Dec
30
NCES Report on Distance Education in Post-Secondary Ed
Filed Under online learning, research | Leave a Comment
The National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences has released the report “Distance Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions: 2006-07” which was based on a 2006-07 survey. Distance education was defined as a formal education process, either synchronous or asynchronous, which might involve communication through the use of video, audio, or computer technologies, or by correspondence (which may include both written correspondence and the use of technology such as CD-ROM), and which included fully online as well as hybrid/blended courses and programs (i.e., a combination of online and in-class instruction with reduced in-class seat time for students). Here are the findings from 2-year and 4-year Title IV degree-granting postsecondary institutions:
- 66% of institutions participating in the survey reported offering online, hybrid/blended online, or other distance education courses for any level or audience.
- 65% reported college-level credit-granting distance education courses
- 23% reported noncredit distance education courses
- 61% reported offering online courses
- 35% reported hybrid/blended courses
- 26% reported other types of college-level credit-granting distance education courses
- Together, distance education courses accounted for an estimated 12.2 million enrollments (or registrations).
- Asynchronous (not simultaneous or real-time) Internet-based technologies were cited as the most widely used technology for the instructional delivery of distance education courses; they were used to a large extent in 75 percent and to a moderate extent in 17 percent of the institutions that offered college-level credit-granting distance education courses.
- The most common factors cited as affecting distance education decisions to a major extent were meeting student demand for flexible schedules, providing access to college for students who would otherwise not have access, making more courses available, and seeking to increase student enrollment.
So how about joining this interesting phenomenon by enrolling in an OPEN NH course? The winter term begins soon!
Dec
29
Reading Research - Digital vs Paper
Filed Under reading, research | Leave a Comment
I just read an interesting article in Science Daily about reading research being done in Norway:
Clicking and scrolling interrupt our attentional focus. Turning and touching the pages instead of clicking on the screen influence our ability for experience and attention. The physical manipulations we have to do with a computer, not related to the reading itself, disturb our mental appreciation, says associate professor Anne Mangen at the Center for Reading Research at the University of Stavanger in Norway. She has investigated the pros and cons of new reading devices.
The researcher did not warn against using digital texts, but she did make some interesting observations about all reading. I recommend a read of this article and then of the original journal article available at:
Anne Mangen. Digital fiction reading: Haptics and immersion. Journal of Research in Reading, 2008
Dec
22
Sex and Tech Report
Filed Under Digital Citizenship, Internet Safety | Leave a Comment
There’s a new report that might catch the attention of K-12 educators (and parents of K-12 students). It’s called Sex and Tech: Results from a Nationally Representative Survey of Teens and Young Adults. Results from this new survey show that 21% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys have sent/ posted nude or semi-nude images of themselves.
The report includes “5 things to think about before pressing send.” Do you know what those 5 things are? Do you think your students should know those 5 things? The report also includes “5 things to help parents talk to their kids….” Check out the report and other information at The National Campaign website.
Dec
22
SAT Prep Fun at BrainyFlix
Filed Under contests | Leave a Comment
Here’s an interesting and creative nationwide SAT Prep contest called BrainyFlix created by a group of MIT Alums. You might want your students to get involved:
“With the support of the MIT Alumni Association and a generous donation from Salesforce.com, we are running a nationwide contest in which students compete to create funny, creative sketches teaching SAT vocabulary. We will award up to $600 in prize money to the video that receives the most number of votes from viewers. $200 of the prize will go directly to the winner(s) and $400 to the class or school club chosen by that person. To encourage participation, we’ll give a contestant 1 free iTunes song for every 5 videos he/she submits or refers (up to the first 1,000 video submissions). By the end of the contest, we are hoping to have built a library of SAT words taught in an engaging way that beats the trousers off of flashcards. And by participating in the contest, students will have not only helped themselves prepare for the SAT but also:
- Created something special that will help other students across the country
- Learned that helping others can be fun
To see examples of the kinds of videos we have in mind, please check out http://youtube.com/bosoxclown or http://youtube.com/miteach. We really believe this could be a great activity for English and Media classes, AV and Drama clubs, and SAT prep classes. The contest start date is January 1, 2009. For more details about the contest & signing up, please visit http://www.BrainyFlix.com. For any inquiries that aren’t answered there, please contact Jack Yu at jack.yu.is@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing some great flix!”
Dec
22
Registration is now open for the first NHSTE Technology Coordinators meeting for the 2008-2009 school year, which will be held on Friday, January 16, 2009 from 9 AM to 1 PM (lunch included). Past meetings have sold out, so register online early if you are interested - there is NO registration at the door.
The January Technology Coordinator SIG event is focused on planning for and rolling out Microsoft SharePoint. Representatives from Nashua Schools will describe their preparation and rollout plan. Representatives from Microsoft will also present basic technical and functional information about SharePoint.
Registration Deadline: January 9, 2009
Cost: $25 NHSTE Members and $30 General Registration (Includes Lunch)
Who: Technology Coordinators, Integrators, and Other School Leaders
Where: PSU - Concord Site at 2 Pillsbury Street (Directions Included with Registration)