Techno-News Blog

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

It has only been a few months since Pokémon Go was introduced in the United States, but the augmented reality (AR) mobile game has seen unparalleled success, with more than 500 million downloads on iOS and Android devices. Those who have played Pokémon Go may say it has opened the door for mass adoption of AR, but a recent survey found the opposite: More than half of Americans are unfamiliar with AR technology. ReportLinker Insight, a company that publishes surveys about innovative technology and trends, recently conducted an online survey of 501 individuals on the impact Pokémon Go has on AR adoption. Among the findings: 58 percent of Americans are unfamiliar with AR.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/09/22/more-than-half-of-americans-unfamiliar-with-augmented-reality.aspx

By Frank DiMaria, Campus Technology

Internet2’s story begins in 1985 when the NSF connected researchers and scientists to NSF-funded supercomputer centers across the country, which formed the NFSNET Backbone. Colleges and universities were eager to connect to theses center so their professors could share data and collaborate on national research projects. NSFNET also spurred activity at the regional level, resulting in the creation and formalization of a set of cooperatives that extended the NSF network to a significant number of institutions. Looking to the future, Lambert and Hunsinger think Internet2 will continue to play a key role in major science research projects like Cancer Moonshot, the Large Hadron Collider and LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory).

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/09/22/the-20-year-history-behind-internet2.aspx

by EdSurge HigherEd

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today released an updated list of priorities that it will double down on in higher education. Improving data infrastructure, simplifying federal financial aid and supporting student-centered pathways are among the foundation’s areas of focus for the upcoming year. Throughout September the foundation is running a campaign called “Today’s College Students” to highlight colleges and universities serving the “new majority” of students, including those who work full-time, are older than 25 years old and receive some kind of financial aid.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-09-22-gates-foundation-refocuses-higher-ed-priorities

by SHERYL UBELACKER, the Canadian Press

There’s no question medical students have to cram in a lot of information on their way to becoming full-fledged doctors, and a new Canadian teaching website aims to make that journey a little less onerous. Students now have access to a free online platform, called medskl.com, which provides digital-based learning for today’s future physicians, many of whom have grown up on YouTube, says its developer. “The lessons are designed to be short, fun and engaging so the information sticks,” said Dr. Sanjay Sharma, a retina specialist and professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., explaining that the open-access website employs video lectures, whiteboard animations and summary notes to help students diagnose and plan treatment for a broad range of illnesses.

http://www.news1130.com/2016/09/21/free-website-for-medical-students-a-prescription-for-augmented-digital-learning/

By SUSMITA BARAL, International Business Times

A subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, Jigsaw, is using machine learning to fend off online trolling, reports Wired. The New York–based think tank is building open-source AI tools, collectively called Conversation AI, to filter out harassment and abusive language. “Few things poison conversations online more than abusive language, threats, and harassment,” reads the Conversation AI website. “We’re studying how computers can learn to understand the nuances and context of abusive language at scale. If successful, machine learning could help publishers and moderators improve comments on their platforms and enhance the exchange of ideas on the internet.”

http://www.ibtimes.com/how-stop-online-harassment-google-uses-machine-learning-tools-more-accurately-spot-2419964

by Nigel Paine, Learning and Development

“People today like to access a smartphone which apparently we do 200 or 300 times a day. “The idea that online learning means you sit at a desk behind a desktop computer is nonsense.” The best online learning is a combination of various forms of learning, including engaging people on smartphones and tablets. “But it’s not good to take something which fits on a 21 inch desktop and squeeze it onto a phone-size screen so it’s totally illegible and absolutely useless,” said Paine. “I am talking about reconfiguring learning for a smartphone. Most of us don’t sit there for hours looking at our phone, we access it for 30 seconds or so. We don’t write essays on a phone, we send a two-line text.”

http://www.ldphub.com/general-news/weaknesses-of-online-and-facetoface-learning-223731.aspx

By Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

Campus Technology explores the possibilities for higher education within the “Internet of Everything,” the emerging culture of online connectivity in devices and raw materials, which can create opportunities for analytics and teaching opportunities. According to Robbie K. Melton, associate vice chancellor for mobile and emerging technologies at the Tennessee Board of Regents, students will expect institutions to make use of environment-technology pairing to enhance the learning and living experience, and to gain real-time insight into student engagement and academic interest. Melton also cites the ability to purchase specific chapters of textbooks, which dramatically cuts spending for students, as an example of the growing technology.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/higher-ed-moving-to-embrace-of-internet-of-everything/426701/

By Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

Colleges and universities throughout the country have entered an agreement with EdX to offer MicroMasters: small-scale credentialing programs that can be completed in months and can apply earned credit towards a master’s degree. Online programs are offered in supply chain management, hospitality and business and social work, among dozens of other emerging professional fields. Credentials can be earned at a fraction of the cost of a full master’s degree, which can spur savings in student loans of out-of-pocket expenses for a full degree.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/will-micromasters-add-value-to-growing-interest-in-advanced-degrees/426726/

By Roger Riddell, Education Dive

The path to the higher ed CIO’s office can vary quite a bit from the position’s corporate counterpart. While a fair share of college and university tech leaders have come from traditional IT backgrounds, many have also worked their way up through the faculty ranks. And given higher ed’s mission, doing so brings significant benefits both to their decisions as CIOs and their continuing work in the classroom. “I think if you have stood in front of a room of expectant students, struggling to get the technology to work as the minutes tick away — and as you think about all the material you want to cover and the experiences you want the students to have — that really changes your perspective when you think about classroom technology,” said Dr. Michael Berman, vice president for technology and communication and CIO at Cal State University Channel Islands. “The imperatives of simplicity and reliability start to take precedence over anything else.”

http://www.educationdive.com/news/the-cio-as-educator-experience-brings-trust-curricular-advantages/426571/