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Inside the March 2010 Issue of The Journal

On 03/26/2010, in digital learning, digital storytelling, digital video, education technology, K-12 related, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Inside the March 2010 Issue of The Journal:

*DIGITAL VIDEO
Flippin’ Out
With its school-friendly price, user-friendly design, and project-friendly capabilities, the Flip Video camcorder is a must-have addition to your classroom technology arsenal.

*OPEN CONTENT
A Custom Fit
The movement toward open educational resources is gaining steam, empowering teachers to modify existing materials and create content that is a better match for their instructional needs.

*21st CENTURY SKILLS
An ‘A’ in Abstractions
How do you assess students on how well they can communicate, solve problems, and be responsible self-learners? First step: Toss out your bubble sheets and multiple-choice questions.

Plus:
-Network Security – Identity Scramble
-Here & Now
-Policy & Advocacy – Was I Wrong on Obama?
-Drill Down – Digital Citizenship is Fundamental
-Product Focus
-Upcoming Events & Webinars

Tagged with: digital video • educational technology • K-12 • ocw

Harvard launches on iTunes U

On 03/24/2010, in Apple, higher education, learning ecosystem, mobile learning, online learning, online media, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Also see:
Harvard opens classes to all, online — from The Boston Herald

Ever think about dropping in on a Harvard University lecture on law, loss or metaphysics?

Now you can, for free, and from your couch.

Harvard University yesterday launched its own version of iTunes U, on a dedicated portion of iTunes.

The new portal allows students, faculty and curious Bostonians to attend the Ivy League school virtually.

Perry Hewitt, the university’s director of digital communications, said the online, accessible-from-anywhere database illustrates the school’s plans to provide “the highest-caliber digital experience to showcase our excellence in teaching and research.”

Tagged with: iTunes U • ocw • online learning • online media

Tagged with: ocw • UK

Video: Tim O’Reilly on education as an open system [platform] — from dgree.org

On 03/16/2010, in future of higher education, internet, K-12 related, open courseware and systems, platforms, policy, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
This idea of creating platforms is key. Apple let people develop their own apps for the iPhone, and look what happened. Innovation skyrockets when people can contribute.

Where is innovation happening within your organization? In your face-to-face learning environment? In your online learning environment? In your hybrid/blended spaces? How can we open things up more to allow for:

More creativity
The pursuit of students’ passions
Increased flexibility in our offerings
More innovation
A greater reach/impact?

Also see:
Video: JP Rangaswami on the nature of platforms

Tagged with: innovation • internet • K-12 • ocw • policy

Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources

On 03/15/2010, in community colleges, consortiums, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: community college • consortiums • ocw

Mega-Schools, Technology and Teachers — from John Daniel [via Tony Bates]

On 03/15/2010, in accessibility / UDL, education technology, higher education, K-12 related, online learning, online media, online tutoring, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Table of Contents

1. Education for All – Unfinished Business
2. Seeking a Silver Bullet
3. Technology is the Answer – What is the Question?
4. Open Schools and Mega-Schools
5. Teacher Education at Scale
6. Strategies for Success
Appendix 1: Profiles – Selected Open Schools and Mega-Schools
Appendix 2: Programmes and Mechanisms for Expanding Teacher Supply

Mega-Schools, Technology and Teachers [VIDEO] addresses the new challenges created by both the successes and the failures of the EFA campaign. This book advocates new approaches for providing access to secondary education for today’s rapidly growing population of children and young adults and examines:

The creation and expansion of Mega-Schools, which combine distance learning and community support and have a proven track record of increasing access at scale.
How to prepare the 10 million new teachers that are required to achieve Education for All by 2015 (emphasis DSC) by focusing on classroom-based in-service training.
Strategies for using technology to scale up distance education cost-effectively (emphasis DSC).
The creation of a 21st century educational ecosystem (emphasis DSC) that integrates open schooling and teacher education with communities and their school systems.
Successful examples of open schools and teacher education programmes operating at scale around the world.

Original posting from Tony Bates

Tagged with: distance ed • educational technology • higher education • K-12 • ocw • online learning

Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative — from learningonlineinfo.org

On 03/07/2010, in blended learning, hybrid learning, intelligent tutoring, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative — learningonlineinfo.org — March 7, 2010

“What a wonderful initiative! Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative: Using intelligent tutoring systems, virtual laboratories, simulations, and frequent opportunities for assessment and feedback, the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) builds courses that are intended to enact instruction – or, more precisely, to enact the kind of dynamic, flexible, and responsive instruction that fosters learning.”

And from:
http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning/

Hybrid Education 2.0

[…] the researchers seem more excited by a hybrid application of the open-learning program that, instead of replacing professors, tries to use them more effectively. By combining the open-learning software with two weekly 50-minute class sessions in an intro-level statistics course, they found that they could get students to learn the same amount of material in half the time (emphasis DSC).

“If they’re all getting that baseline information, [faculty] can spend that class time going deeper and doing something much more interesting, so they can really leverage that you’re an expert,” says Candace Thille, director of the Open Learning Initiative, “because right now, oftentimes the faculty expertise is wasted.” (emphasis DSC).

Tagged with: hybrid learning • intelligent tutoring • ocw

5 key projects for the learning systems roadmap at the Open University — from Virtual Learning

On 03/05/2010, in open courseware and systems, Uncategorized, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: ocw

Open University UK major provider on iTunes U — from Tony Bates

On 03/03/2010, in open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Open University UK major provider on iTunes U — Tony Bates

Tagged with: iTunes U • ocw

Tagged with: digital video • ocw • STEM

The World Is Open – Now, WE ALL LEARN with Web Technology — from ELI

In this session, Curtis J. Bonk, Professor for Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University System, offers an intriguing look at 10 technology trends that he calls educational openers. When combined, the first letter of each opener spells the acronym WE ALL LEARN. This model helps make sense of the role of various technologies in open education and participatory environments, including e-books, podcasts, streamed videos, open courseware, online learning portals, social networking tools like Facebook and Ning, YouTube videos, wikis, and virtual worlds (emphasis DSC). Clearly, technology-based learning continues to open new learning pathways for all the connected learners of this planet. At the same time, thousands of organizations and individuals are sharing their course materials, expertise, and instructional ideas globally, thereby expanding learning opportunities and resources even further. As this occurs, members of the media, politicians, educators, students, parents, and others are asking important questions about the quality of such contents.

Tagged with: digital video • ocw • podcasting • social networking • virtual reality / worlds / learning • wikis

Beware critics of Connectivism ! Or how I feel Connectivism opens up content creation and access — from Ignatia Webs

On 02/15/2010, in Canada, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Beware critics of Connectivism ! Or how I feel Connectivism opens up content creation and access — from Ignatia Webs

Tagged with: Canada • Connectivism • ocw

University finds free online learning classes don’t hurt enrollment

On 02/11/2010, in changing business models, game-changing environment, online learning, online media, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

University finds free online learning classes don’t hurt enrollment – Jacqui Cheng, ars technica — resource and quote below from Ray Schroeder

Free online courses aren’t sapping enrollment numbers—in fact, they’re actually helping to spread the word. Those are the preliminary findings out of Brigham Young University, which experimented recently by granting free access to a selection of its distance learning courses. Though further study is needed in order to see whether there’s a significant impact, educators are beginning to see that offering free materials isn’t the end of the world after all.

Tagged with: game-changing environment • ocw • online learning • Walmart of Education

Web 2.0 in Hardcover: A recommended reading list on 2.0 and education

On 02/09/2010, in dangers of the status quo, disruption, engagement / engaging students, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Web 2.0 in Hardcover: A recommended reading list on 2.0 and education — from Steve Hargadon and the School Library Journal (2/1/10)

Tagged with: disruption • engaging students • ocw • Web 2.0

Changes at Eduforge

On 02/08/2010, in blogs / blogging / vlogging, CMS/LMS, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

From Richard Wyles, Eduforge
Please be aware that the current Eduforge website will be decommissioned on the 31st March 2010. We’re planning an exciting new stage for the Eduforge community including a brand new website – currently hosted at http://staging.eduforge.org

The new site offers resources and a showcase area for open source projects. You are most welcome to establish a new project space or transfer your existing project to the new Eduforge. Simply register now on http://staging.eduforge.org

Our mission has also changed to support the Open Source Learning Laboratory — short e-learning based education courses focused on open source. See http://staging.eduforge.com for the courses we’re starting with. The courses are being delivered in association with Flexible Learning Network and Catalyst IT of Wellington, New Zealand, and are fully recognised by the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.