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This article looks at one case study in El Salvador where MOOCs have cracked open the door for university reform. Universities in emerging markets operate on really low budgets compared to U.S. universities, and MOOCs give them access to current content, especially important for high-tech subjects.

The American Council of Education will review some Coursera classes to see if they will recommend them to other universities as "acceptable." This involves a review by existing professors for course quality. Other interesting tidbits: looks like Coursera will pilot remote-proctoring to verify identity of students; Gates Foundation just gave away $3 million to study MOOCs and create remedial / introductory classes.

Will online research tools contribute to the demise of the academic library? This article suggests we are using a blended approach to research. Curious to hear how many of us use Gutman's resources beyond a study space.

Good synthesis of much of what we studied in T561

Also not directly about technology, but more certainly about transformation of established school practice. Connected to what we have studied in T561, the possibilities seem palpable.

A recent study found that undergraduate students actually want more technology-use in classes, such as e-textbooks, game-based learning, videos, etc.

"This case study debunks some of the misconceptions around what happened to edutainment in the '90s, and shares lessons learned from one of the most important periods in the history of games and learning."

Interesting report from Main on an iPad Kindergarten pilot.  A study in collaboration with Boston College showed evidence of increased kindergarten literacy scores compared with a control group of Kindergartens with traditional instruction.

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation just released their first in a series of case studies about what blended learning can "look like." The cases will break out the schools' instructional, operational, and financial models, which I find very helpful. This first case profiles a K-1 KIPP school in Los Angeles using computer-based stations to make a rotational small-group differentiated instruction model feasible with a smaller budget for instructional staff. As the authors state, "online programs enable [KIPP] Empower's model but do not integrate with teacher-led instruction" (11).

A case-study on how one school is using data to help prevent dropouts in middle school.

An interesting study on how children may learn better by 'teaching' robots

This page contains a video and case study of Katy Independent School district's integration of mobile technology into the classrooms.

This article outlines various augmented reality apps that are being used in classes. I've actually used Google Sketchup when teaching, giving students an opportunity to design their own buildings and use it to study geometric properties. It was very cool.

"Studies" like this are bogus because they confuse correlation with causation.

Interesting EDC study showing positive results with an online Algebra course for rural students in Maine and Vermont.    The 8th graders taking the virtual algebra course performed much better and were more likely to take advanced math classes by the 10th grade.  It's an example of educational technology being used in a very effective and appropriate way to address rural student equity issues.

"What accounts for the high attrition rates? Maybe some of it has to do with aptitude, or encouragement, or good role models and mentors. But Philip Babcock, an economist at the University of California, Davis, suggests that a lot of it has to do with homework. Professor Babcock has written extensively about college students' evolving study habits (or lack thereof) over the last 50 years. He found that in 1961, full-time students spent about 40 hours each week in class and studying. By 2003, they were investing about 27 hours a week". But then, we did not have Facebook, Twitter and Videogames in 1961 :-)