Techno-News Blog

by Annalisa Kraft-Linder, Daily Finance

For the last two months, I’ve been studying at Yale online with noted economist Robert Schiller. There were online office hours, graded quizzes, peer-reviewed papers, a final exam and notable guest speakers like billionaire investor Carl Icahn. If I wanted it, a verified certificate of study was $50. Online forums took the place of study groups. My Financial Markets course consisted of the professor’s in-class lectures and guest speakers on video. It took 20 to 30 hours — whenever I wanted — with quizzes and papers on a grading deadline. Had I taken it for a certificate, I would have barely squeaked by with a “Gentleman’s C.”

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2014/04/16/mooc-great-college-classes-free/

by Cornerstone, Civil Service World

Employees now use high quality technology – smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks or netbooks – in their everyday lives and also expect to be able to use them at work. Many HR departments have begun to embrace this shift, but many are still catching up – training, learning and development need to reflect the trend to online and mobile not simply because it is the ‘next big thing’ but because it can have genuine and measurable benefits. For example, e-learning provides organisations with a great opportunity to develop their employees, whilst giving them the flexibility to learn at their own pace. This not only benefits employees but also the organisation as a whole, ensuring members of staff have more of an opportunity to develop their talents, review the learning and apply it.

http://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/sponsored_article/2014-year-e-learning

Proactive on Prior LearningFlorida’s public institutions are anxiously watching this spring’s legislative session, which rounded the halfway point last week. Regardless of what dies on the floor or is signed into law, the universities are still waiting for clarification on the fallout of last year’s session, including the proposed mandate to offer credit for MOOCs. Some universities aren’t waiting around. Florida International University is in the early stages of creating a pilot for prior learning assessment, which could be used to determine if students have learned enough from an outside course — whether of the high school, online or massive open online variety — to qualify for credit. The experiment will begin in in the university’s introduction to psychology course, and if the intended spring 2015 pilot is a success, the model may expand to other disciplines, said Kristin Nichols-Lopez, associate chair of the department.  The university’s plan — which faculty will vote on during an April 24 meeting — involves creating a challenge exam that tests students on a series of core psychology concepts to be determined by the department.http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/04/15/accept-moocs-credit-florida-international-u-may-set-prior-learning-assessment#sthash.NNS1oT8p.dpbs

By D. D. GUTTENPLAN, NY Times

Coursera’s new president, Rick Levin, says “I think the principal investors in Coursera understand that this is a long term play. We’re fortunate to have patient investors; and as Andrew said, we’re quite adequately capitalized. I think we can become financially viable certainly within that five-year framework.” Q. You’re an economist. How do you get from here to there? A. Right now courses are free and we’re charging for certification. We think that as the idea of using Coursera courses for professional advancement grows, the numbers seeking certificates will grow. And the price we charge probably can grow, too. A move from $50 or $60 for Signature Track to $100 is certainly imaginable. At $100 a pop, if you had two or three, or five million people. …

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/education/out-in-front-and-optimistic-about-online-education.html

by Ken Strmiska, Sheboygan Press

Alvin Toffler, futurist and author of “Future Shock” and “The Third Wave,” boldly predicted, “the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” Today, with human knowledge estimated to be doubling every one to two years, Toffler appears to be correct in his assumption that to thrive in a rapidly changing world will require continuous engagement in learning. For the past several hundred years, the medium between knowledge and learning at all levels has been a place-based educational institution.

http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20140413/SHE04/304130156/Voices-High-tech-teaching-breaks-down-time-distance?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

BY TONY BATES, Online and Distance Ed Resources

It would seem obvious that there would be great advantage in building consortia for online courses, so that courses could be shared between institutions, thus saving institutions the cost of developing new courses that are already being offered by other institutions. In particular, when you have a single state system of universities and two year colleges, it seems even more obvious. This is basically the idea behind the new Ontario Online initiative, for universities (Ontario already has a collaborative system, OntarioLearn, a partnership of 24 Ontario community colleges that have pooled their resources to increase online learning options.)

http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/04/12/why-consortia-for-online-learning-are-so-difficult-to-form/

by Carrie Hoppe, Sheboygan Press

UW-Sheboygan and other UW colleges campuses have also been able to increase the breadth of curriculum offered to students through the use of UW colleges online courses. Currently, 10 percent of UW-Sheboygan students utilize online coursework as a complement to live instruction in traditional classrooms on the campus. “The various distance modalities available at our UW Colleges campuses allow us to offer a much broader range of course offerings to our students than would otherwise normally be available on campuses or colleges the size of UW-Sheboygan,” said Dr. Jacquelyn Joseph-Silverstein, UW-Sheboygan dean and CEO. “Technology allows us to provide expanded educational opportunities to students in Sheboygan County, including baccalaureate degrees offered through our UW four-year partners.”

http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20140412/SHE04/304120345/Bridging-miles-Distance-learning-helps-students-earn-degrees-locally?nclick_check=1

By Jack M. Germain, LinuxInsider

Few people know just how pervasive Linux has become, and that is causing a big problem for companies that increasingly rely on it. “There is a shortage of software developers in the U.S. The employment rate for these jobs is down to 2.3 percent in the last quarter. The opportunity for jobs is now there for people who come in to get this training,” said Dice President Shravan Goli. The Linux operating system and Linux servers are so widely used today that not enough Linux-trained coders and system techs exist. Software developers and enterprise IT departments have jobs but no takers. To fill this shortage, the Linux Foundation has partnered with edX to offer a free online course to help computer engineers learn Linux.

http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Desperately-Seeking-Linux-Programmers-80290.html

By Katie Lepi, Edudemic

You know how some days, you feel older than others? I always tend to feel old when I look at education trends and examine just how far technology has come since I was in graduate school (which really doesn’t feel that long ago). Even though I was in graduate school during the late 2000′s, many things still had not made the jump to being technology based. Many things were tech based, but some of the big stuff – like research- had only come about halfway. While I certainly wasn’t sifting through paper records to find out what library had the books I needed for a lit review, I still had to call the library to order them (they didn’t let you request interlibrary loan online at that time), wait for the physical books to arrive, and then schlep them home to sift through them. I’m sure many of you have the same reaction to this as I do – blech.  The handy infographic linked below takes a look at how Google has changed student research with a special focus on graduate students.

http://www.edudemic.com/google-student-research/

By David Nicklaus, Post-Dispatch

LaunchCode, which began last year as an effort to increase the amount of computer programming talent in St. Louis, is looking at expanding to other cities. LaunchCode founder Jim McKelvey said this morning that he already has office space in Miami and will move there temporarily in June to work on a Miami version of the training and job-placement program. Baltimore, Philadelphia and Denver also are likely destinations for LaunchCode, he said. McKelvey, speaking at an Innovation St. Louis forum at the Missouri Botanical Garden, said officials of EdX, an education joint venture between Harvard and MIT, encouraged him to expand LaunchCode. In St. Louis, LaunchCode is using a free EdX computer science class to train programmers. The class is offered online, but LaunchCode is offering hands-on sessions to augment the coursework.

http://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/david-nicklaus/launchcode-may-expand-beyond-st-louis/article_d3335341-b8d9-5b51-ab04-ac185dbc5645.html

by Adam Lashinsky, CNN Money

Sebastian Thrun wears many hats: Stanford professor. Google robotics tinkerer. And now, chief executive of online learning pioneer Udacity. The venture capital-backed company in Silicon Valley had a rough start trying to work with San Jose State University, a failed experiment that looked somewhat like higher education organ rejection. It has re-tooled with a “freemium” model of offering skills-based classes for free, working with engineering-oriented companies, and charging for mentoring services. The vast majority of students we have right now are young professionals. The vast majority are actually in jobs right now. That’s the demographics. We have about a third U.S., two-thirds international, and they find themselves in situations where they need specific job skills. These are people that just understand learning is important. These are life-long learners.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/04/10/in-conversation-with-sebastian-thrun-ceo-udacity/

By Tom Simonite, Technology Review

Home automation systems and networking equipment vulnerable to a major encryption flaw are unlikely to be fixed. Network-connected hardware can provide a backdoor into corporate or home networks, where valuable information is shared freely. A security bug uncovered this week affects an estimated two-thirds of websites and has Internet users scrambling to understand the problem and update their online passwords. But many systems vulnerable to the flaw are out of public view and are unlikely to get fixed. OpenSSL, in which the bug, known as Heartbleed, was found, is widely used in software that connects devices in homes, offices, and industrial settings to the Internet. The Heartbleed flaw could live on for years in devices like networking hardware, home automation systems, and even critical industrial-control systems, because they are infrequently updated.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/526451/many-devices-will-never-be-patched-to-fix-heartbleed-bug/

By John Pulley, Campus Technology

Scattered throughout the country are technological oases where data-thirsty Internet users can access blindingly fast, affordable broadband service. These super-connected communities are engines of innovation and economic progress. They are, of course, our nation’s universities. Forward-looking institutions are investing in broadband infrastructure both for themselves and for the regions they serve. Beyond the brick-walled perimeters and filigreed iron gates of campuses, the Internet service available to neighborhoods that ring our universities tends to be comparatively slow and considerably more costly. “Students expect and need broadband, especially WiFi, in class, in their residence and in outside areas. In other words, everywhere,” said Joanna Young, chief information officer at the University of New Hampshire. “Universities have a vested interest in broadband for themselves and their communities, as well as the regions they serve.”

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/04/10/universities-see-regional-broadband-as-critical-to-success.aspx

By MathNook

This isn’t your average “how gaming can be used to teach and reinforce math” article. I think and hope by now that it is common knowledge that gaming and math go hand in hand. This article specifically addresses the amount of math that is used in a simple computer game and helps answer the big “why do I need math” question that I hear so often.

http://www.edudemic.com/love-video-games-time-love-math/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

New York University has confirmed the effectiveness of a Stanford University-run online program designed to accelerate learning for students K-12 schools. This confirmation comes just as the program is being officially handed over to a for-profit company to offer expanded service. The project by the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools at New York U examined research on the work done by Stanford’s Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY). “The findings in the report are clear and unequivocal: EPGY is a powerful tool with enormous potential for assisting schools in meeting the needs of individual students,” the New York U report stated.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/04/09/new-york-u-confirms-value-of-stanford-k12-online-learning-program.aspx?admgarea=news

by Laura Devaney, eSchool News

Speech-therapyOnline learning extends educational opportunities to a number of different student groups, and those needing special interventions are able to benefit from expanded learning opportunities, too. One fast-growing online intervention is online speech therapy, which connects students with highly-qualified speech therapists who might not otherwise be accessible to students, whether due to geographical limitations or funding issues.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/04/09/online-speech-therapy-745/

By Liam Tung, ZDNet

As most cloud infrastructure providers announced fixes to the worrying Heartbleed OpenSSL flaw, Microsoft’s Azure cloud has emerged largely unscathed — but customers running Linux images on it may be affected, the company warned. As of Wednesday, public cloud providers Google, Amazon, Rackspace, Joyant, and CenturyLink had issued updates to inform customers what systems had been patched and what remediation steps needed to be done for components that may be affected by the Heartbleed bug. For a quick recap, the memory leakage bug means attackers can hit up affected servers to extract passwords, private keys, and session tokens, among other data.

http://www.zdnet.com/google-aws-rackspace-affected-by-heartbleed-openssl-flaw-but-azure-escapes-7000028281/

By Taylor Nachtigal, Minnesota Daily

As the nature of higher education evolves from traditional classrooms to online, a group of graduate and professional students want to ensure the University of Minnesota follows the trend. Some students and instructors are working with the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly to develop an online platform for graduate and professional students to pool their knowledge and expertise to address common, University-wide problems. The website will work similarly to a MOOC, or massive open online course, and serve as a virtual learning platform that allows people to connect anytime to explore shared interests or solve common problems. “The nature of knowledge is changing,” said Christiane Reilly, a Ph.D. student who is consulting project leaders. “Younger generations are used to solving problems by looking up information on the Internet when they have a problem.”

http://www.mndaily.com/news/campus/2014/04/08/gapsa-develops-online-platform

by FindBiometrics

Biometrics have a very special place in multilingual deployment scenarios. The human body speaks its own universal language of identity. We have seen this particularly benefit the healthcare industry through field deployments that leverage fingerprint biometrics to better keep track of health records regardless of language or literacy barriers. Now, we are beginning to see this philosophy applied to the space of online learning. Biometric ID and motion analysis specialist KeyLemon SA announced yesterday that it has partnered with Swissteach AG in order to bring facial recognition sign-on to the Global Teach online learning management system. Currently a supplemental level of logical access security, the resultant demo solution uses 20 points of facial data to guard sensitive information.

http://findbiometrics.com/facial-biometrics-replacing-passwords-in-online-learning/

By Jack Schofield, ZD Net

Summary: The end of Windows XP support was almost as hyped as the Y2K bug, but it’s hard to see any rational reasons why so many organisations stuck with an antique operating system long past its use-by date. There hasn’t been such a build-up of pointless excitement since the Year 2000 bug threatened to destroy civilisation as we know it. Of course, Microsoft ending support for its aged and insecure Windows XP operating system never threatened anything like that, regardless of the XPocalypse-style billing. The real risks are in the longer term, and will probably affect large enterprises and governments. Or at least, those are the ones that will be reported. There is a real risk that malware creators will be able to exploit XP, but it remains to be seen how well its users will be able to defend it. The fact that they couldn’t manage a relatively simple (in most cases) upgrade on time, even when given almost seven years advance warning, suggests not.

http://www.zdnet.com/welcome-to-the-post-xp-world-but-how-on-earth-did-we-get-here-7000028246/

By Sean Coughlan, BBC

It was a revolution moving higher education from bricks to clicks… and now it’s started to go back to bricks again. Online university providers, which offered people the chance to study from home, are turning full circle by creating a network of learning centres where students can meet and study together. Instead of demolishing the dusty old classrooms of academia, the online university revolution is responsible for opening some new ones. Coursera, a major California-based provider of online courses, is creating an international network of “learning hubs”, where students can follow these virtual courses in real-life, bricks and mortar settings. And there are thousands of meet-ups in cafes and libraries where students get together to talk about their online courses.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26925463