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Standardized LMS Navigation for Student Success

There’s something cathartic about commiserating in unpleasant shared experiences. Like that time you were looking over the courses in your LMS and realized that they had no standardized navigation. Maybe, that’s the reason for the uptick of emails from lost and confused students. You felt like a terrible, horrible, no good LMS administrator. Horrifying at the time, but when you describe the situation later to a fellow LMS admin, you feel a little better about that same situation happening to them.

Anthony (2012) researched the design of online courses and found that consistent course design is the most vital factor for student interaction and success. Recently, I was reviewing an online course for an LMS administrator friend of mine. I read the following message on a discussion board on the course’s second week. Student; “I can’t find the textbook information”. Teacher; “The textbook information is where it always is”. Not surprisingly, the student stopped submitting assignments on week six. Continue reading “Standardized LMS Navigation for Student Success”

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Personalized Learning through Adaptive Technology

Personalized

Over the past few months, you may have heard some chatter about personalized learning through adaptive technology. Not surprising.

The Brookings Institution referred to personalized learning as a major movement in education. Murray (2017) stated that colleges and universities are increasingly seeking ways to customize curriculum and learner outcomes via adaptive technology to match student-needs based on unique learning profiles.

And as with any new development in higher education, faculty is chiming in with, “Can I use this for my courses?” “…and, how?” The short answer? Absolutely. The longer answer? Read on to find out how. Continue reading “Personalized Learning through Adaptive Technology”

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Kickin It Old School…Tech in 2009

2009

Teachers’ Use of Educational Technology in U. S. Public Schools, 2009: First Look provides national data on the availability and use of educational technology among teachers in public elementary and secondary schools.  The purpose is two-fold: (a) to determine the availability of technology and (b) to determine how often technology is used.  The teacher survey included: (a) information on the use of computers and Internet access in the classroom, (b) availability and use of computing devices and software, (c) availability of school or district networks including remote access by teachers and students, (d) use of educational technology, (e) teacher preparation for  educational technology in instruction, and (f) technology-related professional development activities.   Continue reading “Kickin It Old School…Tech in 2009”

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Can Technology Make Curriculum Cool?

Over the past few months, you may have heard some talk about Curriculum, Instruction and Technology (CIT) as one of the new specializations for the old Masters of Education (M.Ed.) degree.  Not surprising.

Tech is cool. Curriculum is anything but.  Technology has been a part of the social fabric for about 20 years, or so. Curriculum was carved into stone tablets back in ancient Greece, by Plato or Aristotle, or someone. Think of technology as a much-needed injection of youth serum into curriculum. Technology has fostered new learning theories, new gadgets for instruction, and new ways of doing…well,  just about everything. Continue reading “Can Technology Make Curriculum Cool?”

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7 Tips for Making Technology Integration More Human

TIS

Recently, I was speaking with a technology integration specialist (TIS) whose position is new for her district.  Her goal is to make it the norm for “teachers to be able to request TIS services for 1:1 coaching with any device or app or curriculum activity”.  She  is working to make both herself and the purpose of her position known, while generating ideas and trainings for teachers where technology-use lacks right now.  Continue reading “7 Tips for Making Technology Integration More Human”