CEDICT: Communication, Education and Development using ICT: January 2015

2015-01-30

Education Technology Degree Programs

School and corporations recognize the need to provide learners with more choice in their learning environments. Professionals trained to address learning needs with 21st century technology will be in high demand. An education technology degree program, which typically focuses on instructional design, the psychology of learning, and the application of technology to create effective learning environments, provides the knowledge and skills required.

This page provides help if you are interested in studying educational or instructional technology. Programs are offered at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level (PhD and Ed.D). This page tells you more about the programs, provides links to schools where you can take them, and outlines the career prospects after graduation.

2015-01-28

Kenya ranked in world’s top seven investment destinations

Fortune Magazine has ranked Kenya among seven most promising global investment destinations with good governance structures that guarantee sustainable growth.

The country has been ranked alongside India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland and Colombia by top business magazine — Fortune Magazine — as the best places investors should be looking to put their money.

2015-01-27

Why online learning needs to get serious about apps

One of the main problems preventing the widespread use of mobile phones for education is the need for longer interactions/communications than is typically available. So, will online education rise or fall based on our ability to reengineer learning for bursts?

Ryan Craig, University Ventures, writing for VentureBeat thinks not ....

2015-01-25

Free Access to ICT in Education for Development Journal

Volume 10 Issue 4 of the International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT) was published at the end of December, 2014. You can read, print and share all the articles free of charge.

2015-01-24

Knowledge for All: Bridge International Academies

Bridge International Academies is the world’s largest chain of primary and pre-primary schools bringing world-class education to the poorest of the poor, democratizing the right to succeed.

Thanks to economies of scale, Bridge is able to charge just $6 a month per pupil on average with academies reaching operational sustainability after just one year.

2015-01-20

Great Platforms to Find Open Educational Resources ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Here is a list of free educational tools that will help you find some great open educational resources (OERs). Bookmark them, pin them, and add them to your collections.

See it on Scoop.it, via ICT for Education and Development

2015-01-19

A Great Chart Explaining The Flipped Classroom Concept ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

A great tool which explains The Flipped Classroom Concept ~ Educational Technology http://t.co/PBceLJGLtC #edtech #flippedclass #flipchat

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2015-01-18

2Smart4Mankind: Google Has An Internal Committee To Discuss Its Fears About The Power Of Artificial Intelligence

Robots are coming. Google has assembled a team of experts in London who are working to "solve intelligence." They make up Google DeepMind, the US tech giant's artificial intelligence (AI) company, which it acquired in 2014. In an interview with MIT Technology Review, published recently, Demis Hassabis, the man in charge of DeepMind, spoke out about some of the company's biggest fears about the future of AI.

Hassabis and his team are creating opportunities to apply AI to Google services. AI firm is about teaching computers to think like humans, and improved AI could help forge breakthroughs in loads of Google's services. It could enhance YouTube recommendations for users for example, or make the company's mobile voice search better.

But it's not just Google product updates that DeepMind's cofounders are thinking about. Worryingly, cofounder Shane Legg thinks the team's advances could be what finishes off the human race. He told the LessWrong blog in an interview: "Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this". He adds he thinks AI is the "no.1 risk for this century". It's ominous stuff. (Read about Elon Musk discussing his concerns about AI here.)

People like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk are worried about what might happen as a result of advancements in AI. They're concerned that robots could grow so intelligent that they could independently decide to exterminate humans. And if Hawking and Musk are fearful, you probably should be too.

Hassibis showcased some DeepMind software in a video back in April. In it, a computer learns how to beat Atari video games — it wasn't programmed with any information about how to play, just given the controls and an instinct to win. AI specialist Stuart Russell of the University of California says people were "shocked".

Google is also concerned about the "other side" of developing computers in this way. That's why it set up an "ethics board". It's tasked with making sure AI technology isn't abused. As Hassibis explains: "It's (AI) something that we or other people at Google need to be cognizant of." Hassibis does concede that "we're still playing Atari games currently" — but as AI moves forward, the fear sets in.

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2015-01-14

A breadth of learning

Harvard’s Online Learning gateway houses all of the University’s open online learning opportunities under one roof for the first time, and anyone can access the breadth and depth of Harvard’s learning content. Featuring both free courses and courses for credit, the platform also offers museum collections, lectures, podcasts, and popular programs such as “CopyrightX” and Michael Sandel’s “Justice.”

2015-01-10

Finding copyright-friendly photos for the Google Images generation

Searching and citing usable images is easy once students learn the basics. Teaching students to respect the intellectual property of others is important in this digital “cut and paste” world we live in. One great project to share with students that can better help them understand how and when they may use images created by others is the Creative Commons project.

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3-D Printing Helped These Teens Build a Smarter Wheelchair | WIRED

Sixteen-year-old Mohammad Sayed wanted more from his wheelchair. So he started hacking the thing.

See it on Scoop.it, via ICT for Education and Development

2015-01-06

Teachers Will Embrace Students’ Smartphone Addiction In 2015

The year 2014 saw some impressive education technology disruptions, e.g., in the “crowd-sourcing” of education and the role of corporations in educational provision. So what will 2015 bring?

Joe Mathewson, who cofounded the learning platform Firefly when he was 14, gave his predictions in TechCrunch:

2015-01-02

Texas Instruments builds an alternative energy for the Internet of Things

At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Texas Instruments (TI) will demonstrate anInternet of Things sensor network that uses harvested energy that comes from changes in temperature, vibrations, wind and light.

2015-01-01

How To Build One Brain-Boosting Habit In 2015

We never stop learning. But unlike our school days, when our brain is constantly challenged and exercised to become better, our adult lives don't make time for this. In 2015, give your brain a boost. It's easier than you think and takes only a few minutes of your life each day

See it on Scoop.it, via ICT for Education and Development