All posts by lablearning

Equipping Online Learners for Success

March 14, 2014Teaching Tips & Strategiese-learning resources, teaching in a computer lab, teaching tips for computer instructors, Tips on Teaching an Online Courselablearning

Online classes are creating more diverse “classrooms” than ever before. In addition to your traditional college students, class rosters may be peppered with high school students getting a head start, blue collar workers taking advantage of the flexibility of online education, or working professionals building on their current skill sets.

The following tools will help you equip all of these online learners for success:

The right educational software. Look for software specifically designed for online classes. It provides a single destination for both students and teachers, like a veritable virtual classroom. In addition to slide lectures, blog-style announcements, and immediate updates, teachers can also create grade books, assessments and polls.

Webcams and headsets. The largest hurdle for online courses is meeting the need for person-to-person contact. Webcams can be used to make group projects, live lectures, or virtual office hours more personable. Headsets improve sound quality and allow students to attend classes or special study sessions in public places, such as libraries or coffee shops, without disturbing those around them.

Social Media. Social media platforms provide another way for you and your students to stay connected. Did you know you can set up private Facebook pages for your classes, giving students a place to discuss information and share relevant sites and links? Use a blog to keep students on track, share additional resources, or to address current course challenges experienced by their peers.

Contact Labyrinth Learning to learn more about eLab and other tools to equip your online classes for success.

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2014 Trends in Higher Education

March 12, 2014Featured, News & EventsLabyrinth Learning, teaching in a computer lab, Trends in Higher Education, Working in Higher Learninglablearning

It’s important for colleges and universities to stay abreast of current trends in higher education to ensure graduates emerge prepared to fill positions in the modern workplace. In the global marketplace, that means being in touch with trends both in America and abroad.

Here, detailed in length below, are some trends in higher education you can expect to see throughout 2014:

Focus on the community. Corporations are beginning to place more attention on how business models impact the earth as well as the community at large. As such, many corporations, non-profits and other organizations have coined the term corporate social responsibility (CSR). We expect to see institutions of higher education paying attention to their CSR as well.

A de-emphasis of ranking. Many academics have grown weary and distrustful of the myriad of “ranking” that takes place across the university spectrum. Rushed research and hyper-pressure to publish is detrimental to the academic process, resulting in shoddy and potentially corrupt work.

Fine tuning technology in the classroom. With MOOCs at one end of the spectrum and PowerPoint presentations at the other, higher education will continue to fine-tune the implementation of technology to enhance learning. 2012 saw a major emphasis placed on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), but high-dropout rates indicate that higher learning is most successful when learning incorporates a blend of technology, online/distance learning opportunities and engaged classroom learning, depending on the subject matter.

Keep up with technological trends in higher education. Contact Labyrinth Learning to learn more about eTextbooks, course management systems, and more.

Create a Student Centered Classroom in 2014

February 24, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & Strategiesassessing student performance, e-learning resources, teaching tips for adult students, Teaching Tips for New Teacherslablearning

As the new year gets underway, how are you planning to create a more student centered classroom? With the following tips you can refine your teaching skills and help your students learn more effectively in 2014 and beyond.

Promote interaction among students: The easiest way to encourage collaboration in the classroom is to arrange desks in groups facing each other, in lieu of rows facing the front of the room.
Use more thought-provoking assessments: In any old classroom, students might learn about the latest software by listening to a lecture, reading in a textbook, and answering multiple-choice questions. A student centered classroom gives students the hands on experience for a real-world situation. It may be easier to scan a bubble test and call it quits, but meaningful exercises are far more valuable for assessing critical thinking skills.
Respond to lack of interest: You may need to shift the original game plan if students fail to show interest. If it’s possible to teach them the material in more than one way, cater to their preferences whenever possible.
Make class enjoyable: The goal is to intrigue learners, so even if they weren’t required to come to class, they would. Make the journey an enjoyable one, both for you and your students.

With these tips, the first semester in 2014 can lead to happier, more interested learners. For more on creating a student centered classroom in 2014, please contact us today at Labyrinth Learning.

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Foster a Positive Attitude in the Classroom

February 21, 2014Teaching Tips & StrategiesLabyrinth Learning, teaching tips for adult students, Teaching Tips for New Teachers, tips on teaching adultslablearning

As with anything else in life, it is often the little things that count the most when dealing with another person. Nowhere is this fact more important than in the classroom, where an educator’s attitude can make or break a student’s morale.

Incorrect answers are inevitable in any class, but how an educator handles an incorrect answer can cripple a student’s morale. Instead of simply discounting a wrong answer and moving on to the next student, a superior educator encourages the original student to think through the process and come to the right answer on their own.

Encourage the student to actively learn by saying something like, “That’s good thinking. You are on the right track. Can you think of another answer?” This technique works in most scenarios. In short, it is one of the most proven ways to foster a positive attitude in the classroom. Not only will the original student benefit but the entire class will also respond positively to the process.

For more information on these and other excellent teaching tips, please contact us at Labyrinth Learning. You will find us online or you can reach us directly at 1-800-522-9746.

DOCC May Soon Replace MOOC as the Hottest Acronym in Education

February 17, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & StrategiesLabyrinth Learning, Online Learning software, teaching tips for online course instructors, Tips on Enrolling in an Online Courselablearning

These days, much of the most recent news in higher education circles around the opening and credit transfer workings of MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). Though, under the radar, a new form of online course has been making a name for itself in higher education. DOCC, also known as a Distributed Open Collaborative Course, offers a new twist to online learning.

DOCC May Soon Replace MOOC as the Hottest Acronym in Education — Use a few of these pointers to find the right online course for your students and lesson plan.

Both styles use key features like open enrollment, video components and credit options. A wide range of students can enroll in these courses and receive an in-depth education on a variety of subjects that were previously limited to the number of students a classroom could hold.

You will find a few key differences between MOOCs and DOCCs. A DOCC does not bring a single centralized syllabus to the individuals that participate. It does, however, organize around a central subject.

The DOCC distinguishes itself by actively distributing the expertise and pedagogy throughout all those involved, instead of relying on two or three individuals. This also allows for a bit of leniency in each lesson and can vary immensely based on a number of factors.

It is still unclear which discipline will survive, or if they both have a place in the education landscape, but we eagerly follow the developments to see how these new platforms evolve.

To improve your online courses, please contact us today at Labyrinth Learning!

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Teaching to the Visual Learner

January 27, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & Strategiesassessing student performance, teaching tips, teaching tips for computer instructors, teaching tips for online course instructorslablearning

People usually lean toward one of these learning types: kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. Kinesthetic learners absorb information through hands-on experience; auditory learners through verbal explanations; and visual learners through graphics, demonstrations, and textual instructions. The secret to being a successful instructor is knowing what kind of learners you’re going to face so that you can prepare materials suited to their style.

Visual learners will be more receptive to taking lessons from the chalkboard than a lecture.

If you’re working with the visual type of learner, then get creative with your lessons! The following tips and tricks can help you teach a visual learner:

Show, don’t tell: For visual learners, you need to explain a process step by step, whether it’s about solving a math problem or assembling a DIY wooden table. It’s better if you use videos, diagrams, and other visual media showing a specific example from start to finish.

Paint mental pictures: Memorization can be a difficult task especially for visual learners. Make it easy for them by creating imagery with each item they need to memorize, especially when they have to remember lists, acronyms, dates, foreign alphabet characters, etc.

Use technology: The Internet is a bottomless source of information for practically any topic, so encourage visual learners to explore relevant sites in their free time. You can also suggest apps they can download and use in their mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

The great news is that it’s much easier to teach visual folks now than ever before with a little help from us at Labyrinth Learning. We create effective learning solutions that use innovative online tools. Contact us for more information!

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The Effect of Technology on Education

January 22, 2014Featured, Teaching Tips & Strategiese-learning resources, Labyrinth Learning, technology in the classroom, Using Technology in the Classroomlablearning

In a world of rapidly advancing technology, it can be difficult to sort the useful benefits of tech in the classroom from the distracting noise of marketeers. Of course, for every example of social-networks causing trouble in schools, there’s a story of a self-taught go-getter utilizing Internet resources for something beautiful. Just like in any era, our status-quo has its problems and dilemmas, but embracing technological solutions for educational issues should be lauded as the solution, not the problem.

The Effect of Technology on Education — The chalk board is being tabled in many classrooms in lieu of interactive assignments utilizing technology.

Many teachers are already using technology in education to reach more students, to communicate better with students, to demonstrate complex-concepts to students, and to inspire students to do more with their potential than they ever thought possible.

A major aspect of their success is properly choosing which technology is best for their specific situation. However, any teacher who tries their best to introduce their students to the latest technologies rather than seclude them in the darkness of last decades textbooks and documentaries is having a positive impact.

Technology is and always has been a tool; finding the right way to wield it is just as important as the difference between using an axe to build a home and using an axe to wage a war. For example, when trying to get students to work together, some teachers realize that they are already connected via popular social-networking sites that have options to share data and insight as easily as selfie-photographs and gaming invites.

If you have an active interest in utilizing more technology in education for your students, contact Labyrinth Learning!

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MOOCs Popularity Continues to Grow

January 17, 2014Teaching Tips & StrategiesInformation on taking an Online Course, Labyrinth Learning, Online Learning software, teaching tips for computer instructorslablearning

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Internet and its devotees have made significant inroads in the educational world with the introduction of something known as “massive open online courses” or “MOOCs.” The creators of these (usually) college-level courses have seen a massive rise in popularity as the “who, how and where” of the classes has been greatly expanded.

Similar to traditional courses, in that they offer such basics as “Intro to Calculus,” as well as more liberal arts minded classes, the number of people enrolled in a single class can reach into the thousands. Typically, the classes are free and available to anyone with an Internet connection. The only caveat is that a simple certificate is required as proof of completion.

Good luck, however, getting a conventional institution of higher learning to accept them for a traditional diploma. Colleges and vocational schools are engaged in a struggle with these online juggernauts and are not willing to make it any easier for them than necessary. In fact, many top-notch schools are starting their own MOOCs, and commecial vendors have also taken an interest.

While no one can tell the future, it seems that MOOCs are here to stay and that their popularity will only continue to grow in the coming years as they learn to better cater to their clients’ needs.

For more information on MOOCs, in particular, and on e-learning in general, please contact us at Labyrinth Learning.

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Technology Can Help Lower the Cost of Post-Secondary Education

January 15, 2014Teaching Tips & Strategiese-learning resources, Labyrinth Learning, Tips on Enrolling in an Online Course, Tips on Going Back to Schoollablearning

The whole world acknowledges that a college degree is the key to success. Yet, nowadays the cost of higher education keeps many from attaining that goal. Technology in education has created great hope in lowering the cost of a college education.

Technology Can Help Lower the Cost of Post-Secondary Education — Technology has made earning a degree easier when costs are a factor.

The amount of free and reduced cost learning tools online is unprecedented due in part to the internet. Tools like YouTube and podcasts make it easy to create and distribute video and audio to anyone with an internet connection. Traditional universities, from Harvard to your local community college, are able to record lectures and other events from popular professors then share them online.

Online learning has made the cost of higher education more affordable for some. Working adults are able to take one or two courses at a time to complete associate, bachelor, master, and doctorate degrees. Students are able to read e-books, rent textbooks online, as well as access websites and databases that are tailored to the student’s program of study.

The cost of the tools needed to consume learning in an online environment has gone down as well. Smartphones and laptops can be purchased for as little as $200, making it available to those in lower economic brackets.

Technology in education has great potential to increase accessibility to those who may not have considered a college education. For ideas on how your school or program can utilize our tools for student success, give us a call at Labyrinth Learning.

Image Source: morgueFile