Socially Engaged Learning - Brian Basgen and Peter A. Testori, EDUCAUSE Review

Various instructional models for online learning focus on efficiencies of time and space, from flipped classrooms to competency-based education, MOOCs, and online learning environments that rely on reading, writing, and discussion. The model proposed here for online education focuses on social learning and student engagement, training faculty and designing online courses to make interaction the driving factor in creating a highly personalized experience for students. The model's five-point framework highlights best practices to create a high level of student engagement, with guidance on reading and writing instruction, peer group work, discussion, experiential learning, and assessment. http://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/3/socially-engaged-learning

Adaptive Learning Platforms: Creating a Path for Success - Connie Johnson, EDUCAUSE Review

Because of the advantages of personalized learning content, Colorado Technical University began piloting courses with adaptive learning in the beginning of 2012, launching the adaptive learning platform intellipath. University-wide training of students, staff, and faculty has resulted in 800 faculty members — about 82 percent — trained on intellipath, with most of those training sessions in years two and three of the rollout. In addition to improved student success markers such as grades, engagement, and retention, CTU has won several awards for its adaptive learning platform. http://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/3/adaptive-learning-platforms-creating-a-path-for-success

Personalized Learning: People, Practices, and Products - John O'Brien, EDUCAUSE Review

The transformation under way at the point where teaching, learning, and technology intersect is so promising and so complicated that it is no wonder those of us involved in talking and writing about these developments are looking for the perfect turn of phrase to bring it all together. It's our nature to seek out words to attach to the issues that matter, an inclination clearly at work within the universe of activities collected under the term personalized learning. The desire to name important trends in the technology landscape is hardly new: EDUCAUSE has made important contributions to the effort, capturing the imagination of the higher ed IT community by furthering both the idea of technology as a "game-changer" and the concept of "connected learning." http://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/3/personalized-learning-people-practices-and-products

Teachers Report: OER In; Textbooks Out - Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

More teachers said that technology has changed how they approach time management (93 percent) than how they approach instructional delivery (88 percent). It has also transformed how they handle parent communication. A solid 7 in 10 reported that they now use tech to do that. On the instructional front, most teachers apply tech to classroom lecture time (84 percent) and differentiated instruction (74 percent). Those results came out of a survey of nearly 1,000 American teachers who were contacted in January and February 2016 by TES Global, a company with a teacher community and marketplace. The findings were shared during a panel at SXSWedu taking place this week in Austin, TX. https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/03/09/teachers-report-oer-in-textbooks-out.aspx

Harvard Business School Focuses on New Online Classroom Initiative - JULIA E. DEBENEDICTIS, Harvard Crimson

Connecting students around the world through high-tech monitors, the HBX Live studio has begun operating, and administrators are eager to support further development of the online service. As part of HBX—the Business School’s online learning platform—HBX Live was added to the school’s digital learning repertoire in August with the goal of replicating the typical classroom experience. HBX Live is housed in the WGBH public broadcast studio in Brighton. The space is custom designed with a high-resolution video wall that mimics the amphitheater seating style of a traditional Business School classroom. So far, school affiliates have only used the HBX Live studio for “sessions,” including test runs with alumni, according to Michael P. Soulios, the senior production engineer and operations manager for HBX. http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/3/9/hbx-live-new-initiative/

To Stay Relevant, Your Company and Employees Must Keep Learning - Pat Wadors, Harvard Business Review

This past year, I have spoken with a number of career centers in universities. The most common question I get from them is, “How do we best prepare our students for the ‘real world’?” That’s a great question (and one that many fine minds are trying to figure out), but for those of us running large organizations in today’s digital economy, it’s the wrong one. It’s not about learning a set of skills and then being “prepared” for life. It’s about learning to continuously learn over the course of your whole career. As AT&T CEO and Chair Randall Stephenson, recently told the New York Times, “There is a need to retool yourself, and you should not expect to stop….People who do not spend five to 10 hours a week in online learning will obsolete themselves with the technology.” https://hbr.org/2016/03/to-stay-relevant-your-company-and-employees-must-keep-learning

Faculty Alert: You Can't Put the Mobile Genie Back in the Bottle - Toni Fuhrman, Campus Technology

Way back in 2013, in a research report on the bring-your-own-everything (BYOE) era of higher education, Educause Chief Research Officer Eden Dahlstrom and co-author/CIO Stephen diFilipo cautioned: "Device proliferation is manic, and unmanaged growth could result in a 'tragedy of the commons' situation, where too many devices find their way to campus networks too fast and institutions find more opportunities lost than taken." Fast-forward to today, and higher ed IT executives and faculty are still struggling with the ongoing job of catching up and keeping up with student expectations regarding mobile devices and mobile infrastructure. "Faculty is not adopting mobile as fast as students are demanding it," commented diFilipo in a recent interview. "We're dealing with 17- and 18-year-olds that live, breath and literally sleep with their mobile devices. This is a whole ecosystem. The mobile device is their power base. It is, in effect, their 'car' — a source of freedom, mobility, and identity in an age when kids are not as free to roam about as they once were." https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/03/08/faculty-alert-you-cant-put-the-mobile-genie-back-in-the-bottle.aspx

Online Learning offers 'any study, any time, anywhere' - Bill Steele, Cornell Chronicle

The “Cornell brand” is expanding its visibility in the digital world, as the university offers more courses online. In part, this trend grows from the work of a small group of people who were interested in advancing online learning and formed the Cornell Online Learning Community (COLC) a year ago. At a follow-up event March 1, the group – along with several newcomers – received encouragement from high places: “We are on the ground thinking about e-learning and academic technologies,” Provost Michael Kotlikoff told the audience of more than 100 faculty and staff members gathered in G-10 Biotech. “Our students expect it.” http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2016/03/online-learning-offers-any-study-any-time-anywhere

Amazon eyes up education, plans a free platform for learning materials - Ingrid Lunden, Tech Crunch

Back in 2013, Amazon acquired (and continued to operate) online math instruction company TenMarks to gain a foothold in the online education space. Now it looks like Amazon is taking those learnings to the next level. The e-commerce giant plans to launch a free platform for schools and other educators to upload, manage and share educational materials. Signs indicate that the platform will be based around open educational resources (OER) and will come with a ratings system and interface that will resemble the commercial Amazon.com many of us already know and use. Earlier this month, Amazon Education quietly opened an “Amazon Education Wait List,” where educators could sign up to get an alert for when a new, free platform opens for business. http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/11/amazon-eyes-up-education-plans-a-free-platform-for-learning-materials/

Report: Game-Based Learning Helps Students Develop Writing Skills - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

According to initial results from recent pilot, digital game-based learning improved student engagement and self-efficacy in writing courses at 14 colleges and universities. Over the fall 2015 semester, a group of faculty piloted Toolwire's Writing Games with more than 1,000 students, primarily in developmental and introductory composition courses. The resulting research report documents "faculty and student reactions based on over 530,000 minutes of student usage" of the technology. Participating institutions include several campuses in the Maricopa, Lone Star, and Colorado Community College systems, as well as the California State University and City University of New York systems. The study was authored by Douglas Beckwith, Toolwire's senior fellow and a professor of practice at Arizona State University. https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/03/03/report-game-based-learning-helps-students-develop-writing-skills.aspx

Educators embrace forces of change in online learning - Jonathan Moules, Financial Times

Business schools were braced for disaster less than five years ago, with the arrival of massive open online courses, or Moocs, and the platforms that hosted them. Not quite. Early indications suggest that, far from cannibalising existing revenue streams such as income from executive education courses, the availability of online content is broadening the reach of institutions. Today, schools work in partnerships with Mooc platforms such as Coursera, so that interactive content and broadcast lectures complement study tours and time spent by students on campuses. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/1c23f588-cb35-11e5-a8ef-ea66e967dd44.html#axzz42EvEAodQ

Can the University of Phoenix Rise From the Ashes? - Jon Marcus, The Hechinger Report

The for-profit universities are busily devising strategies to rebuild enrollment that has crashed by 26% collectively since its peak in 2009—more than twice that at the University of Phoenix. They are also seeking out new sources of revenue, rather than continuing to rely almost entirely on federally subsidized student financial aid and inviting relentless scrutiny. And, while they’re at it, to overcome public mistrust, says University of Phoenix President Tim Slottow, who works upstairs in that office building on I-10. “I’m not naïve enough to tell you we’re over the hardest part,” says Slottow, a former chief financial officer at the University of Michigan. University of Phoenix parent Apollo Education Group announced in January that it had agreed to be acquired by a group of investors for $1.1 billion—slightly more than a tenth of what it was once worth—and go private. The deal will be finalized by August, if approved by regulators and shareholders. http://time.com/money/4246709/can-the-university-of-phoenix-rise-from-the-ashes/

Remote learning expands options for Latin American public universities - University World News

Higher education providers across Latin America are turning to online study instead of traditional lecture halls as a way of bringing university education within the reach of growing numbers of less affluent students, writes Richard House for Financial Times. Already, a 10th of Latin America’s 25 million university students study online using distance learning, with over half of that total in Brazil and a survey by FT Confidential Research, a Financial Times service, shows that adoption of remote learning continues to soar region-wide. Distance learning is helping to expand options for publicly funded higher education in remote areas of Brazil such as the Amazon basin. http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20160305123613838

MOOC Watch: Online courses for every purpose, listed in one place - Tim Dodd, Australian Financial Review

Class Central has a full list of free and low-cost online courses to boost your career, or to do for fun. Coursera's massive open online course on happiness and fulfilment is trending among users. Coursera's massive open online course on happiness and fulfilment is trending among users. For a comprehensive list of the new massive open online courses (MOOCs) that appear each month try www.class-central.com, a website that lists new courses and allows you to see reviews from students. Class Central says that over 550 online courses are either starting, or scheduled to start, in March 2016, not including the increasingly available self-paced courses, numbering over 900, which have no specific starting date. It allows you to search for courses by subject, and see courses which have just been announced. It also shows trending courses that are proving popular. http://www.afr.com/technology/apps/education/mooc-watch-online-courses-for-every-purpose-listed-in-one-place-20160304-gnav4b

Could Slack Be the Next Online Learning Platform? - Amy Ahearn, EdSurge

Despite these efforts, the challenge persists: how can we teach and assess subjects that are nuanced, nonlinear and deeply human on platforms that are increasingly adaptive and automated? Enter Slack. The online communication platform launched two years ago and now has more than 2.3 million users. It facilitates an online, supercharged version of watercooler conversation, enabling people to trade information and chat informally with colleagues. And it might just be a game changer for online education. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-03-04-could-slack-be-the-next-online-learning-platform

Free to Finish - Matt Reed, Inside Higher Ed

I tip my cap to Washington State for one of the smartest low-cost ideas for college completion I’ve seen in a long time. It’s in the process of passing a “Free to Finish” bill, by which former students who left college within 15 or fewer credits of the finish line a chance to finish for free. Students have to have been out of college for at least three years. This must be their first degree -- sorry, grad students -- and I assume the college in question must have been accredited. From the way the Washington Post piece is written, it sounds like the original college(s) can be anywhere in America. Details matter, yes, but from here it looks like a terrific idea. https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/confessions-community-college-dean/free-finish

6 Ways to Stay Happy, Healthy as an Online Student - Bradley Fuster, US News

Experts cite an optimum time of 10 hours per week per online class, and more than 10 hours for each online graduate course​ . For the typical full-time online student, that can add up to 40 to 50 hours per week of intensive seated screen time. Common ailments associated with extended computer use include musculoskeletal problems, repetitive stress injury, vision problems, headaches, obesity and stress disorders. In order to remain physically and mentally healthy, prospective online students should consider their work environment and actively aim to reduce any technology-induced health risks. Below are five recommendations to minimize health risks as an online student. http://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2016-03-04/6-ways-to-stay-happy-healthy-as-an-online-student

University of Wisconsin's New Fake Tenure? - Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed

“I do not believe the academy is precisely like a business,” Regina Millner, board president, said at the meeting. “But we cannot have quality, serve our students, have quality faculty if we do not have a sound financial system. This is a different century, this is a different time …. We need to protect that quality by making certain critical decisions.” System President Ray Cross endorsed the policies in a statement, saying they “protect the principles of academic freedom” and “sustain our competitiveness in the global marketplace for faculty expertise, research prowess and teaching talent.” They also “enhance our accountability to Wisconsin citizens and stakeholders,” he said. Some professors took to Twitter during and after the vote under the hashtag #faketenure to express their disappointment. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/03/11/u-wisconsin-board-regents-approves-new-tenure-policies-despite-faculty-concerns

Transcript of Tomorrow - Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

New transcripts and technologies take shape as colleges participating in the Comprehensive Student Record Project test new ways to track what students do in college. The University of Maryland University College will this fall pilot a digital “extended transcript.” For now, a prototype offers a look at one institution’s idea of the transcript of the future. UMUC is one of a dozen colleges involved in the Comprehensive Student Record Project, a partnership between the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education to advance different methods of tracking students’ academic progress. The project, which launched last year, is funded by a $1.27 million grant from Lumina Foundation. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/29/u-maryland-university-colleges-extended-transcript-new-type-student-record

My favorite MOOCs for learning to code - Tori Funkhouser, Tech Republic

This product manager by day and coding student by night tried about a dozen massive open online courses. Find out which platform she gives top honors. As a software product manager with an English degree, I needed to better understand software development without accruing more college debt. So, for the past couple of years, I've been slowly and painfully teaching myself software development, mostly via massive open online courses, or MOOCs. These courses allow learners such as myself many free and inexpensive ways to learn to code. Though learning to code has been fascinating and fun, it was daunting at first. I didn't know where to start, and I didn't know which online course would be best, so I tried about a dozen of them. Some of the options allowed me to try coding in a curated environment to see immediate effects of forgetting a semi-colon. Other options employed a more traditional lecture-response approach. Some allowed access to a community where I could interact with peers or instructors. http://www.techrepublic.com/article/my-favorite-moocs-for-learning-to-code/

20 (Inadequate) Ways of Talking About Learning, Technology and Higher Ed Change - Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

How should we talk about our work at the intersection of learning, technology and higher ed change? What is the language of our practice? Here are 20 (inadequate) attempts to describe this (our) work: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/20-inadequate-ways-talking-about-learning-technology-and-higher-ed

Sharing a New Way to Collaborate and Communicate - David Raths, Campus Technology

Wayne State University is looking to expand the reach of its communication-focused Academica portal to other campuses. Two years ago, Wayne State University (MI) embarked on an effort to reimagine its campus portal, implementing a new platform focused on real-time, two-way communication and better anticipating users' needs. (See our August 2014 feature on that initial rollout: "Rethinking the Campus Web Portal.") Developed in-house, the Academica portal offers single sign-on as an authenticated front door to applications, and is designed from the ground up to work on any mobile device. But first and foremost it is a social networking platform that enhances and enables collaboration. At the core of the social networking aspect of Academica is what Wayne State calls "message streams," which operate like a Facebook wall or a Twitter hashtag. https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/03/02/sharing-a-new-way-to-collaborate-and-communicate.aspx

What Employers Think About Your Online Nursing Degree - Jordan Friedman, US News

After applicants receive their initial training in person, employers will accept​ subsequent degrees earned online, experts say. ​For James Gregory, a graduate of​ the University of South Carolina's adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner​ master's degree program, online education seemed like a natural choice, as he was able to attend class on a more flexible schedule, he says. Then, when he was applying for jobs, some employers asked him during interviews whether the quality of his online degree was equivalent to what he would have received in person. He says it was. The online degree program was "very challenging and far different, of course for me, than the days of going and having to be at class at 8, 10:15, or whatever, but the expectation was the same," says the 54-year old, who now​ works as an acute care nurse practitioner​ in South Carolina. http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2016-02-23/what-employers-think-about-your-online-nursing-degree

Yale School of Music seminar launches online - JOEY YE, Yale News

“Music and Social Action” is the first massive open online course launched by the School of Music, but it also stands out in other ways. Taught by music lecturer and MacArthur Fellow Sebastian Ruth, the course explores the societal roles of musicians and how classical music can enact social change. Executive Director of the Office of Digital Dissemination and Online Education Lucas Swineford said Yale Broadcast Studios, a part of the Center for Teaching and Learning, was instrumental in constructing many elements of the class that set it apart from those produced in the past. In particular, the course includes many visual components and seminar-style discussions. It is also the only MOOC so far to have required traveling outside of the state of Connecticut for filming. http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2016/03/03/school-of-music-seminar-launches-online/

The story behind UC Berkeley's $150 million deficit - Kai Ryssdal, Marketplace

The University of California, Berkeley, will see a major budget overhaul in the next few years. That's in light of the news that the campus is facing a $150 million structural deficit — meaning the campus is spending more than it makes. Nicholas Dirks is chancellor at the University of California, Berkeley. He talked to Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal on how the campus plans to deal with the deficit. "Are we going to look at some of our smaller professional schools and ask whether or not they could work better together?" Dirks said. "Yeah, we're going to ask all of those questions." http://www.marketplace.org/2016/02/25/education/story-behind-uc-berkeleys-150-million-deficit

Blended Learning Helps Students at Different Cognitive Levels - Mylea Charvat, Huffington Post

What is the best way to meet today's students "in the middle?" Kids today are more tech-savvy than ever before, and teachers are struggling to make sure that every student is educated according to their needs. From elementary to secondary school, students learn at different rates and have varying needs of social and educational interaction. How do we use cognitive data and blended learning to the students' benefit? Blended learning is defined as a formal education program in which a student learns, at least in part, through delivery of content and instruction via digital and online media with some element of student control over time, place, path or pace. This is critical as standard school curriculum is designed to the needs and ability of the average student, leaving many students to slip through the cracks. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mylea-charvat-phd/blended-learning-helps-st_b_9350242.html

Cal State Report: 10% of students experience homelessness, 23% worry about hunger - Phillip Zonkel, Long Beach Press Telegram

About 10 percent of students in the Cal State University system experience homelessness and another 23 percent of the students worry about hunger, according to a preliminary CSU study. The CSU said the report is the first time a public university system in the nation has conducted extensive research on these issues, with the goal of developing systemic solutions that will help students graduate. The study also found that CSU students experiencing food or housing instability have high levels of stress and need a single point of contact on campus. http://www.presstelegram.com/social-affairs/20160227/csu-report-10-of-students-experience-homelessness-23-worry-about-hunger

Students favor summer online courses for convenience - Bailey Wright, UConn Daily Campus

Keeping up with increasingly digital times, colleges across the country have begun to offer more online courses to students in order to provide a more convenient and interactive learning experience. UConn is no different. Every year, the university offers 35 to 40 new online courses for its shortened summer session, a popular time for students to earn credits away from campus, Associate Director of UConn eCampus Desmond McCaffrey said. The Uconn eCampus provides a resource for students and faculty to interact regularly in a variety of ways. One of their programs helps faculty design online courses.“One of the things I’m happy to see is the breath of opportunity,” McCaffrey said about the new courses being offered in the summer, particularly those online. http://dailycampus.com/stories/2016/3/2/students-favor-summer-online-courses-for-convenience

Study: Which Students Persist in MOOCs - Inside Higher Ed

Learners who sign up for a massive open online course just days before it starts and complete a precourse survey are much more likely than their peers to finish the MOOC, according to a new paper published in the Journal of Higher Education. Researchers at Vanderbilt University examined the behavior of more than 2.1 million learners in 44 different MOOCs offered on Coursera, finding that precourse survey completers viewed 12 more lectures and were 12 percent more likely to earn a certificate of completion compared to those who skipped the survey. The results also provided some pointers for MOOC instructors on how best to structure their courses. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/03/01/study-which-students-persist-moocs

What Berkeley’s budget cuts tell us about America’s public universities - the Conversation

The University of California at Berkeley recently announced a financial restructuring due to mounting structural deficits, including a US$150 million shortfall in the current budget year. All areas of university’s operations – academic, administrative and athletic – will likely face spending cuts. Higher education experts have begun to ask if Berkeley can stay Berkeley. From my perspective as a higher education researcher, the question is not just about the future of Berkeley, but about the financial constraints being faced by America’s public university sector. http://theconversation.com/what-berkeleys-budget-cuts-tell-us-about-americas-public-universities-54997

Grand Canyon University Stuck With for-Profit Status - Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

Grand Canyon U's leaders criticize decision by its accreditor to block the company's attempt to go nonprofit, raising questions about the broad use of outsourcing in higher education. Grand Canyon had proposed to create a new nonprofit “school corporation” and to house various functions of the company in a separate, unaccredited and for-profit “services corporation.” That structure is similar to those of smaller for-profits that previously have made the switch to nonprofit. The commission, however, decided that the proposed structure would move too much of Grand Canyon’s academic operations to the for-profit division. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/03/07/accreditor-blocks-grand-canyon-us-attempt-become-nonprofit

At Eastern Illinois University, my alma mater, a heartbreaking budget mess - Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune

Eastern, like the rest of the state's public universities, hasn't received a single dollar from Illinois in eight months, thanks to the General Assembly's and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's failure to agree on a budget. "It seems surrealist, to be frank," said Richard Wandling, professor and chair of Eastern's political science department. "It's beyond baffling." Wandling has taught at Eastern for 29 years. "Are we prepared to deal with the consequences when large numbers of Illinois students start looking to other states for college?" Wandling said. "We all know when you move to another state, you increase the chances that you're going to stay in that state after you graduate. We could be very much in the early stages of a brain drain, and that's not good for the economic welfare, the social welfare or the political welfare of the state. "There must be states out there licking their chops," he said. And we're preparing to feed them our young. http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-fund-eiu-budget-alum-balancing-0229-20160229-column.html

Chief data officers speak on the state of campus analytics - Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

Purdue, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of South Carolina all have chief data officers — people to lead the use of analytics in higher ed decision-making — and these leaders all have different insights about their roles. Campus Technology reports Purdue’s CDO helped develop a new data governance structure to refresh old policy and when questions come up, stakeholders from all corners of campus are included — a process that takes longer, but engages all the right people early in the process. At UW-Madison, the CDO’s office is planning a comprehensive culture shift about who should be looking at data and how they should be using it, and at the University of South Carolina, they are building out their data warehouse and creating new systems given their analytics and reporting goals. http://www.educationdive.com/news/chief-data-officers-speak-on-the-state-of-campus-analytics/414700/

Budget gridlock could cost Penn State 1,100 jobs - Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania State University will lay off 1,100 employees and shut down its agricultural extension offices this summer if the state doesn't soon release its funding, president Eric Barron warned Friday. "This is an incredibly serious issue," Barron told the university's trustees. His prediction, delivered during the board's monthly meeting, was among the most dire in the eight-month budget impasse, one that has particularly punished Pennsylvania's four state-related universities. The freeze has cost Penn State, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University about $600 million in anticipated funding for this fiscal year. http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20160227_Budget_gridlock_could_cost_Penn_State_1_100_jobs.html

Top universities could give students credit for completing cheap online courses - Tim Dodd, Financial Review

In a move that could hasten the acceptance of cheap online degrees the University of Queensland and the Australian National University are considering giving academic credit for massive open online courses (MOOCs). The two universities, both charter members of US online course provider edX, are discussing an international alliance with other universities in which each of them will offer credit for MOOC courses originating with other group members. At least four overseas universities have been in discussions about the alliance with the University of Queensland and ANU. These are Delft University of Technology in Holland, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the University of British Columbia and Boston University. http://www.afr.com/technology/apps/education/top-universities-could-give-students-credit-for-completing-cheap-online-courses-20160226-gn4ggi

The Art & Science of Quality Course Announcements: How to Avoid the Trap of the Info Dump - Karen Costa, Faculty Focus

Plan announcements in advance whenever possible. Develop an editorial calendar to manage content. If you’ve already posted an important announcement that day and you feel the urge to post again, ask yourself if the content can wait a day. Try to focus on one main idea in each announcement. Use the date release tool in your LMS (if available) to manage your time. You can create daily announcements for the week in one sitting and release one per day to your students. Always ask the question, will this announcement do more harm than good? https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/the-art-science-of-quality-announcements-how-to-avoid-the-trap-of-the-info-dump/

Layoffs and Potential Layoffs in Illinois - Inside Higher Ed

With the state of Illinois continuing to operate without a state budget that should have been adopted in the summer, some public colleges are taking steps to deal with their running out of money. Chicago State University sent layoff notices to all 900 of its employees, The Chicago Tribune reported. The university said it isn't necessarily planning to eliminate all jobs but was complying with requirements for advance notice while it figures out how many jobs might actually go. Western Illinois University announced that it is eliminating 100 faculty and staff positions and reducing the length of many administrative contracts from 12 months to 10 or 11 months. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/02/29/layoffs-and-potential-layoffs-illinois

3 Online Education Trends That Will Shape How You Hire In 2016 - Rick Levin, Forbes

Online course certificates will become a prerequisite on resumes whether or not they are recognized by an official accrediting institution. That’s because job seekers and talent managers increasingly recognize the value of these certificates as an alternative way to gain and demonstrate marketable skills. HR leaders are paying attention to online education not only on the resumes of job-seekers but also as a means of training their own employees. Millennials are expected to change jobs 13 times over the course of their careers. http://www.forbes.com/sites/schoolboard/2016/02/25/3-online-education-trends-that-will-shape-how-you-hire-in-2016/#2eed4da54761

Ultimaker, University of Illinois and Coursera push 3D printing education for all - Kira, 3Ders

3D printer manufacturer Ultimaker, the University of Illinois, and Coursera, an online education platform, have formed a wide-reaching, strategic partnership to further 3D printing education for learners around the world. The first aspect of this partnership is a series of free online classes about 3D printing, wich will be open and accessible to learners located practically anywhere via the Coursera platform. In addition, Ultimaker has agreed to equip the Illinois MakerLab with 17 new Ultimaker 3D printers, and it is sponsoring “Free Print Wednesdays,” an initiative at the MakerLab that will give Illinois students the opportunity to experience 3D printing hands-on. http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160225-ultimaker-university-of-illinois-and-coursera-push-3d-printing-education-for-all.html

State of Online Education #infographic - Babson Survey Research, et al

Infographic of the Online Report Card – Tracking Online Education in the United States. This is the 13th annual report of the state of online learning in U.S. Higher education. The 2015 Survey of Online Learning conducted by the Babson Survey Research Group and co-sponsored by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Pearson, StudyPortals, WCET and Tyton Partners, is the leading barometer of online learning in the United States. https://handouts-live.s3.amazonaws.com/9304da31902945af925eb7b5ba8b309c

How to Succeed in China - Ellie Bothwell, Times Higher Education

Research points to ways Western universities can position their programs. The paper, “Transnational higher education institutions in China: a comparison of policy orientation and reality,” published in the Journal of Studies in International Education, also found that universities in countries that already have “economic relations” with China and that seek to establish transnational education outlets in developed regions of the country have a higher likelihood of being accepted. The research analyzed the 64 transnational higher education institutions (TEIs) in operation in China in June 2015. It included an analysis of positions in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014-15 for the foreign universities involved in the transnational projects. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/26/research-suggests-ways-western-universities-succeed-programs-china

Online education on the rise at Iowa's public universities - Vanessa Miller, The Gazette

Iowa’s public universities collectively have continued to increase distance education offerings, driving up enrollment in courses and programs available online and aligning with Board of Regents goals. The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and University of Northern Iowa all offer both noncredit and credit-bearing courses online in hopes of extending the campuses “beyond their physical boundaries to meet the needs of state, regional, national, and international audiences.” The Board of Regents lists “increasing distance education opportunities” as one of its strategic goals, and the universities are reaching their targetted goals, according to a recent progress report and a distance education report discussed Wednesday at a Board of Regents meeting. According to the new regent report, total duplicated distance-education enrollment in credit courses across the three campuses reached 65,428 in the academic year that ended last summer. That was 9.9 percent — or 5,886 — more than the prior year. http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/higher-education/online-education-on-the-rise-at-iowas-public-universities-20160224

Shindig Announces $50K Challenge to Study Video in Online Classes - EdSurge

A new research initiative is underway to understand how video impacts student engagement in online classes. Video-chat platform Shindig announced yesterday a “$50K Challenge,” in which it will partner with 25-50 faculty members and/or course designers at higher-ed institutions to let them test-drive the technology in their classrooms during the 2016 academic year. Shindig will award grants from $1,000 to $2,500 to faculty who use the platform and report data about how it impacts the online course experience. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-02-24-shindig-announces-50k-challenge-to-study-video-in-online-classes

Key Issues in Teaching and Learning 2016 - EDUCAUSE

Each year, ELI surveys the higher education community to determine key issues & opportunities in post-secondary teaching & learning. These key issues serve as the framework, or focal points, for our discussions and programming throughout the coming year. More than 900 community members voted on the following key issues for 2016. http://www.educause.edu/eli/initiatives/key-issues-in-teaching-and-learning

Boise State classrooms transition to mobile learning - Caroline Campana, the Arbiter

Boise State is starting a mobile learning program. More and more teachers are getting involved with classroom technology. Classes participating in this program are signed up for the use of an iPad for the duration of the semester. Students are introduced to new ways to use this technology and help them prepare for future jobs. “It seems as if more and more students are growing up immersed in technology. To keep students engaged, it’s smart for teachers to adapt to their learning style,” said Christine Moore, professor of public relations. Along with gaining access to one of these electronic devices for the semester, students also learn more about these devices. https://arbiteronline.com/2016/02/23/boise-state-classrooms-transition-to-mobile-learning/

7 Online Courses that Will Actually Help Your Life - MADDY FOLEY, Bustle

The courses I've highlighted today each focus on teaching a specific skill — Photoshop basics, HTML coding, and so on — but if none of them seem like a good fit for your life, I highly encourage browsing online education hubs like Coursera, Skillshare, and edX, all of whom provide free courses from top universities and professionals. Additionally, university resources like MIT's Open Courseware host huge databases of past syllabi and reading lists; and there's also The Muse, a career-advancing resource you should all check out which routinely compiles online courses arranged by job field. http://www.bustle.com/articles/143727-7-online-courses-that-will-actually-help-your-life

Online Vs. the Classroom: Where Should Students Learn? - U-News

The University of Missouri-Kansas City keeps up with the digital age and busy students by offering a variety of online courses. According to its website, they are: instructor led online asynchronous, instructor led online synchronous, online-campus, blended or hybrid course, and video. Online courses are not for every student, they cater to certain learning styles and may not be the best choice for everyone. UMKC Professor Jeannie Irons enjoys both online and in-person courses for different reasons. “I enjoy the flexibility of online courses for students because I know so many are juggling other commitments,” Irons said. “I also appreciate that flexibility for myself. Online courses are also great because students get time to process and write their thoughts out on discussion posts. I think this kind of reflective exercise is good for critical thinking.” http://info.umkc.edu/unews/online-vs-the-classroom-where-should-students-learn/

How Online Learning Degree Programs Figure into the Future of Higher Ed - Kitty McConnell, Columbus CEO

The Internet has disrupted every sector, and higher education is no exception. Online programs are changing the way students earn degrees at brick-and-mortar colleges and universities. Many of central Ohio’s academic institutions are investing in online initiatives to stay competitive. As eLearning gains wider acceptance among students and administrators, academic institutions and faculty are wrestling with the hows and whys of integrating online courses into traditional college curriculums. http://www.columbusceo.com/content/stories/2016/02/higher-elearning.html

MasterClass Raises $15 Million For Online Classes Taught By Celebrities - Connie Loizos, Tech Crunch

MasterClass, a San Francisco-based online education platform that’s luring some of the most talented professionals in their respective fields to teach, has raised $15 million in Series B funding led by New Enterprise Associates. What investors are backing is certainly interesting. MasterClass, which charges $90 for each “MasterClass,” currently features five options, including five hours of acting class that are taught by Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman; two hours of advanced tennis techniques taught by tennis great Serena Williams; 22 lessons on writing taught by bestselling author James Patterson; and 16 video lessons by entertainer Usher on the art of performance. http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/23/masterclass-raises-15-million-for-online-classes-taught-by-celebrities/

3 Ways Higher Ed Can Avoid the Fate of Polaroid - Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

I’m in the middle of reading Adam Grant’s new book Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World - a book that is too good to recommend only once. One of the stories that Grant tells is the history of Polaroid. It is clear to us now that Polaroid should have affirmed that it was in the imaging business, not the paper business. Just as Blockbuster was in the watching movies at home business, and not the DVD rental from store business. The goal of not confusing what we do with how we do it is easy to say, and very hard to reach. In higher ed, we are in the learning, credentialing and knowledge creation business. We are not in the physical classroom or online classroom business. Physical and online classrooms are tools - they are a means to an end. https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/3-ways-higher-ed-can-avoid-fate-polaroid

These Six EdTech Ventures Are Deploying Big Data To Improve Digital Business Education - Seb Murray, Business Because

A Harvard Business School MBA is launching an edtech venture that will utilize big data analytics to improve students’ online learning. Ashwin Damera has teamed up with MIT Sloan School of Management, Columbia Business School, and Tuck School of Business to bring their world-leading content further into the digital realm. The Emeritus Institute of Management is the latest in a long line of start-ups biting into the rapidly growing online education market — expected to reach $107 billion last year, according to Docebo. Many are utilizing analytics to improve both teaching and learning. The crunching of data, along with a focus on virtual communication and teams, and on the skills needed for managing in the digital economy, are what sets the Emeritus Institute apart, Ashwin said. http://www.businessbecause.com/news/mba-distance-learning/3800/edtech-improves-online-business-training

Ubiquitous learning could push the term 'online' out of education - Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

Craig Weidemann and Karen Pollack, provosts at Penn State University, believe the maturation of online learning and otherwise innovative models have made the delivery mode for education irrelevant. For University Business, the pair writes that we are in a new era of ubiquitous learning, and 10 years from now the “online” label won’t even exist as learning happens immersively and without location mattering much. This shift will force institutions to think about technology, facilities, and their student bodies differently, and it is happening already as a growing number of high school graduates choose alternative options for higher education. http://www.educationdive.com/news/ubiquitous-learning-could-push-the-term-online-out-of-education/414702/