Archive: 2012
iNACOL Releases 5 Policy Reforms for Online Learning
The International Association for K-12 Online Learning's (iNACOL) Director of Policy, David Teeter, recently published "Online Learning: Top 5 Federal Policy Issues Brief," which takes a close look at reforms to improve student-centered, competency-based policies for online learning.
The Shift to Personal Digital Learning-Palm Springs Edition
At CUE12 we discussed the shift to personal digital learning and the importance of instructional design and the challenging state of affairs in California.
Celling a Great Idea
Event horizon: Smartphones will be in all classrooms. When that event horizon comes to pass, the switch to smartphone access in class will be so utterly quick and complete that the time before smartphones will seem like a distant memory, a work of fiction, something from an Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel. Anthropologists will call it the “Before Smartphones Era” or possibly the “BS Period.”
Why My Six-Year-Old Students Have Digital Portfolios
From the first week of school, the six-year-olds in my classroom begin to create an online presence in the form of a blog and digital portfolio. We use a blogging platform to do this, and include artifacts that show their progress in writing, reading, math, social studies, and science.
Q&A: PLATO Launches New Virtual Academy
PLATO Learning introduced PLATO Virtual Academy earlier this March to deliver flexible, standards-based courses with certified, online teachers to meet the needs of 21st century learners. The PLATO Virtual Academy will begin helping students with summer school 2012 implementations, with over 50 virtual courses across a wide range of subject areas.
Rebuilding Orderly Communities
Building great schools is a big challenge. Great schools can counter many of the crippling effects of poverty. However, rebuilding orderly communities is a critical parallel activity that we must take on. David Brooks recently argued that “Social repair requires sociological thinking,” and that “Building organizations and structures that…
Start Making: General Assembly Launches Online
General Assembly launches its online learning program today with Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship –like how to form an entity, business models, and human-centered design and raising your first million. Like the onsite courses, the online programs are very social. Participants connect, comment, share, and learn together. This is an MBA killer.
Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions of an Online English Teacher
Most of what I do is trail-blazing: delving into new territory in order to improve the way I teach and the way my students learn. This is both exhausting and exhilarating. Luckily, I have awesome colleagues who are willing to collaborate and explore with me. Here is a list of the top five frequently asked questions of an online, English teacher, along with my most honest answers.
SmartTech Roundup: Cheaper & Better Edu
Better & Cheaper Post Secondary Textbook rental service Chegg scored $25 million to make the transition to digital. Texas A&M responded to Governor Perry’s call for a $10,000 degree with a $9,700 IT degree. We’ll soon see Don Kilburn’s group at Pearson powering more lost…
Protecting Your Career: Why Virtual School Teachers Need Liability Insurance
More than a year ago, Sarah Walters* was a well‐liked virtual school teacher living in a small community in Colorado. Sarah had taught at a suburban school in its close knit community for more than five years before transferring to a new, virtual school for increased career flexibility where she received many awards. It was in this position that the rug was swiftly pulled out from under her after she was fired for contact deemed “inappropriate” by school administrators.