Recently, Globe University-La Crosse veterinary technology department hosted its first CEU event in partnership with Hills Pet Food Company. What is CEU, you may ask? It is the continuing education program for veterinary workers. Continuing Education veterinary workers learning about canines This event was open to any veterinary worker from veterinarians to veterinary technicians.  In the course of a veterinary worker’s licensing, they have to obtain a certain number of continuing education hours per year. Our Globe-La Crosse campus offered a two-credit continuing education opportunity at no cost to attendees. The presentation encompassed small animal nutrition (cats and dogs) and how to utilize social media in a clinic setting. The social media piece was very timely and included lessons on how to incorporate Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and blogs to advertise a veterinary clinic. Dr. Amy Humpal-Hoscheit, Globe-La Crosse instructor, hosted the event along with the veterinary technology team of Amy Stinson, Dr. Elayne Haas, Kari Laumb and other Globe-La Crosse veterinary technology instructors. Dr. Amy was excited to have several Globe-La Crosse veterinary technology program students attend. There were also staff, faculty and Globe-La Crosse alumni in attendance. "The students enjoyed attending the event and got to enjoy some great knowledge," Dr. Amy said. It was quite an honor for Globe-La Crosse to host this CEU event, and we hope to make it an annual event. The post Globe University Hosts Veterinary Continuing Education Event appeared first on Globe University Blog.

The NMC Horizon Report > 2014 Higher Education Edition is a collaborative effort between the NMC and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI). This eleventh edition describes annual findings from the NMC Horizon Project, an ongoing research project designed to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have an impact on learning, teaching, and creative inquiry in education. Six key trends, six significant challenges, and six emerging technologies are identified across three adoption horizons over the next one to five years, giving campus leaders and practitioners a valuable guide for strategic technology planning. The format of the report is new this year, providing these leaders with more in-depth insight into how the trends and challenges are accelerating and impeding the adoption of educational technology, along with their implications for policy, leadership and practice. View the work that produced the report at www.horizon.wiki.nmc.org. > Download the Report PDF > Download the Preview PDF

Being a college student can be stressful and oftentimes hectic. Between classes, assignments, group projects, studying and internships, there’s a need to prioritize and stay organized. Organization skills have changed throughout the years. Throw it back to your grandparents’ generation when to-do lists were either written down or kept in the noggin. In the "olden" days, there were no smartphones that come with "personal assistants" named Siri or Cortana. Today, there are Student Services Departments and study resources to help you stay on top of your college experience, along with an endless list of organizational tech tools. So let’s take a walk down memory lane and compare how college students stay organized then and now.   Source: The Homework App For Time Management: Then: Weekly Planner and To-Do Lists This is strictly pen and paper planners. Busy college students plan schedules out by writing everything down in a planner or on a notepad, which can be time consuming. A planner can be used to track assignments, appointments, classes and other activities for the day, week or entire month. There is some satisfaction in being able to physically cross off an item from a to-do list. Now: The Homework App We’re going paperless. With the world of technology at the palm of our hands, it’s no wonder apps are taking over the paper to-do list. The Homework App allows students to schedule tasks that are color-coded by course subject. Tasks can be prioritized by low, medium or high and the due date even has a reminder option. Students can also snap a photo on their smartphone and attach it to a task. Everything can be viewed on a daily, monthly or even a yearly calendar.   For Taking Notes: Then: Loose-leaf Paper It started with clay, papyrus, wood and parchment. Eventually, humans figured out how to make paper and then came loose-leaf paper. Loose leaf is preferred because of its availability, flexibility and affordability. Loose-leaf paper can be separated neatly into binders by subject and don’t have ragged edges like notebook paper. Notes can be pulled out of binders and placed next to the pages of a textbook that coincide with those notes. Now: Speech-to-Text Notes For students who take a lot of notes when studying, the speech-to-text or voice recognition technology is a godsend. Among the most popular speech-to-text apps is Dragon, available on both iOS and Android platforms. Students can speak right into their phones and the app will transcribe what’s being said. Dragon uses its Dragon® NaturallySpeaking® software to turn speech into text at a rate that’s up to five times faster than regular typing. It also supports a wide range of languages. Notes can be emailed or simply saved on the Notes app for iOS. However, it will likely be an inconvenience to your instructor and classmates if you want to use this note-taking tool during class. For Waking Up on Time: Then: Knocker-Upper, Bladder and Natural Sunlight The early bird catches the worm. As college students, it’s important to use your hours efficiently and effectively. But getting up early is never easy. In the 1920s, before alarm clocks were readily available, there used to be knocker-uppers. Their job was to wake people up by using a stick to knock on their doors. Longer sticks would be used to tap on windows. In the days of pre-alarm clocks, there was the bladder. Some people drank a lot of before they went to bed so that their bladders were full. Although it can’t be 100 percent accurate, it got people up and out of bed to relieve themselves. And finally, the sun. Early humans relied on the brightness of the sun to wake up. As the sun rise, the day started. As the sun went down, the day would end. Now: Wake-up Lights and Cellphone Alarm Clock If you sleep with black-out curtains to avoid any sort of natural sunlight in the hours that you sleep, you likely have a harder time waking up. Sunrise was natural stimulation for waking up. Today, there are wake-up lights. The Philips Wake-Up light gradually turns its light on 30 minutes before your alarm. The Withings Aura Smart Sleep System is a similar idea, but combines light effects with sound. Sunset lighting relaxes you as you drift on to dreamland. When it’s time to wake up, the Aura gradually lights up with blue wavelengths that inhibit secretion of melatonin. Very scientific. You can track your sleep habits through your iPhone®. Speaking of iPhone, it’s almost shameful to see the alarm settings on smartphones these days, but we’ve all done it. Smartphones come with snooze buttons, customized sounds and the ability to have an alarm set at 6:55, 6:57, 6:59, 7:00, etc.   For Keeping Track of Important Days: Then: Calendars Calendars have existed for thousands and thousands of years. The oldest of the calendars is the Lunar, developed in 8,000 BCE. The Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582. Calendars have been changed and updated many times but each time, it’s been used to organize and identify days. There are religious, civil and social holidays. There are days set for the spring equinox and winter solstice to help identify seasons. It also helps people manage their schedules for upcoming events, birthdays, family commitments, etc. For students, it’s a great way to mark down when final exams are or when the quarter ends. Now: Google Calendar A physical calendar almost seems primitive. That’s why today, your Google Calendar is synced with everything from your email to your phone, tablet, etc. With Google Calendar, you can type in plain language appointments, like "group meeting at 4 p.m. in library next Tuesday" and it will know how to translate and put that into your calendar. Want your own personal assistant? You can also get an automated email every day of your Daily Agenda, based on your Google Calendar. Want to keep track of your significant other’s calendar too? You can simply add their Google Calendar, with their permission, into your calendar. This way, you can schedule an event for a time that works for everyone. There’s also the flexibility of scheduling interesting events, such as the US release schedule for Xbox 360 games. For the film fanatic,  movie release schedules can be imported into the calendar.   For Studying: Source: Quizlet Then: Flashcards Flashcards are a standard study tool for any age and they’re easy to make. On one side of an index card, write down a question. On the other side, write an answer. Students can use flashcards to test themselves repeatedly and memorize the information. It’s a great study tool if you are visual learner. Now: Quizlet There’s an app for just about everything. Quizlet is a free app that allows students to compile flashcards to help study. Cards can be set to appear in a specific order or it can be randomized. It’s convenient because it’s on your phone and studying can be done on-the-go. There are pre-made flashcards so students can look up study material or create their own flashcards. Studying can also be fun with Quizlet by turning flashcards into games. According to its website, Quizlet is the #3 free education iPhone app with more than 8.3 million study sessions.   Source: Dropbox For Data Storage: Then: USB Flash Drives It’s hard to believe USB flash drives are nearly a thing of the past. We can’t forget about floppy disks and CDs of course. In the same way, USB flash drives are used to store and transfer files to other computers, hence its name universal series bus. Unlike floppy disks and CDs, USB Flash Drives come in a variety of sizes with the largest holding 1TB. That’s a lot of data in such a tiny thumb drive. It also doesn’t require internet connection for uploading or downloading documents. If you’re concerned about privacy, the flash drive is the way to go. The down side? After heavy use, flash drives will inevitably fail. They don’t last forever and your files won’t either if your flash drive is the only backup. Now: Cloud Storage What did college students before "the cloud?" If you have decent internet, cloud storage options like Dropbox and Google Drive are incredibly convenient. It gives you the ability to share files between multiple devices without having to plug anything in. Google offers 15GB of free storage while Dropbox offers 2 GB. More storage is offered for a price. Dropbox is as simple as placing a file in a folder on your computer and seeing it pop up on your phone’s Dropbox app almost instantly. It’s also great for sharing large files with classmates. You can send them a direct link to the file rather than sending an actual file. Google Drive is a lot like a computer hard drive. Like Dropbox, you’ll have access to your files no matter where you are (with internet) on Google Drive. Because cloud storage goes through a third party online, your files are not 100 percent secure. Make sure to only save documents that you need for school or work on the cloud.   For Citing Sources: Then: Following a template In the days before auto-cite, students had to handwrite their bibliographies for citation. There’s a format for print books, newspapers, online articles and even Amazon Kindle books. Students used to flip through the pages of a book, look for the authors last and first name, title of the book, the city and publisher, year published, etc. Basically, it’s following either an MLA, APA or Chicago template and filling out each category. Now: EasyBib Forget templates. With the EasyBib app, students can cite their sources in MLA, APA and Chicago format in just seconds. Create citations by either typing the title of the book or scanning the ISBN barcode with your smartphone’s camera. Your bibliography will be automatically alphabetized. Once the list is complete, email your bibliography to yourself. Now that’s easy.   Conclusion: In the end, it’s all about preference. Some people like to physically cross off their to-do list on a notepad. Others like to have everything organized and synced electronically through a mobile device. There’s no right or wrong way to be an organized college student as long as it helps you stay on top of your schedule, deadlines and goals. The post Organized College Students: Then and Now appeared first on Globe University Blog.

The national initiative, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) will create interstate reciprocity in the regulation of postsecondary distance education. The four regional higher education compacts - the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, New England Board of Higher Education, Southern Regional Education Board, and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, will collaborate to make distance education courses more accessible to students across state lines, as well as making it easier for states to regulate and institutions to participate in interstate distance education. During this 75 minute recorded webcast from 1/23/14, Marshall Hill, executive director of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA); Rhonda Epper, director of WICHE SARA; and Russell Poulin, deputy director for research and analysis at WCET. The webcast covered: Key facts about SARA How your state and institution can participate The projected timeline for implementation Resources > Presentation Slides > Recorded Webcast

Name: StudySearch Website: www.studysearch.co Headquarters: Lagos, Nigeria and London, UK Vertical: Higher Education Tech: Web App Introduce your startup and give a short description of what you are doing. studysearch.co connects prospective international students with on-demand 'peer' study advisors for advice and support applying to universities abroad. Our peer advisors are current students and alumni of leading universities around the world. Prospective students tell us what countries they'd like to study in, the university, and course they want to study and what support they need. We instantly connect them with a peer advisor and service partners that can help. All in one dashboard, on any internet connected device. Our mission is simple - to empower students with the information and tools needed to make the best decision about their future. Who are the founders, how did you meet, what are your different roles in the startup. Our founders are Frederik Obasi and Taofeeq Alabi, we have founded and launched start-ups in the UK and Nigeria and have experience studying and living in both the UK and Africa. Frederik is the CEO and focuses on strategy, operations and business development while Taofeeq leads on product. How was the idea for your startup born? StudySearch was born out of our personal experience. Whilst living in London we helped out family and friends in Nigeria with UK university applications. After relocating to Nigeria from the UK, we found that just like friends in our network, many other young Nigerians decide to further their education abroad but we're being underserved by traditional agents and didn't have the information they needed to make the best decision. What is the main problem in education that you aim to solve. We believe in order to make the best decision about study options, prospective students need access to qualitative, 'real life' information. Many of the online services supporting students in making their education choices are obsessed with the quantitative information - scores, male to female ratios, international student population, acceptance rates etc. The most under-utilised and probably the best source for information on applying to university, life as a student and even careers is a current student or alumni. We want to open up their 'insiders' knowledge to the world. Who are your main competitors? What sets you apart from them? Our competitors are both agents and recently launched start-ups. Some agents work hard to support students however the problems are well documented; high fees, biased information, lack of transparency and even fraud. Other start-ups operating in the space focus on data crunching and statistics. We believe the layer of information missing on the web in regards to education is information and knowledge from learners and students themselves. We're helping prospective students crowdsource the information and support needed to make the best decision. Our approach to solving the problem - ensures highly personal support is affordable, transparent, efficient and accurate - and works at scale. In which markets / regions are you active. What markets / regions are next. We are currently active in Africa - specifically Nigeria and Ghana where 90% of students using StudySearch are located. A burgeoning middle class and fast growing population across Africa means there is an increase in the demand for quality education. Africa is amongst the fastest growing regions for globally mobile students. We focus on prospective international students, embarking on both undergraduate and postgraduate study. Who is your target audience. Our current users are prospective undergrad and postgrad students located in Nigeria or across Africa. Our target peer advisor is a current international student or recent graduate with strong ties to Africa. We're working hard to ensure prospective students from Africa are matched with peer advisors that have experienced and understand their context. On the B2B side we focus on global universities that are seriously committed to Nigeria and wider African opportunity for student enrolment. We also work with standardised test providers, immigration consultants and student accommodation providers, to ensure students can get from application to arrival seamlessly via one StudySearch dashboard. How do you engage with your target audience. How do you convert them into users of your product. By far, we have seen the most growth and discovery of our product come through recommendations and word of mouth. Prospective students and advisors are surprised that a service like ours exists and most importantly works in Africa! So they share with their personal network. We also engage with prospective international students through official partnerships with local secondary schools, online we focus on location producing specific content to engage our users. A Majority of the interest we've received from our university and service partners has been inbound, and we are working currently with 20+ universities and student service providers. We are rolling out a structured university and partner program this quarter and focusing on global universities with a real desire to operate in Nigeria and across Africa. What is your business model. How much does your product / service cost. We currently offer universities the flexibility of either a commission based agreement or access to our student recruitment management portal for an annual subscription fee. We also monetise through partnerships with service providers (language testing, student accommodation providers etc). This allows us to give our product away to prospective students for absolutely free. We do, however, offer premium support for the students (and families) looking to fast track the application and preparation process. They can upgrade their account for a $200 fee. Our advisors are able to earn monetary and non monetary rewards for the advice and support they provide. If you raised funding, how much did you raise. Who are your investors. If not, are you planning to raise funding. To date we raised $25k from the Savannah Fund, a leading seed stage investor in Africa, and we are currently raising a new round of funding. Are there milestones you are especially proud of and would like to share. Within the first month of launching our peer advisor program we received over 500 applications from current international students and recent graduates from Africa studying at universities in every continent. We're serving customers that love our product and will see our first cohort of applicants embark on their studies abroad in September. We have built and continue to grow our start up operating primarily from a country that many in the global community, see as a dangerous and challenging region. What are the next steps in growing your startup. We will be aggressively growing and on-boarding the numbers of prospective students and peer advisors in our network as well as universities and student service partners. We are recruiting talented people both locally and globally to ensure we have the right team to execute on our goals and visions. How can people get in touch with you. Web: www.studysearch.co StudySearch twitter: @myStudySearch frederik@studysearch.co Personal twitter: @welldonefred

The faculty of Globe University-Wausau is pleased to name Megan Lissner of the medical assistant program as the Winter 2015 student of the quarter. At Globe University-Wausau, the award recognizes hard work, attendance, attitude, professionalism and exemplification of Globe’s "We Care" philosophy. These qualities are a perfect description of Megan. Megan Lissner, medical assistant student, is the Globe University-Wausau student of the quarter "In the time that Megan Lissner has been on campus, she has brightened the hallways and classrooms with her smile and upbeat disposition," said Kerry Miller, medical assistant program chair. Kerry continued, "She is friendly and social and has quickly made friends with several classmates. Despite carrying a weighted load of classes, she made time to help with the Project Breathe seminar on campus and has helped fellow students work through some technology challenges. Megan excels at whatever she puts her mind to. In addition to her academic efforts, she participates in school activities. Megan is very deserving of this distinction." Megan is happy to be at Globe University-Wausau. "I absolutely love our school and staff. I enjoy all of the campus activities and the little things that the staff does to make the anxieties from the hard work of classes much more manageable," Megan said. "I especially like the small class sizes since you can really get the help that you need as well as develop friendships easily. I know I’m gaining the valuable skills I need to prepare me for my career in medical assisting." "Since last quarter, I’ve gotten to know Megan," Deborah Feldbruegge, administrative assistant, said. "She is a compassionate and caring individual. She works hard in her classes. She is a devoted mother, and between school and home, she has found the balance needed to be successful. I am truly happy she is attending Globe University." For the entire spring quarter, Megan will enjoy a designated parking spot, complete with her name and photo on the sign. "It is not often that a mom gets some sort of recognition for her hard work," Megan said. "I am so honored to receive this." The post Globe Student of the Quarter: Megan Lissner, Medical Assistant appeared first on Globe University Blog.

UPCEA has made freely available the recording of Cable Green’s general session presentation titled, "Innovation, Access, and Open Education: The Business & Policy Case for OER" at the recent Summit for Online Leadership and Strategy. While the slides are available here, the recording is now available here. To view the rest of the Summit For Online Leadership and Strategy‘s program you can purchase the Online Pass.

Education First (EF) announced a new pilot program with the professional social network LinkedIn today. LinkedIn users who indicate English as a second language will get the offer to take a free assessment test via email. Upon completion users will receive the option to add a certification to their LinkedIn profile. The EF Standard English Test (EFSET) was launched in fall 2014 and measures the English proficiency level based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages. The exam is free of charge. Further Reading EF Education First Brings Free English Certification Test to LinkedIn | PR Newswire Links efset.org

DeeAnna Moore, accounting student Congratulations to the Winter 2015 quarter Community Service Scholarship winners DeeAnna Moore and Charity Zeigler. Both of these women have been committed to community service for several years. For the second quarter in a row, Globe University-Appleton awarded the Community Service Scholarship to two recipients. The financial aid office received many worthy applications and applauds all students that participate in volunteer service within their communities. To be eligible for the $2,000 annual Community Service Scholarship students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, 90 percent attendance, and be taking at least 12 credits per quarter. Along with meeting the requirements, students must submit a half-page summary of the community service activity they have performed within the past three months. DeeAnna and Charity’s service activities are highlighted below. DeeAnna, an accounting student, has volunteered at her mother’s senior citizen apartment complex for the past four years. DeeAnna has performed a variety of tasks ranging from making craft items and treats to helping individual residents with their laundry and cleaning. DeeAnna recognizes that her education is beneficial for her volunteer work because she can use her computer expertise to create flyers, mailing labels and mail merges as well as administrative items. Her education has given her the opportunity to assist the treasurer in creating spreadsheets to help track the council’s funds. Charity Zeigler, veterinary technology student Charity, a second quarter vet tech student, is a member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association and has participated in volunteer projects at both the Saxeville Food Pantry and Ruby’s Pantry in Waupaca. Charity commented that she performed similar tasks at both Ruby’s and Saxeville like organizing the food, preparing for distribution and assisting customers as they came through the line. Aside from her volunteer participation with the Christian Motorcyclists Association, Charity was a longtime volunteer with Loaves and Fishes at Faith Community Church in Waupaca. Charity says that through her volunteer service she has learned to be less judgmental of others because everyone has hard times. Congratulations again to Charity and DeeAnna! If you are currently a Globe University-Appleton student and would like more information on how to apply for the Community Service Scholarship, please contact Brianna Williamson, financial aid manager, at 920-364-1141 or email her at bwilliamson@globeuniversity.edu. The post Community Service Pays Off for Globe University Students appeared first on Globe University Blog.

As we are introduced to the huge amount of information we do realize the important of content curation. And for that with the increasing use of internet in education, we have good curation tools like Pinterest being used by teachers and educators all over the world. The How Can Educators Use Pinterest infographic shows 16 ways a teacher can use Pinterest for educational purposes. Courtesy e-Learning Infographics

Having a background in language coaching, I tend to keep a close eye on the latest global trends in language learning. After a period of little innovation in the space, there is definitely a new wave of language learning startups hitting the market. Live video lessons, the hot trend from seven years ago that proved to be little more than a flash in the pan, certainly had a chilling effect for edtech entrepreneurs and investors in the language learning space. Today language learning technology is once again on the upswing, powered by mobile devices as well as better broadband and mobile coverage. This leads to the following five key trends in language learning I see for the coming years. Mobile Mobile is the rocket fuel for the new wave of language learning products. Smartphones and mobile Internet made it possible to add bite-sized lessons and learning sprints to the daily routine of commuters. From serious approaches based on curated web content, like Voxy or Lingua.ly, to more playful approaches like MindSnacks and Duolingo, mobile is THE learning environment to conquer in the language space. But not only smartphones power the mobile trend. Feature phones are still playing an important role in developing countries, and services like EduMe come up with audio and SMS based services that reach and serve these users. Personalized and Adaptive One-size-fits-all educational content for language learning will become a thing of the past. Learners today want content tailored to their interest and needs. Again, Voxy being one of the early movers in this space, adding an educational layer to news articles and pop culture. Another important factor is adaptiveness when it comes to the learning path. Language learners are not alike, have different levels at the start and will continue to learn differently throughout the program. Therefore, language learning products need to adapt to the progress of each individual learner, from reinforcing weak points to accelerating topics that are known already or mastered quickly. Constant Feedback Learners want to know where they are on their learning path at any moment, not at the end of the month, or after they completed a text or exam. Language learning startups, like busuu.com and Duolingo for instance, that implement a learning path into their products early on make it easy for learners to visualize their current level. The next step, I imagine, will be quick assessments that evaluate the level more precisely. A model for such a feature could be Smarterer (acquired by Pluralsight), which evaluates the skills of tech workers based on 10 questions. Faster Results Based on personalized learning content, an adaptive learning path and constant feedback, language learners will expect faster results. Overall, our society is being constantly trained for instant gratification thanks to Google, Amazon and other web services that get us answers, solutions or services right away. Startups like Lingvist are working on language learning curricula that will lead users through their learning path the most efficient way. In the case of Lingvist, the startup promises to teach a learner French in just 200 hours. Live and On-Demand Yes, live lessons will also make a comeback in the language learning space. The difference today is that both technology and infrastructure can handle video and audio connections between tutors and students with ease. And with more and more tutors coming online and searching for ways to earn money teaching languages, the problem of scaling a 24/7 live lesson service will settle down the line, as well. Edtech startups outside of the language learning space have already built working platforms for on-demand tutoring, with InstaEDU (acquired by Chegg) being the most successful one. In the community / language exchange space busuu.com with its millions of users someone is probably also able to find a language partner on-demand. These impromptu sessions will most likely last under 15 minutes. I doubt that learners will schedule an entire tutoring session spontaneously, as such a setting requires preparation from both sides. On-demand sessions work well for Q&A and quick help on a specific problem which could be an interesting service or additional feature for test and exam prep. Picture License  Some rights reserved by Photomatt28

The Globe University-Sioux Falls library has changed its layout to better provide services to students and staff. Most libraries today, both public and academic, place the service desk in the middle of the library. This give the library a more contemporary feel and puts the librarian in the center of the activity. Students have said that the library feels more open. Business management student Jescika Johannsen enjoys the new setup in the campus library The services available to you, however, have not changed. Among these are unlimited double-sided printing, computers, books, newspapers and DVDs. National Library Week’s theme was "unlimited possibilities." Globe celebrated each day that week with games, quizzes, treats and more. That same week, in celebration of National Poetry Month, students created one big collaborative poem about" Springtime in Sioux Falls." Each person added one line to the progressive poem. For this quarter’s Globe Gallery, veterinary technology student Amber Smidt generously brought examples of her artwork for display. If you are interested in bringing some examples of your artistic skills, please come by and speak with Campus Librarian David Bradford. The art can be something you created many years ago; it just needs to be something that you made. On a table in the student commons are magazines available for anyone to take home. Periodically the library removes older issues of journals from the collection, such as the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, Massage Magazine, and Fortune. Please take any that you wish! Written by David Bradford, Campus Librarian The post Globe University-Sioux Falls Campus Library Gets a Makeover appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Courtesy e-Learning Infographics

Open English, an online English school that covers the Latin American market, announced its entrance into the U.S. market, targeting its Hispanic population. Founded in 2006, Open English has over 300.000 students across 20 countries and raised $120 million in venture capital. With the expansion, Open English aims to target the fastest growing minority in the United States. According to research by Pew Hispanic Center, 68% of Hispanic immigrant adults don’t speak sufficient English. Open English saw natural growth via word-of-mouth and is now launching a TV ad campaign across ten channels in Southern Florida. The startup is known for its entertaining and successful TV ads in Latin America which feature Open English founder Andres Moreno. Further Reading Open English Says "Hello." To US Hispanics | PR Newswire Open English sets out to conquer U.S. Hispanic market | Miami Herald Hispanic Nativity Shift | PewResearchCenter Links openenglish.com

The winner of Winter Quarter Library Research Award is Robin Erickson. We interviewed Robin about his Globe-La Crosse experience and to ask him what tips he could pass along to his fellow students on receiving an A on a research paper. Robin Erickson wins Winter Quarter Library Research Award winner Robin is an information technology degree candidate and working towards his bachelor of science. He is on track to graduate in March 2017. He said the reason he went back to school was so that he could get a better job with his employer. Retiring from the military was the catalyst to get Robin back in school. "I thought that it was finally time to get my education started," Robin said. "I chose Globe because I liked the fact that it has small class sizes, and the instructors work in the field that they are teaching." For the award-winning library research paper Robin wrote, he let us know a little background on how he picked his topic. "In my Applied Ethics class, I chose to write about video surveillance," Robin said. One of Robin’s hobbies is researching the use of surveillance and data mining. "I’m proud of the fact that my writing skills are getting better. I haven’t had a college writing class prior to writing this paper," he said. His advice to his fellow students on how to write an A paper is as follows. "Choose a topic that you are passionate about, if possible. Take your time gathering your resources. Get started on the paper as soon as you can. Keep your paper focused on your thesis and don’t be inclined to sway from it. You will also want to have more than one person proofread your paper." Very good advice from one of our students here at Globe University-La Crosse. The post Student Spotlight: IT Student and Library Research Award Winner appeared first on Globe University Blog.

I drafted the following comparison of instructional design theory versus instructional design models and developed the accompanying hierarchy of instructional design back in 2006 as part of one of my comprehensive examination responses for my Ph.D. I’m sharing here it on my blog at this time for my students and others who may find the commentary and diagram comparing ID theory versus ID models helpful. Brief Overview of Instructional Design Theory Analysis of a complex concept such as instructional design theory begins with defining key terms used. Instruction can refer to "any activity that is intended to foster learning" (Goodyear, 1997, p. 86), whereas design focuses on improving the quality of subsequent creations (Smith & Ragan, 2005) while considering the many factors that may affect or be affected by the implementation. A theory is simply "an organized set of statements that allow us to explain, predict, or control events" (Smith & Ragan, 2005, p. 23). Another, more expansive definition of a theory is "an organized set of propositions that are syntactically and semantically integrated" (Snelbecker, 1999, p. 33). Instructional design theory is drawn from an assortment of abstract communication, systems, and learning theories (Richey, 1986) which form a basis for practical models for instructional design and development. Many scholars have attempted at providing succinct definitions of instructional design theory (Merrill, Drake, Lacy, & Pratt, 1996; Reigeluth, 1999; Richey, 1986). Reigeluth (1999) defines instructional design theory broadly as, "A theory that offers explicit guidance on how to better help people learn and develop" (p. 5). In its most basic form, ID theory is simply a collection of assumptions that specific approaches to ID are built upon. ID theories describe instructional methods and situations for proper use and define how complex methods can be broken into component methods (Reigeluth, 1999). Hierarchy of Instructional Design ID theory is build upon the adoption of one or more procedural and conceptual models (Richey, 1986). The resulting theory enfolds the beliefs concerning general systems theory, communication theory, and learning theory. Conceptual models of instruction are built upon such theoretical foundations, upon which specific ID models are applied to real-life educational challenges. The figure above depicts this hierarchy of ID formation as described by Richey (1986) and Smith and Ragan (2005). As Reigeluth (1999) notes, ID theory is not synonymous with learning theory, ID process, or curriculum theory. However, ID theory is inextricably connected to each. Learning theory is predominantly descriptive, serving to describe how learning takes place. ID process details the procedures that the instructional designer or educator ought to use when planning and preparing the instruction. Curriculum theory is based on a set of values and offers suggestions for methods of instruction. ID theory surpasses all of these individual viewpoints and aims to answer the questions of both "what" and "how" in a proposed educational experience. Numerous working definitions of ID exist, many of which exude similar connotations. ID is defined as, "The development of learning experiences and environments which promote the acquisition of specific knowledge and skill by students" (Merrill et al., 1996). In a similar vein, Smith and Ragan (2005) define ID as, "The systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation" (p. 4). Richey’s definition (1986) is quite detailed, referring to ID as "The science of creating detailed specifications for the development, evaluation, and maintenance of situations which facilitate the learning of both large and small units of subject matter" (p. 9). Recently, even the term "instructional design" is being examined and compared to an alternative of "learning design" (Gibson, 2006; Ip, 2006; Taylor, 2006). While some consider the terms to be synonymous, the latter more closely aligns with contemporary constructivist views of the roles of the instructor and learners. Throughout this paper the term "instructional design" (ID) will be used inclusively to refer to the processes of creating a blueprint for successful learning experiences, whether they be more self-paced and instructivist or student-centered and constructivist. When considering ID theory, one must acknowledge the personnel who take theory and apply it to the design of learning: the instructional designers. The role of the instructional designer is crucial to student success (Liu et al., 2005). Yet, what is the role of the instructional designer? This is a question that has been raised in many professional and collegial venues, with the debate as divided today as ever before (Klein, 2006; Spector, 2006a, 2006b; Wissing, 2006). The International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (IBSTPI) has taken on the monumental task of identifying and compiling the competencies for someone involved in the many diverse tasks of ID ("Instructional design competencies", n.d.). In reality, the role of instructional designer is multifaceted, requiring a unique and varied skill set. The instructional designer has been referred to as an engineer (Smith & Ragan, 2005), creative scientist (Richey, 1986), and project manager (Mager, 1997), making every effort to create a blueprint for the further development and implementation of the learning initiative. The instructional designer recognizes the difference between the design processes and products (Glaser, 1971), forming a structure that future development and implementation to be built upon. Yet, even with the tasks of an instructional designer defined, because ID is such a complex practice, there are countless ways whereby a learning program can come to fruition. Hence the need for ID models! Instructional Design Models versus Theory Instructional design (ID), also referred to in the literature as "systematic instructional planning" (Kemp, 1985) is an umbrella phrase used to refer to many differing aspects of the design of educational experiences. ID is often used to refer in general terms instructional systems development (ISD). Numerous ISD models exist, all of which typically refer to the phases of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of instruction. Today much indeterminism and ambiguity exists with regards to the use of the terms ID and ISD. Yet, a clear distinction does exist between ID and ISD. Whereas ISD models include a "major emphasis on front-end analysis, implementation strategies including train-the-trainer, maintenance of the instruction, and external or summative evaluation" (Dick, 1997, p. 364), ID models generally focus upon the steps necessary to transform a goal statement to instruction that is ready for development and implementation. Models are valuable because they serve as a visual representation of the relationships among various components of the ISD process. Instructional design endeavors to guarantee that a learning activity is developed according to specifications. It culminates in a framework outlining how instruction should be developed given the outputs of various design tasks (K. A. Conrad & TrainingLinks, 2000). A number of principles underlie this framework (Spector, 2001), which accounts for the varied and increasing approaches being used to design instruction today. A host of ID models exist that aid in depicting the complex and interwoven tasks necessary in order to design quality learning experiences. The true value of an ID model is not in providing a concrete order whereby effective instructional development takes place, but rather in providing a "meaningful organizing framework within which development activities can be described, discussed, actualized, and assessed" (Spector & Muraida, 1997, p. 61). ID models generally tend to simply modify and elaborate upon a basic problem-solving model tailored to meet the needs of the educational endeavor (Smith & Ragan, 2005). References Conrad, K. A., & TrainingLinks. (2000). Instructional design for web-based training. Amherst, MA: HRD Press. Dick, W. (1997). A model for the systematic design of instruction. In R. D. Tennyson, F. Schott, N. Steel & S. Dykstra (Eds.), Instructional design: International perspectives. Volume 1: Theory, research, and models. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Dick, W., & Carey, L. (1996). The systematic design of instruction (4th ed.). New York: Harper Collins. Gibson, D. (2006, April 10). Instruction design verse learning design [Msg 11]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html Glaser, R. (1971). The design of instruction. In M. D. Merrill (Ed.), Instructional design: Readings (pp. 18-37). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Goodyear, P. (1997). Instructional design environments: Methods and tools for the design of complex instructional systems. In S. Dijkstra, N. Seel, F. Schott & R. D. Tennyson (Eds.), Instructional design: International perspectives (Vol. 2, pp. 83-111). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Instructional design competencies. International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction. (n.d.). Retrieved February 3, 2006, from http://www.ibstpi.org/instructional-designer-competencies/ Ip, A. (2006, April 10). Instruction design verse learning design [Msg 6]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html Kemp, J. E. (1985). The instructional design process. New York: Harper & Row. Klein, J. D. (2006, April 20). You’re an instructional tech, yes [Msg 12]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html Liu, X., Bonk, C. J., Magjuka, R. J., Lee, S.-h., & Su, B. (2005). Exploring four dimensions of online instructor roles: A program level case study. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 9(4), 29-48. Mager, R. F. (1997). Making instruction work (2nd ed.). Atlanta, GA: CEP Press. Merrill, M. D., Drake, L., Lacy, M. J., & Pratt, J. (1996). Reclaiming instructional design. Educational Technology & Society, 36(5), 5-7. Reigeluth, C. M. (1999). What is instructional-design theory and how is it changing? In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. 2). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Richey, R. C. (1986). The theoretical and conceptual bases of instructional design. New York: Nichols. Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional design (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Snelbecker, G. E. (1999). Some thoughts about theories, perfection, and instruction. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. 2, pp. 31-50). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Spector, J. M. (2006a, April 20). You’re an instructional tech, yes [Msg 3]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html Spector, J. M. (2006b, April 20). You’re an instructional tech, yes [Msg 15]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html Spector, J. M., & Muraida, D. J. (1997). Automating instructional design. In S. Dijkstra, N. Seel, F. Schott & R. D. Tennyson (Eds.), Instructional design: International perspectives (Vol. 2, pp. 59-81). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Taylor, M. (2006, April 11). Instruction design verse learning design [Msg 16]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html Wissing, G. (2006, April 20). You’re an instructional tech, yes [Msg 11]. Message posted to ITFORUM, archived at http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/itforum.html

Marketing expert and professional speaker Terra Fletcher spoke with students in Nicole Virant’s Internet Marketing course, sharing her expertise on using employees as brand ambassadors. Students enjoyed her personal style which included getting to know each of them and tailoring her topic around some of the shared goals the students had. Terra Fletcher, image courtesy of www.terralfletcher.com Turning employees into brand ambassadors was a topic that related well to the course content and connected with students in the classroom. Fletcher was able to share four key elements: How to encourage employee brand advocacy How to leverage existing relationships How to use influencers to extend the reach of your message How to create and deliver a finely-tuned elevator speech "I learned about branding and different methods for developing and maintaining relationships with your customer. I also learned how to improve morale of employees," shared Lee Collar, a business student. To date, Fletcher has been one of the best guest speakers that the business program at Globe University-Green Bay has been able to host. She shared a wealth of information and stories that students will be able to put into action. "I liked that it was interactive, the book references and the real-life examples that were used," said Jane Frisch, business student. Want to Know More About Terra Fletcher? Terra L. Fletcher is founder and president of Fletcher Consulting. She is an adjunct professor and was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 by the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce. Fletcher focuses on marketing holistically, the entire image and communication plan of a company. She encourages companies to consider who their target is. She helps find influencers, and works with the business to build "real"ationships that lead to "real"sults. Fletcher specializes in finding the psychographics, values and motives of customers and helps her clients understand how to get more just like them through internet marketing, website optimization and social media. The post Fireball! Fletcher Brings Passion Into the Internet Marketing Classroom appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Education technology startups that want to take part in the Intel Education Accelerator have to apply to the program until May 22nd. Intel’s accelerator program starts on August 3 and ends with a demo day on December 2. Interested applicants can come from all verticals within the education technology market, must be for-profits and already have a working beta product. They can score investment of up to $100,000, split into an initial $ 50,000 for six percent in equity and $50,000 in a convertible note at the end of the program. The program is hosted at Intel’s partner for the accelerator program, GSVlabs, in Silicon Valley, which means that participants need to be flexible to relocate. Further Reading Intel® Education Accelerator

Online teaching presents a unique set of challenges that require clear definition of faculty performance. Research shows that specific strategies can support and enhance the teaching and learning process. In this online workshop offered 2/14/14 for NIU faculty, we examined and discussed best practices that will promote successful online experiences including planning and management, teaching techniques, and assessing and evaluating students. Participants discovered different ways to facilitate these strategies during all phases of an online course. Special thanks to Angela Velez-Solic and Jeff Geronimo for their ideas and contributions to the workshop! The workshop archive may be viewed below. The following is a quick list of the tips discussed in greater depth during the workshop archive. If You’re New to Online Teaching Try using different kinds of online technologies in your current face-to-face or blended courses first, so you can get a good idea of how you might later use the technology to teach completely online. If you haven’t taught the course face-to-face, try teaching it that way first so you can fully understand the course components and student needs. Along the way, you’ll see what works and what doesn’t, and you might be able to have a solid idea of how to approach the same class in a fully online environment. Discuss and network with colleagues who have experience teaching online. They will be more than likely be willing to share with you some of their own tips and best practices, especially if these colleagues teach in your same subject area. Tips for Design Rethink your syllabus. Create a loop-hole free syllabus and consider creating a syllabus quiz to make sure students know exactly what is expected of them. Organize your course content. You might decide to structure your course in weekly folders or by topic or theme. Avoid useless clicking. Put as much content in one place as possible, but also be mindful of how everything is structured so that you and your students avoid any unnecessary clicking. Save files in PDF. Converting your documents to PDF makes them more accessible to students, and is much smaller in terms of file size. When converting to PDF, remember to keep the source files in a safe place. Create a Start Here area to orient your learners to your course. This would be a good place to put information about navigating the online course and any resources for tech support Design less and teach more. It’s definitely NOT a good idea to try to design, develop, and teach a course at the same time. (tell short story) Ultimately, try to make sure the course is as fully developed as possible before the start of the semester, so that you can focus on the more important aspect - teaching the course. Rethink your course content. Just because you’re teaching a course online, you don’t need to create all course materials from scratch. Consider using open educational resources like YouTube videos, TED talks, and more. Embed media within your course whenever possible instead of linking. From a learner’s perspective, it’s just easier to be able to see and view the content within the course without having to click on multiple links to open in new windows. Tips for Delivery Plan your delivery. Use announcements weekly and save them in a file for easy access especially if you teach the same course multiple times. Save "general" discussion responses in a document, so you don’t have to repeat yourself all the time. Run from the email monster. Being tied to email or feeling compelled to answer emails is a very real nightmare for many online faculty. Instead, try the following: hold virtual office hours using Adobe Connect or Blackboard Collaborate; subscribe to discussion forums/threads; create announcements in advance and post-date them; try Remind101 or Google Voice for text messages Rethink email. set a realistic time schedule; set up email access on your mobile device; encourage other avenues of communication Move beyond PowerPoint. Consider alternatives to PowerPoint slides. You can add audio narration to PowerPoint, record face-to-face lectures for later viewing, or perhaps record a screencast. Consider live online sessions. You do certainly have the option use live online sessions for delivering content and facilitate live online discussions. In your online course, you could choose to have live online sessions scheduled periodically throughout your course in which you could require students to login at the scheduled time from either their computer or mobile device to participate in a live class meeting where you could present content as well as facilitate a variety of different types of discussions. Develop your "presence". Consider other ways where you can demonstrate your teaching and social presence in the course, such as recording video or making other frequent communications within the course. Tips for Assessment Rethink your grading strategies. Use grading criteria and rubrics for all assignments and discussions; incorporate more low-stakes quizzes with multiple attempts; provide feedback, and allow students to revise assignments; try project-based learning - all assignments are part of the final project. Consider different grading methods. Download all submissions at once from LMS and annotate with MS Word; use inline grading feature in Blackboard; convert assignments to PDF and annotate (options for grading from mobile device); use rubrics or audio/video feedback Give and receive feedback. Save samples of phrases and feedback and copy/paste as appropriate to save time; provide informal opportunities for course feedback; use LMS survey tool, PollEverywhere, reflection journals; ask for feedback mid-point and end of course. Summary and Best Practices Take baby steps. Don’t plunge so deeply into the online course environment and expect everything to be perfect. Limit the amount of technology if you’re brand new. The technology should not drive or direct the teaching and learning process - it should support this process. Explore different strategies and approaches. See what works for you and your teaching style. Don’t overwhelm yourself of your students. Make sure the course is as easy to navigate as possible, provide clear expectations, and make sure that the overall design of the course makes for a positive course experience for everyone. For archives of other online workshops offered by NIU Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, visit our YouTube channel. Those seeking to design a new online course in Blackboard may find the workshop archive, Designing Exemplary Online Courses in Blackboard, to be of particular help.

Although it’s been around for more than 20 years, we’re still learning the dos and don’ts of email etiquette. We’ve all received an email that - although silent save for the sound of a mouse click - screamed so loudly to our sense of common courtesy that we wanted to fire back with a combination of all caps and angry emoticons. Workplace email blunders are so common that this post could have been twice as long. But just like emails shouldn’t be mistaken for a great American novel, we’ll keep this to 11 of the worst offenders. 1.  Non-descriptive subject lines Emails titled "Hi" might have been fine as a teenager on AOL, but in a professional work setting, non-descriptive subject lines are not quite up to par. Your recipients will most likely prioritize opening their emails based on the subject lines alone, so you have a lot of competition in getting your email to the top of the list. 2.  Forwarding chain emails Speaking of AOL, remember when chain emails were a thing? It should go without saying that spamming your coworkers with forwarded emails (however hilarious they may be) is a big no-no. It wastes their time and decreases your credibility in the process. 3.  Not giving a proper greeting We don’t talk to people without greeting them first, so we shouldn’t make that mistake in email. Judith Kallos, email etiquette expert, warns us that an email without proper greetings and closings can come off as terse and demanding. 4.  Being tone deaf Much like a choir member who can’t quite hit the high notes, being tone deaf in email can easily misrepresent the sender’s intentions. Since we can’t rely on body language and vocal inflections to convey meaning, our words and punctuation must be chosen carefully to make sure nothing gets misinterpreted. 5.  Using abbreviations Using abbreviations might be fine to use if you’re texting a friend that "ur going 2 B late," but there is no place for that kind of informal shorthand in a professional email. Even spelling words out, such as "appointment" instead of "appt," shows recipients that you’re not using shortcuts to rush the email along. 6.  Using all caps All caps is the equivalent to shouting, so unless you would shout your email to someone in person, you should not use all caps. If you want to emphasize a certain word or point, opt instead to use less aggressive options, such as italics or bold. 7.  Spelling and grammatical errors Spellcheck is one of the greatest inventions of the digital era. It gives us virtually no excuse to send an email off laden with errors that could potentially undermine our credibility. If your email service has no integrated spellcheck, copy and paste it into a Word doc and use the spellcheck there. 8.  Playing fast and loose with "Reply All" There is a time and a place for "Reply All," and that time and place includes everyone on the "To" list being interested in or needing the information you’re sending them. Many people make the dreaded mistake of hitting "Reply All" instead of "Reply," causing information meant to be seen by one set of eyes seen by dozens. 9.  Sending potentially incriminating emails We really have no control what someone decides to do after receiving our email. Whether their intentions are good or otherwise, they could forward it onto our higher-ups and inadvertently get us into trouble. The best thing to do is to simply avoid putting anything in writing that we would not want coming back to bite. 10.  Writing novel-length emails As mentioned in the introduction, emails are meant to be read fairly quickly. People are busy; they don’t have time to drop everything and read an inbox full of 700-word emails when they get to work in the morning. Don’t make the mistake of getting carried away in a long-winded, stream-of-consciousness style email that could have had been downsized to a few concise sentences. 11.  Overbearing email signatures Just like your email should be clear and to the point, so should your signature. Using multiple graphics and logos (that won’t always convert and instead render as attachments), larger-than-life font sizes, too much contact information and maybe even a few motivational quotes can look messy and unprofessional. The post 11 Terrible Workplace Email Blunders appeared first on Globe University Blog.

AltSchool, a collaborative community of micro-schools that aims to transform K-8 education in the United States, raised $100 million led by Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz and Silicon Valley Community Foundation with participation from Emerson Collective, First Round Capital, Learn Capital, John Doerr, Harrison Metal, Jonathan Sackler, Omidyar Network and Adrian Aoun. Founded in 2013 by ex-Google executive and Aadvark founder Max Ventilla, AltSchool has raised over $133 million to date. Tuition costs around $19.000 per year. AltSchool aims to build a new education system for the 21st century from the ground up and has a strong focus on technology and personalized learning in the classroom. Each school is built upon a technology platform that takes care of administrative and organisational tasks with the aim of freeing up time for teachers and students. Through the platform teachers can create and track individual lesson plans for each individual student. AltSchool’s platform also handles non-educational tasks like admissions, student assessment, parent communication and classroom supply procurement. The AltSchool network has grown from 20 students in one school in 2013 to 500 students in eight schools today with additional locations in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Brooklyn opening this fall. AltSchool’s staff grew from 30 to 115. AltSchool will also offer its operating system to other schools across the United States during a trial run next year. Further Reading AltSchool Raises $100 Million in Funding to Reimagine Education for U.S. Students and Teachers | Business Wire Inside the School Silicon Valley thinks will save Education | Wired AltSchool Raises $75 Million to Expand Its High-Tech Primary Schools | WSJ.D Links altschool.com

I was honored to be invited to give a keynote presentation for the Symposium for Online Program Coordinators at the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) on February 21, 2014 on the topic of mobile support tools and tips for supporting online students. My 90-minute talk titled Mobile Online Support Strategies for Serving Today’s Connected Online Students was an interactive, hands-on session where online program coordinators at UIS used their iPads to access resources, try different mobile communication tools, and brainstorm ideas. Together participants experienced a wide variety of mobile apps and services that they can choose from in crafting their own mobile communication strategy to better reach the online learners they serve. I prepared a mobile friendly online handout at jrho.de/uismobile14 to accompany the talk where session slides and resources can be found.

Since joining Globe University-Green Bay as the paralegal program chair, attorney Laura Nelson has not only made a positive impact with her students but in the local community as well. Nelson received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her law degree from what is now Western Michigan University in 1995. After practicing with a law firm for a decade, she took some time off to raise her family. When the Globe University-Green Bay campus opened in 2010, Nelson stepped into her role of paralegal program chair and opened her own practice on the side. Last month, along with help from a fellow lawyer and the local child support agency, Nelson founded Legal Resources of Brown County, a free clinic for low-income residents who are unable to afford an attorney. Nelson was also elected to the Village of Suamico Board of Trustees last year and is currently serving a three-year term to address property, finance and other village issues. Nelson says Legal Resources of Brown County, which is available every Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Wisconsin Job Center building in downtown Green Bay, is thriving. Volunteers are available to offer information and resources to citizens in relation to family law and landlord tenant issues. She explains that it has been a big help to the local child support agency as well. "The agency had people who were coming in all the time with legal questions, and they were unable to provide advice or even direct them on where to go," Nelson says. "They’re thrilled with the response we’ve had." Legal Resources of Brown County is gaining popularity through word-of-mouth and community referrals. Nelson says she hopes to take it to the next level. "Right now we can assist with legal forms, offer legal advice, and answer court procedure questions on filing motions or completing stipulations," she explains. "We’re not able to provide legal representation, meaning actually accompanying them to court, just yet." The clinic is also currently exclusively staffed by Globe University paralegal students, who are able to get hands-on experience in the legal field each week. "I’m excited to be able to provide my students with this unique and community-directed field experience," says Nelson. "Our mission at Globe University is to demonstrate ‘We Care’ by preparing career-focused, community-minded graduates for the global workforce. This clinic is ‘We Care’ come to life for my students." Visit the Globe University paralegal program page to learn more. The post Globe University Paralegal Program Chair’s Influence Goes Beyond the Classroom appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Boston-based edtech accelerator LearnLaunch is now accepting applications for its 4th cohort. Edtech startups with transformative ideas for K-12, higher ed and educational infrastructure can apply until June 30. The new cohort will start in September 2015. LearnLaunch is a four-month residential accelerator providing its startups with $18K in Seed Funding, free office space and access to its 90 mentors with backgrounds in business, education and government. So far LearnLaunch has invested in 19 edtech companies. In January 2015 LearnLaunch announced its partnership with Cengage Learning who will invest and participate in the accelerator program. To learn more about the education technology community in Boston in general and the accelerator program in particular, listen to our podcast with LearnLaunch’s Marissa Lowman. Links learnlaunch.com/accelerator/application