Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, HigherEd Dive
State funding cuts cause modest decreases in graduation rates and college credentials awarded, according to a new report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. SHEEO analyzed empirical research to study how changes in state funding for public colleges and financial aid affected student outcomes. The organization argues that investing in public colleges, which three-fourths of students nationwide attend, will be key as an economic recession stresses state budgets and exacerbates inequities in higher ed.
May 31, 2021
College student outcomes and state funding are intertwined, report finds
Changing lives by connecting all Americans to broadband internet
Tom Wheeler, Brookings
The mountain hollows around McKee (pronounced “hollers” by the locals) were once home to Daniel Boone. Today, homes can use urban-grade high-speed fiber connections to stream Daniel Boone movies and television shows. But the importance of those high-speed connections is far beyond television shows. The ability to work from home was standard practice long before the rest of us discovered it during the pandemic. The ability to find employment without leaving home has been important to everyone, but particularly important to individuals with disabilities. Thanks to the fiber-to-the-home connection, when COVID hit, students were prepared for remote learning.
Share on FacebookHow AI Is Infiltrating Higher Education
Derek Newton, Undark
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is being used to shoot off these seemingly personal appeals and deliver pre-written information through chatbots and text personas meant to mimic human banter. It can help a university or college by boosting early deposit rates while cutting down on expensive and time-consuming calls to stretched admissions staffs. AI has long been quietly embedding itself into higher education in ways like these, often to save money — a need that’s been heightened by pandemic-related budget squeezes.
https://undark.org/2021/05/18/how-ai-is-infiltrating-higher-education/
Share on FacebookMay 30, 2021
Using Data Analytics as a Source of Change
Knowledge at Wharton
If knowledge is power, then the vast knowledge contained in big data is powerful enough to change the world. But simply harnessing bits and bytes into tidy tables or whizbang algorithms won’t move the needle on progress. Companies, organizations, and researchers must view the data through a social, political, and cultural lens if they want to solve problems.
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/using-data-analytics-source-change/
Share on FacebookAre virtual reality teaching aids a fad or the future?
Donald Wlodkowic, University World News
During the pandemic RMIT University recognised the growing need for virtual laboratory simulations that can deliver an ‘anytime-and-anywhere’ learning experience that simulates authentic laboratory activities. Such virtual technologies can provide an invaluable asset for teaching, especially for very large undergraduate cohorts where limited resources and access to laboratories provides a significant obstacle to at-scale teaching of cutting-edge practical skills and technologies.
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210505114943178
Share on FacebookCambridge University to offer short online courses for professionals
BBC
The University of Cambridge is to start offering online courses aimed at professionals worldwide who want to learn more skills. The university said it wanted to develop its digital offering after the pandemic changed people’s attitudes to online working and learning. From September, Cambridge Advance Online will offer four short courses, expanding to 50 within five years. The courses will be led by Cambridge academics and cost about £2,000.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-57148715
Share on FacebookMay 29, 2021
Online Learning Increases College Access for Underserved Native American Students
Adam Stone, EdTech
The California Indian Nations College saw a 22 percent increase in enrollment last year. Here’s a look at how they did it.While some colleges and universities struggled during the rush to remote learning last year, others rose to the challenge. The California Indian Nations College is one example of a school that has not only survived but thrived. The community college in Palm Desert, Calif., which largely serves a Native American student population, saw a 22 percent increase in enrollment during the shift to distance learning in fall 2020.
Share on FacebookCalifornia’s $49B higher ed budget proposal prioritizes worker training
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, HigherEd Dive
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised budget plan released Friday would invest nearly $49 billion in the state’s public colleges and emphasize workforce development as a tool for pandemic recovery. Notably, the proposal provides more than $433 million to designate Humboldt State University as a polytechnic institution, which the state said would help prepare students to work in high-demand fields. States are partnering with colleges on worker training initiatives they hope will help their economies heal from the pandemic.
5 Instructional Design Tips for Remote Training Creation
Graham Glass, ATD
Designing training modules for remote employees to keep their skills polished and develop new competencies doesn’t come with textbook rules. Every organization is different, and every learner is different. L&D professionals need to balance many aspects when creating online training courses to meet the needs of today’s remote workforce. Here are some tips and tricks that instructors should consider.
https://www.td.org/atd-blog/5-instructional-design-tips-for-remote-training-creation
Share on FacebookMay 28, 2021
Do employees have the skills for the post-pandemic future?
Ellis Henican, Market Watch
Will employees have the skills and education they need to thrive in the post-COVID era? That’s a big, open question that forward-looking executives are only now coming to grips with as the after-pandemic future is slowly defined. “A big part of the answer,” says Charlie Schilling, “is growing the talent instead of buying it. And COVID speeds everything up.” “The old way was going to the market and finding someone new with the skills that you needed,” Schilling said. “But that can be expensive and unpredictable.” And competing companies are often chasing after the same, few bodies. Let’s make sure that people have the skills they need to get those jobs or keep those jobs in finance or healthcare or business services that pay more,” Schilling said. “That is a global problem, which goes directly to many of the economic and social justice issues that people talk about in the world.”
Share on FacebookAustralia’s international education sector faces major slump, with students snubbing online learning
Melissa Coade, the Mandarin
Modelling released by Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute has demonstrated the hit that the international education sector will take by the end of 2022 as a consequence of Australia’s borders staying shut. According to the modelling, the sector will shrink by over 50% to $20.5 billion by the end of 2022. By the end of 2019 the sector was worth $40.3 billion. “The trend is strongly down from this point onwards,” Report author Dr Peter Hurley said. “While most of the economy is recovering, Australia’s third-largest export sector is yet to hit bottom.”
Share on FacebookTech training, reskilling is gaining ground at these schools
Laura Ascione, eCampus News
A new pilot initiative at 9 colleges aims to help underrepresented people access reskilling opportunities to advance in the tech field. With support from Verizon and in collaboration with nonprofit training provider Generation USA, the nonprofit JFF is leading the 9 colleges to accelerate entry into tech careers. Part of Citizen Verizon, Verizon’s responsible business plan, the free, online reskilling program aims to prepare 500,000 individuals for jobs of the future by 2030, with a focus on access for people underrepresented in tech positions. JFF expects to expand to 15 colleges by 2022.
https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/05/12/tech-training-reskilling-is-gaining-ground-at-these-schools/
Share on FacebookMay 27, 2021
3 questions to ask when embracing an analytics model
Matt Jackson, eCampus News
The popularity of the Gartner model persists because it succinctly states many institutions’ aspirations. Predictive and prescriptive analytics are increasingly important for the welfare of any college or university and embracing this reality will only be to an institution’s benefit. Pausing to consider the data your institution values, the data it collects, and the data it acts upon will provide real opportunity to correct any areas of misalignment, and in turn create a strong foundation upon which to build a successful analytics model.
https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/05/14/3-questions-to-ask-when-embracing-an-analytics-model/
Share on FacebookPsychology research demonstrates unique ‘time compression’ effect of virtual reality
University of California – Santa Cruz
Psychology researchers found that playing games in virtual reality creates an effect called ‘time compression,’ where time goes by faster than you think. The research team compared time perception during gameplay using conventional monitors and virtual reality to determine that this effect is uniquely linked to the virtual reality format. Psychology researchers at UC Santa Cruz have found that playing games in virtual reality creates an effect called “time compression,” where time goes by faster than you think. Grayson Mullen, who was a cognitive science undergraduate at the time, worked with Psychology Professor Nicolas Davidenko to design an experiment that tested how virtual reality’s effects on a game player’s sense of time differ from those of conventional monitors. The results are now published in the journal Timing & Time Perception.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210514134213.htm
Share on FacebookAddressing equity and resilience in the wake of COVID-19
Roberta Malee Bassett, University World News
Last year, roughly 222 million students were enrolled in formal post-secondary education around the world, more than doubling the 100 million student enrolment figure from 2000. It is estimated that there will be 377.4 million students by 2030, an increase of 281% over the 30 years from 2000 to 2030, surpassing the growth between 1970 and 2000. More students than ever are prepared to continue their studies after secondary education. Almost three-quarters of the expected global growth for the population aged 18 to 23 from 2015 to 2035 will be concentrated in 10 countries: Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and Tanzania.
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210512092824711
Share on FacebookMay 26, 2021
Four Ideas to Spark Active Learning in an Online Classroom
Adrianna Davis, Faculty Focus
Active learning can be an intimidating concept for educators. Many educators have heard the term but struggle to understand the true meaning of active learning and/or integrate active learning strategies within their classroom. As such, it is important to define active learning in simple terms. According to Bonwell and Eisen (1991), active learning is “anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing” (p. 2). Essentially, active learning involves including students in what they are learning, and fostering an environment that encourages them to think on these matters. Student involvement and metacognition, or thinking about thinking, are fundamental to one’s ability to understand active learning.
Share on Facebook73 Percent of Students Prefer Some Courses Be Fully Online Post-Pandemic
Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
In a recent survey, nearly three-quarters of students — 73 percent — said they would prefer to take some of their courses fully online post-pandemic. However, only half of faculty (53 percent) felt the same about teaching online. The fourth and final installment of Cengage’s Digital Learning Pulse Survey, conducted by Bay View Analytics on behalf of the Online Learning Consortium, WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) and Canadian Digital Learning Research Association, polled 1,469 students and 1,286 faculty and administrators across 856 United States institutions about how higher education is changing in the wake of COVID-19.
Skills Are Great — But It’s Who You Know That Lands You a Job
Julia Freeland Fisher and Mahnaz Charania, EdSurge
As well-intentioned as these education and workforce investments may be, the inconvenient truth is that skills and jobs aren’t one and the same. The reality, in fact, is much messier. And more human. Social networks and relationships function as something of an unspoken currency in the world of work. An estimated half of all jobs come through personal connections. And even earlier in the educational pipeline, students’ networks are proven to shape their career ambitions.
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-05-07-skills-are-great-but-it-s-who-you-know-that-lands-you-a-job
Share on FacebookMay 25, 2021
Striking a deal to strengthen broadband access for all
Tom Wheeler, Brookings
President Biden told the joint session of Congress he was asking Vice President Harris to take the lead on the broadband component of his infrastructure plan, “because I know it will get done.” The headlines emphasized the statement, “I am asking the vice president to lead this effort.” They called attention to how placing a high-profile figure such as the vice president in charge of closing the digital divide signals the issue’s high priority.
https://www.brookings.edu/research/striking-a-deal-to-strengthen-broadband-access-for-all/
Share on FacebookElite Colleges Started EdX as a Nonprofit Alternative to Coursera. How Is It Doing?
Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge
For one thing, edX has 35 million users, less than half that of Coursera. It offers fewer courses than Coursera—in 2020, edX listed 3,090 courses and Coursera about 4,600. And it brings in far less revenue—about $50 million annually, about five times less than Coursera, according to Shah’s analysis. Course Report published year-end data from edX and Coursera. But edX has made very different decisions than Coursera that were consistent with edX’s nonprofit status. For one thing, edX made its platform open source, meaning anyone can have access to the computer code. And edX has been more open to university researchers who want to do research using aggregated, anonymized data from the platform.
Share on FacebookGetting a degree pays off, but graduates don’t benefit equally, report finds
Natalie Schwartz, HigherEd Dive
The Postsecondary Value Commission, which is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, created a framework to measure how much attending college benefits a student and to identify equity gaps. At roughly three-quarters of nonprofit public and private colleges, students have median earnings a decade after enrolling that cover their total cost of attendance and are greater than high school graduates in their state, its analysis found. Half of for-profit colleges did not. The commission also analyzed data within the University of Texas System, which revealed deep racial, gender and socioeconomic disparities in the value students gain from their education.
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