News & Events
Jan |
Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul |
Aug |
Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
January News
Library Information Specialist and Technology Specialist
- The Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment will expand the program to non-certified individuals, by offering an option to earn a M.S.Ed. in Instructional Technology as well as certification as a Library Information Specialist or a Technology Specialist.
- Individuals interested in becoming a library information specialist (Type 10 certificate or endorsement) or a technology specialist (Type 10 certificate or endorsement) should contact the department office for details.
Feburary News
Graduate Colloquium Lectures by Dr. Curtis J. Bonk on Feburary 13th, 2008
- Blended Learning: Situations, Solutions, and Several Surprises
(Gabel 222, 4:00-5:30 pm)
There is both extensive confusion and much optimism about blended learning due to multiple blended learning definitions and approaches. Some might blend to take advantage of face-to-face and virtual learning opportunities. Others might blend to combine synchronous and asynchronous technologies to best meet student needs. To addresses these issues, Dr. Bonk will lay out several different models and definitions of blended learning as well as the advantages and disadvantages of blended learning. Importantly, the session will include a dozen different situations or problems and more than 50 potential blended learning solutions in many different disciplines and levels of institutions. Many of the examples will come from Dr. Bonk's recent Handbook of Blended learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs. Dr. Bonk will also tap into recent data he has collected on the present and future state of blended learning around the planet. Some of this data will surprise you!
- How the Learning World Became Flat: Ten Knowledge Sharing and Technology Trends Equalizing Access to Learning
(Barsema Alumni and Visitor Center 7:30-9:00 pm)
Ten technology trends have emerged during the past few years that have flattened the world of learning and made it accessible to increasing numbers of learners. The learning world is being flattened by such technologies as Google, Skype, Wikipedia, podcasting, and blogs. Additional flatteners that are transforming the possibilities for learning include online learning portals such as digital libraries, museums, and referenceware, mobile technologies, wireless technologies, cheap computers, free online courses and software, and open source software. There are web sites springing up around the globe related to sharing courses, course materials, resources, and teaching ideas. MERLOT, for example, has more than 34,500 members and 15,000 shared learning objects as well as an annual international conference. Connexions is a similar project for sharing learning resources from Rice University, while the UK has just developed a learning object site called Jorum. And, of course, there is a the MIT OpenCourseWare initiative which is not only sharing MIT course content around the globe in English, but is now being translated into other languages such as Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese. Interestingly, more than 50 universities around the globe are following the lead of MIT and placing their courses online including those in Vietnam, Japan, and India . Naturally, many questions surround such systems and sites. For example, how can these trends converge to address every potential learner on this planet? How can developing worlds take advantage of these ten trends? For what purpose will people share? Will these knowledge sharing and technology trends bridge the digital divide? Does the importance of knowledge sharing differ by culture? In this humorous, informative, media-rich, and thought provoking session, Curt Bonk will highlight such themes and issues while pushing the audience to think of short- and long-range implications both for their institutions, countries, and regions of the world as well as for themselves.
August News
Summer MSED Portfolio Showcase
Summer MSED Portfolio Showcase will be held on August 6th from 3:00-4:30 pm in Gabel 212.
Please join us and celebrate!
Promotions and Tenure
Congratulations to our esteemed faculty members on their promotions and tenure.
- Dr. Rebecca Butler, Professor
- Dr. Janet Holt, Professor
- Dr. Wei-Chen Hung, Associate Professor
- Dr. Lisa Yamagata-Lynch, Associate Professor
September News
Faculty Search
Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology - Technology Specialist
Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology - Instructional Design and Distance Education
Dr. Smith and Dr. Hung received Research Grant from National Science Foundation
ETRA faculty Thomas Smith and Wei-Chen Hung, together with Cecil Smith from Educational Psychology received a three-year research grant from National Science Foundation to develop a cognitive tutor for training social and behavioral science students in research methods fundamentals.
Lecture "Repaying the sea" by Dr. Laura Johnson
Friday, September 26, 2008 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Chandelier Room -- Adams Hall. The presentation entitled "Repaying the sea": conducting community-based research in Chicago's Puerto Rican community will begin at 12:05 p.m. Our speaker will be Laura Johnson, Assistant Professor, department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment. Reservation must be made by Tuesday, September 16th. Click here or call (815) 753-0320 for more information.
View the NIU Calendar of Events
