Wimba's Blog

Daily News: The Race is On

It may be reminiscent of tortoise vs. hare, but when it comes to IT and gizmo know-how, teachers are starting to catch up to their tech savvy students.  Some of them, donning PJs and sipping on coffee, are using their spare time to improve their IT skills from the comfort of their own homes.  Others are attending conferences to learn about and experience some of the latest technologies for teaching and learning.  And they’re more often incorporating technology into the classroom despite some inherent challenges.  From recent news, we’ve all heard that students’ modern day gadgets – cell phones, iPods, iPhones, etc. – have been considered a distraction to classroom learning with many schools recently banning or limiting their use.  But those tricky students are still managing to find ways to sneak in a tune here or a phone call there.  Many believe that with a little training, teachers can pick up on these technologies themselves, realize their benefits and use the devices to their advantage in the classroom as valuable and effective teaching tools.  Hey, if you can’t beat em’, join em’!

Our Breakfast Session at EDUCAUSE 2007

If you’re planning to attend the EDUCAUSE 2007 Conference, we encourage you attend our breakfast presentation on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 from 7:15am-8:15am in the Aspen Room of the Sheraton Seattle.

Besides enjoy a nice breakfast and taking part in an iPod drawing, you will learn about how our Collaboration Suite connects educators and learners in a highly interactive way. Please RSVP now at http://www.wimba.com/eventreg/participant/registration.php?eventid=1066

Daily News: Let’s Hear it for the Parents

It’s back-to-school time.  Students everywhere are starting fresh, ready to excel in the new school year.  And behind every good student, is a good parent.  And I mean GOOD.  Apparently, these days, parents are spending an average of $563 on back-to-school supplies - according to a recent report issued by the National Retail Federation.  Not surprisingly, the biggest increase on spending this year will be on electronics, with a 13% jump over last year.  Parents are also taking measures to ensure their children are left in good hands while at school.  Florida parents, for example, are running background checks on their kids’ teachers via a new Web site that allows them to investigate criminal and disciplinary histories.  It’s no wonder the majority of kids named their parents as their heroes – even in lieu of celebrities and other prominent figures - in a survey recently conducted by The Associated Press and MTV.

Cell-ebrating the New Semester

Cell phones.  Most students will have them as we dive into the new semester and school year - and their potential is quickly being realized in higher education.  They can serve as an emotional crutch, providing solace for college freshman and their parents who want to stay connected to each other – or who just can’t seem to let go.  After the tragedy at Virginia Tech, many colleges like Montclair State University in New Jersey are leveraging cell phone technology to keep their students safe.  Students at Montclair State as well as 70 other universities across the country are using Rave phones this semester, which not only provide students with access to things like public transportation schedules and news, but allow them an immediate link to campus police and a variety of features for ensuring their safety.  Educators are also weighing the value of the newest cell phone technologies, like the iPhone - and its emerging education-specific applications – as a tool for the classroom.  But K-12 administrators and educators seem to be finding cell phones more a disturbance than an asset.  Many districts, counties and schools have banned the use or presence of cell phones at school including Fleming County in Kentucky, Turlock Unified School District in California and various schools in Illinois.  Sorry kids, no texting until you’re saved by the bell.

Daily News: Score!

The results are in.  In recent months, high school students across the country spent intense hours in silent rooms taking tests that would determine the course of their futures.  That’s right, scholarship and college entrance exams.  So how did they do?  Well, we’re starting to find out.  In Michigan, although more than 83% of students taking the Michigan Merit Exam know their Social Studies well, less than half passed the math test and only a little over half passed in English.  In California, achievement test scores reflect little progress in math and English as well.  Indiana students seem to be doing well with ACT scores averaging higher than last year – and higher than the national average.  But skip over the Atlantic to the UK where a record one in four test-takers got the highest possible grade this year on the A-levels, a high school graduation exam, and one may wonder what we, here in the States, are doing wrong.  Tougher standards?  Less focused students?  Perhaps.  Or, maybe it’s all the drugs.

Registration now open for Wimba Connect 2008!

I'm pleased to announce that registration is now open for our first global users conference - Wimba Connect 2008 - March 2-5, 2008 in Orlando!  The conference site is full of information about the program, the workshops, and, of course, the warm March weather in Florida.  Whether you're an instructional designer, a faculty member, or a CIO or president, Connect '08 has something for everyone.  And remember, the more people who are knowledgeable about Wimba at a given school, the better the Wimba implementation.  So have your whole team sign up today at http://www.wimba.com/connect08.

Daily News: My, How Times Have Changed

Well, it’s that time of year.  Students are getting ready to hit the books once again... er, perhaps it would be more accurate to say they’re getting ready to “hit the computers”.  Many students today, like Jeremy Lewis of the University of Cincinnati, will earn their degrees without ever stepping foot on campus, thanks to online learning.  It is no wonder that computers are now considered a staple for students - whether online learners, traditional students or a combination of both.  Unfortunately, laptops and notebook computers tend to ring up at the register for far more than a college ruled tablet and a package of No. 2’s.  But it seems well worth it, and not just for academic purposes.  Some of us may remember an awkward first few weeks as college freshmen, trying to meet people in the dorms, in classes and elsewhere around campus.  Today’s college freshman has already met her roommate, made dozens of friends in her classes and residence hall and mapped out a party schedule for the first week of the semester – all through Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites.  But once classes have started, students warn, don’t get sucked in.  Too much time networking and surfing online can cut into precious study time and quality face time with real live people!

Daily News: What Will They Think of Next?

Students are learning, thinking and daydreaming all the time.  So it’s no wonder that all over the country, creative students of all ages are conjuring up some of the most innovative inventions of our time.   Three students from MIT's Sloan School of Management have created a solution to a modern problem associated with overnight delivery.  Their easyQube is an Internet-enabled storage locker where packages can be placed safely if the recipient is not available to accept them.  Western New England College student Alexander Potts was recently honored for his invention of an extremely cost efficient X-ray detector that holds great promise for hospitals around the world. New Mexico State University has developed a “smart bridge” technology involving fiber optic sensor systems that would provide notification when problems arise.  And it’s not just the older kids that are exercising their imaginations.  At Hall Elementary School in Ohio, students in first through fifth grade participated in The Camp Invention program which might just inspire the next decade of great inventions!

Nice Words About Course Genie

During my blog monitoring routine this morning, I stumbled upon a blog by Bob Doyle of CMS Labs in Cambridge, MA, where he "produces information tools for content management professionals."   His posting discussed content authoring tools and concluded that "...sending questions to colleagues for reuse as Word files couldn't be simpler" when using our very own Course Genie.  This was particularly gratifying to read because Course Genie is often overlooked by many outside technology experts.  Whether it's because flashier tools are always more en vogue or because Course Genie is not quite as popular here in the States as it is with schools in the UK and mainland Europe, we too agree with Mr. Doyle's assessment and hope that educators on our continent will too soon realize the value and convenience that Course Genie offers faculty and other content authors.

The Calm Before the Storm

With only a few weeks of summer remaining, most of you are taking what little vacation you have.  After all, late August and early September are time for back-to-school.  While a few of us here at Wimba have been getting in our own precious vacation time, our Professional Services and Sysops teams have been working vigorously to ensure that our customers can get up-to-speed as quickly as possible once the Fall 2007 semester rolls around.  So while our tech guys and trainers work away, I encourage you to enjoy the rest of your summer while there's still some left!

Matt