teaching online

Reflections on “Apple’s iTunes U may be leading a global revolution in higher education” [Faas]

On 07/24/2012, in Apple, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, Australia, convergence, cost of getting a degree, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, Europe, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), India, innovation, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, multimedia, streams of content, teaching online, technologies for your home, TVs, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:

Apple has been putting together a solid ecosystem of hardware and software that allows for the creation and distribution of content. “Easy is hard” I like to say and Apple’s done a great job of creating easy-to-use devices and apps. They have a long way to go before iTunes U has all the built-in functionality needed to replace a Blackboard Learn or a Moodle type of CMS/LMS. But given their solid history of creating highly-usable hardware and software, they could deal a smashing blow to what’s happening in the CMS/LMS world today.

Plus, with Apple TV, Airplay mirroring, the growth of second screen-based apps, and machine-to-machine communications, Apple is poised to get into this game…big time. If my thoughts re: “Learning from the Living [Class] Room” come to fruition, Apple would be positioned for some serious worldwide impact on lifelong learning; especially when combined with the developments such as the use of MOOCs, AI and HCI-related innovations, learning agents, web-based learner profiles, and potential/upcoming changes to accreditation.

Too far fetched do you think? Hmmm….well considering that online learning has already been proven to be at least as affective as f2f learning — and in some studies has produced even greater learning outcomes/results — I wonder how things will look in mid-2015…? (That is, where is the innovation occurring?)

Addendum:

Connected TV penetration to top 50% by 2017 — from worldscreen.com by Mansha Daswani
Excerpt:
SCOTTSDALE: ABI Research forecasts that more than 50 percent of television homes in North America and Western Europe will have Internet-connected TV sets by 2017, up from just 10 percent last year, while Blu-ray player penetration is expected to rise to more than 76 percent from about 25 percent. The report notes that the popularity of connected TV is not limited to developed markets—there have been increasing shipments to China, ABI notes.
.
Advertisers need to pay attention to connected TV [INFOGRAPHIC] — from Mashable.com
.
The future of TV is two screens, one held firmly in your hands — from FastCompany.com by Kit Eaton
Excerpt:
The connected TV, sometimes called the smart TV (and even branded as such by Samsung) is a growing phenomenon: TV makers are adding limited apps, Net connectivity, and even streaming media powers to their newer TVs in the hope they’ll persuade you to upgrade your newish LCD for a flatter, smarter unit. They’re desperate to, given how flat this market is. But according to new research from Pew, the future of TV may actually be a little more closely aligned with the notion of a “connected TV viewer,” an important distinction. Pew spoke to over 2,200 U.S. adults a couple of months ago and discovered that 52% of all adult cell phone owners now “incorporate their mobile devices into their television watching experiences.”

Tagged with: AI • Apple • Asia • Australia • convergence • cost of getting an education • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital video • educational gaming • educational technology • emerging technologies • Europe • future of higher education • game-changing environment • Global learning • human-computer interaction (HCI) • India • iTunes U • learning from the living [class] room • machine-to-machine communications • MOOCs • multimedia • Smart/Connected TV • technologies for the home

When the technologies behind Watson and Siri get perfected and integrated into the “Learning from the Living [Class] Room” environment [Christian]

On 07/16/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, adult learning, analytics, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, assessment, blended learning, business side of he, career development, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, competency-based learning/education, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, digital learning, disruption, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, hybrid learning, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, mobile learning, multimedia, new business models, online learning, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, reinvent, social learning / networks, staying relevant, streams of content, teachers, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, telepresence, trends, TVs, ubiquitous learning, videoconferencing, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:

When the technologies behind IBM’s Watson and Apple’s Siri get perfected and integrated into products and services that will make up the near future “Learning from the Living [Class] Room” environment— there will be:

A high degree of personalization and customization — available 24x7x365 on multiple kinds of devices
.
The option to turn on tracking and analytics — reporting from which can be moved into the learner’s cloud-based profile upon completion of the unit/activity/badge
.
Students of all ages will have access to their own virtual tutors so to speak
.
When a virtual tutor is unable to resolve or address the student’s issue to the student’s satisfaction, the student will be able to instantly access a human tutor (with the option of keeping the existing work/issue/problems visible to the human tutor)

Addendums:

Siri’s new cousin works as a bank teller — from The Future of Work section at TechnologyReview.com — by Tom Simonite
Spanish bank BBVA taps the team that invented the iPhone assistant to build technology that can converse with bank customers.
.
How Virtual Personal Assistants are changing consumers’ lives — from betakit.com by Gideon Hayden
.
A Siri for the Living Room — from businessweek.com by Kevin Fitchard

Conflicted: Faculty and Online Education, 2012 [Allen, Seaman, Lederman, Jaschik]

On 07/11/2012, in adjunct faculty, face-to-face, faculty/staff, online learning, teaching & learning, teaching online, by Daniel Christian

Excerpt:

The study was based on a pair of related surveys about online education, co-designed by Inside Higher Ed and administered and analyzed by the Babson Survey Research Group, which has studied online education for more than a decade. The surveys garnered responses from representative samples of 4,564 faculty members (of about 60,000 who were sent invitations to participate) and 591 academic technology administrators, from all types of institution. The surveys asked a wide range of questions of both groups about their perceptions of online quality, institutional support and training in instructional technology, and compensation, among other things. The response rates for both surveys were below 10 percent.

A PDF copy of the study report can be downloaded here. To read the text of the report, click here.

From DSC:
I urge faculty members to give online learning a try — not only for your students’ sakes, but for your own career’s sake:

Take a course from an organization that has a good reputation for their online courses
or
Take a course re: instructional design for teaching online
or
Try your hand at teaching your own course online.

I don’t mention this piece of advice as a threat or to come across as a scaremonger. Online learning has been — and continues to be — reality. In Christensen’s terms, face-to-face classrooms practice sustaining innnovations but online learning is a disruptive technology that keeps gaining ground. [When either mode are done well] it’s now not only at least as good as face-to-face learning, but the powerful tools that keep being added to online learning will take it far beyond what we are able to currently offer in a face-to-face classroom.

One comment at the end of the article stood out for me as well:

“In a capitalistic society consumer demand dictates the products it will provide and sell.”

For those interested in this topic, take a moment to check out the other comments as well.

Tagged with: adjunct faculty • face-to-face • faculty-staff • online learning • teaching & learning • teaching online

Best Practices: Four Tips for Creating an Effective Online Syllabus [Moodlerooms]

On 06/13/2012, in ideas, teaching & learning, teaching online, tools, by Daniel Christian

Excerpt from the Moodlerooms blog posting
Best Practices: Four Tips for Creating an Effective Online Syllabus

Tip #5: Make the most of Moodle modules.
As a best practice, we suggest using the Book module for your course syllabus. The Book module allows you to chunk your syllabus into logical segments (e.g., grading, participation, course description, course requirements, communication) using the Book’s chapter feature. It has in-module navigation that allows students to view the syllabus in chronological order, but also has a great Table of Contents, allowing students to jump to specific pages. The Book module also allows for printing—so students can print the syllabus for later use as well!

Tagged with: ideas • Moodle • teaching & learning • teaching online • tools

6 keys to engaging students online [Rose]

On 06/11/2012, in online learning, teaching & learning, teaching online, by Daniel Christian

6 keys to engaging students online — from campustechnology.com by Richard Rose
While some instructors think online teaching will be a breeze, the truth is that the best teachers work really hard to connect with students. CT shares tips from an insider.

From DSC:
If properly done, both teaching online and taking courses online is hard work. I’d take a successful online learner any day — as they’ve shown they are self-starters, self-motivated, and they don’t need hand holding. And in terms of the teaching aspect, I’d recommend all faculty at least try their hand at teaching online — as their careers will be more stable if they do (i.e. they will be more marketable).

Tagged with: online learning • teaching & learning • teaching online

Items re: the connected living room; relates to what I call a future “learning from the living room” environment

On 04/02/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, analytics, Apple, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, business side of he, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, convergence, corporate universities / corporate training, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, flipping -- inverted learning, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learner profiles, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, multimedia, new business models, new media literacies, online learning, online media, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, podcasting, reinvent, social learning / networks, staying relevant, streams of content, student-related, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, telepresence, television, the downsides of how people use tech, trends, TVs, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, by Daniel Christian

The human voice, as game changer — from nytimes.com by Natasha Singer

Matthew Cavanaugh for The New York Times
Vlad Sejnoha demonstrated Nuance’s Dragon TV system, which obeys spoken commands to
flip channels, for example, or shop on screen on Amazon.com.

Apple’s iCloud will teach Apple’s Smart TV remote new tricks — from patentlyapple.com

6 answers about your next TV, with or without Apple — from forbes.com by Michael Humphrey

10 tech commandments for the TV industry — from thenextweb.com by Martin Bryant

Smart TVs are growing in popularity — from business-news.thestreet.com by Steve Adams

Image from Gary Higgins/The Patriot Ledger

Paul Berrini, a salesman at Hancock T.V.& Appliance in Quincy, demonstrates
some of the new features of “smart” televisions, Wednesday, March 21.

10 AirPlay-ready iPad apps that make Apple TV worth it — from readwriteweb.com by John Paul Titlow

Entertainment and Streaming Media – The Recent Past and the Future — from homesystemintegration.com by Alan Ruby

TVs may soon be used to spy on you — from smartplanet.com by Tuan C. Nguyen

Will Microsoft beat Apple and Google to make Connected TV work? –– from econsultancy.com by Sam Dwyer

CBS’ 60 Minutes asks, “Khan Academy: The future of education?”

On 03/19/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, accessibility / UDL, analytics, blended learning, change, data related items, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, distance education, education technology, elearning, future, global, homeschooling/homeschoolers, innovation, internet, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, more voice more choice more control, online learning, online media, online tutoring, open courseware and systems, personalized/customized learning, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, teaching online, trends, virtual tutoring, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Arguably, Sal Kahn has become the most famous, influential educator on the planet today — his videos are watched millions of times a day now. The question — which Eric Schmidt answers in the piece — I couldn’t help but ask was, “Why didn’t this type of innovation come from someone who was working in education at the time of their innovation?”

My thanks to Dr. Kate Byerwalter and her colleagues for passing along this resource.
The tags/associated categories for this posting point out the relevant areas covered.

Also see:

Khan Academy: The future of education?
(CBS News) Sal Khan is a math, science, and history teacher to millions of students, yet none have ever seen his face. Khan is the voice and brains behind Khan Academy, a free online tutoring site that may have gotten your kid out of an algebra bind with its educational how-to videos. Now Khan Academy is going global. Backed by Google, Gates, and other Internet powerhouses, Sal Khan wants to change education worldwide, and his approach is already being tested in some American schools. Sanjay Gupta reports.

From DSC:
A relevant graphic comes to mind with what Sal is trying to achieve with analytics:

i.e. Highly-effective diagnostic tools for the educators and trainers out there!

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • accessibility • analytics • blended learning • change • customized learning • data mining • digital audio • digital learning • digital video • distance ed • e-learning • educational technology • future • Global learning • homeschooling/homeschoolers • hybrid learning • innovation • internet • K-12 • learning • learning ecosystem • learning from the living [class] room • lecture recording • more choice more control • online learning • online media • open • personalized learning • student teaching/teacher education • student-related • teachers • teaching & learning • trends • virtual tutoring

Lifelong learning ecosystems!!! A powerful vision for our future [Daniel Christian]

On 03/14/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, accreditation, active learning, adult learning, analytics, Apple, blended learning, business side of he, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, CMS/LMS, content development, aggregation, repositories, convergence, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, digital textbooks, disruption, distance education, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, face-to-face, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learner profiles, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning spaces, lifelong learning, love of learning, machine-to-machine communications, marketplaces, mobile learning, mobile technologies, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, multimedia, Near Field Communication (NFC), new business models, online learning, online media, online tutoring, passions, personalized/customized learning, reinvent, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, social media, staying relevant, student-related, surviving, teachers, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, telepresence, television, training / L&D, trends, TVs, ubiquitous learning, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, workplace, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
The vision below involves:
(click on the image below to access it)

The convergence of the telephone, the television, and the computer
Cloud-based education stores/marketplaces/exchanges
Second screen devices and machine-to-machine communications
Social networking/learning
Smart classrooms/learning spaces
Content recognition/synchronization applications
Apps as “channels”
Web-based learner profiles
Video overlays
New business models in higher ed
New jobs/needs for the future
A new way for employers to hire highly-effective employees/contractors/consultants
…and more

The best Moodle tools you’ve never used [Moore]

On 09/07/2011, in blended learning, CMS/LMS, hybrid learning, instructional design, productivity / tips and tricks, teaching & learning, teaching online, tools, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: blended learning • CMS/LMS • hybrid learning • instructional design • Moodle • productivity • teaching & learning • teaching online • tips and tricks • tools

From Daniel Christian: Fasten your seatbelts! An accelerated ride through some ed-tech landscapes.

On 08/25/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, adjunct faculty, analytics, art, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, attention, Augmented Reality (AR), blogs / blogging / vlogging, change, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, computer science, convergence, creativity, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, drama/theater, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), economics, education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, engineering, expectations, faculty/staff, game-changing environment, generational differences, global, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, intelligent tutoring, internet, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning theories, liberal arts, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, memory, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multimedia, music, Near Field Communication (NFC), new media literacies, online learning, online media, pace of change, passions, pedagogy, presentations, productivity / tips and tricks, publishing, reading, reinvent, robotics, social learning / networks, social media, society, staying relevant, storytelling, strategy, streams of content, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, teachers, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, technology (general), telepresence, television, tools, trends, ubiquitous learning, United States, universities, videoconferencing, virtual K-12 schools, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, visualizing information, web-based collaboration, writing, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Immediately below is a presentation that I did for the Title II Conference at Calvin College back on August 11, 2011
It is aimed at K-12 audiences.

From DSC:
Immediately below is a presentation that I did today for the Calvin College Fall 2011 Conference.
It is aimed at higher education audiences.

Note from DSC:

There is a great deal of overlap here, as many of the same technologies are (or will be) hitting the K-12 and higher ed spaces at the same time. However, there are some differences in the two presentations and what I stressed depended upon my audience.

Pending time, I may put some audio to accompany these presentations so that folks can hear a bit more about what I was trying to relay within these two presentations.

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • A/V • adjunct faculty • AI • analytics • art • attention • augmented reality • change • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • colleges • communications • communities of practice • community college • computer science • cross-disciplinary assignments • dangers of the status quo • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital citizenship • digital learning • digital photography • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • disruption • drama/theater • e-books • e-learning • e-publishing related items (EPUB and more) • economics/business • educational gaming • educational technology • engagement • future • game-changing environment • games • generational differences • higher education • human-computer interaction (HCI) • ideas • illustration • information overload • innovation • intelligent tutoring • internet • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • learning from the living [class] room • learning spaces • learning theories • Lifelong learning • machine-to-machine communications • memory • multimedia • Near Field Communication (NFC) • new media literacies • online learning • online media • pace of change • participation • passions • personal learning networks (PLNs) • reading • reinvent • robotics • ROI • social learning • social media • society • staying relevant • story • storytelling • streams of content • student expectations • student teaching/teacher education • student-related • surviving • tablets • teachers • teaching & learning • teaching online • technology (general) • telepresence • textbooks • tools • ubiquitous learning • United States • universities • visualizing information • wikis • Wimba • writing

Practical strategies for online faculty orientation [Bart]

On 05/09/2011, in career development, instructional design, professional development, teaching online, by Daniel Christian

Practical strategies for online faculty orientation — from Faculty Focus by Mary Bart

Excerpt:

At Penn State World Campus, new instructors have a three-part training program that includes online pedagogy, a tour of the Learning Management System (LMS), and an orientation on the nuts and bolts of teaching in an online classroom. The goal is to streamline the teaching and learning process, and minimize the learning curves for new instructors.

In the online seminar How to Orient New Instructors to an Online Course FAST!, Jennifer Berghage, an instructional designer at Penn State World Campus, discussed her approach to orienting new instructors. It all begins with a comprehensive instructor tip sheet, which lives within the course site hidden from students but is always just a click away from instructors.

Tagged with: career development • instructional design • professional development • teaching online

Intro to teaching online [Simple K12 and Florida Virtual School]

On 04/14/2011, in professional development, student teaching/teacher education, teachers, teaching online, virtual K-12 schools, by Daniel Christian

Not sure if there is a more recent edition here…but also see:

Tagged with: professional development • student teaching/teacher education • teachers • teaching & learning • teaching online • virtual schools

A hugely powerful vision: A potent addition to our learning ecosystems of the future

On 04/09/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, change, colleges, convergence, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-readers, education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, entrepreneurship, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, immersion, informal learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, marketplaces, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multimedia, new business models, new media literacies, online learning, online media, online tutoring, pace of change, personalized/customized learning, platforms, play, podcasting, professional development, reinvent, simulations, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, social media, society, storytelling, strategy, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telepresence, television, trends, ubiquitous learning, universities, user experience (UX), using teams, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Daniel Christian:
A Vision of Our Future Learning Ecosystems

In the near future, as the computer, the television, the telephone (and more) continues to converge, we will most likely enjoy even more powerful capabilities to conveniently create and share our content as well as participate in a global learning ecosystem — whether that be from within our homes and/or from within our schools, colleges, universities and businesses throughout the world.

We will be teachers and students at the same time — even within the same hour — with online-based learning exchanges taking place all over the virtual and physical world. Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) — in the form of online-based tutors, instructors, teachers, and professors — will be available on demand. Even more powerful/accurate/helpful learning engines will be involved behind the scenes in delivering up personalized, customized learning — available 24x7x365. Cloud-based learner profiles may enter the equation as well.

The chances for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship that are coming will be mind-blowing! What employers will be looking for — and where they can look for it — may change as well.

What we know today as the “television” will most likely play a significant role in this learning ecosystem of the future. But it won’t be like the TV we’ve come to know. It will be much more interactive and will be aware of who is using it — and what that person is interested in learning about. Technologies/applications like Apple’s AirPlay will become more standard, allowing a person to move from device to device without missing a beat. Transmedia storytellers will thrive in this environment!

Much of the professionally done content will be created by teams of specialists, including the publishers of educational content, and the in-house teams of specialists within colleges, universities, and corporations around the globe. Perhaps consortiums of colleges/universities will each contribute some of the content — more readily accepting previous coursework that was delivered via their consortium’s membership.

An additional thought regarding higher education and K-12 and their Smart Classrooms/Spaces:
For input devices…
The “chalkboards” of the future may be transparent, or they may be on top of a drawing board-sized table or they may be tablet-based. But whatever form they take and whatever is displayed upon them, the ability to annotate will be there; with the resulting graphics saved and instantly distributed. (Eventually, we may get to voice-controlled Smart Classrooms, but we have a ways to go in that area…)

Below are some of the graphics that capture a bit of what I’m seeing in my mind…and in our futures.

Alternatively available as a PowerPoint Presentation (audio forthcoming in a future version)

— from Daniel S. Christian | April 2011

OpenStudy.com–Make the world your study group; also Supercool School [from Tony Bates]

On 03/29/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, disruption, entrepreneurship, global, innovation, new business models, online learning, online media, online tutoring, open courseware and systems, teaching online, by Daniel Christian

From Tony Bates’ –> Informal learning with do-it-yourself online courses

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • disruption • entrepreneurship • Global learning • innovation • new business models • online learning • online media • online tutoring • open • teaching online

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