The Net Generation and E-textbooks

The traditional college student of today is part of the Net Generation who has been raised in an era of instant access. Their communication and learning is complemented by the Internet, a major influence on this cohort (Roberts, 2005). The regular method of contact is text messaging, instant messaging and cell phones. Learning methods for the Net Generation includes Internet tools such as Web-CT, Blackboard, online courses, online journals and i-pod downloads. Students were surveyed for their attitudes on using and learning with e-textbooks. Their views depict the changing attitudes towards media as precipitated by network connectivity popular with this generation

The Study of Pedagogical Practice of Mobile Learning in Russia

The analysis of Russian and International experience of mobile learning is given in the article, the components of mobile learning (mobile devices, net technologies, pedagogical technologies) are revealed, pedagogical conditions of introduction of mobile learning in practice of Russian school are formulated. The special attention is paid to importance of the use of mobile learning under conditions of transfer to the new educational standards, because the use of mobile devices at the lessons develops in pupils the ability to work with information, interact with a teacher and other pupils in net. It is demonstrated, that mobile learning is oriented on the attainment of meta-subject educational results, favors the formation of ability to study during the whole life. The existing practice of mobile learning (inverted lesson, park lesson, distant courses and so on) are analyzed. The importance of pedagogical technologies, oriented on the wide independent work of the pupils is proved. The prospects of further studies on this problem are described, the necessity of specialized training of teachers to the use of mobile learning at school is proved, the list of topics for the study in the system of qualification improvement of the teachers and forms of the work with them is given: webinars, qualification improvement courses and also informal improvement of qualification in net communities (blogs)

UCL (University College London) Libraries Masterplan: Library Report to Estates Management Committee January 2008

This document is a Report from UCL Library Services to UCL on Master Planning activities and outputs which have been undertaken to quantify use and development of estate in UCL Library Services. Prioritised options have been identified for the UCL Main and Science Libraries, and for a new central site option. This work has also addressed the needs of UCL for long-term offsite storage, which concludes that UCL needs to retain its facility at Wickford for at least the next ten years

Putting a Price Tag on the Common Core: How Much Will Smart Implementation Cost?

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts and mathematics represent a sea change in standards-based reform and their implementation is the movement's next -- and greatest -- challenge. Yet, while most states have now set forth implementation plans, these tomes seldom address the crucial matter of cost. Putting a Price Tag on the Common Core: How Much Will Smart Implementation Cost? estimates the implementation cost for each of the forty-five states (and the District of Columbia) that have adopted the Common Core State Standards and shows that costs naturally depend on how states approach implementation. Authors Patrick J. Murphy of the University of San Francisco and Elliot Regenstein of EducationCounsel LLC illustrate this with three models

Supporting the N Gen learner by integrating e-resources within a university VLE

E-learning has become an integral part of many students learning experience. Over the last three years the availability of e-books and e-journals has increased dramatically and in many higher education libraries there has been a steady movement from print to electronic materials. At Bournemouth University over 50% of the total Library budget is now spent on electronic resources. In some Schools within the University it is in the region of 70 %. The ways in which students are using the resources are changing. In 2005, the number of electronic downloads from databases, e-books and e-journals, far exceeded the number of books borrowed. Statistics gathered from the Athens authentication service make it clear that many students access the resources remotely, and some rarely visit the Library. In 2005 Bournemouth University decided to implement a single VLE across the University and following many discussions and an extensive tendering process Blackboard was selected. The aim was to approach the potential of Blackboard from the perspective of our learners and so chose the unit of study as our standard for integration, which is the equivalent of a course in Blackboard. Thus the focus was on providing the materials where they would be most accessible to the students. The first phase of the implementation, involving the roll-out of the Blackboard to four Schools, presented an opportunity to review the Library provision and identify what could be done better at the unit level. There were several areas which had presented challenges for some time, namely the provision of reading lists, management of the Short Loan Collection and the storage of past exam papers. Implementing Blackboard gave us an ideal opportunity to address these problems. This paper will look at what has been done in these areas, and how the use of Blackboard can be tied in with the information skills sessions already being delivered by the Library Subject Teams and materials already available on the Library web page. It will also consider the second phase of the implementation and the opportunities it will present

A blended approach in teaching an EAP course: Malaysian instructors’ perceptions of the new course materials

This paper reports on a study which examines instructors’ perceptions of the new commercial course materials that comprises a course book and online practice reinforcement activities. The materials were used to teach undergraduate English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course for Social Sciences at a Malaysian public university. This represents the main facet of the blended approach introduced when the course was redesigned. The sample comprises ten instructors who taught the course for one semester. Three qualitative instruments were utilized to elicit data namely, instructor-researcher reflective notes, focus group discussion and one-to-one interviews. The results of the study were generally positive, however, two main concerns were raised. The first was regarding the difficulty level of the reading comprehension activities in the course book which majority of the instructors felt were too simple and not challenging enough for their students. The second was on internet connectivity to the online practice website which the instructors felt was too slow and was unable to support the students efficiently. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings and provides suggestions for the next cycle of the researc