How to Get Hands-On with Machine Learning - Lisa Morgan, Information Week

If you really want to understand the capabilities and limitations of machine learning, you have to get hands-on. Here's a short list of options for beginners. The starting point differs for individuals based on their education and experience. However, the titles of resources may not necessarily reflect that fact. Following is a short list of resources with a bit of insight into their requirements and value. Deep learning, a subcategory of machine learning, has been omitted intentionally to keep the focus of this article on machine learning in general. Open ML (beta 2) describes itself as "an inclusive movement to build an open, organized, online ecosystem for machine learning". It builds open source tools for discovering and sharing data. Participants can pull the open data into their favorite machine learning environments and build models themselves or with the help of community data scientists.
https://www.informationweek.com/big-data/ai-machine-learning/how-to-get-hands-on-with-machine-learning/a/d-id/1335112

Innovative teaching seen to improve access, quality of education 0 SHARES 0 0 Janvic Mateo, The Philippine Star

The Department of Education (DepEd) has rolled out a new project promoting innovative teaching in public schools, which is seen to improve access and quality of education nationwide. In an aide memoire issued last week, Education Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua said the advent of technology has enabled educators to have more access to learning resources online. Pascua noted the existence of open educational resources (OER), or learning materials that are available for free for anyone to use, modify or share.
https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/education-and-home/2019/07/04/1931942/innovative-teaching-seen-improve-access-quality-education

Opening education resources for college students Brian K. Payne, Richmond.com

This is the time of year that new laws go into effect in Virginia. It also is a time when we can reflect on those laws passed a year ago. One law in Virginia receiving little fanfare was HB 454, a law requiring higher education institutions’ governing boards “to develop guidelines for the adoption and use of low-cost and no-cost open educational resources in courses offered at such institution.” The law was in response to the escalating costs of textbooks.

https://www.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/brian-k-payne-column-opening-education-resources-for-college-students/article_5a795e5c-60d8-5e8a-b311-d111a6a56f5b.html

Lumen Learning to Provide Delivery and Support for Carnegie Mellon's OLI Courseware - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

Carnegie Mellon is working with open educational resources company Lumen Learning to provide delivery and support for courseware from the university's Open Learning Initiative (OLI). The partnership means that faculty and organizations will be able to adopt OLI courseware and access services from Lumen Learning to assist with courseware selection, onboarding, training, course setup and ongoing usage, including professional development support for faculty to teach effectively with OER-based tools, according to a news announcement.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/07/02/lumen-learning-to-provide-delivery-and-support-for-carnegie-mellons.aspx

Harrisburg leads open educational resources innovation in geology courses - Emma Gosalvez, Penn State

Open educational resources (OER) are transforming the landscape of higher education, allowing for more accessible and affordable learning. At Penn State Harrisburg, geology students are using digital rock kits and an open-access textbook in place of traditional rock packages and text, a change that has fueled student engagement. Through a partnership between Penn State Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) and the Penn State University Libraries, the ACT@PSU program revolutionizes faculty use of the traditional textbook. ACT@PSU supports instructors who want to teach courses through OER.

https://news.psu.edu/story/572499/2019/05/01/academics/harrisburg-leads-open-educational-resources-innovation-geology

2019-20 Alternative Textbook Grant Recipients Named - Autumn Miller, University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky is always looking for ways to ensure students have access to the best course material. With textbook prices on the rise, some students have decided to forgo buying textbooks. As an active contributor to student success, the UK Libraries started the Alternative Textbook Grant Program in 2016 to help faculty offer free or affordable course material. For the upcoming year, 10 grants are being awarded.

http://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/2019-20-alternative-textbook-grant-recipients-named

New UNM website offers copyright information and help - Rachel Whitt, University of New Mexico

A new interdisciplinary campus resource offers students, staff and faculty at The University of New Mexico a central place to learn about copyright-related issues. The UNM Copyright Resource Guide is a collaborative effort between University Libraries, Information Technologies, University Counsel and Extended Learning. It covers a wide array of basic information regarding fair use, copyrighted material usage, copyright policies at UNM, trademarks and patents, and a myriad of other topics. https://news.unm.edu/news/new-unm-website-offers-copyright-information-and-help

Creative Commons Creates Search Engine with Over 300 Million Free Images - Jessica Stewart, My Modern Met

For now, CC Search is providing quality over quantity. In fact, Creative Commons wants to make its search engine a leading tool for creators. “CC will prioritize and build for users who seek to not only discover free resources in the commons, but who seek to reuse these resources with greater ease and confidence, and for whom in particular the rights status of these works may be important,” the non-profit writes.

https://mymodernmet.com/free-photos-creative-commons-search-engine/

How software is making textbooks obsolete - Ben Taylor, Best Techie

The simple solution to the textbook problem would be to give every student a PDF version of the book and ask them to look at the PDF anytime they needed to review the course material.Not only would this save trees, most schools wouldn’t have to purchase the technology needed for students to read a PDF on a mobile device. Many schools, even down to the elementary level, are now instituting “Bring Your Own Device” policies for students.

https://www.besttechie.com/how-software-is-making-textbooks-obsolete/

Albany Tech lowers textbook costs, soon some will be free - Grason Passmore, WALB

By January 2020, all general core textbooks will be free to students at Albany Technical College. This is all in an effort to help people afford to go to school. Albany Tech President Dr. Anthony Parker started the low cost textbook initiative last summer.


https://www.walb.com/2019/06/28/albany-tech-lowers-textbook-costs-soon-some-will-be-free/

OFFICIAL UNESCO RECOMMENDATION ON OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES MOVES ONE STEP FURTHER - Education International

Education International welcomes UNESCO global commitment to advancing access to works for teaching and learning through expanding access to quality and locally relevant open educational resources. EI welcomed the progress at the intergovernmental meeting of experts to examine a UNESCO draft Recommendation concerning Open Educational Resources (OER) held from 27-28 May in Paris, France.

http://infojustice.org/archives/41263

NWF State College Board of Trustees approves budget - Gatehouse Media Florida

The College is also focused on decreasing general education textbook costs for students. The average cost of a new general education textbook decreased from $87.03 in Spring 2018 to $79.29 in Spring 2019.To ensure consistency in instruction and reduce costs to students with bulk pricing, the College requires all sections of a general education course to utilize the same textbook. Exceptions are only granted for pilot projects or student benefit. One hundred percent of general education textbooks and instructional materials remained and will remain in use for more than one term.

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20190627/nwf-state-college-board-of-trustees-approves-budget

Open Educational Resource Providers End Fight Over Attribution - Sean Cavanagh, EdWeek

A group of open educational resource providers have resolved a dispute over the proper sourcing and credit for the curriculum materials they’re creating for schools around the county.
https://marketbrief.edweek.org/marketplace-k-12/open-educational-resource-companies-end-fight-attribution/

COERLL OER Hangout April 2019 - University of Texas

Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning online orientation to OER and discussion.

http://www.coerll.utexas.edu/coerll/file/coerll-oer-hangout-april-2019

Open-source textbooks offer free alternative for UC Clermont students - Clermont Sun

Some UC Clermont College students are avoiding paying hundreds of dollars for textbooks — and getting the content for free — thanks to online open-source textbooks, a growing trend among faculty at the college and throughout higher education. UC Clermont Dean Jeff Bauer, who is also a professor of business, said the benefits of open textbooks are many. “All students have the book on the first day of class, it saves them a lot of money, and the information can be accessed anywhere, anytime, without carrying around a heavy textbook,” Bauer said. “They don’t need to visit the bookstore before or after each semester to buy or sell back books, either.”

https://www.clermontsun.com/2019/06/21/open-source-textbooks-offer-free-alternative-for-uc-clermont-students/

Excellence, Rigor, & Equity: How OER Fits into Montgomery College’s New Strategic Plan - Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources

Montgomery College is embarking on a new strategic plan to guide the College over the next five years. Titled MC 2025, the plan will serve as the overarching plan for other master plans at the College, including the Academic Master Plan and the Achieving the Dream (ATD) student success work. Specific strategies are identified to support each of the six different goals approved by the Board of Trustees:

• Empower students to start smart and succeed
• Enhance transformational teaching practices and learning environments
• Fuel the economy and drive economic mobility
• Build, engage, and strengthen community partnerships
• Invest in our employees
• Protect affordability

https://www.cccoer.org/2019/06/21/excellence-rigor-equity-how-oer-fits-into-montgomery-colleges-new-strategic-plan/

COLUMN: Thank you for investing in our students, campuses and communities - Barbara McDonald, Home Town Source

One-time funding of $500,000 will support funding for textbook affordability, specifically for developing and offering courses to implement the Z-Degree (zero-textbook-cost degree). The leveraged equipment acquisition program will receive an additional $500,000 in funds to support the acquisition of state-of-the-art instructional equipment for credit-based academic programs that produce graduates in areas of high-demand occupations. An equipment acquisition may be made using the appropriation only if matched by cash or in-kind contributions from non-state sources.

https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_post/free/column-thank-you-for-investing-in-our-students-campuses-and/article_19de871e-91ea-11e9-ab90-afe5c41ac731.html

Neguse adds textbook relief to Democrats' education bill Joey Bunch, Colorado Politics

Freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse scored $5 million to help college kids avoid some of the high costs of textbooks. The money for an open-access textbooks pilot program was in an appropriations bill that passed the U.S. House floor Wednesday. Neguse's office said he also helped secure $1 billion for a federal grant program that supports students with disabilities. The $1 billion is included in the $13.36 billion Democrats hope to allocate the Individuals with Disabilities Act.

https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/neguse-adds-textbook-relief-to-democrats-education-bill/article_d844e81e-92d6-11e9-bba8-4b11f76bc4de.html

Survey: Majority of Faculty Acknowledge that Textbook Affordability Is an Issue on Their Campus - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

In a recent survey, 90 percent of faculty reported that textbook affordability is a concern for their institution. Yet just 40 percent said their school has a program focused on reducing textbook costs. That's according to the second annual FlatWorld Textbook Affordability Study, in which the learning materials publisher polled 786 faculty members at two- and four-year institutions across the country about their attitudes toward textbook costs. 

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/06/20/survey-majority-of-faculty-acknowledge-that-textbook-affordability-is-an-issue-on-their-campus.aspx

2019-20 Alternative Textbook Grant Recipients Named - Autumn Miller, University of Kentucky

The Alternative Textbook Grant Program provides UK instructors with assistance in finding or creating educational material that best suits their pedagogical needs and effectively reduces their students’ financial burdens. In past years, the program has saved over 5,500 enrolled students around $790,935 or about $143 per student.

http://uknow.uky.edu/professional-news/2019-20-alternative-textbook-grant-recipients-named

Commission on Higher Education focuses on making college more affordable - Evan Mealins, Alabama Political Reporter

The Commission is taking steps to lower textbook costs for Alabama students by holding workshops on campuses aimed at educating faculty members on the use of Open Educational Resources (OER). An OER grant program is in place to help colleges and universities replace print textbooks with online digital resources in high-enrollment, entry-level courses. The program, coordinated by the Commission and the Alabama Community College System, is expected to affect 18,000 students with savings over $2 million this year.
https://www.alreporter.com/2019/06/10/commission-on-higher-education-focuses-on-making-college-more-affordable-at-recent-meeting/