Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqXrI2BBkIw

19-06-2012 20:22 Secretary of Education Arne Duncan briefs reporters and editors of sites that reach parents, students, and educators across the country at the first ever White House Online Summit on Education.

Link:
Secretary Arne Duncan Speaks at the White House Online Summit on Education - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El__BCHR4bU

20-06-2012 15:08 See how easy online Hebrew can be. Learn how you can add up to five levels of digital Hebrew to your curriculum—from letter recognition through prayer literacy —and boost decoding skills and retention. Learn about the benefits of switching from CD-based Hebrew exercises to ones that live 'in the cloud.' This webinar will teach you the nuts and bolts of using Hebrew in the Online Learning Center, including where to find it, how to purchase it for your school, how to add it to your classes, how to use it in class and assign it as homework to extend class time, and how to assess your students online. This coming fall, the Jewish holiday calendar could mean a big gap in instruction time for your school. Find out how Hebrew in the Online Learning Center can help you bridge that gap. (Hosted by Terry Kaye on June 14th, 2012)

Here is the original post:
Webinar: Teaching Hebrew with the Online Learning Center - Video

A new leaf: Online MBA spins a web Online programmes are increasingly being preferred, as there is flexibility in timings and people from diverse backgrounds can join M Saraswathy & Kalpana Pathak / Mumbai Jun 21, 2012, 00:02 IST

Online management programmes have gained momentum among companies. While more and more companies want their executives to take up an online MBA because of the time factor, many institutes such as Glion Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland; Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C); UNC Kenan Flagler Business School and U21 Global, have found this market attractive.

Take the Taj Hotels for example. A few months ago, they joined hands with Swiss hospitality institute Glion Institute of Higher Education for online education of their managerial employees. Twenty-five middle and senior level managers were part of the online MBA programme in hospitality management. The cost of $34,000 (Rs 19 lakh approximately) per student for the course was fully sponsored by Taj.

Anouk Tenten, Glion Online partnership manager, explained that companies prefer online courses to traditional classroom-based courses because the institutes 100 per cent online programme combines core management theory with applied industry knowledge, to deliver everything one would expect from a challenging on-campus programme in a flexible, yet interactive, online format.

The diverse student body enrolled in Glion online programmes boasts of representatives from over 60 countries. This provides students a fantastic opportunity to develop a global perspective in an interactive learning environment, which allows peer-to-peer, as well as instructor-led education, she said.

There are also several individuals from Indian service sector firms pursuing the online MBA programme with Glion. However, this was Glions first corporate partnership with an Indian firm.

IIM-C offers satellite-based, long duration certificate programmes through the Hughes and NIIT Imperia platforms. Ashok Banerjee, dean of new initiatives and external relations at IIM-C, said, This mode of executive education has attracted a large number of participants, mainly due to the flexibility that it offers. Over the years, there has been a steady increase in the number of these programmes and in the number of participants. Our revenue from these long duration programmes has been to the tune of 20 per cent of the total revenue.

Most of these long-duration satellite-based programmes at IIM-C are open programmes where participants from various companies can join. Organisations either nominate participants for the open programmes or request IIM-C for customised programmes specific to the needs of their organisations. The programme duration ranges from six months to one year. Participants login for the classes from various locations (Hughes and NIIT Imperia centers) across the country. Hughes has some international centres, too.

Tenten informs that online education has increased within the last couple of years, and one can see many campus-based institutions providing online programmes at an accredited level. Most important is that these online courses are now at the same standards of a campus-based programme, and, therefore, have become increasingly popular with individuals who are unable to study full time on a campus, she added. She said their most popular online programme was the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc (NEASC) accredited MBA in international hospitality and services industries Management. Glion in the last year has expanded the online portfolio to not only include the MBA qualification but also provide certificate and diploma programmes.

Glion grew from a student body of 178 to 300 on a year-on-year basis. As we are also currently developing programmes to meet the needs of the market, we do expect growth in our business-to-business efforts, said Tenten.

More here:
A new leaf: Online MBA spins a web

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The University of Pennsylvanias Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) and the Milken Family Foundation have announced the winners of the 2012 Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition (EBPC) with five winners earning a total of $120,000 in prize funding.

Now in its third year, the EBPC is designed to stimulate cutting-edge ideas that serve the worlds educational needs, from Pre-K to adult learning. Of over 200 submissions, ten worldwide finalists were selected to gather in Philadelphia to compete in a live competition judged by a panel of industry leaders. Sponsored by the Networking Education Entrepreneurs for Social Transformation (NEST), the EBPC, and the NEST Summit that follows it, were developed to create a forum for education entrepreneurs, whether focused locally or globally, public or private, to catalyze innovation in education.

The EBPC grew substantially in 2012 with the launch of a series of new prizes, including The American Public University System Prize for Innovation in Online Education, The Educational Services of America Prize for Innovation in the fields of Special Education and At-Risk Students, The Erudient Education Prize for Innovation in Borderless Education and The Startl Prize for Open Educational Resources. The 5 winning plans, showcasing the best and most promising new ventures, range from an effort to leverage mobile technology to educate in Africa (and beyond) to a powerful text-to-audio application that is revolutionary for the visually impaired and illiterate around the world.

Launched in 2010 as a partnership between Penn GSE and the Milken Family Foundation, the EBPC culminates with a live competition, judged by a panel of industry experts; this year, it was held on the Penn campus June 19, 2012. More information can be found at: http://nestcentral.org. The $120,000 in total funding was awarded through the following six prizes (Citelighter received two prizes):

Judges included Jeanne Allen of The Center for Education Reform; Dr. Wallace E. Boston president & CEO of the American Public University System, and a Penn GSE graduate; Mark Claypool of Educational Services of America; Gregory Milken of AltEgo and the Milken Family Foundation; Elizabeth Neal of School Leaders Network; Madan Padaki of Erudient and MeritTrac; Laurie Racine of Startl; Alan Todd of Corporate University eXchange; and Victor Vuchac of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The event was emceed by David S. Pottruck of Red Eagle Ventures, Inc.

Today, June 20, the NEST Summit has gathered industry leaders to provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gauge the pulse of entrepreneurship in education, and to explore new ways of fostering a culture of continuous innovation in the field.

The NEST Summit

A worldwide leader in education practice, policy, and philosophy, Penn GSE is consistently at the forefront of education innovation. As part of the schools expanding entrepreneurial effort, each summer Penn GSE invites the best, brightest, and most influential professional educators, education entrepreneurs, business leaders, and venture capitalists to the campus of the University of Pennsylvania for the annual NEST Summit. The Summit is a unique way to generate new ideas, debate policy, forge new collaborations, discover investment opportunities, and conduct social networking and research.

The Milken Family Foundation

Read more:
University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and the Milken Family Foundation Select 2012 Education ...

Weekly News Digest June 21, 2012 In addition to this week's NewsBreak(s), the editors have compiled the Weekly News Digest, featuring stories from the week just past that you should know about. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today.

CLICK HERE to view all of this week's Weekly News Digest items.

Gale Brings Online Education Program to Public Libraries

The ed2go for public libraries program, developed as a result of Cengage Learnings unique position within the library, classroom, and adult learning markets, will offer patrons access to hundreds of instructor-led online courses covering everything from health and wellness to digital photography, computer programming, GED test preparation, and much more. ed2go courses are developed by expert instructors, many currently working at universities around the country, and use Cengage Learnings proven pedagogy to ensure classes are engaging and informative. Each individual course is offered online for 6 weeks and features 12 lessons with online discussions, homework, quizzes, and a final exam. Though these are not college equivalent courses, certificate programs are available for careers in the medical field, project management, and computer networking.

ed2go for public libraries features a subscription model designed specifically for librarieslibrarians purchase access to a catalog of ed2go courses which are then offered free to patrons, who can select specific courses to enroll in. Libraries in turn get robust product administration and usage reporting capabilities enabling the easy tracking of successful patron outcomes.

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System recently piloted the ed2go program as part of its eCampus initiative to address lifelong learning in its community and deliver workforce development resources, programs, and services. The results have been highly successful.

Source: Gale

Read the original here:
Gale Brings Online Education Program to Public Libraries

When Bilal Shah got his doctorate in computer science from the University of Southern California back in 2010, the job market wasn't exactly welcoming. "I graduated into the Great Recession. Nothing would test my mettle more," says Shah.

Around that time, he heard about a free massive online open course (MOOC) on machine learning -- a branch of artificial intelligence related to the design of certain computer algorithms -- taught by Stanford's Andrew Ng. Since Shah had plenty of spare time, he gave it a try. Every morning for three months, he sat in Peet's Coffee & Tea in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, drinking coffee and watching lectures on his laptop. He took pop quizzes, did programming assignments and checked his work on the course's online discussion board. "It was an easy, convenient way to learn something new," notes Shah, who is in his early 30s.

Soon after getting certification from the class, he landed a job interview with ID Analytics, the San Diego-based identity fraud and credit risk modeling company. "They prodded my knowledge [of machine learning] and they could tell I knew the material well," he says. "I got the job. It was a great feeling."

Amid a sputtering recovery that has shone a spotlight on the dearth of qualified workers in particular segments of the economy, many in the business community view MOOCs as a key part of the solution. And at a time when rising college costs and growing income inequality occupy the national debate, some say the platforms that offer MOOCs could potentially transform higher education. Giving millions of students around the world access to high quality classes could help shrink the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

A number of start-ups and prominent colleges have recently gotten in on the game. Coursera, an online learning system created by Ng and Daphne Koller, both Stanford computer scientists, has partnerships with four universities: Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton. Coursera delivers MOOCs in math, science and the humanities. Udacity, another online education company, launched in February by Sebastian Thrun, a former Stanford professor, offers MOOCs mainly in computer programming and software design. Harvard and MIT recently announced edX, a joint online education partnership, which begins classes this fall.

"Higher education will change; the system is unstable," says Kevin Werbach, a Wharton legal studies and business ethics professor, who is teaching a MOOC on Coursera this summer. "It's an industry that will be in severe turmoil in the next decade. There are so many schools in distress, and the student loan burden is [huge]. In that environment, online platforms like Coursera are an interesting opportunity."

But while Coursera and others hold out the promise of bringing higher education to the masses and leveling the playing field between rich schools and those with fewer resources, some ask whether these platforms have rigorous enough curriculum standards. They question whether the credentials issued for course completion are meaningful in the job market. There is also skepticism around the sustainability of their business models since, for now at least, the classes offered by these platforms are free.

'It's a Facebook World'

Over the years, many schools have attempted online education. Fathom, Columbia University's for-profit online learning venture, shut down in 2003 just a few years after its launch. AllLearn, a similar effort backed by Yale, Princeton and Stanford, was founded in 2000 and closed in 2006.

Why might Coursera or another of the new enterprises succeed where others have failed? For one, the technology has evolved. Video and audio are crisper. Desktop sharing tools and discussion boards are easier to navigate. There is greater access to Internet libraries. Course developers also have a more nuanced understanding of how people learn online and the best ways to present information in that format. Coursera, for example, slices lectures into digestible 10- or 15-minute segments and provides online quizzes as part of each section. Professors answer questions from students in online forums. This is a vast improvement from previous online education ventures that offered a less dynamic learning model where students watched canned lectures, with no interaction.

Read more:
Can Free Online Courses Transform the Higher Education Industry?

In the decade since the explosive growth of the internet, nearly every industry has been affected, including education. Major universities as well as local community colleges now offer a myriad of classes available to students online, with some offering entire degrees that can be completed via the computer. With programs such as Blackboard and Angel, universities are able to offer all of the resources, and more, through easy to use interfaces that even those who are ill at ease with a computer can easily use.

With the advent of the internet, the number of for-profit online schools has grown exponentially, increasing even further the number of programs available to those who wish to complete their education completely through the computer.Online education is no longer just for universities anymore charter and other public-school alternatives are now offered through online learning, and public schools as well are now utilized the Virtual Classroom to offer their students highly specialized classes, without having to add additional, and expensive, staff.

Growing demand for top schools to go online

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, John Chubb and Terry Moe hail the new Harvard-MIT initiative, edX, a $60 million partnership that aims to reach millions of new international students in India, China and around the globe with the leaders of these two prestigious Cambridge talking of the revolutionary potential of online learning, hailing it as the single biggest change in education since the printing press.

Chubb and Moe also point out some of the major drawbacks pointed out by university leaders of edX: the coursework would not lead to a MIT or Harvard degree, the courses are free and prepared by some of the best professors in the nation, but there is neither revenue stream nor a business plan that will sustain it. Stanford is similarly having the same problem, how to maintain the elite and selective nature of the schools while simultaneously offering free courses anyone can take.

Online programs are still mostly seen as the purview of for-profit schools, like the University of Phoenix and Capella University, with schools such as UNC, Northeastern, Columbia, and Northwestern trying their hardest to expand into the online education realm offering their degrees to students unable to attend a traditional brick and mortar school.

Hybrid programs, which entail a mix of online education and in-class education have also become more popular, with Bill Boulding, deputy dean at Duke, saying that the schools hybrid program appeals to internationally based professionals who dont want to relocate to rural North Carolina for two years but want a Duke education.

Less money, same quality education

Online education offers a less-expensive means of getting a college degree, while also offering flexibility that many working adults require. In many cases people who otherwise would be unable to attend a traditional school, whether due to cost, job or family obligations, or the distance between where a person lives and the school they would like to attend, online learning offers them a chance to receive the education that is required to earn a living in todays global society. Online education also offers a higher education to those living in developing nations which have limited universities with prohibitively high costs, such as India and China.

The availability of high-quality, well-known graduate programs have also increased over the years with schools demanding admissions standards similar to that of their brick and mortar schools. Schools like UNC, Temple, Penn State, and the University of Florida have carefully instated extensive graduate programs, such as MBAs, that can be completed entirely online, allowing professionals such as Jamie DeMaria, an executive director for Medscape, a part of WebMD, to attend a well-known program. He believes there are no prestigiousprograms available near his hometown, thus forcing him to look online, and while the cost for UNCs program is still high at $89,000 for the two year program, it is still cheaper than the typical $98,000 price tag charged for out-of state students. By attending UNC online, he is able to further his education by getting an advanced degree while maintaining his employment with the hopes of rising up through the company following graduation.

Follow this link:
HOW TO: Find the Best Online Education from Top Universities

BUFFALO, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) today opened its 15th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium by announcing its exciting, new online education system The Resource 24/7 Training Center allowing SIMA members to pursue official SIMA certification and continuing education from anywhere, and at any time. The 15th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium runs today through June 23, 2012 at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.

Off-season preparation is critical for an industry that hinges on rapid response and can make or break access for emergency responders. SIMA Certification via Resource 24/7 provides employers in the snow and ice industry with the employee training consistency to make their operation run smoothly and provide customers with the best possible service.

For property managers, using a SIMA Certified Snow Professional ensures a quality experience in snow and ice removal. For snow and ice business managers, the support for running a smooth and profitable snow and ice business remains just a few clicks away, using the SIMA Resource 24/7 system. As new techniques and technology are developed and practices streamline with new information, these industry best practices spread quickly through Resource 24/7 continuing education. The overall result is an industry that can operate with military precision to respond quickly to winter weather.

As SIMA celebrates 15 years of excellence, developing the best industry leaders in the snow and ice management industry, were proud to introduce a state-of-the-technology online classroom, explains Martin Tirado, CAE, executive director of SIMA. Our new online resources incorporate webinars, seminars, videos, documentation and more to educate to the standards of excellence for which SIMA is known. These are the men and women you want to rely on when the next big blizzard hits. Whether clearing access for hospital emergency room or clearing a parking lot to get business running again, we honor our role in creating one of the most efficient and critical of North American industries.

Resource 24/7 Available Any Time, Anywhere

The new online training and education system covers extensive online training in areas such as Administration, Ice Management, Operations, Safety & Equipment, Sales, Bidding & Marketing, Insurance, Contracts, & Legal, and Management & Leadership topics with interactive seminar and webinar resources, videos and more. In addition, Certificate and Certification program training, training kits on topics such as Snow Safety, and template contracts and forms will be available. In-depth training on topics such as contracts, operations, human resources, bidding, estimating and production will continue to raise the bar of service across North America. The new online education system can be accessed on the SIMA website at: <http://www.sima.org/resources>.

About SIMA

The Snow & Ice Management Association Inc. (SIMA) is a trade association for those who manage snow and ice. SIMA is the resource that raises awareness through networking and education.

Excerpt from:
The Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) Opens First Online Classroom Doors for Continuing Education

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKN092w1z3E

19-06-2012 19:57 This video was uploaded from an Android phone.

Original post:
Kid gets airborn on excercise ball! - Video

I have been using Advanced Web Rankings (AWR) within an agency environment for more than four years now. It has always worked very well to generate data for monthly reports and to perform keyword research and in-depth competitor analysis.

With the recent release of version 9.0, many new features have been added, including the benefit of link building aids that have never before been seen in the suite. It is now known as acomplete SEO software solution because it contains elements for link building as well Google Analytics integration, ranking, and social metrics.

If you have not yet acquired the new version, feel free to download the latest software so you can try out some of the features mentioned in this post. If you are new to AWR, you can try it freefor 30 days.

When selecting keywords to target within a campaign or choosing new keywords to include, keyword difficultly is always an important consideration. The more information you can collect from competitors websites, the better you can understand where your own site can go. By discovering new long tail opportunities that are relevant to your niche, you can end up securing a steady flow of targeted traffic to your site from multiple keyword variations, instead of just from one head term that everyone in your niche goes after.

AWR 9.0 features a new keyword difficulty tool that will give you a breakdown per keyword, search engine, and website so you can see where a specific keyword is tracked within the SERPs, and, more importantly, it will give you quality metrics that can indicate why a particular website may be seen as an authority source for that given keyword.

Metrics include: Domain Authority (DA), Page Authority (PA), Linking Root Domains (LRDs) to Page, and Linking Root Domains to Domain (SEOmoz link quality indicators):

Click to Expand

The main advantage of the above is you can quickly see the top 10 search results for any given keyword within your project. This allows a quick snapshot view of all the metrics in one table, plus you can generate nice looking charts to understand more about why your site (or a competitors site) may be ranking higher or lower than other websites for any given search query. You can also use the keyword discovery tool to research new terms and add them to your existing project.

Its often handy to see how a link profile looks visually. This can help you answer questions such as:

Go here to see the original:
Getting More Out of AWR (Advanced Web Rankings) in v9.0