EDUS 660

I can definitely see how using laptops daily would enhance this course!

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a scale used to assess in-class use of laptops in higher education. The Laptop Evaluation Scale consisted of four constructs: academic use, non-academic communication, playing games, and watching movies. All scale items showed acceptable internally reliability. A principal components factor analysis demonstrated good construct validity. Correlation among the LES constructs were significant but small enough to support the existence of four distinct constructs. All four LES constructs were correlated with average grade, time spent on non-academic activities, and perceptions of laptop helpfulness in class, thereby proving evidence for convergent validity. Finally, content validity was supported by frequencies of laptop behaviours reported as well as student comments. However, student comments indicate that the content of the LES may need to be expanded to include more specific academic and non-academic behaviours.

I know our research wasn't focused specifically on textbooks but I am interested to see what their program has found.

Another perspective (Stephen Smith) of online learning and what technology now makes possible

Check out this blog or follow on twitter for E-Rate updates or other policy info from the AASA perspective

This paper presents the findings of a study on the current knowledge and attitudes of pre-service teachers on the use of scenario-based multi-user virtual environments in science education. The 28 participants involved in the study were introduced to Virtual Singapura, a multi-user virtual environment, and completed an open-ended questionnaire.

KIPP Empower embraces blended learning to pursue its mission in tough budget times The original blueprint for the KIPP Empower Academy read something like this: five teachers per grade; 100 students per grade; very few classroom computers.

As we discuss research and technology I found this quote staggering: "According to IBM, 90 percent of the data in the world was created within the last two years," Silver tells Fresh Air's Dave Davies.

This is the website for the "Out of Print" report. This includes not only a download of the report but a video presentation given at the time of release.

Mostly sharing this to test if Diigo is working again... That said, any article that cites the Hart & Risley study is worth sharing...

This is an interesting infographic about educational video games.

This is an interesting perpective on Ebooks from a school library point of view. I particularly was interested in the statement "students having devices does not necessarily mean students using them well". Another indication of the importance of professional development for faculty and administrators. 

Page 3 of this article has a great summary of the challenges school systems of facing in terms of integrating technology into schools. (FYI-you may have to create a free account on eClassroom News to read the full article)

A study in Education Next tackles the question of how principals affect student achievement.

There is increasing evidence that games provide good learning environments, particularly in their ability to drive tenacity and intrinsic motivation, two key characteristics needed for student success. Advancing technology now enables games to also serve as assessments with real-time data that gives teachers the ability to have immediate information about students' knowledge so they can provide differentiated instruction.

A variety of models for mixing face-to-face education and online instruction are generating lessons learned Since blended learning exploded onto the K-12 scene with promises of personalized and student-centered learning, it has proliferated into dozens of different models, with educators continually tweaking and changing those methods to find the perfect balance of face-to-face and online instruction to meet the needs of their students.