“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” The words of Charles Darwin are strikingly relevant to the world of higher education. Colleges and universities are in the midst of a pervasive and radical change driven by innovations in technology. Institutions must respond to change in a way that helps shape the future of higher education or find themselves in the precarious position of obsolescence. Read more →
Technology
Adaptive Online Learning
More than any other time in human history, knowledge is both ubiquitous and accessible. The digital realm of cyberspace contains a vast universe of information comprised of incalculable bits of data. As Siemens (2004) stated, however, “knowledge that resides in a database needs to be connected with the right people in the right context in order to be classified as learning.” Read more →
Academic Social Networks
A social network used to mean nothing more than a group of people linked together via common interests or a pattern of social relationships. Similarly, a professional network referred to a group of people tied together by professional relationships or career-related interests. These days, nearly any type of network that exists in the “real world” can also exist in the “virtual world,” which expands the connection possibilities exponentially. Although Facebook is typically associated with social relationships, Twitter with information-sharing, and Linkedin with the virtual Rolodex, these platforms embody the same principles: building online communities and sharing information. In the academic world, traditional campuses are slowly learning how to engage online learners by following the same principles. Read more →
Online Instruction & The LMS
The LMS (learning management system) market has been dominated by Blackboard for years but low-cost, free, and open source alternatives are on the rise (see OpenClass). The LMS seems to play a pivotal role in online learning and I wonder to what extent are instructional methods adapted to fit the design and features of the LMS versus adapting the LMS to fit online instructional methods. For example, some institutions do not use whiteboards or lecture-capture software because they rely strictly on discussion forums, tests, and papers whereas other institutions incorporate more live and recorded lectures into the classroom and use whiteboards. Are these decisions strictly based on what features the LMS offers or is the pedagogy/andragogy agreed upon first, before the LMS is implemented? Who decides what features should be built into the LMS? Read more →
Online Career Services
How are career services being offered to online students? Some institutions are teaming up with organizations like CareerBuilder (click to view a course demo) and Optimal Resume to offer comprehensive career services that can be accessed via a career resource portal. From personalized career coaching to resume-writing workshops, students have access to a variety of services at their fingertips. Read more →
6 degrees of separation?
So what does a Hungarian author, a Jewish-American social psychologist, and an American playwright have in common with Facebook? Today I read a New York Times article that shed some light on the 6 degrees of separation concept – the idea that everyone on the planet is connected by no more than 6 acquaintances.
Self Management 2.0
Self management is what people really mean when they say time management. How we spend our time is really all about the decisions we make – to hit or not to hit the snooze button for example. While sticky notes remain a popular option to set reminders for ourselves (they are all over my desk), there are a few popular web 2.0 tools that can help with self management. I just wanted to highlight a few of the ones I have come across that seem very useful. You can watch a video that explains each program and decide for yourself which one (if any) you think you would like to use. Some students have found these helpful in managing their busy schedules and so have I. Read more →
Transported Presence
Transported presence is the idea that we can be present someplace without having to go there physically. We now have the ability to bring people together from remote locations into digital spaces (e.g. virtual room, virtual desktop, video chat/IM). The implication is that we can eliminate, or at least greatly reduce, the distance between us. We’ve already been doing this since the invention of the telephone, but with advances in technology, communicating at a distance doesn’t need to feel so… distant.
Desktop Sharing in Distance Advising
Desktop sharing is an easy way to collaborate online because you can meet with people from around the world at one convenient location in real time – your desktop! Chances are if you work or go to school, you use a computer quite frequently. Online students usually do both, so it is important to open lines of communication with them in a convenient, time-effective way. Distance advisors can use desktop sharing to conduct group advising sessions, deliver presentations, or even provide remote assistance if necessary.
Zoho – Free Chat, CRM, and then some
Zoho is a company that offers a slew of web-based applications designed to help people collaborate, communicate, and create. Some of the collaboration and communication tools Zoho offers include chat, document sharing, desktop sharing, and wiki applications all under one roof – they even have email service. On the creating front, Zoho offers Read more →
Screencasting in Distance Advising
A screencast is nothing more than a digital recording of one’s computer screen, which is usually accompanied by some sort of audio narration that explains what’s happening. Screencasts are useful because they allow you to demonstrate a specific activity or teach others how to perform a particular task, which might otherwise be too cumbersome to explain over the phone or through chat. Another useful way to use screencasts is to record a presentation, which can then be uploaded as a video (youtube), downloaded as a movie file, or shared via a link.
