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Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the Education of Children

The following is a guest post written by Steffen Carter, A level maths tutor in Singapore associated with ChampionTutor. If you would like to submit a guest post, please contact us.

Technology has progressed by leaps and bounds and today, it has become an integral part of all of our lives. The entire world functions based on technology and many are looking towards further progress to make life increasingly convenient. The influence that technology has, has also seeped into the education arena. Virtual learning has become extremely famous these days with regards to education. Years ago, this was unheard of, and today, thanks to technology, online learning is possible and this strategy is something that every educational institute tries to follow.

Laptops, computers and smartphones are the most common technological devices being used in classrooms while teaching. And though these devices may serve as a source of distraction, under teachers’ supervision and if the student is disciplined enough, students are sure to reap the benefits. The biggest advantage is that the internet has an infinite amount of information about anything and everything.

This also extends beyond schools, whereby tuition centers also use technology as much as possible to make sure their lessons are engaging and effective in communicating the topic to their students. Tuition centers make it a point to constantly upgrade themselves and they have learnt to change their teaching methods for adaptation in order to thrive as a business and to provide quality service. One of the biggest reasons for the organic change in teaching style and method over the past two decades, is the rise in the importance of technology.

Everything has become digitalized and the children’s attention span has decreased over time. These days, we are able to book a ticket with a single click, send a text message within seconds, and swipe to take a look at your next potential soulmate. Technology has decreased the time being “wasted” and has increased our impatience (this is one of the key disadvantages of technology in this era).

In order to keep students engaged with constant stimulation and eradicate boredom, one of the best ways is to teach them through the medium that they are most familiar with since birth, and that is, via technology. Whether we like it or not, technology has become an integral part of all of our lives and kids these days say that they feel rather disabled without their gadgets around them.

Technology encourages the use of real-world problems in the classroom as well. This enables students to be adventurous in finding out about the various problems that exist around them and this will motivate them to find innovative solutions. By using the Internet, students can research real issues happening at that moment within the classroom environment and participate in classroom discussions. This leads to students being critical thinkers, and this is a quality that is much needed and relevant in this day and age.

Students certainly create online groups, Web pages, and virtual communities which enables them to be connected to various kinds of people who are knowledgeable, all around the world. Within a small group with teachers and students together, students can pose questions or share interesting facts. This will deepen their understanding about concepts and further widen their horizon by learning new concepts as well. Moreover, because it is online, feedback will be instantaneously sent and received as well. By listening to and reading about others’ opinions and feedback, students can refine their thinking process, and the kind of exposure they gain would definitely be invaluable.

One of the most effective ways to teach is by the use visualizers and screens and this is one of the boons of technology, indeed. It gives a theater-like feeling; the dim lights within the classroom setting and the colorful presentation of information gives students a more enjoyable approach towards learning. The traditional classroom rules are broken and a different ambiance and aura is being created. Showing content-driven educational videos will enable information to be stored easily and constructively in the mind and recalling them during exams will be easier.

Another way in which technology is being utilized is through online content-related games or activities. This is not a method that all teachers incorporate into their teaching and hence it is not as prevalent, but this is something that teachers adopt especially when they are trying to engage students who lack the patience to sit in one place and learn (ie. students with very short attention span), and maybe break the ice if it’s an introductory lesson or when new students join the class. Students who are sincere about learning will make good use of the devices they have and will also appreciate the fact that their teachers are utilizing technology to teach as well.

BOTTOM LINE

Technology plays a vital role in all of our lives and it certainly holds great significance in the educational journey of our children today (as well as those of future generations). Promoting healthy use of technology is crucial and that way, progress can be made beyond a shadow of doubt.

Author’s Bio: 

Steffen Carter is A level maths tutor in Singapore associated with ChampionTutor – One of the best tutoring agencies. He enjoys working with students very much. He has a positive attitude and a passion to assist and motivate struggling learners.

Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

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8 Surprising Facts About Online Learners [INFOGRAPHIC]

The following is a guest post by Shristi Patni, content writer and Chief Content Officer at Raletta and PR Bulls. If you would like to submit a guest post, please contact us. 

  As online learning becomes more mainstream, we gathered some information about the online learner. Through this infographic, we bring you eight surprising facts about online learners.

This infographic was made by Navrajvir Singh, content creator at Technology Moon.

  Author’s Bio: Shristi is the Chief Content Officer at Raletta (Digital Marketing Agency), and PR Bulls (Content Marketing Agency). She enjoys writing about food, fitness, finance and everything in between.

  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

The post 8 Surprising Facts About Online Learners [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Online Education Blog of Touro College.

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9 eLearning Stats Every Student Should Know in 2019

The following is a guest post written by Hugh Beaulac, blogger, social media manager, and content strategist. If you would like to submit a guest post, please contact us.

The rise of modern technologies affects our lives, so it’s no wonder it has an impact on traditional teaching methods. Living in the digital era, eLearning isn’t a new concept even though many students are afraid of giving it a try: lack of control, social isolation, and low motivation are just a few reasons why students don’t want to study online.

However, learning online can be a great idea to obtain knowledge without spending time on attending lectures. If you’re doubting whether eLearning can suit your needs and wants, you’re welcome to look through the list of statistics that prove it is the future of education.

Here are 9 eLearning stats every student should know in 2019.

  #1. Around one half of all classes are done online.

Elearning gives many opportunities for both teachers and students. Moreover, it’s important to keep up with the trends, so eLearning is getting more and more popular. One in two lessons is done online which means students can expect even more online lectures in the nearest future.

#2. eLearning increases knowledge retention by 25% to 60%.

Humans are visually-oriented creatures, so it’s no wonder we perceive visual information better. When you study online, you work with various visual content  – presentations, videos, infographics. As a result, knowledge retention is increasing.

#3. eLearning is generally shorter than classroom training on the same subject by up to 25-60%.

When you study online, you save a considerable amount of time as the educational process is focused on providing the right information to the right person at the right time which means obtaining knowledge faster.

#4. 60% of people say that online courses fit their personal schedule/lifestyle better.

The best thing about online learning is an opportunity to do it in your spare time. Whether you learn new material, do your homework, or communicate with a mentor, it’s you who decides when to do it, so eLearning can suit any lifestyle.

#5. 81% of college students agree that digital learning technology helps to improve their grades.

With a variety of online educational organizations, it’s easy to pick a course to get a deeper understanding of any subject. Moreover, it’s a proven way to get additional knowledge, and therefore improve grades.

#6. 52% of people use m-learning in bed after waking up.

Nowadays the educational process is about comfort and time optimization. It’s enough to have access to the internet to do your course wherever you are.

#7. 90% of students believe online learning is better than traditional classroom experience.

For the majority of students, eLearning gives many opportunities to make the educational process more interactive and creative. As a result, they are more engaged.

#8. VR/AR educational software is predicted to get $300 million in revenue by 2020.

No matter what your major subject is, it’s important to ensure you get an engaging learning experience in order to be interested in the educational process. With the rise of VR/AR, students have an opportunity to be engaged in the process.

#9. The global mobile learning market is estimated to be $37.6 billion by 2022.

Nowadays more and more people own a smartphone, and it’s not just a way to connect with people – it’s also a way to obtain knowledge on the go. There are many apps and mobile-friendly educational websites that allow people to improve skills wherever they are.

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons why eLearning is just the future of education. The above-mentioned statistics facts prove that people love learning online and eLearning gives many benefits to modern learners. Thus, it’s important to get rid of your worries and give online education a try.

  Author’s Bio:Hugh Beaulac is a blogger, social media manager, and content strategist behind MC2 Bid4Papers website who helps people fall in love with STEM disciplines. He writes for different websites to share his knowledge, so follow him on Twitter to stay tuned for more.

  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

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Post 1982 Penny Battery: Experiment in Withholding Information

Pennies made after 1982 are ~ 95% zinc with a plated copper exterior. Thus, a penny contains two metals and can, if manipulated properly, be converted into a battery. See video below: 

This video is LEGIT, and upon seeing it, my gut was to provide students with this video, the materials, and let them go at it as an introduction to our unit on energy in Biology class. (Mitochondria metaphor, etc.).  Then I remembered the research on curiosity! The goal is to intentionally withhold the IDEAL amount of information. Peak interest, but create suspense. Provide enough information as to not demotivate, but leave enough out as to keep the learner guessing. ​The below "inverted U" graph of Curiosity vs. Knowledge (knowledge confidence), provides a great visual. Inspect it carefully. Have all the info. Not curious. Have no info. Not curious. Withhold the ideal amount. Curious. 

So, back to the initial activity. I fear that if I give students the above video, as awesome as it is, the activity will transition from science to "arts and crafts". I fear that by providing the video, I will provide too much information, push students to the far right of the "inverted U" and minimize curiosity. DESPITE how engaging the activity is!  The engagement lies not in the video quality, or the task, but the anticipation of what will happen.  The frustration in not knowing exactly what will happen, or how to do it.  The tension that is built when the instructor perfectly provides and withholds. The cognitive reward the learner receives when that tension is revealed. We all love solving riddles.  ​This is the true "Call to Adventure".  So here is what I'm going to do instead.  Step 1: Tell students that electrons can flow spontaneously through a material when two different metals are connected through a conductive solution.  Step 2: Tell students that pennies after 1982 are platted with copper.  Step 3: Provide students with the exact materials shown in the screenshot from the video above. Include the video title "How to Make a Penny Battery from Start to Finish" in the below image as a strategy for pushing students directly under the "inverted U" shown above. 

Step 4: Challenge students to light the LED using only the materials provided in the above image. Remove internet privileges to ensure that information is strategically withheld and students do not look up the above video.  Step 5: Play the above video.  Step 6: Treat this as the first  two"Es" (Engage and Explore) in the 5E Learning cycle. Continue on with lesson. Etc., etc. 

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5E Lesson Strategy: Making the "Explain" Phase Fun With Lower Blooms Hoops!

As I continue to 5E Lesson Cycle examples, I thought I would share a short example of a game I play to make the often boring "Explain" phase of the cycle, not so boring.  The "Explain" phase is characterized by the delivering of lower Blooms Taxonomy type information to help students fill in knowledge gaps intentionally surfaced during the "Engage" and "Explore" phases. Spackle, not paint.  Think of Daniel Larusso in the Karate Kid painting his mentor's fence, or waxing his car. Lower Blooms information that the learner returns to, despite its monotony, because the student has been Called to Adventure. The menial tasks have a meaning. They have context. The mentor is delayed.  After a laboratory on Flame Test colors with my Honors Chemistry students, where they were challenged to predict the relationships between electrons, energy, and light, I was challenged with boring task of teaching them how to write proper Electron Configurations. The "wax on, wax off" of chemistry.  The skill is quick, but requires a lot of repetition to master, before we can move onto the "Extend" phase of applying their knowledge to more complex, and applicable content domains such as Photoelectron Spectroscopy. It is a perfect candidate for my favorite game: Lower Blooms Hoops!  Here is how I do it: 

Make a ton of copies of problems in little slips of paper. 

Cut them into slips.

Put them in bins around the room. 

Place a bunch of chairs in the center of the room as a barrier they cannot cross.

Put a bin about 10ft away, on the other side of the chairs. This is the hoop. 

Challenge students to solve a problem on a slip, put their name on it, crumple it up, and shoot it into the hoop! 

Check periodically. If any are done incorrectly, dump the bin out. 

If done correctly, the shooter gets something (Candy, credit, whatever...). 

My kiddos literally solved 100 electron configurations today. Not sure what I'll give them, but that's not the point. Shh.... Check out a quick video of the process I took today. Apologies for the quality and informal style of the videographer :) 

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How to Improve Learner Experience with Mobile Messaging

The following is a guest post written by Anastasia Sviridenko, content marketing manager at TextMagic. If you would like to submit a guest post, please contact us.

Mastering virtual communication is really essential to running a successful online course. Did you know that one of the biggest challenges to online courses is student engagement? Without the pressure of face-to-face teacher and classmate competition, many students lack follow-through. Mobile messaging through apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Slack, and SMS messaging can create those important connections and ensure a better learner experience.

Mobile messaging has a lot of benefits as a communication tool between teacher and student, and even among students. First, more and more people are comfortable using messaging platforms. Though some may think that mobile messaging is only for millennials, a study by AARP showed that 88 percent of adults aged 50+ use their mobile for IMS. And with a variety of apps to choose from, you can choose the one that is most popular among your virtual students.

While younger people are abandoning email and voice calls, the trend towards texting has been gaining ground with all demographics. That means that using mobile messaging will allow you to reach the largest number of your students effectively.

Also, it’s convenient. Many online course students are currently employed or have other commitments that keep them busy. By allowing mobile communication, students don’t have to wait until they’re at their desktop to send a question.

They might even forget the question by then anyway! Instead, as they’re messaging colleagues on WhatsApp or responding to a message on Facebook Messenger, they can shoot off a question to you as they come up, increasing engagement and facilitating learning.

It also allows the teacher to answer faster, giving the student a timely response that they might need in order to finish an assignment.

Here are some benefits of mobile messaging for both online teachers and students.

Allows Students Easy Access to Teachers

Students may struggle with a number of challenges in an online course. As mentioned above, engagement is a big issue. By allowing students easy access to the teacher through mobile messaging platforms that they already use, it enhances engagement and stimulates more active participation. It also gives teachers a convenient platform to offer explanations and encouragement.

Great for Communicating Reminders and Changes

If there are any last-minute changes in course material, deadlines or online sessions, mobile messaging is a great way to let people know. Text is particularly effective since it’s immediate and has nearly 100 percent open rates. That means if you send out a text, you’re nearly guaranteed that your students will read the message. It also doesn’t depend on an internet connection for student to be able to receive it.

For that reason, it’s also good to remind students of upcoming exams and assignments. Everyone gets busy and it can be hard to stay on top of schedules and deadlines while juggling other life events. A little reminder can help students be prepared and make it easier for them to succeed in your course.

Group Discussions Help Build Community

Students taking online courses may miss the community that comes with on-site courses. Apps like WhatsApp and Slack can help create that necessary community. Groups have so many benefits:

They stimulate discussion, giving students a wider range of information on the subject they’re studying

They help students answer each other’s questions, relieving the pressure on the teacher as the only point of reference

They allow students to increase their network, a valuable benefit to students

They allow the teacher to observe what areas are most challenging and which themes are most interesting to students, helping with the planning of future courses

Collect Feedback Through Mobile Polls

Mobile messaging isn’t just a great tool to use during a course. It can also be of use after a course is already finished. Why not send out a quick poll to students after the course is over? It’s easy and convenient to respond to a mobile poll message while on the go, so students will be more likely to respond.

Keep the poll simple, with just a few key questions to increase participation. Finishing the course experience with a feedback poll is very important for many reasons.

It allows you to see what areas you did well in and what areas need improvement. This will help you organize your next course to better meet expectations.

It gives students a place to voice criticisms in a productive way. If you get negative feedback, address it proactively by responding to the student individually, offering to remedy any complaints they had. It could have been a misunderstanding or miscommunication that caused the trouble. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a negative experience and turn it into something positive, improving a student’s overall experience with your course.

Let Them Know About Related Courses

Many students will appreciate learning about similar related courses that would help them hone a skill they’ve been developing. Continuing your relationship with the student by letting them know about upcoming courses through a mobile message can strengthen their relationship to your course and enhance their overall learning satisfaction.

Online educators can use mobile messaging to improve the overall learning experience. By giving students a convenient platform where they can communicate with the teacher and other learners, you enhance community and open the doors for greater exchange.

  Author’s Bio: 

Anastasia Sviridenko is a content marketing manager at TextMagic. She’s always on the lookout for new ways to create exciting content. When she’s not working, you can find her at home curling up with a book.

  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

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5 Lesser Known Benefits of Online Education

The following is a guest post written by Shristi Patni, content writer and Chief Content Officer at Raletta and PR Bulls. If you would like to submit a guest post, please contact us. 

Sure, online education has its disadvantages but there are various advantages of online learning that prove why it might be the greatest revolution in today’s education.

The traditional education system has its limitations. To begin with, “you need to pay hundreds, probably thousands of dollars to get into a prestigious institute” says Navrajvir Singh, Co-founder of Merrchant.

“Then comes the course shortages, busy classrooms, and budget cuts which means you won’t always get to study what you want” he adds.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that 46 percent of college students and professionals throughout the world are opting for at least one online program or taking at least one course through an online platform.

According to Point University, roughly half of college courses will be eLearning-based by 2019.

It’s about time we broke the stereotypes associated with online learning such as ‘it’s for individuals who are not smart enough’, or ‘they’re not “real” degrees’.

We bring you five lesser-known advantages of online learning

Study What You Want

With the advancement of technology, you no longer have to leave your home and travel to an unknown city to take up your dream course. With e-learning, you can now take up any course from short certificate courses to the traditional four-year programs.

  Flexible

Hate waking up early for a class? You’re in luck. From choosing your own timings to choosing your teachers, and choosing your examination dates to examination centers, online courses are incredibly flexible.

You can not only access these courses from the comfort of your home but from anywhere in the world.

  They Add to Your Resume

An online degree or course from say, Stanford University will look great, maybe even better than most full-time community college degrees. In fact, it shows your potential employers that you are committed to learning and eager to gain more skills or knowledge.

  Networking Opportunities

Yes, your university might admit students from different cultures and nations to increase diversity but can it really compete with online networks? Generally, new courses start every month which means students get enrolled each month. On the other hand, traditional colleges admit students only once or twice a year.

  Value For Money

The fact that online courses are cheaper than traditional campus courses should convince you to consider them. On average, you are likely to spend a minimum of ₹500,000 (or $7,000) on an MBA program from a prestigious university in India.

However, if you opted for a distance learning program (from the very same university) you’d only have to shell out ₹75,000 (or $1,000)!

Final Thoughts

Online degree programs and courses are cheaper and more convenient when compared to traditional education. These two advantages are enough for you to consider online programs when you want to earn a certificate or a degree.

The best part, though, is that you get to learn in a relaxed manner. All you need is the zeal to learn and an internet connection, and you’re good to go.

  Author’s Bio: Shristi is the Chief Content Officer at Raletta (Digital Marketing Agency), and PR Bulls (Content Marketing Agency). She enjoys writing about food, fitness, finance and everything in between.

  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

    The post 5 Lesser Known Benefits of Online Education appeared first on Online Education Blog of Touro College.

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Should We Incorporate Social Media Into Online Education?

The following is a guest post written by Emily Johnson, freelance blogger and content writer. If you would like to submit a guest post, please contact us.

Let’s be honest: online teaching and learning is not easy. Both instructors as well as students need to deal with a number of problems that arise from the limitations of virtual education. Thus, online instruction requires novel, creative methods, which would help students acquire new knowledge and make them feel less isolated.

Does social media have the power to improve virtual education? Can it solve most of the problems both online educators as well as online students strive to overcome each and every day? Would incorporating it into virtual teaching and learning make a difference? Keep on reading to find out.

The Challenges of Online Education and How Social Media Can Help To Overcome Them

Whether you’re a teacher who considers conducting online courses or a student who got enchanted by an idea of getting a degree online and wants to try, chances are that you think there’s nothing complicated about it:

As an online tutor, all you’ll have to do is to prepare materials, upload them on a site, and then, check the progress of your students and provide them with feedback.

As an online student, all you’ll have to do is download materials from a website, study them at home, and then, do the homework and upload it on a site.

That’s it, right? Unfortunately, in practice, it’s more complicated than that. Each step of the way only seems to be easy. In reality, problems arise. Problems, which can be hard to deal with and solve.

#1 Computer literacy.

Attending and creating an online course requires a person to develop new computer skills, and while professors may already have the knowledge on how to navigate the necessary systems and programs, many students don’t. Research shows that computer literacy of university graduates is low. Thus, we can assume that computer literacy of students who just begin their studies or are in the middle of them isn’t any better.

Now, to be able to fully participate in an online course, students need to learn to use LMS (i.e. Learning Management System), be able to operate such programs as MS Word or PowerPoint, and fix computer problems if they occur. Without any technological knowledge and skills, it can be a challenge too hard to deal with.

Also, although “Help Pages” and detailed FAQ sections may be of some help, finding the necessary information and following instruction can be time-consuming, problematic, and frustrating. Thus, here’s another idea:

To allow students to contact and chat with a computer expert via a social media platform. It’s fast and easy. Moreover, this way, students can quickly improve their computer skills and feel more supported in their studies.

#2 Communication problems and the lack of human contact.

Conducting as well as participating in an online course often results in communication problems and limits for both professors as well as students. Thus, exchanging thoughts, sharing ideas, asking questions, clarifying various issues, explaining the course material, or simply talking, may take some time and be difficult (especially if it can only happen in the LMS or via email). What’s more, distance learning means learning away from a campus and student dormitories, which can affect a person’s sense of belonging to a community of students and so, make them feel isolated.

Can we improve communication between online tutors and students, and help students make friendships, share their thoughts, and interact with their peers? Yes, we can. Social media is the answer.

By promoting the use of social media and creating special groups for students on such platforms as Facebook, we can help teachers contact their students (and vice versa) quickly from any device, and we provide students with a perfect place to talk to their peers, discuss problems, share various ideas or reviews, and form a community. In fact, in a recent study, 75% of students say they feel comfortable using social networking to discuss course work with other students and 58% use it to communicate with their classmates.

Now, since students find social media platforms useful for educational purposes as well as forming friendships, incorporating social media into online education can both improve communication between students and teachers, and make students feel less lonely.

#3 Boredom, self-motivation and time-management.

Although online courses work for a number of students, many fail an online class, especially at community colleges. Why? Well, in a study conducted in 2011, students provided a number of reasons why you may fail an online course, and so, drop out of college. Here are the causes:

Motivation (35%).

Study habits (17%).

Academic preparedness (12%).

External factors (11%).

Attitudes (11%).

Instruction (10%).

Relevancy issues (4%).

What also has a negative impact on online students is the fact that e-learning may sometimes feel like e-reading. Thus, online courses lack variety and can be simply boring. After all, not everyone find reading textbooks and other materials as the best way to learn. Some students acquire new knowledge by listening to lectures. Others prefer doing things in practice. There are also those who learn best by watching videos. So, variety in virtual education is a must to keep students engaged.

Now, since online students are not self-motivated to learn, find it hard to create and stick to their own learning schedules, and often get bored, is there anything we can do to help them? As a matter of fact, yes, there is. Social media gives us a possibility to solve a number of problems that online students face.

Here are several creative ideas on how educators can use social media platforms to support their students:

Create and post inspirational and motivational quotes on Facebook, and thus, help your students achieve their goals.

Send reminders about assignments and upcoming deadlines via online platforms.

Make competitions and contests (thus, you can encourage creative writing, help students improve their skills in a number of areas, and entertain them).

Instead of uploading another longish lecture on a website for your students to read, make a video lesson on YouTube.

Ask intriguing questions in posts and so, start an online discussion (let your students engage in a conversation with you as well as their peers).

Encourage your students to make posts or tweets on a given topic for extra credit.

As you can see, social media gives a number of possibilities to help students succeed in an online class.

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons why we should incorporate social media into online education. First of all, students are familiar with it, so they will have no problems with accessing materials on social media platforms or contacting their teachers. Also, social media platforms can help students to form and maintain interactions with others. Moreover, it allows online students to ask more questions and get answers fast.

For online teachers, social media gives a lot of new opportunities as well. Teachers can easily contact their students, have more possibilities to help them acquire new knowledge as well as engage them. Also, it’s much faster, easier, and convenient to give students feedback via a social media platform than an online system.

Thus, by incorporating social media into virtual education we’ve nothing to lose, and a lot to gain.

  Author’s Bio: Emily Johnson is a college graduate who spends her free time writing thought-provoking blog posts about education, college life, blogging, and writing. Her articles that give career advice help and inspire people all over the Web. To find out more about Emily, check her website, OmniPapers, and her Twitter.

  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

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What is Robotics? A Curricular Challenge

This is the third year that I am teaching a course titled "Introduction to Robotics" as part of our regular curriculum at Sonoma Academy. Click here to access our class website.  The goal of the first few weeks is to answer the question "What is Robotics?" Merriam-Webster defines a "Robot" as...   ...a machine that resembles a living creature in being capable of moving independently (as by walking or rolling on wheels) and performing complex actions (such as grasping and moving objects).  I have always struggled to help students derive there own definition of what a "Robot" is using standard curricular materials. The "...moving independently" portion of the definition is not a problem initially, as most systems (Lego Mindstorm, VEX EDR, etc.) feature the ability to autonomously program the robot to perform complex tasks. Not a problem.  However, when relating a definition of the structure of robotic competitions such as those seen in FRC, and VEX I have always struggled. Each of these competitions features a "telops" phase, where a driver is remote controlling the robot to perform a series of tasks in addition to an "auton" phase, where the robot performs the tasks individually.  Logically explaining to students that remote controlling a system is a branch of robotics is difficult.  If a human is in control, is the machine still performing a series of complex tasks?  How do we rationalize the inclusion of a human controller into the field of Robotics?  This year, I decided to tackle the conceptually challenging topic of rationalizing the role of the "telops" in robotics. Here is what I did for the first two weeks: 

Create remote controlled combat robots using the Finger Tech Viper Kit and a simple transmitter-receiver system. 

After our competition, ask students the following question: If we were to give our combat robots their own "brain" where would we plug it in? (After much discussion, all of the students noted that we would replaced the transmitter-receiver system with a microprocessor). 

Perform a series of lessons on the Arduino Uno system. 

Challenge students to replaced the receive with a programmed Arduino Uno and Ultrasonic sensor capable of controlling their robot to combat autonomously.

When done, pose the following discussion prompt: In the remote controlled robot, what program was controlling the robot? In the autonomous robot, what program was controlling the robot? 

Student responses were fascinating. All students understood that in the Arduino Uno controlled autonomous robot, the program written living on the microprocessor provided commands directly to the motor controllers, guiding the robots movements.  The remote controlled robot "program" surfaced different, incredibly intriguing responses such as:  God programmed us to send a signal to the receiver to control the robot.  Evolution programed us to send a signal to the receiver to control the robot.  Education programmed us to send a signal to the receiver to control the robot.  Amazing questions also emerged:  Is it possible to program the Arduino to fight more efficiently than the remote controlled robot?  What happens when the intelligence of the Arduino Uno matches that provide by God, Evolution, etc.?  Is this related to the Technological Singularity? AI?  Although this unit laster longer than I would have liked, the physical motion of removing the transmitter-receiver system, and replacing it with a preprogrammed microprocessor opened up incredible discussion about what it means to be "...moving independently".  I freaking love teaching. 

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Syllabus Creation, Or Lack Thereof

I teach at a school with semester long classes. I love it so much. Yes, the pace can be fast, but the ability to completely reinvent yourself as a teacher every semester, rather than each year is legit.  Literally, I have grown more in the past 3 years as a teacher at my current school than I did in 15 at my previous site. There is something so powerful about embodying the energy of course creation during the winter AND during the summer.  And...as you would expect. Creating new systems each semester (I tend to enjoy the painful process of rebuilding curriculum each year), involves creating a new syllabus.  In preparation for creating my syllabus for my Honors Chemistry course this semester, I read this article from the Chronicle of Higher Education called "How to Create a Syllabus".  The article sent me down a spiral of more articles, videos, and blogs about syllabus creation.  The more I read, the MORE DEEPLY INSECURE I FELT about my own syllabus process. I have always been a total minimalist when it comes to creating syllabus.  Or am I just too lazy to build an complete one?  Either way, here is my Honors Chemistry syllabus for the current semester. Description...Topics...Grades...done and done. I have always prided myself on getting that info on one page! Something simple about the basics...or lazy? Anyhow, it has always felt good.  Then I read the above article. I mean...man. Am I really supposed to include all of that stuff? I guess so. So the reflection and self critique began. Enter The Imposter...  In other, less self deprecating news, the syllabus research hole I was falling into quickly forced reflection on something deeper, and more meta that simply the content of the syllabus: what the syllabus communicates beyond words. The culture that it embodies.  For me, clarity, simplicity, and my grad school days of obsessing over limiting the extraneous cognitive load of written materials for students, all contribute to my syllabus structure. I am not lazy. I value brevity, and yes...I have found myself in tricky situations with parents, students, and even counselors over my lack of behavior policy, etc., on my syllabi.  Then I stumbled upon this copy of a syllabus from a Literature course taught by one of my academic heroes, the late David Foster Wallace.  A genius by every account, the above syllabus might be one of the best pieces of writing I have ever seen. On first  glance, it couldn't look more different than mine.  Not one, but five pages long, Wallace accounts his pedagogical structure and course expectations in excruciating  detail. Despite the length...when you look closer, Wallace's candor, and honest comments do not create larger sense of structure and clarity around expectations, but rather, paint a picture of the teacher you will and the course. Serve as a metaphor for what you will experience, rather than how that experience will be measured or quantified.  Highlights from my reading of Wallace's syllabus include the following excerpts:  "The final'll be essay questions, probably."  "No question about literature is stupid." "Don let any potential light weightish-looking qualities of the text delude you into thinking that this will be a blow-off-type class."  "Don't quote like 40 lines a time." I encourage you to read the whole thing. Read it again. Then read it a third time. It's beautiful, and at its core, reminds me that teaching is indeed, art. Creation.  My entire class is based on streamlining systems for students, to maximize content acquisition in the context of inquiry. To leave space for thinking in simple, open, structured ways. My syllabus embodies this.  Wallace does the same. He does not leave you with just course rules and expectations. Wallace, reserves the right to change those when he says:  "Instructor reserves right to make changes and additions."  Wallace uses simple language to tell a complex story about his pedagogy...not about his rules and regulations.  I don't say anything in my syllabus.  Wallace says everything. .  Both tell a story.  Yes, in the end, my syllabus is too short. By reflecting on WHY it always is, and why I can't get myself to follow what the "rules" require, has been a deeply powerful exercise in reflective practice. The casual nature of Wallace's voice, combined with a dry sense of humor and insight reflect who he is as an author and I'm sure, and educator.  I want to learn to take more risks with my syllabus writing.  I want to say the right things, the right way, and leave the right things out. ​Wallace reminds us that writing...great writing....is about withholding information, and building connections. In that order.  "Great writers, comedians, and magicians share a lot in common. Both depend on a certain quantity of vital information withheld, but evoked in such a way as to cause an explosion of associated connections within the recipient" 

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Online Orientation for the Virtual Classroom

Getting acclimated to the online virtual classroom can be tough, especially when you are new to the E-Learning world. Online orientation gives students a sense of what their online program entails, so that they can navigate comfortably once their courses begin. Check out this great article from Marian Stoltz-Loike, Chief Online Education Officer and Vice President of Online Education at Touro College, and learn what to expect during online orientation.

Click here for the full article: Online Degree Program Virtual Orientation: What to Expect

Source: USNews.com

The post Online Orientation for the Virtual Classroom appeared first on Online Education Blog of Touro College.

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Sparking Curiosity in the Humanities: Data Visualization

As a science teacher, I often get the following statement when working with other educators: "Sparking student interest in the Sciences is just easier. You get to show cool demonstrations and stuff...". Yes, this is very true. It can be easier. BUT, I recently had an incredible conversation with a Humanities teacher at my school, and she shared some incredible great resources for leveraging data visualization a method for sparking student curiosity in the humanities.  If you are not familiar with data visualization, check out this talk.  By finding a visualization, downloading it, removing specific information (titles, legends, keys, etc.) and displaying it to students, questions emerge.  For example, this visualization of drought patters over the course of the past 100 years in America can be a powerful spark to build student interest in the Dust Bowl. Show students the image, say: "What are your curious about?". Questions will emerge that will vary but ultimately, because of the nature of the visualization, students will not only ask "What does the orange region represent?", they will also notice that similarities exist between the  the 1940s and parts of the 2000s. Questions will emerge related to differences in farming practices, the economy, polities, etc. ​Suddenly a conversation related to the core causes of the Dust Bowl emerges without even discussing the Dust Bowl directly. ​THEN, the next day (or for homework) show Ken Burn's documentary on the Dust Bowl. Delay the instruction. Delay the mentor! It's how the Hero's Journey operates.  Below are some excellent Data Visualization Resources: 

GapMinder

What's Going On in This Graph? 

Information is Beautiful 

New York Times Data Visualizations

Sparking Curiosity in the Humanities: Data Visualization published first on https://topinfoscout.tumblr.com/

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Student Generated Honor Codes and "GP"

I am "honored" to teach at a school that has taken the time to work WITH students to develop a code of conduct that the student body believes in.  Working together with faculty, students at Sonoma Academy created this Honor Code, over the course of two years, in an attempt to create a sense of student agency over "rules" at school. It works. Yes, a more hierarchical set of rules does exist at the school for your standard situations, but to be honest, the cultural shift that a student generated Honor Code, not forced upon students, but derived from their collective experience and conversations around what "honor" is, permeates the school. It's hard to put to words.  Below is a summary of our Honor Code if the above link is difficult to access: ​

Honor is doing the right thing

Honor is a pile of backpacks outside of the gymnasium 

Honors isa take-home physics test.

Honors is a teacher leaving class to get a cup of tea.

Honor is is splitting the last donut

Honor is a handshake after the game. 

Honor is admitting you "accidentally" broke it. 

Honor is treating everybody the same even though everybody is different. 

Honor is the comments on your report card

Honor is getting hep for a friend when they need it. 

Honor is picking up that piece of trash, whether or not it's yours.

Honor is listening to another's opinion. 

Honor is saying your internet was broken, only when your internet was actually broken. 

Honor is the applause after your senior speech. 

The students take the Honor Code seriously. The simplicity of it resonates with students and teachers. They made. So they believe in it.  I often find myself leaving in the middle of class to run to the bathroom or grab a cup of coffee, and saying things like  "I will be back in 5 minutes, HONOR CODE". They know exactly what I mean.  Switching gears to our FIRST Robotics team which is in full swing, two weeks into build season. Currently we find ourselves struggling to create a sense of equity and ownership over the various process on the team. Talented individuals, Strong personalities. Etc., etc., etc.. Lucky, FIRST Robots embraces, and actively promotes, a way of thinking about teamwork in the context of Robotics they call "Gracious Professionalism" or "GP". Click here to read more about  "GP". According to FIRST, "GP" can be described as:  Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended. In the long run, Gracious Professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing one has acted with integrity and sensitivity. With our school's Honor Code in place, team leadership this year decided to translate our Honor Code into a "GP Code", specific to our Robotics team, in the spirit of, and designed according to, the principles and process of developing the school's Honor Code. Without the our school's Honor Code in place, "GP" would, in all honesty, be a difficult thing to impress upon young 9th-12th grade students. Our Honor Code's existence provided a framework for student voice, and evidence that something can get created. By them. For us.  Over the past week our team took time away from building our Robot to create a "GP" code specific to US, and aligned with our Honor Code. We know have a poster hanging, pamphlet's to distribute, and more importantly, a collective ethos to fall back on...together.  School culture is a function of student input and feedback. End of story.  Click here to see a slide show that contains our  Robotics's Team "GP Code", along with associated graphics, that, in the spirit of prototyping, is a work in progress. They are also listed below: 

Gracious Professionalism is doing the right thing 

Gracious Professionalism is tirelessly working to acknowledge and value the voices of all members.

Gracious Professionalism is admitting when you forgot to charge the batteries before your match.

Gracious Professionalism is asking your lead mentor for advice before discussing an issue with a team member.

Gracious Professionalism is prototyping a different intake mechanism even if it varies from your own idea.

Gracious Professionalism is handwriting thank you letter after a team sponsorship.

Gracious Professionalism is the Controls Team Lead giving a rookie the chance to wire a motor controller.

Gracious Professionalism is posting a message on Slack to let team members know your location at regionals.

Gracious Professionalism is taking the time to find and deliver just the right 10-32 bolt to another team's pit.

Gracious Professionalism is returning your safety glasses back to the competition venue.

Gracious Professionalism is staying back to clean your pit during a match because it needs to be done.

Parents will be presented it tomorrow night at a welcome dinner, and, along with team members, will sign off vowing to follow it to the best of their ability.  Suddenly buzzwords are transcended and "GP" is a living thing. In encourage you to work with any organization your are part of to do the same. 

Student Generated Honor Codes and "GP" published first on https://topinfoscout.tumblr.com/

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Online Education: Debunking the Myths [INFOGRAPHIC]

There are a plethora of misconceptions when it comes to online education. Let’s kick off the new year by taking a look at this great eLearning Infographic that debunks some of the most common myths about online education!

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Source: 8 Myths about Online Education Debunked Infographic

The post Online Education: Debunking the Myths [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Online Education Blog of Touro College.

Online Education: Debunking the Myths [INFOGRAPHIC] published first on https://topinfoscout.tumblr.com/

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Revised 5E-Hero's Journey Lesson Planning Template!

I have written to annoying lengths about my love for the connection between the 5E Inquiry Learning Cycle and Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. The below diagram outlines the serendipitous connections between these two cycles well: 

In preparation for a professional development workshop I facilitated yesterday, I created a lesson planning template based on the above connection that I am very happy with. My hope is to use a copy of the template for each cycle I create in my biology and chemistry classes for the upcoming semester.  Unlike previous templates I have used, this one leverages a Google Slide template, as a planning, rather than presentation document. The flexibility of editing slides, embedding video, etc., makes Google Slides an incredibly flexible medium. You will notice that each of the five phase of the 5E/Hero's Journey cycle hyperlinks to an associated slide. I love this feature as it creates a contained pedagogical cycle, allowing the teacher to focus on each phase individually, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE. As an educator, this connectivity is very comforting, and as Jon Stewart said: "A structure that allows for creativity". You will notice that each slide has two portions: 1) Lesson Procedure and 2) Technology integration. By "tagging" the technology on as an afterthought, this template forces the teacher to first think pedagogically (How does this procedure serve the inquiry cycle as a whole?), then procedurally (How will I make structure the class to accomplish the goal of the specific portion in the cycle?) and finally technologically (How can I leverage technology to make this lesson even more efficient, productive, meaningful, etc.?). Thus, technology serves the pedagogy by simply following the template. An ideal teaching tool IMO. Click here and "make a copy" of the template for your own use. The template is also embedded below for ease of viewing. Enjoy! 

Revised 5E-Hero's Journey Lesson Planning Template! published first on https://topinfoscout.tumblr.com/

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6 VR Apps That Transform Education

To be transported half-way across the globe in seconds, travel back in time to visit ancient civilizations, or shrunk down to microscopic size and placed within the nucleus of a human cell all sound like things out of a science fiction movie. With Virtual Reality (VR), you can do all this (and more) out of the comfort of your desk chair. VR, one of the top EdTech trends of 2018, breathes new life into the sometimes monotonous classroom experience by revolutionizing the way we learn.

  So sit down, goggle up, and get ready to take learning to a whole new level with these 6 VR apps:

  1. Unimersiv

Unimersiv’s VR app is the largest platform for VR educational content. Explore the interior and exterior of the International Space Station, take a tour of the Titanic, or transverse the Acropolis of Athens as it was thousands of years ago. Go beyond the confines of a classroom and expand your horizons. With new material published every month, this VR app will surely create an engaging learning experience.

2. VirtualSpeech

Have a fear of public speaking, or just want to hone your speech deliverance skills? VirtualSpeech is a speech learning app that offers many courses and public speaking training simulations including speeches, boardroom presentations, job interviews, press conferences, and more. VirtualSpeech also offers feedback by evaluating and reporting your speech scenarios. The app can track the number of filler/hesitation words, the volume and pace of the user’s voice, and eye contact performance. You can also record your training sessions for future review and analysis.

3. Eon Creator AVR

EON Creator AVR (Augmented Virtual Reality) is an app that allows users to create, collaborate and share VR content. The app helps users design incredible learning content without the need for advanced programming skills. Browse the EON experience VR library containing 3D objects and 3D scenes. You can scale the size of the objects, build, configure, combine, lay them out, and add information to them (like names, descriptions, videos, slideshows, and more). Users can take apart aerospace machinery, build an engine, practice a delicate medical procedure, and more with this hands on app.

4. ImmerseMe

One of the best ways to learn and become fluent in a new language is to immerse yourself in that culture, practice conversation and surround yourself with the local sights and people. ImmerseMe is about virtually stepping into a beautiful and authentic location to learn a language, so that when you travel to these wonderful places in real-life, you’ll be prepared! Choose from over 500 scenarios across 9 languages. Order coffee in a cafe in Germany, buy a loaf of bread in Paris, or ask for tapas at a Spanish restaurant with this innovative language learning app.

5. TheBodyVR

TheBodyVR creates an immersive teaching environment allowing students and healthcare professionals to interact with the human anatomy and physiology in a whole new way. The app simulates real-world healthcare scenarios to teach and train more effectively and efficiently. It provides real-time, anatomically accurate, patient specific, VR simulations to visualize medical diagnoses, illustrate the impact of procedures and treatments, and create more educated decision-making. You can also travel through the bloodstream and discover how blood cells work to spread oxygen throughout the body, or enter one of the billions of living human cells and learn how the organelles work together to fight deadly viruses.

6. Anatomyou

Anatomyou VR presents human anatomy to the user from a different perspective. Become a part of the anatomy in an immersive way. You can navigate along anatomical structures and travel through the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and female reproductive systems. This app is great for biology students or anyone with interest in the inner workings of the body. Topics that were once limited to the pages of a text book are now captivating experiences.

  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Touro College.

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My Winter Break Top 10!

Classes start back up tomorrow, and two weeks of winter break provided a much needed break from thinking about teaching...NOT! Teaching is my hobby, and while I had a nice time, space away from teaching freed up space to peruse my "Idea Dump",a notepad of ideas, sites, or tools that I stumble across over the semester, but did not have to reflect on. In the spirit of sharing, below is a RANDOM, science-focused list of the top ten curated over the past two weeks. Not sure what I will implement, but I am excited to dive deeper into this list and will post updates as I do. Enjoy!  ​

Argument Driven Inquiry

Google CS First 

Jupyter Notebook 

Anonymous Peer Editing

Editey HTML Google Editor

Panaform VR Creation

YouTube Cropper

Twist Bioscience 

Donkey Car Competition

Puzzles from Pictures of Diagrams

My Winter Break Top 10! published first on https://topinfoscout.tumblr.com/