Building Higher Education Courses Through Outsourcing

Today, I discovered this article on colleges and universities who OUTSOURCE some of their online student services to Embanet (http://embanet.com/). Some colleges use Embanet to host courses, design courses, market their courses, and to provide student services. 


Here's the article - Outsourced Ed: Colleges Hire Companies to Build Their Online Courses

Millennial Professor
Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

iPads in the College Classroom - The iPad Pilot and Loaner Programs

This has been one of the most AMAZING summers (with the iPad). :) This wonderful piece of technology has enabled me to become a truly mobile professor. Now, I wish my students had access to this technology as well.



iPads in Scholarly Presentations - This summer, I delivered a poster presentation at the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) on Google Documents. It was a great experience and I bypassed the university network by using my AT&T 3G service <- which was VERY nice. Using the iPad, I demonstrated how to create a form on Google Docs and the faculty were in awe of Google's features! In addition, I demonstrated how my students wrote their research papers using the communication medium.





iPads in the Classroom (Faculty) - Faculty can use their iPad in their classrooms to make their lives easier. I plan to keep attendance on the iPad and demonstrate simple cloud computing concepts to small student groups during the fall semester. In addition to using the device to demonstrate simple concepts to small groups, when the computer system in the classroom is down, I plan to load my power points from Google Docs on the iPad and to display them via the document camera to deliver my lectures.



I still do not allow laptops in my classroom, but I would allow the iPad (generation one). This technology does not handle multitasking well. This is GREAT for classrooms! If the students are operating from an e-book, they cannot have their e-mail open at the same time. However, I have discovered that I can browse the internet or grade papers on blackboard AND receive messages from Yahoo Instant Messenger.

Today, I discovered an article on Wired focused on iPad pilot studies that will happen in the fall. I am VERY disappointed that our university was not selected. :( Here's the link, iPad Gets the University Treatment in the Fall. In addition to the universities selected for the pilot study, Texas A&M University is providing their faculty with an iPad loaner program for faculty to experience the iPad for one week: http://itsinfo.tamu.edu/news/iPad_Loaner_Program_Announced_for_Faculty.php.

The iPad is an incredible resource for the college classroom!

Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Vote for the AmeriCorps Video and Photo Contest!

Illustration by Jason Robinson - His art is amazing! :) - http://www.illustration-by-design.com/

Five Days Left to Vote in the AmeriCorps Video and Photo Contestwww.AmeriCorpsContest.org

Are you an Americorp alumni? I am a big fan of AmeriCorps (although I have never served with the organization). Many of my students are interested in serving with AmeriCorps and I would like to help them out by promoting their video and photo contest!

The judges have selected 5 video finalists and 10 photo finalist whose work depicts how AmeriCorps gets things done in communities. The general public will select the winners by voting for their favorite videos and photos. If you haven't already done so, check out the amazing videos and photos that highlight the great work that AmeriCorps members are doing in communities across our nation. Public voting will be open until midnight Eastern Time on July 30, 2010. 

Visit www.AmeriCorpsContest.org to vote! 

Millennial Professor 
Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

Forming Teams and Breaking Ice: Ways to Increase Student Interaction and Engagement in the College Classroom

Faculty/Trainers,


Are you looking for some GREAT team building activities for the beginning of the semester? Try this link - http://adulted.about.com/od/icebreakers/tp/topten2009.htm.

This website features MANY activities and ideas including the following team builders:

1. Human Bingo (College students LOVE this one!)

2. Marooned (I've never tried this one.)

3. 2 Minute Mixer (i.e. - SPEED DATING in CLASS...)

4. The Power of Story

5. Table Topics (i.e. - Informative Speeches OR Conversation Starters)

6. Would You Rather...

7. If You Had a Magic Wand (I cannot WAIT to try this one!)

8. Where in the World?

9. Photo Scavenger Hunt

10. The Name Game

Let me know what you think? Please post some other great team builders by replying to this message. :)

Thanks!

Millennial Professor 


Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.