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Inside Online Learning
Teaching with Text Messages
What is commonly referred to as texting, and sometimes Short Message Service (SMS), includes sending and receiving short messages via cell phones. This very specific functionality of mobile communication is gaining ground in education as a way for instructors to connect with students, especially those working at a distance, and even create new assignment options. […]
Summer Reading List 2012 – Online Learning Edition
What’s on your reading list? Last week’s #IOLchat included a brainstorming session of low- and no- cost professional development opportunities for online instructors. One of the ideas that emerged was to develop a reading list of relevant materials. If you are like me, you are probably always adding titles, but rarely have time to get the reading […]
Celebrating National Small Business Week
Entrepreneurial careers are on the rise, and working as an independent contractor or starting your own business may be part of your future plans. The National Small Business Week events, taking place this week and organized by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), provide a closer look at what it means to own and operate a small […]
The Saylor Foundation’s Open Textbook Challenge
Calling all academic authors! The Saylor Foundation’s Open Textbook Challenge is expanding, and awarding $20,000 for accepted textbooks that align with eligible Saylor courses and are licensed through Creative Commons (CC-BY). The Saylor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization currently offering over 200 open, online courses in 12 disciplines and a general education program covering topics from […]
Contemplating the Megaclass
Can you imagine being enrolled in a course with hundreds or even thousands of classmates? What about being responsible for teaching a course with that many students? It may seem like an impossible situation, but that’s exactly what’s happening at Virginia Tech in John Boyer’s World Regions geography course with over 2,600 students in the […]
Social Learning Summit 2012
On April 21st, thousands of educators convened online for a completely free day of professional development. The Social Learning Summit 2012 virtual conference took place via live presentations using the Blackboard Collaborate synchronous classroom system. Most sessions were 30 minutes in length and accompanied by a great backchannel on Twitter through the #sociallearningsummit hashtag. With a theme of […]
Want a Career Crash Course in Technology? Try Tech Trip 2
If you are looking for a new kind of adventure, one that combines learning, career exploration, and technology, Tech Trip 2 may be for you. Sponsored by Lenovo and Intel, this contest will soon award three students with an opportunity to meet and work with professionals working in these companies, as well as new partner Vuguru. […]
What Are Your Expectations of Online Learning?
“Taking an online class” can mean many things and vary greatly by course, program, and school. Students entering online programs often have a preconceived notion of what it will be like, which could be based on traditional courses taken years ago or assumptions about the requirements of distance learning. These impressions, when not accurate, can […]
Is eReading on the Rise?
According to the latest report on eReading from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, “the increasing availability of e-content is prompting some to read more than in the past and to prefer buying books to borrowing them.” Pew describes e-content as eBooks and “other long-form content such as magazines, journals, and news articles in digital […]
Using Social Media in Your Next Job Search
The Internet, and the access it provides us to people and resources, can be leveraged for your career development through the use of many social media and networking sites. This growing system of tools allows job seekers to both explore employment opportunities and market themselves to potential employers. Social media and career advising are two […]