“Sophia Introduces Free Online Social Teaching and Learning Platform for Education” plus 1 more |
| Sophia Introduces Free Online Social Teaching and Learning Platform for Education Posted: 07 Mar 2011 04:00 AM PST Press Release Source: Sophia On Monday March 7, 2011, 7:00 am EST MINNEAPOLIS, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sophia, a first-of-its-kind online social teaching and learning platform that offers academic content to anyone, anywhere free of charge is now available in a public beta. The site (Sophia.org), which has been described as a mashup of Facebook, Wikipedia and YouTube focused solely on education, also lets educators supplement their teaching methods with tools to create a customized learning environment in a private or public setting. The invitation-only beta has drawn people from nearly 200 educational institutions in 16 different countries. Sophia uses Web 2.0 tools and methods to create a credible, crowd-sourced platform where information is organized in "learning packets" – bite-sized tutorials tagged to specific academic subjects or topics, including standards-aligned objectives. The packets can be created by anyone, anywhere using text, images, presentations, video, audio and more. Packets are rated for quality and evaluated for academic soundness by users and experts within the community. "We're at a point in history where it's actually possible for anyone to teach anyone else, regardless of geography or status," said Don Smithmier, founder and CEO of Sophia. "Each of us has the potential to be contributors, to share our knowledge to make education better and more effective, and we want to help fuel that revolution. Sophia connects people wanting to learn with those willing to teach." In development since 2009, Sophia was created by a team of online education pioneers, academic advisers and digital innovators. Before founding Sophia, Smithmier was a long-time executive at Capella Education Company, which grew during his tenure from less than 50 enrolled online learners to more than 25,000 in all 50 states and 70 different countries. Capella Education Company is an investor in Sophia. "I watched online learning grow from a fringe concept in the '90s to an established part of the education landscape, but we need more innovation because online classes primarily solve an access problem while coursework and instruction are still treated in a very traditional way," Smithmier said. "By integrating online teaching tools and social networking capabilities with content that meets the standards of the current education system, we have a much better chance of creating genuine engagement. We can meet students where they're at in a way that makes sense to them." The Sophia leadership team includes Angie Eilers, Ph.D., the organization's vice president of academic outcomes. Eilers has more than 20 years of experience as a researcher, evaluator and professor of educational policy. Her teaching and research associations include Stanford University and the University of Minnesota. Eilers also is a former leadership fellow for the Bush Foundation. "Sophia has the potential to connect millions of teachers, students and tutors outside the formal classroom to share and exchange knowledge without traditional barriers of cost, time or geography," Eilers said. "Just as the social experience has been digitized by online sites, social teaching and learning applications like Sophia are digitizing learning to supplement and assist what is taking place in brick and mortar schools." Learning packets on the Sophia site will be rated and ranked by users and academic experts to ensure quality content is organized and easy to find. All registered Sophia users have the option to rate a packet based on its overall appeal, creativity and usefulness. Learning packets also will be reviewed for their academic veracity by subject matter experts within the Sophia community. In addition to providing content, Sophia enables teachers to create invitation-only learning environments where they have the option to share their content in a private learning environment that can be viewed only by their students. Individuals with access to the controlled area can post questions, provide answers, share ideas and build a "bookshelf" of learning materials for the group to use. To learn more or create a packet of your own, go to www.sophia.org. About Sophia Sophia is a social teaching and learning application that makes free, credible academic content available to anyone at anytime. It is a mission-driven organization that aims to break traditional cost and access barriers to post-secondary degree attainment. For more information, go to www.sophia.org. Follow Yahoo! Finance on ; become a fan on Facebook. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Posted: 07 Mar 2011 08:21 AM PST Since 2001, the School for New Learning has offered an alternative way for students to get a diploma, through accredited online degree programs. Now the program offers new interdisciplinary degree completion majors as another path students can take on the road to getting a degree. Founded in 1972, DePaul's SNL prides itself on bringing life and work experience that adults have already acquired and combining it with hands-on activities in and out of the classroom. DePaul's SNL program was originally established to cater to adult students who were either returning to school from the workplace or entering the collegiate world for the first time. Program Director Beth Rubin thinks SNL's new programs will increase enrollment. "The pace and structure are streamlined. I think it will appeal to a wider range of students than SNL's "traditional" program - which is actually very non-traditional," said Rubin. SNL faculty member Ann Stanford describes the new programs such as Applied Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Studies as not only quick and clear paths for adult students, but also a way for SNL students to receive a mixture of instruction. "Each degree incorporates SNL courses especially designed for the program, as well as courses from the psychology department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of College of Communication," she said. But the looming question remains, are online degrees as valuable as traditional bachelors? According to Rubin, DePaul's standards for online programs match those for traditional degree programs in the eyes of the students. "In my experience, all DePaul students want a great education where standards are high, the education is really focused on ensuring that students develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, and faculty care about their students," she said. "The only differences between students who are attracted to online degrees and those who want "traditional" (face-to-face) degrees is that the online-seekers either 1) don't live in the Chicago area; or 2) have a life where travel to campuses is difficult for them." According to SNL student Kelly Sipich, online programs are a great way to transition back into school. "SNL Online is the easiest way to transition back into learning, especially when life is so demanding. Don't let your schedule (or age) determine what you can't do. Taking online classes allows you the flexibility to learn." Traditional or non-traditional, SNL is demonstrating the university's determination to provide education through every channel possible. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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