January’s Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks features findings contributed by faculty researchers at six top institutions and solutions from Sloan-C’s collection of effective practices.

Newburyport, MA (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

As online education becomes pervasive, emerging research guides rapidly developing practice in online teaching and learning. The new issue of the Sloan Consortium’s (Sloan-C’s) Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, Volume 16.1, focuses on factors that increase student and faculty success online. Contributors to the January issue include faculty researchers from Cabrini College, Drexel University, the Pennsylvania State University, Rowan University, Texas Tech University, the University of Memphis and hundreds of institutions that have contributed to Sloan-C’s collection of effective practices.

Highlights from the January Issue of JALN

Positive perceptions of learning online are essential to student success, thus researchers seek evidence for practices that enhance perceptions. Katrina Meyers and Stephanie Jones examine student perspectives in "Graduate Students Rate Institutional Websites: The Must Have, Nice to Have, and Delighted to Have Services." In this study, students reveal what services they really want and use; what they want is not always what websites typically provide.

"Thought-leaders in Asynchronous Learning Environments," by Jim Waters, details the factors that affect how students view each other and themselves as leaders, via analysis of their contributions to online discussions. His insights explain how thought-leaders influence classmates and guide continuous course improvement.

Instructors also can motivate more proactive learning, according to Scott Warnock, Kenneth Bingham, Dan Driscoll, Jennifer Fromal, and Nicholas Rouse, whose “Early Participation in Asynchronous Writing Environments and Course Success,” shows that posting early in an online course is a “key behavior that allows students to be more engaged in the course material with a concomitant rise in their performance.”

"Reading Between the Lines of Online Course Evaluations: Predictable Actions that Improve Student Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness and Course Value," by Stephanie Jones, identifies specific factors that improve student perceptions of teaching effectiveness and value.

Evidence-based practice is also evolving for faculty and for institutions. Authors Paula Mae Bigatel, Lawrence C. Ragan, Shannon Kennan, Janet May, and Brian F. Redmond present phase one of a multi-phase research project: "The Identification of Competencies for Online Teaching Success" compares and evaluates factors for effective faculty professional development.

In a large scale study with data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey, “Enrollment in Distance Education Classes in 2008 is Associated with Fewer Enrollment Gaps Among Independent Undergraduate Students in the US," Manuel Cosmas Pontes and Nancy Marie Hurley Pontes confirm that “enrollment in distance education classes in 2008 is significantly related to a decreased likelihood of an enrollment gap among independent students but not among dependent students.” Institutions can do more to help the growing population of independent students succeed when they acknowledge the time- and place-restrictions that lead students to choose online education.

Janet C. Moore's "Synthesis of Sloan-C Effective Practices" provides solutions contributed by hundreds of institutions that are advancing education. The synthesis links directly to replicable practices that are based on Sloan-C's Five Pillars of Quality: learning effectiveness, scale, access, faculty satisfaction, and student satisfaction

About JALN

Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks (JALN), published by the Sloan Consortium, is a major source of knowledge about online education. The aim of the JALN is to describe original work in asynchronous learning networks (ALN), including experimental results. It is available online and in print. For more information, visit http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/jaln_main.

About Sloan-C

The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) is an institutional and professional leadership organization dedicated to integrating online education into the mainstream of higher education, helping institutions and individual educators improve the quality, scale, and breadth of education. For more information, visit http://www.sloanconsortium.org.

###

Janet Moore
Sloan-C
(401) 808-6635
Email Information

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Evidence-Based Practice Increases Success in Online Education, According to Research Presented in January Issue of ...

Those close to Sam Pagano wonder if there is room to cram anything more about football into his mind, life or daily routine. Even with an already-packed football portfolio, including 21 years as coach at Fairview High School in Boulder, Pagano now has to find room to keep track of the Indianapolis Colts.

That's because Chuck Pagano, Sam's older son, was recently named coach of the Colts. Sam Pagano is going to be more than just an interested observer. He's a grandfather, but he's not in any rocking chair when it comes to keeping up with his boys.

In Sam Pagano's case, the task is twofold. John Pagano, Sam's younger son, was recently named defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers.

"I stay abreast of what's going

University of Denver Men's Football Coach John Roning with Sam Pagano #68. Sam Pagano is the subject of a Colorado Classic column. He's a former coach at Fairview High School. His son Chuck Pagano as just named head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. John Leyba, The Denver Post

on with them," Pagano said. "I like to watch practice sessions, and my wife (Diana) and I have watched both of their teams quite a bit. When Chuck was coaching with the Baltimore Ravens, I was able to sit in on some of their team meetings. We look at it as showing support."

Sam Pagano's passion for football blossomed when he was at Pueblo Central High School and playing for Sollie Rasso. His high school coach was a mentor, and Sam carried Rasso's counseling with him throughout his career.

After Pueblo Central, Pagano continued his playing career at the University of Denver, where he was a linebacker and guard for coach John Roning. DU dropped football after the 1960 season, a year after Pagano departed.

"I went to the first tryout camp the Denver Broncos had out at Colorado School of Mines," Pagano said of his immediate time after college. "I tried out as a kicker but was cut before the first preseason game. I didn't get to wear the striped socks."

The first Broncos uniforms featured vertically striped socks that were widely ridiculed throughout pro football. With the quick exit from the Broncos camp, Pagano turned to his lifelong ambition. He had known from an early age that he wanted to coach. After assistant coaching stops at Adams State College in Alamosa and Boulder High School, Pagano moved to Fairview High School in 1969 as head coach.

While there, he coached both of his sons. Chuck Pagano went on to the University of Wyoming after high school, and John Pagano moved on to Mesa State in Grand Junction.

"It was easy coaching them in high school," Sam Pagano said. "I was involved more with the offense, and they both played quite a bit on defense. It was more nerve-wracking watching them playing in college."

While at Fairview, Sam Pagano helped develop one of the top programs in the state. The Knights won outright state championships in 1979 and 1987 and gained a co-championship with Westminster in 1978. Through the years, Pagano's Fairview team was known for its epic battles with coach Fred Tesone and Cherry Creek.

"It was a great rivalry," Pagano said. "The only problem was Fred won most of them, and he and Cherry Creek got most of the attention."

Tesone called the Fairview game the toughest on Creek's schedule.

"I couldn't sleep the whole week before the Fairview game," he said.

Pagano got his reward in 1987 when the Knights beat the Bruins in the state championship game. Pagano left the football coaching job after the 1989 season and retired from teaching in 1994. His final coaching record was 164-58-4, a mark he attributes to great players and assistant coaches. Two years before he retired from teaching, he joined the growing hotbed for American coaches teaching American football in Europe. His first stop was Bergamo, Italy, and his team in 1994 went 14-1 and was runner-up in the Italian Super Bowl.

"I was ready for something different, and I really wanted to coach in Europe," he said. "We had some language problems, but a lot of the players spoke English, and we got along that way."

After a coaching stop in Taipei, Pagano returned to Europe and coached in Germany and France. He returned to Bergamo in 2002 and closed out his coaching career with a 16-0 team and the Eurobowl Championship.

"I had enough," Pagano said of his tenure. "I still go to Fairview games when I can."

The pace will pick up this fall. His game plan now is scheduling the best times to be in cities such as San Diego and Indianapolis to watch his sons' teams play. And maybe there will be a weekend that Fairview's schedule fills an opening.

After all, one of the country's top football coaching families is headquartered right here in Colorado.

Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com

Pagano bio

Born: Jan. 2, 1938, in Pueblo

High School: Pueblo Central

College: University of Denver

Family: Wife Diana, daughters Connie, Cathy (deceased), Carrie, Jennifer; sons Chuck, John.

Hobbies: Walking, meeting with friends.

On the schedule: Watching a college game at West Point and the Naval Academy.

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Sam Pagano set standard for family's rich coaching legacy

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30-01-2012 18:22 Please remember that I am only on here trying to get everyone female and male to eat better and exercise more. My dream is that we may be able to live 90-100 percent medicine free just by changing our eating and exercising habits. Is there any charge for helping you no way helping others should always be free xxx Please don't forget to eat raw organic fruit (focusing on the fruit) vegetables (especially dark leafy greens) nuts and seeds Also Exercise two hours or two miles a day everyday I was hacked on both my channels so protect yourselves my youtube friends

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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health abs dancing Have a great night 001 - Video

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Health Net Federal Services, LLC, part of the Government Contracts segment of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT - News) and the UCLA School of Public Health announced the health literacy social media program, T2X, is available to all cyber-savvy teens nationwide and Health Net Federal Services wants to ensure teens from military families are included.

The T2X website, http://www.t2x.me, offers a teen-only community of users, with teen and professionally produced content, competitions, games, quizzes, blogs, video sharing and other interactive and participatory communication methods. The site covers lifestyle issues for teens including: nutrition, fitness, stress management and substance abuse. Until recently, the program was previously limited to its study testing phase.

“It’s tough being a teenager today. It can be even tougher for those in military families, as they face unique challenges when a parent or loved one serves and is deployed and redeployed. The T2X program is a cutting-edge tool for teens to not only find support through the emotional cycles of deployment but also find the information to help them live a healthy and fulfilling life,” said Tom Carrato, president of Health Net Federal Services. “T2X empowers teens to take responsibility and become invested in their own health care and well-being.”

The T2X project was created as a result of a partnership between Health Net, Inc., UCLA School of Public Health and EPG Technologies. It was funded by a $1.1 million NIH research grant that tested whether an online social network would increase teens’ capacity to access and use their insurance, become more engaged in their health care and health behavior decisions, and develop pro-health attitudes.

On the T2X website, teens have access to:

Chat online with health experts and ask questions about sensitive health topics that they may not be comfortable discussing with their physician Learn how to access health services Intelligent SMS campaign that allows teens to text keywords to a designated number and receive customized content back to their mobile devices Participate in health-oriented social networking through blogs, videos and other transmedia tools

The transmedia component of T2X is extremely unique as the project is the first of its kind to explore the effectiveness of this intervention. “Transmedia” is telling different parts of a story using different types of media, which provides opportunities for participants to get deeper into the story, topic and characters, eventually putting the story together into a coherent whole. Engaging the T2X community through transmedia storytelling may make issues related to health care literacy more relevant and engaging for teens as they transition into adulthood.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to engage the T2X community through transmedia storytelling to make issues related to health care literacy more relevant and engaging for teens as they transition into adulthood,” said Deborah Glik, professor for the UCLA School of Public Health and another one of the study’s collaborators.

For younger children, Health Net Federal Services offers a series of kids’ journals to help military children make sense of complex emotions during difficult times. My Life, a kid’s journal, is for children with a parent or loved one who is deployed. My Life Continued is for children who have lost a parent or loved one who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. My Life As I Move is for children who are embarking on yet another Permanent Change of Station (PCS). The journals are free and available to download.

About Health Net

Health Net Federal Services, a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc., has a long history of providing cost-effective, quality managed health care programs for government agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. As the managed care support contractor for the TRICARE North Region, Health Net provides health care services to approximately 3.0 million uniformed services beneficiaries, active and retired, and their families. In addition, Health Net provides quality, cost-effective health care solutions for veterans, as well as behavioral health services for active duty service members, veterans and their families. Visit Health Net at http://www.healthnet.com, http://www.hnfs.com and http://www.facebook.com/healthnetfederalservices.

About The UCLA School of Public Health

The UCLA School of Public Health is dedicated to enhancing the public’s health by conducting innovative research; training future leaders and health professionals; translating research into policy and practice; and serving local, national and international communities. For more information, visit http://www.ph.ucla.edu.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50150559&lang=en

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50150559&lang=en

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Health Net’s & UCLA’s Health Literacy Social Media Program Opens to All Teens Nationwide

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Endomondo, the social fitness network that turns the mobile phone into a full-fledged personal trainer and training partner, announced today the launch of its new line of performance sportswear for running and cycling.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120126/MM42999LOGO)

Created with the critically and commercially acclaimed Danish designer, David Andersen, the stylish new Endomondo sportswear line is aimed precisely at those people who are committed to fitness and peak performance, and want to share their dedication with others—just as Endomondo helps them achieve. The line is designed to build a bridge with this motivated market, and enables other Endomondo users to identify their fellow enthusiasts. In using the Endomondo app, they can share their experiences and spur each other onward.

The enticing new Endomondo sportswear line provides Andersen's creative graphics, coupled with the perfect fit and most innovative materials for athletic performance. The eye-catching looks are combined with the collection's major feature, the ability to wick away moisture and sweat and keep competitors dry when competing and exercising.

Highlights of the collection include:

Stylish running jackets ensuring that the user looks great whether jogging slowly or chasing a new personal best Running tights and pants with several functional details Shorts and tank tops for use in the gym or for running on a warm Summer day

In addition to the performance sportswear, the collection features casual styles for both women and men, such as yoga pants, hoodies, T-shirts and polo shirts.

"When I was approached to design a sportswear collection for Endomondo, I immediately became invested and excited to be a part of this project," said David Andersen. "This opportunity allowed me to build an innovative product, create a new form, use dynamic textiles and take on an exciting challenge with a new way of thinking. I look forward to introducing it on the runway in Copenhagen and seeing it transform the performance of athletes."

David Andersen's work is represented in 12 countries across Europe, and is entering the markets in Japan and the U.S. Known for pushing the boundaries to the limit and experimenting with different shapes and textures, David brings a profound passion for architecture, music and museums as inspirations for his designs. His fashions are currently worn by such celebrities as the Crown Princess of Denmark, Paris Hilton and Diddy (Sean Combs).

"We are thrilled to collaborate with a designer of David's caliber for our new sportswear line," said Mette Lykke, co-founder of Endomondo. "Endomondo is all about making sports and exercise more fun, motivating and social. Now we're translating that philosophy to sportswear that is not only functional, but highly fashionable for high performance results."

The Endomondo collection will debut at Copenhagen Fashion Week, taking place February 1-5. The pieces will be available to order from Endomondo's webshop at store.endomondo.com in the spring.

About Endomondo
Launched in September 2008, Endomondo Sports Tracker turns the mobile phone into a full-fledged personal trainer and a social training partner. The app can be used for running, cycling, walking and all other distance-based outdoor sports. Using GPS, the app tracks route, distance, duration, split times, calorie consumption and more while providing audio feedback on performance. The app offers a full history of workouts, as well as social features that allow users to compete with friends without giving up flexibility. The app also supports heart rate monitors on most handsets. 

Endomondo.com incorporates the social community where users can challenge friends and share results. Endomondo Sports Tracker has 7 million users with exponential growth. Being available on seven mobile platforms (iOS, Android, RIM, Symbian, Windows Phone, Windows Mobile, Java), the app supports almost all GPS phones. It is the highest rated app of its kind in several of the biggest app stores. 

For more information, please visit http://www.endomondo.com and follow @Endomondo on Twitter.

Media Contacts:
Jim Llewellyn, for Endomondo
(323) 810-7685
Mette Lykke, Co-founder of Endomondo
+45 3076 1290

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Endomondo Introduces Performance Sportswear Collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week

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Audiobook: The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success Andy Andrews - Video

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26-08-2011 04:41 http://www.mikepagan.com Motivational Speaker - Mike Pagan Having the attention span of a gnat meant that conventional learning methods never really worked for me -- prescribed theoretical transfer of information in a lecturing style just switched me off -- I have always fared better when I role my sleeves up, learning through involvement truly experiencing the subject not just being told about it. Knowing and understanding how best we learn and improve ourselves is so important for everything from further education to, skills development and career progression -- what gets you fully engaged? Motivational Speaker - Mike Pagan http

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Keeping In Touch - Experiential Learning - Motivational Speaker - Business Speaker - Video

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30-01-2012 18:50 http://www.vanas.ca Vancouver Animation School is at the forefront of Online Education. We are devoted to educate aspiring artists in the diverse disciplines that form the Animation, Film and Game Industries by delivering excellent programs for entrance and career advancement.

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School Video Tour - Vancouver Animation School - Video

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InfiCraft 1.1 Minecraft Mod - Video

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Online education and career information website SuperScholar published its first annual "Smart Choice" ranking of the top 25 online colleges and universities for undergraduate degrees for 2012. The ranking can be found at http://www.superscholar.org/best-online-colleges/.

SuperScholar editors developed the "Smart Choice" ranking as a tool to help prospective students make a smart choice about where to invest in their education. The ranking helps fill a void in quality, unbiased rankings and reviews of online colleges and universities that offer distance learning. In order to be considered for inclusion in the ranking an institution had to be a regionally accredited college or university listed in the National Center for Education Statistics database and offer online bachelor degree programs in multiple disciplines (specialty schools focused on a narrow range of subjects were excluded). Schools that passed this initial screening process were then ranked by editors based on each school's perceived market credibility and prestige, academic quality, support for students, and student satisfaction.

Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts earned the honor of the top "Smart Choice" university for an online degree. Other ranked schools include (in alphabetical order):

Arizona State University (ASU Online) Colorado Christian University Colorado State University Global Campus Drexel University Dusquesne University Immaculata University Kansas State University LeTourneau University Oregon State University eCampus Ottawa University Penn State World Campus Portland State University Regis University Robert Morris University Saint Leo University Southern New Hampshire University University of Cincinnati University of Illinois at Chicago University of Massachusetts (UMassOnline) University of Minnesota-Crookston University of the Incarnate Word Upper Iowa University Washington State University Western Governors University

SuperScholar.org is a college and career website offering inspiring ideas and useful career advice for lifelong learners and connecting them to quality educational opportunities to further their educational and career goals. The editors of SuperScholar understand that all college rankings have their limitations and recommends that their rankings be used a general guide and not a final determining factor in choosing a school. For more information, visit http://www.superscholar.org.

Media Contact:

James Arney, Senior Editor
Email: editor@superscholar.org
Phone: 609-778-4043

Address:
SuperScholar
333 W. Olmos Drive, Suite 144
San Antonio TX 78212

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

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First Annual 'Smart Choice' Rankings of the Best Online Colleges and Universities in 2012 Published by SuperScholar.org