Educational Technology and Change Journal

April 28, 2020: “Another possibility would be to use multiple rooms for a single class, with the faculty member in one of the rooms and the class broadcast live to the other rooms. The faculty member could rotate through the rooms each time the class meets in order to provide a more personal experience…. Theatre departments will have to change their play selection, choosing plays without intimate scenes…. At a minimum schools are considering having teams play without spectators as well as frequent testing of the teams. ” -Lucie Lapovsky, Forbes.

E. Boynton

April 2, 2020: Re switching to modular classes: “No one prefers remote instruction over in-person learning at Beloit [a private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin], and our in-real-life, grounded community is what makes Beloit the distinctive place it is…. Even if we have to switch to or from remote learning mid-module, that switch will only affect two of your total units for fewer than seven weeks of time…. Being able to tackle just two courses in shorter bursts of time (as opposed to four-plus courses over four months) is going to help us all (faculty and administrators included!) be better able to succeed in our educational aims.” -Eric Boynton, Provost & Dean, et al., Beloit College.  Continue reading →

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R. Blank

April 29, 2020: “[UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca] Blank said … that students may be split on their preference for class delivery in the fall, with some unable or unwilling to attend classes on campus and others wanting to be taught in a physical classroom. The university is preparing for the possibility of delivering some classes in both learning formats. But one implication of the massive amount of work involved in executing both modes of delivery would be a smaller course curriculum than UW-Madison has offered in the past.” -Kelly Meyerhofer, Wisconsin State Journal.

S. Green

April 28, 2020: “According to Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species,’ it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives, it is not the strongest that survives, but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.” – Sha-Rhonda Green, University of Alabama.

April 28, 2020: In a tweet, Sierra College, a community college located outside Sacramento, said it is planning to stay online come fall to keep students and staff safe. The college made the decision early so faculty could better prepare to continue online learning. If the novel coronavirus surges in the fall, as many researchers have said is a possibility, students will not have to once again quickly transition to online learning, the college said. Sierra intends to find alternatives like hybrid learning for courses that cannot be fully remote. -Madeline St. Amour​, Inside Higher Ed.

Armstrong

April 28, 2020: Kelli Armstrong, president of Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island: “If the crisis has not simmered by late August or September, but it is safe to return to campus, Salve Regina may create quarantine housing for sick students, use fever gauges at the entrances of classrooms, or consider other measures. But these solutions are not fail-proof. Temperature screenings are only partially effective because they can’t detect asymptomatic carriers — people who don’t get sick but can still spread the virus. Screening tests can also deliver false positives or negatives, potentially sending sick people into spaces where others are healthy.” -Evan Thompson, The Best Schools.

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Implementing competency-based education strategies:
From research to practice
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
3:00–4:30 p.m. Central Time
Event Agenda (PDF)

This free Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest webinar (Zoom) showcases how competency-based education (CBE) strategies can positively impact student learning outcomes and how to create structures within a school or classroom to effectively implement CBE strategies.

<< REGISTER >>

Kristina L. Zeiser

A senior researcher, Kristina L. Zeiser, from the American Institutes for Research will present an overview and key findings from a study that examined the relationship between CBE practices and students’ learning skills, behaviors, and dispositions. Participants also will hear from a school leader with a high school in Illinois about her experience implementing CBE instructional strategies, including challenges and lessons learned. Finally, representatives from the Minnesota Department of Education will discuss how the Department is supporting state-approved alternative and online learning programs implementing CBE.

For more on CBE in higher ed, see Paul Fain, “Slow and Steady for Competency-Based Education,” Inside Higher Ed, 28 Jan. 2019.

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URI study finds PBS KIDS Series The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!™ boosts preschoolers’ understanding of science, engineering

KINGSTON, R.I. — April 23, 2020 — A study led by the University of Rhode Island has found that preschool children who interacted with multimedia learning materials created for the PBS KIDS show The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!™ provided opportunities to learn about science for all participating children. The results of multiple analyses revealed that the free and accessible media had a positive effect on children, regardless of gender, socioeconomic status of the family or whether they receive special education services.

The University of Rhode Island team that researched the effectiveness of multimedia learning materials created for the PBS KIDS show The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!™ enjoys a light moment. From left are: Susan Brand, professor of education; Kayon Murray-Johnson, assistant professor of education; Sara Sweetman, assistant professor of education and research team leader; Beth Holland, a postdoctoral fellow; Hyunjin Kim, associate professor of human development and family studies; and Kelly Shea, an education specialist with URI’s Guiding Education in Math and Science Network. URI photo by Nora Lewis.

Findings suggest that by the end of the eight-week study twice as many children (56%) were able to accurately depict what scientists and engineers do than at the start of the study (24%). Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

For others, like myself, with small businesses, I offer a bit of advice…

Apr 26, 2020 at 6:50 AM. Many people are very upset here about the beaches being closed. A surfer received a $1,000 fine for violating that rule. The current hot weather (a persistent Santa Ana condition) has them even more upset. Local residents are asking for the beaches to open while keeping the parking lots closed “to prevent overcrowding.” We all know what that really means. They are keeping out the “undesirables” from farther inland, the people who are suffering most from the heat.

As I continue to make my own bread, muffins, and other baked goods, I have encountered a shortage of flour. I cannot find 5-pound bags anywhere online. So, I ordered a 25-pound bag that I may never use up if the crisis ends too soon. It cannot end too soon for so many. Most people have problems just getting by and aren’t allowed to congregate. Helping each other is difficult in these times.

The entire world is fighting this virus. You might call this World War III if you were a journalist.

The things we all have to do to keep apart keep piling up. It seems awful until you realize that the life you save could be yours, a member of your family, a friend, or just someone who didn’t deserve to die now. How do we keep our perspectives as cabin fever mounts? The looming recession must make most of us very anxious. How can we juice the economy without more people dying unnecessarily? Will the stimulus packages work? How will we pay for them?  Continue reading →

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By Jim Shimabukuro
Editor

In response to the growing threat of COVID-19, a stay-at-home order for Honolulu County went into effect on March 23 at the end of spring break. The order is in effect until April 30. (Update 4/26: The order has been extended to May 31.) These photos were taken at about 8:30 PM on Thursday, April 23.  All photos are high-res. Click them to enlarge.

This view is toward the South Shore (Waikiki). The Hawaii Convention Center is visible in the lower right quarter.

The order has changed the city’s nightscape, with apartment buildings lit up like never before. This view is toward the north, Punchbowl and the Koolaus beyond. The entire UH System has been shut down, and all classes have been moved online. Since all of my classes have been online for years, there was no transition for me and my students.

Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

Explore cooking dishes that use what you have on hand.

Apr 23, 2020 at 7:41 AM. Everyone has their own individual ways of coping with the shelter-in-place rules we are living with. It took some experimenting, but we have settled into a routine of sorts here. We are fortunate to have Social Security checks. Our salaries have been eliminated until we see the proverbial light at tunnel’s end. We continue to work from home as we always have, another piece of good fortune for us. We also have some modest savings to carry us through the hard times.

Photo of turmeric, fresh knobby brown rhizome and orange powder by Simon A. Eugster.

One thing that my wife and I enjoy is our turmeric-ginger tea (really an infusion, but who cares?). We had no means to obtain this without venturing out into the infectious world or buying brands we have never heard of. I can imagine many other families suddenly missing something that only a physical trip to a store can provide. In the spirit of these difficult times, we chose the DIY approach. I checked the ingredients of our favorite brand and ordered bulk quantities of them along with 300 tea bags. Each morning, I fill up the tea bags. We experimented a bit with various amounts of turmeric, ginger, licorice, and orange rind (all powders or particulates). Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

Toilet paper can now be had, and I ordered a dozen rolls in case that situation changes.

Apr 15, 2020 at 12:48 PM: My worst fears are realized as I read that the number of grocery-store workers dying from COVID-19 has risen from four, as I wrote previously, to over 40. Everyone should be considerate of these people who are literally risking their lives so that you can have food and critical supplies at this stressful time. Wear a face mask or bandana to avoid spreading the virus that you may unknowingly have. You can transmit it when you are merely talking. You can infect others with just a few spoken words. They may go on to infect still others, and some will die.  Continue reading →

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By Jim Shimabukuro
Editor

In an article this morning on CNN.com, Elizabeth Cohen¹ reports that Dr. Mangala Narasimhan, regional director for critical care at Northwell Health in New York, and other doctors “are finding that placing the sickest coronavirus patients on their stomachs — called prone positioning — helps increase the amount of oxygen that’s getting to their lungs.”

Stock photo from Wikimedia Commons.

According to Dr. Narasimhan, “We’re saving lives with this, one hundred percent. It’s such a simple thing to do, and we’ve seen remarkable improvement. We can see it for every single patient.” The downside is that “ventilated patients require more sedation when they’re on their stomachs, which could mean a longer stay in the ICU.” Still, this simple practice is proving effective for patients “who are sickest and have the most to gain from being in that position.”  Continue reading →

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 14, 2020) – Several prominent music publishers have temporarily allowed the use of their copyrighted music for educational purposes through an agreement with the NFHS and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). These guidelines are designed to allow high school musicians to complete their year-end assessments and for classroom instruction while schools are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The agreement will expire on June 15.

“The publishers have been gracious with their permissions to allow students the ability to complete their year-end assessments while remaining copyright compliant,” said Dr. James Weaver, director of performing arts and sports. “The NFHS has worked for many years to help schools be copyright compliant. This move by the publishers should be applauded for the assistance they are providing schools in this unprecedented time.”  Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

I feel as though going to stores right now is tantamount to going out in the worst part of a hurricane.

Apr 12, 2020 at 4:54 PM: I did it again. It’s easy to score deliveries on Amazon Fresh. You just have to be sitting at your computer ready to go at midnight. Keep refreshing your screen until you see the time slots available. Ignore messages about stuff being removed from your cart. If you try to fix that, all of the slots may vanish before you’re done. You must have filled your cart earlier in the day with whatever you could find, realizing that many things are just unavailable and that you must await another time or find another source. It is becoming slowly easier to buy your necessities.

Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

What changes will we see in society après le deluge?

Apr 10, 2020 at 12:42 PM: As we all attempt to avoid cabin fever during this very real crisis, many — maybe most — of us think of the future world we will inhabit when it is over. The virus may be with us indefinitely unless massive vaccinations can eradicate it in the same way that smallpox was destroyed. Right now, we are banned from restaurants, concerts, movie theaters, and gatherings of all sorts. We cannot come close to others. We certainly are not shaking hands. Dr. Fauci suggested that the handshake may go the way of the dodo. What changes will we see in society après le deluge? It certainly is hard to predict. Will habit or fear prevail? A second wave, if it appears, will make everyone gun-shy and increase the likelihood of permanent societal change.

On the positive side, districts, schools, and teachers have finally been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. I would rather not have had this happen by tossing them all in the deep end of the pool, but here we are. Now that their toes are wet, how many will return to the friendly waters of remote learning tools, and how many will retreat to the dry land of traditional classroom instruction? Much will depend on which remote learning tools were being used. Some are not all that great.

On the positive side, districts, schools, and teachers have finally been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

The remote-learning water may look cold, but it is great once you are used to it. Just choose the right pool and gear up first.  Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

Face masks are required of all store visitors in California beginning tomorrow.

Apr 9, 2020 at 5:35 AM: I finally managed a second Amazon Prime order. It wasn’t easy. I woke up at 11:55 pm and waited for midnight. My shopping cart was already set up. Amazon no longer gives me an hour after the reservation to fill it up. In fact, it won’t even allow me a reservation unless I have my cart ready to go. My delivery will be on Sunday between 7 am and 9 am. I repeatedly put toilet paper in my cart only to have it removed as out of stock or as not deliverable at my location. What’s with that?

I have been thinking about those delivery services for groceries. How many people touch your delivery before you receive it? One or more people pick the items from the shelves. They may specialize with one doing frozen, one doing produce, one doing canned goods, etc. Then, someone must pack them. Someone labels and loads the bags on the truck, and the truck driver, who is exposed to all of those other people, carries them to your door. Any of those people could have coughed on your order. Do they wear face shields? I hope that are forced to wear face masks, but I cannot say. If you receive a food delivery, take great care. Wash your hands after opening the bags and again after putting away the contents.

If you receive a food delivery, take great care. Wash your hands after opening the bags and again after putting away the contents.

Fortunately, I have two surgical masks that I picked up on previous visits to my doctor’s office (UCLA Health) and nitrile gloves that I have used when creating chemistry experiments for my business. Based on previous visits, my best hope for an uncrowded visit to a partially stocked store is Gelson’s. My wife and I will walk there early next week to fill in any gaps in our supplies.  Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

Thank them. Then, thank them again. -HK

In an earlier comment, I mentioned the grocery-store workers who are risking their lives to provide the essential materials for our daily lives — food and other consumables. I had hoped that none of these would pay the ultimate price for their efforts. When you realize that too many of the workers faced the choice of safety or a minimal income to sustain them and their families, such a cost would be doubly unfortunate. With great sadness, I read of the deaths of four such workers from COVID-19.

Grocery-store employee was never a heroic job before, but things have changed dramatically. They, like those hospital employees who are not health-care professionals, also serve. -HK

In these times, when far too many families are living from paycheck to paycheck, it is morally wrong to force such choices on them. They do not have any financial reserves to weather this crisis. This tragedy of disease makes me even more sad when I think that the dead workers probably were infected from one of the hundreds of customers who patronize these stores daily. That a careless customer could have wreaked such pain on the family of someone who was probably working extra hours to ensure that that customer could buy necessities hurts my soul.  Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

Sure enough, at about 10 pm, I was up and peeked at the front porch to see four large brown paper bags nicely illuminated by the porch light. -HK

Apr 6, 2020 at 6:57 AM: When I scored the very last Amazon Fresh slot for Sunday (7-9 pm), it was with some trepidation that I placed an order. I had read of some unpleasant experiences during this time of trial and lots of tribulation. I also thought of those who are risking exposure to make the deliveries in order to have a modest income while unemployment soars. My wife and I are usually in bed by 9 pm but could stay up until that time to receive this important delivery. I really had no idea what to expect.

Of course, I chose an unattended delivery so that I wouldn’t have to be physically present to receive the groceries. When an email from Amazon appeared that informed me of a two-hour delay in the delivery, I was very happy that I made this selection. At my age, some amount of BPH is to be expected (darn prostate!) so that I am usually up around 10 to 10:30 pm each night on my first of 2-4 trips. I left the porch light on upon retiring and settled down to sleep worry-free.  Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

My primary problem has to do with two older people living together alone. If one contracts the infection, the other will necessarily have it, too. -HK

Apr 3, 2020 at 12:33 PM: After days of frustration, I finally found an Amazon Fresh delivery date that I could reserve. My cart had two items removed in the meantime. I added some more only to have one of these taken away at the last moment. For those wishing to use this service, I found that that slots were available at 3 am and were still there at 6 am. I think that the midnight slot grabbers were no longer so plentiful. The good news is that I have enough stuff coming on Sunday to keep my family of two going for another week.  Continue reading →

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Bert Kimura (4/3/20 10:45AM HST) shared an article by Michael Potuck¹ on his Facebook page. Potuck reports that, “starting today, [Skype] users don’t need to sign up for an account or download software to join cross-platform video conferences. There’s also a simpler interface that allows users to start a video call in just one click. Skype announced the changes on Twitter and on a new landing page today:

Easy video meetings with no sign ups or download. Generate your free unique link with one click, share it with participants and enjoy unlimited meetings with Skype. Full set of features at your disposal. Your meeting link does not expire and can be used anytime.

You can instantly create a free Skype meeting from any device on the new Skype page here.”

Current Skype users should look for the “Meet Now” option.

__________
¹ “Skype ditches account and download requirements, offers link-based option for free video calls” (9to5Mac, 3 Apr. 2020 11:08AM PT).

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By Jim Shimabukuro
Editor

In the University of Hawaii System yesterday (March 31), we received a memo about our 2020 summer sessions: The May 26 to July 3 session will be online only; the July 6 to August 14 session may include F2F sections if we’re clear of the COVID-19 emergency measures by May 15.

A potential registration problem in the midst of this pandemic is the blanket use of the word online. When nearly every course is designated online, the lack of distinction will be confusing for students. The question foremost in the minds of many will be: “Will we have to meet online at a specific time?”

This question highlights the critical difference between sync and async¹ classes. Sync classes, although online, require students to meet at specific times on specific days. This is a hardship for many with responsibilities (e.g., jobs, caring for family members), in distant locations (e.g., different time zones), or with preferred learning styles (e.g., async vs. sync) that make it difficult or impossible to participate.  Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

The richest, most “entitled” communities have the most viral spread. -HK

There are 88 cities in Los Angeles County, California. Each city has a mayor and a city council. -Wikipedia

Apr 1, 2020 at 5:06 AM: My little town of 36,000 is one of the few in LA County with more than 100 out of 100,000 reported cases of the virus. Others include Bel Air, Beverly Crest, Brentwood, Carthay, Century City, Crestview, Hancock Park, Hollywood Hills, Melrose, Pacific Palisades, Palos Verdes Estates, and West Hollywood. You may notice a pattern here. The richest, most “entitled” communities have the most viral spread. They thought that they were immune and ignored the warnings — or else, they simply are the ones with more access to testing because of their wealth. (Or both?)  Continue reading →

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By Jim Shimabukuro
Editor

A memo was circulated today by Maria Bautista, our Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs¹, re “Assessment During Remote Delivery of Spring 2020 Courses or Proctored Tests Alternatives and Information Sharing.” In response, Guy Kellogg posted a comment about using Turnitin. In response to Guy’s comment, I posted the following reply:

There are also DIY means to discourage plagiarism as well as ghostwriting²:

1. One is to assign unique topics — as opposed to generic. To make a topic unique, here are some possibilities:

• Require the inclusion of quotes from specific or nonmainstream readings, videos, or class lectures. The more specific or atypical, the better.
• Require the inclusion of quotes from classmates in online discussions or from a personal interview.
• Require the inclusion of a firsthand experience or observation, i.e., a paragraph or more of personal narrative — to support the student’s thesis.
• Require the application of specific critical thinking tools — e.g., logical fallacies, SMELL, Henry, or Davis Oldham’s “Evidence” (Shoreline CC) — for the purpose of analysis.
• Other: _______. Once you begin thinking in terms of unconventional writing assignments that are unique to your course, many other possibilities will spring to mind.

Continue reading →

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By Lynn Zimmerman
Associate Editor
Editor, Teacher Education

As an educator who is not currently involved in classroom teaching, I have been curious about what’s going on as school-age children are staying at home. On March 21, 2020, Frank Stasio, host of The State of Things, presented a program called “Pandemic Parenting: Tips, Tricks and Advice from the Experts.” The State of Things, produced by WUNC, focuses on what’s happening in North Carolina, but many topics, like this one, are of general interest.

Frank Stasio, host of The State of Things.

Duke University psychologist and professor, Robin Gurwitch, and eighth-grade English teacher, Amy Scott, were Stasio’s guests on the show. He and the guests talked with parents and caregivers about everything from how to talk to your child about coronavirus to realistic expectations of a stay-at-home-education routine for all children, including those with special needs and (gasp) teenagers.

I’d like to hear from K-12 teachers and parents of K-12 students. What is working for you? What lessons have you learned? What do you wish you had?

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By Satoru Shinagawa

Berliner Philharmoniker is giving access to their Digital Concert Hall free for a month. I’ve just redeemed a voucher. I can listen to one of the best orchestras at home.

Overview of Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall

Click on the link below to redeem a voucher.

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/tickets/products/

Continue reading →

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

Are we about to enter a new world, and how brave will it be? -HK

Mar 29, 2020 at 9:30 AM: I absolutely must give a huge shout-out to the doctors, nurses, and health care workers risking their lives under sometimes impossible situations to save lives. All of the support personnel in our hospitals, from janitors to pharmacists, also deserve our thanks for entering buildings under these conditions that threaten their lives and those that they live with. It is beyond unfortunate that we did not respond more rapidly to the wake-up call from China.

Yesterday was a great day for me because I had visits from both of my children and a walk with my wife.

It began with my son calling to say he was dropping by. He said that his 14-day quarantine was over. He arrived with his wife and an Indian lunch for us all to share. We still did not approach each other too closely. It seems that you cannot take too much care these days.  Continue reading →

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By Satoru Shinagawa

I introduced ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language) AAPPL as an asynchronous oral online testing tool a few days ago. (See “Free Asynchronous Oral Testing Service from ACTFL: A COVID-19 Response,” ETCJ, 3/22/20.)

Some people asked me to make a tutorial video of how to share AAPPL material they made with their students.

Click image to watch the video.

This is the video I made. The video length is about 3:40.

bit.ly/aappl_share

Basically, this is the procedure:

1) Students make their own accounts (free) with AAPPL.
2) Instructors send a class code to students.
3) Students log in to AAPLE and use the class code to access the shared material.

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By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience

My daughter also informs me that her son’s elementary school principal has the virus now. -HK

Mar 27, 2020 at 2:01 PM: My wife and I continue in good health. We are now being more careful in what we do. We have found a local restaurant that is offering home delivery of boxes of fruits and vegetables in place of meals. My daughter has had one delivery and says it looks good. We may give them a try soon. She also found a restaurant that should meet our needs when we choose not to cook. I should say when I choose not to cook because I do all of the cooking.

Our beaches, bike paths, piers, and bathrooms have been shut down now. -HK

When you receive a box, it could be contaminated with the virus. It’s not likely, but it can happen because not every infected person has symptoms. You should put the box in the sunlight if possible. Ultraviolet light is very good at destroying viruses. Open it outdoors if you can. Some apartment dwellers do not have that option. Do not bring the empty box indoors. Recycle it outside.  Continue reading →

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