There are gender wars, and then there are casualties. It wasn’t until 2011 that the behemoth toymaker LEGO acknowledged girls’ desire to build with bricks, even though the company had long before made a seemingly effortless pivot to co-branding, video games, and major motion pictures. So it’s little wonder that girls face all-too-real obstacles when […]
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Bridging the information gap one step at a time. Problem Increasing access to information for hard-to-reach populations is critical to enabling them to overcome obstacles to education and development. Solution Although the distribution and implementation of information technology is a complex effort happening on many fronts, there are many success stories from which individuals and
Properly implementing learning technologies benefits teacher and student alike. Problem: It’s difficult to avoid the pitfalls inherent in implementing technology-assisted learning. Solution: Clarify the goals and objectives of an online education program prior to its implementation, and ensure that quality is not compromised. Discussion: The temptation to think of technology-assisted learning as an inherently good
Enriching teacher-student communication with online tools. Problem: The limitations of classroom teaching are too constricting. Time and resources don’t stretch far enough, and the quality of your interaction with students is too dependent on the mood of the classroom at the moment you are together. Solution: There are many potential tradeoffs and pitfalls to online
Enhancing the learning experience by correctly using online tools. Problem: Although classroom teaching has its limitations, you are concerned that online teaching sacrifices quality or that it provides refuge for underperformers. Solution: Tap into resources that allow educators to measure their current skills and competencies against those related to successful online teaching in order to
User needs are unmet
May 2nd, 2006 by IDEA
Personalizing web content helps ensure that users’ needs are met. Not everyone wants the same cabbage. Not every user needs the same content. Problem A website can’t effectively meet the needs of users because it isn’t adaptable to their individual needs. Solution Develop multiple versions of web pages in a variety of formats and allow
Expense of web design
May 2nd, 2006 by IDEA
Separating a site’s design from its content makes a re-design less costly. Problem It’s expensive to pay for the services of a web designer, and doubly expensive if you decide to change the site’s design at some point during the site’s life cycle. Solution Separate a website’s content, design, and structure, so the design can
Technological tools can routinely prune obsolete web site content. Problem As a website grows, it tends to accumulate outdated content that detracts from the site’s effectiveness. Like wilted sunflowers, outdated content can detract from the attractiveness and usefulness of your web site. Solution Content management software allows a project to set content expiration dates and
Data loss
May 2nd, 2006 by IDEA
Protecting your organization from data loss requires forethought. Catastrophic data loss is rare, but it’s best to be prepared by keeping a back-up of your encrypted data in a second location. Problem You want to minimize the risk of losing data due to crashes or natural disasters. Solution Keep a back-up of your data in