Online textbooks offered free to students - Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, August 11, 2009
08-11) 17:45 PDT -- When California math and science teachers return to their classrooms this month, they'll have 10 free online textbooks at their fingertips to help them teach everything from calculus to chemistry.
Each of the books meets the state's math and science standards, giving California teachers a high-tech, no-cost tool during tough economic times, the governor announced today.
Free was the key word.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the digital textbook initiative in June, arguing the online books could help shave hundreds of millions of dollars from the state's education budget, an assertion disputed by education officials, who decried a lack of technology in many schools.
The program "gives school districts high-quality, cost-effective options to consider when choosing textbooks for the classroom - not only during these difficult economic times but in the years to come," the governor said in a statement today.
The 'seven deadly sins' of elearning was presented by Dr Karen Becker, a lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology with a PhD in ‘Unlearning in the Workplace’; many people need to unlearn past behaviours before they can accept that e-learning is a powerful teaching and learning tool.
One of the biggest issues with introducing e-learning in education and training is the manner in which it is debated, applied and evaluated within the learning environment. Here, Dr Becker tells us how to avoid committing the ‘seven deadly sins of e-learning’.
1. Old wine, new bottles
Repackaging. It’s a no-fuss way to put your learning content online and the easiest way to alienate an e-learner. Having your learners read through their entire course content uploaded on your website does not embrace the essence of e-learning or stimulate creativity. Instead of repackaging think about using e-learning in an engaging, imaginative and flexible way where learners can benefit from interactive tools such as video, blogging and online discussion.
2. All the bells and whistles
3. Unhealthy (and unnecessary) competition
4. Jack of all trades
5. Misuse of expert power
6. Because I said so
7. This won’t hurt a bit
Read all about the seven deadly sins .. try and analyse these from your own context and see if these are true ..
