How VR Enhances the Business School Experience

IN A CLASSROOM AT THE Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduate business students are engaged in a complex virtual reality exercise. Using World Climate, a simulated role-playing game, they have been assigned roles as United Nations delegates from different countries and tasked with negotiating a climate agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Spotlight

Visalia Unified School District

Established in 1885, VUSD is the oldest school district in Tulare County. Our services span 214 square miles with a population base of over 135,000. We govern 25 elementary schools, a newcomer language center, four middle schools, four comprehensive high schools, a continuation high school, an adult school, a charter alternative academy, a charter independent study school, a K-8 charter home school, a charter technical education school, and a school that serves orthopedic handicapped students. Over 32,000 students Pre-K to adult are served through the Visalia Unified School District.

OTHER ARTICLES
Education Technology

3 Ways to Monitor Student Progress in Class with Classroom Management

Article | August 4, 2022

Virtual learning is a great way to ensure accessibility and continuity of education. With schools and higher education enthusiastically adopting hybrid forms of online and classroom learning, measuring the outcomes has become crucial. Monitoring facilitates the ability to gain insight into the effectiveness of learning programs. It provides educators the insight and feedback they need to design better educational programs, engage students on a deeper level, build a collaborative classroom, and boost smart classroom management. This is especially essential when a virtual learning component is involved. With learners scattered geographically, the importance of monitoring students becomes a pressing challenge. While it has been traditionally done through a variety of approaches like assignments, quizzes, practical exams, and so on, with digitalization in classrooms, educators must now incorporate new monitoring techniques and assessment protocols to ensure they have a solid insight into overall student progress. Here are ways to monitor students with classroom management. Interactivity in the Classroom Interactive lessons are one of the best teaching devices. Not only do they engage learners, but they also ensure longer retention of information. In addition, they enable teachers to monitor the benefit of classroom management software. Many classroom management software solutions offer the ability to integrate interactivity within remote learning classes. Some of these include: Chat boxes that let teachers and students interact with each other. Some tools offer the virtual equivalent of raising a hand in class, allowing students to take part in conversations just like in a physical classroom. Polls that allow teachers and professors to maintain the attention of the whole class by encouraging them to answer questions, provide feedback, or responses to enrich classroom conversations. Whiteboard tools give learners and educators the ability to draw, write, or point to images so they can evoke interaction with the classroom while leading a discussion. Breakout rooms enable students to form smaller groups, which lets teachers assign group projects and activities in real-time. Seamless Collaboration Communication and collaboration are the bedrock of effective learning. In a virtual environment, both can take a hit. However, with the right approach and the tools to support it, it’s possible for educators to enhance classroom collaboration and monitor the learning progress of their students. Here are some tools that can help educators ensure collaboration in the classroom: Video discussion that enables teachers to create video rooms within the classroom to facilitate face-to-face discussion for different topics. Learners can choose to either record videos or communicate in real time. Portfolio creation tools that let students work on a project and use images, text, gifs, and videos to enrich discussions and improve collaboration among groups Gamification in online learning combines the best of entertainment and education. For trivia and quiz-based assessments, Peer-to-peer Feedback Peer-to-peer feedback in the classroom is often neglected, but it is an important form of collaborative learning. Additionally, it provides a great way to track progress, compare teacher feedback, and monitor collaboration. In higher education, this is an especially vital resource. A significant challenge that educators face in encouraging peer feedback is getting learners to be more specific. This can be achieved through A study by Springer revealed that students give better peer feedback when it is anonymous. It allows learners to provide more in-depth and specific input. With online tools, this is made easier and faster. With anonymous feedback, it is easy to get carried away. This is why some tools allow students to flag particular feedback for a teacher’s review as well as add their response, making the process truly democratic. Receiving feedback is an impactful way to learn, and by learning to give the right feedback, learners get to form a new perspective on a subject, ensuring smart classroom management. Final Thoughts Remote learning classroom management software has made it simpler to reach learners and create a thriving educational environment. However, remote learning poses challenges in monitoring student progress. And yet, with so many new tools and classroom management platforms, monitoring in education is easier than ever. Educators can monitor students with classroom management and contribute to building more efficient learning approaches. They can also keep a close eye on the progress of individual students and introduce new lesson plans and tasks based on the insights they receive

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Education Technology

eBook: How to Convert an In-person Course to an Open edX Course

Article | July 27, 2022

The new reality is making all kinds of companies, organizations, educational institutions, etc., to migrate from an in-person course to an online course. The process is not that easy and if the organization is new to the online courses world, it can be a challenge. When it comes to the right platform, Open edX technology continues to lead in the learning technology space owing to its rich user experience, cross-platform accessibility, and intelligent analytics. However, successfully converting an in-person course to an Open edX course requires a fair amount of analyzing, strategizing, and planning because, without it, you’ll probably end up publishing a long e-book that nobody wants a part of instead of the engaging online course that your material deserves to become.

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Education Technology

Rise of Writing & Self-Publishing Industry: 2022

Article | July 15, 2022

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.

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Creating Safety From the Inside Out

Article | August 17, 2020

As we prepare for our return to school this fall, safety will mean a lot more than face masks and hand-washing. As controversy over if schools should reopen and, if so, how they will open continues to rise, the lingering concern is how to keep everyone safe. This is a familiar topic for educational institutions and something that appears to get tested over and over again. Fire drills, active shooter protocols, security glass, metal detectors—these measures are all designed to, yes, keep those precious souls within the building safe by keeping the threats out. What happens when you experience a pandemic and the threat cannot be visibly seen? Where do you hide? When do you hide? Who do you hide from? Will I get sick? Will I cause someone else to get sick?

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Spotlight

Visalia Unified School District

Established in 1885, VUSD is the oldest school district in Tulare County. Our services span 214 square miles with a population base of over 135,000. We govern 25 elementary schools, a newcomer language center, four middle schools, four comprehensive high schools, a continuation high school, an adult school, a charter alternative academy, a charter independent study school, a K-8 charter home school, a charter technical education school, and a school that serves orthopedic handicapped students. Over 32,000 students Pre-K to adult are served through the Visalia Unified School District.

Related News

Education Technology, Corporate Education and Training, Continuing Education

Elsmere Education Launches EPaaS: Powering Smart Growth in Higher Education with Streamlined Processes and ROI-Driven Strategies

PR Newswire | January 31, 2024

Elsmere Education, a leading force in online program enablement, announces the official launch of Education Process as a Service (EPaaS). This innovative ecosystem empowers universities to achieve smart growth in their online programs by streamlining operations, maximizing ROI, and catering to the unique needs of non-traditional students. EPaaS encompasses Elsmere Education's proven business processes tailored for an enriched student journey supported by dynamic communication strategies. Our solutions are powered by a curated technology ecosystem that includes omnichannel marketing capabilities and is designed to integrate with a wide range of existing campus systems. Built on Feedback, Designed for Growth The subscription-based model empowers universities to bring essential services in-house efficiently, leveraging a comprehensive suite of 40+ technologies through a single procurement process. EPaaS is intentionally designed to streamline and optimize the entire student lifecycle, specifically catering to the needs of non-traditional and online adult learners. Dan Janick, CEO of Elsmere Education, states: "EPaaS is a game-changer in terms of ROI. We've created a flexible, scalable solution that gives universities complete control and empowers internal teams to be more agile. It's the ultimate enablement model for driving efficiencies, increasing enrollment, and boosting student retention." Addressing Common Challenges Elsmere Education recognizes the challenges faced by university leaders in meeting the unique needs of non-traditional students and online adult learners. EPaaS addresses common challenges, including reliance on campus systems built for traditional students, lack of a CRM platform, and manual workflows hindering efficient student journey execution and monitoring. EPaaS Delivers Tangible Results 360-degree business intelligence: Make data-driven decisions for improved performance across the student lifecycle. Real-time marketing metrics: Optimize your marketing efforts and maximize enrollment yield. Increased staff productivity: Streamline processes and free up your team to focus on student success. Elsmere Education is your partner in online education success. Contact us today to learn how EPaaS can transform your institution.

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Education Technology, Online Education, Continuing Education

2U Partners with University of Surrey to Launch 15 Online Master's Degrees

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

2U, Inc, the company behind global online learning platform edX, today announced a new partnership with the University of Surrey to launch and support the delivery of online master's degrees and online professional certificate programs. An initial five online degree programs will welcome students in 2024, with a portfolio of at least 15 master's degrees and at least 15 professional certificate programs being delivered by 2026. This will expand access to this highly ranked UK university for students worldwide. Surrey's partnership with 2U will deliver Surrey Online Learning: an acceleration and transformation of the university's provision of online learning. 2U's expertise will help Surrey establish a scalable model and quickly expand its digital capabilities to worldwide audiences. The collaboration aligns with the university's mission to expand access to life-changing education and personal and professional success. "We're partnering with 2U and their edX platform to accelerate Surrey Online Learning provision," said Professor Tim Dunne, Provost and Senior Vice-President at the University of Surrey. "The University of Surrey has global strength in innovation and research, and is renowned for being one of the best universities in the UK for delivering excellence in teaching and employability. Through Surrey Online Learning, we will offer flexible and affordable educational pathways that are compatible with and relevant to modern careers, combining accessibility with strong student outcomes." Surrey's suite of online degrees will build on the success of its on-campus programs, with the online curriculum developed in partnership with LearningMate. The first five degrees expected to launch in 2024 will be in the areas of artificial intelligence, business, psychology, marketing, and sustainability. The professional certificate programs, which will focus on technology, healthcare, business, communications technologies, and sustainability, will provide learners with an opportunity to build and enhance critical professional skills on their way to determining if a full degree in a corresponding subject is part of their educational journey. "2U prides itself in being a digital transformation partner that can support strategic long-term thinking, accelerate innovation, and help drive positive student outcomes across new formats and modalities," said Andrew Hermalyn, President of the Degree Program Segment at 2U. "The University of Surrey has major ambitions to expand its online learning capabilities, and we are honored to be their partner to help build their online presence from the ground up." "LearningMate is honored to partner with the University of Surrey on its transformative online learning initiative in collaboration with 2U. We're excited to contribute to the development of cutting-edge online master's degrees and professional certificate programs that align with Surrey's commitment to excellence," said Prasad Mohare, Senior Vice President at LearningMate. "Our focus on innovation and accessibility will be showcased in the initial offerings. LearningMate is dedicated to supporting Surrey in expanding access to impactful, career-relevant learning opportunities in the evolving landscape of online education." Today's announcement builds on the continued demand for 2U's flexible degree partnership model, which gives universities the choice of selecting different bundles of services according to their needs.

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Corporate Education and Training, Online Education

Academic Partnerships Completes Acquisition of Wiley University Services

PR Newswire | January 02, 2024

Academic Partnerships (AP), a company that assists primarily regional public universities in expanding access and impact by supporting their online programs, today announced that it has successfully completed its acquisition of Wiley University Services, a line of business previously owned by Wiley (NYSE: WLY). The combined company will support over 125 colleges and universities in 40 U.S. states and internationally. "AP is in the business of transforming lives through education, and the acquisition of Wiley University Services better enables us to do just that," said Fernando Bleichmar, Chief Executive Officer of AP. "This is an exciting day as we combine our talent, capabilities, and resources to more effectively meet the growing demand for high-quality, affordable online degree programs and ensure our university partners and their students thrive." AP primarily assists regional public universities with launching and maintaining their online programs. It is committed to expanding access to high-quality, high-return on investment, affordable, and workforce-relevant online education, especially for working and adult students. Wiley University Services works with institutions to deliver career-connected education programs aimed at helping students achieve their goals. With the completion of the acquisition, the combined company will provide universities with a best-in-class partner to support them in delivering programs online so more students can access affordable education, improve their careers, and meet employer and community needs. The combined company will deliver new strategic benefits to university partners and their students, including: Additional resources to support and scale high-demand, affordable online degree programs in critical areas like nursing, teaching, business, technology, and public administration for both regional public and private nonprofit universities; Enhanced infrastructure and technology to serve a diverse student population, including working adults, through graduation; Improved opportunities across the university partner network; and Advanced technology and enhanced support services based on best practices from a combined company.

Read More

Education Technology, Corporate Education and Training, Continuing Education

Elsmere Education Launches EPaaS: Powering Smart Growth in Higher Education with Streamlined Processes and ROI-Driven Strategies

PR Newswire | January 31, 2024

Elsmere Education, a leading force in online program enablement, announces the official launch of Education Process as a Service (EPaaS). This innovative ecosystem empowers universities to achieve smart growth in their online programs by streamlining operations, maximizing ROI, and catering to the unique needs of non-traditional students. EPaaS encompasses Elsmere Education's proven business processes tailored for an enriched student journey supported by dynamic communication strategies. Our solutions are powered by a curated technology ecosystem that includes omnichannel marketing capabilities and is designed to integrate with a wide range of existing campus systems. Built on Feedback, Designed for Growth The subscription-based model empowers universities to bring essential services in-house efficiently, leveraging a comprehensive suite of 40+ technologies through a single procurement process. EPaaS is intentionally designed to streamline and optimize the entire student lifecycle, specifically catering to the needs of non-traditional and online adult learners. Dan Janick, CEO of Elsmere Education, states: "EPaaS is a game-changer in terms of ROI. We've created a flexible, scalable solution that gives universities complete control and empowers internal teams to be more agile. It's the ultimate enablement model for driving efficiencies, increasing enrollment, and boosting student retention." Addressing Common Challenges Elsmere Education recognizes the challenges faced by university leaders in meeting the unique needs of non-traditional students and online adult learners. EPaaS addresses common challenges, including reliance on campus systems built for traditional students, lack of a CRM platform, and manual workflows hindering efficient student journey execution and monitoring. EPaaS Delivers Tangible Results 360-degree business intelligence: Make data-driven decisions for improved performance across the student lifecycle. Real-time marketing metrics: Optimize your marketing efforts and maximize enrollment yield. Increased staff productivity: Streamline processes and free up your team to focus on student success. Elsmere Education is your partner in online education success. Contact us today to learn how EPaaS can transform your institution.

Read More

Education Technology, Online Education, Continuing Education

2U Partners with University of Surrey to Launch 15 Online Master's Degrees

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

2U, Inc, the company behind global online learning platform edX, today announced a new partnership with the University of Surrey to launch and support the delivery of online master's degrees and online professional certificate programs. An initial five online degree programs will welcome students in 2024, with a portfolio of at least 15 master's degrees and at least 15 professional certificate programs being delivered by 2026. This will expand access to this highly ranked UK university for students worldwide. Surrey's partnership with 2U will deliver Surrey Online Learning: an acceleration and transformation of the university's provision of online learning. 2U's expertise will help Surrey establish a scalable model and quickly expand its digital capabilities to worldwide audiences. The collaboration aligns with the university's mission to expand access to life-changing education and personal and professional success. "We're partnering with 2U and their edX platform to accelerate Surrey Online Learning provision," said Professor Tim Dunne, Provost and Senior Vice-President at the University of Surrey. "The University of Surrey has global strength in innovation and research, and is renowned for being one of the best universities in the UK for delivering excellence in teaching and employability. Through Surrey Online Learning, we will offer flexible and affordable educational pathways that are compatible with and relevant to modern careers, combining accessibility with strong student outcomes." Surrey's suite of online degrees will build on the success of its on-campus programs, with the online curriculum developed in partnership with LearningMate. The first five degrees expected to launch in 2024 will be in the areas of artificial intelligence, business, psychology, marketing, and sustainability. The professional certificate programs, which will focus on technology, healthcare, business, communications technologies, and sustainability, will provide learners with an opportunity to build and enhance critical professional skills on their way to determining if a full degree in a corresponding subject is part of their educational journey. "2U prides itself in being a digital transformation partner that can support strategic long-term thinking, accelerate innovation, and help drive positive student outcomes across new formats and modalities," said Andrew Hermalyn, President of the Degree Program Segment at 2U. "The University of Surrey has major ambitions to expand its online learning capabilities, and we are honored to be their partner to help build their online presence from the ground up." "LearningMate is honored to partner with the University of Surrey on its transformative online learning initiative in collaboration with 2U. We're excited to contribute to the development of cutting-edge online master's degrees and professional certificate programs that align with Surrey's commitment to excellence," said Prasad Mohare, Senior Vice President at LearningMate. "Our focus on innovation and accessibility will be showcased in the initial offerings. LearningMate is dedicated to supporting Surrey in expanding access to impactful, career-relevant learning opportunities in the evolving landscape of online education." Today's announcement builds on the continued demand for 2U's flexible degree partnership model, which gives universities the choice of selecting different bundles of services according to their needs.

Read More

Corporate Education and Training, Online Education

Academic Partnerships Completes Acquisition of Wiley University Services

PR Newswire | January 02, 2024

Academic Partnerships (AP), a company that assists primarily regional public universities in expanding access and impact by supporting their online programs, today announced that it has successfully completed its acquisition of Wiley University Services, a line of business previously owned by Wiley (NYSE: WLY). The combined company will support over 125 colleges and universities in 40 U.S. states and internationally. "AP is in the business of transforming lives through education, and the acquisition of Wiley University Services better enables us to do just that," said Fernando Bleichmar, Chief Executive Officer of AP. "This is an exciting day as we combine our talent, capabilities, and resources to more effectively meet the growing demand for high-quality, affordable online degree programs and ensure our university partners and their students thrive." AP primarily assists regional public universities with launching and maintaining their online programs. It is committed to expanding access to high-quality, high-return on investment, affordable, and workforce-relevant online education, especially for working and adult students. Wiley University Services works with institutions to deliver career-connected education programs aimed at helping students achieve their goals. With the completion of the acquisition, the combined company will provide universities with a best-in-class partner to support them in delivering programs online so more students can access affordable education, improve their careers, and meet employer and community needs. The combined company will deliver new strategic benefits to university partners and their students, including: Additional resources to support and scale high-demand, affordable online degree programs in critical areas like nursing, teaching, business, technology, and public administration for both regional public and private nonprofit universities; Enhanced infrastructure and technology to serve a diverse student population, including working adults, through graduation; Improved opportunities across the university partner network; and Advanced technology and enhanced support services based on best practices from a combined company.

Read More

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