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SmartBoard, make way for Educreations [Schwartz]

On 12/10/2012, in education technology, flipping -- inverted learning, ideas, innovation, tools, by Daniel Christian

SmartBoard, make way for Educreations — from blogs.kqed.org by Katrina Schwartz

Excerpt:

One of the biggest, fastest shifts in ed tech the last couple years has been the evolution from the use of large interactive whiteboards to the use of mobile, agile multi-purpose apps. Currently, there are at least six products, all competing to become teachers’ favorite. Replay Note, ScreenChomp, ShowMe, DoodleCast Pro, Knowmia, Explain Everything and Educreations all offer teachers the ability to record the visual and audio components of a “whiteboard” lesson on their iPads, and share it online.

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The 7 habits of highly effective teachers who use technology [Always Prepped]

On 12/07/2012, in education technology, teachers, teaching & learning, by Daniel Christian

The 7 habits of highly effective teachers who use technology –from the Always Prepped blog

Excerpt:

We’ve all heard about Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Some teachers out there may have heard of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers. Below are our 7 habits of highly effective teachers who use technology:

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“The Internet of Things Ceiling” — A concept for our future Smart Classrooms by Daniel Christian

On 12/04/2012, in A/V -- audio/visual, Asia, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, engineering, entrepreneurship, experimentation, face-to-face, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, machine-to-machine communications, mobile technologies, multi-touch, multimedia, Near Field Communication (NFC), online media, participation, play, productivity / tips and tricks, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, workplace, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:

I’ve been trying to figure out the best ways to incorporate a BYOD/BYOT into the Smart Classroom.  That is, how can students’ devices seamlessly communicate with the main displays around the classroom? How can they quickly display a blog posting or a Google doc for example…or play a song they wrote, etc.  So I was excited to wake up this morning with the following concept/idea:

 

The Internet of Things Ceiling -- A concept for our future Smart Classrooms by Daniel Christian in December 2012

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The Internet of Things Ceiling -- concept by Daniel Christian - December 2012

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Other features/thoughts:

  • Line of sight communications — students must be in the room to display something up on the main displays
  • Information travels many ways:  From large multitouch displays/walls to students’ devices and vice versa; so a professor could hit “Save” in order to send his/her annotations to all of the students’ devices (allowing them to be more cognitively present — vs madly writing down what the professor is writing)
  • The Smart Classroom’s infrastructure becomes like a multi-thredded processor — instantaneously and simultaneously handling a far greater amount of data — going in multiple directions
  • What’s an interesting idea here is for discipline-specific, cloud-based storage mechanisms for students who want to contribute their pieces of content to their schools repositories of content
  • This topic reminds me of a graphic I created a while back, re: The “Chalkboard” of the Future:

 

 

 

So…what if the 4 screen’s on Julong’s Ultra-IPBOARD were coming from 4 different sources? Perhaps:

  1. One from a publisher’s cloud-based content repository
  2. Another from a stream of content originating from a student’s iPad
  3. Another from a stream of content originating from the Smart Classroom’s PC or Mac
  4. …and the last source originating from a student’s smartphone?

 

Demo for Ultra-IPBOARD

 

Also see:

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The best screencasting apps for the iPad [Wylie]

On 12/03/2012, in digital learning, elearning, K-12 related, tablets, tools, vendors, by Daniel Christian

The best screencasting apps for the iPad — from jonathanwylie.com

Excerpt:

However, by far my favorite of all the apps is ExplainEverything.  Unlike the three I just mentioned, it is a paid app [$2.99], but you get so much for your money that it is a compelling choice for all schools using iPads. You can record your video over multiple pages, re-record audio as you please, use the page sorter to rearrange or see your pages at a glance. You can have almost any pen color you can imagine, a choice of 5 pen widths, control over pen transparency and choice of two pen tips. The app has a built-in laser pointer, shape tool and text tool with more fonts that you could ever need. You can even insert a web browser and record a live website as part of your screencast.

Also see:

 

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To boldly go where no pupils have gone before [Morgan]

On 12/03/2012, in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, collaboration, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), interactivity, K-12 related, learning spaces, mathematics, multi-touch, science, smart classrooms, UK, by Daniel Christian

To boldly go where no pupils have gone before — from scienceomega.com by James Morgan

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Classroom of the future

Excerpt:

The researchers behind the design of so-called ‘Star Trek classrooms’ have discovered that multi-touch, multi-user desks can boost pupils’ skills in mathematics. The inter-disciplinary team from Durham University, whose findings have been published in the journal Learning and Instruction, found evidence to suggest that children who used smart desks to complete mathematical exercises benefited more than those who completed their tasks on paper.

During the course of a three-year project known as SynergyNet, the researchers have worked with more than 400 pupils, predominantly aged between eight and 10. The team’s latest results show that collaborative learning, such as that facilitated by touchscreen desks, increases learners’ mathematical fluency and flexibility. Moreover, the researchers are confident that the technology that they have developed could also be used to improve learning across other subject areas.

Also see:

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The single most important factor for iPad success in schools [Vincent]

On 11/28/2012, in collaboration, creativity, education technology, K-12 related, pedagogy, by Daniel Christian

The single most important factor for iPad success in schools — from the Learning in Hand blog by Tony Vincent

Excerpts:

The researchers found that “personal ‘ownership’ of the device is seen as the single most important factor for successful use of this technology.” They found ownership is fundamental for increasing students levels of motivation, interest, and engagement. Personal ownership promotes greater student autonomy and self-efficacy. Best of all, ownership encourages students to take more responsibility for their learning.

The study also found that teachers using iPads changed their approach to teaching. Pedagogical shifts include:

  • more collaboration
  • more creative expression
  • a strong learning community
  • better support for students of all abilities
  • students take it upon themselves to teach and coach each other
  • higher quality of teaching perceived by students
  • teachers give better feedback to students about their learning

 

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Some innovative apps for science, astronomy, digital storytelling/journalism, & robotics

On 11/27/2012, in chemistry, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, digital storytelling, education technology, innovation, journalism, robotics, science, by Daniel Christian

An interesting augmented reality app:

Some other innovative apps:

  • Nuclear — with thanks going out to Mr. Steven Chevalia for this find/resource
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Nuclear lets you learn, play, discover and explore the chemical elements at the atomic scale.

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http://robotsapp.spectrum.ieee.org/

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  • Solar Walk — with thanks going out to Mr. Steven Chevalia for this find/resource
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The Wider Image app from Reuters

 

From DSC:
Publishers — take a look at what Reuters is doing here; consider offering such a constantly up-to-date stream of content that fills up digital “textbooks.”

 

Addendum:

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Note Anytime app

 

Note Anytime – Write stylish notes, mash up handwritten text or typed text with photos and high resolution graphics; scale from a piece of paper to a whiteboard, then output to your favorite social networks. Take a Note Anytime! By MetaMoJi Corporation

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The ‘Star Trek’ style touchscreen classroom of the future that’s set to replace books and blackboards [Williams]

On 11/26/2012, in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, change, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, e-books, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), e-readers, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, interactivity, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, machine-to-machine communications, multi-touch, multimedia, online media, participation, platforms, presentations, smart classrooms, smart/connected TV, by Daniel Christian

The ‘Star Trek’ style touchscreen classroom of the future that’s set to replace books and blackboards — from dailymail.co.uk by Amanda Williams

  • The multi-touch, multi-user smart desks have been trialled in a three-year project
  • Studies have shown they can increase both fluency and flexibility in maths


Results from a three-year project working with over 400 pupils, mostly eight to 10 year olds, show that collaborative learning increases both fluency and flexibility in maths
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From DSC:
Hmmm…what if this is the sort of functionality that the Smart/Connected TV begins to offer?
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The education giant adapts [Leber]

On 11/26/2012, in change, changing business models, content development, aggregation, repositories, dangers of the status quo, digital learning, digital textbooks, disruption, e-books, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), e-readers, education technology, game-changing environment, higher education, innovation, IT in HE, new business models, online learning, online media, publishing, reinvent, staying relevant, surviving, using teams, by Daniel Christian

The education giant adapts — from MIT Technology Review by Jessica Leber
Pearson is the world’s largest book publisher. Now it wants to be a one-stop shop for digital education.

Excerpt:

Pearson pulled this off with a decade-long string of acquisitions that helped it shift its emphasis from selling books to selling education services. The London-based company styles itself as the “world’s leading learning company,” even if that learning isn’t delivered through traditional books. These days, Pearson is more like an IT department for classrooms and schools. It sells technology infrastructure, software, and consulting services to schools—services that in turn help deliver the vast stock of textbook content Pearson owns. The company says its revenue from online content and services will surpass those of the traditional publishing business this year.

From DSC:
I congratulate Pearson on reinventing itself.  The words of Steve Jobs ring in my mind…something about cannibalizing one’s business before someone else does it for you.  Several other words and phrases come to my mind after seeing the above article — that regular readers of this blog and my archived website will instantly recognize:

  • Dangers of the status quo
  • Staying relevant
  • Survival
  • Disruption/change
  • New business models
  • Game-changing environment
  • Using teams of specialists

Also relevant here/see:

 

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Dept. of Ed. taps online learning startup Knewton for at-risk youth program [Heussner]

On 11/20/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, digital learning, education technology, K-12 related, legislatures / government / legal, online learning, tools, vendors, by Daniel Christian

Dept. of Ed. taps online learning startup Knewton for at-risk youth program — from gigaom.com by Ki Mae Heussner
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that it will partner with online learning startup Knewton and publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a program aimed at helping millions of at-risk youth transition to traditional schools and prepare for the workforce.

Also see:

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Google releases global augmented reality game “Ingress” [Holmes]

On 11/16/2012, in Augmented Reality (AR), educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, innovation, by Daniel Christian

Google releases global augmented reality game “Ingress” — from thecreatorsproject.com by Kevin Holmes

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Excerpt:

Google [has] released an augmented reality game called Ingress that involves a shady world where two forces are pitted against each other, battling over a mysterious energy (the best kind) that’s recently been discovered. One side is the Enlightened who want to use the energy to control people’s minds via portals and the other is a group called the Resistance, who are fighting against them.

 

From DSC:
It’s not a stretch to see how educational gaming might dovetail nicely with augmented reality to create some seriously-engaging learning experiences!

 

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New consortium of leading universities will move forward with transformative, for-credit online education program [2U.com]

On 11/15/2012, in 21st century, change, consortiums, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, disruption, education technology, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, new business models, online learning, by Daniel Christian

New consortium of leading universities will move forward with transformative, for-credit online education program — from 2U.com
Semester Online™ will be first of its kind featuring rigorous, innovative, live courses

Excerpt (emphasis DSC)

LANDOVER, Md. — Nov. 15, 2012 — Today, a group of the nation’s leading universities announced plans to launch a new, innovative program that transforms the model of online education. Consortium members include Brandeis University, Duke University, Emory University, Northwestern University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Notre Dame, University of Rochester, Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest University and Washington University in St. Louis. The new online education program, Semester Online,will be the first of its kind to offer undergraduate students the opportunity to take rigorous, online courses for credit from a consortium of universities. The program is delivered through a virtual classroom environment and interactive platform developed by 2U, formerly known as 2tor.

 

From DSC:
Interesting to see the impact of competition…

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Addendum on 11/16/12:

Elite Online Courses for Cash and Credit— from insidehigheredy.com by Steve Kolowich

Excerpt:

A consortium of 10 top-tier universities will soon offer fully online, credit-bearing undergraduate courses through a partnership with 2U, a company that facilitates online learning.

Any students enrolled at an “undergraduate experience anywhere in the world” will be eligible to take the courses, according to Chip Paucek, the CEO of 2U, which until recently was called 2tor. The first courses are slated to make their debut in the fall.

After a year in which the top universities in the world have clambered to offer massive open online courses (MOOCs) for no credit, this new project marks yet another turning point in online education. It is the first known example of top universities offering fully online, credit-bearing courses to undergraduates who are not actually enrolled at the institutions that are offering them.

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From DSC:
It’s not a stretch to think that we’ll soon be able to take part in this type of thing from our living rooms…

The Living [Class] Room -- by Daniel Christian -- July 2012 -- a second device used in conjunction with a Smart/Connected TV

 

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Also relevant here/see:
Attend the Global Education Conference
from your living room

Addendum on 11/19/12:
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Interesting timeline re: the history of education [Brian Tate]

On 11/14/2012, in education, education technology, history, K-12 related, by Daniel Christian

Timeline on the history of education -- by Brian Tate

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How ‘collaborative learning’ is transforming higher education [Nastu]

On 11/13/2012, in collaboration, education technology, higher education, pedagogy, tools, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

How ‘collaborative learning’ is transforming higher education — from ecampusnews.com by Jennifer Nastu
Technology is enabling more dynamic teaching and learning — both inside and outside of class

Excerpt:

All this comes at a time when employers have higher expectations for recent college graduates, and colleges must make sure they’re giving their students the right skills to excel in a faster-paced world.

“Technology is enabling and also forcing students, in some ways, to become self-learners,” says Catheryn Cheal, vice president and senior officer of academic technology at San Jose State University. “They’re going to be expected to have a certain amount of learning initiative throughout their career, and that’s different than how it used to be.”

Students might enter college knowing how to seek out information, Cheal notes—“but we need to teach them to take it deeper … than just Googling.”

She adds: “Our job is to keep up with that, and to help students with that change. It used to be that you’d go to school, and all the information would be poured into you. Now, you get a job, but the software is changing every few years—and you better know how to keep up to date.”

As students come to expect more interactive forms of instruction, colleges are stepping up to meet this need.

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smartmusic: music education software for band, orchestra, and voice

On 11/13/2012, in education technology, innovation, K-12 related, music, student-related, teachers, by Daniel Christian

SmartMusic -- music education software

 

Also see:

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From DSC:
This reminds me of something I was hoping would come to fruition a while back — something I called Choir Practice:

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 Also see:

  • chromatik.com <– very sharp! So sharp I’m going to feature it in another posting.
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