BEIJING, June 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Color Star Technology Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq CM: HHT) (the "Company", "we" or "HHT"), a company engaged in the business of providing education services, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Color China Entertainment Limited, entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Shenzhen Bole Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("Shenzhen Bole") to provide advanced technologies for Color World, the Company's online education platform under development.

Shenzhen Bole is believed to be one of the leading augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) multi-scene content operation service provider in China and owns a large content library in the field of AR large-screen interactive subdivision. Shenzhen Bole created "X-Mirror (Gravitational Lens)," an innovative multiplayer AR interactive all-in-one machine, by integrating facial recognition, bone recognition and other cutting-edge technologies and leveraging rich AR interactive contents. Shenzhen Bole's clients include Agricultural Bank of China, NBA Playzone, Costa Cruises, Hershey's, as well as other large enterprises.

Since the outbreak of the global epidemic, traditional offline industries have faced great challenges while services utilizing online delivery has developed rapidly. We shifted our focus quickly and utilized our strengths to develop new areas of service. We are in the process of launching our Color World platform on which we plan to establish a full range alliance in entertainment education sector. The Company plans on deploying proprietary research and development with support from professional software development teams, aiming to break through the traditional education model and offer truly education services in an innovative way.

We anticipate the "artists + online education" model to be offered on Color World's platform to cover all fields of entertainment, including music, music production, vocal, songwriting, film acting, scriptwriting, sound engineering, and lighting engineering.

Management expects Color China's strong industry resources combined with its offline and online business models will attract hundreds of millions of registered users and provide them with a truly unique learning experience. While the initial planned launch date of the Color World platform was missed due to the functional modifications and expansions following the acquisition of Color China and the longer than expected impact of COVID-19, the Color World platform has completed its initial development phase and will become open for registration globally in the second half of 2020.

The most distinctive feature of the Color World platform will be the presence of numerous top artists from the world. To foster efficient learning results, Color World platform will provide students the flexibility to choose from various levels, numerous lessons in different languages, and many renowned artists teachers. Leveraging the unique experience of Color China's management team, the Company is looking into establishing strategic partnerships with many international record labels, agencies and artists. The Company also is exploring expanding its partnership network with many more international entertainment and sports companies and alliances to collaborate in nourishing our pioneered online education and entertainment ecosystem, adding new dynamics to the global entertainment economy.

Our partnership with Shenzhen Bole adds AR and Artificial Intelligence technologies to the Color World platform, enabling better interactions and learning experiences for our students. More specifically, Shenzhen Bole will implement AR technology into our video lessons, allowing for multi-lingual live interactions between students and their chosen artists virtually on the platform.

"We believe that the introduction of AR technology into our Color World platform will be a breakthrough for us and for the online education industry," Sean Liu, CEO of Color Star Technology commented, "AR technology will provide vivid live experiences and further encourage virtual interactions. We look forward to joining other top tier education companies in providing truly innovative and valuable education to students."

About Shenzhen Bole Information Technology

Shenzhen Bole is believed to be one of the leading augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) multi-scene content operation service provider in China and owns a large content library in the field of AR large-screen interactive subdivision. Shenzhen Bole created "X-Mirror (Gravitational Lens)," an innovative multiplayer AR interactive all-in-one machine, by integrating facial recognition, bone recognition and other cutting-edge technologies and leveraging rich AR interactive contents. Shenzhen Bole's clients include Agricultural Bank of China, NBA Playzone, Costa Cruises, Hershey's, as well as other large enterprises.

About Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.

Color Star Technology, is a holding company whose primary business is offering both online and offline innovative education services. Its business operations are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Color China Entertainment Ltd., CACM Group NY, Inc., Sunway Kids International Education Group Ltd. ("Sunway Kids"), Brave Millennium Limited, Chengdu Hengshanghui Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. and its variable interest entity, Chengdu Hengshanghui Education Consulting Co., Ltd. Sunway Kids engages in the early childhood education service business, providing a well-structured system to day cares and preschools inChina, including AI and robotic technologies, intellectual campus administration software as a service (SaaS) system and personalized education planning. The Company also anticipates providing anafter-school tutoring program inNew Yorkvia its joint venture entity Baytao LLC, and providing online music education via a platform branded "Color World".

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "plan", "outlook", and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties following the completion of the acquisition, and HHT's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: there is uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on HHT's operations, the demand for the HHT's products and services, global supply chains and economic activity in general. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in the other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by HHT.

Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections will be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year endedJune 30, 2019. HHT's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website atwww.sec.gov. HHT disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.Contact: Investor Relations

Cassie Zhang [emailprotected] 929-317-2699

SOURCE Color Star Technology Co., Ltd.

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Color Star Technology Announces Strategic Partnership with Bole Information Technology to Further Empower the "Color World" Platform -...

In the fall, we wont be meeting our peers or our lecturers in person, due to the current circumstances regarding COVID-19. But, thanks to the wonders of the Internet and one little thing called online learning we still have access to higher education, advice from tutors and study materials.

In case you havent heard, most of the Communication Science students will continue studying from the comfort of their home for the following semester. What started as undesired precognition, matured into a full-fledged regulation: second- and third-year students will not come to campus in the fall semester and only the new first-year students will have two hours of teaching on campus per week.

You may wonder what was the reason for this segregation. For one thing, our university cannot, under the current safety regulation, accommodate classes for all of its students. And the reason first-year students were given the opportunity is to have the most normal university experience possible at the moment.

Not only will this drastically impact the students experience, but it might also lead to lower GPAs. Why is that? Because online learning requires more motivation and discipline than regular classes, which can be hard on students these days when bad things keep on happening.

Still, we must understand why these measures were taken and we must come to terms with the fact that we wont be able to change them. Nothing left for us to do, but to get acquainted with the advantages and downfalls of online education.

Possible Obstacles Next Semester

First, lets have a look at the not so good aspects of online education.

The social aspect of education has the most to suffer from this switch to online learning. There is less contact between students and lecturers, and between students. That leaves little room for out-of-class discussions and therefore, no organic continuation of the lessons in the external world. Zoom might be able to correct that, but the lack of face-to-face communication could still lead to isolation in students and lecturers as well.

The future window to the academic world the computer.

As many of us have already noticed, it is much harder to form study groups and do group projects. Computer-mediated communication has the flaw of not transmitting non-verbal communication as easily as face to face communication and this can lead to miscommunications and slower progress in group projects.

Imagine this: you are on Zoom with your teammates working on a project. Everyone is in a different time zone and maybe one teammate is distracted by social media, one just came from work and has a hard time focusing and another doesnt participate in the conversation. It doesnt sound peachy right?

Keeping everyone involved and active takes more time and effort in computer-mediated communication in general.

I know that this is the absolute worst-case scenario, but weve all been in a group project where barely anything gets done. Think of that, but 10 times worse. Thats the world of online group projects.

These things are not meant to have you scream in anger at your future window to the academic world the computer. The downfalls listed above should inspire students to seek out ways to defeat them, not to enrage them. And dont forget about the bright side of this.

Online Learnings Saving Grace

However, there is a silver lining to all of these. Online education has convenience on its side. No more commuting, a much larger variety of study materials at your disposal and the geographical reach it has are just some of the benefits of online learning.

You would have no classes to rush to, no crowded public transport and you can look over the lectures at any time of the day or night. This is extra special because there is a high chance that the lectures will be available online sooner and for longer than they were before.

For many Communication Science students, online learning also means they dont need to be in the Netherlands, pay rent and pay for plane tickets for the holidays.All you need is a moderately stable internet connection and perhaps a webcam to follow provided online classes. Less hassle with the financial aspect of academic education.

How to Stay Productive With Online Learning

On an individual level, there are some things that you should avoid to keep on track with your online courses.

Firstly, invest a bit more time into prepping for your classes. Take time to read the materials ahead of time and set a timeslot specifically for doing your assignments.

Secondly, avoid procrastination by shutting off any reasons for distractions. When you get a project or an assignment, you should break it down into easily accomplishable tasks and set realistic deadlines for all of them.

Thirdly, try to find the best way to study and retain information. Maybe you learn easier when you take very detailed notes of the lectures that you are watching or maybe you can understand a topic better if you see a Youtube video about it. You are the only one responsible for finding your own path.

Lastly, there is significant evidence that indicates that students who are not overperforming in face-to-face classes may fall even more behind in online classes. So, its high time to put our big boy/girl pants on and crack down the books. Hustler culture is back in trend.

If you read the news from UvA and were disappointed with the plans for the next semester, know that you are not alone. We can get through this. Even though these are times where reality seems so detached from our personal lives and days incessantly pass us by, education should not be something else on our to-do list. Education should be the anchor point to reality, the one absolute that will have notable consequences in the near future.

Cover: Nick Morrison

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The Pros And Cons Of Studying Online - Mediummagazine

The closing down of classrooms due to the Covid-19 pandemic has given new impetus to online education and instruction. As universities, colleges and other higher educational institutions were forced to close campuses down, instruction had to move to the digital mode. This emergency shift has opened up an opportunity. Indian educational institutions and companies should seize this opportunity, global as well as national. The economic contraction resulting from the pandemic will squeeze the fiscal room to step up public investment in education. This provides education entrepreneurs and institutions an opportunity to bridge the education deficit by creating content.

Monetising the opportunity creates a revenue stream for educational institutions to improve their infrastructure and their brick-and-mortar and virtual offerings. Online education can supplement, not substitute, classroom education, and, in the process, transform the traditional offering. Online coaching will flourish but, that apart, going digital would help traditional educational institutions and educators to significantly augment their efficacy as well as teaching resources, whose nature would evolve as access to cloud computing increases, say, to make use of virtual or augmented reality for rich educational content.

This push to create quality content, to digitise classroom teaching, should be leveraged for the global market as well. This can be a critical tool to improve educational outcomes in countries of the developing south, particularly countries where the medium of education is English. India has an edge in science, engineering and mathematics, and the digital content that has been developed can help Indian educational institutions and companies access the overseas market for supplementary education.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Economic Times.

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Seize the online education opportunity - Economic Times

(QCOSTARICA) Some 50,000 applicants for the Bono Proteger (unemployment aid) will have free access to the international virtual education platform Coursera, a paid web service with nearly 5,000 training programs, from Stanford University.

The Minister of Labor, Giannina Dinarte, explained on the Monday the free online education platform available to 50,000 Costa Ricans who have lost their job due to COVID-19, to learn a new language or skills in order to generate greater employability and greater employment opportunities

There, beneficiaries will be able to learn languages, develop job skills, or acquire complementary knowledge such as data analysis and also obtain certifications.

This was explained by the Executive Director of Coursera, Jeff Maggioncalda. See video here (in English with subtitles).

- paying the bills -

Citizens will have access to courses from the best universities in the world as well as programs, such as the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, which quickly prepares people without technical knowledge for jobs in information technology, said Maggioncalda

The announcement was made on Monday afternoon by President Carlos Alvarado, who stated that this is one of the tools to combat the impact of COVID-19 in the country.

It is one of the strategies we have in order to generate greater employability and greater employment opportunities for those people who became unemployed as a result of the COVID-19, said the president.

The free access was made possible by an agreement from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS), the Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex) and the Costa Rican Coalition of Development Initiatives (Cinde) with Coursera.

The plan will be in charge of the Ministry of Labor, who administers the Protect voucher with the help of the Mixed Institute of Social Aid (IMAS).

- paying the bills -

As explained by the Minister of Labor, Geannina Dinarte, the selection of people who became unemployed or with suspended contracts and who have completed secondary school will be prioritized.

We will communicate to the people who are on the platform of the 50,000 spaces available and we call on those affected to take this opportunity that will give them valuable tools for their reintegration into the workplace, said Dinarte.

The MTSS reports there are some 266,000 people registered for the Bono Proteger, people are unemployed or with suspended contracts. In total, there are 950,000 applications for financial aid.

They are people who have stopped receiving income and it is essential to put at their disposal alternatives that allow them to have a prompt reintegration. the Minister pointed out.

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50.000 Unemployed in Costa Rica will have access to free online education platform - Q Costa Rica News

Donna Brazile, Opinion columnist Published 1:00 a.m. MT June 11, 2020

When historians look back at 2020, they might see some important lessons about how problems become really big problems when left to fester.

First, COVID-19 shut down the American economy and killed over 112,000 Americans disproportionately African American because we failed to establish the proper public health response early to address it.

Then, intense national protests erupted in every major city because of our persistent inability to address systemic racism, which manifested itself this time in the brutal police killing of George Floyd.

Problems dont go away if we try to sweep them under the rug.They just get worse.

Another crisis now looms.Since tens of millions of Americans began sheltering in place in March, the nations schools have switched toremote learning. Manyteachers, students and parentswere unpreparedfordistance learning, which could become a permanent fixture of education. And once again, communities of color will bethe most severely affected.

The majority of teachers, many of whom came of age before smartphones and social media, admit theyre not ready for this transition from in-person to online education. Huge numbers of children are being left out and left behind. Nationally, fewer than half the nations public school students have been participating in online classes; some studies report that 75%of students lack sufficient digital proficiency necessary for remote learning. In Philadelphia,after two-and-a-half months of remote learning, only 61%were taking part in classes on an average day, although pre-pandemic attendance was above 90%.

A number of sociological problems are being ignored as the nation tries to fumble its way into distance education. Single parents are striving to support their families on poverty wages while encouraging their childrens education. Too many parents and children are struggling to attain basic literacy and numeracy as well as digital literacy. And many curricula dont address African Americans, Hispanics and other communities of color, as well as digitally native young people from every background.

For their part, while students report great interest in the digital world and spend lots of screen-time on entertainment, information, and social media, huge numbers still report online education as wholly uninteresting.

Online learning in San Francisco in March 2020.(Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP)

As recent events underscore, racial and economic injustices underlie educational equalities, especially during this digital transition. Almost 40%of African American and Hispanic households dont have computers at home for their children to participate in online classes, do research on the internet and complete and submit their homework.

While broadband is available in 95%of homes, only 73%of households subscribe.An Obama administration study in 2015 found that most non-subscribers to residential broadband dont see its relevance.How have our education and civic communities responded to that?By sweeping it under the rug.

Joe Biden: We must urgently root out systemic racism, from policing to housing to opportunity

Many broadband providers are doing their part with $10-a-month service,but the nation needs to do more to achieve universal access and adoption, especially at this moment of turmoil and transition.

In rural areas where so many communities are suffering social isolation and economic dislocation, about 22%of the residents dont have wireline, and past efforts at extending broadband failed because of waste and political patronage.

As terrifying as these times are, America has been there before. In 1967, amidst urban upheavals, President Johnson created the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King a year later, America should have heeded the reports prophetic conclusion that the nation was moving toward two societies, separate and unequal. But Congress hit the snooze button instead.

Now we need a similar commission on education and equality and how we can transition education to a digital future that doesnt reinforce the savage inequalities of our past and present. No leader, no institution and no single solution can eliminate educational inequalities in the digital era. But together educators, policymakers, parents and business, civic and religious leaders can and must make a difference.

Sticker shock: Is an elite college worth the price if it's online? Or at all?

For starters, we should adopt recommendations from the American Federation of Teachers Plan to Safely Reopen American Schools and Communities, which calls for increased investment to close the digital divide. As the report explains, high speed broadband, reliable mobile service, modern technology and hardware are no longer optional they are now core infrastructure needs of businesses, schools and homes.

Seeing what has happened these past few months to our schools and in our streets, we dare not falter or fail.

Donna Brazile, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, is a Fox News contributor,an at-large automatic delegate to the 2020 Democratic convention, former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee and author of "Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that PutDonald Trump in the White House." Follow her on Twitter:@donnabrazile

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Don't let online education turn into the next crisis that hits people of color hardest - AZCentral.com

ST. LOUIS With concerns about COVID-19 continuing, the Missouri Department of Conservation will begin new online educational programs in June. These will enable those who want to learn about nature or outdoor recreational pursuits to do so while practicing social distancing guidelines.

The goal of our virtual educational programs is to reach those seeking nature and outdoor-based learning opportunities in a convenient and safe way, given these current circumstances, said MDC St. Louis Regional Administrator Julianne Stone. As we negotiate the new COVID-19 landscape, its more important than ever to maintain our connections with nature and we are very excited to adapt our conservation programming, so the people we serve can continue to access the quality programming MDC is known for.

The following two programs will kick off the new online learning opportunities in June:

Virtual Firearms Safety 101, Wednesday, June 17, 6-7 p.m.This is a basic firearms safety and knowledge class. MDC staff will discuss basic safety of firearms, hunting opportunities, and open locations to shoot your firearm. This quick 30-minute refresher will have you headed out the door for a safe experience. Register online at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z7a.

Sssensational Snakes, Thursday, June 18, 1-2 p.m.Nothing catches peoples attention like snakes. Why are snakes important? How do you tell if they are venomous? Find out the answers to these questions and more. This program will help you learn about and meet some of the slithering serpents that call Missouri home. Register online at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z7R.

All MDC online programs are free. Registration in advance is required to participate using the links above. Registrants must provide an email, so a program link can be sent to them. Each program will be approximately 30 minutes, followed by a chat-based question and answer period where participants can interact with the presenters.

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MDC begins online education programs in St. Louis region this June - The Marshall Democrat-News

While other colleges in New Hampshire intend to resume in-person classes this fall, Southern New Hampshire University plans to keep its distance.

Aisha Khiyaty of Quincy, Mass., received a flurry of text messages from fellow SNHU students Wednesday after the school announced it wont reopen its campus until at least next spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A lot of New Hampshire schools have already said theyre going to open up, said Khiyaty, who is entering her senior year studying law and politics. Not having our school be a part of that is aggravating.

The university cited the safety of everyone on campus, the continuing lack of a vaccine, limited availability of tests and an inability to provide robust and enriching campus-based experiences SNHU students know and expect as reasons for the decision.

SNHU will reduce campus tuition to its online rate of $960 per three-credit course. The university said it looked into a number of ways to bring back its nearly 3,000 on-campus students, including hybrid options, low-residency options and rigorous social distancing policies.

Khiyaty said she wasnt surprised, but she is disappointed no students were consulted.

Paul LeBlanc, SNHUs president and CEO, said the decision was made by a task force of experts.

I think there is a lot of student frustration, and they feel like, Nobody asked us what we want, he said. This isnt about what we want or not. We all want to open. We all want to be back together in September. This is really about following the best public health policy we could.

The university is set to lose multi-millions as a result of the decision, he said.

Ainsley Knox, who will be a sophomore in the fall, started an online petition to push for on-campus classes. As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, more than 1,300 people had signed. Knox wrote that she thought another semester of remote learning would harm students mental health.

The decision to remain remote for the 2020 fall semester is causing more problems for students than if we were allowed to return to campus, she wrote. If on campus, we would take precautions such as sanitizing stations, social distancing, and wearing masks.

Knox noted that the University of New Hampshire, a much bigger institution, is planning to open next fall.

Saint Anselm College announced earlier this week classes will resume on Aug. 19 for an adjusted semester. Students will return in a phased-in approach, according to the college.

In-person instruction will conclude Nov. 20 when students head home for Thanksgiving break, according to the plan.

As we did in March when faced with this unprecedented pandemic, we will be guided by what is right for our community, said President Joseph A. Favazza, in a statement. But the Hilltop is our home. It is where we belong. Therefore, we are committed to safely bringing campus life back to Saint Anselm.

The plan includes testing and tracing protocols. Students must wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines. The school had an enrollment of about 2,020 students as of last fall.

Last month, the University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System of New Hampshire announced they intend to have students return to 18 locations across the state for the fall semester.

To reopen SNHU would have required access to affordable testing that is fast and accurate, along with good contact tracing, LeBlanc said.

Those things are not right now available in the way that they would have to be, LeBlanc said. Even if we had those things, we were talking about a version of campus life that I think looks very different than what students imagined.

The university hopes to welcome students back in the spring, allowing seniors to graduate together.

Everyone is in this boat together, LeBlanc said. I think part of what is so frustrating right now is the physical distancing we are all required to keep, and it can feel isolating.

Khiyaty said juggling six online classes this spring was much harder than it was on campus. Being away from the campus means less support from fellow students and professors, she said.

All of the same classes will be available, LeBlanc said.

If these students wanted an online education, they would have signed up for it, he said. So I completely get the, online doesnt work for us, because that is not what they want.

The traditional campus experience is hard to replicate online, LeBlanc said.

SNHU is known for its online programs, and the university will provide extra support to students making the transition to remote learning. Some resources include bolstering online tutoring, academic support and mental health counseling services, LeBlanc said.

While it cant replicate being on campus, the university will work to bring groups of students together based on their interests.

We dont have illusions. It is not the same, he said. We get it.

In April, the university announced it would give 1,050 incoming freshmen and transfer students with freshman standing free tuition to live on campus but take hybrid online classes while living there. The so-called innovation scholarship remains, LeBlanc said.

The classes were going to be through our large online operation, he said.

LeBlanc worries most about freshmen who have never had an on-campus experience.

I think we have our work cut out for us to really make them feel like they have arrived in their new home, if you will, even if they are physically sitting in their parents dining room, LeBlanc said. Thats the challenge.

Officials are also working on a plan to cut tuition 61%, from $31,000 to $10,000, starting in the 2021-2022 academic year.

Khiyaty pointed out colleges in hard-hit Massachusetts have figured out how to open for the fall semester.

If they can figure out how to make it work, she said. I feel like our school has a way to ensure safety on campus.

While talking with other schools to understand challenges surrounding COVID-19, SNHU did not take into account other institutions decisions in deciding not to reopen, LeBlanc said.

We feel strongly that every colleges circumstances are different, context is different and the resources are different, he said. Everyone is trying to sort this out in terms of their situation so that is how we treated it.

The universitys task force will continue to monitor public health guidelines and could open some facilities in the future, such as the library or campus meeting spaces.

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SNHU sticks with online learning, won't open campus in the fall - The Union Leader

COLUMBIA, Mo.

After the school year ended with students out of the classroom amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Columbia Public Schools has a plan to give families a choice on in-person or online education come fall.

The Columbia Board of Education met in-person Monday night at the Columbia Public Schools Administration building. The public was welcome to attend for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started, but the room capacity was be limited to 50 people.

Watch a playback of the meeting player below.

Superintendent Peter Stiepleman said the district will allow families to choose whether to have their student(s) to participate in the typical five-day week with in-person classes or to learn completely online.

Stiepleman said the Columbia/Boone County Health Department believes opening up for class will be ok come fall.

"As the summer progresses, I will continue to stay in contact with the Boone County Health Department and if our plan for the 2020-2021 school year needs to change, you all will be the first to know," Stiepleman said. "We will survey our families, and find out where we are."

More information about the plan is expected to come out on June 22nd, where families can get a look at how each option might look for students.

Attached to Monday's agenda is a survey done by the district asking what CPS should consider as it gets ready to open back up to students.

The results of the survey can be found by clicking here.

Over 4,500 people participated in the survey. Some of the top ideas presented were safety, equal opportunity for education and mental health of students.

Stiepleman said the data showed a large divide, half of the people wanting to stick with online classes, and the other half wanting to go back to traditional learning.

While the plan may change, Steipleman said they want to be conscious of all situations, such as those individuals they are high risk for a COVID-19 infection as well as those students that depend on meals at school.

The president of the Columbia Missouri National Education Association Kathy Steinhoff spoke at the meeting, asking the board to listen to the needs of the community.

"Casting a wide net for voices to guide our work, to prepare for the fall and for the future, will allow us to show that we are not just hearing but listening to the voices of our students and community," Steinhoff said

The board also discussed a revised schedule for the 2020-2021 school year, which includes a later end date.

The last day of classes would be June 7 instead of June 3. The schedule was previously approved by the board with the start date of August 25.

A spokes woman for the district said the calendar changes are to comply with new state law.

The April 14andMay 5snow days were changed toJune 4andJune 7 and the first day of summer school would be changed toJune 8with the last day onJuly 2.

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Columbia Public Schools to offer families a choice on online or in-person education for fall - ABC17News.com

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Google's efforts for online education

The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic globally has forced people into their homes to avoid any interaction with people and maintain social distancing. This has led to the concept of 'work from home' and 'study from home' getting popularised more than ever. While the education sectorisone of the sectors that have been affected by the virus, tech companies and even schools are doing their bit to make online education convenient for children amid difficult times.Although things are beginning to get back to normal in India and schools might reopen soon, it's still best advised to stay at home and stay safe.

Among the various companies, Google has introduced a number of initiatives so that kids can acquire knowledge while at home. Here's a look at whatefforts Google has made for the same.

Google's popular video streaming platform YouTubeintroduced the YouTube Learning Destination for kids, teachers and anyone to acquire knowledge related to a plethora of subjects such asphysics, math, and biology,language skills,photography, yoga and more. The educational section on YouTube is available in various languages such asEnglish and Hindi, with Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, with more languages being added soon.

In order to access the feature, all you need to do is head to YouTube on Android, iOS or even web and look for Learning or YouTube Learning in the search bar. The result will appear on the top and you can click on it to get access to a number of videos on the same.It can also be accessed via the Explore section of YouTube. YouTube Learning Destination doesn't provide kids with videos as per the school syllabus and concentrates on generic educational videos. However, Google states that it acts as"a handy resource to supplement curriculum learning for students or general skill-building."

To recall, YouTube Learning Destination was introduced way back in 2015 and currently focuses on topics users can learn while at home, for instance,dealing with anxiety, coping with stress, wellness and fitness, etc.

Apart from online education tools, video calling is one way that became way too popular for people to communicate during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Giving competition to popular video-calling platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and more, Google rebranded its Hangouts Meet and introduced for us Google Meet. The video calling feature has received tons of features to help people easily converse via videos. The major update is free to access to Google Meet premium features for all until September 2020. This can be used byoffice-going professionals, teachers, students, and anyone to talk via videos. Since Google Meet allows up to 100 people on a single video call, teaching becomes easier on the platform.

For educational purposes, children and teachers can use the G Suite for Education for streamlined learning experience and management of the students. Teachers can also provide assignments with ease and provide feedback to students too.

Other features include the live captioning featuring so that it gets easier to know what a person is saying on the video chat, video and audio preview, ability to set different layout and screen settings, screen-sharing feature, various controls forthe host of a video call, integration with Google and Microsoft apps, all clubbed with security and privacy features.

Google has also introduced the Teach from Home Hub for both the teachers and students to get various tips as to how to go about the remote learning and teaching while at home. The portal includes resources from UNESCO and ISTE for the same. The website provides teachers, students and other G Suite users tips on how to conduct online teaching sessions from both the teachers', as well as, the students' part.

The website tells people how they can use the various Google tools for the purpose in an optimised way. The Teach from Home Hub is also available in Hindi. Additionally, Google has introduced the EDU Hub, specifically for the current Coronavirus situation worldwide so that people can indulge in distance learning and get hold of relevant resources for the same.

Google spokespersons (Satya Raghavan, Director, YouTube Partnerships, India / Bani Dhawan, Head of Education - South Asia, Google) have suggested that Google will keep on working to provide more and more online resources for e-learning. Google, in an email interaction, said, "The COVID-19 outbreak has forced us to think and execute learning in an online environment, at scale and with speed. YouTube learning hub and Teach From Home are part of our first response to help educators and students in maintaining teaching and learning continuity."

It is further suggested that Google has witnessed an increase in the subscriber count of Edu and learning channels on YouTube with video searches being more about homeschooling, throwing light on people' inclination towards online education and e-learning.

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June 9, 2020 | :

by Robert T. Palmer and Morris Thomas

In an article published in the NEA Higher Education Journal in 2018, Patrice Glenn Jones and Elizabeth K. Davenport argued that the resistance of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to embrace online education will make these institutions less attracted to todays technologically savvy generation of college students. Specifically, they cited several factors for the reluctance of HBCUs to engage online learning. The first factor was the lack of access to computers for the population that HBCUs predominately serve. Another factor centered on the need for HBCUs to continuously invest in technological upgrades to meet the demands of online education. The authors argued that since HBCUs are underfunded and are heavily depended upon tuition for revenues, they lack the funding infrastructure to attend to these upgrades. These, of course, are valid reasons and we have seen them play out recently during the COVID-19 pandemic as institutions abruptly shifted to virtual and online instruction in the middle of the spring semester. While postsecondary institutions in general are experiencing budget shortfalls due to loss revenues from prorating student fees and having to make significant investments in online learning platforms at the last minute, HBCUs specifically have been severely impacted by these events.

Dr. Robert T. Palmer

While we agree with the reasons Jones and Davenport discussed as hindrances to HBCUs adopting of online education, we would like to introduce another factor into this discourse. That is, some faculty at HBCUs harbor this notion that the HBCU experience cannot be captured in an online environment. Naturally, there are part of this premise in which we agree. For example, if a student at an HBCU is pursuing their degree completely online, they will miss the opportunity to engage in the out-of-the classroom activities that helps to bind one to the social fabric of the institution. But this is true for a student working on their degree exclusively online at another institutional type, such as one classified as predominantly White. However, a critical part that help makes the HBCU experience so unique, powerful, and uplifting are the relationships students are able to forge with faculty members. HBCU faculty have been credited for nurturing, empowering, and helping students to cultivate critical academic and personal skills that have spurred growth and development in their sense of self-efficacy. Connected to the interaction that students have with HBCU faculty is the curriculum, often imbued by threads of social justice and racial uplift, that are designed by faculty.

It is our contention that these aspects can be incorporated into an online educational environment. Specifically, by continuing to employ a curriculum that embraces culturally relevant content and instructional practices, faculty at HBCUs can still foster inclusive and culturally empowering learning experiences for students in an online capacity. Faculty can also conduct class sessions in synchronous and asynchronous formats and can use classes held in the initial format to check in on students. While these check-ins might focus on how well students are understanding the materials, they can also be used as an opportunity for faculty to get to know their students better. Just as faculty would do inside the classroom of a brick and mortar institution, faculty teaching in an online capacity could work to get to know their students from a holistic perspective. Taking time to let students know that they matter and that faculty care about them as a person will manifest in students developing meaningful relationships with faculty. This, coupled with a curriculum that is culturally affirming and enriching, will facilitate a transformative learning experience, which will help to provide students with a high-quality educational experience. These factors will also help to engender a safe, cathartic space where students feel supported and encouraged to openly discuss pressing social issues. It is these aspects, that in part, comprise the HBCU experience.

Dr. Morris Thomas

Indeed, online learning environments possess capacity to provide rich and meaningful learning experiences, allowing students to demonstrate academic voice, infectious curiosity, and expanded worldviews. Online courses utilize various technological tools as a means for providing instruction. Common instructional technology tools include learning management systems, web-conferencing, lecture capture, multimedia, social media and simulation. It is important to note that these tools do not replace the instructor but are used by instructors to supplement and facilitate learning in online environments. The role of the instructor remains paramount and can be highly effective in all instructional modalities, particularly online learning environments. We must also remember that the HBCU experience is not only formed by the faculty, but the students who attend these institutions bring a wealth of experiences into these learning environments. Therefore, faculty should incorporate student-centered instructional strategies in online courses. A few suggested student-centered instructional strategies include the following:

Moreover, technological tools are essential to online learning because many students use similar tools in their daily routines as their primary and preferred means for engagement. Therefore, if these technologies are appropriately employed in online learning environments, what prevents online instruction from having the ability to foster dynamic learning environments that nurtures meaningful relationships, ultimately contributing to the unique HBCU experience?

It is important for HBCUs to recognize that online learning continues to be one the fastest growing sectors of higher education. Online learning has increasingly become a more widely accepted and viable option. The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified the need for this option and has pushed institutions to adopt virtual instruction rapidly. It is our aim to encourage those who resist adopting the online modality to consider that the HBCU experience does not have to be limited to face-to-face encounters. It is possible to expand this cherished tradition by embracing online learning.

Online learning is not the next big thing; it is the now big thing

-Donna J. Abernathy

Dr. Robert T. Palmer is chair and associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Howard University.

Dr. Morris Thomas is associate professor in the Center for the Advancement of Learning at the University of the District of Columbia.

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Can Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities... - Diverse: Issues in Higher Education