Summer hiatus

Hi all,

I hope you have enjoyed my rantings, ravings, and job postings, but I will be taking a break from the blog for about a month. I am traveling and have a few projects in the works that need my attention. I'm hoping to be back late July/early August.

If you'd like to get in touch with me, feel free to use the links on the right.

Best,

Robert

6/16/2013 MOOC Update

At the moment I am actively taking the following MOOCs:

• Coursera: Internet History, Technology, and Security - The course is very heavy with videos from the instructor, Dr. Charles Severance, containing interviews, lectures, and the occasional office hours. The quizzes are multiple choice, and are fairly easy once you watch the videos. There is a peer graded assignment that was just posted for extra credit. I was thinking of joining their Signature Track, but thought against it, since this isn't a core part of my career. 
• Udacity: How to Build a Startup - Fairly straightforward entrepreneur course (as 'straight' as it could possibly be) that seems to rely on products the instructor is familiar with, namely his own. While he says they're not necessary the two texts he recommends are The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company (his own), and Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers.

Thinking about the Udacity course, I actually like this model of having a free MOOC that you can take on its own, but suggesting students buy the instructor's/institution's text. It allows people to take these courses for free, provides some kind of income for the instructor and MOOC provider, and if students buy the book they get something 'physical' out of the course.

Online courses: Only for those who can pay for it?

Teaching online courses I've encountered many student issues dealing with technology. From using the right browser, to understanding the LMS. The most persistent problem though was not with specific programs or websites, but basic connectivity. A good number of my students were stealing wifi to take their online course! Those that weren't either had basic internet, or were going to places where it was free.

So I wasn't surprised when reading this article from Mercury News about high-school students taking online courses, that their biggest issue was students having internet access at home. From the article:

It turned out some of the low-income teens didn't have computers and high-speed Internet connections at home that the online course required. Many needed personal attention to make it through. The final results aren't in yet, but the experiment exposed some challenges to the promise of a low-cost online education. And it showed there is still a divide between technology-driven educators and the low-income, first-generation college hopefuls they are trying to reach.

 With the drive to put more courses online, there's always an assumption of connectivity to the Internet. In my experience, a good portion of high needs students don't have this connectivity, and thus won't view these courses as a viable path. The reason for this lack of connectivity? In my view, cost.

There are numerous studies and papers showing that the U.S. pays more for their internet than comparable countries. By keeping these costs up, telecommunications companies won't just slow innovation, reduce our competition, and limit the internet-based products and services we have, but also education. With MOOCs, CCSS testing prep, and more online courses, the demand for faster, stable, and wide reaching internet services will only multiply and grow. Having a low-cost option would enable everyone to take part in the unequivocal revolutions that are happening within education. Hopefully, someone will take up the torch and offer nationwide wifi with new spectrum. Hopefully.

Job lead: Manager of Online Instructional Course Development

I was contacted by a recruiter looking to fill a Manager of Online Instructional Course Development position in the New York area. You should have at least a familiarity with technology enough to know online communities and resources. Math content knowledge is the most important of the position. This position is a kind of project manager and lead to implement the program and build the online library. If you want more details, feel free to contact me at robert.weston.82@gmail.com.

Job Opportunity: Math Academic Content Expert (Union Square)

Saw this ad and thought you all might be interested: Math Academic Content Expert (Union Square). I know as much as the ad says, and am not affiliated with the poster. Good luck! via craigslist new york | all jobs search "math" at June 09, 2013 at 09:34AM