Journal of Educators Online

Faculty attitudes toward online teaching play a crucial role in the overall success of online education initiatives. Research indicates that teachers’ self-efficacy regarding web-based learning significantly influences their willingness to engage with online course development and teaching methods. Specifically, these attitudes are important predictors of how positively faculty approach integrating technology and online teaching practices into their courses, which in turn affects students' learning outcomes and engagement levels in the online environment.
During the rapid transition to online education prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, many faculty members faced challenges due to their lack of experience and confidence in teaching online. This led to a reliance on quick and often inadequate solutions, rather than effective research-based methods. Acceptance and commitment to online teaching from faculty can foster a more stable learning environment for students, allowing for better course design and implementation, which is essential for effective online learning.
Moreover, some institutions that prioritized professional development for faculty were better prepared to offer quality online courses compared to those that did not actively support their faculty. This difference underscores the importance of faculty attitudes and support in achieving successful online education outcomes.

What is Effective Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education What is Effective Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Congratulations to our August Principal of the Month, Mrs. Jill Sarriano! The K12 team at Grand Canyon University is thrilled to honor your hard work and innovation. Cave Creek Unified School District and Sonoran Trails Middle School are lucky to have you! Cave Creek Unified School District Sonoran Trails Middle School

The decline in students pursuing English literature at university may threaten literary criticism and the survival of the campus novel.
Key Takeaways
• The number of students studying English literature at university has dropped by over a third since 2012, leading to job losses and departmental closures.
• There is concern that the decline of literary studies will diminish cultural discourse and the exploration of significant literary figures like WH Auden.
• Observations indicate that the campus novel genre, which often critiques academic life, is facing extinction due to this trend.

Are studies of great authors doomed as fewer students take English literature at university? | Rachel Cooke Not only will literary criticism wither, but we risk losing the campus novel entirely

Moises Felipe is appointed the new director of GCU's Center for Worship Arts, aiming to innovate the program while balancing teaching and active church service.
Key Takeaways
• Moises Felipe joins GCU's Center for Worship Arts after eight years as an adjunct professor and experience as a worship pastor .
• He emphasizes the importance of connecting with students and sharing the program's vision for worship arts .
• Felipe plans to maintain his church involvement to provide students with relevant real-world experience in worship .
• He expresses the importance of innovative application of GCU's mission in the worship arts curriculum .
• Felipe believes that a strong worship culture at GCU is crucial for student strength and vision .
• He sees his role as a calling, focused on preparation and obedience to God’s guidance .

New Center for Worship Arts director seeks balance in teaching, serving - GCU News New GCU director for the Center of Worship Arts Moises Felipe believes it's important for him to continue serving as a pastor at Church for […]

The chatbot cheatsheet provides a comparison of popular GenAI chatbots, highlighting their key features, tasks they're best suited for, and the importance of verifying their outputs.
Key Takeaways
• Different GenAI chatbots excel at varying tasks, making the choice of chatbot task dependent.
• ChatGPT is notable for text generation and custom GPTs, with features for file attachments and image generation.
• Anthropic's Claude focuses on ethics, safety, and can handle multimodal inputs with interactive features.
• Google Gemini is proficient in image generation, data analysis, and integrates well with Google tools.
• Microsoft Copilot offers smooth integration with Microsoft Suite and internet access, including image creation capabilities.
• All chatbots can produce mistakes and biases, necessitating careful verification of their outputs.

Chatbot Cheatsheet — AI for Education Our handy comparison chart breaks down key features, costs, and limitations of popular AI platforms.

This post discusses five innovative digital AI tools that are transforming K-12 education, emphasizing the importance of policy compliance and ethical use of AI in classrooms.
Key Takeaways
• Innovations in AI tools such as Claude's Creative Canvas and Playlab's Interactive Lessons are enhancing teaching and learning experiences in K-12 settings.
• Educators should prioritize accuracy and transparency when using AI-generated content, and comply with policies like COPPA and FERPA.
• Claude Artifacts allow for collaborative workspaces, while Perplexity Pages provide comprehensive AI-generated articles for research purposes.
• Playlab.ai enables the creation of customized educational tools suited for specific classroom needs.
• ChatGPT's Custom Instructions allow tailoring AI interactions to meet lesson objectives, supporting personalized learning.

Five Digital AI Tools: Tech Trends Impacting Education Learn about five trending, cutting-edge digital AI tools reshaping K-12 education in 2024. See how AI enhances learning.

This post emphasizes the importance of maintaining open communication between teachers, students, and caregivers to enhance student support and engagement throughout the school year.
Key Takeaways
• Effective communication between teachers and families is essential for a cohesive student support team.
• Digital communication methods, such as texting and emailing, can significantly enhance family engagement.
• Positive communication should be prioritized, with regular outreach to families about their child's progress and school events.
• Phone calls can foster genuine connections and should be used for both positive and constructive communication.
• Online educational platforms can help families stay informed about their children's learning and encourage academic discussions at home.
• Regular communication routines strengthen the partnership between educators and families, contributing to student success.

How to Keep Communication Alive: Teachers, Students & Caregivers The Discovery Educator Network shares their tips for communication routines with families and maintaining that communication all year long.

Implementing small changes in classroom management and student engagement can significantly enhance the educational experience and classroom culture.
Key Takeaways
• Avoiding overcompliance encourages teachers to innovate and address student needs more effectively.
• Rethinking behavior management systems, such as moving away from clip charts, can foster a more positive classroom environment.
• Teachers should experiment with shorter, iterative teaching methods to refine their approaches quickly.
• Involving students in establishing classroom rules can enhance their sense of ownership and responsibility.

Small Changes for a Successful School Year Four ideas to begin the school year with small but impactful shifts that can improve classroom culture and student engagement.

Grand Canyon University addresses the teacher shortage in America with its National Center for Teacher Preparation, offering affordable tuition and scholarships to help paraprofessionals earn bachelor's or master's degrees. GCU's values-based learning environment and innovative techniques have led nearly 880,000 students to graduate from its College of Education, with over 100 alumni receiving prestigious awards. The program provides online classes, networking, field experience, and exam prep to support educators in achieving their dreams and impacting lives.

National Center for Teaching Preparation Programs | GCU Introducing the National Center for Teacher Preparation program at Grand Canyon University. To address the teacher shortage in America and recognize the teac...

Brandy Moorehead, a single mother and paraprofessional, is pursuing a bachelor's degree in elementary education at GCU, exemplifying the challenges and triumphs of many working adults aiming to transition into teaching.
Key Takeaways
• Brandy Moorehead, a single mother of four, is on the path to becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree through GCU's online program for paraprofessionals.
• GCU's College of Education supports paraprofessionals in becoming licensed teachers, recognizing their unique life experiences and challenges.
• The university provides financial assistance via scholarships to help paraprofessionals transition to teaching roles.
• Moorehead emphasizes that paraprofessionals have valuable classroom experience and can form strong relationships with students.
• GCU's approach includes cohort learning and professional development to further support aspiring teachers.

The world was not handed to them, but at GCU they raised a hand to teach - GCU News They often didn't have it easy in life, yet classroom paraprofessionals help the most vulnerable of K12 students. And GCU is helping those paraprofessionals, including […]

This article emphasizes the importance of teaching comprehension skills alongside decoding in early literacy development, advocating for various cognitive strategies and activities to enhance students' understanding.
Key Takeaways
• Comprehension instruction should not solely focus on decoding; meaning-making is essential in reading development.
• Graphic organizers can effectively support comprehension skills and cognitive operations as students learn.
• Comprehension activities should align with students' independent reading levels, promoting understanding rather than mere word recognition.
• Different strategies are required for narrative and expository texts, as each serves distinct purposes.
• Activities like "Sentence Sense" and "Maze" enhance comprehension through interactive and focused exercises.
To understand the assertions made by this author regarding reading comprehension and educational practices, one might look at a variety of studies related to emergent literacy, metacognitive strategies, and comprehension instruction.
1. Emergent Literacy and Comprehension: Johnson discusses the importance of comprehension even before mastering decoding skills. Studies supporting this assertion often highlight the need for a comprehension-focused approach in early education, showing that understanding can happen at the emergent level, which challenges the traditional view that decoding must precede comprehension.
2. Metacognitive Strategies: The text mentions the use of cognitive operations, such as predicting, which can be supported by research indicating that teaching these strategies leads to improved comprehension outcomes. Effective reading practices involve students thinking about their thinking, an area well-documented in educational psychology.
3. Scaffolding in Reading Instruction: The application of graphic organizers and scaffolded instruction is highlighted as effective tools for comprehension. Research in this area shows that structured support can significantly aid cognitive development in young readers, making these assertions grounded in empirical evidence.
These themes are central to educational research in literacy and provide a framework for Johnson's assertions on reading instruction and comprehension development.

Johnson, A. (2018). Emergent level comprehension. Academia.edu. https://buff.ly/4fNbouo

Teaching Reading | Books and Instructional Videos by Dr. Andrew Johnson Dr. Andrew Johnson is a reading specialist focusing on meaning-based reading instruction and reading interventions for struggling readers. Using a neurocognitive perspective, his books, podcasts, Youtubes, and other media provide important information related to dyslexia, reading instruction, advanc...

Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians This website does not fully support Internet Explorer. For a better experience, please consider using a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or...

The Lope Shop at Grand Canyon University has undergone a significant redesign to create a boutique-style shopping experience while enhancing navigation and flow for customers during the busy Welcome Week.

A new era for Lope Shop - GCU News If you need a break while looking for GCU attire at Lope Shop during Welcome Week, you might be lucky enough to find a couple […]

The article discusses how educators can leverage AI tools to enhance teaching efficiency and student engagement as the new semester approaches.
Key Takeaways
• AI can serve as a valuable assistant for faculty by drafting syllabi, creating lesson plans, and managing student communications.
• Despite curiosity about generative AI, many educators express skepticism and concerns about its implementation in academic settings.
• Insights from faculty show that those using AI report time savings in creating materials and improved student interaction.
• A variety of AI tools are suggested for tasks such as content generation, lesson planning, and assessment creation.
• Embracing AI can enhance teaching practices and help manage workloads, providing a more engaging learning experience for students.

Ace Your Semester: Harnessing AI for a Head Start This year, you have a secret tool in your back-to-school arsenal: AI. Imagine having a digital assistant that never sleeps, helping you draft syllabi, create lesson plans, and even answer those tricky student emails.

A recent survey highlights that approximately two-thirds of colleges are prioritizing the development of online versions of existing on-campus programs, driven by the need to recruit new students and meet current students’ demands amid growing online enrollments.
Key Takeaways
• Two-thirds of colleges are focusing on creating online versions of their on-campus programs to ease the transition to online education and attract new students.
• About 48% of chief online learning officers are also considering launching entirely new online programs without a campus equivalent.
• The survey indicated that 46% of respondents observed faster growth in online enrollments compared to on-campus programs.
• Adult undergraduate students (ages 25 and older) are seen as a crucial market, with 78% of colleges targeting this demographic.
• Concerns have risen over online program management companies (OPMs) amid financial challenges, like the recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy of 2U].

Two-thirds of colleges are prioritizing online versions of on-campus programs, poll finds The ninth Changing Landscape of Online Education survey offers a glimpse into the distance education marketplace. 

GCU alumna Jataya Taylor, a Marine veteran, is set to compete in wheelchair fencing at the Paralympic Games in Paris, showcasing her athleticism and resilience after overcoming significant health challenges.
Key Takeaways
• Jataya Taylor will represent Team USA in women's foil and épée at the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 9, 2024.
• A Marine veteran, Taylor transitioned to adaptive sports following serious injuries that ended her military career, discovering wheelchair fencing just two years ago.
• She previously competed in various sports, including Nordic skiing, swimming, and cycling, but found her passion in wheelchair fencing, which combines physical ability with strategy.
• Taylor’s journey included a life-altering leg amputation in 2017, which she viewed as a new beginning after years of pain.
• She earned a master's degree in public health from Grand Canyon University while balancing her athletic career and personal challenges.
• Taylor credits adaptive sports with saving her life and emphasizes the importance of faith and community support in her journey as an athlete.

En garde! GCU alum advances to Paralympics - GCU News After struggling for more than a decade with pain in an injured left leg, Marine veteran and GCU alumna Jataya Taylor told doctors to amputate […]

The article highlights the importance of cultural immersion in nursing education through auditory hallucination simulations, enabling students to empathize with patients suffering from schizophrenia and improve their care skills.
Key Takeaways
• Many nursing students lack experience and confidence when caring for patients with schizophrenia, which can lead to inadequate care due to stigma and bias.
• Auditory hallucination simulation provides empathy-based training, allowing students to experience the challenges faced by individuals with schizophrenia, enhancing their understanding and compassion.
• Exposure to the realities of schizophrenia fosters essential skills in nursing practice, such as inclusion, advocacy, and effective communication.
• Incorporating active learning techniques, like role-playing and technology-assisted simulations, is crucial for improving psychiatric education.

Cultural Immersion: An Eye-Opening Experience to Facilitate Learning To help my students, I thus took part in a cultural immersion exercise to learn more about what it is like to live with schizophrenia.

Alibaba has launched its Qwen2-Math large language models, claiming they outperform OpenAI's and Google's in solving mathematical problems, contributing to the company's growing AI capabilities.
Key Takeaways
• Alibaba introduced Qwen2-Math, a series of maths-specific large language models that reportedly outshine OpenAI’s GPT-4o and other major models in mathematical tasks.
• The Qwen2-Math models are focused on enhancing reasoning capabilities to solve complex arithmetic and mathematical problems.
• Testing on various benchmarks, including GSM8K and the gaokao, showed impressive performance despite existing limitations like English-only support.
• Future plans include developing bilingual and multilingual models to expand the capabilities of Qwen2-Math.
• Alibaba's models are recognized as competitive in the global AI landscape, narrowing the gap with US models.

Alibaba launches maths-specific AI models said to outperform OpenAI, Google LLMs The new Qwen2-Math large language models are expected to help solve complex maths problems.

The article outlines that mastering AI in education relies on understanding and effectively utilizing various prompt strategies, collectively termed the PREPARE framework, rather than seeking a single perfect prompt.
Key Takeaways
• Effective AI interaction is not about finding a perfect prompt; it's about understanding how to construct prompts for better results.
• The PREPARE framework includes eight key levers: Propose, Role, Explicit Instructions, Presentation, Ask, Rate, Emotions, and Diversity, which enhance AI responses.
• Clarity and specificity in prompts, along with contextual understanding, are crucial for obtaining accurate responses from AI.
• Users can adapt their approach flexibly by selecting relevant elements of the PREPARE framework based on their immediate needs.
• Engaging AI with emotional context and addressing potential bias can lead to more thoughtful and inclusive outputs.

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Bryan Alexander announces his new book project, "Peak Higher Education," to analyze the historical and future challenges facing U.S. higher education, including automation and climate change, while providing survival strategies for institutions. The photo on his blog reminds me of Alumnae Hall when I attended college. It was abandoned, parts of the roof were gone, and I had the pleasure of exploring this before it was demolished.
Key Takeaways
• Alexander's book aims to explore the concept of "peak higher education," a scenario he introduced in 2013, focusing on historical trends and future projections through 2045.
• The book will address significant challenges such as automation, climate change, and societal divisions impacting higher education.
• Key topics include enrollment changes, institutional financial stresses, and shifts to online education, detailing demographic impacts on higher education.
• The exploration of two emerging models for higher education's future will be included: one focusing on shrinking institutions and another emphasizing growth and innovation.
• Alexander plans to recommend strategies for institutions to mitigate decline and adapt to the changing educational landscape.
• The book is under contract with Johns Hopkins University Press and aims to contribute meaningfully to discussions on the future of U.S. higher education.

Starting my new book project: Peak Higher Education Greetings from somewhere over the United States. I’m flying from DC to LA, and will take this lofty moment to announce my next book project. I introduced the peak higher education concept wa…

Elevating student voice in school districts through leadership opportunities and listening is crucial for social-emotional learning (SEL) implementation and creating equitable environments for all learners.
Key Takeaways
- Student voice and leadership enhance self-awareness, teamwork, problem-solving, and agency.
- Students' perspectives are vital for quality SEL implementation and equitable learning spaces.
- Three case studies illustrate empowering students in their education.
- Listening to students empowers educators to make informed decisions.
- Student involvement in decision-making processes, leadership roles, and advisory structures benefits SEL and school climate.
- Schools should actively engage students in important decisions, like budget proposals and policy recommendations.
- Supporting student agency contributes to a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

How Can School Districts Elevate Student Voice? Check Out Three Case Studies From Across the U.S. - CASEL Key Points Back to top If you’re wondering how to get students to listen and engage in social and emotional learning (SEL), it might be time to flip the question. Instead, ask, “How can we listen to students to create spaces where students lead and collaborate on solutions that support everyone....

The Thrill is Gone: What to Do When Your Course Doesn't Excite You

Maryellen Weimer, PhD

A new academic year is about to begin, and, well, there's this course—maybe more than one—that you're not exactly bristling with excitement to teach. First, don't beat yourself up for feeling this way. Nevertheless, the absence of anticipation should cause some concern. Less than positive feelings about teaching can be contagious. Ask yourself what's most enervating about the course. Respond with a commitment to change; it's a powerful antidote to the doldrums.

The Thrill is Gone: What to Do When Your Course Doesn't Excite You A new academic year is about to begin, and, well, there's this course-maybe more than one-that you're not exactly bristling with excitement to reach. What should you do?

9 Awesome AI Tools You Need to Know About
9:29 am August 8, 2024 By Roland Hutchinson

Skyglass: Bringing Characters to Life
Skyglass catalyzes animators and game developers, offering a real-time 3D character environment and advanced facial motion capture capabilities.

11 Labs: Preserving Authentic Voices
11 Labs is transforming the voice-over and content creation world with its innovative speech-to-speech technology.

BGBye: Effortless Background Removal
BGBye simplifies the background removal process by leveraging the power of 10 different AI models.

9 Awesome AI Tools You Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming various sectors by introducing groundbreaking tools that significantly enhance productivity and foster

MacWhisper can now auto-translate transcripts into other languages. The app has been updated with new features, including the ability to automatically translate entire transcripts using the DeepL API, support for longer summaries with the latest GPT4o model, Markdown file export, BBEdit 14 support, and a dictation feature. MacWhisper uses OpenAI's Whisper technology to transcribe audio locally on the Mac, ensuring users' privacy.

MacWhisper can now auto-translate transcripts MacWhisper is a popular tool that uses AI to quickly transcribe audio. The app has been getting a lot of...

New academic year brings new Honors College programs, including a journaling course and the Leadership in Action Institute. The college has moved to the Engineering Building, offering more study space and bigger rooms for its leadership development programs. The Pen-to-Purpose Journaling program aims to provide students with a chance to reflect on their college experiences.

New academic year brings new Honors College programs - GCU News Grand Canyon University's Honors College has been busy this summer. Formerly located in the Technology Building, the college moved across campus to the Engineering Building, […]

AI-powered strategic testing can enhance student learning by leveraging the testing effect, saving teachers time, and providing personalized assessments, offering a transformative opportunity for education.
Key Takeaways
• Strategic testing with AI-generated quizzes can improve student achievement by utilizing the testing effect, leading to better retention and understanding across disciplines and age groups.
• AI tools like ChatGPT can efficiently create diverse, personalized assessments, reducing teachers' workload and enhancing student learning outcomes.
• AI can assist in grading papers and essays, guide student self-assessment, and facilitate peer feedback, promoting learning engagement and diverse feedback mechanisms.

AI-Created Quizzes Can Save Teachers Time While Boosting Student Achievement Wang & Gehlbach: Summer is the perfect time to consider the benefits of frequent, low-stakes strategic assessments powered by artificial intelligence.

Higher education faces resistance to a federal proposal mandating attendance tracking in online courses due to time and financial concerns. I would like to point out the obvious that many LMS’s already keep track of time in the course, which is attendance. This is not a difficult thing to do.

New concern on attendance-taking proposal for online courses The department says taking attendance will help ensure Title IV funds are used properly. Online-facing faculty said it will create a financial and time burden.

This details how educators can use Claude, an AI tool, to create interactive educational content without coding skills, showcasing its capabilities in developing engaging learning tools quickly and easily.
Key Takeaways
• Claude allows educators to create interactive educational tools without programming skills by providing prompts for content generation.
• Educators can prompt Claude to design tools tailored to specific educational needs, enhancing student engagement.
• Claude can generate React components for interactive tools but can also provide standalone versions without requiring additional libraries like React.
• The created artifacts can be easily shared via URL or embedded code on websites, facilitating widespread access.
• Claude's AI capabilities offer a range of possibilities for creating custom resources, including quizzes, tables, and more, with no coding knowledge required.
• Educators can explore Claude's potential by creating various interactive content types quickly and efficiently, expanding teaching possibilities.
• It's recommended to plan interactive content ideas before using Claude, especially considering prompt limits, to maximize the tool's efficiency.

Creating a Student Interactive with Claude: It’s Easier Than You Think! Claude.AI makes creating student interactives a breeze. Walk with us through the creation of one of these helpful tools.