Online Smart School

When the University of Southern California partnered with 2tor Inc., this online learning collaboration has garnered praise from those still skeptical of this new advancement in education. Others have been more cautious when it comes to online learning. According to an article in The Chronicle for Higher Education, Frank Donoghue addresses some lingering concerns that he has for the future of higher education and this new pedagogical tool of online learning. Donoghue posits that the streamlined nature of online learning may make the courses too sterile and devoid of the creative uncertainty that fosters meaningful learning.

According to the article, Donoghue discusses two pressing issues for professors as well. With many universities using learning management systems or partnering with publishing companies, professors may face greater difficulty gaining the intellectual rights to their courses or the right to choose which textbook to use. Donoghue worries that professors may lose some of the autonomy when it comes to designing courses as well as losing their right to the courses once posted on an LMS. Even with these concerns, Donoghue acknowledges that online learning has established itself as a viable pedagogical tool, but he believes that further discussions should take place about online learning’s impact on the professors and their rights.

You can read more at The Chronicle for Higher Education. 

I came across this blog post written by one of our students, Angie S., sharing her experience attending high school at Minnesota Virtual Academy.

And a big THANKSgoes out to Angie herself, for taking the time to share her experience!

Often times new solos are afraid to publicly ask the important questions about starting a solo practice because they are concerned others will mock them for not knowing what is often considered basic. Jared Correia hears these questions all day long, often times two and three times in the same day. We thought it would be very beneficial to have a discussion with Jared so he could answer these newbie questions (which, quite frankly, more seasoned lawyers could benefit from, as well!) in a podcast which can be bookmarked, saved and listened to as often as you like. If you are a new lawyer in Massachusetts or a paying member of the Massachusetts bar, be sure to connect with Jared. LOMAPs services are free for those who qualify.

The audio is about 53 minutes. Listen or download directly below. New Solo FAQs with Jared Correia

Jared D. Correia, Esq., is Law Practice Management Advisor at MassLOMAP (Massachusetts Law Office Management Practice). Prior to joining LOMAP, he was the Publications Attorney for the Massachusetts Bar Association (“MBA”). He was the first Publications Attorney for the MBA, and established the continuing legal education publication protocols and standards. In addition to overseeing the MBA’s CLE Publications, he also managed the MBA’s version of Casemaker, an online legal research product provided free of charge to MBA members. Prior to joining the MBA, Mr. Correia was a private practice attorney, working in the areas of general practice and disability law, in small firms on the Southcoast, North of Boston and just outside of Boston. Mr. Correia’s general practice encompassed a diverse range of legal subjects, including the handling of administrative hearings, personal injury law, family law, tax law and property law matters. Mr. Correia is active in raising funds for cancer research and has founded a charitable organization to benefit autistic children. He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and Saint Anselm College, where he was a captain of the Saint Anselm College Debate Team that finished second nationally in 2000.

Connect with Jared on . You can also follow LOMAP on Facebook, visit the website or read the blog.

Dr. David Szymanski, associate professor of kinesiology and Eva Cunningham Endowed Professor in Education at Louisiana Tech University, has been selected to present at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) annual Coaches Conference, January 7 in San Antonio, Texas.

The presentation titled, “In-season Training for the Pitcher – The Why and How,” will describe the physiological responses to baseball pitching during simulated and intra-squad games. Szymanski will offer specific recommendations for designing in-season strength and conditioning programs for starting, middle relief, and closing pitchers.

“This is a great opportunity to inform those in attendance about the research we are doing at Louisiana Tech with the baseball team and then describe how to use the information in an attempt to train baseball pitchers optimally based on their pitching role,” said Szymanski.

Szymanski, who specializes in exercise physiology, was the 2008 recipient of Louisiana Tech’s Virgil Orr Undergraduate Junior Faculty Award and the College of Education’s Outstanding Faculty Research Award.  His research interests include baseball and batted-ball velocity, baseball and throwing velocity, sports performance, and body composition.

In addition to his teaching and research activities, Szymanski is also the head strength and conditioning coach for the Bulldog baseball team.  In 2011, Szymanski was elected to serve as president of Louisiana Tech’s Faculty Senate as well as an at-large seat on the NSCA’s Board of Directors.

“Since we have been conducting baseball related research here for the last five years, graduate students from around the country are now looking at attending Louisiana Tech to continue their education, assist in training the baseball team, and having the opportunity to get jobs in professional baseball,” Szymanski said.

“One of our former graduate students is working as a minor league hitting instructor with the St. Louis Cardinals, one is working as a Triple-A strength and conditioning coach for the Minnesota Twins, and another will have an internship as a strength and conditioning coach this summer, also with the Twins.”

The NSCA’s Coaches Conference offers a combination of education, the latest sports science information, and practical field coaching presentations.  The conference is comprised of lectures and hands-on sessions from top coaches, practitioners and researchers, sharing their multi-sport conditioning expertise.

The NSCA is an international nonprofit educational association founded in 1978 that serves nearly 30,000 members in 52 countries. Drawing upon its vast network of members, the NSCA develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention, and research findings.

For many high school students, school is a series of lectures taking place in various classrooms on campus. After school, students muddle through homework and the cycle repeats. Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, saw the need to question the fundamental practices of the education system. Why are students being lectured in the classroom and doing the real work of learning in their homework? According to an article in The Bangor Daily News, Khan Academy offers teachers a series of videos and lectures for the students to watch as homework assignments which allows class time to be used for questions, problem solving, and unique projects.

According to the article, Salman Khan began his video series to tutor his younger cousins. These videos led Khan to found the Khan Academy which now has several thousand video lessons in math and science. Khan Academy has garnered praise from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its innovative application of technology in the field of education. Both the Gates Foundation and Google have contributed sizable amounts of funding to support Khan’s vision for the virtual school. While some critics have said Khan is degrading teachers, Khan maintains that his academy gives teachers a wider range of tools and helps them engage their students better in the classrom.

You can read more at The Bangor Daily News. 

In a series of thinktanK¹² blog posts,  we look at some trends we can expect to see in education in the near future, as well as introducing you to some of the influential people helping revolutionize education.

I came across an interesting study on multi-tasking this week, with some surprising suggestions. Psychologist Larry Rosen writes that all our technology, social networks, and devices are giving us a form of tech-induced obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention-deficit syndrome.

As a result, kids (and adults) are constantly wondering if they have a text, if there’s anything interesting on Facebook, if they have unanswered e-mails, and so on. It’s gotten so bad, Rosen says, that “the average computer programmer or medical student can only stay focused on a task in front of him- or herself for three minutes.”

To combat this, Rosen gives some interesting suggestions. He says that instead of trying to ignore the urge to text or browse Facebook, we should give in – within limits. A short “tech break,” Rosen says, serves to effectively reset the brain.

He says: If your brain keeps thinking about a text message you need to return, it’s better to send that text to get the nagging impulse out of your head. Once you stop thinking about sending that text, then you’ve literally freed up space in your brain to focus on more important things…

Rosen suggests that the brain works best when it has frequent breaks to reset it. Expecting students or adults to work on one task for a solid hour is unrealistic and unproductive. But constantly switching between Facebook and homework isn’t productive either.

Instead, he recommends giving kids 1 minute tech breaks for each 15 minutes of study time. A tech break could also be 15 minutes of video gaming or Youtube viewing for 30 minutes of focused work – this time could be used immediately or accumulated for later. By setting aside time for technology, our brains can then focus on the task at hand, without the looming temptation to constantly check our devices or social networks. The amount of time and type of break will vary, but finding the right balance is important for fostering good work habits in people of all ages.

Unplggd.com says “the important thing to remember when building tech breaks into your schedule is they should be frequent, but not too frequent and they need to be short, otherwise they wont serve to refresh and maintain focus but will pull focus all on their own.”

Rosen also suggests non-tech breaks for resetting the brain. Listening to music, practicing yoga, talking to a friend (in person, not online), and getting outside for a 15 minute walk all serve to reset and refocus the brain as well, though they may not satisfy your urge to see what’s happening on your Twitter feed…

I want to hear from you!

Do you build tech breaks into your day?

Do you give your kids tech breaks, and if so, how do you schedule them?