HuffPo is now doing automated A/B testing for its headlines. How does that apply to ed? Online learners all have that liminal moment where they choose to click through or not click through. Proper A/B testing uncovers the motivation of why (or at least the effectiveness) of why some marketing copy and headlines work, and others dont. The best cloud-based ed. tech in the world means nothing if the click-through rate of a passive user is not substantial.
This article is not about emerging tech directly. However, it discusses how there is an initiative to increase teaching students to be innovators consistent with 21st century learning. When I read this, I thought about all the ways that technology could facilitate this.
This article discusses ways to use mobile technology in a higher education setting, including uses to increase engagement among students and to provide safety and emergency information. The author fails to include any uses that actually involve learning or improved communication and transparency between students and teachers, which I believe is an oversight that many schools have when considering implementing mobile technology in their schools.
Jeff Kirchick is Director of Universities at SCVNGR, the popular mobile game about going places, doing challenges and earning points. He presents regularly about the future of mobile and location-based services in education. You can follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffreyKirchick or e-mail him at jeff@scvngr.com.
In the beginning, they had a great environment in the classroom using the online software. Later, as more classrooms/users began using online program simultaneously the network failed.
Every school is different!
Somewhat simplistic article. If you build it they'll come attitude. it's not the technology, but knowing how to use the technology, properly...i.e not in a sustaining manner.. that will improve schools and learning...
Obama should put more money into educational technology. This seems like a very one sided and simplistic view of how technology can be used to improve education. Only at the end of the article do you realize that the author is selling something: he's an officer at a company that works with educational technology
This article is about the Khan Academy: how it came to be, how it is funded, its strengths and perceived weaknesses. Additionally, it paints a great picture of the Ed Tech ecosystem.
I would be interested to know why she is stepping down - the article doesn't address her reason for leaving. In fact, based on another article from last week, I got the impression that she would be serving in this position for at least a couple more years: https://www.edsurge.com/n/karen-cator-doe-is-ready-for-second-term
Another article about the bubble in edtech:
"Most of today's education technology startups are doomed to fail. "But wait!" you say. "It's 2012 and edtech startups are sprouting up everywhere, pushing real innovation into a slow-moving yet vitally important market, gaining traction, getting funded!" True. Yet they are still doomed to fail."
They define success in edtech as building a sustainable company that improves student outcomes, empower teachers, and increases the reach and efficiency of educational institutions.
A couple of youth-oriented websites settled with the government recently because of COPPA (law that protects children's private information online, if they are under 13yo). Now legislatures want to expand COPPA, so it may significantly impact learning games developers, too.
This Forbes article mentions the Horizon report that we read earlier for class, plus some emerging trends in ed tech. Talks about games, mobile, and adaptive learning (we have touched on some of these topics in class).
Looks like there is some funding available to scientifically evaluate MOOCs for remedial education! I think the results will be interesting to see, since I remember from discussion or a reading that some ed tech seems to work for autism and special needs students...so maybe MOOCs also have a niche.