Student Teaching Online, Well, Online

UCF Newsroom

"The University of Central Florida and Florida Virtual School made history today when they announced a groundbreaking program that promises to enrich student education.

For the first time, college students will train to become educators by interning with teachers at the Florida Virtual School (FLVS). In the 2007-2008 school year, the virtual school served more than 63,000 students in grades six through 12, harnessing the power of the Internet.

Six UCF education majors will be immersed in the virtual school environment and gain experience teaching online. During the internship, they will work closely with FLVS teachers, providing direct instruction via webinars and meeting with middle- or high-school students and their families via conference calls. The interns also will interact with other online teachers and teaching teams at FLVS and grade student work.

Comparing Synchronous Technology

This is a very nice summary of the use of tools in online education.  Hrastinski summarizes the pros and cons well.

Asynchronous and Synchronous E-Learning (EDUCAUSE Quarterly) | EDUCAUSE
CONNECT  EDUCAUSE Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 4 (October–December 2008)

When, Why, and How to Use Asynchronous vs. Synchronous E-Learning
	Asynchronous E-Learning	Synchronous E-Learning
When?	Reflecting on complex issues n When synchronous meetings cannot be scheduled because of work, family, and other commitments	Discussing less complex issues Getting acquainted Planning tasks
Why?	Students have more time to reflect because the sender does not expect an immediate answer.	Students become more committed and motivated because a quick response is expected.
How?	Use asynchronous means such as e-mail, discussion boards, and blogs.	Use synchronous means such as videoconferencing, instant messaging and chat, and complement with face-to-face meetings.
Examples	Students expected to reflect individually on course topics may be asked to maintain a blog. Students expected to share reflections regarding course topics and critically assess their peers’ ideas may be asked to participate in online discussions on a discussion board.	Students expected to work in groups may be advised to use instant messaging as support for getting to know each other, exchanging ideas, and planning tasks. A teacher who wants to present concepts from the literature in a simplified way might give an online lecture by videoconferencing.

Congratulations to TWU's own Dr. Bob Martin - Recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal

President and Mrs. Bush Attend Presentation of the 2008 National Medals of Arts and National Humanities Medals

The Presidential Citizens Medal was created nearly four decades ago to recognize Americans who have performed exemplary service to our nation. It is among one of the highest honors that can be conferred on a citizen. As President, I rarely have the opportunity to surprise anybody. (Laughter.) It is tough to be stealthy -- (laughter) -- with a security detail that comprises a 20-car motorcade. (Laughter.) That makes me especially pleased to present the President's Citizens Medal to four outstanding -- and unsuspecting -- leaders in the arts: Bruce Cole, Dana Gioia, Adair Margo, and Bob Martin. (Applause.) Please do not rush the stage. (Laughter.) Remember the big security detail? (Laughter.)

As former Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Bob
Martin has helped preserve our treasured collections and bring libraries
and museums into the 21st century with new technology. He's helped recruit
and train a new generation of librarians to replace the many skilled
library professionals who are preparing to retire. I know of such person
preparing to retire. (Laughter.)

Process Engineering in Higher Ed?

M'hammed Abdous and Wu He provide an engineering oriented summary of what's commonly known as business process review.  It's from the Hammer and Champy school of thought, which is not such a bad thing.  I found this article thanks to George Siemen's weekly newsletter.  As George says, the article is a bit too focused, but with a little brainpower applied one can easily see the big picture implications of this article.  And that's why I include it here.

In this paper, we propose a conceptual and operational framework for process reengineering (PR) in higher education (HE) institutions. Using a case study aimed at streamlining exam scheduling and distribution in a distance learning (DL) unit, we outline a sequential and non-linear four-step framework designed to reengineer processes. The first two steps of this framework – initiating and analyzing – are used to initiate, document, and flowchart the process targeted for reengineering, and the last two steps – reengineering/ implementing and evaluating – are intended to prototype, implement, and evaluate the reengineered process. Our early involvement of all stakeholders, and our in-depth analysis and documentation of the existing process, allowed us to avoid the traditional pitfalls associated with business process reengineering (BPR). Consequently, the outcome of our case study indicates a streamlined and efficient process with a higher faculty satisfaction at substantial cost reduction.

Getting the DATA

BbWorld'08 DevCon - Greenhouse Grant Panel

From: ekunnen, 3 months ago

BbWorld'08 DevCon - Greenhouse Grant Panel

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