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Seward Inc. Team Presents Poster at 2010 IES Research Conference |
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Written by Nell Kauls
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Monday, 14 June 2010 16:20 |
On June 28-30, 2010, Gregory Sales (CEO, Seward Inc.) and Melanie Ruda (Senior Instructional Designer, Seward Inc.) will present a poster session about The Word Learning Strategies Project at the 2010 IES Research Conference, a conference that brings together the largest gathering of grant and contract recipients currently conducting IES-funded education research.
The Word Learning Strategies project is a comprehensive program to train teachers to effectively teach students a set of practical, research-based, and theoretically sound strategies for inferring the meanings of unknown words they encounter while reading. The strategies to be taught include using context clues, word parts (compound words, inflectional suffixes, prefixes, derivational suffixes, and roots), and dictionaries. Additionally, Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) will receive instruction in using cognates, and all ELLs will receive instruction in recognizing idioms. Seward Inc. is developing the Word Learning Strategies program with noted reading expert Michael F. Graves, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education at the University of Minnesota.
The final product will be a comprehensive supplementary program to teach word-learning strategies. The basic model for instruction will be teacher-led direct explanation modified to include constructivist elements. Student material will include student activity books, pretests, and posttests. Teacher material will include online tutorials, including videos modeling best teaching practices, to prepare teachers to use the materials; a detailed teacher manual; and presentation materials (overheads/slides, posters). To provide extra assistance for students, the final product will also include supplementary web-based instruction on each of the strategies, web-based instruction on using cognates for Spanish-speaking ELLs, and web-based instruction on recognizing idioms for all ELLs.
Gregory Sales, Ph.D. has been designing and developing technology-based training for more than 30 years. He has applied his e-Learning expertise for a variety of clients including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and universities. In addition to recommending customized training solutions, Greg provides consultation on the development of comprehensive e-Learning strategies to organizations seeking to improve training productivity while reducing costs. Prior to founding Seward Inc., Greg was a professor of instructional design and technology and program chair at the University of Minnesota.
Melanie Ruda is an expert instructional designer who works with organizations and businesses to maximize the effectiveness, efficiency, and appeal of their instructor-led and online courses. In her 30 years as an educator and instructional designer, Melanie has addressed the learning needs of many different types of learners in diverse settings around the world, from school children in the U.S. to employees at major corporations to health care workers in the Pacific Rim. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 14 June 2010 16:27 |
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Seward Inc. Works with Clients to Design and Deliver Courses Using Moodle |
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Written by Nell Kauls
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Wednesday, 26 May 2010 19:17 |
Over the past two years, Seward Inc. has worked with clients to design and deliver training courses using Moodle, an open source learning management system. With over 50,000 installations in 207 countries, Moodle is quickly gaining the attention of educators around the globe.
Seward has used Moodle’s highly flexible nature to fit these clients’ course delivery needs:
- Omani Pre-Service Teacher Training Project in Child-Centered Classroom Methodologies (CCCM): In collaboration with instructors from Sultan Qaboos University’s College of Education, Seward redesigned a college course for pre-service teachers on CCCM. In designing the new hybrid course, Seward used Moodle’s interactive and social capabilities to give the pre-service teachers personal experience in the methods they would be using in their own classrooms, such as active learning and collaborative small group work.
- Technology for Improved Learning Outcomes (TILO) Project in Egypt: Seward is consulting with the TILO project to provide online learning materials and instructional design training. Seward is also consulting about the design and development of Moodle-delivered courses that are being repurposed from existing face-to-face training. On a recent trip, the Seward team presented Moodle as an option to improve teacher training across Egypt to the new Technology Adviser to the Egyptian Minister of Education. The proposed shift to Moodle would also cut the cost of training and improve training logistics.
- Online Course Development for the World Health Organization (WHO): Seward was engaged by WHO in Fiji to design online courses in algebra and chemistry for healthcare workers who have not taken college courses. The courses were based on classroom courses developed at the University of the South Pacific (USP). Seward's instructional design and programming team worked closely with USP faculty to design and develop the courses for deployment in Moodle.
- Online STI Training for the World Health Organization (WHO): Seward was engaged by WHO in Fiji to develop an interactive online version of the WHO print-based course, "Comprehensive Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Pacific Island Countries." Seward packaged the course as SCORM modules and delivered them on the Pacific OnLine Health Network's (POLHN) Moodle site.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 May 2010 19:22 |
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Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS) Announces 2010-11 Innovation Award Call for Entries |
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Written by Nell Kauls
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Tuesday, 06 April 2010 14:18 |
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The Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS) announces its 2010-11 Innovation Award in Online Student Services: Call for Entries. CENTSS is looking for student services professionals who want to share how they have used tools, creative strategies, and fresh thinking to design, develop, implement, and maintain online student services that have produced measureable results. CENTSS accepts entries from many areas of student services, including student communications, registration, admissions, advising, career planning, financial aid, legal services, disability services, and more.
CENTSS will publicize the innovations to the higher education community through press releases and conference presentations. Winners also receive:
· A “CENTSS 2010-11 Innovation Award” badge for your website
· A plaque commemorating your award
· A trend report from the CENTSS database
Entries will be accepted through July 15, 2010. Winners will be announced on October 15, 2010.
About CENTSS
The Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS) provides educational institutions with the tools and training they need to develop and deliver high-quality student services online. Effectively implemented student services are a critical component of student retention, engagement, and satisfaction. Through CENTSS, institutions are able to blend the power of technology with the personal attention of traditional support services. For more information about the CENTSS audit, go to www.centss.org. |
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