Online Learning News - August 30, 2023

Free Contact North | Contact Nord Webinar

Navigating A World of Generative AI:
Suggestions for Educators

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Eastern time)

Register now!

In this webinar, Lydia Cao and Chris Dede from The Next Level Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education explore a more productive way forward for educators in a world of generative AI. Their proposed approach to demystify AI emphasizes the learning process over the final product, honouring learner agency, orchestrating multiple sources of motivation and cultivating skills that AI can’t easily replicate. It also involves fostering intelligence augmentation (IA) by building human-AI partnerships that give educators the benefits of AI while nurturing the unique abilities of humans to tackle big challenges in the 21st century.

10 Practical Ways Faculty
and Instructors Can Use AI

In this article, Contact North | Contact Nord describes 10 specific ways in which instructors can make effective use of AI tools in their own work, including:

• Design and deliver a syllabus
• Create learning resources
• Create meaningful student projects
• Engage in collaborative learning
• Undertake research
• Design and deliver assessment
• Create presentations for use in class

Read the full story

Dr. Tony Bates’ Latest Blog:
Online Learning and Distance Education

In this blog post, Contact North | Contact Nord Research Associate Dr. Tony Bates announces the French translation of the 3rd edition of his book, Teaching in a Digital Age.

Read Dr. Bates’ post: 

The French translation of the third edition of Teaching in a Digital Age is now available.

La troisième édition de “L’enseignement à l’ère numérique” entièrement traduite en français et maintenant disponible.

Podcasts and Vodcasts
on Online Learning

MADE for U of T (University of Toronto)
Podcast

The MADE podcast is a reflection of the enriching conversations held within community of practice meetings. Hosted by Inga Bredde, a Senior Instructional Technologist, Content Production at the University of Toronto's EdTech Office, this monthly podcast features compelling interviews with educators, industry experts and dedicated MADE community members. By sharing ideas, resources and effective problem-solving approaches for academic content development, the podcast's relevance transcends its immediate audience. Tune in to explore novel education perspectives that resonate with a diverse range of people striving to elevate their teaching and content creation methodologies.

Choose your episode

This Week’s Must-Read Book
on Online Learning

Awkward Intelligence: Where AI Goes
Wrong, Why It Matters
and What We Can Do about It

By Katharina A. Zweig (2022)

Artificial intelligence expert Katharina Zweig offers readers the inside story of AI, explaining how many levers computer and data scientists must pull for its supposedly objective decision-making. Zweig presents both the good and the bad. AI is accurate at sifting through billions of websites to offer up the best results for our search queries, and it has beaten reigning champions in games of chess and the ancient game GO. But Zweig also shows how inaccurate AI is. Drawing on her own research, for example, she shows that when it comes to predicting if someone with a previous conviction will become a repeat offender, AI is often no better than simple guesswork — yet it’s used to determine people’s futures. This is true in education, too, with admissions teams using AI to determine who is admitted to a college or university based on the probabilities of their retention and completion. A fun read with some real insights and challenges.

Browse all Must-Read Books

Updated!

Searchable Directory of 2,300+ Upcoming Educational Technology and Education Professional Development Opportunities from Around the World

Search the 49th version of upcoming professional development opportunities and educational technology conferences that contains a mix of online, in-person, and hybrid events that focus on the use of technology in educational settings and on teaching, learning, and educational administration. Our directory is compiled by Contact North | Contact Nord Research Associate Clayton R. Wright.

Use the directory's unique search features to filter by date, conference name, topic or country.

Search the directory

Upcoming Events in Online Learning 

14th Canadian EdTech Summit 2023

November 2-3, 2023

Ottawa, Ontario

Join MindShare for the 14th Canadian EdTech Summit, themed “Empowering Innovative & Sustainable Learning Environments for the Future.” In partnership with leading education institutions, Ottawa Catholic School Board, University of Ottawa, and Algonquin College, this transformative event aims to shape the education landscape. The summit invites administrators, policy-makers, EdTech leaders, educators, students and parents to collaborate, exchange knowledge and build a stronger education community.

For more information and to register

About Contact North | Contact Nord

Contact North | Contact Nord increases the number of underserved Ontario residents who take online programs and courses from Ontario’s colleges, universities, Indigenous institutes, and other providers while remaining in their community.

We recruit and provide free support services to students in 1,500+ rural and remote communities, in person at 78 locations across the province, or by phone, email, live chat or virtually. Our services are available in English and French. We help increase access and success for underrepresented learner groups, including:

• Francophone learners
• Indigenous learners
• Unemployed learners
• Learners accessing Ontario Works
• Learners with disabilities

Visit contactnorth.ca for more information

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