E Learning for Healthcare Helps Prepare for Increasingly Wired Careers

Posted on May 17th, 2012 by Sarah Layton

I read an interesting article today “Graying America gets wired to cut healthcare costs.” Author, Stella Dawson, talks about the coming age of the “Robo-Granny” and taking advantage of the baby-boomer generation’s interest and activity with iPads and smart phones to ease the cost of healthcare in America. Some of the ideas described here are incredible! My parents aren’t getting any younger and it is fascinating to think that some of these technologies may be a reality in their lives in the future.

How does this relate to e learning for healthcare? By including e learning in your health science curriculum, you are helping students adapt to our increasingly wired environment.

If you are already using e learning for healthcare, it is unlikely that by the time students reach your classroom that they haven’t already been exposed to computers, tablets, or smart phones. But it is possible that until this point, these gadgets have been used purely for entertainment and socialization.

If you aren’t already using an e learning for healthcare tool, what is stopping you?! Take a quick look at this chart to see what you might be missing out on.

You have the opportunity to introduce or demonstrate the effective (and cost-effective) benefits of e learning for healthcare and the technologies it uses. So be creative with your e learning assignments. Help reluctant students embrace these tools and help them understand the inescapability of using technology in their careers—particularly in the changing field of healthcare.

And if students still seem reluctant or skeptical about using the e learning for healthcare technologies in their future careers, throw some fun facts their way, such as this fun article that suggests that Facebook makes employees MORE productive!

Download your Free PowerPoint lesson on the History of Health Care now and start using in your classroom today!

How to Request a Quotation

Posted on May 16th, 2012 by Sarah Layton

While going through the free trial experience with learn.aeseducation.com, we’ve noticed that there are a few questions that just about everyone has.

The first question was: How to determine your number of active students.

This week’s question: How to request a quotation.

Fellow bloggers, Ned Sheerin and Anne Kuser, explain exactly that in this video.

 

Blog Reading 101: Using Google Reader

Posted on May 15th, 2012 by Kristin Savko

I love the knowledge exchange that takes place on blogs. The amount of good ideas and information that’s always at our fingertips is truly astonishing. I used to subscribe to a lot of different magazines to get that type of information. On the web, when I find a blog that resonates with me, I add it to my bookmarks with the intent of going back to look for new articles later. For me, those bookmarks always get dusty and coated in cobwebs—Out of sight, out of mind. Unlike that magazine subscription, I don’t get new information unless I remember to go look for it.

The solution is to subscribe, or “follow” blogs in the same way that we would subscribe to a magazine. My favorite way to follow blogs is using Google Reader (although you can pick any reader that you like). In basic terms, you tell the reader what blogs you like to read by subscribing to them. Then, anytime that you sign in to Google Reader, you will be able to see any new articles, or “posts” from your favorite blogs, at a glance. No opening multiple bookmarks or remembering web addresses involved. No more missing new posts from your favorite site. Cool, right?!

Getting started with Google Reader

If you already have a Google account with your email or another Google service, you can simply sign in using that account. If you do not have an account, there is a sign up button in the top right hand corner of the screen.

Once you’re in, the key is finding the big “Subscribe” button in the upper left hand side of the page. After you click on it, a box will drop down and you can paste the web address for the blog you’d like to follow. To follow our blog, you would paste http://blog.aeseducation.com into the box. Click “Add” and you’ll see the blog show up in the subscriptions section of the left sidebar.

Continue to add other blogs using the same method. If you click on a blog name in your subscriptions list, it will display that blog’s articles on the main section of the page. It will also indicate to you how many of those posts you have yet to read. You can read the article right in the reader, or click on the article to open the blog. In addition, next to each post there is a little star. You can easily click on the stars to mark articles as favorite articles that you may like to read again. There are plenty of advanced features available, but I don’t use much more than just the basics that I described here.

Using a blog reader is just another way to use a cloud resource to your advantage. My hope would be that you are able to utilize this tool to stay organized and save yourself valuable time. Most of all, I hope that you’re able to discover and exchange ideas more easily.  And don’t forget—Because the Google reader is on the cloud, you can access it anytime, anywhere. You may remember from my last post why using cloud applications can really work to your advantage.

I’m curious—what are your favorite blogs to read? What kind of blog articles do you enjoy?

Download your Free copy of 6 Common Challenges in YOUR classroom now and start reading in 60 seconds!

What Is a Flipped Classroom?

Posted on May 10th, 2012 by Sarah Layton

In my search for interesting and useful things to share with you, I recently have repeatedly come across “the flipped classroom.”

I probably should have already known what this was, but I didn’t.  But now I do, and I’m fascinated. I wish my teachers had embraced the flipped classroom. And being that I’m in the online learning business, I couldn’t help but ponder how well our product fits into this model.

If you are like me and you don’t know what a flipped classroom is or how it could benefit you and your students, please read this fantastic interview in the Washington Post.

I love the last question where the Jonathan Bergmann is asked if the flipped classroom makes the role of the teacher at least as important as ever. He responds, “The flip makes the teacher more important. The teacher is not the disseminator of knowledge, but the chief facilitator and the chief learner.” As a parent with two school-age children, that just made particularly grateful for instructors that are trying new things and then sharing them with the world.

In a nutshell, the characteristics of a flipped classroom are simple:

• New topic introduction and lecture is done at home
• Application of that knowledge is done in the classroom

Why a Flipped Classroom?

The idea is that students can learn new content by viewing videos or using an online program at home, where they can get comfy, focus, rewind, and replay as needed—a process that doesn’t really require a lot of interaction between instructor and student.

Then, after learning about the topic, students come to class and do activities and do work that would in a typical classroom be give as homework. By doing this work in class, their instructor is right there able to answer questions and help students as they effectively apply what they’ve learned.

Download your Free copy of 6 Common Challenges in YOUR classroom now and start reading in 60 seconds!

How to Determine Your Number of Active Students

Posted on May 9th, 2012 by Sarah Layton

While going through the free trial experience with learn.aeseducation.com, we’ve noticed that there are a few questions that just about everyone has.

The first question: How to determine your number of active students?

Fellow bloggers, Ned Sheerin and Anne Kuser, explain exactly that in this video.

 

NFL Draft Results Vs E Learning for Healthcare

Posted on May 8th, 2012 by Anne Kuser

It’s a busy time of year for instructors out there!  Yes…the semester is winding down, but this is the time of year when educators look at resources for next school year, including e learning for healthcare.

What grade will your school receive for their “Curriculum Draft?”  Have you reviewed the materials and resources that will best outfit your courses to achieve the results that you expect from your students?

I happened to read the NFL Draft report this year.  (Why on earth, one might ask…?)!  It was interesting to see the detail that goes into monitoring the draft players, in an effort to secure a team’s success.  It brought to mind the careful review that instructors must make, in order to ensure their own students’ success.

So…Do you think you’ll get an “A” on your selection?!

OK…So it’s not easy right now to achieve one’s “wish list” of resources, when the economic climate is still so tentative!  But can we find a way to achieve the “best bang for the buck,” given the budgets that we need to adhere to?

We’ve kept an eye on the economy, and recognize that budgets are not what they used to be several years ago!  In addition, the we’ve done research in the marketplace, and has turned to the healthcare industry where the jobs outlook is still one of the most positive out there!

As well as developing curriculum to assist in the outfitting of these jobs, our objective is to provide resources that are affordable for educational institutions.  (Like NFL teams, they recognize that schools have a budget “cap” that they must address)!

Are you going to draft these resources, and gain the upper hand for your team?

Then…I give you an “A”!

Enable the Quiz and Test Continuation Beta Feature

Posted on May 4th, 2012 by Joe Schultz

We are constantly trying to improve and upgrade the AES Online System based on customer feedback and discussions. Because the product is online, we are able to release updates as soon as they are completed. This is good for you because you get the latest and greatest updates ASAP. But, this can also be bad. Because updates that alter the user experience may cause unwanted disruptions during the school year.

In trying to make these types of releases go more smoothly, we decided to start releasing updates that alter the user experience as Beta features.

What does this mean? A Beta feature is an update that is released but is not activated by default. You (as a site administrator) must manually activate the update before it is visible to all users on your site.

You have a choice to turn-on the feature right away or wait for a better time. If you turn-on the feature and don’t like the update or see problems with it, you can switch back to the old implementation. You can then let us know what the problems are with the new feature – so we can make modifications before the Final Release. The Final Release makes the feature permanently visible and will occur one to two months after the Beta release.

Note: not all updates are going to be done as Beta features. For example, content corrections or additional controls on existing features will be released as before – that is they will be immediately visible.

However, the May Release does in fact include a Beta feature. As mentioned in a previous blog, this new Beta feature allows students who improperly hand-in or get “kicked-out” quizzes/tests to sign back in an continue taking it. You can turn on this Beta features for your site using the following method:

1. Sign in as a Site Administrator
2. Go to the Setup tab
3. Click on the Beta Features link on the left
4. Set (check) the Enable Quiz/Test Continuation option
5. Click Update.

The new Beta feature is now activated on your site.

To turn the Beta feature off, simple clear the Enable Quiz/Test Continuation option and click Update.

Download your Free copy of 6 Common Challenges in YOUR classroom now and start reading in 60 seconds!

Are Your Instructional Materials for Health Science and Business & IT Effective?

Posted on May 3rd, 2012 by Sarah Layton

“Researchers from the Brookings Institution argue in a new white paper that instructional materials affect student achievement as much as any key factor, including effective teaching.” This comment comes directly from Catherine Gewertz’s article Do You Know How Effective Your Instructional Materials Are?

This article goes on to give some arguments and suggestions for how states should determine what instructional materials districts are using and the effectiveness of those tools.

Let’s take this important argument to the level of your own unique classroom. Are your instructional materials for health science and business & IT effective?

What Instructional Materials Do You Use?

First determine what instructional materials you are currently using. This includes textbooks, online software, videos, worksheets, study guides, and even your lecture notes.

How Thoroughly Do You Use It?

Think about how often and how much of each instructional material you use. For example, of your 500 page textbook, how many pages are you actually using?

When you compose a unit test or other form of measuring student understanding, from where are students getting the knowledge to answer those test questions?

What Instructional Materials Could You NOT Live Without?

If I walked into your classroom and said I’m taking this textbook, or disabling your Internet connection, or stealing your SmartBoard, what would you do? What instructional materials, if they were lost to you, would be most catastrophic? And what instructional material could you simply not replace if it were taken from you? Then ask the same questions, but answer from a student’s perspective.

Challenge: Increase Use of Most Effective Instructional Materials

Hopefully you now have a refreshed view of what instructional materials are most effective in your classroom. You may have determined a few materials that are essentially ineffective. I challenge you to eliminate those ineffective materials from your classroom and instead find a way to utilize your most effective instructional materials to their fullest. Have you been missing out on an effective instructional material that is already in your classroom?

Download your Free copy of 6 Common Challenges in YOUR classroom now and start reading in 60 seconds!

Two Articles Every Health Science Teacher Should Read

Posted on May 2nd, 2012 by Sarah Layton

There are times when as I scour resources for blog ideas, I come across an article that hits on exactly what I’m thinking. That happened to me twice today. Here are two articles every health science teacher should read today. I don’t want you to miss out on these articles. You really need to read these for yourself. Please do. And enjoy!

“Common Misconceptions of Educators Who Fear EdTech”

This article gives great arguments against the most common objections to using technology in the classroom, including:

• Time
• Cost
• Assessment
• Control (I think this is the one that I hear the most from our instructors)
• Lack of Training

“Teaching as Leadership: Demystifying the ‘Natural Born’ Teacher”

I particularly liked this statement, “what these teachers do not use is a pedagogical formula or a “teach to the top” philosophy. They make sure that students—all of them— comprehend the material.” This article resonated with me because I know that there are a number of instructors using our program that are not educators by, well, education. Many of them are from the nursing field or have a business background. Teaching has been a career change for them. This one’s for you guys!

Download your Free copy of 6 Common Challenges in YOUR classroom now and start reading in 60 seconds!

How Do I Use this E Learning Health Tool?!

Posted on May 1st, 2012 by Sarah Layton

Okay, so now I have this great new e Learning health tool to use in my classroom. But how? How does it work? And how does it work for ME? What, it doesn’t do this? It doesn’t have this feature? Forget it, I don’t have time for this…

Sound familiar? (Be honest.) What can you do when faced with implementing a new tool or resource into your classroom or lessons? If you are looking for a rainbows and teddybears answer, then you better just stop reading now.

There is no magical way to flawlessly integrate something new into your routine. However, there are some ways that are better than others. And the long-term benefits are worth a little up-front struggle…even if you determine that the tool isn’t right for you or your students.

Educate Yourself

Start by getting a bit (just a bit, no need to go crazy) of background about the tool. For example, if you are about to implement an online learning program into your classroom. By all means, log on and check it out. Don’t be bashful or hesitant. Click video tutorials, case studies, Help, etc. Find out where to get support. The developers of these products want you to be successful. They’ve likely provided many tools to help you get started.

Make a (Flexible) Plan…with a Backup

Create a template or course, or whatever it is the tool allows you to do. Don’t worry about perfection. If you get everything exactly perfect the first time, it would be miraculous. Just allow your knowledge of your classroom, students, environment, subject matter, and instincts to be your guide. Develop the best possible guess of what will work, and then don’t second guess yourself. Then be sure to have a backup plan, just in case the worst happens.

Trial and Error, Trial and Error, Trial and Error

Once you’ve established a very basic understanding of the tool and developed a plan, confidently go for it! Trial and error is the only way to determine whether or not your plan and your use of the tool is right for your classroom. The more you use it, the more confident you and your students will become. And the more you will learn about the tool itself. You don’t have to know everything before you start. But you’ll never know anything if you don’t start. Don’t be afraid to have an occasional less-than-perfect lesson. As you learn and gain experience, you can tweak things here and there and try again.

Skeptic to Champion

The inspiration for today’s blog came from a recent conversation I had with a new HealthCenter21 online instructor about how she uses the program in her classroom. I very much appreciated her candor in starting off the interview by telling me that she had been very skeptical about using the program. However, she went on to explain that as the school year has progressed, she’s discovered things that work for her and things that don’t. The things that don’t, she has customized for her classroom. At this point, in less than one school year, she is what we consider successful. From skeptic to champion!

Download your Free PowerPoint lesson on the History of Health Care now and start using in your classroom today!