Techno-News Blog

August 17, 2020

Embracing the Unknown: Why Online Postsecondary Study Is Worth the Risk

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Kathleen Bortolin, EDUCAUSE Review
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown much of higher education into disarray, but amid this storm are opportunities to redesign teaching and learning in dynamic, student-centered, and empathy-rich ways, with a mind to the skills that students will need to succeed now and in the future.  I think another dimension of this change is emerging: postsecondary teaching may evolve to be, somewhat counterintuitively, even more student-centered, wellness-based, and empathy-enriched. In my experience, many instructors are not just dumping content into online platforms, walking away, and calling it a day.

https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/8/embracing-the-unknown-why-online-postsecondary-study-is-worth-the-risk

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Gen Z views traditional college path as old school

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LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News
While young people believe education is critical to their future, they’re not always convinced a 4-year degree is the right solution. Amidst a global pandemic, American teenagers remain steadfast in their belief that higher education plays a key role in their future success; however, the paths they are planning to take after high school differ from previous generations. In fact, more than half are open to something other than a four-year degree and 70 percent want to follow their own educational pat

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2020/08/07/gen-z-views-traditional-college-path-as-old-school/

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Big Ten Universities Partner to Offer Free Online Courses

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Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
This fall, students at any of the seven participating Big Ten Academic Alliance universities will have access to free online courses at other Big Ten schools. The initiative is designed to “enhance educational opportunities for students during the COVID-19 crisis,” according to a news announcement. Available courses include Supply Chain Security and Risk Management; Design Thinking and Creativity; Inequality: Determinants and Policy Remedies; Insect Biology; Introduction to the Built Environment; and Intro to Sports Marketing and Management; among others.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/08/05/big-ten-universities-partner-to-offer-free-online-courses.aspx

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August 16, 2020

Transitioning to Online Learning

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Laura Otten, Diverse Education

Almost 20 years as a full-time, face-to-face teacher of both undergraduate and graduate students—and six years running as teacher in and director of a totally virtual master’s program—has taught me a thing or two about both pedagogical models. And while I continue to surprise myself every time I say it, I have developed a preference for virtual teaching. I would encourage my peers to think differently about this opportunity for skill acquisition, especially as public health experts are forecasting several waves of COVID-19 cases. Adaptation to what could be a new normal will be critically important for academics and students, alike. Done well and done right, virtual teaching is so much more challenging and far more time consuming for the faculty member than is face-to-face teaching, but the educational benefits to the students are exponentially greater.

https://diverseeducation.com/article/186510/

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Collaboration Tools for the Future of Online Learning

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Dana Corey, EdTech

As higher education leaders prepare for what remains an undefined fall semester, they face a whirlwind of decisions. With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on reopening changing seemingly every day, so do the on- and off-campus procedures for colleges across the nation. As a result, colleges and universities are depending on collaboration technologies to keep their students and faculty connected safely through the unforeseeable future of the global health crisis.

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2020/08/collaboration-tools-future-online-learning

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Low-income households falling further behind on student debt due to COVID-19

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Jason Jabbari, et al; Brookings Institution
On January 20, 2020, the United States reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19. By March 13, New York City had declared a state of emergency. To better understand the influence of COVID-19 on American household finances, the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis conducted a nationally representative survey with approximately 5,500 respondents in all 50 states from April 27 to May 12, 2020. Within our sample, roughly one-fourth of households (24 percent) had student loans with an average balance of $30,118 (median amount = $14,750). Of 1,264 households with student loans, roughly one-fourth (23 percent) reported being behind on their student loan payments, and over half of these households (58 percent) reported that they were behind on their student loan payments as a result of COVID-19.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/08/05/low-income-households-falling-further-behind-on-student-debt-due-to-covid-19/

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August 15, 2020

Moving to Offense: A New Playbook for Confronting Budget Shortfalls

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Tammy Kolbe and Rick Staisloff, Inside Higher Ed

Across-the-board cuts and salary freezes won’t make colleges sustainable. It’s time to adopt a strategic framework for financial decision making.  State revenues were projected to drop 10 percent for the 2020 fiscal year (which ended June 30), and as much as 25 percent again in 2021. Institutions are uncertain about fall enrollment numbers and face increased cost in operations due to the need to address immediate COVID-19 impacts and invest in alternative ways to deliver instruction. And, unlike the years following the 2008 recession, institutions cannot expect to fill budget holes by raising tuition, owing to concerns over the already high cost of tuition and student debt burden.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/08/06/new-playbook-confronting-higher-education%E2%80%99s-looming-budget-shortfalls-opinion

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10 Types of Credentials You Can Earn Online

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Jordan Friedman and Josh Moody, US News

When it comes to online learning, students should choose a credential that fulfills their goals while providing flexibility – whether it’s a single course certificate or a full degree. “There’s such a wide range of offerings to them at economical prices that allow them to target their education specifically to their career plan,” says Ray Schroeder, associate vice chancellor for online learning at the University of Illinois—Springfield. In fact, the nonprofit Credential Engine calculates more than 738,428 “unique credential programs” in the U.S., a number that Executive Director Scott Cheney expects to continue to rise. Here are 10 different credentials students can earn online.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/slideshows/10-types-of-credentials-you-can-earn-online

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Cybersecurity experts warn of more attacks in online learning environment

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Kristine Harrington, Arizona Family
As Arizona students settle in for a new year of online learning, cybersecurity experts warn the risk of identity and data theft has increased.] As Arizona students settle in for a new year of online learning, cybersecurity experts warn the risk of identity and data theft has increased. “Anytime there is a crisis like we have right now with the COVID-19 pandemic malicious actors will take advantage,” said Doug Levin, president of the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center, which has tracked some 900 cyber-attacks on school districts since 20-16. “That ranges from phishing attacks, data breaches, ransomware incidents, and other sorts of things.” Levin expects to see more cybercrimes with more students attending school online.

https://www.azfamily.com/news/arizona_schools/cybersecurity-experts-warn-of-more-attacks-in-online-learning-environment/article_847afa36-d6a8-11ea-9839-a32b4471460d.html

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August 14, 2020

The Fine Line in Game Based Learning

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Matt Feldmann, THE Journal

Many educators are interested in using games in the classroom to boost motivation and engagement. When it comes to learning, though, the lesson from video games is that real learning itself is all the reward necessary. When I think about the most rewarding learning experiences I’ve seen or experienced, they happened when a person persevered to truly learn, not when they customized an avatar, scored points, or earned a new badge.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2020/08/04/the-fine-line-in-game-based-learning.aspx

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Balancing cybersecurity and user productivity

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STEVEN M. BAULE, Campus Technology
Cybersecurity remains top of mind as higher-ed IT leaders navigate a new campus landscape this fall.  As we approach a fall semester that most probably is going to continue to be, at least in part, a virtual experience for many of us, there are many issues for information technology managers to consider. Cybersecurity is one of those.  Over the past few years, cybersecurity has become a prime concern at all levels of society, from small town municipalities to the development of cyberwarfare commands in all branches of the military. Passwords are quite literally the key to many IT systems.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2020/08/04/balancing-cybersecurity-and-user-productivity/

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Upskilling Instructional Design Talent: Preparing for Quality Online Learning

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Whitney Kilgore and Veronica Diaz, EDUCAUSE Review
A new initiative aims to provide the skills and expertise that instructional designers need to help higher education meet its growing demands for online education. In this time of crisis, instructional designers have emerged as essential change agents within institutions—they are the force that is propelling this technology-enabled revolution in teaching and learning.

https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/8/upskilling-instructional-design-talent-preparing-for-quality-online-learning

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August 13, 2020

Many Are Reacting, but Who Is Visioning the Future?

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Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed
As we prepare for the fall term, most colleges and universities are reacting to the evolving pandemic, responding to changing conditions. But who is creating a vision for the future?  How do we replace campus face-to-face interaction with dispersed or virtual face-to-face, up-close, personal interaction? Beyond our already-proven online learning pedagogies and practices, can we leverage advancing VR, AR, AI, and associated technologies to create a more meaningful and satisfying personal experience? Who is leading the visioning on your campus?

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/many-are-reacting-who-visioning-future?

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Fostering an Inclusive Classroom

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Tracie Marcella Add, Derek Dube and Khadijah A. Mitchell, Inside Higher Ed

Although colleges have more time to prepare this fall, concerns about equity and inclusion are still apparent. Fostering inclusive classrooms is vital, and all instructors can take certain small steps to start building such learning environments from the start of the course, regardless of modality. While designing inclusive courses is essential for effective teaching — whether we are teaching during a pandemic or in normal times; teaching online, hybrid or face-to-face courses; or teaching undergraduate or graduate-level courses — the uncertainty of this coming fall makes it more important than ever to address inclusion concerns.

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/08/05/small-steps-instructors-can-take-build-more-inclusive-classrooms-opinion

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Colleges Are Deeply Unequal Workplaces

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Jeffrey Selingo, the Atlantic

As colleges unveil their reopening plans for the fall, concerns about the safety of faculty teaching in classrooms populated with young adults have taken center stage. But largely left out of the conversation have been the people actually getting campuses up and running: the staff.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/colleges-are-deeply-unequal-workplaces/614791/

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August 12, 2020

University of Arizona expands online learning access through new nonprofit

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KOLD
The University of Arizona announced its intention to create a new nonprofit entity — University of Arizona Global Campus — and acquire the assets of Ashford University. University of Arizona Global Campus will be a fully online university providing access to affordable high-quality higher education with flexible opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds around the world who seek to achieve their educational and life goals. As student populations turn increasingly to online platforms for higher education, University of Arizona Global Campus will meet students wherever they are in their educational journeys.

https://www.kold.com/2020/08/03/university-arizona-expands-online-learning-access-through-new-nonprofit/

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University of Arizona expands online learning access through new nonprofit

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 12:15 am

KOLD
The University of Arizona announced its intention to create a new nonprofit entity — University of Arizona Global Campus — and acquire the assets of Ashford University. University of Arizona Global Campus will be a fully online university providing access to affordable high-quality higher education with flexible opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds around the world who seek to achieve their educational and life goals. As student populations turn increasingly to online platforms for higher education, University of Arizona Global Campus will meet students wherever they are in their educational journeys.

https://www.kold.com/2020/08/03/university-arizona-expands-online-learning-access-through-new-nonprofit/

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Trend toward online learning gives seminaries an advantage amid COVID

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CHRIS HUGHES, Baptist News

CBF-partner theology schools are making significant shifts as they prepare for a fall semester to commence in the middle of the global pandemic. After finishing the spring semester with online instruction, some are planning to offer a variety of options for students for the fall, including both in-person and online classes, while others will remain entirely online. “Currently, we are planning for a blended approach that will combine face-to-face and online modalities,” said Jonathan Lee Walton, dean of the Wake Forest University School of Divinity in Winston-Salem, N.C.

https://baptistnews.com/article/trend-toward-online-learning-gives-seminaries-an-advantage-amid-covid/#.XyipaWgZ4d4

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August 11, 2020

Minerva: How to Go to College During a Pandemic

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Frank Bruni, NY Times
Students at Minerva spend four years entirely online. Is this the future of higher education?  Minerva drew attention at the outset, because it was one answer to intensifying questions about the affordability of college, the country-club excesses of some campuses and the erratic devotion to actual instruction. But it’s an object of even greater fascination now, because it willingly made changes that other schools are suddenly forced to consider, thanks to the coronavirus. Mitchell Stevens, an associate professor of education at Stanford, told me that even before the pandemic higher education “was in many ways being held together by prayers, Band-Aids, international students and a lot of debt.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/opinion/sunday/minerva-college-coronavirus.html

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Ransomware: Your biggest security headache refuses to go away

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Steve Ranger, ZDNet

Ransomware has been around for more than three decades, so it’s hardly an unexpected threat. And yet, organisations large and small are still being taken completely by surprise by the file-encrypting malware, leaving them to decide between rebuilding many of their computer systems from scratch to rid themselves of the ransomware or paying up to the crooks in the hope that they will hand over the encryption keys. So why aren’t we learning the lessons from all the companies that have already been hit by ransomware over the years? Here are a few reasons.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-why-the-internets-biggest-headache-refuses-to-go-away/

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Faculty work to improve online class delivery for fall semester

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By Duncan Slade, Daily Athenaeum – West Virginia University

In May, faculty knew fall classes were quickly approaching and would include some level of remote instruction. The spring semester’s emergency remote learning had soured some students to the entire concept of online education. Faculty had four months, not two weeks, to plan how they would show students the broad possibilities of online learning. Her classes this semester will look very different as students will use a virtual lab platform in conjunction with short video lessons to take measurements on a patient at a doctor’s office, grow glowing bacteria, and extract DNA from a strawberry.

https://www.thedaonline.com/news/university/faculty-work-to-improve-online-class-delivery-for-fall-semester/article_d76e86d6-d383-11ea-8582-5ff53ac9bb32.html

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