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All Kinds of Learning for All Kinds of People

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Check out the video above to learn more about the benefits of participating in competitions and experiential applied learning.

This year, Pearson sponsored the 2012 Annual American Marketing Association (AMA) International Collegiate Conference and Case Competition. This is the 34th year of the AMA Collegiate Conference, which saw over 1,400 students compete in competitions that tested their marketing, sales, and business skills in a variety of ways. During the case competition, AMA collegiate chapters were presented with possible real-world marketing problems. Pearson executives judged and critiqued their presentations.

Students analyzed the problem, researched solutions, and created a cohesive Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plan that addressed hypothetical marketing problems. Forty-eight reports were submitted from collegiate chapters around North America and the top 10 were selected to present their IMC plan to Pearson judges at the conference. The 25 minute presentations consisted of in-depth overview of the of their situational analysis, market research, target markets, strategic positioning, and execution of their marketing tactics followed by questions from the Pearson judge panel.

The case competition experience challenged students to use their strategic thinking skills, apply their skills to a hypothetical situation, and give them insight into the world of marketing.

The top ten finalists presented as if they represented top agencies and were pitching to a client. After a full day of presentations, judges found it was difficult to rank the top chapters because of the thoroughness of analysis and professionalism exhibited from all groups. The team from the British Columbia Institute of Technology took first place for their well developed plan and pristine presentation skills. Following in second place was University of Pennsylvania, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, and University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. In third place were Aurora University, Hofstra University, Portland State University, Southern Connecticut State University, Texas State University – San Marcos, and the University of Arizona.

Congratulations to all Case Competition top finalists, competitors, and conference attendees!

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Posted in Student Perspective, Student Success | 1 Comment »

Howard Gardner and Understanding Different Learning Styles

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

The average class size in the United States is over twenty students; which means that in every class, there exist students who exhibit their own unique style of learning.  When it comes to learning, as you know, one size does not fit all. Do you implement Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory in your classroom?

Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence

It was once believed that when you were born, you were a blank slate and could be taught to learn different things in a variety of ways. It wasn’t until 1983, when Howard Gardner’s book Frames Of Mind was published, that people began to accept the existence of seven distinct intelligence types.  Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory identifies seven distinct intelligences that come from students having different minds and therefore learning in unique ways. He has identified seven main intelligences, and explains that within each person lies a combination of learning styles, but theorizes that most students seem to favor one or more types over others.  Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences are: linguistic, logical, musical, bodily, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.

Classrooms that facilitate the theory of Multiple Intelligences are unique.  Teachers provide content in a variety of ways, allowing for students to determine which way of learning works best for them and to see how other children learn, adapting to other learning styles as they progress.

Let’s take a look at these intelligences and the types of students that may be found in your classroom.  Keep in mind, this list is not meant to be a “catch all” categorization under which all students fall.  Instead, think of it as a crude roadmap to the human brain.

Linguistic

As teachers, we wish that all students loved reading- however that is not the case. Linguistic learners display a strong interest in reading, writing, and communicating. You may find this type of learner glued to a book or notebook, or showing a strong interest in foreign languages.

Logical

Logic puzzles are a wonderful tool to incorporate in your classroom for the student who has an exceptional ability to reason and problem solve.  These students are often exemplary in mathematics-based subjects.

Musical

Musical intelligence, obviously, means a student has the ability to understand and express himself or herself through music.  You won’t have to try hard to find these students, as they may naturally gravitate toward band, choir, and other musical pursuits.  Their minds are stimulated by harmonious sound and rhythm (even that found in poetry), and that is something that can be harnessed in the classroom.

Bodily/Kinesthetic

What do the star athlete, the surgeon, and the dancer have in common? All three exhibit bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. They all prefer to, or are inclined to, use physicality to express their understanding.

Spatial

A daydreamer may simply be a student who exhibits spatial intelligence. They think in pictures and are able to visualize a problem, situation, or story, and less eager to express their understanding in the writing or verbally.  Try to harness this special kind of intelligence—students who are able to see the big picture can prove incredibly valuable as leaders, and in teamwork activities.

Interpersonal

Students with interpersonal intelligence are said to be “people-smart”, possessing the ability to communicate with others and understand their emotions. As a teacher, you have likely honed your interpersonal skills, as you are tasked with understanding a classroom full of students with unique emotions and needs.

Intrapersonal

The intrapersonal student may be perceived as an introvert, but probably has a good understanding of his or her own self, which is a valuable skill in and of itself.  This learner tends to be goal-oriented.

How to reach these students

With so many different learners, how is it possible to reach each student? As a teacher, you must accept that you are not going to reach every student in exactly the way that he or she needs.  What you can do is work to employ a variety of tactics and lesson tools in order to give students options. For example, in additional to a traditional assessment, you can provide an alternative assessment that allows them to build a portfolio or express their knowledge of the subject through a non-traditional format, such as a spoken exam.  To get started, assess your (and your students’) learning style at:

http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

Why personalize learning?

A personalized learning approach empowers students to want to take control of their education.  As providers of highly-customized learning solutions, we understand the importance of creating a learning environment in which all students have the opportunity to thrive.

Check out these resources to learn more about Howard Gardner’s theory, and about implementing Multiple Intelligences in your classroom instruction:

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html

Join the conversation: How does your school cater to different learning styles? Are you currently using customized learning tools or innovative approaches?

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Navigating the Online Classroom

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Friday, January 27th, 2012

Do you have a unique strategy or success story that you’d like to tell us about related to online learning? We’d love to hear what works, what doesn’t work, and what tools or methods you’re using to help your students be successful online students.  We may even invite you to submit a blog post about your idea!

Here, instructor Meredith Carpenter explores the idea that online learning can be an overwhelming experience for some students, and discusses a simple “checklist” approach that she uses in guiding her students through their online coursework, and in helping them navigate the various components of the online course.

“The Checklist”

Meredith Carpenter
Instructor, Business & Entrepreneurship; Haywood Community College

Often the opportunities and complexities of online learning have us asking ourselves if we are giving our students information overload. Many times it can feel like a catch-22 to try and present information in a variety of ways to reach a variety of learning styles to online students. This may leave you asking students to read a chapter (visual learners), listen to a video lecture (auditory learners) and work through a case study (kinesthetic learners), all before they take a quiz or test.

The very components of online learning like flexibility in deadlines and the ability to self-pace are the very things that serve as pitfalls to some students as they juggle all of these assignments. This leaves instructors just as overwhelmed as the students as they wade through excuses and pleas for deadline extensions. However, there is hope!

Tried and true methodologies from the classroom can carry over into the distance learning environment, just in a different way. If you present multiple chapter or module assignments to students at one time with the same deadline, try giving them a checklist. Just as you would begin a class by informing students what they can expect for the next hour, begin each module by laying out the order students should complete their tasks and assignments. Provide boxes they can check (use the bullet option in Word and simply pick a square bullet) as they go down the list, and save the checklist as a PDF so they cannot accidently alter the document. Assure students that if they simply print off the check sheet before starting each module, they can’t go wrong! This will instill self-confidence in the students, help them get in the habit of taking accountability for their time management skills, and reduce the number of desperate emails in your inbox.

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Posted in Online Learning | 3 Comments »

Keeping Students Engaged over the “Ho Ho Hum” Holidays

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Jean Finley, Instructor, Business Computer Technologies Department Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

If anyone understands the need to stay focused during the Fall and Winter holidays, it’s me.

For the past 20+ years my husband and I have owned a holiday tree farm. When the season is jolly for others, I’m busy teaching a full schedule, advising students, shopping, attending parties, and helping with the retail/whole sale business.

A few tested methods for keeping online class motivation UP during the holidays (and few ideas still to be tested) are listed here for your enjoyment and for your sanity!

1) Students do notice simple gestures, so go ahead and change that background to a fall or wintery scene! Font colors are easy to work with and only take a few minutes to update.

2) Design the class environment to be an inviting space where students feel welcome. A place they want to be and will add to their “favorites” list.

3) Dress professionally and seasonally. You are the teacher, and your tone and mood can go a long way to determine the mood of your students!

4) ‘Tis the season to make a difference in a student’s life – Be attentive, schedule time to help students, answer all questions and make sure they understand your answers.

5) Build relationships – tell students in person or in writing that you appreciate the time and effort they are putting into learning the course material.

6) Keep students in the loop – share with students what you have read over the weekend. This lets students know you are interested in the material you are teaching.

7) Be excited about the season and subject. The goal here is to come across as an informed person, but also a well-rounded one! You’re not just a robot spitting out information from cyberspace—show them your human side and get festive for the holidays.

8) Be passionate about what you’re teaching. Your tone will tell students you genuinely enjoy teaching.

9) Smile!

10) Be energetic – enthusiasm is contagious. It is also a lot harder for students to lose interest if the instructor has energy.

11) ‘Tis the season of giving, so do give students a break. Discretely give students a bit more time to do assignments, but then make sure it is clear that you will not grant extensions again.

12) Stand out by doing more than the average teacher is expected to do. For example, e-mail the students that did not turn in their assignments.

13) Go out of your way to build camaraderie with your class by showing an interest in the well-being of the class, and the students as individuals. The students will repay you with like interest in the class material.

Nothing is better than taking on-line classes with an instructor you know really cares and wants you to learn and succeed in life.

14) Be realistic about your time – If you know you’re going to be busy, plan ahead. Complete assignments before things get too crazy so you don’t fall behind.

15) You may lose students who are not getting enough sleep during this season in particular. Demands are high during the holidays, and this can lead to stress (on your end and on theirs!) Encourage students to get enough rest and schedule down time.

16) Celebrate student successes!

A short non-offensive holiday joke is okay if you are fairly sure everyone will smile.

I’d love to hear from other teachers who have holiday teaching tips! Feel free to add to this list of ideas to help other instructors with “stayin’ alive” during the holidays! Submit your comments below.

Happy Holidays, in advance!

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Posted in Student Success | 7 Comments »

Do No Harm? No, Do Good!

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

By Dr. Jeff Borden

Over the past decade, I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to “e”-vangelizing online education. As such, I obviously look for as many supportive, research based sources as I can to perpetuate the idea of web-based, distance education. So, I remember well when the “No Significant Difference” paper came out and even rejoiced as the “Beyond No Significant Difference” research was published, showing that online learning is indeed BETTER than on-ground in some contexts and for some students.

But I think everyone does that to some degree with their profession, no? It gets old simply defending the same old, tired arguments against people with hidden agendas or who are unequipped with credible points. For example, part of the Hippocratic Oath is, “Never Do Harm…” Wow, talk about focusing on the negative! I have a friend who is a physician. He often laments about how frustrated he gets that the only stories about the medical field involve solutions that don’t exist yet (like a bionic heart, for example), or – more often, about something really bad that has happened at the hands of a nurse or doctor.

But it got me thinking about education. I get constructive criticism…I’m a speech teacher after all. In fact, I think education, more than most other professions, is all about criticism. It’s what educators do.  So, as education has come under fairly heavy attack over the past few years, I guess it is to be expected that the critics become the criticized. From pundits to news anchors, the focus is on anything from unhappy students to unhappy parents to unhappy accreditors to unhappy government officials to lower test scores to underprepared / under-employable graduates, and on and on.

However, as we all get ready for a well-earned respite, I think it’s important to reflect on much more than what is so constantly attacked. We should take at least a small amount of time to reflect on successes, or heck, even to celebrate! I’d like to share 3 stories that (I feel) reflect the importance and value of what we do. Not one of these is “my” story – I have heard all of them from speakers at various conferences, on blogs, or news reports, but they are worth sharing:

– A woman, we’ll call her Mary, was interested in going back to school. Her kids were in school full time and they could use the extra income. Her husband however, a very controlling man, was not as “into” it as she was. But she signed up for nursing classes anyway. She made sacrifices, some of which really bothered her husband, but she made it to her final year. That was when the ultimatum came. “Drop out of school or else…” “Or else what?” she wondered. But she stayed enrolled and soon found out what he meant.

Her husband followed her to school and watched from his car. When she emerged from a night class, he got out, ran up to her, and attacked her and some of her fellow students. The police were called, but the husband fled and Mary didn’t know what to do. She and her kids found shelter in a halfway house, but she continued going to school. (The local sheriff even posted guards outside of her classrooms as the husband kept sending threatening notes telling her to quit school and make their family “whole” again.) One day, again after class, the husband apparently followed Mary to the halfway house, broke in that night, and again beat her. And again, he escaped the police. She would have to move with her kids, receive a new identity and hope her husband did not find her…

All seemed lost until one of Mary’s instructors had an idea. Why not move, do whatever was necessary with regard to an identity, but finish her degree online? Keep in mind, this was a few years ago and online nursing was fairly paradigm-shifting. But that is exactly what happened. The faculty started teaching online classes, Mary got her degree, she started a new life as a nurse and a single mom, she had a great-paying job, and she never looked back. Education changed everything for Mary and her kids.

– Or how about the Metzger kids? Arielle and Austin Metzger, whose story of homelessness and living in a van with their dad was chronicled on 60 Minutes (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500188_162-57336132/homeless-teens-on-60-minutes-get-free-college/) were given full ride scholarships to Stetson University. Older sister Arielle (an honors student at a high school in Florida) and younger brother Austin’s lives will be changed forever. The statistics are well documented around education and income and these two kids, with an amazing outlook on life, are being given the gift of knowledge, critical thinking, networking, and higher wage employment.

– Finally, the last story I’d like to pass on is one of my favorite education stories from my education hero, Sir Ken Robinson. You can hear the story (and a LOT more great content) on the TED website: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Gillian Lynne was a troubled student as a kid. She was quite fidgety, her homework was consistently late, and she had poor grades. This pattern followed her through elementary and middle school until finally a school counselor said to her mother that she likely had a learning disorder. Upon taking her to a specialist however, Gillian’s mother was told that it was not in fact a learning disorder, but that she was simply a kinesthetic learner. More specifically, the specialist told her mother to take Gillian to a dance school. And guess what? In that environment, Gillian thrived. She of course learned and practiced dance quite regularly, but all of a sudden, other subjects became significantly easier as well. As those educators took Gillian by the hand and developed a curriculum that allowed her to both move AND learn, she flourished. And what did that exceptional personalized environment do?

Gillian went on to perform for the Royal Ballet company, which led to introductions with people like Andrew Lloyd Weber. She later founded her own dance company and began choreographing work that almost everyone has heard of, if not seen. She choreographed Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and even won awards for her choreography of the television series, “The Muppet Show!” In other words, education not only changed her life, but has given pleasure to millions – both young and old alike.

These three stories are just examples. My hope is that they give some measure of inspiration, but my greater hope is that they help every educator out there remember their own, personal stories. I’m guessing you have a handful of students who you have helped get on with the business of living through education. How amazing, don’t you think? We are in the business of life – of getting others to live well, to live prosperously, and to live an enlightened existence. Not many people get to say that.

So as you take some time off over the holidays and before the next term starts, take a minute to reflect on the most wonderful gift I can think of. The gift of education. Good luck and good teaching.

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A Pearson Tribute to Steve Jobs

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

Education and technology are inextricably connected, and as such, it is with great sadness and respect that we at Pearson pay tribute to the man who made a “dent in the universe” in so many ways—Steve Jobs.

It is nearly impossible to find an area of modern life that hasn’t in some way been touched by the technology pioneered at Apple—from the ease with which we can turn vision into reality through a few simple clicks in an editing program, to the availability of so much inspiring music in tiny, downloadable bytes. And let’s not forget about education. Thanks to the genius of Jobs, who shunned a formal education and dropped out of college, the students of today’s world are more connected than ever before with their teachers and with each other—and the role of a teacher is evolving from someone who instructs in a classroom for a few hours a week on a specific subject, to a truly available and accessible mentor (in any form) whose wisdom and insights are accessible in countless forums and mediums. This is, perhaps the way it should be. Jobs’ own education was not one derived from within the confines of a school, and the knowledge he absorbed came from the world around him and from the diverse people he met on his life journey.

The technology of Jobs’ empire has opened the floodgates of education, providing access to the online world and beyond for many who are otherwise isolated. We’re reminded of this by an article published in Florida in which a parent thanks Jobs for the impact his technology had on her son, an autistic child who, although he does not talk, uses Apple’s iPad to communicate. “You have given us hope we thought we would never have.” said the grateful parent.

It was Jobs’ ability to legitimately challenge convention and dogmatic thinking that has made him an icon, and a legend. Apple has come to symbolize freedom of expression, the constant generation of ideas, and the awesome power of uninhibited learning. Jobs solidified the notion that we are all perpetually students and teachers in life. He gave us Apple and showed that we all have something very valuable to give each other…the proverbial apple.

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Learning and the Academic Paradigm Shift

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Paradigm: a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly: a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind

Pearson eCollege’s Jeff Borden’s article “The Future of Online Learning” from eLearn Magazine touches on the notion of the paradigm shift—that often-cited, albeit not- really-understood (until it hits you in the face) phenomenon in which your world is disrupted, and you are never able to see things through the same lens again. To illustrate, think about the nature of your world-view when you were ten, and the nature of your world view now. Things probably (hopefully!) look and feel a lot different. Various factors contribute to this shift, but at the forefront of the change is human development and ultimately, education.

Speaking of education, what about the switch from traditional classroom and textbook-based learning to e-learning and multimedia forums that Jeff Borden aptly describes? This trend has caused quite a stir in the world of academia and it’s no wonder. When a paradigm shift takes place, there is an element of fear involved for interested parties, even if the change is gradual. “What if my lifestyle becomes drastically different?” “What if I’m no longer relevant?” These are, of course, valid concerns and fears that come along with any major change and that are being asked by stakeholders in the growing shift from the classroom to the chatroom, so to speak. Not too dissimilar to the fears faced by the student entering high school for the first time and worrying about things like lockers and sports team tryouts.

At the core, this paradigm shift in education was caused by an upward swing in not only technology, but also in the industry’s understanding of the connection between psychology and learning. No two minds think alike, as we’ve known for eons. Why, then, should students be forced to take their brains, full of limitless potential and ability, and conform them to a rigid course of learning that might essentially stifle their creativity and limit their power over their own future? The one-size-fits-all approach to education is not conducive to the success of the student outside of the textbook. Preparing students for success in learning, success in creating, and success in life should be the top priority, and that’s really what online and multimedia learning is all about. It’s less about memorization and recital, and more about application of knowledge to real-life situations. It opens up the forums for a legitimate two-way dialogue to occur; ultimately putting the power and the responsibility on the student and helping them gain confidence in their abilities. It’s a collaborative and limitless world, full of creative outlets and practical elements, where education no longer has a rigid form, but becomes a fluid, real, and dynamic part of life.

From the customizable course content, to the ability to track one’s progress and determine weak spots, progress and future behaviors; the comprehensive online learning system is all about freedom and flexibility, but it’s also about measured progress. Students are no longer just a filled seat and a checked box on an attendance roster. They are living entities with very real abilities, behaviors, needs and priorities. What better way to help them succeed than by not just teaching, but also listening? That’s a paradigm shift we can all be proud of. It’s time to grow that adolescent of an education system into a fully-functional adult who is ready to thrive in the real world.

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From Jurassic Park to Wall-E: The Evolution of Learning

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Friday, September 23rd, 2011

EDUCAUSE is just around the corner, and Pearson’s theme for this year’s conference is “The Evolution of Learning”.  The title is timely, giving a nod to the shift in academic practices from traditional classroom and textbook-based styles of learning, to blended online classes and customizable course content.  While academia has always been in a state of evolution, it’s safe to say that this is among the most epic shifts to have taken place.  The flexibility and power afforded the teacher through the use of customized e-books, for example, makes the hardcover textbook, (while it admittedly has its benefits), seem like something of a dinosaur.  New multimedia and interactive teaching techniques are putting more and more potential in the hands of the student, and allowing learning to fly out of the classroom and into the real world.

As Pearson’s “Evolution of Learning” video puts it, “When you think about learning, where does it happen? In a classroom, lecture hall, at home, a local park, coffee shop, or museum? Does it happen when you’re on the train or bus? Learning can happen anywhere, at any time.”  This echoes Pearson’s mantra, “Always Learning”, and stresses the importance of nontraditional education.

We live in a global world, and the demands of work, responsibility and life mean that not everyone has the luxury of being able to attend traditional, on-site classes during “normal” school hours.  Or should we even call that a luxury?  Students are largely finding that there are as many, if not more benefits to comprehensive online learning systems than exist with classroom-based models.  For example, they can measure their academic progress in real-time; discern with relative ease exactly where their weaknesses and strengths lie; and they can see predictions of their future academic performance based on previous online behavior and activity.  These are crucial elements of the learning process that simply cannot be gauged with such great accuracy in the (paradoxically) less-personalized classroom environment.

If student success is the ultimate goal of the academic world, then this is the kind of evolution everyone should believe in.  This is an exciting year for EDUCAUSE, and it will be interesting to see what kind of ideas and discussions are generated there on this very topic. The evolution of learning has essentially taken us on a rich, interactive and multimedia journey from Jurassic Park to Wall-E…and who knows what’s next?

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Wave It In the Air Like You Just Don’t Care

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

By Andrew B. Arnold, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Politicians like to wave their copy of a pocket Constitution in the air.  They wave it like a flag, like a symbol.  Conveniently, the cover often sports a flag motif.

But there’s more to it, of course.  There’s a text between those starred and striped covers, and that text has a history.  The Constitution had to earn its status as symbol.

What, after all, does that text mean? Few of those pocket Constitutions include even a table of contents, headings, or explanations.  I wrote A Pocket Guide to the U.S. Constitution as a sort of cheat sheet for my students.  I wanted them to see its structure and history.  They needed to quickly find and understand the various clauses mentioned in class, news, and assignments.

It refers to slavery 5 times, but never by name.  Where?

The Commerce Clause?  It isn’t called that in the text.  Where is it?  What does it mean?  Now?  A hundred years ago?

What is a bill of attainder?

I wrote it because none of the available pocket Constitutions were really readable.  I found this out the first time I taught Constitutional History.  I handed out free pocket Constitutions and asked the students to read the text for the next class. It was boring, they said.  It was just one clause after another. It put them to sleep.

Admittedly, few people read it all the way through.  It’s more legal document than ringing proclamation.

The students were wrong, though.  The Constitution is not boring.  Nor is it just one clause after another.  But the pocket Constitutions they were using gave them no help.  (Also, the font was tiny, and there was no space for notes.)

I read it out loud, and asked them to stop me when I got to something interesting.  I started with the Preamble:  “We…”  Mario Marcozzi, now a well-respected teacher in his own right, put his hand up.  “Who are ‘We the people’?” he asked.

He was right. The Constitution is interesting from the very first word.  To what extent did the “We” in the Preamble refer all the people of these individual united states?  To what extent does it now refer to all the people of the nation known as the United States?

It depends when you ask.  In the Constitution, the United States is often referred to in the plural.  The United States has become more of a single nation over the past two centuries.  While both John Adams and Patrick Henry referred to both their home states and the nation as their “country,” few Americans would be likely to do so today.  This change is not reflected so much in the words of the document as in the changing nature of our country.  Nevertheless, the states are not mere administrative entities.  The term “We” in the Preamble continues to have a dual meaning.

There’s more!  Without controversy, The People today includes women and men of all ethnicities, backgrounds, and levels of wealth.  More so than when it was first ratified, the Constitution refers to all Americans.

Nor as the students soon realized, was the Constitution just a series of clauses.

It has a clear structure, and even a kind of a plot. It begins with a statement of purpose (The Preamble), then it sets up the three branches of government (Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary) with definite, enumerated powers and limitations on those powers.  Then, it puts limits on state sovereignty, and finally, it explains how it is to be ratified or amended.  Modestly, this last section also includes an Article asserting national supremacy.  After that comes the list of Amendments.

The Constitution was not only a governing document, it was also a sales brochure for itself.  It left unnamed the issues that it could not solve (it guaranteed slavery without mentioning it, for example, and left fuzzy the balance of power between federal government and states).

We revere the Constitution today so much so that to wave it in the air is shorthand for patriotism.  But way back in 1787, its wisdom and ratification could not be assumed.  Even Benjamin Franklin offered only the faintest praise.  People should approve it, he wrote, “because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best.”  The Constitution would have to prove itself in the quality of the leaders elected by The People, and in the ways that we governed with it.

The Constitution was not born in reverence; it earned its status as both supreme law and a sort of flag for speechifying politicians.  How did it earn that status?  Well, you need more than just a pocket Constitution for that debate.  It’s where my students and I spend most of our time and energy.

Andrew B. Arnold received his MA and PhD in U.S. History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has taught history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania since 2002.  He is the author of A Pocket Guide to the U.S. Constitution (Pearson 2011) and is currently writing a book on the pre-institutional history of the United Mine Workers of America.

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Educator’s Voice: Opportunities and Challenges for Learning Analytics

by Pearson Learning Solutions
Thursday, September 8th, 2011

Written by Brian Epp, M.Ed., Assessment and Analytics Group Supervisor, Academic Training and Consulting, Pearson

Learning analytics (LA) is one of the most discussed trends in education technology today. EDUCAUSE’s Next Generation Learning Initiative Challenges defines it as “the use of data and models to predict student progress and performance, and the ability to act on that information” (Brown, 2011). At its heart, “analytics marries large data sets, statistical techniques, and predictive modeling” (Campbell, DuBlois, & Oblinger, 2007). Common to all definitions in the literature is the idea that the amount of digitized information available is vast and comes from a wide variety of systems.

While integrated, workable solutions are still in their nascent stages, the foundation for learning analytics began with the birth of online learning and the advent of the Learning Management System (LMS) in the late 90s. This article summarizes the opportunities and challenges for learning analytics as it applies to higher education.

The ability to act on gathered data is the central theme and opportunity of learning analytics. While also a challenge that will be addressed later, institutions have the ability to gather data from the LMS, the student information system (SIS), registrar, library, and financial aid records, social networks, admissions files, and even clicker systems for ground based classrooms (Campbell et al., 2010, Siemens, 2010, & Johnson, Smith, Willis, Levin, & Haywood, 2011). If data analysts and the appropriate subject matter experts are able to access all of this data from a single data warehouse, the correlations that can be discovered are exciting and have the ability to radically change educational effectiveness and efficiency.

At risk student monitoring and subsequent intervention strategies are the most common application for learning analytics in higher education. A recent Education Week article likened the algorithms that are being developed for student retention to credit scores used by the financial industry or to insurance premium formulas that have been developed to determine rates based on driver demographic data and driving history (Sparks, 2010). As systems become more sophisticated, content developers will be able to diagnose a student’s strengths and weaknesses, identify a student’s preferred learning style, and prescribe content, remediation, and assessment activities specific to an individual.

Technology is critical here because faculty can only do so much to tailor learning for individual students. Brown points out that LA can help point out what works and what doesn’t “at a much finer level of granularity than even before, even while a course is in progress” (2011). He goes on to say that enterprise integration gives us the ability to show students how their performance on assignments compares with their classmates by demographic category on the fly as they progress through content. There are many instances of publisher content that are used by faculty worldwide which also has the potential to “provide composite views of student learning for an entire class of institutions” (Brown, 2011). Imagine faculty being able to compare their students’ performance on standard content against other institution types (tier 1 research to community colleges), or to break it down further by profit/not-for profit status or by geographic region.

Additional LA uses in higher education include predictive models used by admissions departments to determine which students are most likely to succeed at an institution or algorithms used by development offices to determine which donors are mostly likely to contribute to fundraising requests (Campbell et al., 2007).

Despite the substantial benefits for Learning Analytics, significant challenges remain for this growing field. Data security, ownership, and privacy represent the first major hurdle to overcome (“7 Things You Should Know,” 2010). Some argue that students should have the opportunity to opt out of any system that tracks their behavior, however, the validity and reliability of conclusions that come out of academic analytics are only as strong as they are complete so having a significant percentage of students being excluded from formulas is problematic.

In addition, there are ethical concerns about the conclusions that are drawn from LA initiatives. From the “profiling” argument on one side that could be construed as labeling students before they’ve had the chance to prove otherwise, to not taking action when a formula identifies a student as at risk on the other side (“7 Things You Should Know,” 2010). These issues will sort themselves out one way or another as LA matures.

A second major challenge is finding a data warehouse that provides researchers with a single interface to query for correlations between the disparate systems that were identified earlier. Because a majority of student data lives in LMS and SIS systems, these companies are working with institutions on integrated data warehouse projects, however, it involves time and a significant commitment of both human and financial resources to complete successfully. An additional barrier to consider here is the data management politics often present on campus between the IT and Institutional Research siloes.

The third item to overcome for a successful learning analytics initiative is the issue of finding the right people to make it work and figuring out where they reside in an institution’s organizational hierarchy. Campbell et al.point out that the types of expertise required for a successful Learning Analytics project include “database administrators, institutional researchers, programmers, and domain specialists” (2010). Territorial issues can crop up with this challenge as well because pride and ego for individuals in this list of specialists can lead to isolated efforts that don’t incorporate the expertise of others.

While the challenges are real, the opportunities promise to bring some of the most compelling changes to the nature of education over the next ten years, especially given the growing accountability demands from the public for documented results. Online and blended learning environments are here to stay and have exponentially expanded the volume of data being collected about students and how they engage with content, their peers, and with faculty. As this technology matures, it will get increasingly more efficient at maximizing the diagnosis of where a learner is and prescribing tailored content for knowledge acquisition and remediation with limited faculty intervention. This will allow faculty to spend more time providing quality feedback and support to students as they submit assignments designed to prove their competency for the required course or program learning outcomes.

References:
7 Things You Should Know About Analytics. (2010). EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7059.pdf

Brown, M. (2011). Learning Analytics: The Coming Third Wave. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative Brief, April 2011, 1-4. doi:ELIB1101

Campbell, J. P., DeBlois, P. B., & Oblinger, D. G. (July/August 2007). Academic Analytics: A New Tool for a New Era. EDUCAUSE Review, 42(4), 41-57. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume42/AcademicAnalyticsANewToolforaN/161749

Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

Siemens, G. (August 25, 2010). What are Learning Analytics? ELEARNSPACE. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/08/25/what-are-learning-analytics/

Sparks, S. D. (2010). Schools Find Uses for Predictive Data Techniques. Education Week, 30(36), Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/06/22/36analytics.h30.html?tkn=PYUFH5imRxQnSzgCu8%2BBlTZDvTqdfw%2FxpgF3&cmp=clp-edweek&bcsi_scan_2ABCB1C426625F76=QLgvC8wvcwAT/XcjWj3vT6kWEUcEAAAAihhqAQ==&bcsi_scan_filename=36analytics.h30.html

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