Techno-News Blog

October 31, 2016

Of course online learning is more effective with a spot of socialising

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by Pete Cannell, the Scotsman

Ask a friend what they think about learning online and they’ll often mention isolation and lack of social support. Based on our experience of working with partners like Parkinson’s UK, it’s time to change the way we look at online resources. Nowadays, the technology allows online material to be readable and accessible on a phone, tablet or computer. But technology is a means to an end, not the end itself. We learn through encountering new ideas and information, then trying them out in conversation, discussion and practice. In essence, we learn together. The future may be digital but if we want to make the best use of digital resources, the future of learning is social.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/of-course-online-learning-is-more-effective-with-a-spot-of-socialising-1-4261445

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Students learn better using online sources

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by Hannah Zimmer, Flor-Ala Life

The Association of American Publishers conducted a study that shows students learn better and get higher grades when they use digital resources. Organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation have discovered through research that education technology crafts personal learning for each student, which in turn contributes to success. Students are more successful when they utilize digital resources, said Director of the First-Year Experience Program Matthew Little.

http://www.florala.net/life/students-learn-better-using-online-sources/article_acdc1704-963c-11e6-bd70-2384d695fe9e.html

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A new report reveals how school PLCs have a major impact when used correctly

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by eSchool News

When professional learning communities (PLCs) meet frequently to examine and analyze student work and data, higher levels of teacher morale emerge, according to a new report from the Learning Sciences International (LSI) research team. The report, Did You Know? Your School’s PLCs Have a Major Impact, expands on existing research about the role that human and social capital, collaboration, and knowledge sharing all play in education. Researchers looked at teacher morale and student achievement as they relate to PLCs.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/10/21/are-you-using-your-schools-plc-to-its-fullest/

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October 30, 2016

3 ways to set students up for success in an online course

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BY JARROD MORGAN, eCampus News

Getting creative can help enhance the learning experience for students in an online course. Online learning gives students more options and flexibility and a growing number of them are taking advantage of online courses in order to pursue their degree in a way that works for them. According to the 2015 Survey of Online Learning, there was an 3.9 percent increase in the number of higher education students taking at least one online course. Additionally, there are no signs that this upward trend is going to change any time soon. For colleges and universities, as well as for instructors, this means supporting students who aren’t attending a brick and mortar classroom on a regular basis, if at all. Having served as director of technology at an online university, I’ve seen firsthand how institutions have risen to this challenge by getting creative in order to enhance the online learning experience.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/online-learning/online-course-success/

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These are the top 50 MOOCs

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BY LAURA DEVANEY, eCampus News

Of the top 50 MOOCs, the No. 1 spot belongs to a computer science course–an introduction to interactive programming in Python, to be exact. The list from Class Central ranks MOOCs based on thousands of reviews written by Class Central users, Dhawal Shah noted in a blog post. The rankings will be updated as reviews increase and change.

A few notes about the list:

1. Coursera is the top provider with 26 courses in the Top 50, and edX is second with 10 courses

2, Stanford tops the list of universities present in the Top 50 with five of their courses making it in, and MIT comes in second with three courses

3. the list includes courses from 34 universities, of which 21 universities are in the US

4. UIUC’s Aric Rindfleisch has two courses in the top 50

http://www.ecampusnews.com/news/top-50-moocs/

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Library, online resources aid business

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By Jeff Fox, the Examiner

A wealth of free and insightful information is available to local businesses to help them target customers, understand the demographics of their markets and look for opportunities. “You’re not alone,” Kim Nakahodo, assistant to the Blue Springs city manager and the city’s public information officer, told business owners and others at Thursday’s Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon. She was joined in the presentation by Jacqueline Reed, manager of the Mid-Continent Public Library Blue Springs South branch. Nakahodo outlined a world in rapid change: 3 billion of Earth’s 7 billion people are online now, and 75 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020. Also, the county is at a demographic point that presents specific challenges to businesses trying to connect with customers. “For the first time ever, we have four generations working side by side,” she said.

http://www.examiner.net/news/20161021/library-online-resources-aid-business

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October 29, 2016

Oregon State and Eastern Oregon see growth in home-grown online programs

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by Andrew Theen, the Oregonian

In 2002, Oregon State University’s distance education program looked sort of like a Blockbuster video store. The school had a storage room in Corvallis with lectures on VHS tapes, which staff would mail to students enrolled at OSU who rarely set foot on the main campus. Today, OSU’s so-called “Ecampus” is a juggernaut, routinely recognized on national lists as one of the best online curriculums in the country. If the program itself were a university, it would be the fourth-largest in Oregon. More than 5,000 full-time OSU students take classes exclusively online, compared with 24,500 students on campus. Enrollment at Eastern Oregon University is smaller, with about 1,200 students on campus, but another 800 study exclusively over the internet.

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2016/10/oregon_state_and_eastern_orego.html

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The costs of competency-based education

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by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

A recent analysis of competency-based education reveals four new models of development and approach, which are finding more support from colleges and universities nationwide. According to the analysis, institutions implementing CBE programs can expect an initial investment of just over $382,000 to develop one two-year degree program, and between $4.2 and $11 million over a number of years to create a number of programs which can save students and institutions money in faculty and technical resources, and in tuition savings. About 75% of institutions surveyed on CBE implementation expect these programs to break even on costs in six years.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/the-costs-of-competency-based-education/428699/

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Current, former presidents talk higher ed disruption

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by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

A convening of current and former college presidents at the University of Virginia put on public display executive thoughts about the future of higher education, which all agree will be “disrupted” by technology, affordability and public appropriations in the near future. University of Virginia President John T. Casteen III told the audience that disruption was not new in higher education; in the 1990s, states cut funding and forced schools nationwide to be more aggressive about fundraising, giving them more autonomy over institutional budgets. The panelists agreed diversity and globalization would require institutions to view higher education as an asset, rather than an obstacle, to domestic progress. “Globalism and competition have really created the circumstances to put higher education in a position to take the lead,” Judson University President Gene Crume said.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/current-former-presidents-talk-higher-ed-disruption/428788/

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October 28, 2016

Survey: Adult learners fear new wave of workplace tech

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by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

Pearson has released a survey showing the growing fear among adult learners who plan on or are currently enrolled in degree or credentialing programs about new trends in technology and labor. 72% of survey respondents say education will help them to keep pace with changes in their industry, with more than 65% of workers say technology will make their jobs dramatically different within 5 years. There is diminishing concern about outsourcing and being replaced by younger employees, but the new industrial changes are leading more than 60% of employees to enroll in online courses, while just 27% take classes in traditional settings.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/survey-adult-learners-fear-new-wave-of-workplace-tech/428717/

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Online digital access codes are ‘the new, dangerous face of the textbook monopoly,’ study says

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By Ally Johnson, Daily Pennsylvanian

Single-use online access codes for textbooks are making it difficult for students to save money on necessary materials for classes. In Sept. 2016, the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) — independent statewide student organizations that work on issues like environmental protection, consumer protection and homelessness — published a report called “Access Denied” that called these access codes the “new, dangerous face of the textbook monopoly.” The report found that 20 percent of classes at private, four-year colleges require these codes and only 28 percent of access codes are offered at bookstores in an unbundled form. If codes are only offered in bundles, students must buy the code with other materials. The Student PIRGs found that the average cost of an unbundled access code was $100.24 when purchased at institutional bookstores.

http://www.thedp.com/article/2016/10/digital-access-codes-proliferation

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New report ranks the 50 top-paying college majors

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by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

Glasdoor.com reveals a list of the top 50 highest-earning majors, with STEM majors comprising each of the top ten degree programs. Science, engineering and technical programs encompass nearly the entire top 20, with liberal arts programs in fashion design and business ranking as 19th and 20th, respectively. The top programs were ranked by a survey reviewing more than 500,000 resumes and and compared to media salary metrics for the top industries.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/new-report-ranks-the-50-top-paying-college-majors/428513/

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October 27, 2016

Is CBE the future of higher education? Study says too early to tell

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by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

A new study from the American Institutes for Research outlines the profile of students in competency-based education programs and how they are engaged to participate in the curriculum. But researchers say it is too early to determine the efficacy of such programs on postgraduate success. The study reveals that 68% of CBE programs are comprised of adult learners, with more than 70% of participants having previous college experience. Retention rates in the programs range from 63-80%, while completion rates range between 15-80%, depending on the type of program. With challenges in schedule flexibility and technology to track student performance, CBE still presents as a valuable learning environment, but there is not enough data to suggest that graduates fare better in professional placement or earnings as a result.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/is-cbe-the-future-of-higher-education-study-says-too-early-to-tell/428493/

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Are students buying what education innovation is selling?

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BY JULIA FREELAND FISHER, eCampus News

Clay Christensen’s newest book, Competing Against Luck, chronicle the coming of age of another theory that may prove just as, if not more, powerful than disruptive innovation: the theory of jobs to be done. Jobs to be done hinges on the fact that consumers “hire” products and services to do a specific job in their lives, and that they are motivated to do so by particular circumstances. For example, in an early study of how to boost milkshake sales, a consulting team found that a fast food chain sold a disproportionate number of milkshakes first thing in the morning to busy commuters. These customers “hired” milkshakes to occupy them while in traffic and to keep their stomachs satisfied until lunch. To get these jobs done, realistically the commuters could have hired all sorts of products: bananas, bagels, or even the radio. To outcompete not only other fast food chains’ milkshakes, but also all of the other foods and experiences that might fulfill commuters’ jobs, the fast food chain needed to design milkshakes that nailed this particular circumstance and job experienced by the commuter.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/disruptions-and-innovations/education-innovation-theory/

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Survey: Growing Interest in Cyber Security Careers Among Millennials

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By Leila Meyer, Campus Technology

An increasing number of millennials are considering careers in cyber security, primarily because of increased awareness of cyber security issues, according to a new report from Raytheon and the National Cyber Security Alliance. But even this increased level of interest is not enough to close the cyber security gap, and the industry must make a sustained effort to attract new talent, especially women, who are underrepresented in the field. The report, “Securing Our Future: Closing the Cybersecurity Talent Gap,” surveyed 3,779 adults aged 18 to 26, from 12 countries around the world, including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/10/12/survey-growing-interest-in-cyber-security-careers-among-millennials.aspx

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October 26, 2016

U Pennsylvania’s Low-Cost Online Anatomy Courses Use VR

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By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Spurred by the success of an earlier anatomy class offered as a massive open online course (MOOC), the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine is expanding its course offerings through its own institutional website and enhancing the course content with the help of a textbook publisher and 3D simulation company. The university’s anatomy faculty has been developing the materials for a series of courses using Elsevier texts, Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy, Gray’s Anatomy for Students and Larson’s Human Embryology. The content creators have also worked with Sharecare Reality Lab to add digital, 3D, anatomic simulations that use virtual reality to enable students to explore the human body.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/10/13/u-pennsylvanias-low-cost-online-anatomy-courses-use-vr.aspx

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55 Percent of Faculty Are Flipping the Classroom

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By Dian Schaffhauser, Rhea Kelly – Campus Technology

Our first-ever Teaching with Technology survey gauged educators’ use of the flipped classroom model, blended/online teaching environments and more. The majority of higher education faculty today are flipping their courses or plan to in the near future, according to Campus Technology’s 2016 Teaching with Technology survey. The survey polled faculty members across the country about their use of technology for teaching and learning, their wish lists and gripes, their view of what the future holds and more. Fifty-five percent of the survey respondents said they are somewhere along the spectrum of flipping all or some of their courses, in which they ask their students to view videos or some other digital matter online before coming to school and then use class time for other activities, such as hands-on and team projects or discussions.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/10/12/55-percent-of-faculty-are-flipping-the-classroom.aspx

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U-M to Plan Digital Strategy for Future Innovation

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By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

In an effort to take the next step in teaching, learning and research, the University of Michigan (U-M) today launched an initiative to encourage faculty and staff to embrace digital technology in the classroom. The Academic Innovation Initiative will be led by the Office of Academic Innovation (formerly the Office of Digital Education and Innovation), along with a steering committee, over the next year to “identify investments and solutions that will enhance excellence and impact at the university, and shape the future of education,” according to a statement from U-M. Provost Martha Pollack said the vision for the initiative is to increase opportunities for younger people to get a feel for what higher education is like and become college-ready.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/10/13/um-to-plan-digital-strategy-for-future-innovation.aspx

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October 25, 2016

Device Shipments to Fall for Second Consecutive Year

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By Joshua Bolkan, Campus Technology

Global device shipments, including PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones, will drop by 3 percent this year, marking the second consecutive year of negative growth, according to a new report from market research firm Gartner. In 2015, the device market declined by .75 percent. The market will not return to even modest growth any time soon, according to the company, which projects device shipments to remain flat for the next five years.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/10/12/device-shipments-to-decline-for-second-consecutive-year.aspx

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October 24, 2016

The Rise of Virtual Internships: Universities, Students and Companies Can Benefit From This New Form of Engagement

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by Beth Golden, University Herald

Teleconferencing, chat messaging and emails transformed the way we do business a long time ago, in recent years, technology has also changed the way we learn with massive open online courses or MOOCs. It’s only natural for internships to be done virtually and remotely since most of our current working and learning environments are already online. Also, most companies are outsourcing some of their work to contact centers in China, India or Southeast Asia because it is most economical. Overlooking a great talent market in here that just need to be tapped to find the next best intern – junior and senior college students, those in the graduate programs and non-traditional learners, invested in learning and willing to undergo an internship, for free. It doesn’t get any cheaper than that.

http://www.universityherald.com/articles/44344/20161015/rise-virtual-internships-universities-students-companies-benefit-new-form-engagement.htm

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Princeton Review Founder Raises $4 Million for High Quality Online Education

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by Chris Brandt, University Herald

John Katzman, founder of the Princeton Review, has raised $4 million through his new education venture, Noodle Partners Inc. The said money will be used to help colleges bring high-quality degree programs online. Katzman believes that online education can have the same quality as those that are taught in traditional classrooms. He also said that it has changed dramatically over the years, especially with the rise of new technology. The problem, however, he added is not about the medium but about the availability of high quality degrees at a lower cost. He also believe that online degree programs can reverse the trend of low enrollment due to the rising cost of college. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, education enrollment has been experiencing a sharp decline for the last five years because colleges and universities, both in the private and public sectors, are getting more and more expensive.

http://www.universityherald.com/articles/44348/20161015/online-education.htm

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