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UBC launches first local open online course
The Faculty of Education and UBC Library have teamed up to introduce UBC’s first LOOC – or local open online course.
The offering, part of UBC’s Master of Educational Technology program, is meant to help UBC students, staff and faculty hone their digital literacy skills. The course, called M101, features topics including Mining (research), Meshing (idea creation) and Mobilizing (generating value from information and knowledge).
The LOOC is open to all members of the UBC community who have a campus-wide login. M101 is self-paced, and users can build their skills in any area, in any order that they wish. As the name suggests, a LOOC is a localized form of a MOOC – or massive open online course. MOOCs have been a big topic in online education recently and UBC’s first MOOC – which launched in January 2013 with Stanford University – attracted more than 130,000 registrants.
The LOOC project received a grant from UBC’s Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund in spring 2013. Work began in April, and the LOOC was opened to co-authors of content, including UBC librarians, in July. The first set of students from the MET program will be able to contribute as of September.
For more, visit UBC Library’s site.
Boston Public Schools will start serving a free lunch and breakfast to every student
The Boston Public Schools announced this week that they will be offering free universal meals for every student regardless of income status. This change amounts to a savings of $450 per year per family.
““Children can focus on learning when they are well-fed, and families can focus on education when they don’t have to budget for school meals every week,” said BPS Interim Superintendent John McDonough. “This program makes sense for students. We expect that every major city will join this national program in the next few years – and we are able to put Boston’s families at the forefront.”
Students’ use of laptops in class lowers grades: Canadian study
From the Globe and Mail article: “Laptops have replaced pen and paper for many post-secondary students but a Canadian study suggests using computers during lectures could be hurting their grades and lowering their classmates’ marks.”
Enrolment in BC schools down once again, but downtown and UBC booming
From NEWS1130 article: “Enrolment numbers in BC schools continue to drop. Province-wide, the population has declined by more than 70,000 students since the 2001-2002 school year.
“Downtown Vancouver is booming,” says School Board Chair Patti Bacchus. “Our schools are full. We have families on waiting lists who are having to go out of our communty to go to school. She notes UBC has also recorded growth.”
Continue to NEWS1130 article: http://www.news1130.com/2013/09/03/enrolment-in-bc-schools-down-once-again/?cid=dlvr.it