Group items tagged

This is a link to the Forsyth County Schools. It provides an overview of the BYOD program at Forsyth. There are other links to technology initiatives and implementation in the District.

This is the initiative with which I am interning. I used to work at Friends Academy and with Katherine Gaudet and she has organized a robust initiative. It should be very interesting to see how this develops over the next two years.

full disclosure: classmate Alex Schoenfeld first shared this with the us in the TIE facebook group :). But it brings an interesting trend in the adoption and pricing of mobile apps: Article outlining what lots of us know when it comes to moblie apps and pricing - free, $1, and $2 are the price-points that sell, and allow us to try out an app with minimal regret. But with the rise of more and more high-quailty, high-profile, and high-budget educatioanl apps, will the pricing structure change? Will parents and educators be willing to spend the prices of traditional computer software ($50 or more?) for really great mobile apps? The article brings up an interesting model that seems to already be coming to life looking at how apps are being sold and updated lately: "Donahoo and Russell propose there's a better way: subscriptions and content expansion packs.  Launchpad Toys follows the latter tact. The initial price the Toontastic app for $3 (though it's currently free). Users can use that fully functioning app, or choose to add additional characters and themes with $.99 expansion packs. This way, they contend, costs are controlled; it's cheap for parents and children to evaluate an app, and the model encourages regular updates."

This article is further proof that many of the emerging educational technology initiatives are driven not by student performance but by the desire to earn profits. K12,inc. seems to be a particularly shady (and highly successful) business in this regard.

MIT announcing next Monday that they will launch an online learning initiative called M.I.T.x,which will offer the online teaching of M.I.T. courses free of charge to anyone in the world. This course will not offer M.I.T. deploma, but will offer a M.I.T. certificate of completion. How will this impact for-profit online universities, such as, University of Phoenix?

Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) initiatives launched at New Milford High School as part of a pilot project.

Hewlett Packard, Inc. started a global initiative to make the best use of technology to advance STEM.

Last year's runner-up states in the "Race to the Top" initiative can now apply for a part of $200 million set aside for STEM education funding. 

MOOCs are losing momentum as word spreads that they are not wonderful, but a popular topic still can get a big initial enrollment.

Are MOOCs really losing momentum? It seems as if there is still a lot of hype in the media about it, and campuses are continuing to add classes based on the MOOC concept. Even here at HGSE, there is talk of MOOC type classes.

Interesting article about the cost components (not just device pricetags) of using digital textbooks. The article considers Africa, but the framework can apply anywhere.

Research projects provide an insight into the changing landscape of learning in the 21st Century, which then shapes the learning environment and methods at NBCS. We incorporate the ideas and thinking that comes from research and development into programs and initiatives, including online distance education for HSC students across NSW (www.hsconline.nsw.edu.au), Professional Development courses and training for teachers, and international learning collaboration network established to bring learning communities together (www.beyondborders.edu.au).

Skoolaborate is a global initiative uses a blend of technologies including, blogs, online learning, wiki's and 'virtual worlds' to transform learning. We aim to use these tools to provide engaging collaborative learning experiences for students aged between 13 and 18 years of age.

One university gives all freshman and iPhone/iPod Touch. Let the learning begin!

Review of pilot program that gave iphone/ipod touches to college students in Texas. Mentions other initiatives at Stanford and UK universities.

Article on how iPhones could change education.

Edufire is an open platform that connects students and teachers from around the world and enables teachers to tutor over the internet. Initiatives like this one, support Bill Gates' view that in 5 years the best education will come from the Web. (Reference this article: http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/06/bill-gates-education/)

Important initiative for enabling equity and reducing digital divide

This is the .gov web site listing PDFs of all current Education policies, research,studies and initiatives.

The White House announces the creation of a national center called Digital Promise that will focus on transforming education through learning technologies.

South Korea initiative for digital textbooks - good news?

"Innovation and technology will not be centered around a piece of technology," Paul Kim, assistant dean and CTO at Stanford School of Education, "suggesting instead that educational reformers should focus on content and promoting self-initiated learning."

Superintendent and School Board understand the need for technology investment in Education and MUSD residents chose to extend the $40m bonds to fund this crucial initiative.