Techno-News Blog

December 31, 2017

For-Profit And Online Education: What’s Going On?

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By ANYA KAMENETZ , KANW

Compared to several years ago when for-profit enrollment was at a peak, all these experts point out, one big thing has changed. There are now a group of big nonprofit and public institutions targeting working adults with workforce-focused, on-demand learning. In other words, these companies are following the playbook laid out by for-profits, but with a better reputation — at least for now. “Southern New Hampshire. Arizona State. Western Governors’. Now Purdue,” says McDonnell. “Who can argue that online isn’t the future of learning?” [SNHU has 63,000 students; ASU has 72,000; WGU 86,000; Purdue 74,000 online and on campus].

http://kanw.com/post/profit-and-online-education-whats-going

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Coursera Fights To Keep The Promise Of MOOCs Alive With Corporate Customer Push

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by Alex Konrad, Forbes

With an industry-leading 30 million users and hundreds of millions in venture funding raised, Coursera is neither overnight success story nor startup failure. But to build a lasting business, its future increasingly depends on an area of focus that would’ve seemed unsexy in the headiest days of the MOOC rush, when it was racing against rivals such as Udacity and edX to reach new universities and millions of users. Like many startups before it, Coursera has grown up to chart a course closer to business-to-business software and the promise of larger, more consistent paychecks.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2017/12/20/coursera-goes-corporate-to-keep-alive-promise-of-moocs/

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Machine Learning and Higher Education

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by Heath Yates and Craig Chamberlain, EDUCAUSE Review
Software is eating the world, so said Marc Andreesen in 2011.1 These days it seems that machine learning and its specialized algorithms are eating the software world.2 Is it thus a foregone conclusion that machine learning will play a significant role in disrupting technology and shaping our future? Machine learning concerns teaching machines to learn about something without explicit programming. At the core of machine learning is the idea of modeling and extracting useful information out of data. Societal trends clearly point to data as the resource of the future. Colleges and universities are already swimming in data, and there is much more on the way. Imagine a future in which computers are everywhere and interconnected with everything from clothes to refrigerators, phones, vending machines, and more.

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/12/machine-learning-and-higher-education

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December 30, 2017

VR and AR: Learners as Creators and World Builders of Our Immersive Future

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by Emory Craig and Maya Georgieva, EDUCAUSE Review

In working with faculty, staff, and administrators in higher education, we’re often asked, How do you get started with VR? What will be the impact of immersive computing on education? What are the real benefits for students beyond the novelty factor of a new technology? Thinking through these important questions, it is helpful to reflect on the work of the New Media Consortium’s Horizon Report. One of the major developments across the educational spectrum is the idea of students as creators; we see this as one of the most exciting areas in the use of virtual and augmented reality. Students today aspire to do more with technology than simply be passive consumers of a new media form. The compelling nature of immersive technologies inspires them to become creators and active explorers in the making of a new medium. For this post, we’d like to explore some of the early and exciting student projects in this area.

https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2017/12/vr-and-ar-learners-as-creators-and-world-builders-of-our-immersive-future

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The Role of Higher Education in the Changing World of Work

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by Dianne F. Harrison, EDUCAUSE Review
The changing world is a universal topic of interest, with particular resonance to higher education. Colleges and universities research change, teach about change, and often impact current and future change. To support students to live in this ever-changing world, those of us who work in higher education strive to provide solid, relevant preparation at the baccalaureate and graduate levels. We proactively and thoughtfully integrate and rely on educational technologies — in curriculum and instruction, labs, assignment design, libraries, support services, and more. But increasingly, employers tell us that our graduates are not adequately prepared for the changing world. Why? Because the “world of work” has also changed, and these changes are not always configured as one would expect.

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/10/the-role-of-higher-education-in-the-changing-world-of-work

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Is your institution preparing students for future-forward jobs?

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by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive
During a visit to Education Dive’s office Tuesday, Fielding Graduate University President Katrina Rogers and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Orlando Taylor said college administrators must enhance students’ access to the STEM pipeline while looking ahead toward jobs of the future to determine what types of skills students may need.  Taylor said college leaders should be thinking about “a new kind of America in the global context,” asking forward-looking questions like “what does a scientist look like?” and “what types of problems in your community would you like to see solved?” He also said administrators need to consider how to get answers from diverse perspectives to drive research and student goals in positive ways.  Rogers said leaders must ponder what types of jobs may develop as automation gains steam, with particular emphasis on the kinds of tasks only humans can perform. Skills like thinking critically, working collaboratively and showing empathy will always require a human touch, and the onus is on higher ed leaders to help students develop those traits alongside technical skills.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/is-your-institution-preparing-students-for-future-forward-jobs/513500/

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December 29, 2017

Survey: Students not aware of campus cybersecurity threats

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by Jeremy House, Education Dive
A new survey from CDW-G suggests college IT departments are missing the mark when it comes to educating their student bodies about cybersecurity threats, reports University Business. Only 26% of college students said they were aware of cybersecurity breaches at their institutions, even though the the vast majority IT professionals said they reported such incidents campus wide. Cybersecurity training is often mandatory for faculty and staff, but most institutions lack the resources and infrastructure to provide the same to students, making it difficult to educate students not just to protect the school’s systems, but to safeguard their own off-campus affairs as well.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/survey-students-not-aware-of-campus-cybersecurity-threats/513373/

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Eastern Washington adopts Microsoft’s data science program

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by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive
Eastern Washington University has adopted courses from Microsoft’s Professional Program in Data Science, a move that officials said allowed it to quickly develop a degree in specialized data analytics. The new courses allow students to complete a BS in data analytics and earn a professional credential from Microsoft, according EWU’s website.
Initiatives like this one are proliferating among tech companies as they try to fill the shortage of graduates with expertise in data and computer science, said Charles Eaton, executive vice president for social innovation at the Computing Technology Industry Association, in an article in The Hechinger Report. Statistics show 40% of employers have trouble finding workers with these skills, according to Hechinger.
In addition to Microsoft, other companies like Linux are teaming up with institutions such as MIT and Harvard through edX, the online learning and MOOC provider, to offer online courses that provide students specialized skills, along with exercises in critical thinking and collaboration.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/eastern-washington-adopts-microsofts-data-science-program/513334/

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Warning: Cyber breaches more likely over holiday break

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By Alison DeNisco Rayome, Tech Republic
Poor employee cyber hygiene may put companies at heightened risk for attack over the holiday break, according to a new report from T-Systems. T-Systems, the corporate IT and cybersecurity arm of Europe’s largest telecom company, Deutsche Telekom, warns companies that security risks abound when companies allow employees to work over Christmas.  Of those surveyed, 24% said they use free Wi-Fi hotspots to access work-related emails and documents while out of the office, the report found—a major risk, as these insecure portals are easy for hackers to clone. Further, 10% of employees said they use free USB charging points at airports and stations, which can be used to transfer viruses and malware to unsuspecting victims.

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/warning-cyber-breaches-more-likely-over-holiday-break/

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December 28, 2017

The evolution of ransomware: Get ready for more advanced social engineering tactics

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by Leah Brown, Tech Republic

Prepare your company for more sophisticated, complex, and devastating ransomware attacks in 2018, says Avecto COO Andrew Avanessian.  End users are the easiest thing in the world to dupe into clicking something, Avanessian said. If a hacker can socially engineer a user into using their code, they get control over a network. Cybercriminals have moved away from trying to hack a system to now leveraging the internal users, or employees in order to use them as a way to execute their own code. “If you get someone to use your code there are very little ways to detect that because it’s user-initiated activity,” he said.

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-evolution-of-ransomware-get-ready-for-more-advanced-social-engineering-tactics/

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New Media Consortium Suddenly Ceases Operations

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By Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
In an e-mail announcement, the New Media Consortium revealed that it will cease operations immediately. The e-mail stated: “The New Media Consortium (NMC) regrets to announce that because of apparent errors and omissions by its former Controller and Chief Financial Officer, the organization finds itself insolvent. Consequently, NMC must cease operations immediately. “NMC would like to sincerely thank our loyal and dedicated community for its many vital contributions since its inception in 1994. NMC is grateful to its current executive director and NMC staff for their tireless efforts to connect people at the intersection of innovation and technology.”

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/12/18/new-media-consortium-suddenly-ceases-operations.aspx

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Survey: 94% of Students Want to Use Their Cell Phones in Class

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By Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

A whopping 94 percent of students in a recent survey said they want to use their cell phones in class for academic purposes.  The survey found that a large number of students — 75 percent — believe using personal devices in the classroom has improved their ability to learn and retain information. Fifty-eight percent of respondents use their phones to take pictures of lecture slides; 41 percent use them to Google answers to in-class questions; and 39 percent use them to access a digital textbook. On the other hand, 54 percent also use cell phones to text friends and 52 percent use them to browse social media during class.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/12/12/students-want-to-use-their-cell-phones-in-class.aspx

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December 27, 2017

Three Things to Think About Now that Net Neutrality Rules Are Reversed

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by Susan Gentz, Converge

As expected, the Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday on a party line vote 3-2 to reverse the 2015 net neutrality rules. Now that things will be changing a bit when it comes to what Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can and can’t do, it’s important for school districts to keep them accountable, and perhaps begin negotiations. Here are three important things for district leaders to consider.

http://www.centerdigitaled.com/blog/Three-Things-to-Think-About-Now-that-Net-Neutrality-Rules-Are-Reversed.html

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Using Virtual Reality in the Real-Life Classroom

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by Student Stone Kessler, Converge
Although we are currently in the infancy stage of using virtual reality as an avenue through which curriculum is delivered, this technology has tremendous potential for connecting students not only with one another, but with the world around them.

http://www.centerdigitaled.com/blog/Using-Virtual-Reality-in-the-Real-Life-Classroom.html

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Student outcomes is the only metric that matters in EdTech

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by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

EdTech companies use lots of metrics to measure the success of their products. Profits, number of products sold, and market share are among the ways that EdTech firms use to determine whether a product has been successful. But none of these metrics are as important as one thing—student outcomes. In most industries, companies are primarily focused on profits. In EdTech, you have to do business with schools or universities. These institutions don’t operate like traditional businesses. Working with non-profit institutions requires a different mindset than the corporate world. The goal of education is to teach students, not to make money. That means when designing an EdTech product, the only metric that companies need to look at is student outcomes. Student outcomes are the first thing schools will want to hear about when purchasing an EdTech product. If you can show that your product will deliver the results they want, other factors won’t matter.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/student-outcomes-metric-matters-edtech/

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December 26, 2017

It takes time to create a successful edtech product

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by Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

History tells us it takes time for an EdTech product to adapted and used in the classroom. This is because, in addition to the product itself, you must deal with school districts that require time to make financial decisions, as well as convince the buyer(s) that the product is worth the time it will take to learn and the overall cost According to Single Grain, “There’s the long sales cycle that lasts 9-18 months, which can be frustrating if your business model hinges on selling to school districts or other massive entities that take a long time to make a decision.” Therefore, those interested in the EdTech market should plan to invest a great amount of time and energy to make their product a success.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/takes-time-create-successful-edtech-product/

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When the Robots Come for Our Jobs, They’ll Spare the Teachers

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By Louis Piconi, EdSurge

Estimates now suggest that up to 47 percent of U.S. jobs may disappear in the coming decades due the rise of automation. But at the same time, “spillover” effects will fuel the creation of entirely new industries and job categories. These statistics reflect one of the greatest challenges—and opportunities—for teachers in our seemingly paradoxical modern economy. How can we prepare a generation of students to adapt and evolve, learn (and un-learn), in an era where technological advances are transforming the world of work, traditional educational pathways are under fire—and the half-life of skills hovers around five years?

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-12-14-when-the-robots-come-for-our-jobs-they-ll-spare-the-teachers

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Block and tackle: How to mitigate a cyberattack on your school

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BY JOHN LENCKOS, eSchool News

Cyber-attacks have been making headlines after massive data breaches at Fortune 500 companies. According to a recent report by the Business Continuity Institute[1] and the British Standards Institution, nearly nine in 10 businesses worldwide are worried about the threat of cyber-attacks. Recently, the panic has spread to educational institutions. Unfortunately, schools, colleges and universities are perfect targets, often possessing out-of-date security systems and a wealth of sensitive, monetizable student data.  Experts warn these attacks are likely to increase, and educational institutions are increasingly prioritizing investment in technology and systems to prevent cybersecurity breaches.

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December 25, 2017

IDC Predicts Jump in Internet of Things Spending in 2018

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By Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

Worldwide spending on the Internet of Things (IoT) will increase 14.6 percent in 2018, reaching $772.5 billion, according to the latest report from International Data Corp. The market research company’s Worldwide Semiannual Internet of Things Spending Guide forecasts sustained growth for the category, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4 percent all the way through 2021 — ultimately reaching $1.1 trillion. IoT hardware, such as modules, sensors, infrastructure and security, is expected to account for the largest portion of spending, hitting $239 billion in 2018. Services will come in second, followed by software and connectivity, the IDC report said. Software and services will be the fastest growing segments, at five-year CAGRs of 16.1 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/12/11/idc-predicts-jump-in-internet-of-things-spending-in-2018.aspx

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Making Connections with Multimedia Content

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by Meg Lloyd, Campus Technology
Increasingly, instructors illustrate course content with visual images and rich media to engage students. But it can be cumbersome to try to show the relationships among disparate media elements, as well as challenging for faculty to work with available technologies to annotate and map them. Johns Hopkins University developed a web application to help learners explore and easily document relationships among visual materials. Users can annotate images with rich multimedia content and link to image, audio and video resources to put the materials in a visual context.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/12/13/making-connections-with-multimedia-content.aspx

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Blockchain jobs continue to explode, offer salary premiums

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by Lucas Mearian, Computerworld

An uptick in job openings for technologists with blockchain development skills continued through the last quarter of 2017. Blockchain developers rank second among the top 20 fastest-growing job skills, and job postings for workers with those skills have more than doubled this year. Next in the list of fastest-growing job skills is another blockchain-related topic: Bitcoin cryptocurrency developers. Taking second fiddle only to robotics specialists, blockchain technologists are advertising their services for as much as $150 per hour, according to Upwork, an employment site that specializes in freelance workers.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3235972/it-careers/blockchain-jobs-continue-to-explode-offer-salary-premiums.html

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