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“Every Prodigi ® lesson begins with Easy questions that review prerequisite concepts and get students warmed up. Based on student performance, questions increase in difficulty to Medium, and then to Hard (examination level), and finally Extreme (recreational). Not only that, but students have live access to hints and worked solutions to plug any gaps in their knowledge”
On 01/27/2011,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, mobile learning, mobile technologies, personalized/customized learning, ubiquitous learning,
by Daniel Christian
Smartphones as Cognitive Prosthetics — from insidedigitalmedia.com by Phil Leigh
From DSC:
Watch the Digimarc Discover video below — then think about how this might apply to anytime, anywhere learning!!! Wow!
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On 01/18/2011,
in 21st century, biology, computer science, economics, learning agents, personalized/customized learning,
by Daniel Christian
ALA 2011: Adaptive and Learning Agents Workshop held at AAMAS 2011 — from Intelligent Systems
Adaptive and Learning Agents, particularly those in a multi-agent setting are becoming more and more prominent as the sheer size and complexity of many real world systems grows. How to adaptively control, coordinate and optimize such systems is an emerging multi-disciplinary research area at the intersection of Computer Science, Control theory, Economics, and Biology.
On 01/18/2011,
in 21st century, analytics, computer science, learner profiles, learning agents, learning ecosystem, mathematics, music, personalized/customized learning, programming, science,
by Daniel Christian
The Ultimate Study Guide: Wolfram Alpha Launches “Course Assistant” Apps — from ReadWriteWeb by Audrey Watters
The computational knowledge engine Wolfram|Alpha is launching the first three of a series of new “course assistant” apps today. These apps, available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, are designed to take advantage of the Wolfram|Alpha technology in the service of supporting some of the most popular courses in high school and college.
The idea is to be able to quickly access the pertinent capabilities of Wolfram|Alpha relevant for specific subject areas. Currently, these subject areas are Algebra, Calculus, and Music Theory. But the company says it plans to add apps for other subjects – “for every major course, from elementary school to graduate school,” – including those fields outside math and science.
From DSC:
Notice the term engine (in bold maroon above). This is the type of sophisticated programming that will increasingly be baked into future learning products — as the software seeks to learn more about each learner while providing each learner with a more customized learning experience…pushing them, but aiming to encourage — not discourage — them. I can see an opt-in program where each of us can build a cloud/web-based learner profile — and allow such an engine to be “fed” that data.
On 01/10/2011,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, analytics, education, education reform, Google, innovation, online learning, personalized/customized learning,
by Daniel Christian
Is the Google-fication of education underway? — from cnnmoney.com by Scott Olster (emphasis below from DSC)
Among tablets and 3D TVs at CES, one-size-fits-all learning is facing a digital death knell.
Excerpt:
Similar to the way that Google collects data based on its users’ search patterns, Knewton collects data from every student that has taken one of its courses and uses it to improve its courses. Eduational content that achieves better student results will then be ranked higher in the system and be used more often. Ideally, the system becomes smarter and better over time.
“It’s like a giant recommendation engine on steroids,” says Ferreira.
The data that the company collects could potentially prove useful to educational researchers.
“We’re still trying to map out the way people learn. Collecting more data rather than looking at course grades is a welcome change,” says Miller.
On 01/07/2011,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, disruption, higher education, online learning, personalized/customized learning,
by Daniel Christian
Test-prep company Knewton takes online courses to next level: university — from VentureBeat.com by Matt Bowman
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Knewton, a company that provides personalized help to boost scores on tests such as the GMAT, is taking online education to the next level: It will now power actual university math programs for Arizona State University (ASU) students.
The announcement marks a shift for the New York based startup company, which to date had only provided test-prep programs. ASU’s decision to use online, instructorless remedial education raises the question of just how much new technologies could disrupt the traditional university model.
ASU students who score below a certain threshold on the math portions of a preliminary assessment will be required to use the Knewton-powered adaptive-learning program. The web-based program will generate homework assignments based on each student’s individual proficiency levels and learning styles, and adapts as students score better in a certain type of problem. Based on the data from the online program, ASU will also provide virtual and in-person tutoring. Once students demonstrate college readiness in mathematics, they will advance into ASU instructor-led math courses. The university hopes this will boost retention and graduation rates.
On 01/03/2011,
in 21st century, corporate universities / corporate training, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, personalized/customized learning, training / L&D,
by Daniel Christian
The world is my school: Welcome to the era of personalized learning — from the January/February issue of The Futurist by Maria H. Andersen — with special thanks to Paul Simbeck Hampson for this item
“Future learning will become both more social and more personal, says an educational technology expert.”
On 12/27/2010,
in 24x7x365 access, accreditation, adjunct faculty, blended learning, career development, content development, aggregation, repositories, copyright/ownership/NFTs, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, e-books, e-readers, educational games / serious games, elearning, faculty, formal learning, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, informal learning, leadership, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, open courseware and systems, personalized/customized learning, strategy, training / L&D, trends, ubiquitous learning,
by Daniel Christian
eLearning predictions for 2011 and beyond — from Web Courseworks.com by Jon Aleckson
Excerpts:
This summer I attended the 2010 Distance Teaching and Learning Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Some very interesting topics came up in the facilitated Think Tanks, and I wanted to share some of the predictions that were developed from these active group discussions regarding where eLearning will go in the next ten years.
…
Below you will find a table that summarizes the different opportunities and challenges that were predicted to arise in the next ten years by the participants in the conference Think Tanks and by [Jon Aleckson].
| Opportunities | Challenges | |
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| Corporate Training |
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| Content |
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On 12/22/2010,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, assessment, education technology, future, personalized/customized learning,
by Daniel Christian
Top 10 Ed Tech predictions for 2011 –– from ZDNet.com by Christopher Dawson; featuring insights from Adam Garry, Dell’s manager of global professional learning
- “1:1 should be a learning initiative instead of a tech initiative”
- Personalized learning instead of differentiated instruction
- Product-based assessments
- Increased focus on conceptual learning
- The evolution of 1:1 – Different access models
On 12/20/2010,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, education reform, leadership, learning, lifelong learning, personalized/customized learning, strategy, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Building a Knowledge-Based Society
The Needs of a Knowledge-Based Society
Case Study: Finland
Vision of Education for the 21st Century
Case Study: Singapore
How Would the System Function?
Case Study: China
Shifting Roles
Conclusion
Appendix A – Measuring 21st Century Skills
Numeracy and Mathematics
Reading Literacy
Creativity
ICT/Technological Literacy
Digital Literacy
Appendix B – Consultations & Acknowledgments
Appendix C – PTC Members & Staff
Bibliography
Some quotes:
From Learning Information to Learning to Learn:
The system must place greater emphasis on the learning of skills over the learning of content.
From Data to Discovery:
Content will have to evolve constantly, not only to remain relevant but so students are ready to deal with how rapidly information changes in a knowledge-based society.
From One Size Fits All to Tailored Learning:
As students progress they will increasingly access and engage with their own content, at their own pace of learning and take an increasing role in charting a path best suited to those talents, interests and abilities.
From Testing to Assess to Assessing to Learn:
Technology allows educators and students to assess progress more regularly than with traditional classroom assessments and to identify and address each student’s challenges as they arise. This is in contrast to tests and exams that measure what a student learned at the end of an instructional unit by which time it is often too late to address shortcomings.
From Classroom Learning to Lifelong Learning:
Lifelong learning can be encouraged by incorporating aspects of a student’s life outside of school into their education.
How would the system function?
- A Blended System:
The system would have a mixture of face-to-face classroom and online learning. It would also incorporate the immense range of learning opportunities outside the classroom. Some students would prefer a heavier emphasis on classroom learning while others may prefer the options of online learning. There has already been a strong uptake of online learning in BC. - Access to Learning Objects and Teaching Tools:
Technology allows for better access to learning objects, teaching tools, and information. This is important for students, parents and teachers to collaborate in creating an individualised learning path that incorporates the information they need to know in more customised ways. - Open Access to Information Systems:
Students need to be able to access information. Unfettered (but not unguided) access will allow them to learn and to teach themselves as they go forward. Furthermore, access to information will allow students to make informed decisions about their interests and understand the implications of new information for potential career decisions. - Constant Feedback and Assessment:
While the system will be more flexible, there is a need for assessment based standards that will be higher in the future than they are today. Technology can provide new options for assessment and improving learning outcomes. In particular it allows for timely assessment so that students, parents and teachers can be informed during, not after, learning and in ways that allow for correction and celebration.
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“Flipboard, named the iPad app of the year by Apple, displays information, pictures, updates, blurbs and videos from your Twitter and Facebook accounts in a beautifully designed, magazine-like format that you can flip through with the swipe of a finger.”
— from 10 Popular iPad Apps for 2011 [thestreet.com by Olivia Oran]
On 12/10/2010,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, digital learning, education technology, elearning, innovation, K-12 related, online learning, pedagogy, personalized/customized learning, tools, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
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I particularly like the last slide of this presentation; it asserts that:
Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business Professor writes in his book titled, “Disrupting Class” that, “Like all disruptions, student-centric technology will make it affordable, convenient, and simple for many more students to learn in ways that are customized for them.” (p. 92)
Based on trends Christensen points to research which points out that, “In the subsequent six years, technology’s market share will grow from 5 percent to 50 percent. It will become a massive market. And based on further business forecasts, 80 percent of courses taken in 2024 will be online in a student-centric way.”
On 12/03/2010,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, marketplaces, online learning, personalized/customized learning, teaching online,
by Daniel Christian
On 11/18/2010,
in education technology, game-changing environment, open courseware and systems, personalized/customized learning,
by Daniel Christian
.
Also see:
Laptops All Around! Now What? — from CampusTechnology.com by Bridget McCrea
So you’ve decided to give tablets and laptops to all your students and faculty. Now how do you support that? Pennsylvania’s Seton Hill University backs up its newly expanded mobile computing program, now consisting of both Apple MacBook Pros and iPads for students and faculty, with a robust support structure modeled after AppleCare.
When Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA launched its freshmen laptop distribution program in 2009, the institution’s IT team didn’t just match the Apple MacBook Pros up with their new owners and hope for the best. Knowing that many universities struggle to provide adequate “service after the sale” on technological equipment, the school took an active stance on the issue.