Posted by: Sarah
on Aug 24, 2011
For many college students, textbooks can be one of the most expensive parts of a college education. Publishing companies have begun to distribute e-textbooks that should help ease the amount of money students spend on textbooks. Many times; however, the e-textbook is as expensive as the printed version. This has increased the number of pirated e-textbooks. According to an article in The Chronicle for Higher Education, e-textbooks are being pirated and distributed to students at a greatly reduced cost.
Posted by: Sarah
on Aug 23, 2011
Over the summer, many families in Tennessee eagerly applied their children for enrollment in Tennessee's Virtual Academy. Online education courses are provided through K 12 Inc., and both the Virtual Academy and education officials are pleased with the response to the virtual academy. While many students have enrolled successfully, some are finding the application process challenging. According to an article in Education Week, parents who have applied for Tennessee's Virtual Academy worry that their students will not be able to enroll in the online program.
Posted by: Sarah
on Aug 16, 2011
With a new school year beginning for many students, teachers are looking for new ways to incorporate technology and online learning programs into their lesson plans. These teachers know that the lecture based learning does not always engage students especially in the areas of Math and Science. For many students, the classroom lecture and homework system does not address their learning needs. According to the Fort Worth Journal and Gazette, the Khan Academy, which specializes in video tutorials, offers teachers a free tool to help students engage with the material.
Posted by: Sarah
on Aug 10, 2011
In an announcement last week, two of the leading companies making student management software, SunGard and Datatel, plan to merge their assets. According to an article in The Chronicle for Higher Education, this merger between SunGard and Datatel has the potential to create better management systems for their respective higher education clients. This merger has many in various colleges and universities concerned since both companies offer student record management technologies.
Posted by: Sarah
on Aug 8, 2011
For many high school students, school is a series of lectures taking place in various classrooms on campus. After school, students muddle through homework and the cycle repeats. Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, saw the need to question the fundamental practices of the education system. Why are students being lectured in the classroom and doing the real work of learning in their homework? According to an article in The Bangor Daily News, Khan Academy offers teachers a series of videos and lectures for the students to watch as homework assignments which allows class time to be used for questions, problem solving, and unique projects.
Posted by: Sarah
on Aug 3, 2011
For each college student, textbook costs garner a sizable portion of education related expenses. Whether the student enrolls in an online learning courses or a traditional classroom environment, each student must acquire the textbook to complete the course successfully. Decreases in financial aide and other funding may affect how many students can afford their textbooks which could lead to a decline in students' success in the classroom. According to a case study conducted by John Hilton III and David Wiley entitled Open Access Textbooks and Financial Sustainability:A Case Study of Flat World Knowledge, Hilton and Wiley researched this open source textbook company in its beta phase to see if students would welcome open source e-textbooks and if this model could be sustained.
Posted by: Sarah
on Jul 14, 2011
With more textbooks offering an e-version of the book, college students had to create separate user names and passwords to access the information. This may no longer be necessary. In a recent announcement, the online learning platform giant Blackboard has partnered with several college textbook publishers. This collaboration will allow Blackboard to offer a wider range of services for its learning management system. According to an article in The Chronicle for Higher Education, Blackboard's new partnership allows textbook companies to offer their e-textbooks through Blackboard.
Posted by: Sarah
on Jul 11, 2011
Last week, Google announced the beta version of its new social networking site, Google Plus. For those who may not be familiar with Google Plus, this new social media site allows users to share information within their social circles rather than the entire group of contacts. This limited sharing feature as some professors excited about the possibilities Google Plus has for education. According to an article in The Chronicle for Higher Education, professors see Google Plus as a potential new tool for connecting with their students in the classroom.
Posted by: Jason
on Jul 1, 2011
The big news of the day is that Blackboard, arguably the Microsoft of learning management systems, has been purchased by private equity firm Providence Equity Partners for $1.64 billion.
Posted by: Sarah
on Jun 30, 2011
For many college students, lecture halls and lengthy instruction periods have been the norm; however, a group of professors at Stanford University are working together to integrate new approaches to classroom instruction. According to an article in The Stanford University News, several professors have begun working on integrating three aspects of the online learning experience into the traditional classroom to enhance the learning experience. The recorded lecture, the online discussion forums, and open source web-based platforms could allow professors to spend more time interacting with the students during class.
