Archives: Bookmarks

http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/projectInfo.html

Saved on May 3, 2011

The Open Access Textbooks Grant Project is working with others involved in open content to create a sustainable model for Florida and other states to discover, produce, and disseminate open textbooks. This two-year initiative is funded by a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).  The project will build on efforts in Florida and across the U. S. to create a sustainable open textbook model and a collaborative community to further implementation of open textbooks.

ELI Web Seminar, May 16, 2011 | EDUCAUSE

Saved on May 3, 2011

—-Upcoming webinar on digital content (HE focus but still relevant)

It’s clear that the high cost of textbooks has become a burden for students, with significant implications for student learning, success, and finances. Multiple solutions are being proposed for students, but often the voice of the student is not heard. Join us to learn what over 14,000 Florida students said when surveyed in the fall of 2010 about the cost of textbooks, the impact of those costs on their education and lives, and their preferences for interacting with course materials. Join Malcolm Brown, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative director, and Veronica Diaz, ELI associate director, as they moderate this webinar.

Sophia :: Welcome

Saved on May 2, 2011

Sophia enables innovation by connecting learners, teachers, experts and parents. We provide an academic community where everyone has access to learning that surrounds and supports the traditional classroom. We encourage variety and creativity in teaching so that everyone can learn in a way that makes sense to them.
Sophia is a social teaching and learning platform that taps the teacher in all of us and enhances the learning process by providing access to a wealth of knowledge, help, instruction, standards-aligned content, and expertise available to learners everywhere.

The Tweet That Broke the News of bin Laden’s Death – Technology – The Atlantic Wire

Saved on May 2, 2011

“Go away helicopter – before I take out my giant swatter :-/”
“A huge window shaking bang here in Abbottabad Cantt. I hope its not the start of something nasty :-S”.
After the president’s announcement: “Uh oh, now I’m the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it.”
“For the people who are trying to email me to reach me, I simply can’t filter out the notifications from the emails 🙁 “
The fact that Osam bin Laden’s death was live-tweeted is almost too astonishing to believe. Yet the tweets and the timestamps are right there for anyone to see. Reporters have not yet confirmed Athar’s identity but it will certainly be fascinating if and when he comes forward.

Handwriting Is a 21st-Century Skill – Edward Tenner – Technology – The Atlantic

Saved on April 29, 2011

—Interesting view point. Wonder about applicability to IWBs . . . 

Neurologist Frank Wilson, author of The Hand: How its Use Shapes the Brain, Language and Human Culture, says, “Although the repetitive drills that accompany handwwriting lessons seem outdated, such physical instruction will help students to succeed.  He says these activities stimulate brain activity, lead to increased language fluency, and aid in the development of important knowledge.”  He describes in detail the pivotal role of hand movements, in particular  the development of thinking and language capacities, and in “developing deep feelings of confidence and interest in the world-all-together, the essential prerequistes for the emergence of the capable and caring individual.”

Khan Academy and the Effectiveness of Science Videos | Action-Reaction

Saved on April 28, 2011

It is a common view that “if only someone could break this down and explain it clearly enough, more students would understand.” Khan Academy is a great example of this approach with its clear, concise videos on science. However it is debatable whether they really work. Research has shown that these types of videos may be positively received by students. They feel like they are learning and become more confident in their answers, but tests reveal they haven’t learned anything. [ed. note: textbook definition of pseudoteaching]