The Guzman Monthly

June 2014 | Volume 1, Issue 6

Index

• Welcome

• About the author

• News (2 slides)

• Apps & Tools

• Online Learning (2 slides)

• MOOCs

• Student Learning (3 slides)

• Upcoming Movie & TV Trailers

Welcome to this issue of “The Guzman Monthly”. In this publication I will collect and list some recent articles on higher education issues, online learning best practices, deliver some app suggestions* and links to interesting videos on the web published in the past month. Planned release schedule is between the last week of the past month and the first full week of the current month.

* Suggestions on apps will mainly be based on my exposure or research of said apps on iOS mobile devices. Feel free to suggest other apps for my review. My intention is to have the apps be similar in functionality each month.

My name is Tony Guzman and I serve as the Director of Online Programs at the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Social Work (SSW).

Shameless plug: I also oversee the UB SSW Podcast series: inSocialWork®. Feel free to listen to some of our podcasts.

News

Bb Learn now allows students to maintain professional profiles within the LMS.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/02/blackboard-learn-adds-professional-profiles-for-students.aspx

Graduate enrollments within STEM disciplines has declined in the past decade.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/02/no-growth-in-science-and-engineering-graduate-enrollments.aspx

Common Core is being eliminated in the Carolinas. Already thrown out in Indiana and yesterday I saw that it was also ousted from Oklahoma. Hope the momentum keeps in a positive direction.http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/06/05/common-core-crashing-in-the-carolinas.aspx

Very interesting read regards to the different approaches to mobile devices Apple and Google are using. Thanks Nancy Smyth for sharing.http://readwrite.com/2014/06/05/android-phone-cloud

News (cont.)

Atomic Learning receives stronger certification providing better service to their higher education clients.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/10/atomic-learning-attains-lti-v1-1-certification.aspx

Unizin, a new university consortium, seeking to create an infrastructure for digital learning to be used on their LMS platforms, MOOCs, etc.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/12/university-consortium-reimagines-infrastructure-for-digital-content-and-data.aspx

Amazon announces their first smartphone: Fire.http://www.wired.com/2014/06/amazon-fire-phone/

I feel bad for the students, staff and faculty being affected by this and wish them all the best in the future.http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/06/23/corinthian-colleges-and-education-department-agree-phase-out-plan

Apps & Tools

Some of the early announcements from Apple include HomeKit, HealthKit, Yosemite, and iOS 8.http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/06/02/318223412/apple-makes-a-play-for-smart-homes-by-connecting-appliances

Apple unveils their new programming language: Swift.http://www.wired.com/2014/06/apple-swift-language/

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is making their content more available on Windows 8 devices by this Fall.http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/06/05/houghton-mifflin-harcourt-to-launch-etextbook-reader-app-for-windows-8-81.aspx

According to IDC's latest Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Devices Tracker, smart phones will outpace traditional PCs by a 6-to-1 margin by 2018.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/18/report-2.4-billion-smart-connected-devices-in-2018-driven-by-cheaper-gadgets.aspx

Online Learning

What do online students look for from their instructors in their courses?http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-students-want-from-faculty/

U.S. DoE released their report on student enrollments within online courses, by state, for Fall 2012 (their latest data collection period).http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/04/1-in-10-students-enrolled-exclusively-in-online-courses.aspx

Texas A&M certified trainers will prepare new K-12 educators for the Texas Virtual School Network.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/09/texas-am-corpus-christi-to-train-k12-teachers-for-online-instruction.aspx

Online Learning (cont.)

While this article originally refers to Moodle, this intro video concept for use in the overall course or any module within the course can help your students improve during their learning journey and can be implemented in any LMS.http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/11/how-to-make-the-most-of-a-video-introduction-for-an-online-course.aspx

Good tips on providing proper feedback to students in online courses.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/effective-feedback-strategies-online-classroom/

Some great tips on how to make your online courses more accessible.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/improve-accessibility-tomorrows-online-courses-leveraging-yesterdays-techniques/

MOOCs

Coursera to offer courses in Turkey via partnership with Turkish telecommunications and technology company Turkcell.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/03/coursera-to-reach-learners-in-turkey-through-turkcell-academy-partnership.aspx

Student Learning

Sharpening your teaching philosophy.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/six-questions-will-bring-teaching-philosophy-focus/

How many times should you try a new activity or tool in your courses?http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/tried-didnt-work/

How problem-based learning makes your theoretical teaching into practical experience.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/instructional-design/problem-based-learning-helps-bridge-gap-classroom-real-world/

Student Learning (cont.)

Some great tips on integrating your syllabus into your class sessions making it more of a learning resource.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/using-syllabus-learning-resource/

What do students expect of the university of the future?http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/06/09/report-students-expect-future-universities-to-be-flexible-accessible-career-oriented.aspx

Making sure to motivate thinking by "playing" with your questions in class.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/playing-questions/

Using the KWL assessments in your course can help your teaching delivery as the instructor and the students in their overall learning process. See the tips in this article for more info.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/educational-assessment/assessing-students-know-want-know-learned/

Student Learning (cont.)

If you have never thought about self-regulated learning, this is a great article to help you and your students improve upon their learning experiences.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/secret-self-regulated-learning/

Sharing the learning load among faculty and students.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/effective-learning-environment-shared-responsibility/

Question for faculty to ponder when developing their course materials.http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/whats-relationship-textbook/

Upcoming Movie & TV Trailers

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Release Date: 7/11/2014http://youtu.be/AY65D9_WHLY

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Special Extended Look, Release Date: 8/1/2014http://youtu.be/EgHeRCHkrwo

Full Favorite Trailer playlist on my YouTube channelhttp://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp4nJo9D2kEs3McWG18x5UmIcSsVhNjq0

Thanks for checking this monthly newsletter out and hope to see around again next time!