(Ok, a little early, but now that Michigan has experienced some warmer weather, I’m game!)
On 10/26/2012,
in active learning, collaboration, learning spaces, learning theories, Michigan, smart classrooms,
by Daniel Christian
Mobile furniture moves classrooms towards the future — from schoolconstructionnews.com by Torrey Sims
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Steelcase Education Solutions showcased its
collaborative learning furniture at CEFPI in San Antonio.
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Steelcase Education Solutions’ furniture
focuses on the concept of active learning.
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Excerpt:
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The future of classroom furniture can now be found in more compact and flexible designs. Education Solutions, a division of Steelcase Inc., has redefined its approach to classroom furniture by incorporating designs that accommodate the needs of students, teachers and the educational approach of the future.
From DSC:
Being involved with planning our Next Generation Smart Classroom, what I especially appreciate about what Steelcase has done here is to allow for more flexible seating solutions. Faculty can have students quickly and efficiently re-arrange their seating configurations in order to enable greater collaboration. There are several other advantages/features in their offerings, but I wanted to highlight that one.
On 09/22/2012,
in educational games / serious games, Michigan,
by Daniel Christian
Created by Knewton and Column Five Media
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Also see:
- MSU-developed video game aims to increase financial literacy — from news.MSU.edu
Excerpt:
EAST LANSING, Mich. — A new video game designed to teach young people the ins and outs of finances has been developed by the Michigan State University Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab.Collaborating with the MSU Federal Credit Union, the game, titled “Spartan Villa,” addresses common financial challenges, such as implementing a monthly budget and learning how credit works, by creating a realistic financial system embedded in a fun, low-pressure game world.The game introduces players to critical financial concepts through the virtual management of college rental houses, making players responsible for expanding and maintaining their houses by effectively utilizing their finances.
Paying bills on time, allocating funds to the proper accounts and monitoring monthly spending ultimately allows players to purchase rooms to expand their houses, host social events to attract future tenants, and increase their overall credit scores.
On 09/14/2012,
in budgets, cost of getting a degree, hearts -- matters of the heart, higher education, K-12 related, Michigan, society,
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt:
Back in November 2005, when this year’s graduates were in sixth grade, the superintendent of Kalamazoo’s public schools, Janice M. Brown, shocked the community by announcing that unnamed donors were pledging to pay the tuition at Michigan’s public colleges, universities and community colleges for every student who graduated from the district’s high schools. All of a sudden, students who had little hope of higher education saw college in their future. Called the Kalamazoo Promise, the program — blind to family income levels, to pupils’ grades and even to disciplinary and criminal records — would be the most inclusive, most generous scholarship program in America.
Also see:
From DSC:
- I would like to thank the anonymous donors who created and continue to sustain the Kalamazoo Promise; and to recognize their humility and service to society. They didn’t announce their gifts with trumpets; rather, they quietly gave without wanting to put their names to these enormous, life-changing gifts. What a great example for many of the nation’s top 1%-5% to follow! It’s amazing what generous hearts can do. The LORD knows who did it and continues to do it.
On 07/12/2012,
in attention, colleges, digital learning, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, Michigan, United States, universities,
by Daniel Christian
10 best colleges for game-based learning — from bestcollegesonline.com
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Excerpt:
If you were busy playing Call of Duty and you missed it, July 8 was Video Games Day. While most people’s experience with gaming involves mindless destruction or sports competition, educators have begun to see the value in the medium for helping students learn. While the research is still developing and some professors are still skeptical, these 10 colleges represent your best bets for learning while playing video and other games.
On 07/02/2012,
in dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, global / globalization, Michigan, online learning, reinvent, strategy,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I’m a member of the team working at Calvin College to get online learning implemented for the College. I’m grateful for — and proud of — our team and what we’ve been able to accomplish thus far. (BTW, I use the word pride knowingly but carefully.) My hope/dream/vision is that people from all over the world will be able to get a solid, Christian-based education at a significantly-reduced price!
On 06/05/2012,
in elearning, game-changing environment, K-12 related, Michigan, online learning,
by Daniel Christian
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From CNN and Greg Green:
Flipped classrooms give every student a chance to succeed
It’s no surprise that these issues are happening in our schools. Everyone from politicians to parents admit that our educational system isn’t working, and we’re all screaming for change. But no one gives advice on what changes are needed to improve education. The time has come to realize that the problem isn’t simply lack of effort or money, but the misalignment of our school structure.
To watch this happen every day, where it is your responsibility to try to provide the very best you can for the students, is beyond frustrating. It’s heartbreaking.
Our staff agreed that our failure rates were not good. But how do you go about addressing these issues with no money, no additional resources and no clear solution from the experts who already know the system is broken?
How do you get your staff on board with change you want to implement, but no one else has ever tried it on a mass scale? How do you get your students excited about learning when they’ve never shown much interest before?
You flip it. Here’s how it works…
From DSC:
I’d like to send a shout out to my sister, Sue Ellen Christian (Isacksen), who has been working hard on publishing her new book, Overcoming Bias. Sue Ellen teaches in the Communications Department for Western Michigan University. Congrats sister! I’ll be ordering my copy later today!
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On 12/19/2011,
in cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, innovation, leadership, Michigan, reinvent, staying relevant, strategy,
by Daniel Christian
Will your college survive? –– from TechCrunch.com by John Katzman
Editor’s note: Guest contributor John Katzman is the founder and CEO of 2tor, an education startup that partners with universities to deliver selective degree programs online to students across the world. Katzman also founded the Princeton Review where he served as president and CEO from 1981-2007.
The Internet will save higher education, but it may kill your alma mater.
Peter Thiel believes smart people don’t need college, and he’s right: There have always been autodidacts who can learn without assistance. Of course, we don’t really need supermarkets and restaurants either; we could all grow and cook our own food.
Yet having professionals help us has always been a cost-benefit decision. What are the costs of a great education, including the opportunity cost of four years of work, and how do these costs balance against the impact of that education on your life?
The Internet is the first technology since the printing press, which could lower the cost of a great education and, in doing so, make that cost-benefit analysis much easier for most students. It could allow American schools to service twice as many students as they do now, and in ways that are both effective and cost-effective. For reasons that will be outlined below, however, it will probably end up doing this with half as many schools. And your school, even if it’s bumper-sticker worthy, might not make the cut.
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Evolve or Else
Like any other disruptive transition, the move to online and blended universities will bring tremendous benefit to students—better education in more places at lower tuition. However, these changes will be painful for many schools. Most bookstores and travel agencies found themselves on the wrong side of a steadily growing force; the schools that thrive over the next two decades will do so only because they have carefully harnessed that very same force: the Internet.
Also see:
- Mary Sue Coleman’s (President of the University of Michigan) Open Letter to President Obama
Mary Sue Coleman is president of the University of Michigan and chair of the Association of American Universities.
Excerpt:
And yet college is costly – too costly for some families. To meet the myriad needs of students and society, we absolutely must find ways to provide a college education at a cost that is sustainable. President Thomas Jefferson was rightfully adamant that a cornerstone of democracy is education for all, “from the richest to the poorest.”
West Michigan colleges among top institutions nationally with most students studying abroad — from The Grand Rapids Press by Monica Scott
Michigan universities, state lawmakers look for ways to bring down price of higher education [Knake]
On 11/14/2011,
in cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, game-changing environment, higher education, legislatures / government / legal, Michigan, universities,
by Daniel Christian
Michigan universities, state lawmakers look for ways to bring down price of higher education — from mlive.com by Lindsay Knake | The Saginaw News
Also:
- Poll: Young Adults Say Higher Education is More Important but Less Affordable— from The Institute for College Access & Success; Comes with too Much Debt, and Should be a Priority for Congress and the Economy
- Free College: How to Audit Courses From 7 Elite Schools Online — from mashable.com by Danny Gallagher
On 10/24/2011,
in career development, funding / grants, hearts -- matters of the heart, Michigan, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt:
“We have discovered that structured programs that encourage and guide students in the theological exploration of vocation do indeed help them draw on the wisdom of their religious traditions as they make decisions about their futures and figure out how to lead lives that really matter,” said Craig Dykstra, the Lilly Endowment’s senior vice president for religion.
On 10/10/2011,
in career development, computer science, Michigan, programming, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
Unlikely state is tops in tech job hiring — from TechNewsDaily by Samantha Murphy
Excerpt:
A report by the TechAmerica Foundation revealed that Michigan added the most technology jobs last year, bringing in 2,700 high-tech jobs between 2009 and 2010, a nearly 2 percent increase from the year before. Michigan now boasts 155,100 technology employees.