Do you ever get support requests from your students asking how to use READI?  Have any of your students complained of time out issues or logging in problems?  Did you know the error rate while using READI is .0001%?  WOW!  That's great...but if you are in that .0001% then you may need assistance!

Although we have a full support staff to assist students with any issues they may have concerning READI, we recognize that often times students go directly to their administrators for answers to their questions.  We want to help!  Below is a list of commonly asked questions and steps to alleviate the problem.  Hopefully these will assist you in relieving any frustration and finding a solution for your students. 

Student says - “My computer timed out or I received a page request error.”
Step 1:  Contact READI support via email at support@readi.info.
Step 2:  Check high security settings in your browser. 
In Internet Explorer click Tools > Options > Security then set the security level to medium or low.
Step 3:  Did you receive an email containing your READI PIN?
Step 4:  Try to log back in as a returning user with your email address and READI PIN.
Step 5:  If a student is using Hughes Satellite Internet Service, they may experience problems that we cannot fix.  This issue resides with Hughes and not READI.  If this is the case, we often suggest students try completing READI on an alternate computer such as at a library or a friend’s house.
Step 6:  Wait for READI support to contact you within 24 hours to determine if there were any technical issues on our side.

Student says - “My username and password do not work.”
Step 1:  Check with the school’s administrator or school’s instructions to verify you have the correct username and password.
Step 2:  Verify the correct URL for the READI site to make sure you are going to the correct school’s READI sub domain such as http://sample.readi.info
Step 3:  Don’t forget that usernames and passwords are case sensitive.
Step 4:  Contact READI support via email at support@readi.info

Student says - “My READI PIN does not work.”
Step 1:  Are you logging in under the “Returning Users” box on the right-hand side?
Step 2:  Are you using the same valid email address that you used in the original assessment?
Step 3:  Don’t forget the READI PIN is case sensitive.  Try to copy and paste it in the designated box.
Step 4:  Contact READI support via email at support@readi.info

Student says - “I accidentally deleted the email containing my READI PIN or I did not receive an email with a READI PIN.”
Step 1: Go back to your school’s READI site.
Step 2: Click on “Retrieve a lost or forgotten READI PIN”
Step 3: Type in your email address.
Step 4: Follow instructions and you will receive the READI PIN again via email
Step 5: If you still do not receive your PIN, check your junk/spam email box.  Sometimes emails get stuck there.

Student says - “How do I get back in to see my READI results more than once?”
Step 1:  Go back to your school’s READI site.
Step 2:  Log back in under “Returning User” on the right-hand side with email address and READI PIN provided to student in email from READI.

Most importantly we want you to know that the READI Support Team is available and ready to help you and your students.  Anyone can contact our support team just by emailing support@readi.info.  No matter what the concern, problem, or issue is, we will work to keep things running smoothly. 

READI Support

Last week in my report about technologies that are impacting K12, we learned The Horizon Report highlighted 6 technologies that are rising to the surface in K12.  The report discussed them in detail and included suggested time lines for implementation.

With a two to three year time-to-adopt, come Mobiles and Cloud Computing.  A mobile is any type of multimedia device that travels easily and has internet access.  While continually evolving the most recent rush to the market are hand held, touch screens with unlimited applications encompassing everything from measuring, games, checklists, reading, and social networking just to name a few.  One application even turns the iPhone into a flute.  The question isn't when to incorporate these devices into the classroom but how.  Isn't having information at our fingertips something we want for our children?  The new touch technology translates that concept literally. 

A key to successful implementation of mobiles will include a shift in training.  Educators won't need to train students on how to use the device but rather how to manage the information overload.  Discerning the good, bad, and ugly will be an art defined by the user's ability to narrow down what is really important.  In wading through the water, a new learning experience will emerge--promoting life skills such as prioritizing and time management.

Cloud computing is a relatively new term which is a style of computing that allows for various infrastructure resources to available over the internet as services. The concept incorporates infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) in addition to other technology trends that have the common theme of reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users. Cloud computing is an economical choice for schools since this can alleviate the need to purchase costly hardware.  Jumping on the cloud will help schools have access to reliable services that are affordable.

What do you think about these two technology trends?  Does your long term plan include using mobile devices or cloud computing?  What are the challenges you envision associated with these technologies?  Join in next week as we discuss the final two emerging technologies impacting K12.

Technologies Impacting K12 Part 2

For the first time, in March of this year, the New Media Consortium (NMC) released their annual report in conjunction with EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative on emerging technologies for K-12.  The Horizon Report focuses on a time frame of 1-5 years and outlines trends and challenges associated with implementing these technologies.  The report primarily draws from published resources, current research and practices, and expertise from field experts on the project.  Funding through a grant from Microsoft Corporation, the Horizon Report is a powerful tool in the future planning for K-12 success.

The report focused on six emerging technologies that have the power to transform education in the next 5 years including collaborative environments, online communication tools, mobile devices, cloud computing, smart objects, and the personal web.  Over the next few weeks, we will examine each of these technologies.  Discussing what they are and how they can change the face of K-12 learning.

Collaborative environments is not a new concept at its core.  Originally created out of a realization that there is a tremendous amount we can learn from others.  Learning from a textbook is simply reading about other's experiences. With information at our fingertips, there is no need to stick to one resource for learning. Networking has paid its dues to be recognized as one of the best ways to learn new things, meet new people, and advance your agenda (which is not as sleazy as it sounds).  Collaborative environments work in the same way.  Open up a virtual table full of students with thoughts, experiences, and desire, and you have one good old fashion brainstorming session.  Freedom to learn and grow at one's own pace opens roads that lead to new countries, concepts, and contradictions.  This environment pushes students to learn differently, promoting teamwork, critical thinking, and skills that instill lifelong learning. 

The Horizon report suggests implementing this technology in a year or less.  Many school systems have already begun the collaborative environment platform.  Try starting a blog log or launch a youtube contest to begin the dialogue.  Create assignments that discuss or analyze the content.  Watch the students teach each other, see new ideas evolve, and take note of the empowerment behind this kind of learning. 

Technologies Impacting K12

For the last decade, distance learning in higher education has grown exponentially.  Distance learning is a phenomenon born out of a need for alternative learning environments, demand for flexible learning schedules, and low enrollments.  Because of these influences, colleges and universities had to get creative in making learning from a distance a reality.  Struggling with misconceptions from students, institutions were faced with students who wanted to take online courses, but simply weren’t ready.  Over time, these students began to drop out and attrition rates for distance learning suffered.  Many research articles reported that retention rates in distance education courses were often substantially lower than the rates for traditional courses.  Schools began asking themselves what they could do to better serve their online students and in the process turn their poor retention rates around.  One potential road block to student success in distance learning was lack of student readiness for learning at a distance.  Students simply did not have the recommended skill set to successfully complete all the course requirements.  Not only did some students have poor technical skills, but they also lacked personal attributes that assist in a student’s motivation level, ability to prioritize, and time management skills.  Another challenge was students had some general misconceptions about learning from a distance.  “It is easier online than in the classroom”, “I can do my class work anytime I want”, and “It will be an easy A” were some of the general thoughts that served as road blocks when students realized there was more to online learning than logging into a computer.  Often time students would drop out of the course simply because it was not what they were expecting.

 
These trends were red flags that distance learning administrators began to pay attention to.  With a growing demand these administrators were forced to sit up and take notes creating a better system to prepare their students for online learning.  Many schools implemented improved communications with online instructors, tutorials of their learning management systems, and online orientation courses.  These were the first steps in creating a stronger connection between prepared students and online courses.  Some schools even added a “Are you ready for distance learning” 10 item quiz on their web sites.  Although this effort did not go unnoticed, it was a weak attempt to get to the root of the problem.  It was time for a complete readiness tool that truly measured students’ strengths and weaknesses in relation to learning at a distance; a tool that provided students with immediate feedback and remedial resources; a tool that provided a clear insight about students entering a distance learning course to the institution.

Coming from humble beginnings, READI was created by a group of distance learning administrators who decided it was time to answer the challenge of improving learner readiness. With a dream, limited funds, and a research team, the work began to create a complete resource for schools to use in bridging the gap between a student’s perception of distance learning and reality.  The resource would measure a student’s readiness for distance learning in 5 areas: Personal Attributes (procrastination, motivation, etc), Learning Styles, Technical Competency, On-Screen Reading , and Typing Speed & Accuracy.  It was officially named READI as an acronym for Readiness for Education At a Distance Indicator and would be completely web-based and include immediate feedback for students and administrative access.  Owned by DECADE Consulting, LLC, annual licenses were sold to several colleges and universities who inquired about it in the first few years.  By 2005, with 30 clients, and a sales department, DECADE Consulting began officially marketing READI at conferences to colleges and universities.  As the company grew, eLearningToolBox.com was created as a marketing portal in 2007, serving as the sole provider of READI.  With a team of 10 professionals, eLearningToolBox has also created additional solutions to common challenges of distance learning including FacultyFinder.com, TestProctors.com, and PostCourse.com.  By 2008, the client base had grown to over 300 colleges, universities, including state consortiums in Texas, Mississippi, and Georgia. 

Since 2003, READI has evolved through 6 major upgrades to be the most comprehensive, complete tool on the market of its kind.  Through upgrades in recent years, a technical knowledge and vocabulary section was added, Reading Speed and Comprehension was changed to Reading Rate and Recall, multiple grade level reading passages were added, lots of custom features, and much more.  With patent pending status, READI started the year 2009, by launching version 6.0 including a completely redesigned administrative panel, improved student reporting, multiple custom features, and a secondary version geared towards 8th-12th graders. The secondary version is already being considered by several state systems including Texas Virtual School Network and Florida Virtual School.  Although still a relatively new concept in K12, distance learning continues to grow and READI is available to assist those students in their quest to be successful in distance learning.  Over the past 6 years, READI has found its way into over 300 colleges and universities serving almost 300,000 students along the way.  As the demand for alternative learning environments grows the need for READI will remain steady.

Learning at a distance student readiness is a challenge felt by all types of schools including those abroad.  Through a recent partnership with Open University of Malaysia, we are working together to offer READI to their students this year.  Going international is quite an accomplishment for READI.  A conversation has also begun with National College in Puerto Rico about the possibility to translate READI and associated services into Spanish. 

As new challenges present themselves in distance learning, eLearningToolBox is a company dedicated to creating tools that make elearning better.  With a complete suite of solutions and additional services in the works the company’s future is strong. To learn more about eLearningToolBox, check us out on the web www.eLearningToolBox.com.

Are you READI for the next decade of Distance Learning? We are…

For the past two weeks, we’ve discussed distance learning in K12.  We listed reasons alternative learning environments are needed for children grades 8th-12th and about what some students had to say about it in a recent survey done by Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).  With so much talk about learner readiness, eLearningToolBox realized it was not only a challenge for colleges and universities but for secondary schools as well. 

In February 2009, READI – Readiness for Education At a Distance Indicator was released.  Publicly available to colleges and universities since 2003, it was time to create an in demand K12 version.  In the summer of 2008, eLearningToolBox partnered with some K12 specialists to evaluate READI and determine what changes needed to be made to make it appropriate for secondary learners.  Through that collaboration and additional research, READI Secondary is now available for use in grades 8th-12th.  Mimicking its higher ed counterpart, READI is delivered in a custom user interface as a web based tool and includes 5 areas (listed below) to measure a student’s readiness for learning at a distance.

1. Personal Attributes – procrastination, motivation, willingness to ask for help, etc
2. Learning Styles
3. Technical Competency and Skills
4. On-Screen Reading Rate and Recall
5. Typing Speed and Accuracy

Since its launch, READI has already caught the eyes and ears of virtual schools in many states including Florida, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.  All of whom are currently considering READI and how it may be of value to their distance learning program. 

When asked about the secondary version of READI, Dr. Mac Adkins CEO of eLearningToolBox said, “With the growth of K12 distance learning, it only seemed natural to add a K12 version of READI.  At conferences around the states, we got many requests for a secondary version of READI.  Student need and the demand for such a tool led our decision to include the launch in our recent 6.0 version of READI.  eLearningToolBox wants to be leading schools in their efforts to help students succeed!”  To learn more about how READI can enhance your distance learning program and assist your students in success, call Julie at 334.356.8353 or email julie@eLearningToolBox.com.

K12 Distance Learning - Part 3