Posts published on April 14, 2014

Educational Tools Teachers And Students May Find Useful

 By Melissa Burns

Do you know how much the educational technology market is expected to be worth by 2018? Many people are surprised by the high expectations ($60 billion!), but no one can deny that there is huge potential in this industry, and teachers and students couldn’t be any happier with the improvements.

New educational apps and tools are being constantly promoted, but that doesn’t mean you should start using every single tool that hits the market. Let’s take a look at some innovations that are really worth trying.

1. Skitch

You have surely heard of Evernote, but have you started using its full potential? Skitch is an ingenious tool for visual communication, which increases the potential of “Bring Your Own Device” classrooms. Skitch enables both students and teachers to get their point across easily, without using too many words. Now they can express themselves through sketches, shapes, and annotations.

Skitch makes the communication within the classroom easier, which has an inevitable effect of increasing the level of collaboration between the students.

2. Writinghouse

The assiduous task of proper source referencing can be tiresome and distracting. Writinghouse is a solution to that problem, allowing students to concentrate on their ideas and the writing process while applying all references automatically with the use of this tool.

Writinghouse is extremely simple to use, it’s quite fast, and completely free. It supports MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard referencing style, which means that every student and teacher working on academic content can finally stop worrying about bibliography and citation issues.

3.  Easel.ly

Visualization can make even the most complex concepts understandable. Easel.ly enables teachers to create simple infographics that will make the lessons memorable for students. There is no need to possess any particular knowledge of designing to start using Easel.ly; the tools and boxes are incredibly easy to implement into the creation of a decent infographic.

Students can also use this tool to visualize the information for the projects they work on.

4. TutorsClass

The tutoring business has been entirely revolutionized with the concept of online tutoring. Students no longer need to search for a tutor in their local area and arrange awkward meetings that fail to deliver the expected results. The entire process is much easier and more effective when conducted in an online environment, and TutorsClass provides all the right tools for students to learn and tutors to teach.

Besides being a great place for students to find perfect tutors for their needs, TutorsClass is also a great website for every educator who wants to start tutoring more students in a convenient online environment. They will have full control over their business and organize a virtual classroom for one-on-one lessons or group classes.

5. Basecamp

This is one of the most effective collaborative tools available at the moment. It is incredibly easy to use for both teachers and students, enabling them to create and manage projects in a fun way. Teachers can control the privacy of the projects and share them with particular students, meaning they can create groups within the class and make them responsible for different projects.

Basecamp also features a calendar tool, which enables teachers to track the project deadlines and be aware of all meetings, holidays, and other important dates.

Conclusion: There is a right educational tool for everyone!

There are many wonderful edu tools available today, but that doesn’t mean that every tool is perfect for every teacher and students. It takes some experimenting to come up with the right combination of tools that will enhance the classroom’s productivity, but the choice of particular tools listed above will make the trial process easier.

There is no need to delay the implementation of tech tools in the educational process; you can start increasing your productivity today if you make the right choice!

Melissa is a graduate student of the faculty of journalism. She is a passionate blogger and writer. Now she dreams od publishing her owm novel.

 

5 Major Challenges For Post secondary Education

From: Boston Consulting Group

U.S. universities and colleges face an array of pressing challenges that require education leaders to act with unprecedented strategic clarity and vision in order to seize the opportunities that lie ahead, according to a new report being released today by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).BCG has identified five forces that are transforming U.S. higher-education institutions:

•     Key sources of revenue are continuing to fall, putting many institutions at severe financial risk.

•     Demands are rising for a greater return on an investment in higher education.

•     Greater transparency about student outcomes is becoming the norm.

•     New business and delivery models are gaining traction.

•     The globalization of education is accelerating.

But experiments around the country point the way forward, argue the authors of the report, titled Five Trends to Watch in Higher Education. Many institutions are reviewing their portfolio of programs to improve productivity and reduce costs. They are also using data to improve outcomes and ensure success for the changing mix of students. Some universities are broadening their research offerings to better attract funding, while a number of colleges are expanding their share of the online education market. Such creative efforts signal the diversity of ways to change the game.

“The higher-education sector is undergoing unprecedented change, challenging every board and leadership team to rethink their strategy and operating model,” says J. Puckett, a senior partner and coauthor of the report. “The institutions that will thrive in this environment will be willing to adapt and embrace new pathways to success.

A copy of the report can be downloaded at https://www.bcgperspectives.com/Images/Five_Trends_Higher_Education_Apr_2014_tcm80-157815.pdf.

 

Why Take This Course? What Will I Learn In College?

AAC&U is pleased to offer two publications and a brochure designed for students. These items explain to high school and college students what really matters in college and how to achieve the outcomes of a good liberal education.

Why Do I Have to Take This Course?, written for college students, has been purchased by more than 700 colleges and universities across the country for use in first-year programs and orientations. A practical guide, it is intended to take some of the mystery out of curricular requirements and educate students about the importance of broad learning outcomes developed over the entire course of their undergraduate years.

What Will I Learn in College? was written with both high school and college students in mind. It is a short guide to college learning that presents, in a concise and compelling way, a picture of the curriculum and nature of college teaching and learning methods that will help students understand what will be expected of them, and guides them to seek out enriching high school experiences that will prepare them to succeed. The guide also features Advice from Campus—candid recommendations from college students about how to get ready for college success.

What Is a Liberal Education? And Why Is It Important to My Future? is a brochure that serves as an introduction to what a liberal education is—and why it is important to all college students. Based on research findings from the LEAP initiative, it provides a contemporary definition of the term “liberal education,” discusses the most important outcomes of college, and features the perspectives of recent graduates and employers. Ideal for use in first-year and transfer student orientation, first-year seminars, academic advising, admissions, and career counseling