There are methods and models for implementing blended learning -- from the flipped classroom, to the flex model. All of them are on the continuum of just how much time is spent online and in the online classroom. Blended Learning can provide a unique way of not only engaging students in collaborative work and projects, but also personalizing and individualizing instruction for students.
Adding visuals to a phone conference can make a big difference - perhaps by showing a document, software application or slides. Or maybe you want to conduct a more formal online seminar-sometimes called a Webinar. There are a number of affordable software packages that can help. We talked to five nonprofit professionals about the tools that have worked for them.
"Google launched an open source course building web application for the growing list of K-12 and big-name universities developing online classes. The barebones website is a lightweight way to bring course material online, track student engagement (with web traffic and surveys), and evaluate performance. "We want to use this launch to show that Google believes it can contribute to technology in education," says Google's Director of Research, Peter Norvig.
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From NTEN-This is a subscription-based online infographic creation tool that provides users with the ability to create and publish a variety of different infographics. The site currently offers five templates to use as a starting point, or you can create your own from a blank page. While there are a number of options for customization, there are fewer backgrounds than Easel.ly. Venngage does provide the ability to choose from a variety of chart types, and you can upload data as a CSV to create charts. The finished product can be embedded on a blog or website, downloaded as an image, or accessible online. The company provides a variety of pricing plans, along with a 14-day free trial for new users.
New Online Partnership Brings the Library Deeper Into the Digital Age. (Description from Emerging Ed Tech, 10/1/13)
The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) officially opened to the public on April 19, 2013. Though still in its infancy, the DPLA is a mightily ambitious undertaking that strives to give free access to the best of America's libraries, museums and archives.
Launched with the support of multiple partners such as the Smithsonian, the New York Public Library, the National Archives, and an array of highly respected institutions of learning including Harvard, the DPLA opened with more than two million items on display. According to executive director Dan Cohen in an article featured online by the Huffington Post, this is just the beginning, and the public can expect "tens of millions (of additional resources) to come in the years ahead."
Have you ever needed or wanted to create an online course but did not know where to start? If so, you are not alone (and in this article, the marketing experts at Dynamic Search will show you how easy it is using Versal.com!). Versal provides a free service that allows you to completely design and create an online course without ever having to worry about trying to code. Many people are still hesitant, however, because they fear that using the program will prove to be just as difficult as coding and as a result have a hard time figuring out how to use it. This could not be further from the truth. Versal is easy to use and easy to navigate, and they take all of the guess-work out of creating a course - all you have to do is have the knowledge that needs to go into the course and how to set-up a lesson plan.
Ten Marks, an online mathematics tutoring service, offers a free program for teachers. Ten Marks for educators is designed to be a supplement to classroom instruction, not a replacement for it. If a student gets stuck on a problem he or she can open a tutorial to help him or her through the problem.
"Scribblar is great for:
* Online training and tutoring
* Revising artwork and images
* Creative brainstorming
* Sales and product demos
* Interviews and tests"
"The Department of Justice's revised regulations for Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) were published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2010.
cover of Justice Department's 2010 ADA StandardsThe Department has assembled this official online version of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (2010 Standards) to bring together the information in one easy-to-access location. It provides the scoping and technical requirements for new construction and alterations resulting from the adoption of revised 2010 Standards in the final rules for Title II (28 CFR part 35) and Title III (28 CFR part 36). "
This online session features Learning Design's own Nicole Croy! "Watch this session to learn about the efficient and cost-effective ways to implement video captioning solutions. We will also cover the basics of how to create closed captions, accessibility laws, captions formats including emerging formats for HTML5 and mobile, video player compatibility, and automated workflows with Kaltura."
ZebraZapps has partnered with the eLearning Brothers to produce high quality photographic character packs available in the Gadget Shopp. Conveniently integrated in the ZebraZapps cloud, these new character packs help authors instantly connect with their audience. Starting at just $3.50 you can choose from several multi-pose sets of unique characters. There's no need to search for and download art online, as the character packs live in the cloud with your account and can be used in every project.
Teachers assign online practice to their students aligned to the Common Core. It's very motivating for students and parents can follow their child's performance.
A free online tool to help students learn their basic math facts. XtraMath is very easy to use and it even sets up a rotating practice schedule for your classroom computer.
DimDim is a fairly new, streamlined online seminar application with support for chat, slide sharing, emoticons, white-boarding, VOIP voice conferencing and video conferencing. Only PC desktops can be shared, but DimDim supports Mac and Linux users for other features. Participants can enter meeting rooms using almost any system or browser, typically without a download. A free, ad-supported version allows up to 20 people to participate; a version without ads starts at $99 per year for up to 20 people.