by Stephanie Burton
The Scenario
Your college or university needs a mobile application to better connect with students, faculty, and alumni, on the go, and often in their preferred medium.
The Opportunity
According to Pew Internet research, 85% of American adults own a cell phone and now use the devices to do much more than make phone calls. Furthermore, a new eMarketer report found that nearly 90% of students in the class of 2016 will own a smartphone by the time they graduate.
As a result of this increase in mobile usage, along with increased demand for university-student interaction, more and more schools are turning to mobile apps to better engage their community.
by John Dennett
Just because something is getting a sudden burst of attention, does not mean it’s a passing fad. And that’s what we’ve tried to prove about social learning over the past few weeks. (Ex: Myth 1 – Social learning isn’t new!)
So, what gives social learning this broad appeal and staying power? Multiple studies and stories confirm students’ increased immersion in technology gives them the experiences, relationships, and stimulation that helps them stay better engaged in their learning experience, plus these technologies are something they are increasingly unable to live without.
Social learning is not going away, and in fact, it will continue to be bolstered by technology and students’ adoption of it.
Our fourth and final myth busted here: Social Learning Doesn’t Have Broad Appeal
by Andrea Meier
Summer is wrapping up. You’ve put away the inflatable pool, put the cover on the grill and you’re getting ready to retire your t-shirts and shorts: school is about to begin again. Back-to-school season is the perfect time to prepare for new online students and take into consideration how to engage active learners.
We’ve put together our top three ways to prepare for online higher-education students, as they return to the digital classroom:
by Jenn
Guest Blog Post by Shelley Kinash, Associate Professor of Higher Education and Director of Quality, Teaching, and Learning at Bond University
G’Day Eh! That’s my mash-up greeting from a dual Australian/Canadian Citizen. I am an Associate Professor of Higher Education and Director of Quality, Teaching, and Learning at Bond University on the beautiful Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. I have been an academic for eighteen years and did my PhD in Education Technology at University of Calgary, Canada. Bond University is very proud and honoured to have been selected to receive the 2012 Mobile Catalyst Award. Another claim to fame is that Bond University was the first Australian university to go live with Blackboard Mobile Learn. Bond is hosting the Blackboard 2012 Australasia Teaching and Learning Conference in August.
by Jenn
The following post is written by guest blogger Kenneth Rogers. Kenneth has served as the Blackboard Administrator at University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) for the past three years. With over 7 years in the E-Learning Industry, Kenneth has a passion for emerging technologies and seeing how technology can enhance education.
Almost three years ago, I was at Blackboard World in DC with a co-worker when Blackboard Mobile was first unveiled. As soon as we returned to San Antonio, we continued the dialogue with the Mobile team and proceeded with the first phase of UIW Mobile.
A short three months after we signed our agreement, UIW v.1.0 was live in the Apple App Store. Download our app to check it out here: Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.blackboard.android.central.incarnate&hl=en Blackberry: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/6768 iOS: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/uiw/id347428414?mt=8# Others: http://m.uiwtx.edu/