December 23rd, 2008 by Robin Green
Jim Hirsch, a Texan associate superintendent for academic and technology services, commented that Obama is doing for the internet what President John F. Kennedy did for television, by encouraging its use as a standard and necessary staple of American life. In addition, the way Obama models the use of technology as a necessity in government may have a powerful effect on the way technology is viewed in schools.
When Obama laid out his plan for improving America’s learning systems, he also addressed American students’ relatively lackluster performance in science and math. He stressed that in order to provide schools with the tools and learning system resources needed to make American students internationally competitive in those subjects, first technology needs to recognized as a minimum requirement for schools–like paper, running water and electricity.
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December 23rd, 2008 by Robin Green
The good news? President-elect Barack Obama has promised to implement an array of positive changes in government funding and support of American learning systems.
As part of his economic stimulus plan, Obama vowed to launch “the most sweeping effort…this country has ever seen” to modernize school buildings and equip classroom learning systems with computers. We may expect to see a rise in LMS and online learning. It’s part of a plan to create 3 million jobs–an increase from the target 2.5 million in late November–to improve learning systems across the country.
“It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption,” Obama said in a December radio address. He went on to link access to broadband, both in homes and in school learning systems, to the competitiveness of a nation’s economy.
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December 22nd, 2008 by Robin Green
Well, the newest act in higher education may reflect new times and challenges, but certainly not the drive to continue competitive learning systems, or strengthen resources, or aid students in any way, actually.
The Higher Education Act of 2008 simply asks universities and colleges to develop “plans to effectively combat the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including through the use of a variety of technology-based deterrents.” And to “the extent practicable,” offer students lawful alternatives for peer-to-peer file sharing as “determined by the institution in consultation with the chief technology officer.”
What happened to laws that were meant to protect and aid students and help higher education learning systems? Even though higher education learning systems in 1965 may not have seen the most cutting edge resources, at least Congress had the best interests of students–not the entertainment industry–in mind.
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December 22nd, 2008 by Robin Green
We’ve certainly come a long way in higher education since 1965. In technological advances and innovative online learning systems alone, we’ve traversed galaxies. But has the government and its policies regarding higher education learning systems progressed as well?
To answer this question, we might compare the Higher Education Act of 1965 with that of 2008. The aim of the Higher Education Act of 1965 was to strengthen the resources of college and university learning systems, and to provide financial aid to students.
Noble goals, right? So we can expect that with time and the drive to maintain a competitive higher education tradition in the U.S., the newest laws might reflect new times and challenges. But not so fast–see the next post.
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December 22nd, 2008 by Robin Green
Are online high school learning systems a good idea? Who should consider online high school? It’s essential to consider if a student truly needs the flexibility of an online high school. For example young professionals like athletes, actors and musicians who spend much of their time on the road might take high school online.
Young people who tend to be shy and introverted sometimes consider online high school learning systems, but this probably isn’t a good idea. A regular human connection is very important in developing social skills and experiencing the “real world.”
The first year of high school can be tough, and transition from middle school to high school is often a challenge. Change of any kind can be difficult at this sensitive age. But the benefits of attending a face-to-face high school learning system are worth the effort. Additionally, in an online high school students need a great deal of self discipline and motivation–something many young people aren’t quite prepared for.
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December 19th, 2008 by Robin Green
Online high school programs can provide solutions for many students who were unable to finish high school. When choosing an online high school, it’s important to do intensive research to determine which is the best option.
The Utah Electronic High School is a publicly-funded high school that provides online courses and diplomas to high school-age students in Utah. The school i s among the largest and oldest distance learning systems in the U.S. Since its opening 14 years ago, it has provided online learning systems to over 80,000 students.
In August 2007, the Utah Electronic High School joined forces with The American Academy, a fully accredited, private online learning system created in 2006. Together the schools hope to offer an innovative and robust technology platform for online learning.
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December 19th, 2008 by Robin Green
Libraries such as the Bates College Library often encourage university staff to consider a few questions before placing a copy of an item on reserve or including it on an LMS. These include: Should the material be included in a course pack? Should students buy the original as part of the required class material? Is the original already available for reserve at the library?
Is the material available electronically in the library, on the university LMS or available for free on the internet? Is the material necessary in its entirety, or can it be excerpted? In many cases, the library reserve or distribution through an LMS is the best (or only) means of delivering the material to students.
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December 19th, 2008 by Robin Green
When acquiring material for course handouts or for delivery via a learning management system, staff should adhere to copyright laws. Although many universities are lax on copyright laws, it remains the responsibility of staff to legally acquire materials.
Libraries, of course, are a great source for material, and can be an option in addition to or a resource for material on a learning management system. Most universities provide a number of ways for educators and students to obtain course-related materials, including print and electronic course packs, books, textbooks, articles, sound recordings, videos, electronic journals, sound files, and streaming services for audio and video media, which may be easily accessed through library reserve lists or within a learning management system.
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