 2001 report, "Any Time, Any Place, Any Path, Any Pace."
Washington should continue to support online learning, but a lawsuit wrongly challenges the state's right to develop a fair funding model and accountability system.
USS Ambition gives students a hi-tech digital learning experience
This Friday, some 4800 students will board the U.S.S. Ambition Super Carrier aboard NAS Pensacola and get a taste of adventure.
This is a immersive educational experience but it's not at all like a classroom, is it? Not at all.
When students arrive they will receive guides explaining the game. The program was designed by the same "Imagineers" who created some of the Disney parks' most famous rides.
As students enter the U.S.S. Ambition, they're assigned a team and begin playing a massive, interactive, multi-part game.
Mark Rhodes worked for Disney for around 25 years and also developed attractions for Universal Studios. He wrote scripts for famous rides like Splash Mountain, Spiderman, and Harry Potter.
But the National Flight Academy presented a unique challenge.
"I was just looking to create a fun story and that was about it, and the more I started working with the teachers and seeing the educational side to this and how they were laying this I knew these guys were so brilliant and I needed to step my game up," he said.
The whole experience is designed to teach math, science, and geography to middle and high school students.
Rhodes created a super carrier setting where students test a new kind of aircraft. "It will fly like a jet, it will hover like a helicopter, and it will land and drive like an all terrain vehicle and what they've got to do is sort of shake it down."
Unlike the theme park adventures he's designed before this game constantly changes throwing obstacles at the players to keep them thinking.
"Suddenly small rain storms turn into tropical storms or suddenly become hurricanes. What might be a smooth easy flight might be interrupted by a group of seagulls smashing into your plane," he said.
Rhodes didn't just write the script. He helped transform the building into a ship by focusing on small details that make the whole experience seem real. "Those of us from the theme park world said wait a second. We're going to have the kids walking by that. Once we go into play this ship has left port, how come I can look through that door and see what's out there?"
The U.S.S Ambition will officially open on June 3, but the commissioning ceremony is this Friday at 8:30 a.m. Astronauts Mark Kelly and Neil Armstrong will speak at the event.
This is a immersive educational experience but it's not at all like a classroom, is it? Not at all.
When students arrive they will receive guides explaining the game. The program was designed by the same "Imagineers" who created some of the Disney parks' most famous rides.
As students enter the U.S.S. Ambition, they're assigned a team and begin playing a massive, interactive, multi-part game.
Mark Rhodes worked for Disney for around 25 years and also developed attractions for Universal Studios. He wrote scripts for famous rides like Splash Mountain, Spiderman, and Harry Potter.
But the National Flight Academy presented a unique challenge.
"I was just looking to create a fun story and that was about it, and the more I started working with the teachers and seeing the educational side to this and how they were laying this I knew these guys were so brilliant and I needed to step my game up," he said.
The whole experience is designed to teach math, science, and geography to middle and high school students.
Rhodes created a super carrier setting where students test a new kind of aircraft. "It will fly like a jet, it will hover like a helicopter, and it will land and drive like an all terrain vehicle and what they've got to do is sort of shake it down."
Unlike the theme park adventures he's designed before this game constantly changes throwing obstacles at the players to keep them thinking.
"Suddenly small rain storms turn into tropical storms or suddenly become hurricanes. What might be a smooth easy flight might be interrupted by a group of seagulls smashing into your plane," he said.
Rhodes didn't just write the script. He helped transform the building into a ship by focusing on small details that make the whole experience seem real. "Those of us from the theme park world said wait a second. We're going to have the kids walking by that. Once we go into play this ship has left port, how come I can look through that door and see what's out there?"
The U.S.S Ambition will officially open on June 3, but the commissioning ceremony is this Friday at 8:30 a.m. Astronauts Mark Kelly and Neil Armstrong will speak at the event.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
21st Century learning and Teaching Modus operandi and Advantages
With growing technologies, the methods of acquiring education
are also growing. It is always better to opt for something that is
advanced because if a teacher is departing knowledge then there is a
possibility of human error but that is not the case with technology.With changing time, the method of acquiring and providing knowledge is changing. During olden days, students use to go to the classroom and knowledge sharing use to take place in place in classrooms only but these days advanced learning has become popular. During olden days, the only way available for gaining knowledge was books but now, new methods like that of Elearning LMS and usage of other advanced technologies has started.
Methods using for learning and teaching in 21st century
There are many methods that have being introduced at regular intervals so that the students can learn many things and at a faster rate and at the same time, the teacher’s work is also reduced to a larger extent. Few of the popular methods that are being used are as follows: -
- Elearning LMS – Elearning LMS has become a popular thing because of the ease and comfort with which it can be used. With the help of Elearning LMS, the students get involved in what is being taught.
- Online learning – There are many online learning classrooms where the lectures are conducted virtually. The user can get access to wide range of knowledge by way of this mode of learning and the quality of education that student from all over the world receives remains same.
- Digital learning – Digital learning means carry the study notes in a digital equipment like that of laptop, mobile or e-book reader so that the person can study anywhere as per their convenience.
There are many advantages of using advanced technologies to depart knowledge rather the classroom teaching.
- If a person prepares an elearning LMS then that can be used by various people and it can be used for longer period of time. Same is the case with Online learning as well, once the course material is prepared, it can used at any point of time as per the users requirement.
- If a person is too busy and hence, he doesn’t have the time to attend classes but he is eager to learn then he can take up some online learning courses where he can listen to the course content at any point of time as per his convenience.
- Another advantage that is offered by digital learning is access to knowledge anywhere and everywhere because it is merely impossible to carry fat books with oneself at all point of time. Digital learning has reduced the physical efforts of carrying books.
emPower is a leading provider of comprehensive Healthcare Compliance Solutions through Learning Management System (LMS). Its mission is to provide innovative security solutions to enable compliance with applicable laws and regulations and maximize business performance. empower provides range of courses to manage compliance required by regulatory bodies such as OSHA, HIPAA, Joint commission and Red Flag Rule etc. Apart from this emPower also offers custom demos and tutorials for your website, business process management and software implementation.
Its Learning Management system (LMS) allows students to retrieve all the courses 24/7/365 by accessing the portal. emPower e-learning training program is an interactive mode of learning that guides students to progress at their own pace.
For additional information, please visit http://www.empowerbpo.com.
Media Contact (emPower)
Jason Gaya
marketing@empowerbpo.com
emPower
12806 Townepark Way
Louisville, KY 40243-2311
Ph: 502 -400-9374
http://www.empowerbpo.com
http://www.empowerlms.com
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