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Poll: Majority of children admit to online risk-taking

From VoicED A new poll of 2000 11-16 year olds carried out for BBC Learning has found that almost three in five (57%) have done something ‘risky’ or anti-social while online. In addition, almost two in three (62%) said that they felt under pressure from peers to act in this way on the internet. The research was released to coincide with Internet Safety Day, which takes place on February 10th and utilized a combined CATI and online methodology. In terms of accessing the internet, all those surveyed were active internet users. 94% accessed the internet from a PC or laptop, …

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Are massive open online classes still the wave of the future?

With a steady stream of news that the price of college is quickly becoming too high for many Americans to afford, an alternative form of higher education may be how some future students learn. MOOC, or massive open online classes, offer free lectures and web based courses by some of the world’s best universities. But according to NPR.com, MOOCs popularity never really took off. Because the courses are free and open to anyone with an internet connection, many believed that this type of offering would soon be the death of college. Not so, or at least not yet. According to a paper …

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BYOD, Customized Learning and Virtual Academics: K-12 Trends for 2014 — Part II

On Monday I wrote about what lies ahead for K-12 schools in 2014 when it comes to life skills programs, expansion of cloud technology, and a greater emphasis on individual school branding. In all three cases, the trends have been part of classrooms for some time but are sure to see rapid growth in the coming year. I want to continue that conversation today with three more trends I think we will see emerging, or expanding, in the U.S. K-12 classrooms of 2014: BYOD: This movement which embraces mobile technology through the devices that students already own has already gained …

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Is an online education really that cheap?

According to U.S. News and World Report, online higher education options aren’t necessarily cheaper than the traditional brick-and-mortar schools. The report attempts to “debunk” the myths surrounding the theory that online education may be a cheaper option for some students. According to usnews.com, tuition costs for online courses, or degrees in some cases, are more expensive due technology and faculty costs. “Even if tuition for an online program looks appealingly low, students should be sure to look into whether they will be paying any additional fees, says Vickie Cook, director of the Center for Online Learning, Research and Service at the University of …

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The Call to Teach: The Role of Technology

As far back as 2004, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, or NCATE, outlined technology standards to help support educators in the classroom in the rapidly evolving Internet-based world. Among other things, the standards called for technology empowerment of teachers in order to reach a tech-hungry student population and society at large. Nearly a decade later, these reasonable standards set forth by NCATE are more necessary than ever in K-12 classrooms. My new book The Call to Teach: An Introduction to Teaching looks at the colossal role technology is playing in all K-12 schools and how the …

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4 Ways Digital Technology has Changed K-12 Learning

Digital technology has taken the world by storm – particularly in the past decade. It makes sense that this trend would have an impact on K-12 learning because there is nothing in modern American society that digital technology has not touched. While the names of the mobile applications and computer programs may change, there are some foundational ways that technology has already changed the face of education forever. Take a look: Collaboration: Students can now work together on basic assignments and larger projects without having to meet at the library after school. Email and Cloud applications make it simple for …

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Confessions of a MOOC professor: three things I learned and two things I worry about

John Covach, University of Rochester We have heard a lot of talk about MOOCs, or massive online open courses, over the last couple of years. On the plus side, MOOCs often draw enormous enrollments and are easy to sign up for and use; all you need, it seems, is an Internet connection and an interest to learn. On the down side, they have significant attrition rates – about 90 percent of those enrolled never complete a course – and, according to their most alarmist critics, these courses may even threaten the jobs of college professors nationwide. Indeed, despite the large …

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How to use safe and private messaging for your school community

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.** A guest post by Nick Grantham Overview Remind (formerly Remind101) is a one-way messaging service created specifically to help teachers communicate with their school community as simply and safely as possible. Allowing students and parents to sign up via text, email or online using a unique class code, the service keeps phone numbers completely hidden so teacher-student-parent communication is 100% private and secure. Name: Remind  – www.remind.com Pricing: …

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(Yet) 5 More Educational Technology Concepts Every Teacher Should Know

In previous articles, I wrote about some emerging educational technologies and technology concepts that every teacher must keep track of to be more effective in the classroom, from virtual laboratories to prototyping. In this final installment of this series, you will discover even more concepts that will revolutionize K-12 education as we know it. A couple of these must-know technologies would have been unbelievable a few years ago. Take a look at the following five: Student-led planning. When special education students reach high school, they are being called upon more and more to have input into their individual learning plans. …

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Using EdTech to assess small group instruction

A panel discussion with the teachers of Richardson ISD in Richardson, Texas PANELISTS: Caroline Canessa, Merriman Park Elementary, 5th Grade Reading-Language Arts Leah Janoe, Dover Elementary, 5th Grade Math Ashley Scott, White Rock Elementary, 3rd Grade Jennifer Looney, Wallace Elementary, 3rd Grade Alyson Hollon, Dover Elementary, 6th Grade Science   For those who may not know, can you elaborate on what your state standards ask teachers to assess in terms of small group discussions? Jennifer Looney: According to our third grade standards, students should be involved in teacher-led and student-led discussions. Leah Janoe: Students should participate in small-group discussions by …

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