It’s Connected Educator Month!

Posted on August 2, 2012 by DrEMiller

Lots of activities are planned for the month of August, including:

A three day online kickoff event (Aug. 1-3) about connected education in the context of the larger education landscape, featuring keynote addresses by Deborah Meier, Chris Lehmann, Douglas Rushkoff, Larry Johnson, and Connie Yowell, a panel with the directors of the Department’s Office of Educational Technology, and more.

Six month-long discussion forums on key educational issues, selected by the participating organizations, and explored in an online community context.

A variety of resources designed to help educators who are not yet engaged in online communities or networks get connected.

A culminating two-day event designed to synthesize and distill learnings from the month, and generate takeaways and next steps for the field.

What is Connected Educator Month? This from the official Connected Educator Month blog:

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan declared August, 2012 Connected Educator Month a month-long exploration and celebration of online communities and networks dedicated to broadening and deepening educator participation in learning and sharing, and bringing online community and education leaders together to move towards a more fully connected and collaborative profession.

Visit the site here to learn more: http://www.ed.gov/blog/2012/08/connected-educator-month-kicks-off/

#educ_dr

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From Edutopia via My Inbox: Free Workshop!

Posted on July 25, 2012 by DrEMiller

 

Found this in my inbox today, and thought I would share. Sounds like an interesting workshop!

And the articles aren’t bad, either!

Free Workshop! July 30 – August 31
Register for our upcoming five-week online workshop. It features tools, creative assignments, and a network of experienced educators who have used design thinking to tackle big challenges at their schools. Space is limited so sign up today!

Can Innovation Skills Be Learned?
Author, educator, and thought leader Tony Wagner looks at innovation and creativity, and how anyone can develop these habits when their natural human curiosity is encouraged.

Design Thinking: A Crash Course in Innovation
From the archives: This blog from Suzie Boss explains how design thinking can be a key strategy for unlocking students’ capacity to be change agents and innovators.

#educ_dr

 

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Global Learning Technology Conference « Virtual School Meanderings

Posted on July 25, 2012 by DrEMiller

From yesterday’s Virtual School Meanderings:

July 24, 2012

Global Learning Technology Conference

A friend of mine sent this along and asked that I share it with folks who may be in the area and wanting to attend.

Dear Colleagues

We want to personally invite you to attend the Global Learning Technology Conference, to be held Aug. 9-10, 2012 at the Watson College of Education, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC.

This two-day conference will bring together educators, instructional technologists, instructional designers, E-learning specialists, and other learning technology professionals. Our theme for the conference is “learn, innovate and connect.” The program offers multiple hands-on workshops and paper and poster presentations that will help position your learning technology efforts now and into the future.

Our key note speaker, Dr. Charles Severance, a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan will address the conference attendees with his speech entitled “Initial Experiences Teaching a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC)”.  Dr. Charles Severance has been at the forefront of teaching and learning for some time. In addition to his appointment at the University of Michigan, he also works for Blackboard as Sakai Chief Strategist and the IMS Global Learning Consortium promoting and developing standards for teaching and learning technology. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Sakai Foundation and the Chief Architect of the Sakai Project.  More recently, he is teaching a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) using the Coursera teaching platform (http://www.uncw.edu/ed/gltc/keynote.html).

To kick off the conference, we will begin with a series of hands-on workshops followed by our guest speaker Mr. Lucas Gillispie, a well-known local educator in the area of gaming in education particularly the use of MMORPG’s (Massively Multiplayer Online Role play Games), mobile game-based learning, virtual training and simulations.  In addition, there will be opportunities to meet and connect with professionals and visit our learning technology exhibits. Visit http://uncw.edu/ed/gltc/index.html to register.

We hope you will be able to join us at this important event and encourage you to register early http://uncw.edu/ed/gltc/registration.html

Cordially,

Global Learning Technology Conference Committee

via Global Learning Technology Conference « Virtual School Meanderings.

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Northern Arizona University and Pearson Partner to Launch Region’s First Competency-based Online Learning Programs

Posted on July 24, 2012 by DrEMiller

Although the blog below is clearly an advertisement for Pearson programs, the idea of competency-based programs that allow students to move at their own speeds or test out of a class altogether is more than interesting– is worthy of applause. More able students–especially those able to work independently–will be able to complete their education faster, or take more of the courses that can personalize a program of study. Permutation for individualization is almost limitless. That the program is first being offered online is as indicative of the value of online educational opportunities, and of the place that online education has forged for itself within the postsecondary arena. Can K-12 online education be far behind?

Northern Arizona University and Pearson Partner to Launch Region’s First Competency-based Online Learning Programs.

URL: http://pitchengine.com/pearsonlearningsolutions/northern-arizona-university-and-pearson-partner-to-launch-regions-first-competencybased-online-learning-programs

#educ_dr

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“Massively Open Online Courses”

Posted on July 22, 2012 by DrEMiller

I just read through a blog from Virtual School Meanderings. OK. I did more than read.  I downloaded, read, downloaded some more… There are some wonderful resources available from his site. The best part is, they are all free! Take advantage, follow the blog, subscribe to Converge, or just read through the material. Watch out, though. You might learn something new.

http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/massively-open-online-courses-are-here-to-stay/

#educ_dr

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Free Webinars and Tools for Teachers

Posted on July 21, 2012 by DrEMiller

The summer break is half over. You’ve been thinking about teaching despite “time off.” You may even have attended one or more professional development sessions, or taken classes or workshops. The link below contains links to register for two webinars titled

The Role of Teaching in a Learner-Centered, Digitally-Empowered Environment

Working Draft of Suggested Legislation for Personalized and Digital Learning

Also included at the link are:

Back-to-School Olympics for middle and high school math

Recent Digital learning blog posts

http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/digital-learning-day-sneak-peek-new-website-upcoming-webinars-and-back-to-school-olympics/

#educ_dr

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All New StudentAid.gov

Posted on July 21, 2012 by DrEMiller

From this morning’s inbox:

Weekly Update: All New StudentAid.gov

ED is pleased to announce a new streamlined website and several social media tools that will make it easier for students and families to navigate the financial aid process and make informed decisions about paying for college.

The new website, StudentAid.gov, along with the Financial Awareness Counseling Tool that launched last week, serves as the Department’s response to President Obama’s June 7 directive to enhance online and mobile resources for loan repayment options and debt management.

ED’s Mailbag:

Secretary Duncan recently sat down to answer questions he received from social media, emails and letters. In this edition, Arne addresses questions on standardized testing and accountability for parents.

Weekly Highlight:

  • The Obama Administration announced a plan to create a new, national Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Master Teacher Corps composed of some of the nation’s finest educators in STEM subjects. Read more.
  • Secretary Duncan blogs about an incredible year working with some of the nation’s best teachers, after the 2011-2012 Teaching Ambassador Fellows returned to their work in classrooms and school districts across the country. Read more.

Quick Reads:

#educ_dr

Posted in College Debt, Education, Education News, Education Reports, Fixing Education, Government Reports, Student Loans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

American Indian Education Feedback Gathered

Posted on July 20, 2012 by DrEMiller

 

An item in my afternoon inbox relates to the continuing consultation with American Indian education leaders on issues affecting Indian education. Noteworthy is the cooperation between the Bureau of Indian Education and the US Department of Education.

U.S. Education Department Official to Hold Tribal Consultation in Troy, N.Y., Gather Feedback on Education Reform Matters Affecting American Indians

07/19/2012 10:16 AM EDT

William Mendoza, executive director of the White House Initiative on American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN), will consult with tribal leaders Friday in Troy, N.Y., to get feedback on education reform matters affecting American Indians.

The consultation is an outgrowth of President Obama’s Nov. 5, 2009, Presidential Memorandum and Executive Order 13175, which directs agencies to develop a plan of action to regularly consult with Indian tribes on government-to-government relations and strengthen support for tribal communities.

Mendoza will listen to tribal leaders and provide comments on the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Departments of Education and Interior, which aims to expand educational opportunities and improve academic achievement for AI/ANs. He will consult tribal leaders on the strategic implementation of both the initiative and the Bureau of Indian Education’s (BIE) proposal to adopt a unitary accountability system for BIE-funded schools.

View the original source by clicking on the article title or using this URL:  http://www.ed.gov/news/media-advisories/us-education-department-official-hold-tribal-consultation-troy-ny-gather-feedb

#educ_dr

 

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7 More NCLB Waivers Approved by Obama Adminstration

Posted on July 20, 2012 by DrEMiller

 

New to my inbox this afternoon is this announcement:

Obama Administration Approves Seven More NCLB Flexibility Requests – 32 States and DC Now Approved for Waivers

07/19/2012 09:11 AM EDT

The Obama administration today approved seven more requests for waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB), in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership.

Read more by clicking on the title above or using this URL:  http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/obama-administration-approves-seven-more-nclb-flexibility-requests-32-states-and

If you do not want to read the announcement, here is a synopsis of which states’ plans have been most recently approved, which are still in the approval process, and which have not applied for the waivers.

The 6 states approved are  Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and South Carolina. The 7th plan is for the District of Columbia. Still in the approval process are California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, and Nevada. The 13 states that have not yet applied for the waiver are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont (request withdrawn), West Virginia and Wyoming. Puerto Rico has also not applied for the waiver.

To me, that the vast majority of states have requested waivers from NCLB indicate that, although the idea of NCLB was sound, the enacted legislation had major flaws. Part of the reason for the difficulty in implementation is that the law was enacted with too little input from educators. The waivers reflect not only sound local (state) plans, but greater flexibility for change, should the need arise.

#educ_dr

 

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U.S. Labor Department Grant Opportunities re: Preparing Youth with Disabilities for Employment

Posted on July 20, 2012 by DrEMiller

 

Below is a grant announcement that arrived in my inbox this morning. If you are interested in research to operationalize helping disabled youth prepare for employment, check out this site. Applications are due soon–August 17.

US Labor Department announces grant opportunity to manage, operate national center for preparing youth with disabilities for employment

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy today announced the availability of a $1.1 million grant to fund a cooperative agreement to manage and operate the National Technical Assistance and Demonstration Center on Preparing Youth with Disabilities for Employment. The center will build capacity within and across youth service delivery systems to improve employment and postsecondary education outcomes for youth with disabilities.

“We must invest in youth in order to have a strong, capable future workforce. Through the center, the Labor Department is committing to supporting youth as they transition to adulthood and the world of work,” said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.

The center will continue to build upon ODEP’s previous technical assistance efforts. It will provide technical assistance, training and information to organizations operating youth programs funded by the Workforce Investment Act, as well as current and former Labor Department grantees, to aid them in integrating evidence-based, effective practices for improving transition results for young people with disabilities who are enrolled in their programs. Additionally, the center will use ODEP’s Guideposts for Success – available at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/youth – as a transition framework.

The center will have three areas of focus: career exploration, management and planning; youth development and leadership; and professional development. Applicants must recognize that youth, families, educators, workforce professionals and other stakeholders need to work together to increase employment expectations for youth with disabilities.

The full announcement for this grant opportunity, including eligibility requirements for applicants, can be found athttp://www.grants.gov or http://www.dol.gov/odep. Applications will be accepted until Aug. 17.

This information was provided by http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20121472.htm

#educ_dr

 

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