David Vogt
In the corporate sector IT managers are trying to cope with the ‘impossible’ situation that workers are insisting on coming to work, and doing their work, with their own mobile and work devices (Bring Your Own Device – BYOD), creating (for the managers, they say) a tsunami of technology management, security, etc, problems. For the […]
Continue reading BYOD Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll According to Technorati, the blog count reached 80 million last year. Even though a quarter of them are most likely bot-created spam blogs, the quantity of content ‘in the cloud’ is still staggering. Blogs give everyone a voice to communicate, teach, spout opinions, learn and network. And with RSS technology, blog posts are quickly pushed […]
Continue reading Blogs Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
I find that blogging is a good way to see one’s personal development as we can see how one’s knowledge, understanding or perspective grew as we review the older posts and compared them to the newer ones.
Karon
I am looking into developing blogs as a learning log in our school. We have students matched with advisors at a 10:1 ratio, and I would like to see students and teachers blogging in association with our habits of mind/approaches to learning standards. Students and teachers would give each other feedback on learning, and the blog would be used for reporting on student progress.
I am currently using a blog as a website for access to information for my students, and as a place for asynchronous discussions (also in a Moodle site). I am interested in seeing how blogging and online discussions can be used to foster metacognition.
One of the advantages blogs have over other online options is that they can be much more personal. I want the work my students to do to be meaningful to them and see a blog which includes highlights, accomplishments, and reflections as being of great value especially if it’s shared with peers
As part of my technology position this year I have introduced Kidblog to grades 2 – 6. It has been well received by students and teachers in general. Grades 3 – 6 are integrating blogs across the curriculum.
I just visited an amazing art education blog that some might be interested in. It’s at: http://www.amiria.co.nz/artist/ It was shortlisted for the best new blog in the Edublog awards.
Blogs are simple idea that help students digitally write and author their own material. Students become their own distributors/publishers and make sharing and peer reviews more possible.
I use WordPress and Blogger with my junior computer class and they really enjoy it. I find that it is a great way to promote creative writing and to get the students communicating with and learning about each other.
Since I’ve became a stay-at-home mom, I’m become an avid blog reader and intermittently have written or produced art materials for blogs. Blogs provide so much flexibility, both for teachers and students, and blogging can really hone writing skills and creativity (verbal and/or artistic). I’ve made some friends on blogging platforms – something I never imagined could happen – and that sense of community is a terrific way to discuss ideas.
Since this is my first experience with blogs within a more formal learning environment, I am very much excited in seeing what they have to offer – again within the adult learning community. I am particularly interested in how these learning environments can be made more holistic in nature.
I thin that blogs are underrated in K-6 schools. Most often security and additional issues is cited as being the reason for not using them. However, I think that they provide invaluable opportunity for expresion, feedback and reflection.
I have been keen to integrate blogs into vocational training. I have experienced the use of blogs in courses for personal use and reflection eg. portfolios and feel that this is a limited use. I am looking forward to seeing how effectively a blog can be used as a collaborative learning environment.
Blogging has been around for quite sometime, however it is through MET I’ve become more aware of it. I have been experimenting a bit with my grade 6 students. I find that blogging can be interactive, allowing them to leave a comment and even a message to each other. Its also a way to build social relations with readers and other bloggers. I do find that the passive learners who would never raise a hand in class to speak, are the ones who tend to blog more and have much to say when replying to a comment on the site. It tells me that blogging allows for creative writing skills to be developed. Integrating blog in the learning environment is a step in the right direction!
Shawn Naomi
The Visual-Intensive Learning (VIL) marketplace recognizes the rapid trend away from text-intensive information environments to visually-dominated web experiences that is apparent on most web sites but is championed most specifically by sites such as YouTube and Pinterest, as well as immersive collaborative environments and games. The concept of a “visual learner” is not new, but […]
Continue reading Visual-Intensive Learning Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Visual literacy is quickly becoming equal in importance to textual literacy as we embrace technology and the ability to share images, video, animation, and graphics for communication. Educational institutions will meet the needs of todays learners by rapidly adjusting and integrating visually stimulating new media for learning in the classroom.
The need for visual literacy both in terms of meaning-making and creating is more pressing and belongs in a larger information and communication technology framework aimed at preparing learners (as well as immersing them in) digital learning, social and work-related environments.
Personal experience with student creation of videos and other visual representations of learning in the sciences has emphasized the incredible importance of this tool. Allowing the student to become the teacher produces far more learning and using technology only enhances this greatly. Remixing existing digital information from a variety of sources into a visually stimulating presentation by students to students produces meaningful learning, especially when done in collaboration with others.
As someone who is very interested in the visual arts, I have already experienced (self-guided) learning through visually intensive websites. While text-based learning can become very dry, image and video-based curriculum materials provide added visual interest that help to capture student attention.
From my experience as an ESL/ELSA teacher, this tool has become a must in the field. It is indispensable in the world of adult education. To be fair,actually I should say it is indispensable in the world of education in general.
Hussain
Learning visually with videos, images, games, VRs etc are more efficient and directer than learning with texts. It’s natually cross-languages and cross-ages. Although visual-based learning is often more expensive than text-based learning, thinking the creation, transmission and presentation, I have no doubt, with the help of developing technologies, that VIL would play a dominant role in the future education.
The Visual-Intensive Learning (VIL) marketplace is of great interest to me as a visual learner. Before embarking on this MET program I knew of few ways or tools to visually communicate my ideas and share my learning. Based on my experience within text-based asynchronous forums, I recognize how important it is to supplement these with visually-dominated web experiences.
I find it exciting to think that I will be exploring and perhaps designing ‘visual’ learning ventures, allowing me to at once build on my web experience and perhaps contribute to the world of educational technology.
Visual learning is certainly not a debateable topic. It has a rightful place in the learning environment with children and like wise with adult learners. Institutions need to be up to speed with such form of technology if they wish to continue meeting the needs of our versatile learners.
Insurance concept has always been a difficult concept to learn due to its complexity and numerous rules and regulations, which is especially true for students with an ESL background; this challenging learning is enhanced when visual representations are used just so that it forms a ground for big picture for details to build on.
In an online world of resources and endless information, visual-intensive interfaces allow learners to quickly scan through massive amounts of information without being overwhelmed by text. Pictures, symbols and numbers allow learners to scan sites like Pinterest and quickly focus on the areas that resonate with them based on various criteria such as visual image, category, and peer rating.
The learning commons, sometimes called an “information commons,” has evolved from a combination library and computer lab into a full-service learning, research, and project space. As a place where students can meet, talk, study, and use “borrowed” equipment, the Modern Learning Commons brings together the functions of libraries, labs, lounges, and seminar areas in a […]
Continue reading Modern Learning Commons Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
The link above is broken but I may have found the correct article here: http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAbouttheMo/227141
I am going solo on this one I think. I believe we need to attempt to connect face to face with others when the opportunity presents itself. For example, there are a few other MET students in Victoria that I have met with at a local pub during courses. With our laptops and a pint in hand, we manage to have significant MET conversations and use each other as sounding boards in a way that can only be done face to face.
For the University level students coffeeshops/pubs are already taking up this endeavour but there may still be a market for a style or franchise that nails this demographic. Study lounge by day and a night life hub at night. A place of work and play, sounds fun right?
A PG model will need to be set up for public middle and high schools. I do not know what it would to look like but I do know that brick and mortar schools with row by row seating, are not conducive to the types of learning I see coming in the future.
Tablets, game systems, smart phones and application like Siri all suggest a trend away from the inefficiencies of the keyboard for virtual interactions. Touch, Gesture & Voice are some of the more “natural” ways learners will access and immerse themselves in learning experiences. Opportunity Statement Learning technologies venture opportunities in Touch, Gesture & Voice are bountiful in that […]
Continue reading Touch, Gesture & Voice Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
We are implementing a 1:1 technology plan with iPads starting in 2012 and these tools provide many of the gestures, voice, and touch tools that learners are familiar with, but I think that the spaces they learn in also represent areas for development in tactile and voice interactivity.
As of September, 2012, each of the federally run tertiary institutions will require all new students to purchase an iPads in an effort to “transform higher education in the UAE so that students are motivated and engaged in their own intellectual development and achieve higher standards of success” leaving faculty with the intimidating yet thrilling task of learning how to use the iPad as a pedagogical device.
I am presently at a 1:1 school where they are also offering Ipads to teachers who are wiling to investigate their classroom use. I am a math teacher with a science background and I value learning through doing. This is not always easy in math, but I think that there is something out there that can help the students immerse themselves in learning rather than spectating. Using other senses can only make learning more interesting which in turn fosters curiosity.
This is probably the subject that is of most interest to me. Because I am interested in a holistic approach to online teaching and learning, the idea of being able to complement text-based asynchronous forums with touch, gesture and voice elements is exciting. Finding adequate design applications that provide these elements within course design or LM sytems would certainly be a challenge – but well worthwhile!
This is the area in which I would be most interested in.
Currently, I am advocating class sets of iPads for my K-6 school, as I see the use of touch and voice as allowing learners to beome more actively engaged.
Augmented Reality, a capability that has been around for decades, is shifting from what was once seen as a gimmick to a bonafide game-changer. The layering of information over 3D space produces a new experience of the world, sometimes referred to as “blended reality,” and is fueling the broader migration of computing from the desktop […]
Continue reading Augmented and Blended Reality Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
During my undergraduate years, I have done a project based on augmented reality before and I am highly interested in this 3D application. I believe that augmented reality is definitely opportunistic for my career as I work in healthcare and having our learners learn through this 3D space would help them visualize realistic scenarios better and it will be more effective than showing videos which is the common practice at the moment for nurses.
Karon
I think that in todays busy world, augmented and blended realities are important because they act as a support system for those individuals involved. Because people crave this support, these realities can be very opportunistic.
I think natural science museums and science centres could bring their educational programming to life with augmented reality by providing information about specimens (minerals, animal and insect specimens, skulls…) and other samples.
Augmented reality would be very useful for lessons in fields covering concrete topics like geography, physical education, and engineering. Public health and pharmacy organisations could benefit too.
I believe that this has huge potential in the future! This will allow our devices to be smart and instanteously respond to us within context. It will provide instant information about our surroundings based on our programmed preferences and needs. My students already see physics everywhere they look, but imagine if their devices were pointing out levers, fulcrums, electromagnetic waves, etc. and providing additional information within context. The world would become your classroom, literally!
Most people prefer to tackle the majority of their continuing learning objectives independently or informally in professional groups, as Self-Guided Learning. Additionally, the availability and affordability of qualified teachers and accessible learning environments can’t nearly meet the global demand for higher and better educational opportunities. Opportunity Statement Venture opportunities exist in a vibrant global marketplace […]
Continue reading Self-Guided Learning Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
A simple idea with huge market potential. Lynda.com generated $70 million without one formal course – just resources for self-guided learning (http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/03/lynda-70m/).
The potential for self guided learning within a supported environment for younger learners will respond to the needs of home instructors. Creating the content, providing tutoring, supplying accreditation is a potential work environment for under-paid, under-employed educators.
When working with students who struggle with learning in many ways for various reasons the power of self guided learning becomes clear. For many students (and teacher) being able to work through material in a different environment, at their own speed and at the pace that suits them best is ideal. Creating such educational worlds is the key.
Self-guided learning is a very engaging a exciting concept. While many aspiring students might feel the constraints of formal education, self-guided learning provides an interesting option for individuals who might not have time, resources or other necessary elements to engage in furthering their education.
An ultimate goal for me following this MET prgram, would be to work within an organization that provides higher learning opportunities around the world. I recognize that for many countries, paying for qualified teachers is near impossible and there are few accessible learning environments students can afford.
I would love to work on a venture that explores self-guided and self-paced learning opportunities for adults. The challenge would be to create a learning environment, including content and curriculum that is culturally sensitive. I would particularly like to work on content and curriculum.
Recognition of the importance of 21st Century Skills continues to grow, particularly in the area of competencies across digitally-rich domains involving communications, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Higher education and employers are seeking systematic ways to support and evaluate the acquisition of these skills. Opportunity Statement A set of 21st Century Skills venture opportunities exists […]
Continue reading 21st Century Skills Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Our district is really pushing the 21st century skills and I see their vision as progressive and necessary in preparing our children for future careers.
Employers across all sectors are pushing for the 21 century skills and looking at educational institutions to prepare recent grads better in this area.
In our conceptual age success in adult life is dependent on 21st century skills including: critical thinking, problems solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity with creativity being of particular importance.
Our district is also pushing 21st century skills. I am on the district committee who is in the process of developing policy, teacher Pd. We are in the process of getting the message out to all schools in our district. Technology is a piece however the 4c’s is the foundation of the strategy. It is an interesting process.
Valerie
21st century skills is also very big in school district 41. Many schools have 21st century goups who meet on a regular basis to discuss how best to implement and support this.
Ever since being introduced to NETS for teachers and students, 21st century learning has held great interest for me. Clearly it is also a focus of the BC Ministry of Education as is evidenced by the Premier’s Technology Council Report on 21st Century Learning. However, what is lacking in the Ministry directives is strategies for implementation. I do, however, see great potential for ‘new ventures’ in this area, for when government shows interest in something, there is often funding to back it up. I would really enjoy exploring opportunities within this market as it seems to have the most potential for “consumers” – at least in regards to my own career.
Along with our BYOD, Google Apps for Education and new portal, it goes without saying that the consideration of 21 century skills are core to the success of these initiatives. The “4Cs” should be integrated into current practices, not as ‘another’ thing the teacher must add to their content, but in the ‘way’ they deliver their content and collaborate with students. Personally, I have concluded (although unofficially and certainly not finalized) that the success of TIC integration relies on 3 components: hardware / infrastructure, the services and the practices/content. My thoughts on this are based on the work of Sangra & Bates (triangulation). I firmly believe that 21 century skills are essential to maximize the use technologies in learning. Putting the infrastructure, the services and the content in place are only part of the puzzle – the ‘way’ in which we use them for an effective pedagogy is the other piece of the puzzle.
As brilliant as most software and apps might seem, they are still severely awareness-disabled, meaning they don’t know and can’t respond to simple user contexts such as who I am, where I am, what grade I’m in, what class this is, what level I’ve achieved, what my learning style is, etc. The objective of Aware […]
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Imagine your personal digital learning butler, admin assistant and digital desk organizer rolled into one digital environment. Equentia has the beginnings of this for the private sector. Educators should apply this form of curating, monitoring, aggregating, annotexting, re-publishing tool to their personal and professional learning environments. Aware software for students will enhance and expand their learning potential.
Companies like IBM are building “Smart Cities” based on distributed sensors in roads, pipe, etc, providing feedback to control systems. This is part of a general emerging market called the Internet of Things (IoT) where heretofore inanimate, mute objects are becoming part of an intelligent, active, behind-the-scenes conversation. So what about “Smart Schools”, where the […]
Continue reading The Internet of Things Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll While tablet and smart phone manufacturers are churning forward at a breakneck pace, making a fortune on humanity’s device-lust, the compelling back-story is what these devices can do – the proliferation of Apps. And while addiction and burn-out on the distracting nature of most apps is already big news, there is also a rapid […]
Continue reading Apps Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Applications for education hold a promise in that with the amount of apps that are being created teachers and students have access to learning aids and further information. Educators are able to make personalized applications that students can use to meet their needs and students are also able to experiment with creating applications that serve their needs. With the inclusion of BYOD and Self-Guided Learning, apps will open students to opportunities for furthering their chances to extend and continually learn.
A high school History Department in Markham recently invested in a class set of iPads. The reason? The apps. There are so many educational apps available for a variety of disciplines that teachers cannot afford to ignore the educational value they can add to their classrooms. From World War I and II re-enactment apps to online History journals that teachers can add to the iPad for students to access during research periods – the possibilities are endless. At the same school students in the Communications Technology department are working with the History Department cross-curricularly to design apps related to History course content. Brilliant.
Cloud Learning is about employing essentially limitless web-based storage and services (the “cloud”) to enhance the learning experience with unprecedented accessibility, continuity, extensibility and integration. Most analysts believe that humanity’s move from computers to the cloud will be more transformational than our recent move from paper to computers. Opportunity Statement While it may seem that most […]
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As we struggle with server space and anywhere access to information I see the cloud as the way of the future. My family and I own numerous technological devices and I like to access my files on any device wherever I happen to be, in the house, or on the go.
With the rate of change of technology, I think that computers will become devices for linking to the internet, rather than for housing and running software. As more of what we do individually becomes housed in the cloud, educational technology will follow suit.
As school budgets continue to be cut, cloud computing has the potential to save school boards money. In addition, students won’t have to worry about forgetting to send themselves a file to work on at home; their files will be accessible from anywhere.
I am curious to know where these real savings might occur? Students will still require computer hardware to connect to the cloud, and servers may be fewer and in centralized locations, rather than each school, but they will have to be a larger capacity. Just wondering. What are your thoughts?
The sky’s the limit – the potential to connect communities of learners from across the globe is enabled by cloud computing. Time zones, synchronicity and location are irrelevant. Learners working on projects can create, collaborate and connect in ways that were not possible before i-clouds and sky drives.
True collaborative work is possible with cloud technology. No longer do students need to share one computer to do a PowerPoint assignment or play e-mail tag with the file. They can edit the same presentation at the same time. The cloud concept is amazing … as long as there is internet access.
The extreme adaptibility of working in the cloud to almost any time, place and circumstance makes this a tool worth using and exploring. The ability to work from any computer both synchronously and asychronously is invaluable for knowledge generation and review. The reduction in stress on local servers is very important.
This is definatley the way things are moving, I would love to get rid of my flash drive and external hard drive and have all my documents, files etc available from any computer any place in the world. Security and safety of confidental data are things that come to mind though!
The “cloud” frees people from the physical devices and give flexibility as to how and what they use to create and present. The simple Dropbox has made my personal work easier since it allows me to create on my Mac and present using Windows based student response systems. I can see how the cloud helps the integration of tools such as Ipads and other mobile technology.
Yes I believe Cloud Learning will reform the education, with unbounded environment, converged content, ubiquitous & seamless access. Since the reformation is big, the chances in it will be big too for ventures who will help this trend
Cloud learning has the potential to allow students and teachers to continually have access to learning material and content. In the move towards ubiquitous learning and the potential to always be engaged in learning activities the use of cloud computing increases the flexibility of learning for student learning and teacher delivery.
Though I am totally in agreement that this is the most practical evolutionary step for computing, I am hesitant to dive in considering privacy/digital ownership concerns. Once your family photos, etc. are loaded to “the cloud” who then owns them? What safeguards are in place to protect your information and privacy?
Game-Based Learning seeks to apply the technologies and engagement factors of the hyper-successful electronic games sector, and of games more generally, to create effective learning experiences. This includes everything from the creation of original games with learning outcomes embedded in the gameplay (“serious games”) to the game-like animation (“gamification”) of more traditional learning approaches . Opportunity […]
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I am working on a Minecraft project in which we have set up a Minecraft server and have students from other countries playing with us. This project is very much under development, but we have already had students complete project work using Minecraft, and we hope to run lessons on Minecraft in the fall.
I’m interested in both the idea of gamification as a style of teaching and the use of games in subjects that are perceived as intimidating like science and math.
Game-based learning is one which excites me and my students. Some individuals such as parents may think educators waste time when gaming is used in the classroom, but little do they know it does enhance learning and engage the students fully! Students do take charge of their learning where Game-based is concerned.
I think games that simulate real-world experiences have great potential, especially in the business courses I teach. I already use a game that simulates running a company where students must make decisions about pricing, number of units to produce and research and development costs. Student engagement during the activity, which lasts a couple of months, always exceeds my expectations.
As a computer lab facilitator at the hospital, I have taught with both self-directed online modules and a Medication Safety game designed for healthcare disciplines. In my experience, I have witnessed how some of my learners struggled dealing with the self-directed online modules which led to a state where my learners were less motivated to complete them. On the other hand, those who used the Medication Safety game showed better learning results and have derived greater enjoyment from it. Compared to the online modules, the Medication Safety game was designed with less text reading. I am interested in exploring further in regards to learning with games and see whether game play would benefit learners within the healthcare structure.
Karon
The idea of learning without realizing that you are doing so since you are enjoying the process is incredibly powerful, particularly for youth who expect everything in life to be simple and fun! Whether the games are designed for education or are simply applied in the correct way, the potential inherent in gaming is intriguing.
Earlier this term, my programming students started to create games for Windows and the Xbox 360 using Visual C# and XNA. Students used creative problem-solving and decision-making skills working on the project; they were also much more engaged in game making than traditional delivery of programming. Next year, the plan is to polish the polish the product and possibly sell them on the Xbox Live Community.
I love the idea of Learning With Games but I have struggled with its application. I have tried the middle school math game, “Lure of the Labryrinth” which did not interest my students….but I thought it was a nice try. I am convinced that games can help with understanding math/science.
Game-based learning is one of my passion, and I truly believe, from my personal experience that game-based learning results in high knowledge retention as the curriculum I deliver with associated game generally would result in better test scores in that segment as well as more positive student feedbacks.
A Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) is an emerging model for interactive online learning experiences designed to accommodate possibly unlimited numbers of learners who potentially arrive, attend, participate, and leave on their own terms. MOOCs can take advantage of existing social media and gaming environments as platforms to host both formal and informal learning experiences. Opportunity Statement […]
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Stanford, MIT, and Harvard (http://www.edxonline.org/) have fully jumped in. MOOCs are disruptive in higher learning, not in the future, but right now.
Human interaction with information on the Internet, including consumption, creation and distribution, generates data with value that can be mined. Social media analytics, for example, is a red-hot market as organizations of all kinds seek to understand rapidly-emerging trends. Learning Analytics applies similar data-mining techniques to create value for learners, teachers, parents, and education systems. Opportunity […]
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As a teacher/new administrator I can see applications of data collection, analysis, and interpretation in regards to evaluating technology programs and crafting them so that learners, educators, and schools are getting the most out of any program or approach.
New data-mining software technologies allow us (educators, researchers, marketers, etc.) to evaluate multivariate metrics and uncover trends that could help improve learning opportunities or target specific outcomes. In some ways, I regard learning analytics as the “Moneyball” of education.
Tablets and related devices have redefined publishing, including textbooks. No longer is textbook content necessarily closed, static and non-interactive. The growing expectation of both teachers and students is that Digital Textbooks must deliver a rich, engaging, responsive journey – a thrilling new kind of learning experience. Opportunity Statement Digital Textbooks offer a range of highly-creative […]
Continue reading Digital Textbooks Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
As an EFL textbook writer, the idea of developing and potentially marketing accessible, interactive, media-rich, cost-effective, eco-friendly (at least in terms of being paperless) learning materials either on my own or collaboratively in a timely manner is a pretty exciting prospect and one I will no doubt pursue.
When Apple accounced its free iBooks app, a lot of people were skeptical as to how school boards would be able to reap its benefits given the expensive device costs: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/19/apples-ibooks-2-takes-a-bite-out-of-education/
However, with the maority of readings now being made available to university students through online databases and e-course packs (unlike options available in this MET program itself) there is a definite shift away from the traditional, heavy, paper-bound textbook to the alternative which takes up a GB or 2 on your tablet, laptop or even smart phone.
Politics teachers don’t even invest in textbooks at the high school level because they become out-dated so quickly – with new editions of most textbooks being released every year, school boards don’t have the budgets to keep up. So students are asked to make do with 10 or 15 year old editions of the texts. However, with updates available to download onto your e-book whenever they are released, it can be argued that investing one time in a class set of iPads for the Politics class is a lot more feasible. And considering that most students are taking part in the BYOD phenomenon, this option is definitely a better bet. It is also environmentally friendly and much more portable!
Hardware aside, e-texts have many advantages for education and the environment. Digital textbooks have the potential to be more than just “text” books, but they can combine multimedia and interactivity to engage learners beyond the dusty pages of tradtional paper texts. As Sheza mentions above,most e-texts are compatible with a variety of devices and can be easily combined with ventures around BYOD. In the long run, e-texts are more cost efficient and environmentally friendly as licenses as purchased, renewed and updated without a single tree lost.
Education is breaking free of the confines of the LMS (Learning Management System). Abundant online (mostly free!) tools and services allow both students and teachers to take advantage of broader resources and potentials within self-managed Digital Learning Ecosystems (DLEs). The inherent flexibility and autonomy encourages learners and educators to ‘own’ the learning experience in […]
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I think DLE is a way leading to our dreamed “learner-centered education”. It aggregates all supportive resources necessary for a learner, including their parents! That’s the social&tech network specified in education. It’s not an easy work but definitely has the future. I would be an early client for ventures go in this way.
An intrapreneurial venture to take Royal Roads University into open education:
Continue reading Open RRU Posted in: Uncategorized
Open RRU- The Way of the Future!
Yes, I would invest in this venture, even though there may not be much monetary investment involved. The venture is made to increase enrolment, staff satisfaction and create an open learning environment.
CEO and Team
The narrator gave a solid background about the campus and the university’s philosophy to learning. The narrator showed that the university is striving to lead the way in education through open course learning. The presentation was fairly professional with some minor editing needs but suited the need for the pitch.
Venture Concept
This venture plans to use open courseware to attract students and staff to the university through access to knowledge. They show how the students would benefit from open courseware and increase the standard of learning. It looks like they have thought through the details of moving from private to open courseware.
Marketability
Open courseware is the way of the future and I agree that marketing to students would b easier and more effective. Faculty could also be happy to see what others are teaching or what course they would be stepping into as they begin a career at Royal Roads University. They provide a website to go to for further information about the university, their programs and the open courses they provide.
Venture Plan
Having students enroll for classes and then get the credit for completing those classes creates a learning society as mentioned in the video. This brings money into the university through enrollment and word-of-mouth can increase that.
I see open courseware as need and know that most teacher are more than willing to share their creations with others as long as the others continue to improve upon them and share with even more people. I don’t know many teachers that are in education merely to get rich.
Dennis
Hi Dennis,
I was almost convinced by this pitch too but upon close analysis I found the venture plan to be at best lacking. From the pitch alone I was not certain whether Royal Roads has existing online courses and if so is the plan to make some of these public or is there a plan to create separate courses or units. In either case a plan for next steps and time frame isn’t presented.
Response to Royal Roads Open Courseware pitch
I would invest in this venture. As Dennis stated earlier, I don’t believe there would be a large monetary investment involved, but the ‘value proposition’ has been clearly defined in the pitch.
To break it down by the facets of the pitch:
1. Pain Point- I believe that the pitch clearly demonstrates a gap in terms of increased student enrollment, faculty recruitment and increased marketing.
2. Solution- the pitch clearly explains how the gap, or problem can be resolved with a shift to Open Courseware, by allowing prospective students, and faculty members, to actually try coursework to evaluate whether or not they wish to enroll. It also showcases their level of quality education to enhance Royal Roads reputation while further penetrating their market presence.
3. Differentiation- Though the concept of open courseware isn’t unique, the comparison to following a lead by MIT, one of the most progressive and well-respected learning institutions in the world, shows a distinction between Royal Roads and most other universities.
4. Marketing- the concept of open courseware entails marketing within itself, and the pitch emphasized the pride RRU already has established in their content and their eagerness to showcase it more broadly.
5. Championship- RRU feels their work speaks for itself, and it is a matter of making that more freely available to people.
6. Competition- Despite RRU openly discussing that MIT was the groundbreaking institution to offer open courseware, they don’t envision them as competition. In fact, they clearly discuss the irony of a business model that offers its services for free and counter that it is a win-win situation for them and that they would be joining the ranks of MIT as a front-runner in this concept.
7. The Ask and the Return- two areas of the pitch that lack any content. Because of the uniqueness of this pitch, in terms of monetary investment, rather than just persuading EVAs to shift their paradigm of post-secondary education delivery, this may not be that important. The pitch does, however discuss the altruistic benefits of an open courseware university, and perhaps that is return enough.
No I would not invest in this venture. I would like to, as the team have a credible concept and I personally can see altruistic and practical reasons for considering the venture. However there are significant aspects missing from the pitch.
Following the pitch criteria:
Pain point
I found it difficult to identify the market gap/problem the team were focusing on. Options that occurred to me included – The Uni is falling behind current education delivery? It needs more students? It needs more expert staff? The Uni needs to enhance its reputation?
Solution
Providing open education can improve:
Learner recruitment – no evidence of this given (just evidence that MIT’s online offerings increased)
Faculty recruitment – again no evidence given from other Unis who have done this
Enhance reputation –a likely assumption, but no evidence
Altruistic requirement to advance education – a good motivation but this cannot be a sole solution
Differentiation
It was not clear why people would use the Uni’s open courses over any others (see also competition)
Marketing – there was no focus on how the market would be reached, except possibly by joining the consortium.
Championship
The venture’s leaders and team seemed keen, but there was no evidence of the competency of the tam or the Uni to successfully achieve this venture.
Competition
MIT was mentioned as a success story, but only in terms of open course delivery and in no other way. In fact MIT and all the other Unis in the consortium could provide stiff competition. Or is the Consortium a way to create partners and leverage? This wasn’t developed.
The Ask
There was no next step or plan for the next 1-5 years. There was no indication provided of the finances or resources required.
The Return
I could see some possible returns in recruitment, reputation etc, but there is no evidence of likely financial returns and in fact there may be significant costs for the Uni.
So in summary in rating the four primary areas that as an EVA I would consider:
CEO and team (1)
Enthusiasm was conveyed. I would have liked to see more of the presenters themselves. As mentioned above, I was not sure who the team was or even whether the Uni already had the team expertise to achieve this venture, not the material resources required.
Venture concept (3)
Though not original the venture was in line with current education innovative delivery. It is feasible as other Unis have done this, but it was not clear how this Uni could achieve it.
Marketability (1)
There was no evidence of the market size or share and no innovative advantages to capture the market were clearly articulated.
Venture Plan (1)
There was no definition of success, articulation of a path or process and the length of time this process would take. Indeed at one point the presenters have encouraged me to “take the risk” which is not what I want to hear. I want a risk mediated by likely success if the plan is followed.
I would be keen to provide money and also expertise in the development but as an EVA, at this stage, I see more risk than success.
Denise
No, I would not invest in this venture. Royal Roads has carefully crafted a presentation that provides a concise overview of the benefits to investing in open education. The question “What’s in it for me?” is answered with the explanation that open-courseware allows prospective students and faculty to experience the innovative programs Royal Roads offers. Wether I’m an administrator at the institution or an outside investor I am assured that open education is an effective marketing tool that will lead to increased enrollment bringing more dollars to this University. However, a venture plan is not included with the presentation preventing me from supporting this venture at this time.
CEO & Team:
The presenter displays both confidence and enthusiasm for this venture. The presentation is of a high calibre assuring me that her spoken message that Royal Roads offers innovative, technologically advanced courses is authentic. The pitch demonstrates the existence of a strong team with creative solutions.
Venture Concept:
While the venture is a modeled after existing ventures the concept is cutting edge with proven popularity amongst learners. In providing an overview of open education, beginning with the introduction of MIT open courses in 2001 and later to the development of an open-courseware consortium of over 200 institutions, the presentation addresses not only the success others have had with open education but where the opportunity lies for Royal Roads to break into this market.
Marketability
Providing open-courseware provides opportunity for Royal Roads to showcase work aiding in the task of marketing courses. Without the inclusion of open-courseware the university looses an advantage in recruiting students. This venture doesn’t have a primary goal of providing courses to compete directly with other open-courseware. The principle goal is to provide a glimpse into programs and Royal Roads while a secondary goal is to contribute to the growth of a learning society.
Venture Plan
What’s not clear in this pitch is a plan outlining when Royal Roads intends to begin providing open-courseware. The pitch indicates that the university has a clear picture of successful open-courseware ventures but it does not provide a plan as to when and how it will launch it’s own venture.
With an overview to answer questions regarding the venture plan this pitch will be complete and worthy of a second review.
A venture introducing the world’s first “text-leveler”:
Continue reading rePhrase Posted in: Uncategorized
No, I would not invest in this venture. The pitch is only 54 seconds and the first 11 seconds are taken up by music and three slides and the last 10 seconds is taken up by credits. During the pitch there is no real metnion as to what rePhrase really does and we are not introduced to the manegement team or what their exist strategy is for investors. The venture concept is not clear, they do provide some statistic to show the sie of the market such as there are 8M students in America today in grades 4-12 who can’t read at their grade level and that 80% of teachers don’t feel that they have the tools to help theses students. The presenter mentionss that the cost of this problem is $2B but he doesn’t mention what % of this market they are going after. We finally hear that the technology allows students and teachers to adapt tet they are reading in class to their own reading level, however no details are provided as to how they do this. Again, I would not invest in this venture.
Reposted, I should have checked my spelling before replying.
No, I would not invest in this venture. The pitch is only 54 seconds and the first 11 seconds are taken up by music and three slides and the last 10 seconds is taken up by credits. During the pitch there is no real mention as to what rePhrase really does and we are not introduced to the management team or what their exist strategy is for investors. The venture concept is not clear, but they do provide some statistic to show the size of the market such as there are 8M students in America today in grades 4-12 who can’t read at their grade level and that 80% of teachers don’t feel that they have the tools to help these students. The presenter mentions that the cost of this problem is $2B but he doesn’t mention what % of this market they are going after. We finally hear that the technology allows students and teachers to adapt text they are reading in class to their own reading level, however no details are provided as to how they do this. Again, I would not invest in this venture.
Greg,
I agree with your analysis. The tune was catchy and I expected it to lead into a clever pitch. I thought it was clever to use part of the joke “What is ‘black and white and read all over ‘ ” . My focus was on the 3/4 head, forearm and trying to figure out what is over his left shoulder.
Bridget
Greg, I do agree with you on this elevator pitch! You hit the nail right on the head and could not be more on point with your response. To me the pitch is too short to convince any potential investors. I was definitely not drawn by the idea he put forward and he certainly did not seem convincing either. I replayed the pitch several times just to get the gist of what rePhrase really is and that did not help. The venture concept is not clear, therefore I would not invest in this venture.
~Shawn
Shawn;
i agree that the pitch was quite short, which left me wondering about a number of things. This seems to be a common thread in many of the pitches that are presented. I found a similar computer app on http://www.cruxbot.com/ that has a 2 1/2 minute pitch, free trial and how-to videos that go with it. I think it is a much better example of how I would like to see a pitch presented.
Dennis
Hi Shawn and Greg,
You both make excellent points. My greatest concern was competition, and what a supposed lack of competition may indicate in regards to marketability or funding (from school districts) for such a product. Also, is this a product that is helpful and wanted by teachers? Although it may offer a way for students to read text without trying too hard, could this be more harmful than help. If a student knows that there is software that will translate for them, will they see a need to push for greater literacy. As a partial dyslexic, I found having to struggle was a great help to gaining proficiency. If I had then all the software tools at my disposal now, I definitely wouldn’t have tried as hard and developed the self-sufficiency I have today.
Cheers, Steve
RePhrase
No I would not invest in RePhrase.
CEO and Team
The CEO is a likeable character but does not seem to know his target market, nor how to pitch to this market. He seems a little too convinced that the viewer will be immediately intrigued and therefore interested in researching his product further based on the “pain point” of students repeating grades due to inappropriate reading material.
Venture and Concept
I am not entirely sure what the concept is and how it works. Is the text scanned? Does it need to be a soft copy that is then copied and pasted into a “rephraser”? Where is the new text stored? Are there copyright implications? Why would I not just choose a text for my students that is already at their level? Are literacy issues directly related to inappropriately chosen reading texts? There are perhaps too many questions here that need to be answered before an investment can be considered.
Marketability
There needs to be more emphasis on how RePhrase is better than simply choosing a more appropriate level of text for a reading teacher’s students.
Venture Plan
I like the CEO and he has done his homework, he just needs to better convince potential investors that he actually has a plan…and an innovative product with competitive advantages.
No, I would not invest in this venture for several reasons:
1) Although the presenter uses the term “we”, it is unclear who is the team behind this product/idea.
2) After viewing this pitch the first time, I had no idea what product rePhrase was selling or offering to the public – I wondered whether I had missed something. Upon second viewing, I realized that there was no explanation of what the product was. Is it a permission to adapt existing texts? Is it a technology that processes higher-level texts and summarizes them in more basic words? Is it something else altogether? I really had no idea.
3) While the pitch included a problem (students not reading at grade level and having to repeat grades), there was no explanation of how the product might resolve this problem or even what that product might be. Even if I could imagine a product/service that could adapt texts to a lower level, how would that resolve the problem? Students would not learn to read at the expected grade level but simply read the same texts at a lower level. While this might help if the texts were not related to language arts (i.e. Math, Science, etc), it would not necessarily allow students to succeed better in school.
Overall, I found this pitch very poor in every area, as it didn’t clearly address how (or what) product/service was providing a solution for the problem.
No, I would not invest in this venture. This fellow gets off to a good start by stating his problem (there are 8 million students in the United States in grades 8-12 that cannot read at their grade level. Also, 80% of their teachers don’t feel that they have the necessary tools to help out their students. However, this is where his pitch ends. He doesn’t compare this problem with any other countries or competitiors and he only mentions the billions it costs ( taxpayers?) to pay for students to repeat grades. How does he plan to market his product if he doesn’t discuss it? He also doesn’t mention why we should buy his product over those of possible competitors. The absence of a five year projection or anything tangible for a possible investor made this product completely laughable.
For the overall presentation, almost 22 seconds out of 54 is wasted on some hokey intro and exit music. This time could have been used more wisely, perhaps telling us how the product actually worked! Also, who is this person? He didn’t present himself. We’re not sure if he’s the CEO of the company or some guy practising a sales pitch in his garage. He did show some passion for his product but unfortunately tried to make it sound intriguing by not telling us very much about it. Instead he simply invited us to “check us out”! Well, I would argue that I’m checking you out now so if you can’t tell me more about your company, then you’ve lost me as an a possible investor.
Like most of the comments above, I was hoping for more … much more. While the concept of this product is intriguing and clearly needed based on the stats given in the pitch one thing is clearly missing WHAT IS THE PRODUCT?
A good start, but a bad finish.
In spite of the fact that the concept or the idea presented in this short clip sounds tempting in the sense that potentially there will be a great need to it and the market is heading towards it as well, I still believe that the presenter’s lack of enthusiasm and the indirect sense of indifference in giving more details denote that this is not serious and can’t be taken as a something that can be invested in.
Hussain
No, I would not invest in rePhrase.
At the end of the pitch, I was left wondering what the pitch was about exactly. It seems to be about making text simpler to understand… I was left wondering : “Does it dumb down the text for me? Am I not ‘smart enough’ to understand regular text’. I think it would have been more effective if directly stated how it was beneficial to me without making me feel like I was an idiot (he did not imply this explicitly, it is my knee-jerk reaction).
This was intended as an elevator pitch – yet, the first ten seconds were music and intro – wasted valuable time… is this a reflection of how the company presents itself and operates?
Unlike some of the other pitches I looked at, this one here does not give a quick, simple overview of how the product works. He refers us to the website to get more information – if you can’t tell me in 60 seconds what this product does and how it works, I am certainly not going to chase it down on the internet… that is what the 60 seconds I gave you was for.
Thus, perhaps it is a brilliant service / product – but this was not conveyed in this pitch, and as an EVA using a standardized analysis of this pitch, I could not effectively evaluate if there was a dynamic team behind this product, the Venture concept was unclear to me (what exactly is the pain point? How does the solution work?). Because of the lack of clarity in the concept, it is difficult to gauge the Marketability of the idea – it seems to be exclusive to the K-12 space, but that is about all I could surmise.
This is capped off with an unclear Venture plan – I do not like the CEO by the end of the pitch as I felt I was confused about this product and that I was not told coherently and concisely what it was about.
No, I would not invest in this venture due to a lack of information provided within the pitch. The overall concept of the technology is a great one. As an educator, I am very interested in a technological solution aimed at struggling readers. This being said, the pitch is more or less an advertisement to buy the product rather than to invest in it. In addition, we do not know if the statistics are valid or what makes the venturist qualified. Here is my breakdown of the pitch:
Pain Point: In the US there are 8 million students from grades 4-12 that cannot read at grade level. Furthermore, 80% of teachers feel that they cannot meet the needs of these students. As a result, students repeat grades resulting in a waste of time, money, and additional resources.
Solution: Teachers and students can use rephrase to adapt and adjust texts to student’s reading level.
Differentiation: Within the pitch, it is claimed that it is the world’s first automatic text leveler.
Marketing: It does not state explicitly how and where buyers and users will be reached however, it can assumed that it will be marketed to US school system managers such as principals, superintendents, etc.
Championship: It is not stated why the venture’s leader is an expert in this field. We do not know if the lead team are educators, technologists, business people, or none of the above.
Competition: There are no other ventures like it on the market.
The Ask: The pitch does not contain any specific asking dollar amount.
The Return: The pitch does not state how the investor will be compensated.
Dani,
I really like the way you laid the 8 points out. It makes it so much easier to follow your analysis and see where the holes are in the presentation of the pitch.
Donna
No, I would not invest in this venture. The presentation has a good sense of the product and certainly tells me some of the key points of why the product should be a good one to invest in, that is, it can certainly help the students’ improve on their reading level (which according to the presenter, is not up to par).
CEO & Team:
The presenter displays both confidence and enthusiasm for this venture. The presentation had an engaging tone and the information presented smoothly and sensibly. As an investor, I would be attracted by the knowledge and confidence of this pitch to invest in.
Venture Concept:
rePhrase is the world’s first automatic text leveler, allowing students to change or adapt the difficulty of text they read to meet their own reading level. I think the presentation needs some specific information regarding “text levelling”. It’s an important point to consider for those who are not familiar with this terminology. As such, the product pitch is severely hampered.
Marketability
There is no mention about which particular institutions the text level is marketed to. Sure, we can assume it is K-12 sectors, but is there a definitive grade level it attempts to attract? With ambiguity the presentation has a lot of polish, but not enough substance to draw me as an investor.
Allan
A cloud-based learning management system:
Continue reading CloudConnect Posted in: Uncategorized
No, I would not invest in this venture. First off, the presenter used slides to attempt to describe their technology and although the presenter was well spoken I felt like I had no connection with the presenter and could not understand really what his company was proposing.
CEO & team: The presenter didn’t outline who the key management teacm members were but simply says that the principles have years of experience in innovative technology and media.
Venture Concept: The presenter mentions that Cloud Connect is a new start up and is a collaborative software program for use is primary and secondary schools that treads new gound by bringing the power of institutional courseware to public education. It this point I am lost and don’t know what they are talking about. They then go on to show a slide on Blogs, wikis, mobile, e-portfolis and grading and they that their innovative software brings teachers, kids and parents together in a learning journey.
Marketability: The presenter mentions that in the North America the Learning Management Systems market is worth 3/4 of a billion dollars. They don’t mention what % of this market they are looking to capture, however they do mention that Cloud Connect significantly reduces the entry point for LMS technologies. This sounds like they are trying to compete on price which could be good for them as the public education system is extremely price sensitive and technology bugets are very lean. They make no mention of what the future looks like for an investor or if they have an exit strategy in the works.
Again, the presenter sounds confident but doesn’t provide enough details so that I can understand what the product is and from an investment standpoint I am out.
Greg Campbell
Should have checked spelling first. Here it is again.
No, I would not invest in this venture. First off, the presenter used slides to attempt to describe their technology and although the presenter was well spoken I felt like I had no connection with the presenter and could not understand really what his company was proposing.
CEO & team: The presenter didn’t outline who the key management team members were but simply says that the principles have years of experience in innovative technology and media.
Venture Concept: The presenter mentions that Cloud Connect is a new start up and is a collaborative software program for use is primary and secondary schools that treads new ground by bringing the power of institutional courseware to public education. It is at this point I am lost and don’t know what they are talking about. They then go on to show a slide on Blogs, wikis, mobile, e-portfolis and grading and describe that their innovative software brings teachers, kids and parents together in a learning journey.
Marketability: The presenter mentions that in the North America the Learning Management Systems market is worth 3/4 of a billion dollars. They don’t mention what % of this market they are looking to capture, however they do mention that Cloud Connect significantly reduces the entry point for LMS technologies. This sounds like they are trying to compete on price which could be good for them as the public education system is extremely price sensitive and technology budgets are very lean. They make no mention of what the future looks like for an investor or if they have an exit strategy in the works.
Again, the presenter sounds confident but doesn’t provide enough details so that I can understand what the product is and from an investment standpoint I am out.
Greg Campbell
Hi Greg
I agree with your assessment that this venture lacks key details about how they are actually going to have their software bring these the various tools together, who the development team was and their qualifications, as well as what percentage of the market they intended to capture and keep.
While the presenters voice was clear and confident as you noted, I too felt a disconnect between poorly created slides and the speaker.
While they mentioned being competitive with other LMS technologies do you believe this is enough to draw in other District level purchasers? I would want to know what costs were associated with their particular tool in terms of start up, installation, training, and development.
Dave
HI Greg and Dave,
I guess I saw this an an elevator pitch and so I wasn’t concerned that cost wasn’t covered – the pitch should have had me interested enought to then ask for the next pitch with more detail.
Denise
Hi Dave,
You make a great point regarding associated cost as many times these costs are somewhat hidden.
Greg
Hi Gerg and Dave
Apparently the questions you raised should be asked with all the presented applications which don’t show the “hidden fees”. Besides, there could be a hardware upgrade to have the application used properly.
Hussain
NO, I would not invest in this venture.
The LMS market is very crowded and highly competitive. They attempt to differentiate by “significantly reducing the retail entry point.” However, open source LMS solutions like Moodle and Sakai have already reduced the entry price to zero. They mention that make a ” decisive split in an established market” while displaying the terms, blogging, wikis, analytics, and mobile. There is no decisive split here with these functions as the major LMSes already offer these functions. I do not see originality or differentiation in this product.
I am also skeptical of the viability of the LMS market in the future. The LMS still has a stranglehold on online learning but slowly educators are realizing the value of teaching students to develop their own Personal Learning Networks outside of the confines of an LMS using free social media tools.
We learn nothing in this pitch of the leadership or development team or their goals for their product. I think the only prospect for Cloud Connect would be to gain a few customers and hope for a Blackboard buy out which could actually be lucrative for their investors. But over the long term, I do not think this will be a viable venture.
Chris I think you bring up a good point about students developing their own PLNs outside of the confines of the LMS and I think that this will force LMSs to more dynamic. I do still think there is room for growth in LMS as they serve as effective areas to organize learning content and resources for the educators. Student could then incorporate that as a resource in their PLN.
No I would not invest in this venture.
This is an engaging “elevator pitch” in the way it was graphically presented, and the presenter was very enthusiastic. But looking at the venture pitch criteria and expecting a “showcase of the flashiest ones” I would have been expecting a focus on:
Pain point – it was not clear what the gap or problem is for primary and secondary schools
Solution – it was not clear what the “new model”, “new split”, “new solution” actually is and what it solved
Differentiation – the only component identified here was the reduced retail entry point, and it was very brief and could almost be missed. If this was significant it needed to have a greater focus. Also if CloudConnect was a new model/approach it was not spelt out how this would differentiate it from other LMSs.
Championship – the company ‘s competency was highlighted, but there were no details so it seemed hollow and just a sales line.
The slide introducing the “new model” actually highlighted the numerous LMS offerings already in the market place and created a feeling that there was already a great deal of competition for CloudConnect.
Denise
Before you publish your posting, please make sure that you select a category (eg. Introductions) as well as assign some meaningful tags (keywords).
Chelsea M Woods 1:11 am on May 9, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
My school is moving in the direction of BYOD. I have blogged on the topic http://whatsitinthemiddle.blogspot.com/2012/03/bringing-your-own-technology-to-school.html and am interested in the contrast between our mixed platform environment and schools that have chosen platform for their users: are there significant impacts on learning when users are responsible for selecting and maintaining their devices?
Dennis Pratt 2:22 pm on May 9, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Our school has laid the footings for a BYOD school but have not taken the final step of actually letting kids bring their devices. We are at the tipping point and I cannot wait to see what happens.
Deborah S 5:37 pm on May 9, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
My school is in the dark-ages as far as this topic goes as we still ban cell phones in the classroom. I saw a wonderful use for cell phones in my daughter’s university class last semester when students used their phones to respond to questions the professor posted during class. What a great formative/diagnostic tool that could be!
Claire Burgoyne 12:47 am on May 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
One of the advantages blogs have over other online options is that they can be much more personal. I want the work my students to do to be meaningful to them and see a blog which includes highlights, accomplishments, and reflections as being of great value especially if it’s shared with peers.
Claire Burgoyne 10:20 am on May 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Oops! I posted my blog comment here in error.
vawells 1:48 pm on May 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
As part of a revamping of the technology plan in our district we are looking at BYOD. Right now students are not allowed to bring devices to school and phones are discouraged. Schools in the district are in the process of becoming wireless. It is a long process but I am interested in seeing how this initiative will pan out.
unclereg 11:46 am on May 11, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Student’s and staff are encouraged not to buy their own tech (such as appletv units) not due to security/reimbursement issues but issues surrounding our wireless internet capabilities & bandwidth/speed problems. These devices need to be supported by a stronger/faster internet connection before a school as big as ours (2000+ students &100+ staff) can sustain effective use.
Hussain Luaibi 9:51 pm on May 11, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
BOYD is a debatable venture in the world of e-learning. But what encourages it on the long run is the fast pace of technology. It makes it inevitable in some fields of education.
Hussain
Kenton Hemsing 10:29 am on May 12, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
BYOD holds a lot of promise as it opens the chances for students to engage in ubiquitous learning and extending their learning beyond the classroom. Giving students the chance to continually learn and be engaged in their learning will enhance their learning and move their understanding to deeper levels.
sheza 12:03 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I recently returned to a Markham public school after teaching internationally for the past 2.5 years. I was awe-struck when the classroom teacher asked the students to take down the notes on the board, and I saw a group of students come up to the board with their cell phones and snap a picture of the notes! The students who didn’t do this had been taking notes at their desks on their tablets or netbooks and laptops. Students were personalizing their learning with the devices that best suited their learning styles. I think that this is definitely the way to go considering the fast pace of today’s technology- students are investing in it at home anyways; our public schools cannot afford to keep up with the latest changes, so why not allow the students to BYOD?
Denise 5:17 am on May 13, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
BYOD holds promise for students to be engaged and it can be cost effective, but for a small organisation like ours the challenges are:
1. creating good connectivity and access across platforms and
2. how to effectively develop courses that integrate the use of the devices for learning, and not just result in learners being able to access their emails or multitasking irrelevant to the learning at hand.
shawn harris 6:32 am on May 13, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I wish my school was moving in the direction of BYOD! It seems as though it is a recent trend in the more developed countries. At my school, students are not allowed to take any form of devices to school, however they still do especially since internet access is readily available. BYOD has its advantages and disadvantages, however, as an educator of Info Tech, I do allow students to use their devices in my class to integrate with the lesson being taught which brings about a more collaborative lesson; one which holds a discovery appraoch to it as well. In other words, students are more involved with its use as teaching and learning take place in a creative fashion!
Shawn Naomi
Brian H 12:31 pm on May 13, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I think our devices are becoming evenly more deeply entrenched as an extension of ourselves, so it makes the most sense that our own devices are the primary tool to engage in our learning environments. On a practical note, my school was selected to be first in the district for a hardware refresh cycle. Our prize, 5 year old recycled off lease computers… My students phones seem to have more computing power than the “new” machines we just acquired. A BYOD may be the only way to solve the political and administrative nightmare of connecting students digitally.
Sherman Lee 9:52 pm on May 13, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
BYOD is certainly an issue for the corporation I work for, but it also present a possibility of expanding our classroom horizon to include a student response system that utilizes common smartphone and personal electronic devices as input instrument.
Donna Forward 11:24 pm on May 13, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Just today I received an e-mail from our district tech guys letting the staff know that our students now will have access to the school’s wireless internet and they have just received their own wifi password and the teachers have theirs. This will be a new venture for our school to see how the students and teachers work with this new found freedom.
My only concern with BYOD is that the underpriviledged students who can’t afford iPhones etc, will be left out in the dark. In my school, there are quite a few students living below the poverty level.
I’m curious to see how the next few months before the summer holidays will unfold and how each individual teacher will deal with the fact that the students will have constant access to the internet. Certain teachers don’t allow cell phones in class while they’re teaching so I predict that we will need a few staff meetings to decide how we’re going to handle the situation.
Yves Mainville 7:51 am on May 14, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
We are in the midst of implementing BYOD on our secondary school in our school board and I am a member of the planning and implementation team. It has been a whirlwind ‘ride’ to date but nonetheless has proven to be exciting times. Although I am involved in all aspects of the project, my core focus is the ‘pedagogical’ use of BYOD. The goals are to facilitate ‘transformed practice’ with the use of technology in the classroom. We must go beyond the first step of ‘digitizing our current practices’ to truly adapting our teaching practices to maximize the potential afforded to us by these technologies, and this will have a significant impact on how we deliver content, how we assess students and how we collaborate to achieve our end goals.