Archive for October, 2009

Eight ways social media is credited for cutting student drop-outs

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Sean Coughlan, a BBC News education reporter, recently wrote an excellent article on how Facebook and social media platforms are reducing student drop-out rates. He sighted eight major reasons for this phenomenon.

1.) Social networking sites are successfully being used to keep students informed and connected with instructors.

2.) Using Facebook pages for information on individual courses help the students to bond with each other, work together as a team and maintain their connection with staff.

3.) Social media platforms are young-adult friendly communication tools that create a positive effect on motivation.

4.) Going to social networking Web sites is a natural for young adults and a way they are comfortable with getting their information.

5.) With social media platforms available through mobile phones, students can keep in touch with each other and be given support outside of class. It fits with their on-the-go lifestyles.

6.) Instructors can give students that often forget about class assignments a ‘gentle prod’ through social media updates.

7.) The sites are also a way to keep in touch with students that are about to start a course and to help them connect with future course mates.

8.) Coughlan, also sited the fact that social networking technologies can communicate to many students easily and quickly at almost no cost, which is important in a world with increasing budget pressures.

Steve Gatlin, founder of Gatlin International, an international leader in online learning, says his online course instructors are encouraged to use all means of digital correspondence to communicate with students.

“Effective communication is the key to lowering drop-out rates,” said Gatlin. “And, effective communication in this instance means communicating with the tools and platforms that students are most comfortable with. Online learners feel an ease and comfort level in using their social media sites to get pertinent course information.”

Distance learning professional? Develop or deliver online courses? National Distance Learning Week is your time to shine.

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

If you develop or deliver online courses, programs or software, anything that facilitates distance learning, there’s a week coming up soon that is specifically designed to showcase what you’ve got. National Distance Learning Week (NDLW) will be held on November 9-13, 2009. Sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association, NDLW seeks to promote and celebrate the tremendous growth and accomplishments occurring today in distance learning programs offered by schools, businesses and governmental departments.

The purpose of NDLW is to generate greater awareness and appreciation for distance learning being administered through K-12, higher education, corporate and military programs, while recognizing leaders and best practices in the field. According to the USDLA, the goal for NDLW will be for schools, colleges, and corporations to conduct local events throughout the week to celebrate and promote the field of online learning. Any professional engaged in the day-to-day practice of administering distance learning (schools, colleges, corporations, military) and individuals and organizations providing online programs, products and services are encouraged to participate.

“The distance learning industry is fast-growing, ever-changing and so very necessary in our world today,” said Steve Gatlin, founder of Gatlin International. “We’re proud to be part of its evolution, and encourage everyone to take time out to celebrate and promote our industry during NDLW.”

More than 3.5 million college students are taking online courses and/or earning online college degrees. More than 700, 000 high school students are taking one or more online courses. During NDLW, schools, colleges and organizations will be showcasing their online programs for prospective students. Additionally, the USDLA will conduct a series of free webinars that week to feature various types of distance learning providers.

For more information on NDLW contact USDLA at 1.800.275.5162 or http://www.ndlw.org/.

How Online Digital Books are Forever Changing Education

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Remember when classes required you to purchase a hardcopy textbook? Those days are coming to an end. Today, the Internet world is changing the way we purchase books, and it is progressing similarly to the way we now purchase music and buy episodes of our favorite TV programme. It’s all moving online. Electronic readers like Amazon.com’s Kindle are becoming more popular for consumers, and traditional booksellers are acting accordingly by selling online digital copies of their material.

As the scope of Internet is growing in mainstream usage, traditional booksellers are taking full advantage of it. Reported by Reuters, an estimate of 3 million eReaders will be sold in the U.S. alone this year, and that number will double next year. Bookstores are even jumping on the profitable online vending bandwagon. In July 2009, Barnes & Noble launched the world’s largest online bookstore and is set to unveil its own e-reading technology next year. Its reader will feature a color touch screen, something not available on other readers at this time.

In addition, book publishers are looking to make deals with leading global search engine, Google. Google offers to scan books that are currently out of print and make them freely available online through Google Books. This YouTube video shows how the online product works and explains the recent settlement agreement between the search engine giant and publishers.

What does all this mean for education? A 2008 survey of 6,452 students worldwide found 51 percent of students say that when they have a choice, they opt to use an electronic version over a print version of a book “often” or “very often.” That percentage is on the rise even today. To find the motivation behind choosing digital books over hard copies, let’s consider the issue from the viewpoint of a student in today’s deflated economic times.

A hardcopy textbook might run a student anywhere from $40 to $250. In one class, a student might even be required to purchase two or three books to complement different subjects the professor will be covering throughout the semester.  The Kindle, available globally, reads text for every class and any subject and is priced at $259 (an affordable option when you consider hard cover prices). Students can then purchase e-books which are read through Kindle for as little as $1.99 for classic titles and $9.99 for new releases, far cheaper than the physical versions in most cases.

Another advantage for the use of digital books is that it fits in with the technology students are already using. Anything from lessons, lectures to classroom discussions can be videoed as a podcast and available for students to download onto devices like Apple’s iPhone or iPod. Consider the practicality of textbooks available in the same way. Students can avoid long lines at bookstores, skirt the waiting time for out-of-stock books and save hundreds of dollars per class.

In support of the digital books movement, Gatlin International’s certificate classes provide online digital books and downloadable material to supplement lessons. Discover the convenience and affordability of online digital books in popular courses like business marketing design and Six Sigma.