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One of nations best University systems, University of California, is about to start its first group of fully online courses for undergraduates. At the same time, the California State Universities (CSU) starting its computer-based options for its 412,000 students. Currently, there are master's degrees in 63 disciplines entirely online. Some educators are skeptical and raise concern on cheating and of "walmartaization" of CSU education.

One example of using Ipads instead of math books. There is a brief mention of incorporating video, but the article does not go into detail about the format of the digital text books

California collage students to get free digital textbooks as early as next year.

PresenceLearning allows students to receive speech therapy services online. Willows is a tiny farming town in Northern California about 20 miles from where I grew up. Imagine my surprise as I read this article and realized that the superintendent they were quoting, Vicki Shadd, was actually my Jr. High School volleyball coach. The real benefit of distance therapeutic services in this instance is the ability to provide services to rural students who would would otherwise be neglected due to the school's location and budget. 

"This would be a big change, acknowledging that colleges aren't the only ones who can offer college courses," said Burck Smith, the founder of Straighterline. "It means rethinking what a college is."

Competency Based Learning is Badge Learning. A district in California is putting it into practice.

''Previously, standardized tests accounted for 100% of a school's API (academic performance index). Under the new rules California high schools will have no more than 60% of students' test scores contribute to their API. ''

Online tools as a way of saving money....

This reminds me of the article on the no-tech school in California where techie parents send their kids to school.

Quite an interesting move by University of California, SF - med students will now be able to receive academic credit for editing Wikipedia articles about diseases.

(Hosted by the California Student Media Festival) This page displays a chart that shows how and under what conditions one can use media without violating copyright. The chart specifies its sources. Perhaps the chart could be re-made to make it more readable.

Jerry Brown, Governor of California, speaks out about the ineptitude of standardized tests as a comprehensive, accurate way of measuring student learning. This idea is germane to most of what we are learning about the virtues of performance-based assessments, constructivist approach to learning, and the future of education. Does anybody think that there will ever be a time when standardized testing is replaced by something more effective? Emerging technologies like augmented reality simulations and multi-user virtual environments could be candidates for the replacement of standardized paper-based tests. Interesting to think about...

As public funds dry up, more and more school districts will have to take an entrepreneurial approach to bring costs down.

A growing number of kids at increasingly younger ages are engaging in online social networking today-a development that is leading to a surge of news stories, media attention, and economic investment. In this paper, produced with the generous support of Cisco Systems and the Digital Media and Learning Hub at the University of California, Irvine, scholars Sara Grimes and Deborah Fields argue that these shifts in usage and public discussion demand a better understanding of the ways that social networking sites mediate kids' socializing and the opportunities and limits they place on kids' participation, particularly for young children.

"Coastline Community College is set to create low-cost, online bachelor's degree pathways where students can enroll simultaneously at one of three public universities, none of which are in California."