Tag: technology

Face to Face + Online, How Hybrid Instruction Compares to Traditional College Classes

Are hybrid classes as good as face to face classes? Research from Ithaka, S  & R Consulting has found that courses that provide  a blend of both face to face and online instruction produce nearly equivalent learning outcomes to the traditional classroom experience.

“The study compared how much students at six public universities learned after taking a prototype introductory statistics course in the fall of 2011 in either a hybrid or a traditional format. The researchers randomly assigned a diverse group of 605 students to either a hybrid group, in which they learned with computer-guided instruction and one hour of face-to-face instruction each week, or a traditional format, usually with three or four hours of face-to-face instruction per week.

The result? “We find that learning outcomes are essentially the same—that students in the hybrid format pay no ‘price’ for this mode of instruction in terms of pass rates, final exam scores, and performance on a standardized assessment of statistical literacy,” the report concluded.”   (from The Chronicle of Higher Education, Wired Campus, 5/22/12, Katie Mangan)

 Bottom Line: Since most colleges and universities appreciate  the lower costs associated with online instruction, you can expect to find more hybrid courses in the future.

The Accessible Textbook Finder

Do you ever find yourself visiting multiple websites to locate an accessible copy of a book you need for your up-coming semester? Well, here’s a site that might make your search a little easier.
The Accessible Textbook Finder allows you to search multiple sources for books simultaneously. You can search by title or ISBN. If you search by ISBN, remember not to use dashes when you type in the number.
The Accessible Textbook Finder Searches Bookshare, the National Library Service, CourseSmart, Access Text Network, Learning Ally, the Alternative Media Access Center and Project Gutenberg.
Don’t forget to check other sources you use that aren’t listed heretofore ending your search.
Link to The Accessible Textbook Finder:
http://www.accesstext.org/atf.php

Folders: Find Those Freshman Notes Your Senior Year

If you’re preparing for college, you’ve probably heard how important it is to stay organized. From writing down your assignments to time-management, staying organized comes into play in nearly every aspect of college life. And, when you enter the working world, it’s a skill you’ll be glad you have polished well. Here’s just one basic tip that can help you keep track of all of those critical class notes and papers-in-progress–it was very helpful for me.
Once you have your schedule all set, sit down at your computer. Create a folder with the name of the semester. For example, you might have a folder called “Fall 2012.” Then, within each folder, create folders for each of your classes. Remember to make the names of your folders clear and specific. That way, a year later, when you’re studying for that French final, and you want a quick reminder on how to form the negative, you can pull up your notes from Introduction to French as reference.
If you’re taking notes on your laptop in class, remember to save them in the correct folder and with a clear file name for later retrieval. To make your notes even more useful, consider using a service like Dropox for access from just about anywhere. If you’re working on a term project for one of your classes, consider giving that project its own folder. You’ll be able to find it easier, and put all of your research information as well as drafts in progress all in one place.
Most important, come up with an organizational system that works for you, and stick to it. Staying organized can save you a lot of agitation, So next time you’re looking for that paper you started last week, you’ll know exactly where to find it.