Techno-News Blog

by Kyree Leary, Futurism

A report suggests people only have five years before automation and AI threaten jobs and force them to learn new skills for the workforce. The firm PwC surveyed 10,000 people from around the world, revealing people are concerned about automation, but they’re also willing to learn. The report, titled Workforce of the Future, surveyed 10,000 people across China, India, Germany, the UK, and the U.S. to “better understand the future of work.” Of those, nearly 37% think artificial intelligence and robotics will put their jobs at risk; in 2014, 33% had a similar concern.  Automation is happening more slowly than expected, but it’s a clear, impending challenge that needs to be prepared for. Whether the answer is a cash payment from governments, better job training, or other solutions, a decision needs to be made before we’re scrambling for short-term solutions.

https://futurism.com/reports-ai-robots-threaten-jobs-5-years/

by ATD Staff
Considering that most companies deliver at least some training via e-learning, course authoring software is an important tool for talent development. And while many of these tools have expensive licensing fees, open-source alternatives exist.
One option of note is Google Course Builder. Free to download and legal to modify, it lets you set up a course-building web application for your entire organization or for a specific learning program. Once you’ve set up this app, you can use it to create, deliver, and manage online learning programs.

https://www.td.org/Publications/Magazines/TD/TD-Archive/2017/10/Intelligence-Google-Course-Builder

by Leslie Postal Leslie, Orlando Sentinel
Puerto Rican students, whether still on the island or resettling in Florida, can take classes through the state’s public online school for free, Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday. The Florida Virtual School will accommodate up to 20,000 youngsters from Puerto Rico, Scott’s office said. The offer comes as the U.S. territory continues to struggle after Hurricane Irma pounded it two weeks ago, damaging homes, schools, business, roads and the island’s power grid. The virtual school offers more than 150 online courses for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/os-florida-virtual-school-puerto-rican-students-20171005-story.html

By Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

If 2012 was “The Year of the MOOC”—massive open online courses, usually offered for free—2017 could be “The Year of the Microcredential.” A growing number of elite colleges are offering short-form graduate and certificate programs that can be taken online for a fraction of the price of a traditional master’s. Proponents say the new offerings will expand access to graduate education and help workers update their skills in fast-changing fields. But the programs also serve as an example of how colleges, increasingly thinking like businesses, are eager to find new ways to bring in revenue.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-10-05-more-colleges-are-offering-microcredentials-and-developing-them-the-way-businesses-make-new-products

By Tina Nazerian, EdSurge

Deanna Marcum, one of the lead researchers, says the finding that she found the most “puzzling” was that the “instructors were quite worried about student engagement, but the students didn’t seem to be worried about student engagement.” Musselman says in some ways, student engagement in his online course was “more robust” than when he teaches in person. His students had to respond to detailed prompts, for one thing, and they knew how he’d be evaluating their responses. And writing out answers later rather than answering in the spur of the moment in class gave students time to ponder their answers. “Some of that was really rich, and I think it was because they were sitting down five days later in full view in a written form to capture their thoughts,” he explains. But Musselman says the online discussion format meant losing certain nuances that face-to-face classes have, such as being able to see a student’s “furrowed brow.”

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-10-04-can-online-teaching-work-at-liberal-arts-colleges-study-explores-the-pros-and-cons

By Joshua Bolkan, Campus Technology
Nearly all, 95 percent, of chief information officers expect their positions to be changed or remixed owing to digitalization, according to a new report from technology market research firm Gartner. The two largest changes, according to respondents, will be to become change leaders and to assume increased and broader responsibilities. “The CIO’s role must grow and develop as digital business spreads, and disruptive technologies, including intelligent machines and advanced analytics, reach the masses,” said Andy Rowsell-Jones, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, in a prepared statement. “While delivery is still a part of the job, much greater emphasis is being placed on attaining a far broader set of business objectives.”

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/10/04/cio-roles-in-flux.aspx

By David Raths, Campus Technology

Algorithms can help faculty discover and select open educational resources for a course, map the concepts covered in a particular text, generate assessment questions and more. The basic definition of machine learning is that it allows a computer to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. One obvious example: the way a Netflix algorithm learns our TV-watching habits to make suggestions of other movies we might like. We come into contact with dozens of such machine-learning algorithms every day. And in support of faculty members, several efforts are underway to use machine learning to analyze the contents of open educational resources (OER) for their fit in a particular course.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/10/04/how-machine-learning-is-easing-oer-pain-points.aspx

by  Larry Dignan, ZD Net

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and tools such as conversational platforms, digital twins and blockchain are among the most strategic 2018 technology investments, according to Gartner. At Gartner’s Symposium/ITXpo in Orlando, Gartner outlined its top strategic investments. These investments will be pushed into a global It spend of $3.7 trillion, up 4.3 percent from a year ago. Respondents in a Tech Pro Research survey found IT budgets will be up modestly, but there are a number of uncertainty. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said their 2018 IT budget will be up 1 percent to 10 percent.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-a-look-at-the-top-2018-business-technology-priorities-ai-iot-conversational-systems-security/

By Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed

Ohio State University and Apple on Wednesday announced a collaboration that will start a digital learning effort at the university that Apple and university officials said may represent the company’s most ambitious program in higher education. The university plans to start a series of efforts to promote student success, using tools from Apple. Starting in autumn 2018, new first-year students (at Columbus and regional campuses) will receive an iPad Pro with tools including Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard as well as apps to support learning and life at Ohio State.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2017/10/05/ohio-state-apple-start-push-digital-learning

by Jim Carlson, Penn State
An effort to transform burgeoning online learning from being essentially individualistic to considerably more collaborative is gaining ground, according to a researcher who is breaking ground about the usefulness of online communities. Marcela Borge, assistant professor in learning, design and technology in Penn State’s College of Education, earned a National Science Foundation grant for her work on “Fostering Ecologies of Online Learning Through Technology Augmented Human Facilitation.” Borge said “Research in the learning sciences has shown that collaborative processes like discourse and collective sense-making are essential for learning. For this reason, we wanted to make sure that students who are learning in online contexts have equal access to meaningful learning experiences: collaborative learning, deep sense-making, building relationships with other students.”

http://news.psu.edu/story/485949/2017/10/03/research/new-computer-program-examine-collaborative-online-learning

by Pat Donachie, Education Dive
Many higher ed institutions across the globe are boosting their social budgets to keep up with a new generation of students who rely primarily on social media for their news and information about a variety of topics, according to a new report from Hootsuite, a social media monitoring company. These results and others are found in “The Social Campus Report: 8 Opportunities for Higher Ed in 2018,” which is to be released today in conjunction with a webinar conducted by Phil Chatterton, the industry principle for higher education at the company. Chatterton said the company received more than 800 responses from institutions around the world in regards to their survey. The study revealed that on 70% of campuses, students had spurred the increased focus on social media. Chatterton said the analysis revealed higher ed administrators and executives are increasingly aware of the need to invest in social media, with 66% of executives viewing it as a strategic area of focus and 63% believing it is an important aspect of a school’s strategic planning and the fulfillment of its institutional mission.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/higher-ed-leaders-are-10-more-likely-to-use-social-media-than-their-corpor/506325/

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

In response to a realization that students weren’t performing well in class, Pierce College has collected data on course-completion for every instructor, allowing more than 95% of full time faculty to see how students from various backgrounds are performing in their classes over the last three years.  To get instructor buy-in to the data dashboards, Pierce administrators have been engaging in conversations with faculty on specific ways the data can be used to improve teaching — and as a result, the college has added dozens of dashboards to show what types of innovative instructional approaches have positive impacts, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education.  The institution has also invested in professional development around the data, offering a $2,000 increase in salary to faculty for using it — with the result of increasing salaries by more than $300,000 since 2012.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/data-can-improve-both-student-outcomes-and-faculty-performance/506421/

By Joel Hans, RT Insights

By creating some standards by which to structure blockchain-based IoT deployment, consortiums like this one seek to lower the barrier of entry to those who want a secure, easily-deployable blockchain experience. The Trusted IoT Alliance aims to publish open source code under some coordinated standards and reference architecture that even non-members could take advantage of. And they already have a common API that allows them to register transactions on both Hyperledger and Ethereum blockchains.

https://www.rtinsights.com/how-blockchains-could-set-iot-free/

By Jessica Watts, Sudbury Star

What does lifelong learning mean to you? Some people I know were so happy to close their last textbook and write their final exam at university or college that they never wanted to take a ‘class’ ever again, while others look for opportunities to take part in workshops and seminars every chance they get. I would think most of us fall somewhere in the middle. Lifelong learning is defined as learning that is pursued throughout our lives that can include formal and informal opportunities. It might be done to foster improvement of knowledge and skills and for reasons that relate to both personal interest and employment needs. The Greater Sudbury Public Library has many lifelong learning opportunities available for people of all ages and interests. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a book, but these days there are also many ways to get inspired and foster continuous self-development online.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/2017/10/01/watts-libraries-help-promote-lifelong-learning

by Anant Agarwal, OZY

The ways in which the nature of work is changing beyond our control necessitate a more flexible education system, with “students” no longer being defined just as 18-to-22-year-olds on college campuses. In this era of Netflix subscriptions and Blue Apron dinner deliveries, it’s high time we embrace an education system that’s flexible, accessible and affordable, whether it’s by streaming classes onto our laptops at home or by hitting the pavement to get to class.

http://www.ozy.com/pov/higher-education-needs-a-rethink-to-train-tomorrows-workforce/81004

by Jamaal Abdul-Alim, Diverse Ed

In short, the predictive analytics system at GSU is one that triggers an alert to advisers when students exhibit any one of the 800 risk factors that could derail the student’s academic success. Those risk factors can range from getting a mediocre grade in a prerequisite for one’s major to dropping a course mid-semester. “What we’ve found is the real challenge is not coming up with the data,” Renick said. “But once you have all these thousands of risk factors identified, do you have a system to take those alerts, put them into action and have mediation so that students can be helped?” The investment in 42 academic advisors resulted in an additional yearly cost of $2 million, but more than paid for itself because the increased retention rate meant more revenue for the school, Renick said.

http://diverseeducation.com/article/102425/

by Eduvation
Online courses represent some of the most accessible and potentially comprehensive learning available. Whether they come in the form of free online courses or classes from a university, online learning is extremely popular. However, online classes are meant to be more than assignments and reading without interaction; they need to be personal. Taking these steps can greatly enhance your e-Learning solutions and lead to a better online course.

http://www.focuseduvation.com/10-gold-standards-ensuring-online-course-quality/

by Scott Pulsipher, Hechinger Report
An argument in favor of competency education:  The Education Department’s inspector general on Sept. 22 recommended that the department seek the return of more than $700 million in federal financial aid from the Western Governors University, citing concerns of the role of faculty at the large online university. The inspector general also said the school should be ineligible to receive any more federal aid payments. A response from Western Governors’ president follows:
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has wisely noted that to innovate, you have to be willing to be misunderstood, often for long periods of time. The release of the Office of Inspector General’s audit report is a strong reminder of just how true that is.

http://hechingerreport.org/opinion-innovation-wins-antiquated-ideas-higher-education-work-college-students-learn/

by Jim A. Jorstad, Center for Digital Ed
Universities are a wealth of sensitive data and prime targets for cyberattacks. Making sure everyone on campus is on board with your defense strategy is key to ensuring your institution’s cybersecurity.  While corporate cyberattacks have been in the headlines, academic institutions possess a treasure trove of important data, identities, sensitive financial information, Social Security numbers and private research. Today, there are many defensive software and hardware tools available to thwart cyberattacks, but equally important are having strategies to create effective communications, information and awareness. These strategies can cost little — or are free — but can yield impressive dividends and create a proactive first line of defense. End users can become confident in protecting themselves and their data from aggressive phishing, spamming, and ransomware attacks.

http://www.centerdigitaled.com/higher-ed/5-Strategies-to-Thwart-Cyberattacks-in-Higher-Education.html

By Justin Draeger, Inside Higher Ed

The recommended penalties placed on Western Governors University will have a dampening effect on any institution that is pursuing new or modified learning models, argues Justin Draeger. What’s the fastest way to stifle innovation? Declare a higher education institution ineligible for federal financial aid, recommend it return hundreds of millions of dollars and watch other colleges and universities duck for cover.  Western Governors University, a well-known nonprofit, online education provider, is under pressure to return $713 million in federal financial aid after the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General said in an audit report that the university is ineligible to participate in Title IV programs because of not meeting certain standards.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2017/09/29/how-education-departments-approach-western-governors-university-could-impede-higher

By Bradley Fuster, US News

Some programs allow online students to earn several smaller certificates as they progress toward a full degree. Many working adults are overwhelmed by the time and financial commitments required to get an online degree. The fear of starting and not finishing a program, only to be saddled with debt, can deter potentially excellent students from taking online classes. Enter the online stackable credential. Students may complete as few as three online university classes at either the undergraduate or graduate level and earn a certificate, badge or other type of microcredential. Students can earn a second, more advanced certificate on top of the first one by completing a few more online courses. These stacked credentials allow students to quickly advance in their careers, adding a new line to their resumes.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-09-29/explore-pros-cons-of-online-stackable-credentials