Dot Learnt

So what does cloud computing actually mean? To put it simply, it revolves around the timeless concept of sharing. Instead of servers and a myriad of technical teams and constant system upgrades – or endless file cabinets in a moldy basement – an organization can simply upload an application or software into the “cloud.” Once there, users are able to access information, using a login code, from any Internet-enabled device.

According to SalesForce.com founder, Marc Benioff, cloud-based systems can easily be described as:

• Speed – allowing things to happen faster
• Open – presents an open work environment where information can flow freely between users
• Collaboration – leads to companies and individuals organizing into idea teams
• Individual – where one person can inspire the global community
• Alignment – finding like-minded people who are moving in the same direction
• Leadership – a willingness to fuse both top-down and bottom-up leadership methods

The emergence of the cloud is speeding up the way we do business – from innovation to collaboration.  But what can cloud computing do for education?

Recently, the Government of Karnataka, India adopted Cisco’s cloud technology for their Cisco Education Enabled Development Program. The program looks to provide after-school remote intervention classes to students in order to ensure adequate scores on school board examinations. The cloud technology will allow for the engagement and the virtual linkage of 11 rural schools and over 1500 students.

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WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Known For:

38 plays, including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth; the classiest fart jokes in Western literature.

Would Totally Rock:

Style, ACT English. Has any other Western author managed to slip so much sex humor under the radar? Seriously. We’d like to know.

Analogies, SAT English. THEE : A SUMMER’S DAY :: THY ETERNAL SUMMER : THE EYE OF HEAVEN. Nailed it!

Not So Much:

Natural Science, ACT Reading. To put it into perspective, Shakespeare died fifty years before humans discovered microorganisms. (You don’t even want to know how long it was before we stopped calling them “wee beasties.”)

What He Would Have to Say About the Edtech Realm:

To tech or not to tech: that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the bounds of pen and paper, or seize a laptop against and click, click away.

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Hey, college kids, how much would you spend on a tablet? $500? $400? Less? How about twenty-five bucks?

Tablets have revitalized the education process. With students able to quickly access latest editions of their textbooks or engage in an in-depth learning process with some quirky application, tablets might just be one of the most cost-efficient edtech investments an education system can make right about now. Tablets integrate with education IT trends and incorporate education software such as Blackboard to make for a more synced and mobile education experience.

But education systems can get deterred – $400-$500 price tags seem exuberant when you are buying just one, not to mention enough for the student population of your school, state or country.

Enter Tablet Korma.

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Inforgraphics. I love them. Why? Because, motion graphics and data visualization provide a refreshingly new perspective on boring stats, figures and numbers. Not to mention all of this information is delivered in a medium that does not discriminate against the native languages of consumers of digital content.

When I discovered an eye-catching portrayal of Asian-Pacific social media use in a recent infographic by Burson-Marsteller, I began to wonder on the role of infographics in the digital classroom. How can infographics be used in schools to take students above and beyond the typical learning process?

• Cross-Cultural Understanding:  Infographics speak through a universal language that can help students recognize and understand cultural commons, in their neighborhoods and far away cultures. Images create a story, taking children on a voyage through the world.
• Ditching traditional forms of testing: Imagine a teacher hands out an assignment where students are required to visually create a representation of the history of the Cold War or the role of economics in international diplomacy. Students will be able to think creatively and outside the box to show their educators how they understand subject matter and effectively analyze data.
• Going beyond what’s right and what’s wrong: With infographics, there are no wrong ways to represent information. It is a form of understanding through self-expression, creating a unique and self-designed form of education.

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Today we hear from Josephine Man-Ying Ho, a graduate student at The Harvard Graduate School of Education. After spending a year working in the realm of social media with Participant Media, Josephine found her interest in international education policy. In an effort to fuse the issues of education in emerging markets with the bright future of technology, Josephine explores some of the latest edtech developments how to bring Internet to students around the world.

Think of a school in a rural village in Ghana and what do you see? For many, images of broken-down schools and cramped classrooms come to mind.

Education in most developing countries faces a droughtof resources. The lack of trained teachers leadsover-stuffed classrooms,where teacher-student ratios can run up to 1:58 in places like Ethiopia. The multitude of problems that education systems face in emerging markets seem overwhelming, but what if there’s something that can be done? Taking into consideration thelimited resources, one thing comes to mind…Technology!

What technology has done for education

Technology plays a large role in education in emerging markets. Instead of spending thousands of dollars to put more teachers in every classroom, teachers can record their lessons and reach a hundred more kids through the computer screen. The emergence of “distance education” has opened up a world of potential, as resources shrink and learning requirements increase. It has expanded access to students who cannot meet the demands of traditional education due to distance and time-constraints. Because distance learning can be conducted off-site, learning can take place in areas with little infrastructure for education.In a world with limited resources, this is a big jump towards increasing educational access to children. UNESCO highlights the role of technology in shrinking gaps in education access by stating in a report that, “such technology can complement teacher-student contact by being available at times when children cannot make it to school (whether in the evening or during seasons when they are needed to work).” (more…)

In today’s post, we hand the digital pen to Tim Hydari, Practitioner of Developmental and Therapeutic Play. Tim is a recognized expert in the field of play. In this post, he discusses the physiological and neurological motives for play, including addictive play. He then outlines the relationships between play and learning. We have excerpted his concluding statements on video games. You may read the entire article by checking out Tim Hydari on Play Therapy.

But what benefits can video games bring to its users?

It is well documented that video games improve skills such as spatial visualization ability, reaction times and hand-eye coordination. Young gamers that I have come across attest to an element of empowerment that arises from achieving success and eventual mastery of video games, where a high level of challenge is met with a high level of skill. The gamer finds himself so focused and immersed in this challenge that all energy is being channeled toward and aligned with the activity. Suddenly, in a culmination of electronics, human skill and determination, success! The psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls this state ‘flow’, with components including focused concentration and motivation in an activity that has a clear goal and that is intrinsically rewarding. Being in a state of flow has been linked to overall well-being and individuation.

It is in this state that gamers appear to find the right balance between joy, success and self-esteem. For a game to be challenging the problems must be complex and encourage the gamer into exploratory action. Too easy and the player loses interest. Too difficult and the player becomes frustrated. When we link this to the Laws of Learning, we find that gaming in a state of flow has qualities similar to that of effective learning.

Flow in gaming is intrinsically motivating, which is part of the Law of Readiness (motivated students learn more). The immediate feedback received by the gamer (linking actions to outcomes) is also found in the Law of Exercise along with the importance of practice to promote mastery. Positive emotions that arise in the state of flow from the enjoyment of playing video games are also found in the Law of Effect (increased learning through positive feelings). Finally the intensity is linked to the Law of Intensity (intense experiences increase interest and learning). So gaming, under the right circumstances, is potentially an avenue towards tapping into people’s full potential as learners and can act as a facilitator to education. How can games with educational value be created to entertain whilst maintaining flow and what can we do to encourage gaming companies to produce these types of games?

Parents and educators should remember that however intense the stimulation is in children after a gaming experience, the arousal can be normalized by exposing them to physical activity, preferably outdoors.

- Tim Hydari

Image Available Under CC Licensure

Happy October, International EdTechies! We are here to share with you the most tweeted, blogged and talked about topics in the realm of edtech in emerging markets:

Keeping Up With the Tech-tashians

Attention Blackberry nation! Ditch adding new BBM contacts and find out how Quick Response (QR) codes can revolutionize education. In a crash course, Good.is explores the newest and most innovative ways that barcodes can help educators reach out to more students. Opportunities range from digital portfolios for students to connecting with parents. For a crash course on how QR codes can enhance the education realm, read the full article here.

We’re loving the new weekly section in SmartBrief on EdTech brought to us by the Educators Professional Development and SmartBrief partnership. A quick visit to the news section will fill you in on the latest conferences, workshops and technology tools that are changing the realm of education. To find out how e-readers can encourage students to read more and other tidbits from the vanguard of education technology, read (or sign up) for the SmartBrief newsletter here.

Think like a Techy

Robert Beichner, Mitchel Resnick and Julie Young, three talented science educators, were recently rewarded the 2011 McGraw Jr. Prize in Education for integrating technology into the science and transforming education. These edtech pioneers have developed virtual learning worlds, online schools and blended learning environments that provide transformational education experiences for students from primary school through college. To read  about Robert Beichner, Mitchel Resnick and Julie Young’s projects in full, take a look here.

Emerging education markets Brazil and India may soon have a partner in Pearson PLC. The British learning company is looking to expand its client base by reaching out to global markets. Pearson has recently purchased a US-based online schooling network, Connections Education, that is dedicated to providing students with tech-based solutions for academic success. For more on Pearson’s world wide education aspirations, read the full piece here. (more…)

We all have passions, interests and expertise, but few of us rarely know how to transform that zeal into a career. That’s why when I sat down with Yasmin Fodil, CEO and Principal Consultant at BYO Consulting – a leading consulting firm stationed in NYC focusing on solving public problems through digital technology, I knew that I had the rare opportunity of speaking to someone who possesses an energized knowledge. It was during the interview that Fodil explained how the perks of social media and instant communication could provide a critical support system for all sectors of society, even education. You’ll find the full interview below, followed by highlights from our conversation.

Could you briefly describe to our listeners what it is that BYO Consulting does?

The core of what we do revolves around solving public problems through digital technology. We work with a variety of clients in the government and non-profit sphere and think about how innovations in technology can help them with their public problems.

As you know, Bon Education focuses heavily on edtech development in emerging markets. If you were to make one recommendation to the Ministry of Education of say an emerging market located in the Middle East, what would you suggest?

When developing a social media or digital technology project, it is essential to understand the needs of the users such as the teachers, parents and students first, and then develop the technology or the social media strategy based off of their unique needs. Often times, decision makers, when presented with a new tool, tend to think of it as a silver bullet. It is really important to keep in mind how the change will impact those on the ground. (more…)