Blogs in Education: An Introductory Presentation

Blogging is an effective way to keep in contact with students – particularly for online learners who don't have actual day-to-day interaction with their professors. Setting up a blog is easy (hey, even I've done it!) and you can do it without paying a dime.

If you're an online teacher interested in setting up a blog, check out Art Wolinsky's Thirteen minute multimedia presentation on WiredSafety.org. He covers all the basics of blogs in education including the basics of blogs, blogs in schools, the pros and cons of blog use, and more. It's not for the advanced blogger, but if you're a beginning blogger it's a good place to start.

Getting to Know Your Online Professors

This week, Lifehack posted a list of tips on being a successful college student. Some of them are common sense, but one suggestion I think all students should heed is getting to know their professors.

I've noticed that some of the most successful college students are the ones who form appropriate friendships with their teachers. Why? It's not because they're playing "teacher's pet." It's because teachers are human too…show them you're actually interested in what they have to say and they'll often respond by helping you in any way they can. That means they'll be more likely to spend time responding to your questions, helping you with papers, and letting you know of additional educational opportunities.

Here's what Lifehack suggests:

"Check out your professors' bios on their departments' websites. Google their names. (Use "firstname lastname" in quotes, then try "lastname, firstname", also in quotes. Try with and without their middle initial, if you know it.) Look them up in whatever research databases your school's library makes available to you. Look them up on Amazon. Pop in for a chat during their office hours. You don't have to get creepy – don't go through their garbage or anything like that. Just find out something about their work, what their research interests are, what sort of stuff they've written, what their teaching philosophy is (many profs post that kind of stuff). Find out where your interests intersect with theirs, and what they have to offer you that might be outside the scope of whatever class you're taking."

Getting to know your instructors can be difficult as a distance learner – but it's not impossible. Shoot of an email letting your professor know you read his last book or asking a genuine question. It'll be worth it!

Organize Your Studies with Online Calendars

With the fall semester starting soon, I've been on the lookout for a free calendar program.

I want something that will help me organize my day, will accept multiple daily tasks (without having to schedule those tasks at a particular time of day), and will be accessible online. I haven't found my ideal program yet, but there are several free calendar programs that come close.

If you're also looking for a way to manage your online class assignments, try one of these:

Google Calendar – It's easy to use and can be accessed with your existing Google account. Quick add lets you add events with a single click, and you can display the calendar on your desktop.

Yahoo Calendar – The ads are a bit annoying, but Yahoo calendar offers a lot of features. Access it from your Yahoo mail, then create a task list or share events with peers.

iCal – For Mac users, iCal is full of useful features. You can subscribe to public calendars (SAT dates, anyone?), access your calendar from mobile phones, and create group calendars with colleagues.

Microsoft Calendar – For traditional PC users, Windows Calendar offers an alternative. It lets you send invites to contacts on your email list, create task lists, and subscribe to public calendars.

Of course, sometimes a plain old printable calendar is the easiest to use. printable calendars don't come with all the bells and whistles, but at least you'll be able to complete your reading assignments (by candle light) in case of a power outage.

Yahoo for Teachers

I have file cabinets and binders stuffed with lesson plans from my teaching days. But, no matter how much material I collected, I was always on the look out for another quality lesson plan. That's why I think Yahoo's new lesson plan exchange is a smart idea, and one that will be particularly helpful for online teachers.

A recent Ars Technia article reports about the developing Yahoo Teachers project:

"A combination of bookmarklet, archive, and collaboration space for educators, Yahoo Teachers was originally meant to be a research tool for trip planning. The designers soon realized, however, that there was another audience that was hungry for these tools. Their presentation at the recently concluded UX Week on the web application, while still revealing a few rough edges, was an intriguing look at high-tech solutions for the most unglamorous side of teaching: the lesson plan."

Interested? Sign up for an email invite to the public release of the program here: Yahoo Teachers.

Mind Mapping Resources for Students

When I was an education grad student, mind mapping was all the rage. We were given numerous photocopied mind map worksheets to help our pupils capture their brainstorms on paper.

While sometimes I'd rather use a blank piece of notebook paper, mind mapping can be a useful way for students to plot out their ideas and get started on a project.

CollegeDegree.com has a new article that links to some of the best mind mapping tools on the internet. Many of these are virtual tools, perfect for distance learners. Here's a blurb from their article:

"So, there you are staring at that black sheet of paper again. Or perhaps it's a black Word document on your computer screen. Whichever it may be, it's obvious you're about to take notes for that big essay assignment or group project, and you're not too excited about getting started!

That's where a different kind of note taking comes in to play, one that is actually fun to do and will also help you to understand your notes better. It's a technique called mind mapping, and is based around a strong visual method of taking notes. Whether your using colorful markers and paper or using state-of-the-art computer software, you'll find using mind maps are a much more interesting way to take notes than you ever have in the past!"

Check out their list of mind mapping tools (several of which are free) here: 99 Mind Mapping Resources, Tools, and Tips.

Blackboard vs. iParadigms: Truce

A recent Wired News entry claims that virtual learning platforms Blackbord and iParadigms have called a truce after brief legal action. Here's a blurb:

"Blackboard had filed a lawsuit against iParadigms after that company sent letters to Blackboard informing officials there about iParadigms' new patent covering its plagiarism-detection software. Blackboard, which had just acquired plagiarism-detection software of its own, took the letters as a legal threat and filed a "pre-emptive" lawsuit against iParadigms to prevent being sued itself."

After the pre-emptive lawsuit was filed, the companies worked out their differences outside of court. This is definitely an interesting switch in roles, as Blackboard has been known for fighting hard to prevent others from creating similar virtual learning platforms.

Read the Wired News entry here: Blackboard and iParadigms Call a Truce.

Firefox Campus Edition

As a long time Firefox fan, I was excited to hear about the release of Firefox Campus Edition. It's a completely free web browser with additional features for students. Here's how the Firefox website explains it:

"Firefox Campus Edition combines the Firefox web browser with special extras that give you streamlined access to music, cool sites and useful research tools. It's a way to get the most out of the web that's been created just for students. And it's free!"

Firefox Campus Edition includes FoxyTunes which allows you to control almost any media player from your web browser (ah…the Temptation to crank up the Beatles while reading virtual lectures…). It comes with StumbleUpon, a web program that lets users find websites based on their interests. And, it includes Zotero – a program that allows students to collect and cite online research in the browser.

Interested? Download it here: Firefox Campus Edition.

Federal Student Loans for Distance Learners

Over at About.com I recently posted an extensive article about federal student loans for online learners.

Finding correct information about federal aid can be a challenge – there's a lot of misinformation floating around out there. Here's a blurb discussing one of the more common concerns of online learners: the "50% Rule."

"Before 2006 many online students were unable to receive federal aid. In 1992 Congress enacted the "50% Rule," mandating that schools qualify as financial aid distributors by offering over 50% of courses in traditional classrooms. In 2006 the law was overturned. Today a growing number of online schools offer federal student aid. To offer aid, schools must still meet requirements. However, the percentage of online courses is of no consequence."

Check out the rest of the article (including information on available federal loans and eligibility requirements) here: Federal Student Loans for Online College Students.

What Colleges Are Looking For: Authenticity

This week I've read several articles about colleges seeking authenticity. When perspective students all seem the same with their lists of impressive extracurriculars, standing out and being a "real" person matters more than you may think.

Consider this blurb from a recent Yahoo News article:

"In an age when applicants all seem to have volunteered, played sports and traveled abroad, colleges are wary of slick packaging. They're drawn to high grades and test scores, of course, but also to humility and to students who really got something out of their experiences, not just those trying to impress colleges with their resume.

The trend seemingly should make life easier for students – by reducing the pressure to Puff up their credentials. But that's not always the case.

For some students, the challenge of presenting themselves as full, flawed people cuts against everything else they've been told about applying to college – to show off as much as possible.

At the other extreme, when a college signals what it's looking for, students inevitably try to provide it. So you get some students trying to fake authenticity, to package themselves as unpackaged."

If you're trying to gain admission to an online program from an elite school, be smart, be cultured, be prepared, be articulate. But, also: be yourself.

Check out the full Yahoo article here: Colleges Seek "Authenticity" in Hopefuls.

Diploma Mill Quiz – How do You Score?

Diploma mills are getting harder to spot. They often use names similar to established, reputable universities. And, they regularly claim to be accredited.

The eLearner's Diploma Mill Quiz is a fun way to test your knowledge of illegitimate schools. It's not exhaustive by any means, but if you have a few minutes to spare, put your knowledge to the test.

Here's the first question:

Which school is the faker that doesn't belong with the other legitimately accredited institutions?

Berklee College of Music

University of Berkeley

UC Berkeley

Find the answer by taking their quiz: Real or Fake – Can You Tell Which School is Phoney?