virtual

How UMBC is experimenting with virtual learning during the pandemic

Emilee Geist 21 hours ago

Abu, 21, a senior at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, is one of millions of college students forced to experience many, most or all classes online in a fall term that has become a gigantic national experiment in remote higher education.

The coronavirus pandemic, which rocked colleges in March, is threatening to extend these extraordinary restrictions on face-to-face classes into next spring. Results so far suggest the enforced distance could take an increasingly steep toll on students who yearn for personal connections and are fatigued with the videoconferencing routine some mock as “Zoom U.” There are also stubborn inequities between rich and poor in access to Internet service and study space for those stuck at home.

Yet faculty and students have grown accustomed to the technology and pace of online learning, and many are figuring out how to maximize class participation and find value in a strange situation.

“At

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8 Fun Virtual Halloween Activity Ideas

Emilee Geist 1 day ago

Halloween is the holiday that often provides some much-needed laughter and fun before entering the craziness of the end of the year. Although Halloween masks may qualify as a face covering, it’s unlikely people will be attending many office parties this year. Just because teams can not meet in person does not mean they need to forgo Halloween. Below are eight simple and fun virtual Halloween activities to try at your organization.

Organize a Virtual Kids Costume Contest to Support the Parents on Your Team

Due to the pandemic, most kids will miss

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6 Tools To Bring Your Virtual Conferences To Life

Emilee Geist 3 days ago

Back in another lifetime—by which I mean January—I was giving shout-outs to all the leadership, sales and marketing conferences I thought you shouldn’t miss in 2020. And then came Covid-19.

Suddenly, keynote speeches in rooms holding thousands lost their appeal. Events large and small moved online, and as with so many transitions the pandemic has forced on us, some of these attempts have worked better than others.

One lesson we’ve learned is that you can’t expect to simply replicate an in-person event in virtual fashion. Bringing offline activities online involves a translation process: You need to account for shorter attention spans, hurdles to human connection and the perception of an abridged experience.

Holding a successful virtual event requires organizers to find new ways to create engagement. The good news is, this is both a challenge and an opportunity for the events industry.

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Tickets for virtual workshop on sale now

Emilee Geist 2 weeks ago

Photo credit: Mon Amie Living
Photo credit: Mon Amie Living

From Country Living

Have the best-dressed door this Christmas! As part of our Celebrate Christmas At Home with Country Living virtual event, we are putting on a virtual workshop to demonstrate how to make a fresh foliage Christmas wreath with floral designers Mon Amie Living.

When: Sunday 8th November at 2pm BUY TICKETS

Duration: 45 mins

Where: Online. We’ll send you a link to the event on the day.

Photo credit: Mon Amie Living
Photo credit: Mon Amie Living

Join talented florists, Louise and Julie from Mon Amie Living and learn how to create your own Christmas wreath using fresh foliage. This simple, engaging tutorial will guide you step-by-step through each stage so afterwards you can create your own gorgeous wreath – perfect for you front door or as an indoor wall decoration. The 45 minute tutorial includes tips on where to forage for fresh foliage and how to add

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Art Basel to Hold Virtual Exhibit During Miami Art Week 2020

Emilee Geist 3 weeks ago

Last month, Art Basel announced it was forgoing the trip across the Atlantic to hold its Miami Beach edition in the midst of the pandemic. At the same time, it quietly announced that it would be premiering its online viewing rooms (OVR) for two exhibitions focusing on works made in the 20th century and works made during 2020.

Essentially a virtual art fair, “OVR:2020” seemed to go fairly well for Art Basel during its four-day run in September. Featuring 100 galleries from 28 countries, the online event saw strong engagement from art collectors worldwide, according to Art Basel. “OVR:20c,” the exhibition focusing on 20th-century art, is scheduled to take place on October 28-31.

Perhaps sensing an opportunity to stay engaged with the global art market, Art Basel has announced the Miami Beach show is back on — sort of.

“OVR: Miami Beach” will act as a virtual version of the

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As More Schools Move to Hybrid or Virtual Learning, Construct Working with Canvas to Improve Online Learning Experiences for Students and Teachers | News

Emilee Geist 3 weeks ago

With growing emphasis on virtual learning, online program enablement is more important than ever

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — As more schools respond to COVID-19 exposure with hybrid or virtual learning this fall, educational technology providers focus on delivering interactive online learning that engages students. That is why Construct, a global leader in learning design, today announced a new case study highlighting how one school district with nearly 20,000 students has moved to 100% virtual learning while maintaining student engagement.

“Our work with Canvas and Construct began several years ago, as we looked for viable solutions to keep virtual classrooms open even when our physical buildings were closed due to wildfires,” said Aaron Ferguson, Distance Learning Design Coach for Oxnard Union High School District. “Little did we know how years of emergency preparedness combined with insights from students and teachers would help us respond

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What to expect from your first virtual date with an Irishman (or woman)

Emilee Geist 3 weeks ago

Unprecedented? Once in a lifetime? A flaming-dumpster of a year? 2020 has put a kibosh on a lot of things but having to socially distance doesn’t mean that we can’t have a bit of virtual romance, intrigue, and a bit of craic online. 

Virtual dating is a relatively new concept, most of us probably only heard about it after the outbreak of the coronavirus, but here we are in October and now it’s practically normal. However, even if you’ve had an ample amount of experience of real-life dating you may need a little guidance on what to expect and how to prepare for your first virtual date. 

MyIrishDate, a new dating app for Irish and Irish Americans, recently did some research to find out what’s going on among the dating community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their survey found that 82.52% of those questioned have been using online platforms, like Zoom

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Oconto school district going virtual due to COVID-19 | WFRV Local 5

Emilee Geist 4 weeks ago

OCONTO, Wis. (WFRV) – The Oconto Unified School District joins the many other Northeast Wisconsin school districts transitioning to virtual learning as the state continues to see an increase in positive COVID-19 cases.

In a letter shared with families, Superintendent Emily Miller says she has met with Oconto County health leaders, local superintendents, and the Board of Education to review current health data for the school district and county.

She says the district has heard concerns from teachers, staff, parents, and the community about the surge in cases in the community and school district as well as the lack of substitute teachers.

“Based on these discussions and our monitoring of local and national trends in COVID-19 cases, we will be moving to a full virtual learning model for all students starting on Friday, October 2. We will continue to monitor health data in our area,

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John Lewis launches annual Christmas shop plus a new virtual tour

Emilee Geist 4 weeks ago

John Lewis has opened its 2020 Christmas shop, a hub of festive inspiration, at the flagship Oxford Street store. But this year you can visit from anywhere, as the magic has been captured virtually.

On a 3D tour of the Oxford Street shop, customers can “walk” through the Christmas store straight from their own homes. Using their computer, smartphone or tablet the public can visit the virtual shop, discover this year’s Christmas themes and shop items featured through the tagged products function.

This year’s Christmas flagship shop boasts its largest ever Christmas Tree forest, offering 40 different styles to walk through ranging from 4ft to a whopping 9ft tall.

The Festive Footpath sees 1,332 beautiful hanging green baubles decorate the shop floor lit up with 1,500 individual light bulbs.

And seven themes centred on artistic movements, are stunningly showcased to explore home trends.

Dan Cooper, Partner and Head of Christmas

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Here Are All the Must-See Virtual Panels

Emilee Geist 1 month ago

New York Comic Con’s first-ever virtual convention is less than two weeks away and the schedule for the 4-day lineup has been set, with appearances by new TV series like “Utopia” and “The Stand,” and reunions for fan-favorite shows, including “Lost” and “Smallville.”

Hosted by NYCC parent ReedPop and dubbed New York Comic Con’s “Metaverse,” the online event will run Oct. 8-11 as the virtual replacement for New York Comic Con 2020. The NYCC Metaverse panels will stream on New York Comic Con’s YouTube channel.

Per ReedPop, “In addition to panels streaming live & on-demand exclusively via YouTube, fans will be able to participate in talent Q&A’s during panels, turn every panel into a watch party and geek out with other fans using YouTube’s Comments, Community Tab, and Live Chat features.”

See below for a list of must-see TV and film-centric “Metaverse” panels and their descriptions, courtesy of New York … Read More