Continuing Education
Article | November 15, 2022
In comparison to conventional LMSs, communication platforms have a plethora of engaging features that millennials and post-millennials especially can relate to. Having the ability to instantly communicate and share files over different mobile devices enables enhanced student engagement. Interestingly, teachers that compared the potential use of Slack in their classroom discovered that their students much preferred Slack over the Blackboard LMS since Slack was significantly more fun to use and seemingly improved group work
Read More
Education Technology, Continuing Education
Article | August 8, 2022
What role will artificial intelligence play in the future of education? For educators, AI can feel like an exciting development — or a terrifying unknown.
AI technology is advancing quickly and creating solutions once thought impossible. It’s widely available in various technologies and, in many places, already being integrated into the classroom. The pandemic spurred the development of educational technology out of necessity, including the development of AI. Suddenly, educators needed ways to obtain more information virtually.
“We were starting to work on AI during the pandemic, but it sped up because there was a huge demand for it. All these things were happening online, and teachers were saying. I don’t know what’s happening in my classroom anymore."
- Mike Tholfsen, principal group product manager at Microsoft Education
With educators busier than ever, Tholfsen says, the greatest benefit AI can offer them is time. AI programs can gather data teachers would traditionally have to gather themselves manually.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Trying to define artificial intelligence is a bit like asking about the meaning of life: You will get a slightly different answer from everyone. At its core, AI is an area of computer science addressing the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers.
Michelle Zimmerman, a classroom teacher, researcher and school leader at Renton Prep Christian School in Washington state and author of the book Teaching AI: Exploring New Frontiers for Learning, notes that psychologists and neurologists in the field don’t even agree on what counts as human intelligence.
The definition also changes over time. Not too long ago, simple calculators were considered AI, while the term now is associated with a variety of innovative technologies, such as those that power content filtering and endpoint security.
Artificial Intelligence vs. Machine Learning: What’s the Difference?
Though not all AI involves machine learning, it is a popular subcategory of the technology. Machine learning refers to machines that process vast amounts of data and also have the capacity to get better at it the more they “learn,” Zimmerman says.
“You can train models with machine learning to improve things. An example is speech-to-text technology,” Tholfsen says.
“Machine learning needs a lot of data to train it to look for patterns and understand what it is looking for. The more data, the more refined or accurate the results. The results, though, are only as good as the data included,” Zimmerman says.
How Can AI Be Used in K–12 Education?
AI is already playing a role in many classrooms and has promising benefits that can be integrated now and in the future.
Intelligent tutors
What if an AI program could play the role of a teacher or coach, leading students through lessons and even motivating them? Nancye Black, founder of the Block Uncarved and project lead for ISTE’s AI Explorations program, says AI can support learners in a variety of ways. As a Columbia University researcher, she’s exploring how avatar interactions impact students. “There is some really promising research around the use of AI agents supporting girls and students of color, who are able to — in a lower-risk situation — ask for help and have social learning, even when they are learning independently,” Black says.
Reading workshops
If educators could host reading workshops around the classroom with each individual student, they would. Instead, AI-powered products such as Microsoft’s Immersive Reader can help educators focus on improving education for the 1 in 7 learners who have a disability, Tholfsen says. The product uses text decoding solutions to individualize instruction.
"Machine learning needs a lot of data to train it to look for patterns and understand what it is looking for. The more data, the more refined or accurate the results.”
- Michelle Zimmerman Classroom Teacher, Researcher and School Leader, Renton Prep Christian School
Translation capabilities
Translation technology is improving quickly, and these tools include more dialects and language nuances every day. A teacher in New York, for example, used AI technology to host a virtual parent night for families who speak multiple different languages, Tholfsen says. Microsoft Translate allows the teacher to generate a code, which broadcasts to everyone connecting to the stream. It translates the speaker’s language into listeners’ languages without the necessity of a human interpreter. “Listeners can type or speak back in their languages, and it cross-translates, so when you type back in Spanish, it goes to me in English, translates to Mike in Italian, and to the person speaking Arabic or Chinese,” Tholfsen says. “It’s like the Star Trek universal translator.”
Low-vision accessibility
Accessibility checkers are helping educators increase access for low-vision students. “We use AI and computer vision to identify what is in an image and generate a caption,” Tholfsen says. “It’s a massive timesaver to do auto-captioning on images, so people are much more likely to make their content accessible.”
The implementation of AI tools won’t replace educators but will instead help them save time. The tech can be customized to fit any classroom, putting educators in control of the AI tools — not the other way around.
Read More
Online Education
Article | July 19, 2022
K-12 teachers and learners are witnessing a shift in learning methods, and much of the change is driven by technology. In the face of the pandemic, many schools adopted classroom management software as a temporary measure, but it is fast becoming the norm. If your school is still considering refining your classroom management or switching to a new platform, it is essential to understand the advantages it offers for administrators, educators, and learners. Here are three ways classroom management enriches K-12 education and why you should embrace it in 2023.
Student Security
The emergence of the use of laptops, tablets, and other devices has exposed students to not just increased screen time but also cybersecurity mishaps. Classroom management solutions offer extensive security modules that enable educators to keep a firm grasp on the safety of students online. These solutions offer visibility across devices used by students, which can prove to be mission critical in the case of data leaks. The two features that address device management concerns that can be addressed with these solutions are:
Web filtering
This software protects students by restricting access to inappropriate, objectionable, and harmful content that can impact students and risk the school’s network security. Combined with classroom management, web filtering provides richer insights into devices and fosters effective learning.
Mobile device management
Technology investment doesn’t come cheap. This is why mobile device management, or MDM, is so valuable. It helps the school’s technology department to keep a close eye on the access and user management, permissions, application deployment, remote access, lost equipment tracking, and so much more in order to prevent any kind of security breaches, and is especially handy in a hybrid classroom environment.
Collaborative Activities
Classroom management solutions can prove to be a meaningful investment only if they can address the most important need of a classroom, i.e., collaborative learning. Thanks to technology, collaboration in the classroom has become seamless and more engaging than ever before. Here are some ways that it is creating rewarding learning experiences.
Screensharing
Screensharing allows teachers to share their screen with the whole class and even allow certain students to share theirs. This encourages collaboration and allows teachers to conduct two-way discussions during each class.
Secure messaging
Classroom management solutions specialize in providing teachers with complete control of the online class and maintaining decorum. Teachers can lock screens and even devices, close tabs, and even message students individually to keep them engaged.
Student Support
One of the best features to ensure student engagement is an avenue for students to reach out to teachers. This way, students are able to stay in the loop, get their queries cleared, and avoid neglecting doubts and problems due to the inability to connect with their teachers.
Better Learning
Being able to cultivate ample learning opportunities in a creative, fun setting is one of the best ways to use classroom management platforms. Here are some ways that such solutions reduce the hurdles that many schools and educators face in creating conducive and enriching learning environments.
Flexibility
Classroom management promotes learning by supporting multiple settings for learning, like in-person classes, remote and mixed modes of instruction.
Higher teacher efficiency
Increasing teacher efficiency is another benefit schools can look forward to when equipping classes with classroom management solutions. Thanks to features like pop quizzes and report card generation, classroom management eliminates extensive paper work and promotes teacher efficiency.
What’s the Word?
There is little doubt that technology can propel learning and education to new heights. With the above features, it is easy to see why classroom management is a substantial piece in the puzzle for schools trying to figure out their long-term game plan for learning delivery methods. The right solution will not only be important, but it will also be a turning point in improving educational outcomes in K–12 schools, which are always looking for ways to make learning more fun and interesting while also making teachers' jobs easier and reducing teacher burnout.
Read More
Education Technology
Article | November 16, 2021
Two Years in Lockdown with Digital Boost, Growing Competition, and Easy Accessibility through the Self-Publishing Platforms, Traditional Publishing is facing a major fallback to keep up with the Trends and the Changes within India.
publishing.
Many people still prefer publishing a book in an old-fashioned traditional way, but this is certainly not the future.
It seems to me that Traditional Publishing is something we’re all going to be working with while also considering other formats that might overpower it or co-exist with it – whether it's Self-Publishing, Hybrid Publishing &/or Audio Publishing (Podcasts).
Introduction
With Covid-19 and Lockdown, a lot of people shifted their attention to pursue their passion and started writing.
In order to Leverage Authority and Build a Brand, a lot of Thought Leaders and Experts, Wrote and Published a Book in a specific Niche.
In order to Start with the Writing Career, a ton of Amateur Writers, Wrote and Published their Content in an Anthology.
Not to forget, many celebrities also took up the challenge of penning their autobiographies in the form of a Book like Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
There were more than 1 Million, New Instagram Writing Accounts created, and over 2.2 Million books Published in 2020 itself.
This solidifies the rising demand of The Writing and Publishing Industry.
Self Publishing Rise
Traditional book publishers were once known as the Titans of the Book Publishing Industry.
During the 1970s, there was no such concept as Self-Publishing. Over time, Traditional Publishers gradually started to exploit Authors by offering Lower Royalties and seizing the Author's Publishing Rights.
Fast forward to 2005, with the penetration of the Internet and Social Media, things started to speed up.
The online Self-Publishing giant Amazon has had a huge impact on the Book-Selling Industry, driving many Brick-and-Mortar Bookstores out of Business.
This marked the rise of Self-Publishing Books and the rapid growth of e-Books and Audio Books.
Fall of Traditional Publishing
There are various reasons why 97% of Writers avoid choosing a Traditional Publisher like:
Complex Selection Process,
Slow Marketing,
Very Less to No Control of the Book,
Limited Royalty,
Huge Time Investment,
Absolutely No Creative & Marketing Control
Benefits of Self-Publishing
There are various reasons 97% of Writers are choosing Self-Publishing like:
Full ownership of Rights and Royalties,
Speedy Marketing,
No Start-Up Cost,
Full Control of the Book,
Completely Customizable
Full Creative & Marketing Control,
Control on Pricing,
Complete Freedom, No-One telling You, what you can and cannot Do,
Significantly High-Profit Potential,
Pitch your Book Straight to the Readers,
Publish any Niche Books and become the Expert of that Niche.
Firstly the question arises, Who all should Write A Book?
Well, Everyone,
Business owners
Consultants
Entrepreneurs
Business people
C-level executives
Financial planners
Lawyers
Doctors
Coaches
Anyone can Write and Publish a Book!
Why should you write a book?
1 ) You can help others
Writing about yourself, your life lessons, your experiences, how you have tackled some of the most traumatic situations, helps other people around the globe deal with the same problem as yours.
Each one of us has unique life experiences, worth sharing with the world!
2 ) You become an authority
Becoming an author sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. You become an expert in your niche. You gain that credibility and authority that lifts you up from the rest of the crowd.
3 ) Grow your business
Writing a book can help grow your business, it can act as the new ‘Business Card’.
Imagine, you going to a meeting, and instead of exchanging your business card, you give a copy of your book?
Not only the person wouldn’t forget you but also keep the book copy securely with him, which otherwise your business card would have been long lost.
4 ) Recurring passive income
Writing a book, and setting it up through a perfect step-by-step system, would allow you to gain recurring passive income, i.e. ‘royalties’, that are transferred every month into your bank account.
5 ) Learning New Skills
By writing a book, you not only build credibility but also learn new skills in the entire process of writing and publishing your book. For example, skills like project management, writing, setting goals, planning, accountability, commitment, and many more!
6 ) Ripple Effect and Creates Value
One book can create a ripple effect in the world.
One book can entirely change the lives of thousands of people around the world.
One book can create enormous value and a positive impact on the world.
It only takes one book!
7) Our Time here is Finite
When we write and publish a book, we leave behind our legacy, our footprints, our life lessons, our value system, and our teachings for generations and generations of people to learn from.
We will die one day, but our teachings, morals, and lessons will be forever here in the form of our book.
This reason is a huge answer to the ‘Why write a book.’
8 ) You'll Gain more Knowledge
While writing a book, research is a must. Through the complete process of research, you’ll learn more insights, gain more knowledge, and become an expert in that niche.
9 ) Impact beyond Yourself
Writing a book is not only about gaining royalties and credibility, No!
Your book can generate goodwill, your legacy, and most importantly, itcan help solve problems for people, creating a positive impact on their lives, and helping change their lives forever!
It will create an impact greater and beyond yourself!
10 ) Sense of Accomplishment
Imagine yourself holding the first copy of your own book.
A sense of pride, confidence, and accomplishment.
It doesn’t matter if your book is not a best seller or if you become famous, the bigger picture will be that it is your book! You created it! It will forever be something you can call as ‘Yours’, and be proud of!
Believe me, the feeling of holding the first copy of my book was beyond amazing!
11 ) You'll Reignite a Passion
If writing was your hobby, and in the time's course, you just couldn’t give any time or energy, here is your bright chance to reignite it!
Paths to Publishing Your Book
As discussed earlier, you are aware of the two paths of publishing, i.e. Traditional Publishing and Self-Publishing. There is one more way of publishing you can opt for!
Assisted Self-Publishing
Firms that charge fees for various publishing-related services such as Formatting, Cover Design, and Copyediting and help Indie Writers Professionally Self-Publish Their Work is Assisted Self-Publishing.
Authors earn all of the royalties and retain full control over Editing and Cover Design and Title.
WHRUTS also helps and provides these services.
Conclusion
Reading has become a part of our daily activities now.
Book readership has increased by 30% since the Previous Year and People are routinely searching for new stories to capture their attention, With more writers being seen and heard, it’s no wonder readership is up.
Self-Publishing is the future of publishing in a world where everyone can be a Writer.
Read More