Archive for the ‘Online Education’ Category
Meet David: A Baker Online success story – Video
Posted: March 20, 2012 at 2:34 pm
SRI International releases report on costs and benefits of online learning programs
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Public release date: 20-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dina Basin dina.basin@sri.com 650-859-3845 SRI International
Menlo Park, Calif. March 20, 2012 A new SRI International report prepared for the U.S. Department of Education provides guidance to educational leaders as they work to implement successful, cost-effective online learning programs for secondary schools.
The report, Understanding the Implications of Online Learning for Educational Productivity, summarizes past research on the cost and outcomes associated with online learning programs in higher education and offers strategies for implementing such programs effectively in K-12 settings.
Educational policymakers and administrators across the country face shrinking budgets and increasing pressure to improve student performance. Many are looking at how online learning programs can benefit their students.
"In preparing this report, we really learned a great deal about the specific benefits that online learning programs are most likely to achieve, and are most ready for testing in rigorous comparative research," said Marianne Bakia, Ph.D., senior policy analyst at SRI International's Center for Technology in Learning and lead author of the report. "In addition, the report provides analytic tools for district and school administrators to evaluate claims about the cost-effectiveness of online learning courses and programs so that they can become knowledgeable consumers of online materials."
The report recommends that educators broaden access to quality online resources and experiences to increase educational opportunities for students in remote locations or in schools or districts with low-enrollment.
To improve the quality of online education, researchers recommend engaging students in active learning using research-based principles and established best practices; personalizing instruction based on students' interests, preferred pace of learning, and performance; and automating routine tasks to allow teachers to focus on complex, interactive activities in the classroom.
The report also suggests that online learning can lower education costs by making better use of teacher and student time, using home or community spaces in addition to traditional school buildings, and through the reuse and large-scale distribution of materials. Although studies have consistently found that online learning programs have reduced costs compared to traditional instruction, the report finds that online learning programs may have higher start-up costs associated with equipment and curriculum development.
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SRI International releases report on costs and benefits of online learning programs
AT&T Announces Expansion of Education Commitment and Increase of Indiana Grad Rate
Posted: at 2:33 pm
INDIANAPOLIS, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --As access to skilled workers becomes increasingly vital to the U.S. economy, AT&T is launching a quarter-billion-dollar campaign to help more students graduate from high school ready for careers and college, and to ensure the country is better prepared to meet global competition.
According to a March 19, 2012 report by Civic Enterprises, the Everyone Graduates Center, America's Promise Alliance and the Alliance for Excellent Education, Indiana has seen a 2.1 percentage increase in 2009 graduation rates, compared with data from 2002.
AT&T Aspire, already among the most significant U.S. corporate educational initiatives with more than $100 million invested since 2008, will tackle high school success and college/career readiness for students at-risk of dropping out of high school through a much larger, "socially innovative" approach. Social innovation goes beyond traditional philanthropy which typically involves only charitable giving to also engage people and technology to bring different approaches, new solutions and added resources to challenging social problems. The Aspire effort already has impacted more than one million U.S. high school students, helping them prepare for success in the workplace and college.
The greatly expanded effort centers on a new, $250 million financial commitment planned over 5 years. AT&T Aspire will build on that commitment by using technology to connect with students in new and more effective ways, such as with interactive gamification, Web-based content and social media. The company will also tap the innovation engine of the AT&T Foundry to look for fresh or atypical approaches to educational obstacles. Finally, AT&T Aspire will capitalize on the power of personal connections in the form of mentoring, internships and other voluntary efforts that involve many of AT&T's approximately 260,000 employees.
"AT&T Aspire works toward an America where every student graduates high school equipped with the knowledge and skills to strengthen the nation's workforce," AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson said while announcing the extended commitment during a keynote address at the second annual Building a Grad Nation Summit. The Washington, D.C., event convened by America's Promise Alliance (http://www.americaspromise.org/), Civic Enterprises (http://www.civicenterprises.net/home.html), The Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University (www.every1graduates.org/), and the Alliance for Excellent Education (http://www.all4ed.org/) brings together nearly 1,200 U.S. leaders to discuss progress and challenges in ending the high school dropout crisis.
"Research is clear that the number one strategy to increase a student's ability to graduate high school on time is to make sure they are on track at the end of their freshman year," said Dr. Jeff Butts, superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township Schools, a previous Aspire recipient, today at an announcement event. "The AT&T Learning Lab at the Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center, funded by an Aspire grant, has made a huge impact on the academic success of our students. Students who fall behind, as a result of failing a class, have an immediate opportunity to retake a course online, demonstrate proficiency, and remain on-track to graduate by recovering the credit. As a result of the interventions provided at the Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center, such as the AT&T Learning Lab, the Wayne Township graduation rate has improved over 20% from 65% to the current 86.4% in just the past 6 years."
Lacking a high school degree is a serious issue in the United States, where one in four students more than 1 million each year drops out, according to a March 19, 2012, report by Civic Enterprises, the Everyone Graduates Center, America's Promise Alliance and the Alliance for Excellent Education. AT&T is the lead sponsor of this report. Education experts believe that the lack of a high school degree significantly worsens job prospects in a rapidly changing, increasingly sophisticated job market.
And, if dropouts find jobs, they earn less. On average, a high school dropout earns 25 percent less during the course of his or her lifetime compared with a high school graduate and 57 percent less than a college graduate with a bachelor's degree.[1]
"It will take all of us working together and supporting the efforts of the education community to continue to improve graduation rates and preparedness for careers and college," said AT&T Indiana President George S. Fleetwood. "American business has an enormous stake in the success of our students. It's time to commit more innovation and resources to the task."
The situation poses a serious risk to American competitiveness as corporations struggle to find talent, especially in the math and sciences fields. The dropout rate, along with inadequate training and education, is keeping many high-paying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) jobs from being filled. And the situation is expected to worsen as STEM jobs grow a projected 17 percent by 2018. Workers in these positions typically earn 26 percent more than those in non-STEM positions.[2]
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AT&T Announces Expansion of Education Commitment and Increase of Indiana Grad Rate
M.Ed. Special Education Degree at SNHU Offers Flexibility of Online and On-Campus Courses
Posted: at 2:33 pm
Manchester, NH (PRWEB) March 20, 2012
With the earlier diagnosis of learning disabilities in young children, the number of special education students has risen in recent years. This increase has stepped up the need for more educators certified in Special Education. Southern New Hampshire University is making it easier for educators to earn this certification with the option of taking all classes online as they work toward their M.Ed. in Special Education degree. The degree can also be taken at the Manchester, N.H., campus or through a combination of online and on campus courses.
As part of their Special Education degree course work at SNHU, students will learn how to identify specific learning disabilities, assess student needs and create individual educations plans (IEPs), design and implement behavior management plans, incorporate techniques for teaching in an inclusive classroom, use developmentally appropriate teaching methods, and help students with disabilities reach their potential.
Educators who are already certified in elementary or secondary education can earn an additional endorsement in Special Education following completion of a specially designed 39-credit masters degree program at SNHU. These Special Education degree candidates complete an internship and e-portfolio that demonstrates an understanding of effective special education practices. Completion of their M.Ed. Special Education degree allows them to support students with disabilities in regular classrooms or teach students with disabilities in a resource room. They might also become a special education integrated classroom curriculum developer or special education assessment coordinator.
Adults with a bachelors degree who are not state-certified in education can earn initial certification in General Special Education (K-12) by earning a masters in Special Education degree at SNHU. Following successful completion of the PRAXIS I exam, Special Education degree candidates take part in a 16-week student teaching practicum under the guidance of a Special Education teacher. This hands-on teaching experience is accompanied by a teaching seminar that provides support in working with special education students. Completion of the 42-credit program allows graduates with this initial licensure to teach special education students in a resource room setting.
The Special Education licensure granted in conjunction with the masters in Special Education degree from Southern New Hampshire University is approved by the state of New Hampshire. Students outside New Hampshire should check with their state for Special Education certification requirements. Certification is reciprocal in many states.
Visit the Southern New Hampshire University website for more information on the M.Ed. Special Education degree program.
About SNHU Southern New Hampshire University is a not-for-profit, regionally accredited university with an 80-year history of educating successful professionals. SNHU has a total enrollment of more than 13,000 students in more than 150 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, available online, at our main campus in Manchester, N.H., and at our regional centers in New Hampshire and Maine.
SNHU was the only university to make Fast Companys 2012 list of the Worlds 50 Most Innovative Companies; the university was ranked at No. 12, higher than LinkedIn, Starbucks and the NFL.
SNHU also is the proud recipient of several awards, including GetEducated.coms Best Buy award, Best of Business Awards for Best Online Degree and Best MBA, and G.I. Jobs Military Friendly Schools designation.
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M.Ed. Special Education Degree at SNHU Offers Flexibility of Online and On-Campus Courses
What is GoodSemester? – Video
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What is GoodSemester? - Video
Changing the Landscape of US Higher Education – Video
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Changing the Landscape of US Higher Education - Video
Hardin Coleman on Distance Education – Video
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Hardin Coleman on Distance Education - Video
Straightforward Practice Online Walkthrough – Video
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Straightforward Practice Online Walkthrough - Video
Teaching Online GIS: Week 1-5 Assignments – Video
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Teaching Online GIS: Week 1-5 Assignments - Video
How education apps have become a priority for AT&T
Posted: March 19, 2012 at 11:24 am
Want some heavy support for your app? It may pay to invest in the education area.
Developers with education app ideas will find a sympathetic ear at AT&T.
The company plans to spur the development of apps that will help improve the state of education, and is planning an education-centric "hackathon" contest in June to find the smartest apps. The idea is to bring the Internet, video, social media, and the concept of "gamification" to the learning process.
It's part of a broader push by AT&T to improve the quality of education, and is a big personal cause for CEO Randall Stephenson. The company said today it plans to invest $250 million over the next five years to improving education. Part of that money will go to its AT&T Foundry, which will look into tapping new ways to teach students.
That's badly needed, as one in four students in the U.S.--or 1 million in total--drop out each year, according to a report by the Civic Enterprises, the Everyone Graduates Center, America's Promise Alliance, and the Alliance for Excellent Education (AT&T is the lead sponsor of the report).
While there has been a ton of focus on games, photo filters, and other different kinds of apps, there isn't as much energy put into education. AT&T is hoping to change that with its investment. The company plans to use its Foundry facilities to foster the development of education-centric apps.
In addition, the company has used hackathons to promote app development in specific areas, and could see a lot of interest in education with its contest in June.
AT&T would be following several players that have made similar pushes. Blackboard, for instance, has long worked on educational tools on the mobile platform. Its BlackBoard Mobile Learn application allows students and faculties to access their course, content, and organizations.
Tech luminaries Bill Gates and Eric Schmidt, meanwhile, have put their resources behind Sal Khan and his Khan Academy, a free online tutoring site that includes a mobile app.
For AT&T, this represents an additional level of investment in the area. The company has invested more than $100 million in education under its AT&T Aspire program since 2008.
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How education apps have become a priority for AT&T