Apply for the Distance Education Best Practices Award – Deadline is June 1st

Also from Friday’s inbox…  Would be nice to see some K-12 online learning submissions…

IAP-DDL Distance Education Best Practices Award

The practice that is submitted can be any aspect of distance education that would qualify as a Best Practice. This means that it can serve as an example that can be emulated by others based on the description submitted.

The example that is submitted may be one that is used online, in a CD-ROM/DVD, or within video-based courses.

To nominate a Best Practice please submit an application document of no more than 2 pages with Practice Title, a description describing how the course addresses the Best Practices Award criteria, the product materials or URL with guest access information to the award coordinators Jennifer Richardson and Taeho Yu at jennrich@purdue.edu & yu134@purdue.edu.

Further details can be found here or by contacting the coordinators:

Award Criteria & Other Important Information

Below are the criteria used to judge the submissions for this award.
1. Practice in use within 3 years prior to conference at which the award is given
2. Format: Practice description summary provided in 800- 1000 words or less; word count provided by author
3. The practice illustrations or examples consistent with exemplary, professional practice
4. The distance education instructional is context described (institution, learners, faculty, teachers, administrators, course or instructional purpose, etc.)
5. Summary states briefly what the purpose or benefit of the practice is
6. Summary provides evidence of effectiveness
7. Practice quality based on the supporting documentation including easy access for all reviewers to review practice example online, or on CD/DVD.
8. Purpose to addresses a distance education issue, practice, or framework that appeals to
9. Practice grounded in scholarly, professional literature.

Submission due June 1, 2013!

************************************************************
The Association for Educational Communications & Technology
320 W. 8th St. Ste 101
Bloomington, Indiana 47404

Office: 812-335-7675
Fax: 812-335-7678
Toll-Free 1-877-677-2328
aect@aect.org

New Brief Explores 21st Century Skills

From Tuesday’s inbox…

Contact: William J. Mathis, (802) 383-0058, wmathis@sover.net Dan Quinn, (517) 203-2940, dquinn@greatlakescenter.orgNew Brief Explores 21st Century Skills How do we promote a more responsive, integrated model to meet twenty-first century learning requirements? EAST LANSING, Mich. (May 14, 2013) –”Teaching twenty-first-century skills” is a catchy slogan, but its meaning is often interpreted in two different ways. Those appealing to international economic competitiveness typically embrace common cognitive-based curriculums and testing. Those looking toward workforce skills place greater emphasis on softer skills such as problem solving, creativity, and working with others. The eighth in a series of two- and three-page briefs summarizing current relevant findings in education policy research explores the idea of “21st Century skills.” The brief explains the sometimes-conflicting values and proposals for making schools relevant to meeting the needs of the 21st Century. William Mathis, managing director of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), prepared the brief, Research-Based Options for Education Policymaking – Twenty-first-Century Skills and Implications for Education. Previous sections of Research-Based Options have included: teacher evaluations, common core standards, early childhood education, choice funding, dropout strategies, effective school expenditures, and parental involvement for ELL. To summarize the complicated debate over these skills, Dr. Mathis had this to say, “In broad brush strokes, the debate about twenty-first century skills is represented by these two perspectives; soft skills with constructivist learning versus test-based, set-piece, top-down cognate.” However, he cautions, “In reality, few would embrace such a stark contrast.” Seeking to bridge the gap, Mathis reviews current research over “multiple pathways” or “linked learning,” which seeks to blend the two perspectives. Linked learning is an approach that combines academic and technical learning, providing context for real-life situations. Regarding linked learning, Mathis had this to say, “Rather than the traditional one-size-fits-all, classroom-based approach to education, a rich variety of options are open to students, including higher education, workforce internships, career academies, magnet schools, small learning groups and technical careers.” Mathis makes several recommendations for policymakers seeking to promote a more integrated model emphasizing “21st Century skills.” Here are a few: Accountability systems must allow for the demonstration of student proficiencies through a broad array of assessment methods (beyond test-bases systems tied to a system of test-based sanctions). Work-based learning opportunities must be defined and adopted as legitimate parts of the school curriculum. Cooperation between secondary and higher education must be expanded. Greater flexibility in school schedules, day and year. The recommendations also explain the importance of investing time, energy, and resources needed to expand the skills of teachers who would be teaching in a linked learning setting. Find the brief on the Great Lakes Center website: http://greatlakescenter.org/research_based_options.php Twenty-first-Century Skills is part of Research-Based Options for Education Policymaking, a multipart brief that takes up a number of important policy issues and identifies policies supported by research. Each section focuses on a different issue, and its recommendations to policymakers are based on the latest scholarship. The National Education Policy Center (NEPC) produced this brief with funding from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice. This brief is also found on the NEPC website: http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/options - ### -

The mission of the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice is to support and disseminate high quality research and reviews of research for the purpose of informing education policy and to develop research-based resources for use by those who advocate for education reform.

Visit the Great Lakes Center Web Site at: http://www.greatlakescenter.org.

Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/greatlakescent.

News from the NEPC: **Two Paths to 21st-Century Learning

From yesterday’s inbox…

Research and analysis to inform education policy and promote democratic deliberation

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Two Paths to 21st Century Learning New Brief Examines Debate over the Focus of Schooling  Contact: William J. Mathis, (802) 383-0058, wmathis@sover.net URL for this press release: http://tinyurl.com/ctzew3j BOULDER, CO (May 14, 2013) –The eighth in a series of short briefs summarizing current relevant findings in education policy research explores the idea of “21st Century skills.” The brief explains the sometimes-conflicting values and proposals for making schools relevant to meeting the needs of the 21st Century. The paper is written by Dr. William Mathis, managing director of the National Education Policy Center, housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education. Mathis points out that, depending upon who is speaking, the question of what 21st Century skills can or should entail fall into two very different categories. One perspective points to the increasing importance of so-called soft skills of teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills and diversity awareness – a focus that typically emphasizes constructivist learning. The other perspective focuses on cognitive skills in science, technology, math, and reading. It can be traced back at least as far as the Nation at Risk report 30 years ago and also encompasses No Child Left Behind as well as most policies arising out of the Obama administration. In truth, both types of skills are almost universally embraced as important, and there are ongoing efforts to advance both perspectives together. Mathis writes about approaches that combine “the three R’s” with “the four C’s (Critical thinking and problem solving, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity and innovation).” But he cautions that, “given our history of testing as well as current obstacles, it seems likely that the four C’s will end up being treated merely as weak add-ons to the three R’s.” Mathis points in particular notable example of a fused effort in the work of Marisa Saunders, who describes a “multiple pathways” or “linked learning” approach that combines academic and technical learning. Linked learning is designed to make school relevant, collaborative, and creative, keeping a variety of options open to all students. “As contrasted with tracking, all students in a Linked-Learning school are provided with a high-quality education that maintains both college and workforce options,” Mathis writes. Additionally, a broad variety of methods are used to assess student achievement rather than simply relying on traditional standardized tests. Mathis concludes with a series of recommendations that focus on broadening accountability measures to ensure against the narrowing of curriculum and to promote the expansion of authentic learning opportunities. The recommendations also explain the importance of investing time, energy, and resources needed to expand the skills of teachers who would be teaching in a linked-learning setting. ‘Like’ on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend “Twenty-first Century Skills and Implications for Education” is part of Research-Based Options for Education Policymaking, a multipart brief that takes up a number of important policy issues and identifies policies supported by research. Each section focuses on a different issue, and its recommendations to policymakers are based on the latest scholarship. The brief is made possible in part by support provided by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice. Find William Mathis’s brief on the NEPC website at: http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/options The mission of the National Education Policy Center is to produce and disseminate high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. We are guided by the belief that the democratic governance of public education is strengthened when policies are based on sound evidence.  For more information on the NEPC, please visit http://nepc.colorado.edu/. This brief is also found on the GLC website at http://www.greatlakescenter.org/. If you are not already subscribed to this newsletter and would like to receive it regularly, click http://nepc.colorado.edu/ and then click the button in the upper right-hand corner that looks like this:

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British Journal of Educational Technology – Content Alert (New Articles)

Another item from yesterday’s inbox…  No K-12 online learning items, but some interesting…

British Journal of Educational Technology © British Educational Research Association Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)

These Early View articles are now available on Wiley Online Library

Original Articles ICT’s participatory potential in higher education collaborations: Reality or just talk Rosalind James Article first published online: 12 MAY 2013 | DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12060 Motion controllers for learners to manipulate and interact with 3D objects for mental rotation training Shih-Ching Yeh, Jin-Liang Wang, Chin-Yeh Wang, Po-Han Lin, Gwo-Dong Chen and Albert Rizzo Article first published online: 9 MAY 2013 | DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12059 The role of environment design in an educational Multi-User Virtual Environment Nikiforos M. Papachristos, Ioannis Vrellis, Antonis Natsis and Tassos A. Mikropoulos Article first published online: 9 MAY 2013 | DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12056 “Virtually mandatory”: A survey of how discipline and institutional commitment shape university lecturers’ perceptions of technology Chris Shelton Article first published online: 9 MAY 2013 | DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12051 Incorporating technologies into a flexible teaching space Mike Joy, Jonathan Foss, Emma King, Jane Sinclair, Jirarat Sitthiworachart and Rachel Davis Article first published online: 8 MAY 2013 | DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12040

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FREE Research in Review Webinar – May 21st, 3-4pm

Back in Windsor for a few weeks, so postings should be getting back to normal soon.  Starting the week with something from Friday’s inbox…  Note that today may be a slow blogging day, as I got caught up on most of the backlog of items over the weekend.

Hi everyone,

Hope you’re having a great day!

I wanted to let you know that there is a free iNACOL Research in Review Webinar on Tuesday, May 21st, 3-4pm ET. The topic is “Examining K-12 Online Teachers Education Practices For Effectiveness and Student Success For Critical Need Algebra I And Biology Courses.” This will be presented by Bonnie Swan and Mike Hynes of the University of Central Florida as well as Beth Miller of Florida Virtual School. To register and learn more about what they will be sharing, please go to the following link:

http://www.inacol.org/events/webinar/research.php

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Kathryn
–
Kathryn Kennedy, Ph.D.
Knowledge Manager/Researcher
International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL)
1934 Old Gallows Road, Suite 350
Vienna, VA 22182
Office: (703) 752-6216
Fax: (703) 752-6201

http://www.inacol.org

facebook.com/inacol
kkennedy@inacol.org

http://kathrynmkennedy.com

Twitter – @kkennedy78

Save the Date
iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium (formerly VSS)
October 27-30, 2013 in Orlando, FL
http://www.inacol.org/events/symposium/