Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

WCET recognizes creative higher-ed tech programs

Three programs have been recognized for their ed-tech creativity in higher education.

A program that offers math development to disadvantaged students, a streaming video service for higher education, and an educational app repository are winners of the 2012 WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) winners, a program from the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET).

WOW is an annual nationwide competition that honors colleges, universities, and organizations for their creative and innovative uses of educational technology in higher education.

“The significance of the WOW Award is more than just some cool, new technology tools,” said James Bowey, professor at Winona State University and chair of the WOW Awards Committee, in the official WCET press release. “At the heart of the award and this year’s three honored projects is that each addresses a real and important need that is shared widely across higher education. It’s the innovative, often collaborative, way in which these projects were carried forward that merits the award, as well as the fact that each serves as a model for others to replicate.”…Read More

White House makes ‘Digital Promise’ to schools

Duncan said Digital Promise would increase research and development in ed-tech programs.

A nonprofit start-up funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will quickly evaluate which educational technologies are worth the investment – and which ones aren’t – while driving private-sector innovation that could modernize technology in public schools nationwide.

ED Secretary Arne Duncan on Sept. 16 unveiled the independent nonprofit initiative approved by Congress in 2008, called Digital Promise, which will be funded by government dollars, along with philanthropies like the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Higher education is expected to play a role in the formation of Digital Promise. The initiative will be guided by Duncan-appointed board members, including a Tulane University official, and research from the Chicago’s Urban Education Institute that will determine which technology programs work best in the classroom.…Read More