Worth A Read

From Friday’s inbox…

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• So How DO We Measure Learning in the Arts…
• Molding Opinion About Schools
• John Thompson Guest Post: Here’s What was Missing from the Wall Street Journal’s Column on Teacher Evaluation
• Colorado’s Questionable Use Of The Colorado Growth Model
• Elevator Speech on Harm of High Stakes Testing
• Which states screw the largest share of low income children? Another look at funding fairness

So How DO We Measure Learning in the Arts… Posted: 26 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT Nancy Flanagan investigates our ability to measure learning in the arts. “Isn’t there room for change, growth and diverse methodologies in curriculum and assessment?”

Molding Opinion About Schools Posted: 26 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT Walt Gardner writes about an ‘advertisement’ by Deborah Kenny, founder of Harlem Village Academies, which makes bold assertions about charter schools.   Read Kenny’s Why Charter Schools Work.

John Thompson Guest Post: Here’s What was Missing from the Wall Street Journal’s Column on Teacher Evaluation Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT John Thompson reacts to Tom Kane’s Op Ed in the Wall Street Journal.  The Op Ed ran with another piece by Linda Darling-Hammond. Thompson’s critique includes information about Catherine Durso’s review of the LA Times Value-added scoring, a review funded by the Great Lakes Center.   You can find a link to the original WSJ article here. Find John Thompson’s piece on Larry Ferlazzo’s blog.

Colorado’s Questionable Use Of The Colorado Growth Model Posted: 24 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT Matt Di Carlo takes on Colorado’s Growth Model and questions why it is held up as a standard for other states to emulate. “Don’t get me wrong – I would still say Colorado’s growth-heavy system is far preferable to its counterparts in most other states, and actual growth scores are still the driving force in the system. But the double standard is a little perplexing.”

Elevator Speech on Harm of High Stakes Testing Posted: 22 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT Judy Rabin shares Dov Rosenberg’s post from Facebook on high-stakes testing.  It is worth a read!

Which states screw the largest share of low income children? Another look at funding fairness Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT Bruce Baker looks at the cold data behind which states’ schools are the least fairly funded for the largest number of low-income students.

Mobile Learning On The Interwebs

Beginning with the ASCD Smart Brief.

Should students use their own mobile devices in the classroom?
School policies that allow students to use their own mobile-technology devices in the classroom are becoming more popular as educators look for ways to introduce one-to-one computing. Research on one-to-one laptop programs suggests the benefits of mobile-learning initiatives might include better attendance, more educational resources and improved achievement. Some educators are concerned about students becoming distracted by the devices, but others say the novelty wears off and is replaced by higher engagement in academic uses. eSchool News (free registration) (4/29)

How mobile technology is enhancing ELL lessons
This article highlights two schools that are using mobile technology to enhance their programs for English-language learners. The Newcomer Center in Arlington Heights, Ill., which serves students who are recent immigrants with few English skills, allows students to use iPads to practice all aspects of language — listening, speaking and writing. Meanwhile, a Texas district has issued iPod Touch devices to all its ELL middle-school students to record themselves practicing their English pronunciation. T.H.E. Journal (5/2)

Ky. school has iPad program for younger grades
Although more typically seen in middle and high schools, one Kentucky elementary school is using iPads with some second- and third-grade students. Teachers, who support the initiative, say they are using the tablet computers across all subjects and have formed an informal professional-learning community to share best practices. T.H.E. Journal (5/4)

Also the eSchool News Today.

Top News of the Day

‘Bring your own device’ catching on in schools Mobile devices are now found in the hands of most children, and school leaders are using that fact to their advantage by incorporating devices that students already own into classroom lessons and projects. [ Read More ]

App maker: Don’t just play on your smartphone-study, too When Ashish Rangnekar wasn’t studying for his business school entrance exam, he played games, perused websites, and checked eMail on his iPhone. Now he – and 75,000 other students – can do both simultaneously [ Read More ]

Educator’s Resource Center Mobile learning: Not just laptops any more New advances in mobile technology could help schools realize the promise of true anytime, anywhere learning. Learn more here

Back to the regular Google News alert for mobile learning.

Higher Colleges of Technology Maths Conference opens at ADWC
AME Info
The conference’s keynote speaker is Professor John Traxler, Professor of Mobile Learning and Director of the Learning Lab at the University of Wolverhampton, UK. Professor Traxler is the co-editor of the definitive book on mobile learning. …
See all stories on this topic »

California District Ramps Up 802.11n To Support Mobile Learning
T.H.E. Journal
By David Nagel Union School District in San Jose, CA is gutting its old wireless infrastructure and moving to an enterprise-class WLAN to support its mobile computing efforts. Union SD formally incorporates technology in its mission statement as a …
See all stories on this topic »

NetDimensions’ mEKP Portable LMS Selected as 2011 CODiE™ Awards Finalist
PRLog.Org (press release)
“This recognition by leading software, digital content and education professionals who reviewed our nomination also tells us that our latest technology innovation, mEKP, has a unique and significant role in the future of mobile learning and performance …
See all stories on this topic »

New Product Announcement and Keynote Presentations to Stream Live from the …
DigitalJournal.com (press release)
Viewers also get free online access to the live Keynote Presentations from well-known thought leaders Elliott Masie about the future of eLearning and Tim Ferguson on the mobile learning landscape. “As the sixth annual Lectora User Conference, …
See all stories on this topic »

NetDimensions to Showcase Suite of Mobile Learning Solutions and Services at …
PR Newswire (press release)
“This year, building on the tremendous market recognition of mEKP Portable, we will showcase a full mobile learning strategy that includes mEKP Live, a device-aware smartphone browser LMS solution; and mEKP App, which meets the needs of millions who …
See all stories on this topic »

Abu Dhabi Women’s College hosts 8th HCT Maths Conference
AME Info
Prominent expert in mobile learning Professor John Traxler, joined by experts from around the world and from various Higher Colleges, addressed students and faculty in several sessions throughout the day-long conference. The Maths Conference, an annual …
See all stories on this topic »

Flippin Schools to go wireless
Baxter Bulletin
Rosa said truly mobile learning with the tablet devices could be enabled through wireless cards, cellular service or satellite service. “Where it goes just depends on what makes the most sense, is the most reliable and cost efficient,” Rosa said.
See all stories on this topic »

Benefits of handheld, mobile learning highlighted at exhibition
GulfNews
“Hand held and mobile learning is becoming an increasingly important delivery approach for teachers in the 21st century because it allows them to take learning outside of the classroom,” said David Kirtlan, Education Consultant of Semperior Education, …
See all stories on this topic »

Bethel School District Chooses Impulse Point to Support Bring-Your-Own-Device …
PR-USA.net (press release)
While addressing key trends in education — mobile learning, online and blended learning, and e-textbooks and digital content — BYOD policies also can open the network to vulnerability if not handled correctly. SafeConnect will enable students to use …
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SuccessFactors acquires leading learning management software provider Plateau
WebWire (press release)
Additionally, this acquisition forms a symbiotic combination with SuccessFactors’ acquisition of social video mobile learning provider, Jambok. “Plateau has a long history of delivering innovation and has consistently been recognised in the top 1 or 2 …
See all stories on this topic »

Every School Every Thursday – Des Moines East/North
DesMoinesRegister.com
The Conservation Station from the Iowa Learning Farms at Iowa State University visited Orchard Place Campus School. Even though the weather was too rainy and windy for students to tour the mobile learning center, the students participated in many …
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Harvard brings e-learns for Indian managers
Times of India
The mobile offering by HBP, for instance, will be available on major mobile platforms including Blackberry, iPhone and Android devices. HBP is also developing the product to support a mobile browser. “We’re planning to launch this mobile learning …
See all stories on this topic »

Film shows the use of technology in education
Abilene Reporter-News
ACU was chosen out of all Texas colleges and universities for its exemplary use of mobile learning technology, said Eric Graham, field producer for the Austin branch of AMS Pictures. A study titled “Redefining Teacher Education for Digital-Age …
See all stories on this topic »

Etisalat showcases advanced ICT solutions for education sector at the Gulf …
Eye of Dubai (press release)
Our association with Blackboard Inc. will empower students to leverage the untapped potential of mobile education. Mobile Learning is significant not only for students, who can now attend lectures irrespective of where they are, at their convenience, …
See all stories on this topic »

Next the Google Blog alert for mobile learning.

10 Tips For Designing mLearning And Support Apps: Instructional …
By Connie Malamed
Probably the most realistic model for mobile learning and performance support is similar to how people use phones for other purposes—in short bursts of activity. Users probably won’t sit for an hour going through a full-blown eLearning …
Instructional Design and eLearning:… – http://theelearningcoach.com/

Finally, the Google Web alert for mobile learning.

Video Contest on Mobile Learning | BrainPOP Educators
BrainPOP announces ISTE’s Special Interest Group for Mobile Learning Video Contest on Mobile Learning!
www.brainpop.com/educators/…/mobile-learning-video-contes…

Designing the Future of Mobile Learning at the ARIS Global Game …
“I think the prototypes are going to tell us a lot more about mobile learning than a product is,” said ARIS Project Manager David Gagnon in a video, …
spotlight.macfound.org/…/designing-the-future-of-mobile-lear…

Districts Embrace Mobile Learning—Safely and Securely – Lightspeed …
Lightspeed Systems develops Total Traffic Control, a comprehensive network security solution developed specifically to protect K-12 networks.
www.lightspeedsystems.com/about/NewsDetails.aspx?…

SuccessFactors buys Plateau for $290 million
The deal, expected to close in the summer, is designed to go with Jambok, a mobile learning video provider acquired by SuccessFactors. …
m.zdnet.com/blog/btl/successfactors-buys-plateau…/47845

Getting Started with Mobile Learning
Mobile devices are everywhere today. Organizations must inevitably study the opportunities and challenges of offering mobile learning. Mobile learning has …
www.brandon-hall.com/news/?p=1277

Faculty Panel on Mobile Learning and Social Media
Faculty Panel on Mobile Learning and Social Media The pervasiveness of social media and mobile devices raises the question – how can we use those tools to …
www.itap.purdue.edu/training/course/index.cfm?offeringID…

The Best App Of All Time? “Hey Mom” Mobile Service | K-12 Mobile …
Amongst all the amazing apps and mobile services available, there’s one that’s irreplaceable. We all have access to it at some level.
www.k12mobilelearning.com/?p=2204

Free Augmented Manipulatives For Education | K-12 Mobile Learning
Download free augmented manipulatives at K-12 Mobile Learning.
www.k12mobilelearning.com/augmented-reality-manipulatives/

NetDimensions to Showcase Suite of Mobile Learning Solutions and …
NBC12 News, Weather, Traffic, Sports, Events, Editorial Commentary and Programming on WWBT, Channel 12 in Richmond, Virginia.
www.nbc12.com/…/netdimensions-to-showcase-suite-of-mobil…

Blog Carnival: Virtual Schooling – July 15, 2010 (Final Issue)

Only 1 entry submitted this month (and it was not relevant to this Blog Carnival – not even tenuously). As such, I have decided to discontinue the Blog Carnival feature.

As this will be the last time I post the Blog Carnival feature, here are the previous issues:

• June 15, 2010 (1 general item)
• May 17, 2010 (1 general item)
• April 15, 2010 (3 general items)
• March 15, 2010 (4 general items)
• February 15, 2010 (1 general item)
• January 15, 2010 (4 general items)
• December 15, 2009 (1 thematic item & 1 general item)
• November 15, 2009 (2 general items)
• October 15, 2009 (7 general items)
• September 15, 2009 (2 general items)
• August 15, 2009 (1 thematic item & 3 general items)
• July 15, 2009 (1 thematic item & 1 general item)
• June 15, 2009 (2 general items)
• May 15, 2009 (no items)
• April 2009 Edition (1 thematic item)
• March 2009 Edition (4 thematic items & 3 general items)
• 15 February 2009 (3 general items)
• First Blog Carnival (1 general item & 10 irrelevant items)

In looking at the statistics, I see only 8 thematic items and 39 items generally related to online learning OR K-12 education – and the first month when I also posted 10 items that had nothing to do with K-12 or online learning.  This is not to mention that there was generally ten to twenty times the blog entries submitted as the number of general items posted, for example:

• March 15, 2010 had 4 general items posted, but more than 25 entries submitted
• February 15, 2010 had 1 general item posted, but more than 30 entries submitted
• June 15, 2010 had 1 general item posted, but 54 entries submitted

I wish I had actually kept that statistic and posted in the entries (i.e., the number of irrelevant blog entries submitted to each Blog Carnival).

As some of you may recall, I began this feature as a part of the task for Day 18 of the 30 Days to Being a Better Blogger series that Steve Dembo did (see Day Eighteen – Thirty Days To A Better Blog).  I have to be honest and say that minus the March 2009 Edition, the nineteen month journey resulted in 86 entries (counting calls and actual editions) – but it wasn’t that rewarding.  The only really good entries that came out of it were Scott McLeod’s The Iowa series – Wrap-up posted at Dangerously Irrelevant, which I would have known about anyway because I follow his blog. Although that month I was alerted to the Virtual Learning Academy Teachers blog. However, there isn’t a single other entry that I posted that I would have clicked on if I hadn’t been trying to determine if it was relevant for the Blog Carnival or not.

Maybe it is because there are so few people blogging about K-12 online learning.  Granted, if that were true my Blogging About Virtual Schooling entries would be pretty empty too.  However, those entries are always full of entries – and that’s just from the ~300 blogs I follow in my RSS reader.  Anyway, I guess that is it for this feature.

Final Reminder: Virtual Schooling Blog Carnival – Call For Submissions

A final reminder that the call for the July Blog Carnival edition reads:

virtual schooling – http://blogcarnival.com/bc/eprof_26744.html

Description – This is a carnival that is focused upon the use of online learning and distance at the K-12 level. Please submit items that are related to the field of K-12 education – elementary or high school – and online or blended/hybrid learning.
Keywords – K-12 online learning, virtual schooling, cyberschooling, distance education
Filed under – education
Submission deadline – Middle of the month (providing appropriate content)
Maintained by – Michael Barbour
Current status – This carnival is ongoing.

If you have something relevant to this topic, feel free to submit it to this Blog Carnival.

Reminder: Virtual Schooling Blog Carnival – Call For Submissions

A reminder that the call for the July Blog Carnival edition reads:

virtual schooling – http://blogcarnival.com/bc/eprof_26744.html

Description – This is a carnival that is focused upon the use of online learning and distance at the K-12 level. Please submit items that are related to the field of K-12 education – elementary or high school – and online or blended/hybrid learning.
Keywords – K-12 online learning, virtual schooling, cyberschooling, distance education
Filed under – education
Submission deadline – Middle of the month (providing appropriate content)
Maintained by – Michael Barbour
Current status – This carnival is ongoing.

If you have something relevant to this topic, feel free to submit it to this Blog Carnival.