In our society of constant change and innovation why are we stuck with
a 1950's era education system? Traditional classrooms with blackboards
and lecture style sessions were the era of my parents education. How
can this form of eduction thrive today? The problem with this system of
education is that it does very little to engage the minds of todays youth.

As a designer/developer I am constantly looking at new technologies to
learn from. Recently a few emerging technologies have caught my eye
and made me think about the possibilities of user interfaces evolving
learning methodologies. In the near future I believe the user experience
will be the spark that drives the innovation of our educational system.

User experience design examples include:

Multi-Touch Technology
http://www.perceptivepixel.com/

Real world 3D based projections
http://vizoo.com/showreel_wmvs/EPK_Cheoptics360_XL.wmv

3D Based Computing Desktop
http://bumptop.com/

If these technologies grew into learning kiosks, could this spark a new
initiative in edutainment?

"Tell me and I Forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I
understand." – Chinese Proverb

Posted by James Rice at 9:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We academics have a record of being rather insular; we think all important education and research occurs in an academic environment. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are looking for effective professional education and for educational innovation, look at Corporate Education.

One source I continually review and find useful is Learning Circuits – ASTD’s online magazine covering e-learning. They frequently have reports of cutting edge innovation and education. For example, the current issue has “Informal Learning: Overlooked or Overhyped,” by Andrew Paradise and “The Way We Learn Now,” by Amy Christen. Check it out! http://www.learningcircuits.org/

Posted by John Stinson at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A number of institutions with online programs have noticed a definite increase in online participation during this summer session. The Chronicle of Higher Education has been following this situation and reported in July that the Tennessee Board of Regents reported a 29% increase in online course participation. Brevard College in Florida reported a 25% increase. Research into the increased participation has revealed that students are considering the cost of gas to attend class in relationship to the cost of online tuition and working from home. SUNY Learning Network has an online calculator that students can use to compute the cost of gas to attend class vs the cost of online course tuition. This trend may not continue into the fall, but institutions are paying close attention and will certainly utilize the concept of "online" to save money in their promotions if the trend appears to have substance.

Posted by Muriel Ballou at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

During a large family vacation last summer, my relatives would sometimes be confused when I had to duck out of some activities to go use the resort’s computer to turn in papers for online classes I was taking.

“You’re paying for that? You’re just teaching yourself!” they would say.

I was taking a lower-level “Introduction to Literature” class and a political science class on “Current World Problems” through branches of Ohio University (it’s cheaper to take classes through branches than the main campus). It’s true that there were no lectures from the professors –- in fact, there was very little communication with them other than their administering the assignments from the syllabus. I never felt like I was missing out, though. In my poli sci class, for example, the assignments for research papers were genuinely challenging and required that I actually learn the material through the readings my professor assigned.

It was not an “easy A,” despite what many other students think is the norm for online classes. Additionally, I felt that my professors were always available to help, and I valued their knowledge in creating assignments and choosing things for us to read. I wasn’t really just “teaching myself” –- I wouldn’t know where to start if I were to create a course for myself on current world problems.

Another question my family would ask me is how we were expected to take exams online without cheating and looking up answers during the test. For any online class I’ve ever taken, it is assumed that we’ll use resources other than our own memories to take tests. It’s possible to have a valuable class without taking tests, too, though, and my political science class was one of those courses.

I think that whether or not online exams are worth it really depends on how the instructor organizes them; I’ve felt challenged and forced to learn something when exams pose thoughtful essay questions, but I have also been in the situation where weekly, online reading quizzes require only a flip through the textbook to find bolded words and definitions.

In my experience, the success of an online class simply depends on how creative and skilled the instructor is; it’s just like any other class, but in a more convenient medium.

Posted by Susannah Elliott at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)