A research team from Penn State University will try to find out how student learning can be enhanced by applying what's known about self-regulation and learning strategies.
by Jessica Hughes
We know wearable technology gets people moving by quantifying steps and calories burned. What's unknown, however, is whether -- or how -- wearable technology can influence other areas of behavior, like self-regulated learning.
One Penn State University faculty member is teaming with technology staff to seek answers, and to pursue wearable technology as a learning tool. The university's research team will be applying what's known about self-regulation and learning strategies to test how student achievement can be enhanced with the Apple Watch and comparing its use across other technology formats.
"The thing with wearables is that these are highly personal devices, even more personal than your smartphone," said Ben Brautigam, manager of advanced learning projects for Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) at Penn State University. "We can take this customized point of view to provide recommendations to students to enrich certain aspects of their learning."
The research is targeting self-regulated learning, or learning that students monitor and control through their knowledge, self-awareness skills, strategies and motivation. These are powerful tools that can change student academic achievement, according to Rayne Sperling, a self-regulation researcher and associate professor of educational psychology at Penn State.
Sperling is heading up the research, and wants to help students not only track their learning progress and remind them to study, but also present course-tailored strategies and content via mini quizzes to elevate student learning.
"I'm really excited about it because I think that there's some versatility here that we haven't seen before in this type of application," said Sperling, who is also director of undergraduate and graduate studies in educational psychology, counseling and special education.
Although there is uncharted territory, like the FitBit, the university's TLT unit plans to push data points together in interesting ways for dashboard visualizations that help students reflect on their learning progress, said Bart Pursel, who coordinates faculty programs within TLT, one of which is its fellows program.
Sperling's research joined forces with TLT when this spring she was chosen as one of five TLT Fellows. The program brings together technology staff with faculty to pursue cutting-edge technology projects, and then bring successful tech efforts to the larger Penn State community.
But even before the large-scale research begins, Sperling is planning how best to design and conduct the research, and is pinning down the right learning prompts to help students in regulating their learning.
"One way that prompts can support students’ awareness of their own learning is through modeling the types of questions students should ask themselves," Sperling explained. "Further, our scaffolds can prompt awareness of whether [the student] understands content and will also provide strategy suggestions."
The strategies Sperling will use are backed by research that prove they facilitate learning. One example is giving students in a calculus course who are studying related weight problems a specific prompt, such as a drawing strategy, and describing how it works and the best way to employ it, she said.
In addition to piloting these concepts, this summer Sperling is surveying students' existing self-regulation strategies and experimenting with the amount of learning support needed to enhance their learning.
The final scaffolds will be presented in a large-scale study to student volunteers in fall STEM courses so the team can look across technology formats and students to see what effects the formats have on self-regulated learning and student achievement, and when.
"My guess is that depending on the nature of the type of prompt or type of scaffold that we're providing for them, it's going to vary what sort of medium is going to best reach students," Sperling said.
Another important foundational issue is conducting design experiments to gauge how best to present the learning supports and to receive student feedback. With the Apple Watch, Brautigam said, there is a lot of flexibility; for instance, students can respond to prompts simply with a "yes" or "no" button, using sliders or meters to gauge their responses, or by replying with a voice message. Even if students dismiss a prompt, this still gives the research team information, he said.
"We're trying to find the simplest way possible to get a lot of information," said Brautigam.
Ideally these prompts will be managed in one place, but delivered across various formats including the Apple Watch, smartphones and the university's Web-based learning management system, as well as other wearable devices in the future, he said.
Meanwhile, Sperling's work is an extension of Brautigam's, who manages TLT's advanced learning projects group, which designs and develops new technologies and has experience building applications on Apple devices.
The self-regulation research also builds upon earlier learning analytics research conducted by TLT with input by Sperling. During that study, students tracked their individual progress and compared it to classmates' progress and behaviors, and saw behaviors correlated to higher achievement, such as regularly signing onto the university's course management system.
The new study will culminate in the ability to make predictions about which types of students are best able to use which types of technologies, and also how the tools are supporting their academic achievements, said Sperling.
Up until now, much of the academic research has been limited to other technology devices, like phones, where students were asked for motivational feedback and didn't receive specific learning tips or scaffolds, like Sperling plans to use.
In the end, the success of wearable-technology-mediated learning on a larger scale may depend on the adoption rate of the technology across the student body. But if it's anything like the iPhone, there may be something to it.
"If it does become prevalent, I think we'll have a leg up here," Brautigam said, "because we've been sort of investing in this and exploring this since the inception."
For Sperling, it will be interesting to check back on her research a year from now, she said. "It's possible that some really little prompt could change the way that [students] engage with the academic content."
Tesla Partners With Battery Researcher to Lower Costs By Mike Ramsey
Nova Scotia professor Jeff Dahn is known for work innovating lithium batteries
Tesla Motors Inc. has locked a leading advanced battery researcher into an exclusive partnership designed to help the Palo Alto, Calif., electric-car maker sharply lower the cost of its batteries.
Jeff Dahn, a professor at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia known for his work innovating lithium-ion batteries like those Tesla uses to power its Model S sedan, will cooperate with Tesla researchers. Now working on a project with 3M Co. , he will enter a research partnership with Tesla when his current work is completed.
Financial terms weren’t available, but Tesla said it would sponsor Mr. Dahn’s research efforts roughly 6,400 kilometers from Northern California in return for his help solving Tesla’s cost problem. JB Straubel, Tesla’s chief technologist, said this week that lithium-ion battery costs need to come down significantly in coming years so the auto maker can offer lower-priced vehicles.
Tesla is the largest user of lithium-ion batteries in the world, and its cost of between $20,000 and $25,000 to produce a battery for the 85-kilowatt-hour Model S sedan is considered to be the lowest cost for a battery of that size. Based on Mr. Straubel’s expectation, battery costs will need to be cut in half for Tesla to meet a sales target of a cumulative one million vehicles by 2020.
“At this point, we don’t believe that range is the thing slowing EV growth. It’s cost,” Mr. Straubel said in an interview. “If we had twice the range, it would be more range than people needed. We are definitely on a road map to achieve half the cost.”
Mr. Dahn will focus on trying to put more voltage into batteries without damaging their longevity and reducing the cost of materials.
He patented a nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry for battery cathodes that is now commonly used in the industry. He is also the leading researcher on why lithium-ion batteries fail.
“I am very excited in putting our tools to work to help improve the energy density and longevity of their cells,” Mr. Dahn said in a joint interview with Mr. Straubel.
Tesla’s Nevada factory is expected to produce 50 gigawatt hours of battery packs a year. In 2014, all the lithium-ion battery plants in the world only produced 30 gigawatt hours.
It was Tesla’s factory goals that attracted Mr. Dahn. “Once I heard of that I went to Tesla and wanted to know if they would be interested in sponsoring our work.”
One of his areas of expertise is silicon anodes, an alternative to graphite, which is more expensive.
In addition to improvements in chemistry, Tesla is aiming to reduce its battery costs by bringing in-house the suppliers and processing of lithium, cobalt, graphite and nickel. Experts estimate that materials make up 60% of battery costs.
“We are making steady progress on all that. Want to be cautious and take our time and make sure we have partners that have the right road map,” said Mr. Straubel. “I am happy with where those internal discussions are at.”
Venkat Viswanathan, a Carnegie Mellon Universitybattery researcher, said news of the partnership has swept through elite research institutions.
“It’s a pretty big deal. The partnership with Jeff makes perfect sense. He is a true pioneer in the field,” Mr. Viswanathan said.
If you’re one of the millions of users of a Samsung Galaxy phone, you might be a potential target for a malicious hacker.
A report released on 6/17/15 by NowSecure, a security firm located in Chicago, found that a glitch in Swift, the keyboard software used by default on all Samsung Galaxy devices could allow a remote attacker to compromise your phone.
This particular bug makes the phone vulnerable to what is known as a “man in the middle” attack. The Swift software consistently sends requests to a server, checking for updates. To someone with the right knowhow, though, it’s possible to impersonate Swift’s server and send through software that can be used to gain control of the device.
The main problem with this vulnerability is that there’s no real solution. The Swift keyboard is so integrated into Samsung’s software that it cannot be removed or disabled — even if it is switched out with a different keyboard app. Steering clear of unsecured Wi-Fi networks will make you less likely to be targeted, but it won’t render you invulnerable.
Swift runs with elevated permissions, giving it pretty much free rein around the phone. This means that a hacker that worms his way into it can also access the Galaxy’s microphone and camera, track the user’s location or listen to their calls. They can even install apps.
NowSecure claims to have made Samsung and Google’s Android team aware of this vulnerability in late 2014, and Samsung reportedly has made a patch available to network providers. It’s not clear, though, whether providers have pushed out the patch to users yet. Many networks have a record of being notoriously slow to push through updates and security patches, and NowSecure’s tests found a number of Galaxy phones on different carriers were still vulnerable as of Tuesday.
If you’re of a more technical bent, you may be interested in seeing the details of NowSecure’s report on their blog. If you’re of a less technical bent, you might want to check with your carrier and try to avoid insecure Wi-Fi networks.
Article by: Andrew Lumby, MSN
Happy Father's Day! 10 Tech Gifts for Dad on Father's Day
Below is a list of Top Ten Tech Gifts for Dad on Father's Day posted by HUFFPOST LIVING.
1. HP Spectre x360 Convertible PC -- Dad will have a blast with this notebook-slash-tablet on a cool 360º hinge! He can tent the PC to give presentations, lay it down flat to do push-ups over top of it, or fold it in half like a sandwich to increase the thickness of the tablet. Price tag: $1,429.99.
2. Apple Watch -- Starting at $449 is the Apple Watch Sport, however: it requires an iPhone 5 (or later) and an iOS 8.2 (or later). Dad will delight in the retina display with force touch, heart rate sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope...and more. Have a bigger budget? This Apple Watch Edition in 18-karat gold sells for $22,000!
3. Beats Pill Speakers by Dr. Dre -- For $219.95, dad can rock out to his favourite tunes with these rechargeable speakers by Dr. Dre. He can pair and play with his Bluetooth-enabled device (up to a 30-foot range), enjoy surprisingly big sound, and power additional devices with USB charge out. Portable for the beach, cottage, or dad's workshop -- score!
4. Toronto Blue Jays Season Tickets -- If dad is a big sports enthusiast, purchase 500-level season tickets to the Jays for $810. Want a better view? Prices for 200-level outfield are $1,863 -- with "In the Action Seats" priced at $17,010.
5. Hammacher Schlemmer Plug-in USB Wall Outlet -- For the dad looking for an easy way to charge his smartphone, get him a Plug-in USB wall outlet, cost $39.95 USD. This AC wall outlet includes two built-in USB ports. Price is for a set of two.
6. Brookstone Self-Setting Alarm Clock -- As the owner of two Brookstone alarm clocks which have lasted for years, I'd recommend one for your dad. I love the large-display numerals that are easy to view without eyeglasses, and how it self-sets during daylight savings time. Price tag: $21.99 USD.
7. The Sharper Image Video Camera Drone -- Take dad's love for videography to new heights with this Video Camera Drone with LED lights. Dad will have a hoot downloading aerial footage and photos -- and can even pilot the drone at night! Price tag: $249.99 USD.
8. Spy Museum Store Mini Laser Flex Torch -- If dad enjoys a game of cloak and dagger, this mini laser flex torch is a score for $10 USD. Featuring a laser pointer with an 800-metre range, dad can see the "enemy" around corners. Super-bright 400mcd LED has practical applications too: like automotive engine repairs.
9. Ninja Wallet 18-in-1 Multi-Tool -- This cool 18-in-1 flat multi-tool is a great Father's Day gift for the practical dad. It's only the size of a credit card, and yet it's a bottle opener, screwdriver, cellphone stand, can opener, fruit peeler, box opener and more. Advertised on daily deal sites for $15.
10. MEC Onsite Money Belt -- For dads who travel and like to keep their cash safe, snatch up this MEC belt for $8.75. On the outside, it looks like an ordinary belt, but a discreet zipper opens on the inside panel to keep cash hidden from view.
MORE ON HUFFPOST:
Managed Solution supports the Huntington Beach Education Foundation
Managed Solution sponsored the Huntington Beach Educational Foundation's Annual Casino Night on April 24, 2015. Held at the Waterfront Hilton Hotel in Huntington Beach, the HBEF Annual Casino Night included dinner, dancing, gaming, as well as a live and silent auction. All the proceeds benefit the Huntington Beach Educational Foundation and support the community’s children, ensuring they continue to have access to state of the art technology and teaching practices. Managed Solution believes in exploring new technologies that enable our people to find success in everything they do, which begins with supporting education and leveraging technology in the classroom. Managed Solution is proud to give back to the community and create a positive impact through education, so we are happy to sponsor and attend a great event!
April Koenig accepting an award on behalf of Managed Solution at the Excellence in Education celebration on June 5, 2015 for supporting HBEF and education.
About The Huntington Beach Educational Foundation (HBEF):
The Huntington Beach Educational Foundation (HBEF) believes that wide ranging community support is needed to provide the best educational opportunities for our children. Whether you are a business owner, parent, or community member, when you make an investment through the HBEF, you’re making more than a financial contribution; you’re stating that you won’t settle for a mediocre education system in your community. Your support demonstrates you share the belief that our children deserve better and the future of our community depends on it! By collaborating with local businesses, PTA’s, community groups, and corporations, HBEF is able to provide the additional support our schools need in the forms of teacher grants and technology. By ensuring our community’s children continue to have access to state of the art technology and teaching practices, we help create an educational environment that is conducive to success for all children in the HBCSD.
About Managed Solution:
Managed Solution is the premier provider of outsourced IT support and managed services for small to large size businesses. Founded in 2002, the company quickly grew into a market leader and is recognized as one of the fastest growing IT Companies in Southern California. Managed Solution continues to deliver award-winning services paired with leading business technologies to assist clients in running their business efficiently.
Managed Solution demonstrates its commitment to people through contributions, charitable sponsorships and employee volunteer programs in the communities where we work and live. Philanthropy is important to Managed Solution. To learn more about Managed Solution’s charitable sponsorships, visit our community page.
If you’re one of the millions of users of a Samsung Galaxy phone, you might be a potential target for a malicious hacker.
