In the May 2012 edition of eCampus News, we explore what Blackboard’s purchase of Moodlerooms might mean for the future of open-source LMS software, as well as how some professors have embraced the “flipped” model of instruction—to the delight of some students.
To browse the entire publication, click here—or click on any of the headlines below to read these highlights from the May issue:
Blackboard shakes up open source
Lou Pugliese, CEO of Moodlerooms, said Blackboard’s purchase of his company and another firm that hosts and supports the popular open-source learning management system (LMS) Moodle should be welcome news to educators who support the open-source movement over proprietary options because, finally, an open platform has the financial backing of a large company. But not everyone agrees…
Amid Blackboard’s purchase of Moodlerooms, fear and loathing set in on some campuses
The decision had been made, student information had been transferred, and faculty had been trained to use the Moodle learning management system (LMS) hosted by Moodlerooms. Loyola University-Maryland had finally broken away from Blackboard, the LMS goliath. Until March 26, that is…
Flipped learning: Professor tested, student approved
Marcio Oliveira could see the benefits of his kinesiology course’s flipped learning approach with every new hand that popped up in the first minute of every class, as students peppered him with questions. But he needed more than anecdotal evidence, so he conducted a survey, and the results proved that the hands didn’t lie…
Flipped learning: A response to common criticisms
Over the past few years, the flipped learning method has created quite a stir. Some argue that this teaching method will completely transform education, while others say it is simply an opportunity for boring lectures to be viewed in new locations. It’s our opinion that one of the reasons this debate exists is because there is no true definition of what flipped learning is…
Online for-profit colleges compared to ‘predatory lending industry’
Allegations brought by a former admissions manager at an online for-profit college describe a systematic attempt to deceive incoming students into signing up for pricey college loans while the school overstated students’ success in finding jobs after graduation…
Student newspapers struggle to survive amid tough economy, digital competition
Rising costs and dwindling advertising dollars are causing young journalists to face what publishers of community newspapers across the nation are facing—cutbacks and hard decisions…
After Gmail adoption, some schools are slow to make the switch
Gmail is unquestionably popular with college students, but IT staffers on some Google-friendly campuses have had to formulate carefully crafted public relations campaigns to get students to make the transition from their school’s legacy eMail system to their brand-new Google inboxes…
Without improved content, digital signage could ‘ride off into the sunset’
Smart phones and tablets shouldn’t be seen as competitors to a campus’s digital signs, but as companions, and colleges should make sure on-screen content grabs students’ attention, digital signage experts said at a recent industry tradeshow…
Ignoring Pinterest in 2012 could make colleges look ‘old and stodgy’
The social photo sharing website Pinterest, in some corners of higher education, is seen as superfluous, nonessential, and unappealing to a mass audience. But a recent spike in the number of Americans joining Pinterest could change that prevailing perception very soon…
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