Group items tagged

"Abstract Competency-based education (CBE) awards academic credit based on mastery of clearly defined competencies. CBE replaces the conventional model in which time is fixed and learning is variable with a model in which the time is variable and the learning is fixed. CBE is built around clearly defined competencies and measurable learning objectives that demonstrate mastery of those competencies. Measuring learning by competency is not new, but various challenges facing higher education, combined with new models and technologies, have brought a new focus on CBE. A growing number of competency-based programs have been developed at all levels of instruction. CBE capitalizes on the potential of online learning, enabling new models that can reduce both the cost and time needed to earn credentials while better preparing students for their professional lives. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues."

Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning POGIL originated in college chemistry departments in 1994; there are now well over 1,000 implementers in a wide range of disciplines in high schools and colleges around the country.POGIL uses guided inquiry - a learning cycle of exploration, concept invention and application is the basis for many of the carefully designed materials that students use to guide them to construct new knowledge. POGIL is a student-centered strategy; students work in small groups with individual roles to ensure that all students are fully engaged in the learning process.POGIL activities focus on core concepts and encourage a deep understanding of the course material while developing higher-order thinking skills. POGIL develops process skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and communication through cooperation and reflection, helping students become lifelong learners and preparing them to be more competitive in a global market.POGIL is a classroom and laboratory technique that seeks to simultaneously teach content and key process skills such as the ability to think analytically and work effectively as part of a collaborative team. A POGIL classroom or lab consists of any number of students working in small groups on specially designed guided inquiry materials. These materials supply students with data or information followed by leading questions designed to guide them toward formulation of their own valid conclusions-essentially a recapitulation of the scientific method. The instructor serves as facilitator, observing and periodically addressing individual and classroom-wide needs.POGIL is based on research indicating that a) teaching by telling does not work for most students, b) students who are part of an interactive community are more likely to be successful, and c) knowledge is personal; students enjoy themselves more and develop greater ownership over the material when they are given an opportunity to construct their own und

Stanford Teaching Commons "Modes of Teaching, Modes of Learning:  Created by CTL and VPOL, our course profiles describe Stanford examples of great teaching and learning in different modes, including candid reflections on lessons learned. The definitions give a wealth of information on learning activities, learning objectives, and assessments for these different teaching and learning environments."

"An important area that digital natives have been unable to manage effectively is their own personal learning. There are 3 very specific habits that new learners bring with them into the E-Learning environment that need to be "un-learned" so effective "re-learning" can take place" (¶5, retrieved 2015.06.26).

"Published March 21, 2013 Kelly A. Lack As online courses continue to gain in popularity at colleges and universities throughout the country, knowledge about the effectiveness of this mode of instruction, relative to that of traditional, face-to-face courses, becomes increasingly important. A 2009 report by the U.S. Department of Education provides a meta-analysis of studies published up to 2008, examining the relative effectiveness of the different delivery formats in helping various populations of students learn different types of course content. This Ithaka S+R literature review complements that effort. It examines several studies that are not included in the DOE report, focusing on research that compares online or hybrid learning to face-to-face instruction in the context of semester-length, undergraduate-level, credit-bearing courses. The review yields little evidence to support broad claims that online or hybrid learning is significantly more effective or significantly less effective than courses taught in a face-to-face format, while also highlighting the need for further studies on this topic. The value of research of this kind will only grow as even more sophisticated, interactive online systems continue to be developed, and as the current budgetary constraints and enrollment pressures on postsecondary institutions strengthen the case for improving productivity."

"EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A new business landscape is emerging wherein a multitude of small entities will bring products and services to market using the infrastructure and platforms of large, concentrated players. The forces driving this are putting new and mounting pressures on organizations and individuals while also opening up new opportunities. But traditional postsecondary educational institutions are not supporting individuals in successfully navigating this not-too-distant future, nor are the educational institutions immune to these forces. Perhaps more than any other sector, postsecondary education is being affected by changing demand as the learning needs and preferences of the individual consumer rapidly evolve. Increasingly, individuals need both lifelong learning and accelerated, on-demand learning, largely as a response to the pressures of the broader evolving economic landscape. Rarely seen amid gross national statistics on the skills gap, employability, completion rates, and tuition hikes is a serious discussion of the unmet, and increasingly disparate, needs and expectations of individual learners. The costs to the individual are increasing, and the payoff is less certain. Students of all ages are more comfortable with technology and are less tied to traditional notions of the academy as fewer American adults between the ages of 18 and 22 achieve a four-year, full-time, campus-based degree.1 At the same time, technological advances reduce the lifespan of specific skills, and an increasingly globalized and automated workforce needs to continuously learn and retrain."

This Indiana University, Bloomington, page outlines characteristics of inquiry-base learning, and includes "detailed information about effective problem-based learning environments" (2014.10.08).

Abstract Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) is a system developed at UCLA for coordinating and evaluating peer reviews of student work. In CPR, students review one another's assignments in an anonymous system, providing feedback to other students while also learning how to recognize strengths and weaknesses of their own efforts. Peer review might hold particular promise for MOOCs and other high-enrollment courses that struggle with assessment and feedback, though the benefits of peer review can apply to any community of learners, large or small. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.

"The theories behind communities of practice The design of teaching often integrates different theories of learning. Communities of practice are one of the ways in which experiential learning, social constructivism, and connectivism can be combined, illustrating the limitations of trying to rigidly classify learning theories. Practice tends to be more complex. What are communities of practice? Definition:  Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. Wenger, 2014"

"To paraphrase artificial intelligence pioneer Marvin Minsky, there is no such thing as a typical student because each brain contains many different kinds and combinations of resources. Neuroscience research suggests that the brain is not one general learning system but consists of many specialized modules developed over eons of evolution. While those modules vary, their network connections differ even more depending on genetics and experience. Thus every student brings to the classroom wiring, experiences, assumptions, and hidden semi-autonomous processes that we call euphemistically "prior knowledge.""

"Paulo Blikstein http://paulo.blikstein.com is Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Education http://tltl.stanford.edu. Blikstein's research focus on how new technologies can deeply transform the learning of science, engineering, and mathematics. He creates and researches cutting-edge technologies for use in inner-city schools, such as computer modeling, robotics, and rapid prototyping, creating constructionist learning environments in which children learn science and mathematics by building sophisticated projects and devices. A recipient of the prestigious NSF Early Career Award, Blikstein holds a PhD. from Northwestern University, an MSc. from the MIT Media Lab, and a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of São Paulo."

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR INTERPRETIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING The goal of the ARIEL project is the creation of an exhibit platform that uses scientific visualization techniques to transform modern visitor interaction with traditional hands-on exhibits. The project will ultimately demonstrate an innovative solution to a key problem faced by science centers: the reinvention of the exhibit experience for visitors with changing 21st century learning expectations. The project has three main goals: to increase awareness of STEM content; improve 21st century learning skills; produce an evidence-based model for use of augmented reality activities within science museum settings. The project combines technological and pedagogical components in the AR fixed-station activities and the VR environment that exhibit multiple characteristics and constraints to engagement.

"Speakers: Malcolm Brown, Director, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative Andy Calkins, Deputy Director, Next Generation Learning Challenges George Siemens, Associate Director, Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute, Athabasca University Date: November 20, 2012 Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET (UTC-5); convert to your time zone Topic: This free hour-long webinar, "The Current and Future State of Higher Education," will outline an open online course, conducted in fall 2012, that evaluated the change pressures that face universities and the opportunities that can help universities prepare for the future state of higher education."

"A learning scientist's attempt to temper the "learn to code" mania with a healthy dollop of reality"

"Join Kathy Craven and Emily Wray, faculty from Full Sail University, for an interactive session exploring the art and science of digital storytelling. Learn how to facilitate these dynamic projects in an online classroom - from scripting and story boarding to production and publishing. Learn to use collaborative web-based tools and countless free resources to develop a practical production model for engaging your students' creativity and critical thinking skills. The NMC Horizon Connect Webinar series is free for Higher Ed and K-12 NMC members throughout the year. Non-members pay $99 per webinar. If you are not a member, learn how to become a Higher Ed or K-12 NMC member here and join before you register. "

"The myth of learning styles. Change,"

The creation of the Office of the Vice Provost for Online Learning - part of the larger Stanford Online initiative - signals both a restructuring of the university and its dedication to ensuring pedagogical agility and rigor in the face of global, economic and social transformations.