So how scary is it? These stats might show you: 76% of young people surveyed believe it has gotten harder to afford college in the last five years. Only 21% of young people surveyed believe students graduate with a manageable amount of college loan debt.

The average student debt of new college graduates in 2010 was $22,900 as compared to only $7,000 in 2000. In other words, the average student debt in 2010 is 47% more than in 2000, even when adjusted for inflation. Is this amount in your budget? This infographic from Top Colleges Online takes a look at student loans.

Also, try to say the title of this post 10 times fast!

I love A Bug's Life. Had to use this image!

Just a quick update to everyone who was running into trouble with the Edudemic iPad Magazine since we launched just a couple days ago. All the bugs have been squashed. You can now purchase, subscribe, and use the app with no (technical) problems at all.

We had more than 140 e-mails and other messages wanting to know what was wrong and I tried my darnedest to write back to every single person. I also promised a blog post telling people when the new version went live. This is that blog post.

Update Your App

So, as with any app, you’ll have to update your current version of the Edudemic Magazine App to version 1.1. Just hit ‘Updates’ on the bottom right of the iTunes Store app on your iPad. Simple as that.

If you run into further problems, let me know! I’m always ready to squash more bugs or add functionality you may want. Just drop me a line at edudemic [at] gmail.com.

The February Issue

In related news, the February issue is 85% done. It features interactive graphics, big ideas, and a few surprises. The February issue should be out next week. Until then, be sure to download the January issue (iTunes link) or subscribe so you don’t miss a beat!

Thanks again to everyone who has downloaded, purchased, and / or subscribed. The magazine has been a huge hit and we’re just getting started on generating some exciting new content. Stay tuned!

I stumbled across this comic and thought it was too perfect to not share with everyone. I promise we’ll resume our regularly scheduled content shortly.

P.S. How many grammatical errors are there in this post? I bet you can’t find them all!

The following is the third in a set of 7 ‘The Future of Education‘ articles.  It is written by Dr. Abir Qasem, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science, and Director of Academic Computing at Bridgewater College and Tanya Gupta who has worked on technology and economic development.

The blogosphere and the mainstream media is filled with success stories of technology’s successful adoption in education. However, many educators complain that when they try to introduce technological innovation on their campuses, they face obstacles.

For example, according to Boston.com, there are many schools that are Internet-free. For example, at Tufts, certain areas are kept Internet-free. At Amherst College, students are encouraged to disconnect from technology for at least 15 minutes in order to enjoy relaxing activities, while students at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester participate in a week long silent retreats during which they disconnect from technology.

There are others, such as Sherry Turkle, a professor at MIT who travels around the country encouraging colleges to pull back on Internet access. This can be the case even with high schools – at the Waldorf School for instance there are no computers, no TV screens, smart boards, video cameras and other equipment that is found in many public and private schools, and it is by design and not because they lack funds.

This Washington Post article describes how professors have banned laptops from their classrooms at George Washington University, American University, the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia, among many others.

So should the technology proponent do ? As a follow up to our previous blog which was on the similarity of ATMs and online education, here is a handy guide to some of the most common arguments made against the use of technology in education, and how to counter them:

Give me a little of that human touch

Just like that Bruce Springsteen song, most teachers believe that the human touch is essential in imparting education. Some also believe that using technology in education compromises the human factor.

Dr. Nancy Bunge from Michigan State University writes about ”Why I no longer teach online“. In her article she describes how she engaged in “online learning” by turning a part of the course over to a computer, with some degree of human interaction (i.e. she sent electronic responses to the students’ online work), which “weakened the bond” between them. (The Chronicle of Higher Education’s 2011 issue of Online Learning)

José A. Bowen, dean of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University is removing computers from lecture halls and urging his colleagues to “teach naked” — without machines. Bowen says class time should be used for engaging discussion, something that “reliance on technology discourages.”

Dr. Bunge speaks of her “technological ineptitude” (her own words), and we think this is often a reason why many oppose technology in education. In her particular case, it seems she interpreted online education as substituting a computer for some of the classes. However using technology in education is about redesigning pedagogy by taking advantage of the available technology, and not just substituting faculty time with technology. Educating people about what education technology (including online education) is all about can address this problem

In the case of Dr. Bowen, far from technology discouraging discussion, it has been found that technology can enable engaging and open discussions. Studies have found that people in face to face groups tend to instinctively mimic others’ opinions and lose sight of their own, while in electronic brainstorming, individuals are emboldened and thus large groups outperform individuals; and the larger the group the better. The protection of technology mitigates many problems of group work (New York Times).

We have a personal story to share as well – Abir found that using Piazza (a Web-based discussion board) for one of his classes, actually led to the students taking charge of the discussions to the point that topics not originally on the lessons plan were tackled successfully.

In short, using technology in education does not mean that the human factor has to be compromised. Technology can enhance the human factor by automating tasks that take away from lecture time. Technology is sometimes more effective than human effort. For instance electronic grading of multiple choice questions will always be more effective than human-based grading.

Till death do us part

Source: http://lee.edu/itt/gallery.asp

Perhaps the most difficult group to deal with are those who have some familiarity with technology, and have developed an unfortunate, undying bond with a particular piece of technology. For example they may like a particular course management system (CMS), and argue against any new CMS or similar innovations.

Even IT staff could be a part of this group, as many IT staff in universities think that classroom technology is the only educational technology they need to be concerned about. In many cases, education technology is interpreted as hardware (Clicker) or strictly instructional software (Prezi).

Not much attention is paid to the fact that education technology can also be technology that better helps us manage information. Even this very nice graphic of the evolution of classroom technology does not include much of information technology even though it has been around for the last two decades or so.

To address this, we need to provide examples of how the new technology works, and how it would benefit the institution. Virginia State’s Business Department, for example, thanks to an effort led by Dean Mirta Martin, piloted the use of open e-textbooks via Flat World during the 2010-11 school year. They were able to demonstrate that they could save the students more than $200,000 that year.

Open e-textbooks were piloted in nine core School of Business classes and, this year, the number went up to 16 classes. A selling point was that open source digital texts cost about $20 per text, as compared to more than $250 for some regular textbooks and can be edited/supplemented/tailored by professors (hence the word “open”). Using available facts, we need to communicate that education is ultimately an information/skills exchange and to make this exchange effective, we need to use all tools available, including hardware (Smart boards), software (Piazza), processes (upside down classroom) etc. Being a technology evangelist and demonstrating relevance can help people to understand and appreciate technology on campus.

Never good enough

Even at schools where the role of technology is recognized and respected, such as MIT, there is confidence in online education but skepticism about online education ever being comparable to face to face education. MITx’s webpage says MIT’s residential-based education is “the heart of the MIT community, and an MIT degree holds special distinction”….”MIT believes firmly in the residential model of education”.

In fact online education is seen as (1) an opportunity to improve the experience of traditional, residential MIT students and (2) lower the existing barriers between residential campuses and the learners around the world. There is no acknowledgement that online education is a response to the fact that, well, traditional classroom education may well be on its way out.

Educators in this situation may want to prepare their universities for the eventuality that the university, as we know it today, may go away. To do so, they can talk about the experience of Sebastian Thrum who said that when he and Peter Norwig offered their class “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” to the world online, free of charge , “Peter and I taught more students AI, than all AI professors in the world combined.

This one class had more educational impact than my entire career…Now that I have seen the true power of education, there is no turning back…..I am determined to help bring education to everyone out there”. The biggest selling point of technology, and in this case, online education, is that colleges can expand their market from hundreds and thousands to millions. In such a case, it may make sense to invest funds to prepare for a world where online education may take precedence over face to face, and even MIT may have to do so, soon.

If nothing else works, educators may wish to quote Transforming American Education National Education Technology Plan 2010 (U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology) which describes the technology challenge well:

“The challenge for our education system is to leverage the learning sciences and modern technology to create engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences for all learners that mirror students’ daily lives and the reality of their futures. In contrast to traditional classroom instruction, this requires that we put students at the center and empower them to take control of their own learning by providing flexibility on several dimensions….Technology should be leveraged to provide access to more learning resources than are available in classrooms and connections to a wider set of “educators,” including teachers, parents, experts, and mentors outside the classroom….enable 24/7 and lifelong learning”

When we learn a new skill, we do not doubt that we need special training in that skill. For instance we would not fly a plane without taking flight lessons. Similarly we need training to ensure that we know how to integrate technology into the classroom Technology is not an end in itself, but rather a means by which learning outcomes can be improved. Hence educators must be able to understand technology and the usefulness/relevance of that technology. If either of these two do not happen, technology will be seen as an obstruction to, rather than a catalyst in the learning process.

With the above, we hope you will be able to convince the techno-conservatives into seeing the transforming power of technology in higher education.

Ever tried searching for ‘education’ in the iTunes store? You won’t get a simple list of the top resources. Heck, that’s why places like ClassroomWindow have started up to help teachers sort the great stuff from the garbage.

Regardless, a Scribd document by Eric Sailers details hundreds of helpful apps that are perfect for special education teachers and more.

While sourced directly from a stunning convergence of art and technology, the public perception of video games drips with the juvenile, evoking images of–depending on your age–Pac-Man, Mario, or the Grand Theft Auto series. Their time in the public spotlight is usually brief, and tangled with inevitably tilted discussions on children, violence, impression, and even Constitutional rights.

This is unfortunate because it misses what makes gaming such an engaging rhetorical form–and the explosive evolution of video games as an interactive narrative medium.

Rainbow 6 is an upcoming game from developer Ubisoft Montreal that not only allows interaction (a player manipulating a digital avatar to in pursuit of some goal), but also seeks to tell a story in a way that books, poems, or music cannot.

See the video below:

The lead-in from the full text (seen here at Game Informer, by Matt Bertz and Jeff Cork):

Americans are angry.  And why shouldn’t they be?  With an exponentially expanding national debt, crippling foreclosures, corporate bailouts, degrading infrastructure, dwindling job market, and widening income gap between the haves and the have-nots, it’s getting harder to believe politicians when they speak of American exceptionalism as if it were a fundamental truth.

In response to gradual erosion of our beloved nation, resentful citizens of all kinds of political backgrounds are rising up in the form of new political movements like the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street.  But unlike the 1960s, when protests and activism resulted in the discontinuation of the military draft, the Civil Rights Act, and the sexual revolution, the contemporary bickering government parties have proven largely ineffective at slowing or reversing the downward trajectory.

The media isn’t helping matters.  Rather than promote discussions about viable solutions moving forward, ad-driven 24-hour media outlets and radio programs are content to stoke the fires and sensationalize political differences. America’s volatile political climate serves as the jumping-off point for Rainbow 6 Patriots.

Not your typical shoot-the-aliens—or even nameless “terrorist” context.

“In previous games, allowing a civilian to die was game over. Now you’re not exempt from tough situational decisions. Do you kill one civilian now and potential spare hundreds of lives, or is the lone human life too critical to lose even if it means thousands others may meet their untimely deaths down the road? In Patriots, you make the call.”

 The story finishes with a play-through of an early draft of the game, in video game language called a “build”:

“Our live game demo (of the game) doesn’t start with Team Rainbow sated in the back of the chopper outside a facility surrounded by police. Instead, our first glimpse comes from the perspective of a well-to-do real estate investor sitting in his idyllic American home. Judging by the polished wooden floors, larhe HDTV, and the iPad-like tablet sitting to his right, this guy is living the good life.

Continuing, the main character is presented a cupcake for his birthday.

“Happy Birthday. Go on, blow it out,” she says. Like a scene out of Heavy Rain (another immersive, heavily narrative video game), the player is given the option to blow out the candle or stroke his wife’s check.

“These types of ‘bad or worse’ situations define the story campaign in Rainbow 6 Patriots. Given the sensitive subject matter of Americans turning on each other, we asked the team if they were prepared to face a media controversy propagated by news networks that move so quickly and ignorantly to condemn video games as youth-corrupting trash. We can see the sensational headline now: ‘Liberal Game Publisher Paints Tea Party as Terrorists.”

“Why can’t a game be smarter? Why can’t a game embrace issues? We’re not coming down with any kind of ruling or judgment about any of this. We’re letting people talk amongst themselves. We’re making a game that we want to provoke discussion and deeper thought. We certainly welcome the opportunity to talk intelligently and thoughtfully about the mature subject matter. As the game industry evolves, we’re going to face these issues more and more often.”

As technology progresses, media forms will likely evolve but the rhetoric behind them will not. Video games are simply a media that are both interactive and digital. By some odd consequence of consumerism, sound, and color they were “given” to children first, and invariably (and unfortunately) any evaluation of games as a media form turns to the needs of children.

The more important–and more fruitful–discussions will continue to focus on a media form that is increasingly interactive, inter-textual, and full of self-directed scaling up and down Bloom’s taxonomy in digital acts of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

“So what would our mornings look like if we re-engineered them in the interest of maximizing our creative problem-solving capacities? We’d set the alarm a few minutes early and lie awake in bed, following our thoughts where they lead (with a pen and paper nearby to jot down any evanescent inspirations.) We’d stand a little longer under the warm water of the shower, dismissing task-oriented thoughts (“What will I say at that 9 a.m. meeting?”) in favor of a few more minutes of mental dilation. We’d take some deep breaths during our commute, instead of succumbing to road rage. And once in the office — after we get that cup of coffee — we’d direct our computer browser not to the news of the day but to the funniest videos the web has to offer.”

The full article can be read here.

Oh, and then there’s this.

source: parentnewz.com

Teachers are, of course, concerned about this phenomenon. According to the oft-cited study by Symantec, 21 % of teachers have either been victims of cyberbaiting or know someone who has.

Do you know what’s really scary? Thinking about the teachers who don’t know they’ve been videoed. How many teachers have been victimized and don’t know it?

Why are students cyberbaiting their teachers? The easiest answer is because they can. Very powerful tools are now in the hands of young people and they are adept at using them.

Some young people enjoy making adults and others uncomfortable and it’s been that way since time began, I guess. What used to be isolated to the classroom is now published for the entire world to see.

As much as I want to give young people the freedom and power to use their own devices in the classroom, I see that the danger to teachers and other students might be greater than the benefits. Other tools should take the place of these student-owned devices that are capable of capturing photos, audio, and video – tools that could remain in the classroom when the students leave.

I started to write about the problems I’ve heard about in one district and how another district responds immediately to safety issues. There are actually four more paragraphs to this post after this one in the original document. I’m not including them here because I would rather hear your thoughts on the subject.

One great reason for this site is the dialog it creates among its users. Since this is an important issue, one that threatens the integration of technology into the classroom, I’d like to start a conversation about it here. Why are students cyberbaiting their teachers? What can we do to stop it and all forms of bullying?

We’re going to have a much closer look at this concept in the March issue of our iPad Edudemic Magazine. For a quick preface, check the video below.

The following is a sponsored post by TenMarks, a free and easy solution to teaching math online. TenMarks is effective, easy to use, and designed to work in any classroom for all students. Click here for more information.

Online education isn’t just about increasing the reach of education so anyone on the planet can benefit. Sure, it does that. But it’s a pedagogical dream as well. There are at least six reasons that online education should be seriously considered by teachers and education administrators right now.

Cost & Benefit Analysis

I’ll get to those in a moment (or you can just scroll down if that’s your thing) but first I thought it would be helpful to cover the costs and benefits of online education. In terms of cost to students and teachers, there can be a steep learning curve if you’re new to integrating technology into your educational practice.

It takes awhile to find the best online education resources that fit your needs. Heck, even after you choose an online learning platform, it can take awhile to get up to speed. That’s why it’s important to start thinking about online education right now.

Now, the benefits for students. Conducting online education empowers individuals with a unique new ability to express themselves. It forces online students to stay on task despite numerous distractions. There aren’t always specified classroom hours which means students have to be able to adapt their education into their daily rituals. It teaches students that they have to keep up a balance in their life at all times.

These two big costs and benefits are obviously not exhaustive. In fact, there are hundreds of other reasons to try out online technology. There are also plenty of reasons it’s not for everyone. That being said, here are 6 more reasons online education tools should be seriously considered by teachers around the world.

Response to Intervention
Most online education tools should provide teachers and administrators with the tools for assessment and instruction for all 3 tiers of Response to Intervention (RTI).

Enrichment or Acceleration
Online education tools and services allow students the ability to practice their newly-acquired skills or to go over previous lessons as if they’re happening live. In fact, online education lets most students have the ability to accelerate their educational growth thanks to the 24-7 availability of resources.

Actionable Assessments
There’s no reason to assume online education can’t deliver the same type of assessments given in brick-and-mortar classrooms. In fact, grading and analytical tools have progressed quite rapidly over the past year. Assessments done via online education help students in all skill levels and can be a helpful add-on to any classroom exercise. When I was a student, I never would have dreamed of taking a math test at 8pm in my own bedroom but times they are a-changing.

Special Education
For teachers in an inclusive or special education classroom, most education tools provide an easy way to customize lessons based on students’ strengths and weaknesses so everyone is practicing and mastering their basic math skills at a pace that works for them.

Blended Learning
Using online education tools like TenMarks Math as the technology component in the blended classroom makes it possible for a teacher to more effectively guide, manage, communicate, and instruct.

Before/Afterschool Programs & Homework
Just like the actionable assessments, online education now lets teachers figure out exactly where each student is in terms of progress on classroom projects, learning goals, etc. Teachers and students alike can see that they’re a bit behind or ahead of where they should be.

Like A Flipped Classroom

Online education tools constantly remind me of the flipped classroom model. The student is in charge in both scenarios. The teacher is able to act as a guide and moderator rather than a lecturer in both scenarios as well. It’s very exciting to see this shift in education happening relatively quickly. Only time will tell what happens next but you can rest assured Edudemic will be there to keep you up to date!

The authors of the article noted there could be many reasons why applications have risen at some schools and fallen at others.  Students do not seem to be making the decisions based on economics, however, since applications to schools such as Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and other expensive – yet prestigious – schools also saw a healthy jump in applications.

Then they made the following comment:

One trend, though, does seem some obvious: the increase in applications reported by Columbia University (32 percent) and the University of Michigan (18 percent, as the Feb. 1 application deadline looms) would seem, at least in part, to be a function of those institutions’ choosing to accept the Common Application this year for the first time.

That gave me food for thought and I decided to do my own investigating.  Now, I’m no statistician and usually follow the Twain philosophy on statistics.  However, I’m going to post my own crude infographic and let you be the judge.

It would appear that those who are allowing students to submit the common application are seeing an increase in applications.  In fact, those who saw Better-Than-Expected growth and “Holy Cow” growth were all members of the common application group. What gives me pause is that the Negative Growth group is a 50-50 split between members and non-members.  At least we can surmise that there is not a consistent cause-and-effect relationship, but rather a very strong correlation.   Otherwise, how could we explain why members of the Negative Growth group saw their application numbers tumble from 2010?

Qualitative research would answer some of these questions.  If I had the time and the resources, I could interview students, parents, and teachers across the country and ask them why they chose to apply to certain schools over others.  I don’t, of course, so I will leave you with some of the questions I would ask, if I could.  I invite you to provide your insights into the application process as well.

Questions I Would Ask

• Since I know of one teacher who uses the Common Application as a project in her classroom to help her students apply to colleges, I would ask students if their teacher had done something similar.
• What colleges or universities would you not have applied to if you did not have the convenience of the common application site?
• Why did you choose to apply to certain colleges and universities?
• What economic considerations did you have when you were searching for schools?
• Were there certain colleges and universities that seemed popular with your class?
• Were there certain colleges and universities that visited the school often?

I’m sure that more will come to me the minute this is posted to the site.  For now, I think that is enough from me.  What do you think?

Like many of you, I have a child in the public school system.  I am amazed at what his district is doing on a shoestring budget and even more amazed at what the teachers are doing with whatever funding they can get to bring useful technology to their classrooms.  This site helps educators everywhere discover these useful tools, so I am proud to be a part of the staff.

When I’m not writing for Edudemic,  I am Lucas’ mom and Doug’s wife.  They are two of the best men I’ve ever met.  When we part ways as the beginning of the work and school day, I go to the school-of-the-day as a substitute teacher while I continue the search for a classroom of my own.  This is my first year as a teacher; I received a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in May from the University of Southern California and my teaching certificate in July.

Prior to this career change, I was a business analyst and a trainer for a computer products distributor.  My experiences in the technology sector, my obsession with technology use in the learning process, and my love of gadgets and software led me to subscribe to Edudemic a long time ago.  When the editors put out the call for an intern, I could not resist.  I am grateful they chose me.

I hope you will enjoy my future posts and look forward to hearing your feedback.  In the meantime, enjoy reading Edudemic!

Star Walk, the winner of the 2010 Apple Design Award, allows students to find and name over 20,000 night time sky objects.  Students gain a better understanding of the planets, stars, and moons, because the app gives a visual and hands on learning.  The students have a more tangible learning experience which enhancing their understanding of astronomy.  The interactive simulation of planetary bodies happens in real time and the touch control map allows for a viewing area of 360 degrees.  And best of all no Internet connection is needed.

Solar Walk teaches students about neighboring planets their accompanying moons and the solar system.  Students become acquainted with neighboring bodies, including distance, size, and rotation.  This app even allows for the substitution of another planet as the center of the universe.  The graphics are in 3D and offer all the objects as a scaled reproduction. Students are fascinated because they get to hold the solar system and the Milky Way in the palm of their hands.

Have an inquiring mind?  Then Geo Walk is the app for you.  This app will answer all of your questions by giving you fast facts about the world making it great for students and parents.  This app includes information about people, places and animals.  It even allows you to spin the globe and select a place of interest.  Once you have selected your place of interest it give information about the people, geography, climate, and much more. While Google may have lost interest in Google Sky, the heavens continue to spark imaginations.

Geo Walk can be a convenient companion while traveling; it is the perfect learning tool for family fun on a long trip.

Source: www.digitallearningday.org

Toolkits.  The toolkits that the site offers are comprehensive and accommodate several audiences: teachers, librarians, administrators, districts, state administrators, parents, and the community.

Webcast Support.  On February 1, the site offers a link to a webcast hosted by the Alliance for Excellent Education and a National Town Hall Meeting.  You can find events on a national, state, and local level here.

For those who are participating in Digital Learning Day, we wish you luck and much success!

“Climbing The Ladder That Matters” with Adnan Mahmud

Thursday February 2 at 12 p.m. Eastern/ 9 a.m. Pacific

www.jolkona.org   Jolkona on Twitter   Adnan on Twitter

Education is about personal empowerment–and guided personal change. After an epiphany while working at Microsoft, Adnan Mahmud stepped away from the rat race, and began a personal journey that would change his life. One of the wonders of the internet is its incredible potential to connect people, and enable the realization of dreams. As much as any other theme, the internet is about individual fulfillment through potent interdependence, and Adnan is proof of that. Adnan will be speaking with us via Edudemic+ on February 2 at 9 a.m. Pacific/noon Eastern about his venture, Jolkona. We’ll also discuss education, technology, and how the two can be used to improve the world on a sustainable level.

Edutopia’s New Teacher Academy with Elana Leoni , Betty Ray and Lisa Dabbs

Friday, February 3 at 1 p.m. Eastern/ 10 a.m. Pacific

www.edutopia.org   www.teachingwithsoul.com   Elana on Twitter   Betty on Twitter   Lisa on Twitter

More and more, teachers are personalizing their own professional development through online professional learning networks. In this session, we’ll talk with Edutopia’s Elana Lois, Betty Ray, and Teaching With Soul’s Lisa Dabbs about this phenomenon: teachers creating their own development opportunities, often for free, and through some sort of social media. We’ll also talk about Edutopia’s other efforts, including promoting digital fluency through project-based learning.

These days, computers are an absolute necessity for students, and now even tablets are becoming required tools for their learning environments.  Digital technology helps us take notes, write papers, do research, correspond and even take classes altogether.  Hundreds of apps are out on the mobile markets to help students in their learning endeavors.  Here are a few apps geared specifically towards organization for the student.

1.     iHomework

With tabs like Reminders, Courses, Teachers, Calendar, Reading, Completed and many other interactive features, this app acts like a personal assistant for your school schedule. You can even calculate your own grades. This app is compatible with any iOS device and can be synced with the touch of a button.

2.     Google Calendar

Sync your email and school calendars together, set, import or invite others to appointments in the calendar. Keep personal, professional and academic calendars and take advantage of the color-coding features.

3.     iStudent Pro

This app is a lot like the iHomework app only perhaps a little sleeker.  The rave reviews and the extra dollar cost for the app suggest that the iStudent app has a slightly better user interface than the iHomework, but extremely similar features.

4.     DropBox

This app is good for students and professionals.  Dropbox is an icon that sits on your tool bar, or among your smartphone or tablet apps that automatically syncs access to anything to place in the DropBox.  For example, if you are writing an assignment, you can immediately copy the file into the DropBox app and from that moment on you’ll be able to access your file from any device of yours with the DropBox on it.  You can also share your folders with other people.  Teachers can create a DropBox folder for students to share, submit and move around documents.

5.     Evernote

This is another syncing app that allows you to have access to whatever you need from any of your devices.  Notes, lists, both audio and text files, emails and tweets can all be accessed from your Evernote app.  It’s great as a research tool, where data needs to be accessible.  Premium service is available for a monthly or annual fee, but not necessary for the basic features.

Carolyn is a guest post blogger on the subjects of education, learning tools and RN schools.

The following is a cross-post from our friends over at Onlinecolleges.net. Be sure to check out their site for other great lists and edu-tips!

Twitter chats are such a great way to stay connected and informed in your professional circle, and education is no exception. Through education chats, you can find out about new methods for teaching, tech resources, even jobs for teachers. Most chats are held weekly, and offer an opportunity to have a regularly scheduled conversation with like-minded educators.

Check out our collection to find a wealth of Twitter chats that are great for all kinds of educators.

General

These Twitter chats cover anything and everything in education, and represent a great jumping off point for those just getting started in Twitter education chats.

1. #edchat – Talk to a variety of educators around the world through #edchat, Tuesdays at noon and 7 p.m. EST.
2. #lrnchat – Every Thursday night from 8:30-10 p.m. EST, you can connect with other educators and discuss learning.
3. #edbkchat – On Wednesdays at 4 p.m. EST, you can discuss educational books and topics in learning and pedagogy.
4. #spnchat – Find out about successful practices in education and education reform through #spnchat Tuesdays at 9 p.m..
5. #ptchat – Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST, parents and educators around the world can open the lines of communication on #ptchat.
6. #urbaned – This Twitter chat for educators discusses topics relevant to urban education and beyond, every first and third Sunday of the month at 9 p.m. EST.
7. #teachchat – Connect with other teachers and find out what they’re doing in their classrooms on #teachchat Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST.
8. #teaching2030 – Discuss big picture education issues, strategies, and reform through the #teaching2030 chat, every third Thursday at 8:30 p.m..
9. #smedu – Wednesdays at noon and 9 p.m. EST social media professionals, students, educators, and more can discuss using social media in education in this chat.
10. #ntchat – New teachers can learn more about their profession with ideas, collaboration, and more for getting starting through #ntchat on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST.
11. #educoach – Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST, you can find instructional coaching for improving education.
12. #gtchat – Fridays at noon and 7 p.m. EST, gifted and talented educators, administrators, parents, and students can discuss new developments in developing gifted and talented programs around the world.
13. #spedchat – Follow this weekly discussion on issues for students and teachers in special education Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Administration and Behavior

Check out these Twitter chats to get connected and discuss topics concerning school administrators.

14. #AcAdv – Tuesdays from 8-9 p.m. EST, you can talk to academic advisors and other colleagues about advising.
15. #SAChat – Discuss student affairs with other professionals in the industry Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. CST and 6-7 p.m. CST.
16. #isedchat – Talk about independent schools Thursdays at 9 p.m. on #isedchat.
17. #CUAD – At 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, you can discuss college unions and activities with higher education student affairs professionals and educators.
18. #cpchat – Connect with other principals in this always-open chat.

Subject Chats

English teachers, librarians, and other educators in special subjects can check out these chats for great information and resources.

19. #engchat – At 7 p.m. each Monday, you can come together with other English teachers to discuss improving English instruction.
20. #DUedchat – Chat with educators Down Under in this chat each Thursday 9 p.m. New Zealand time.

Of course none of this is true, but I love Beavis and Butthead, and if these images freak you out half as bad as they did me, it was worth the effort.

Most students today have never known a world without the Internet. In fact, a recent study by Noel-Levitz shows that 95% of college students routinely access social media.

Add to that statistics that show that the average amount of time spent on social media sites nationwide is up 82%, and it’s easy to see why it’s important for universities to keep pace. Following are some ideas for attracting students, employees, and donors to your university’s social media pages in the increasingly significant social media landscape.

Untended Sites Are the New Out-of-Business Sign
It is important that universities maintain their online sites. For example, think of brick-and-mortar properties. A savvy real estate agent looking to draw potential buyers in will stage a house—that is, arrange furniture and decorate it, so that visitors to the property will be able to envision a future there. If houses are abandoned or unkempt, potential buyers tend to shy away.

Social media sites that are left without updates function very similarly. If a university doesn’t care enough to update its Twitter feed students and potential donors may wonder what else gets neglected. Simply put, every social media site that exists for your university needs to be kept up-to-date with fresh content in order to ensure social success.

Put the “Face” into Multifaceted
Every university is unique and diverse, comprised of a number of departments and organizations that give a distinctive flavor to each institution.

Yet, many universities make the mistake of putting the burden of social media on their marketing departments, the result of which means a university’s social media presence can seem sterile and distant to potential students, employees, and donors alike. Instead, spread your online presence around the university by empowering the various departments and organizations on campus to cultivate their own unique social media presences. Since each one inherently has their own voice and audience, this will result in wider array of content that’s tailored to each visitor’s unique needs and foster a social media presence that is as authentic and as complex as your university.

For example, potential students will be interested in campus life while potential donors will be interested in faculty achievements. To be sure that each department and group on campus knows how to best utilize social media, offer training in best practices.

Give Insider Access
Utilize your social media platforms to share unique content that cannot be found on your university website. For example, use Google Plus to highlight student achievements and stream behind-the-scene videos of classrooms, sporting events, and campus life. Highlighting your university’s personality can strongly influence its brand, which can help your campus stand out in a memorable way.

Don’t Go it Alone
Universities have long been at the forefront of intellectual and cultural change. It’s important that today they also stay on the cutting edge of social media trends. If your university doesn’t already employ some sort of social media expert on campus, you’d be wise to invest in one. This can mean anything from hiring an in-house expert, outsourcing to a social media management company, or even resolving to build an all-star social media team. By staying abreast of social media changes, universities will be assured that they are kept in the public eye and are accessible to potential students, employees, and donors.

Kieran Flanagan is the Inbound Marketing Manager for EMEA at Salesforce, who have just launched their SocialSuccess site in the UK to help businesses harness the power of social media.

Because they are electronic publications, it is easy to update them whenever there is a need and they are easy to share. The infographic below provides a short history of the movement and what’s happening within it today.

One of the organizations cited on the infographic, MERLOT (the Mulitimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching), has a site that I recommend highly. I peer review for that site and can say that it offers many high-quality resources for teachers. Check it out and I’m sure you’ll agree. In fact, check them all out and I am sure you will find a plethora of resources to use in your classroom.

Via: Online College Courses Blog

Before you go to the App Store though, here’s some important info:

How It Works

The editors and authors will be publishing a monthly iPad magazine that is available for download for just $1.99. That price lets this whole thing actually happen. Since Adobe, Apple, and the government charge us for each download, we’re not exactly getting rich off this thing. But we don’t want to go broke either.

You can expect monthly issues that feature interviews, features, interactive fun stuff, and more. There’s a free sample of the January issue in the app if you’re looking to check out what it looks like.

The app is Newsstand-enabled which means that after you download it, it’ll appear in your Newsstand area. We thought that would be appropriate since it’s a magazine and everything.

What’s Next

We plan on offering the Edudemic Magazine on not just the iPad. In the near future, we’ll be bringing it to the Amazon Kindle Fire, Blackberry tablets, and Android tablets.

Check It Out

It’s time to check out the app! Click here to view the app in the iTunes Store. As of this writing, only the January issue is available since it’s still January. We’re going to have just the January issue up for a couple weeks so it gets its due. Never fear, you’ll get a simple push notification on your iPad when the February issue is live.

Write For Us

Want to see your writing transformed into a fun and interactive experience on the iPad? We’re always looking for submissions from writers with passion, expertise, and experience to share with their peers through Edudemic Magazine. Send your background and article idea to edudemic [at] gmail.com, or forward your finished submission. A resume and writing sample are nice, but not absolutely necessary. Even if you have no idea what you could possibly write about because you’re “not a writer,” we can help. We’re looking for passionate and innovative educators, not Mark Twain.

Special Thank You

We couldn’t have ever guessed how popular this thing is. Since it’s the first-ever iPad magazine about education and technology, there’s been a tremendous amount of excitement. We’d like to take a sentence to thank our Founding Sponsors who we hope you check out asap:

Founding Sponsors

Want to get your brand here? We are always happy to work with sponsors willing to reach our highly-educated and engaged audience. If you think the Edudemic Magazine would help your organization, don’t hesitate to e-mail us at edudemic @ gmail.com.

Adnan will be speaking with us via Edudemic+ on February 2 at 9 a.m. Pacific/noon Eastern about his venture, Jolkona. We’ll also discuss education, technology, and how the two can be used to improve the world on a sustainable level.

We’ll post a live link the morning of the session so that you can watch or join in the discussion.

“Jolkona Foundation makes it easy for you to give directly to low-cost, high-impact philanthropic opportunities around the world. We work with carefully chosen partner organizations to create affordable donation options with a measurable impact, from planting trees in Honduras to providing food and housing for an HIV-positive child in Cambodia. 100% of your donation goes to the project you’ve chosen.

We hope that our approach to philanthropy – facilitating small donations with a big impact and a personal connection – will help usher in a new era of giving, where donors feel more inspired to give, charitable organizations are able to efficiently connect to a broader donor base, and those in need of help benefit from a larger donor pool. We also believe that the youth of today can play a critical role in changing the face of philanthropy into a more accountable and inclusive vision. By harnessing the power of technology to connect with global causes, we hope to empower young people with the knowledge that you don’t have to wait to be a philanthropist. We can all make a difference today.” More information can be found at Jolkona’s website.

The program is called HMH Fuse: Algebra I, and was designed for use with Apple’s iPad. Of course, as with any new pilot program, data was needed to measure effectiveness, and that’s where we pick up.

The idea was to measure the learning of students in the “Fuse” group, who used the iPad app, to the NonFuse group of students, who used a textbook for traditional mathematics learning. (One wonders what kind of “lottery” was used to decide which poor kids got stuck with a textbook.)

According to the Californian Standards Test those students using the iPad, 78%, scored at a level of proficient or advanced compared to 59% of the traditional test book users. This was not the only benefit.

Other advantages included parents who were able to become more involved with their child’s homework. Parents could watch tutorial or choose to watch a review of the math problem their child was working on. Students were taking the initiative by working more independently. Moreover, students were noted by their teachers to be more engaged in their education, and exhibited fewer behavior problems.

As with any new technology, the students did have a learning curve, but also with technology the more you use it the more savvy you become. Teachers implemented and developed strategies that would allow students to become comfortable with their devices. They used to their advantage that the app allows for simpler information retrieval, while books require that you hunt for the information.

Summing up the effect well, a principal involved with the study explained that the “students’ interaction with the device was more personal. You could tell students were more engaged. Using the iPad was more normal, more understandable for them.”

More information on the program can be seen here and here.

What happens when you leave students alone? I’ve always found this a fascinating concept. As a classroom teacher, one (of many) important epiphanies for me was the concept of simply getting out the students way. In aligning, sequencing, and heavily scripting, I always felt “in the way” of not just “the brightest” students, but all of them. We assume what appears to be apathy is for learning, but what if it’s for the process of learning?

What happens when students are left alone? Certainly they’d text, read comic books, and thumb their nose at authority.

Right?

“The students in the Independent Project are remarkable but not because they are exceptionally motivated or unusually talented. They are remarkable because they demonstrate the kinds of learning and personal growth that are possible when teenagers feel ownership of their high school experience, when they learn things that matter to them and when they learn together. In such a setting, school capitalizes on rather than thwarts the intensity and engagement that teenagers usually reserve for sports, protest or friendship.

Schools everywhere could initiate an Independent Project. All it takes are serious, committed students and a supportive faculty. These projects might not be exactly alike: students might apportion their time differently, or add another discipline to the mix. But if the Independent Project students are any indication, participants will end up more accomplished, more engaged and more knowledgeable than they would have been taking regular courses.

We have tried making the school day longer and blanketing students with standardized tests. But perhaps children don’t need another reform imposed on them. Instead, they need to be the authors of their own education.”

The full article can be read here.