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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Exploring Canada online an easy way to learn about country's history by LUANN LASALLE.

Exploring Canada is easy with the click of a mouse.



As the country prepares to celebrates its 141st birthday July 1, the Dominion Institute says learning about history online engages young people.
Students like to feel they're interacting with history when they're on the Internet, said Jeremy Diamond, the institute's director of programs.
History lends itself to telling a story," he said. The Internet only helps facilitate that, and any time we can encourage young people to read that story and be part of that story, the better off we are."
The Dominion Institute is a national organization that aims to make Canadians more knowledgeable about their history.


The Historical Atlas of Canada Online Learning Project wants to make maps and the information created for the hard-cover atlas available to a wider audience on the Internet.
Its website has text and images but also interactive maps, allowing users to zoom in. The site lets users explore the themes and data on the maps.
I think being able to interact with the maps is the big advantage of this site," said cartographer Byron Moldofsky, who is part of the online atlas project.

Read more...

Related links
dominion.ca
media-awareness.ca
historicalatlas.ca

Source: CBCNews.ca

Exploring Canada online an easy way to learn about country's history by LUANN LASALLE.

Exploring Canada is easy with the click of a mouse.



As the country prepares to celebrates its 141st birthday July 1, the Dominion Institute says learning about history online engages young people.
Students like to feel they're interacting with history when they're on the Internet, said Jeremy Diamond, the institute's director of programs.
History lends itself to telling a story," he said. The Internet only helps facilitate that, and any time we can encourage young people to read that story and be part of that story, the better off we are."
The Dominion Institute is a national organization that aims to make Canadians more knowledgeable about their history.


The Historical Atlas of Canada Online Learning Project wants to make maps and the information created for the hard-cover atlas available to a wider audience on the Internet.
Its website has text and images but also interactive maps, allowing users to zoom in. The site lets users explore the themes and data on the maps.
I think being able to interact with the maps is the big advantage of this site," said cartographer Byron Moldofsky, who is part of the online atlas project.

Read more...

Related links
dominion.ca
media-awareness.ca
historicalatlas.ca

Source: CBCNews.ca

An Introduction to Multimedia Services by Dialogic


Combining video with voice and text applications to create multimedia services is an important development in the worldwide communications marketplace. Adding video promises to provide a robust new revenue stream for service providers and greatly enhance business solutions, including the contact center. This paper explores market segment trends, multimedia services, key multimedia standards, and the technical components needed to deliver multimedia services effectively.

Simplified Topology for Multimedia Service Delivery

Source: An Introduction to Multimedia Services

A section on Dialogic and multimedia discusses some of the Dialogic products that can help make the move to multimedia faster and more cost effective.
Read more...

About Dialogic - A World Leader in Innovation
A catalyst for innovation in the communications industry, Dialogic Corporation has the momentum to foster the essential multimedia and signaling technologies that underlie today's pioneering service applications. Decades of experience and continued investment qualify Dialogic to create leading-edge products, and its partners rely on these flexible components to rapidly deploy value-added solutions around the world. With its finger on the pulse of the industry, Dialogic sets its sights on supplying what its customers need to keep pace with the continued evolution of technology.

Source: Dialogic

An Introduction to Multimedia Services by Dialogic


Combining video with voice and text applications to create multimedia services is an important development in the worldwide communications marketplace. Adding video promises to provide a robust new revenue stream for service providers and greatly enhance business solutions, including the contact center. This paper explores market segment trends, multimedia services, key multimedia standards, and the technical components needed to deliver multimedia services effectively.

Simplified Topology for Multimedia Service Delivery

Source: An Introduction to Multimedia Services

A section on Dialogic and multimedia discusses some of the Dialogic products that can help make the move to multimedia faster and more cost effective.
Read more...

About Dialogic - A World Leader in Innovation
A catalyst for innovation in the communications industry, Dialogic Corporation has the momentum to foster the essential multimedia and signaling technologies that underlie today's pioneering service applications. Decades of experience and continued investment qualify Dialogic to create leading-edge products, and its partners rely on these flexible components to rapidly deploy value-added solutions around the world. With its finger on the pulse of the industry, Dialogic sets its sights on supplying what its customers need to keep pace with the continued evolution of technology.

Source: Dialogic

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Zoomii Books


Zoomii just launched. It's a new site for browsing best selling books available on Amazon. Check it out.

Why Zoomii?
Because I love bookstores. Spending afternoons wandering the shelves. Happening across great books I didn't even know existed. But it's an experience I never found online. Online bookstores are wonderful. They've got amazing prices, huge selections, and they're open all the time. If you know exactly what you want, they're perfect. But somehow I kept coming back to the bookstore just to browse. Zoomii is my attempt to bring online as much of the real bookstore experience as possible.
-Chris Thiessen

Related links

Enjoy the bookstore!

Zoomii Books


Zoomii just launched. It's a new site for browsing best selling books available on Amazon. Check it out.

Why Zoomii?
Because I love bookstores. Spending afternoons wandering the shelves. Happening across great books I didn't even know existed. But it's an experience I never found online. Online bookstores are wonderful. They've got amazing prices, huge selections, and they're open all the time. If you know exactly what you want, they're perfect. But somehow I kept coming back to the bookstore just to browse. Zoomii is my attempt to bring online as much of the real bookstore experience as possible.
-Chris Thiessen

Related links

Enjoy the bookstore!

Classroom Management in the Digital Age.

Here’s the latest Technology & Learning's eBooks below.



Title
Classroom Management in the Digital Age


Description
Computers in schools have the power to enhance the classroom experience for both students and teachers. But the benefits can easily be lost to distractive elements such as games, instant messaging, and web surfing. Read this eBook for strategies on how to minimize distractions and maximize the educational potential of your digital classroom.
Read more...


What's Inside the eBook:


Classroom Management in the Digital Age.

Here’s the latest Technology & Learning's eBooks below.



Title
Classroom Management in the Digital Age


Description
Computers in schools have the power to enhance the classroom experience for both students and teachers. But the benefits can easily be lost to distractive elements such as games, instant messaging, and web surfing. Read this eBook for strategies on how to minimize distractions and maximize the educational potential of your digital classroom.
Read more...


What's Inside the eBook:


Web 2.0 eBook available.

Jennifer Rausch, Atomic Learning, Inc. has been in touch to reminds us about a new Web 2.0 eBook below.


Title
Web 2.0: From Curious to Competent

Description
Web 2.0 tools play an increasingly important role in everyday life. Not only are people more connected, but they have more opportunities to find information, share ideas and be creative than ever before. Most educators who use some of the new, free, online tools to accomplish tasks find rich rewards. Yet many others are curious about how the tools work, and even more, what exactly they can do with them in the classroom to help their students learn. This eBook is designed to explore the reasons for using the most popular Web 2.0 tools and guide you as you explore the read/write Web on your own.
Read more...

What's Inside the Web 2.0 eBook:


Web 2.0 eBook available.

Jennifer Rausch, Atomic Learning, Inc. has been in touch to reminds us about a new Web 2.0 eBook below.


Title
Web 2.0: From Curious to Competent

Description
Web 2.0 tools play an increasingly important role in everyday life. Not only are people more connected, but they have more opportunities to find information, share ideas and be creative than ever before. Most educators who use some of the new, free, online tools to accomplish tasks find rich rewards. Yet many others are curious about how the tools work, and even more, what exactly they can do with them in the classroom to help their students learn. This eBook is designed to explore the reasons for using the most popular Web 2.0 tools and guide you as you explore the read/write Web on your own.
Read more...

What's Inside the Web 2.0 eBook:


200 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Students get CPD Certified.


elearning-training.com, the pioneering learning initiative launched by The Star Refrigeration Group to meet the needs of the air-conditioning, refrigeration and building services sector, has in the last 2 months awarded more than 200 Certificates to students all around the world.

This significant increase in the number of people interested in keeping up to date and re-skill is due to the advantages of using e-learning as a training method. Online learning is a cost-effective and convenient way to develop professional skills which allows students to learn quickly, at their own pace and at any time, by accessing readily-available learning material whenever and wherever they need, with no travel time or cost involved.



About elearning-training.com
elearning-training.com was launched by Star Refrigeration in October 2006 as a pioneering learning initiative to meet the needs of the
air-conditioning, refrigeration and building services sector.
This learning portal has rapidly become popular within the industry and is attracting significant international attention from students, educationalists and trade associations.
In October 2007 this initiative was the winner of the Cooling Industry - Training Initiative.
elearning-training.com has also built a student community of more than 3000 members from all around the globe in just over a year.
Learning content has recently been expanded to include the world's first interactive course covering CO2 Refrigeration. This is already proving successful and is being used by retail operators as their standard requirement for contractor training.
All of the courses are recognised for CPD by CIBSE and the Construction CPD Certification Service.
For further information please contact
aprado@elearning-training.com
Visit the website for further information: elearning-training.com

Source: PRWeb

200 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Students get CPD Certified.


elearning-training.com, the pioneering learning initiative launched by The Star Refrigeration Group to meet the needs of the air-conditioning, refrigeration and building services sector, has in the last 2 months awarded more than 200 Certificates to students all around the world.

This significant increase in the number of people interested in keeping up to date and re-skill is due to the advantages of using e-learning as a training method. Online learning is a cost-effective and convenient way to develop professional skills which allows students to learn quickly, at their own pace and at any time, by accessing readily-available learning material whenever and wherever they need, with no travel time or cost involved.



About elearning-training.com
elearning-training.com was launched by Star Refrigeration in October 2006 as a pioneering learning initiative to meet the needs of the
air-conditioning, refrigeration and building services sector.
This learning portal has rapidly become popular within the industry and is attracting significant international attention from students, educationalists and trade associations.
In October 2007 this initiative was the winner of the Cooling Industry - Training Initiative.
elearning-training.com has also built a student community of more than 3000 members from all around the globe in just over a year.
Learning content has recently been expanded to include the world's first interactive course covering CO2 Refrigeration. This is already proving successful and is being used by retail operators as their standard requirement for contractor training.
All of the courses are recognised for CPD by CIBSE and the Construction CPD Certification Service.
For further information please contact
aprado@elearning-training.com
Visit the website for further information: elearning-training.com

Source: PRWeb

Friday, June 27, 2008

elearningeuropa.info Newsletter - June 2008

The e-learning Newsletter brings you news about current issues, open calls, forthcoming events and e-learning resources.

Just look at this interesting line-up in this Newsletter - June 2008.




CALL FOR PAPERS: TRAINING & WORK.
eLearning Papers looks for articles on training & work addressing for example the following themes: informal learning at work, virtual worlds for professional training and learning organisations.
The deadline for article submissions is 28 August 2008.
Read more...

eLEARNING REPORTS.
The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) has published a series of reports on eLearning in the ten Member States that joined the European Union in 2004.
The reports describe each country's educational system and the role played by eLearning in it. The research takes into account the major technical, economic, political, ethical and socio-cultural factors of eLearning developments, and the major drivers and barriers for them in each country.
Read more...

PROJECT OF THE MONTH.
The SPreaD project develops a toolkit aimed at all regional, national and European institutions that finance, initiate or coordinate projects and initiatives to strengthen digital literacy. It supports them in evaluating, planning and managing large-scale digital literacy programmes. The toolkit is based on six best practice projects that have already been successfully realised by the three partner institutions.
Read more...

ICERI 2008, 24-26 November 2008, Madrid (Spain).
The International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI) will be an International Forum for those who wish to present and discuss their innovations, projects on research and the latest innovations and results in the field of Higher Education.
Read more...

EUROPEAN e-SKILLS 2008 CONFERENCE, 9-10 October 2008, Thessaloniki, Greece.
The conference is organised by the European Commission and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) in partnership with the e-Skills Industry Leadership Board. It will bring together experts from government, ICT industry, social partners, academia and other stakeholders to discuss best practices, flagship projects and report on progress.
The pre-registration is mandatory and open till 30 June 2008.
Read more...

Source: elearningeuropa.info

elearningeuropa.info Newsletter - June 2008

The e-learning Newsletter brings you news about current issues, open calls, forthcoming events and e-learning resources.

Just look at this interesting line-up in this Newsletter - June 2008.




CALL FOR PAPERS: TRAINING & WORK.
eLearning Papers looks for articles on training & work addressing for example the following themes: informal learning at work, virtual worlds for professional training and learning organisations.
The deadline for article submissions is 28 August 2008.
Read more...

eLEARNING REPORTS.
The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) has published a series of reports on eLearning in the ten Member States that joined the European Union in 2004.
The reports describe each country's educational system and the role played by eLearning in it. The research takes into account the major technical, economic, political, ethical and socio-cultural factors of eLearning developments, and the major drivers and barriers for them in each country.
Read more...

PROJECT OF THE MONTH.
The SPreaD project develops a toolkit aimed at all regional, national and European institutions that finance, initiate or coordinate projects and initiatives to strengthen digital literacy. It supports them in evaluating, planning and managing large-scale digital literacy programmes. The toolkit is based on six best practice projects that have already been successfully realised by the three partner institutions.
Read more...

ICERI 2008, 24-26 November 2008, Madrid (Spain).
The International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI) will be an International Forum for those who wish to present and discuss their innovations, projects on research and the latest innovations and results in the field of Higher Education.
Read more...

EUROPEAN e-SKILLS 2008 CONFERENCE, 9-10 October 2008, Thessaloniki, Greece.
The conference is organised by the European Commission and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) in partnership with the e-Skills Industry Leadership Board. It will bring together experts from government, ICT industry, social partners, academia and other stakeholders to discuss best practices, flagship projects and report on progress.
The pre-registration is mandatory and open till 30 June 2008.
Read more...

Source: elearningeuropa.info

eSchool Top News Online

Take a look at these highlights below.

Parents around the world are largely unaware of their children's internet use, research suggests.
By Meris Stansbury, Assistant Editor, eSchool News.

A recent survey by internet security firm Symantec Corp. suggests that many parents are unaware of their children's internet activity and typically underestimate how often their kids encounter online threats.
For Symantec's "Norton Online Living Report," research firm Harris Interactive surveyed more than 4,500 adults and 2,700 children ages 8 to 17 from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Brazil, China, and Japan from November to December 2007. To qualify as survey respondents, subjects had to report spending an hour or more online each month.

Related links

New technology could help educators know when their students are feeling frustrated, confused.
By Dennis Carter, Assistant Editor, eSchool News.

Student comprehension is tough to judge for teachers at the helm of a packed classroom, so researchers at the University of Massachusetts are developing a program that can gauge whether students are bored, frustrated, or motivated during computer-based exercises.
UMass researchers received a grant of $890,419 this month from the National Center for Education Research to advance technology that uses sensors to detect student emotions, allowing teachers to tailor their lessons more easily around classroom victories and struggles.

Related links

Schools for teachers flunk math

For kids to do better in math, their teachers might have to go back to school, reports the Associated Press: According to a study released June 26 by the National Council on Teacher Quality, elementary-school teachers are poorly prepared by education schools to teach math. Math relies heavily on cumulative knowledge, making the early years critical. The study by the nonpartisan research and advocacy group comes a few months after a federal panel reported that U.S. students have widespread difficulty with fractions, a problem that arises in elementary school and prevents kids from mastering more complicated topics such as algebra later on.

Site of the Week

You won't have to campaign hard to get students to use this interactive learning tool.


A free online computer game from Cable in the Classroom lets students experience the pressure cooker of a presidential campaign, requiring players to manage campaign money, lobby interest groups, and make gut-wrenching decisions when scandal threatens their bid for the White House. First created during the 2004 campaign season, “eLECTIONS” was refined and reintroduced this year. Players can run for president as a Democrat, Republican, or third-party candidate and can choose their platform issues, ranging from taxes to national defense to education.

Source: eSchool News

Check this June 2008 issue out.

What’s inside...

  • Internet2 expands schools' possibilities
  • Summit showcases ed-tech ‘up-andcomers'
  • Free computer game aims to make science fun
  • YouTube suit tests digital copyright law
  • Low-cost XO laptop now runs Windows
  • Facebook, states establish online safety measures
  • Cyber bullying: From victim to crusader
  • Index reveals what kids are searching for
  • Netwatch
Want to read the current issue?
Subscribe Now

Source:
Classroom News

eSchool Top News Online

Take a look at these highlights below.

Parents around the world are largely unaware of their children's internet use, research suggests.
By Meris Stansbury, Assistant Editor, eSchool News.

A recent survey by internet security firm Symantec Corp. suggests that many parents are unaware of their children's internet activity and typically underestimate how often their kids encounter online threats.
For Symantec's "Norton Online Living Report," research firm Harris Interactive surveyed more than 4,500 adults and 2,700 children ages 8 to 17 from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Brazil, China, and Japan from November to December 2007. To qualify as survey respondents, subjects had to report spending an hour or more online each month.

Related links

New technology could help educators know when their students are feeling frustrated, confused.
By Dennis Carter, Assistant Editor, eSchool News.

Student comprehension is tough to judge for teachers at the helm of a packed classroom, so researchers at the University of Massachusetts are developing a program that can gauge whether students are bored, frustrated, or motivated during computer-based exercises.
UMass researchers received a grant of $890,419 this month from the National Center for Education Research to advance technology that uses sensors to detect student emotions, allowing teachers to tailor their lessons more easily around classroom victories and struggles.

Related links

Schools for teachers flunk math

For kids to do better in math, their teachers might have to go back to school, reports the Associated Press: According to a study released June 26 by the National Council on Teacher Quality, elementary-school teachers are poorly prepared by education schools to teach math. Math relies heavily on cumulative knowledge, making the early years critical. The study by the nonpartisan research and advocacy group comes a few months after a federal panel reported that U.S. students have widespread difficulty with fractions, a problem that arises in elementary school and prevents kids from mastering more complicated topics such as algebra later on.

Site of the Week

You won't have to campaign hard to get students to use this interactive learning tool.


A free online computer game from Cable in the Classroom lets students experience the pressure cooker of a presidential campaign, requiring players to manage campaign money, lobby interest groups, and make gut-wrenching decisions when scandal threatens their bid for the White House. First created during the 2004 campaign season, “eLECTIONS” was refined and reintroduced this year. Players can run for president as a Democrat, Republican, or third-party candidate and can choose their platform issues, ranging from taxes to national defense to education.

Source: eSchool News

Check this June 2008 issue out.

What’s inside...

  • Internet2 expands schools' possibilities
  • Summit showcases ed-tech ‘up-andcomers'
  • Free computer game aims to make science fun
  • YouTube suit tests digital copyright law
  • Low-cost XO laptop now runs Windows
  • Facebook, states establish online safety measures
  • Cyber bullying: From victim to crusader
  • Index reveals what kids are searching for
  • Netwatch
Want to read the current issue?
Subscribe Now

Source:
Classroom News

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Articles Appears in AACE Journal, 2008.



Please, take a look at these articles, appears in AACE Journal, Vol. 16, Iss. 2, 2008.

Characteristics of Adult Learners With Implications for Online Learning Design.
State of Connecticut, USA.

Abstract
The online educational environment is increasingly being used by adults and should be designed based on the needs of adult learners. This article discusses andragogy, an important adult learning theory, and reviews three other adult learning theories: self-directed learning, experiential learning, and transformational learning. During this discussion, the theories are examined for the ways in which they may be applied to the design of online learning environments. In addition, the characteristics of adult learners are examined, and an analysis of how these characteristics influence the design of an online learning environment is presented. Recommendations follow regarding how to design an online classroom environment while considering the application of adult learning theories.

A New Pathway for E-Learning: From Distribution to Collaboration and Competence in E-Learning.
University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.

Abstract
The article describes the current challenge for e-learning in higher education, which is to support development of competence. This poses great challenges to e-learning in higher education, mainly because the way it has been designed, in many cases, does not fit with supporting competence development. Rather, it facilitates the mere transfer of knowledge. Two different modes of e-learning organization are differentiated and described: the distributive and the collaborative e-learning modes. It is argued that the collaborative mode holds more potential for competence development than the distributive mode.

Source: AACE Journal

Articles Appears in AACE Journal, 2008.



Please, take a look at these articles, appears in AACE Journal, Vol. 16, Iss. 2, 2008.

Characteristics of Adult Learners With Implications for Online Learning Design.
State of Connecticut, USA.

Abstract
The online educational environment is increasingly being used by adults and should be designed based on the needs of adult learners. This article discusses andragogy, an important adult learning theory, and reviews three other adult learning theories: self-directed learning, experiential learning, and transformational learning. During this discussion, the theories are examined for the ways in which they may be applied to the design of online learning environments. In addition, the characteristics of adult learners are examined, and an analysis of how these characteristics influence the design of an online learning environment is presented. Recommendations follow regarding how to design an online classroom environment while considering the application of adult learning theories.

A New Pathway for E-Learning: From Distribution to Collaboration and Competence in E-Learning.
University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.

Abstract
The article describes the current challenge for e-learning in higher education, which is to support development of competence. This poses great challenges to e-learning in higher education, mainly because the way it has been designed, in many cases, does not fit with supporting competence development. Rather, it facilitates the mere transfer of knowledge. Two different modes of e-learning organization are differentiated and described: the distributive and the collaborative e-learning modes. It is argued that the collaborative mode holds more potential for competence development than the distributive mode.

Source: AACE Journal

Saturday, June 14, 2008

eInstruction Announces Winners of “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes


eInstruction, a premier global provider of interactive learning solutions, announces the winners of the popular “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes.
This first-of-its-kind sweepstakes invited teachers to submit, using no more that 250 characters, their vision of the role of technology in education. Those entries were posted on an interactive Google Map mashup, which showed each participant’s entry and location on a map of the United States.

Three lucky teachers’ names were randomly selected from more than 5,000 entries. Each teacher will be awarded an interactive classroom makeover prize package worth more than $8,000!
The winners were selected from three categories: kindergarten through fifth grade, sixth through eighth and ninth through twelfth. Karri Hanson, a fourth grade teacher at Faith Elementary School in Faith, South Dakota, won in the kindergarten through fifth grade category. Donna White, a sixth grade teacher at Mata Intermediate School in Houston, Texas, was the grades six through eight winner. And, Kelly Jones-Wagy, a Social Studies teacher at Fort Lupton High School in Fort Lupton, Colorado, won in the grades nine through twelve category.
Now, their new teaching tools will add some of the most innovative technology eInstruction has to offer to their classrooms.

”This is a dream come true. I can’t wait to use this new technology in my classroom,” says Donna White, the sixth through grade winner from Mata Intermediate School in Houston, Texas. “My students will absolutely love this!”

The “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes was designed to mirror the merger of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning® that took place at the beginning of 2008. The “mashup” of Google Maps (technology) and the teacher’s written vision of the role of technology in education (content) was designed and produced by Shycast to show what can come from this great combination.

“We are absolutely amazed and thrilled with the number of teachers that participated in this groundbreaking, educational exercise that is a metaphor for the tremendous possibilities available when great content and technology come together,” said Lisa O’Masta, Vice President of Marketing of eInstruction.

The “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes arrived on the heels of Interwrite Learning’s 2007 Video Makeover Contest, in which more than 220 classes submitted music parody videos. The success of that contest has prompted eInstruction to schedule the second annual music parody contest; teachers and students can begin submitting their musical collaborations September 9, 2008.

Related link

About eInstruction
eInstruction pioneered the first student response system for the education market during the 1980s. Its Classroom Performance System (CPS) provides instructors and students with real-time feedback on comprehension during instruction. Today CPS remains the leading student response system in education, being used with over 1.5 million students in more than 60,000 K-12 classrooms and over 400,000 students in more than 400 colleges and universities.
In 2006, eInstruction acquired FSCreations and integrated its ExamView and Learning Series software and content platforms so instructors can seamlessly use publisher and proprietary question banks in lesson plans, quizzes and tests with eInstruction technology. The result is an integrated system for instruction and assessment with real-time feedback.
In 2008, eInstruction joined forces with Interwrite Learning, another premier global provider of learning solutions for primary, secondary and higher education markets.
To learn more about Interwrite Learning’s Interactive Classroom solutions, please visit
http://www.interwritelearning.com.

eInstruction Announces Winners of “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes


eInstruction, a premier global provider of interactive learning solutions, announces the winners of the popular “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes.
This first-of-its-kind sweepstakes invited teachers to submit, using no more that 250 characters, their vision of the role of technology in education. Those entries were posted on an interactive Google Map mashup, which showed each participant’s entry and location on a map of the United States.

Three lucky teachers’ names were randomly selected from more than 5,000 entries. Each teacher will be awarded an interactive classroom makeover prize package worth more than $8,000!
The winners were selected from three categories: kindergarten through fifth grade, sixth through eighth and ninth through twelfth. Karri Hanson, a fourth grade teacher at Faith Elementary School in Faith, South Dakota, won in the kindergarten through fifth grade category. Donna White, a sixth grade teacher at Mata Intermediate School in Houston, Texas, was the grades six through eight winner. And, Kelly Jones-Wagy, a Social Studies teacher at Fort Lupton High School in Fort Lupton, Colorado, won in the grades nine through twelve category.
Now, their new teaching tools will add some of the most innovative technology eInstruction has to offer to their classrooms.

”This is a dream come true. I can’t wait to use this new technology in my classroom,” says Donna White, the sixth through grade winner from Mata Intermediate School in Houston, Texas. “My students will absolutely love this!”

The “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes was designed to mirror the merger of eInstruction and Interwrite Learning® that took place at the beginning of 2008. The “mashup” of Google Maps (technology) and the teacher’s written vision of the role of technology in education (content) was designed and produced by Shycast to show what can come from this great combination.

“We are absolutely amazed and thrilled with the number of teachers that participated in this groundbreaking, educational exercise that is a metaphor for the tremendous possibilities available when great content and technology come together,” said Lisa O’Masta, Vice President of Marketing of eInstruction.

The “Content Meets Technology” Sweepstakes arrived on the heels of Interwrite Learning’s 2007 Video Makeover Contest, in which more than 220 classes submitted music parody videos. The success of that contest has prompted eInstruction to schedule the second annual music parody contest; teachers and students can begin submitting their musical collaborations September 9, 2008.

Related link

About eInstruction
eInstruction pioneered the first student response system for the education market during the 1980s. Its Classroom Performance System (CPS) provides instructors and students with real-time feedback on comprehension during instruction. Today CPS remains the leading student response system in education, being used with over 1.5 million students in more than 60,000 K-12 classrooms and over 400,000 students in more than 400 colleges and universities.
In 2006, eInstruction acquired FSCreations and integrated its ExamView and Learning Series software and content platforms so instructors can seamlessly use publisher and proprietary question banks in lesson plans, quizzes and tests with eInstruction technology. The result is an integrated system for instruction and assessment with real-time feedback.
In 2008, eInstruction joined forces with Interwrite Learning, another premier global provider of learning solutions for primary, secondary and higher education markets.
To learn more about Interwrite Learning’s Interactive Classroom solutions, please visit
http://www.interwritelearning.com.

Beware, it’s not all fun with the social networking sites by ANDREW LIMO


There are deep concerns that the internet, which has grown to become a big social forum, is being used to spread malware and to breach people’s privacy.

Popular social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Hi5, Orkut (by Google), MySpace and LinkedIn provide forums for strangers to make friends and share ideas in the virtual world.
Didn’t someone say we are what we share?
SNSs are public web-based services that allow individuals with common interests to interact freely.
Like blogs (personal websites), the content is posted by individuals. But social network sites, unlike most blogs, do not belong to the users. SNSs will allow you to meet strangers and even trace your long lost college mate.
It all began in the US, then spread to Europe and Asia before completing the adoption curve in Africa, where the social culture is expected to inject steroid to this global phenomenon.
The only setback has been skills and affordability.
The fact that the internet is by nature a public forum may not come to the mind of a teenager consumed by the intriguing profile of a newfound friend who may even be a fake to start with.

Beware, it’s not all fun with the social networking sites by ANDREW LIMO


There are deep concerns that the internet, which has grown to become a big social forum, is being used to spread malware and to breach people’s privacy.

Popular social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Hi5, Orkut (by Google), MySpace and LinkedIn provide forums for strangers to make friends and share ideas in the virtual world.
Didn’t someone say we are what we share?
SNSs are public web-based services that allow individuals with common interests to interact freely.
Like blogs (personal websites), the content is posted by individuals. But social network sites, unlike most blogs, do not belong to the users. SNSs will allow you to meet strangers and even trace your long lost college mate.
It all began in the US, then spread to Europe and Asia before completing the adoption curve in Africa, where the social culture is expected to inject steroid to this global phenomenon.
The only setback has been skills and affordability.
The fact that the internet is by nature a public forum may not come to the mind of a teenager consumed by the intriguing profile of a newfound friend who may even be a fake to start with.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Gadgets - The Classrooms of the Future by Heather Johnson

Please be sure to check out this pertinent guest post from Heather Johnson.
If you would like to be considered for a guest post, please
contact me.

No matter what anyone says, size does matter! And when it comes to technology, the smaller the better – the more number of nano chips you can fit on an area the size of a pinhead, the more sophisticated and expensive the device. So now we carry around a larger number of gadgets, but with each vying with the other to be the smallest one in your bag or pocket, there’s no hassle regarding the weight we lug around. It’s a world where being connected at all times, at all places, at all costs, takes priority over everything else.
While there are times we wish that people would focus more on other human beings around them rather that immerse themselves in their mean machines, there are saving graces to this fad we call technology that’s advancing by leaps and bounds. One of them is related to the field of online education, a sphere that depends entirely on technology for its growth and popularity. Being able to learn from home is a boon to most people who have a full-time job and are looking to earn a degree to advance their career prospects or make more money. Significant progress in mobile technology has made the term “learning from home” morph into “learning from anywhere.”
The mobile phone has opened up a world of opportunities, one that allows people to learn from where there are, to use the time that is available to them rather than making time to study; content is pushed onto mobile screens instead of having to be accessed using a personal computer or a laptop, which means that anyplace your phone goes with you is good enough to be your classroom setting. Entire courses are being taught and learnt with just smart phones and access to content provided by careers.
The American InterContinental University is setting the standards in mobile online education by offering those who own Personal Digital Assistants, Smartphones like Apple’s iPhone and others to access course content, assignments and other information, both in the text and video formats. The large memory capacities of these devices allow users to store content and access it as and when needed. The clarity and size of the screens provide crystal-clear pictures and videos, all in all, a complete presentation to rival the best of classroom lectures.
So the next time you see someone with their eyes glued to a mobile phone, maybe they’re hard at work – studying! It’s not that hard to imagine, not with technology as we define it today.

Related links
10 Resources to Help Students Improve Their English Grammar by Heather Johnson
Skip the Tuition: 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World by Heather Johnson

This article was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is a regular writer on the subject of
nursing college grants. She welcomes your questions, comments and writing job opportunities at at her email address.

Many thanks to Heather Johnson. Enjoy your reading!

Gadgets - The Classrooms of the Future by Heather Johnson

Please be sure to check out this pertinent guest post from Heather Johnson.
If you would like to be considered for a guest post, please
contact me.

No matter what anyone says, size does matter! And when it comes to technology, the smaller the better – the more number of nano chips you can fit on an area the size of a pinhead, the more sophisticated and expensive the device. So now we carry around a larger number of gadgets, but with each vying with the other to be the smallest one in your bag or pocket, there’s no hassle regarding the weight we lug around. It’s a world where being connected at all times, at all places, at all costs, takes priority over everything else.
While there are times we wish that people would focus more on other human beings around them rather that immerse themselves in their mean machines, there are saving graces to this fad we call technology that’s advancing by leaps and bounds. One of them is related to the field of online education, a sphere that depends entirely on technology for its growth and popularity. Being able to learn from home is a boon to most people who have a full-time job and are looking to earn a degree to advance their career prospects or make more money. Significant progress in mobile technology has made the term “learning from home” morph into “learning from anywhere.”
The mobile phone has opened up a world of opportunities, one that allows people to learn from where there are, to use the time that is available to them rather than making time to study; content is pushed onto mobile screens instead of having to be accessed using a personal computer or a laptop, which means that anyplace your phone goes with you is good enough to be your classroom setting. Entire courses are being taught and learnt with just smart phones and access to content provided by careers.
The American InterContinental University is setting the standards in mobile online education by offering those who own Personal Digital Assistants, Smartphones like Apple’s iPhone and others to access course content, assignments and other information, both in the text and video formats. The large memory capacities of these devices allow users to store content and access it as and when needed. The clarity and size of the screens provide crystal-clear pictures and videos, all in all, a complete presentation to rival the best of classroom lectures.
So the next time you see someone with their eyes glued to a mobile phone, maybe they’re hard at work – studying! It’s not that hard to imagine, not with technology as we define it today.

Related links
10 Resources to Help Students Improve Their English Grammar by Heather Johnson
Skip the Tuition: 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World by Heather Johnson

This article was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is a regular writer on the subject of
nursing college grants. She welcomes your questions, comments and writing job opportunities at at her email address.

Many thanks to Heather Johnson. Enjoy your reading!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

eSchool Top News Online

Don't miss it!

School districts compete for grants that bring more interactive, information-based curriculum to gym classes.
By Dennis Carter, Assistant Editor, eSchool News.

Physical education teachers are trading in their traditional equipment for heart-rate monitors and video games that encourage running, jumping, and stretching. Taken together, these two trends are transforming P.E. classes across the country and are spurring school officials to vie for millions in grants.
More than 10,000 schools across the country reportedly use heart-rate monitors—wristwatches that calculate a student's heartbeat and heart rate target zone—that make it easier for teachers to track student performance. And a growing number of schools are embracing a new phenomenon known as "exergaming," encouraging students to exercise using video games such as Nintendo's new Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), in which players mimic dance moves on the screen, requiring constant movement.

Related links

New social-networking web site enhances education


The San Jose Mercury News reports on FreshBrain, a social-networking web site created to enhance the education of youth in the areas of business and technology through interactive experiences. Because FreshBrain is a nonprofit organization, the web site service is available to users free of charge.
The web site, freshbrain.org, gives youth ages 13-18 the chance to explore and create through activities and projects, such as changing the image of the Mona Lisa by putting a new face on it, creating a video game, or social networking to start a small business.

eSchool Top News Online

Don't miss it!

School districts compete for grants that bring more interactive, information-based curriculum to gym classes.
By Dennis Carter, Assistant Editor, eSchool News.

Physical education teachers are trading in their traditional equipment for heart-rate monitors and video games that encourage running, jumping, and stretching. Taken together, these two trends are transforming P.E. classes across the country and are spurring school officials to vie for millions in grants.
More than 10,000 schools across the country reportedly use heart-rate monitors—wristwatches that calculate a student's heartbeat and heart rate target zone—that make it easier for teachers to track student performance. And a growing number of schools are embracing a new phenomenon known as "exergaming," encouraging students to exercise using video games such as Nintendo's new Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), in which players mimic dance moves on the screen, requiring constant movement.

Related links

New social-networking web site enhances education


The San Jose Mercury News reports on FreshBrain, a social-networking web site created to enhance the education of youth in the areas of business and technology through interactive experiences. Because FreshBrain is a nonprofit organization, the web site service is available to users free of charge.
The web site, freshbrain.org, gives youth ages 13-18 the chance to explore and create through activities and projects, such as changing the image of the Mona Lisa by putting a new face on it, creating a video game, or social networking to start a small business.