Berklee and the Boston Conservatory agree to merger - Stefanie Botelho, University Business

The provisions of the merger are the result of a six-month period of exploration undertaken by the two schools after signing a June 2015 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Input was gathered from many key institutional stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and industry leaders. The combined institution, located in Boston’s historic Back Bay and Fenway neighborhoods, will be known as “Berklee,” with the Conservatory becoming “The Boston Conservatory at Berklee.” http://www.universitybusiness.com/news/berklee-and-boston-conservatory-agree-merger

Venture Capital In EdTech Is Booming - Karis Hustad, ChicagoInno

Education technology, or edtech, had an impressive fourth quarter in terms of venture capital investments, according to new KPMG/CB Insights data. There were just over $1 billion in investments in Q4 2015, up 300 percent over the $295 million in investments seen in Q3 2015, and significantly higher than the $474 million raised in Q2, and $694 million raised in Q1, according to the KPMG and CB Insights Q4 Venture Pulse study. So does this mean the beginning of the edtech boom? According to experts it bodes well for certain companies, but the edtech industry still lags far behind most industries when it comes to fundraising. http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2016/01/19/edtech-investments-up-to-1b-in-q4-2015-according-to-kpmg-and-cb-insights/

What Employers Think of Badges, Nanodegrees from Online Programs - Jordan Friedman, US News

A degree or certificate may tell an employer about your education, but it won't necessarily highlight your specific skills. Online education, however, has facilitated the rise of "microcredentials," namely digital badges, and nanodegrees, that aim to do just ​that. "I would say over the past three years or so, we've seen a rise in this arena in a way that we really haven't seen in the past," says Lauren Griffin, senior vice president of the recruitment ​agency Adecco Staffing USA. In some online classes, whether it's MOOCs or for-credit courses offered through universities, instructors have begun incorporating digital badges into their curricula. Students earn these badges once they achieve a certain milestone or develop a particular skill and can then post them on social media or an online portfolio. When somebody – such as a potential employer – clicks on the badge, it will link to information on how and when the badge was earned.​ http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2016-01-22/what-employers-think-of-badges-nanodegrees-from-online-programs

3 Ways Your Online Classmates Might Surprise You - Darwin Green, US News

It was the first week of my online course, and we had to introduce ourselves to the class. I discovered that I was the only student who lived in Nebraska. Others lived in China, England, the Middle East and Africa. The discussion posts and interactions between the students of the class brought with them many differences, complications and insights that only an online class could bring. I had never been in a classroom where, during a group project, the teacher had to rearrange the members of the teams according to time zones. Here are four things that surprised me about working with other students in an online setting. http://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/2016/01/22/3-ways-your-online-classmates-might-surprise-you

School districts equipped with online learning options aren't hindered by snow closures. - D. Frank Smith, EdTech

Illinois is taking part in a trend that's sweeping school districts across the country: Turning snow days into online learning days. When weather becomes treacherous, most districts choose to close schools for the duration. But in recent years, districts that have built up an online infrastructure are able to extend learning beyond the classroom. This means students spend more time learning and less time sledding. Starting this school year, three school districts in Illinois — Leyden High School District 212, Community High School District 94 and Gurnee Elementary District 56 — have schools that are piloting a three-year E-Learning Day program. The program kicks into action when schools must be closed due to "an act or acts of God, or was occasioned by conditions beyond the control of the school district which posed a hazardous threat to the health and safety of pupils," according to the Illinois State Board of Education. http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2016/01/online-learning-options-combat-snow-day-closures-across-country

Who needs a computer science degree these days? - Paul Rubins, CIO

Two candidates apply for a software development position: One has a degree in computer science from a prestigious school. The other is self-taught with several years' experience under his belt. Who one gets the job? Of course, there's no definitive answer to this question, but it's one that CIO's are increasingly going to have to think about. That's because more and more software developers – and very skilled and competent ones at that – are entering the job market without any degree-level training. http://www.cio.com/article/3025349/careers-staffing/who-needs-a-computer-science-degree-these-days.html