Time for ebooks in the classroom?

Six Lessons One Campus Learned About E-Textbooks
Is it time to switch to ebooks? Not quite yet, according to Chronicle writer Jeffrey R. Young after he visited with Northwest Missouri State University faculty and students about their venture into the world of e-textbooks.  NWMSU has been a leader in student communication technologies since the days of OTPDR (That’s one-terminal-per-dorm-room for those of you who have trouble remembering the great acronyms of the past).
Young shares six lessons he learned about the current state of ebooks in the classroom.  Here are my thoughts on each of his points.

1. Judge ebooks by their covers – All ebooks reading software is not created equal.  Sony’s ebook reader is different than Amazon’s Kindle.  There are lots of ebook reader options for laptops.  Publishers have even created proprietary readers that work within an LMS (Blackboard, Moodle, etc.)  The point here is that with this many options, you will need to do your research, and  try before buying where possible.
2. Learning curves ahead – Students have had years of practice learning how to learn from paper-based textbooks. Institutions should offer training as part of any e-textbook initiative.
3. Professors are eager students – This may be puzzling to some but I’ve always been able to find professors eager to experiment with a new technology IF (and this is an important “if”) they can envision how it might be meaningful to teaching/learning.
4. Dead batteries – Hopefully this problem that will go away as better battery technologies are developed. For now, we need to make sure that there enough power outlets in classrooms and learning centers (and hopefully not just on the back wall.)
5. Subjects are not equally e-friendly – Some disciplines may be better suited to e-textbooks than others. I’m not sure that I agree with this statement, especially if we leave out Amazon and Sony, and just talk about the use of a laptop or iPhone (both support color) as the ebook reading device.  Both would allow students to zoom in and query images for more information.  Think about the possibilities with a subject like Geography.  Maps within a paper textbook are static while ebook maps can be dynamic, allowing students to ask how borders or populations have changed over time. The result may be customized maps that help students understand current political issues.
6. Environmental impact matters – Saving trees is an important consideration but a move to e-textbooks could ultimately reduce the cost (and amount of fuel used) to provide textbooks to students in developing countries.  Textbooks are already expensive. Add the cost of shipping overseas and the price may double.  Instead, these students could be outfitted with multi-use resources (laptop or smartphone) to access up-to-date content. Easy access to electricity is a major issue but one that can be eased with longer battery life.

While I don’t believe it is time to make wholesale changes to e-textbooks, it is time to begin experimenting with ebooks in individual courses and programs. What do you think?
(delicious tags: Education technology textbook academic college kindle ebooks)

Blackboard or WordPress? Part I

Colleges Consider Using Blogs Instead of Blackboard – Chronicle.com

Please read the linked article above and then let me know what you see as the advantages and disadvantages of using a blog (WordPress) instead of a learning management system (Blackboard)?

I’ll tell you what I think. First here’s my disclosure statement.  I’m a huge fan of WordPress and I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Blackboard during my ten years as a user.  (Has it really been that long?)  That being said, I don’t see why an institution would choose to use an application designed for reflections (WP) when an application designed to manage courses (Bb) fails.  It would make more sense to investigate why Bb is failing or evaluate another LMS like Moodle.

I like the commenting feature in WordPress but it isn’t a threaded discussion board.  I like the ability to review blog stats in WordPress but it isn’t a gradebook.  I can see how some professors could teach their courses using a blog but it won’t meet the needs of the many.

There are non-LMS alternatives to Blackboard (such as Drupal) but I don’t see WordPress as being one of them.  Now if we want to talk about using WordPress as an alternative to an ePortfolio management system I am ready to talk. For now, I’m sticking with Blackboard as my LMS.

Thoughts?

(delicious tags: Blackboard LMS higher_education K-12)

Come to MERLOT this summer

I’ll be attending the MERLOT International Conference in San Jose, August 13-16, 2009. I’m giving a presentation on Lecture Capture technology. MERLOT always puts on great conferences. If you are interested in eLearning I would encourage you to attend. Here’s a message from the MERLOT project director with more information about the conference.

Dear MERLOT International Conference Presenter,

As MERLOT Project Director for the CSU system and corporate coordinator for the conference, I want to thank you for your participation in the 9^th annual MERLOT International Conference, August 13-16 in San Jose.  Rarely do we have the opportunity to attend an international conference focused on pedagogy, teaching and learning innovations, effective application of academic technology within the beautiful state of California.

As my friend and colleague Dr. Cris Guenter, Professor of Education at CSU-Chico and Editor of the MERLOT Teacher Education Editorial Board, reminded me recently, “The MERLOT International Conference provides a chance for me to share and exchange recent technology trends, teaching issues, and simmering ideas with friends and colleagues from around the world. The inclusive atmosphere, the range of perspectives and the variety of approaches to how MERLOT is used by instructors helps me keep my face-to-face, blended, and online courses current and engaging.”

Given your appreciation of the value of the MERLOT International Conference, I hope you will make a concerted effort to spread the word on your campus about this wonderful professional development opportunity.  To help you spread the word please send to your colleagues and friends the attached MERLOT International Conference flyer or refer them to the conference website http://conference.merlot.org/2009/

I know budgets are tight for us all and yet as people committed to teaching and learning we still must find effective ways to innovate, collaborate and develop new skills and insights to meet our students effectively.

As always, on behalf of the MERLOT, thank you for all you do to make MERLOT an effective resource.  Your efforts are appreciated.  I’m looking forward to seeing you in San Jose, CA this summer for the 9^th annual MERLOT International Conference.

With appreciation,

Regan Caruthers

MERLOT Project Director, CSU

MIC 2009 Corporate Coordinator

Opencast

Opencast Community Website

The Opencast community is a collaboration of individuals, higher education institutions and organizations working together to explore, develop, define and document best practices and technologies for management of audiovisual content in academia. Through the mailing list, website and collaboration among its members, the community will strive to offer guidance and information to help others choose the best approach for the delivery and usage of rich media online.

(delicious tags: Education eLearning podcasting podcast lecturecapture online opensource multimedia opencast capture)

Students, don’t defriend your facebook account just yet

Facebook Users, Research Need Further Study

The link above will take you to an article in the Wall Street Journal that gives hope to students who considered dumping facebook after a recent study reported a relationship between social networking and lower grades.

(delicious tags: higher_education Facebook socialnetworking K-12)

Best practices with clickers

Clickers in the Classroom: An Active Learning Approach

Recommended article on best practices with clickers.

(delicious tags: higher_education K-12 clickers active_learning)

Take good care of your digital dossier

Digital Dossier

This YouTube video from the Digital Natives project can help students and teachers better understand how everything they are doing online is creating a digital finger print or tattoo that can be used later by someone who wants to know more about them. We need to think carefully before adding our personal thoughts and content online.

(delicious tags: higher_education web2.0 K-12 digital_native)