Online Learning
News
Week of June 2 – 12, 14
Below is a collection of news and information gatherings on online learning and resources
that can support online learning that were gathered the week beginning June 2 -12, 14.
More Information about online learning and online learning material can be found at
www.milearnsonline.org
 10 Entry Points For Next-Gen Learning - The Broad Residency prepares talented professionals for important
leadership roles in urban districts. One of them asked me to outline entry points for next-gen learning. I see public
school districts using 10 pivot points to launch their own blended learning revolution.
http://gettingsmart.com/2014/06/10-entry-points-next-gen-learning/
 8 End-of-Year Questions To Ask Students About iPads By Matt Levinson - As the school year heads into the final
days and weeks, now’s the perfect opportunity to gather feedback from students about their use of iPads. Taking the
time to construct a thoughtful survey that will elicit helpful feedback can help set the stage for professional
development, program enhancements, and more thoughtful steps into using the devices.
Here are eight key questions to ask: - http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/8-end-of-year-questions-to-askstudents-about-ipads/
 Digital learning - transforming the relationship between the learner and their learning spaces by Tricia Kelleher - When
we made the decision to equip our students with iPads, either for class use for our younger users or 1:1 for students
in the senior school and sixth form, we knew we were unlocking a host of opportunities. Some were easily identified,
others have gradually revealed themselves through an iterative process. An illustrative list in no order of priority
includes the benefits of instant access to the Internet without the hassle of booking IT rooms; enriched digital
communication; a range of handy apps; a virtual multimedia studio; and the creation of our own iBooks and iTunesU
resources tailored to the learning needs of our students. What we did not perhaps appreciate was the impact digital
devices could have on the physical learning environment. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Education/TriciaKellehers-Blog/Digital-learning-transforming-the-relationship-between-the-learner-and-their-learning-spaces20140610162045.htm
 District Guide to Online Learning - Online learning can expand student (and staff) options, grow enrollment, and
power blended learning. It shares many critical success factors with traditional education, but different enough that
you need to do your homework and develop a good plan. Following is a 10 point district/network guide to online
learning. http://gettingsmart.com/2014/06/a-district-guide-to-online-learning/
 F.C.C. Chief Plans Action on Wi-Fi in Schools By Edward Wyatt - Visiting a middle school in Oakland earlier this year,
Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, got a glimpse of just how badly American
schools need better high-speed Internet connections.
At the Edna Brewer Middle School, students used tablet computers as part of their daily lessons. But to get online
material through a Wi-Fi signal, some students had to move around the classroom and hold their tablets in the air.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/11/business/fcc-chief-plans-action-on-wi-fi-in-schools.html?_r=1
 Florida Public Broadcasters To Expand Digital Learning Resources
Florida’s children, families and educators will soon have access to thousands of customized digital learning resources
at no cost through Florida PBS stations and the Florida PBS LearningMedia.
As part of the 2014-2015 state budget, FPBS was awarded $1 million to customize more than 85,000 digital learning
materials from the national PBS LearningMedia library to meet Florida state standards. http://wqcs.org/post/floridapublic-broadcasters-expand-digital-learning-resources
 Maine Walks the Talk – Extends Date for Proficiency-based Diplomas by Chris Sturgis - In 2012, Maine’s legislature
passed L.D. 1422, which established proficiency-based high school diplomas. The policy stated that the class of 2015
would be expected to demonstrate proficiency, not just pass a class in English, math, science, social studies and
physical education. Based on requests from superintendents statewide for more time, however, Maine’s Department of
Education is allowing districts to extend the date that proficiency-based diplomas will be required to 2020.
http://www.competencyworks.org/2014/06/maine-walks-the-talk-extends-date-for-proficiency-based-diplomas/
 Moodle Mobile 1.4.4 releases with SSO support and ability to view private messages - Moodle Mobile, the official app
for Moodle got an update today. The 1.4.4 release brings CAS and Shibboleth Single Sign On authentication support
and the ability for users to view their private messages. Additionally, these features not available except to 2.7 have
been back ported to the Moodle Mobile Plugin available at Moodle.org for Moodle 2.4, 2.5 and 2.6:
https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=local_mobile For more documentation on the app check
out http://docs.moodle.org/27/en/Mobile_app . http://www.moodlenews.com/2014/moodle-mobile-1-4-4-releases-withsso-support-and-ability-to-view-private-messages/
 MyBlend Stories | Shawn Maison - We had the pleasure of learning from Shawn Maison (@shawnmaison) about his
blended teaching experiences recently. Shawn teaches AP Biology, Biotechnology, Anatomy and Academic Biology at
John Glenn High School. He also teaches Geology at the University of Phoenix and AP Biology, Biology, Forensics
and Bioethics for Michigan Virtual School. Shawn has been teaching for 12 years and started using blended learning
about five years ago. We hope you are able to take some time to learn from Shawn and his experiences blending in
our conversation with him below. http://myblend.org/blog/myblend-stories-shawn-maison
 Theme: Earth, released for Moodle 2.7
The Earth Theme by Gordon McLeod is a “fluid-width 2 column theme based on Binarius for Moodle 2.x…It also
includes a version of the MoodleBar developed by Lewis Carr, and uses the autohide functionality for course editing
buttons outlined by Frankie Kam.” The sharp, green theme is part of a larger “planetary” set of themes available from
the plugin database and is now available for Moodle 2.7. http://www.moodlenews.com/2014/theme-earth-released-formoodle-2-7/
 What Marshall McLuhan’s ‘Global Village’ Tells Us About Education Technology in 2014 –
The Global Village: Transformations in World Life and Media in the 21st Century (1989) published posthumously, is
one of Marshall McLuhan’s best works. It’s quite remarkable how this book published over twenty years ago, provides
the reader with a contemplative perspective on the role of technology in 2014. While reading, I found myself thinking
about educational technology quite differently—thinking more about the effects, nuances, and implications technology
has beyond education. Effects on relationships, learning (and teaching) in the context of our culture and long-term
implications for society in general. The book is about far more than education; it delves into technology and its
influence on communication patterns, family structures, and entertainment. The book prompts reflection and forward
thinking at the same time. http://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/
 Why Aren’t More Schools Using Free, Open Tools? - The promise of using technology in school technology has been
to give students more control over their learning, while helping teachers provide tailored instruction to individual student
needs. “Personalized learning” has been the common rhetoric driving most one-to-one device initiatives.
The stated goal is to make learning more of an individual experience, but many schools have chosen to implement
technology programs in fairly regimented ways — for lots of different reasons. Many schools want all students to have
the same kind of device, with the same apps pre-downloaded. Students often have little choice over which tools they
can use on their devices. Even for online research, many schools filter out useful websites like YouTube, Facebook
and Twitter, making it harder and more restrictive. http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/why-arent-more-schoolsusing-free-open-education-resources/
FYI - How to Start an Online Learning Program: A Practical Guide to Key Issues and Policies was rated extremely useful
by each of those who reviewed it in this year’s assessment of the resources at the MiLearnsOnline Portal. To access the
resource go to http://www.onlineprogramhowto.org/decisions/
And Don’t Forget www.milearnsonline.org/giveandget