Online Learning Update

by Education Diary

The University of Toronto has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop two online learning courses that will be delivered by award-winning U of T professors. The two courses – the latest in U of T’s involvement in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) programs – are intended to “engage a broad range of students in successfully advancing their general and developmental education,” said the Foundation in announcing the award earlier this month. “We are extremely pleased that such excellent faculty members are garnering Gates Foundation grants for the University of Toronto,” said Cheryl Misak, U of T vice-president and provost. “They are helping to keep us ahead of the curve in this potentially important arena.”

http://www.indiaeducationdiary.in/showEE.asp?newsid=17607

By Lee V. Gaines, Wicked Local Wellesley

Next fall, a portion of Wellesley College classes will be available online to anyone in the world, even men. The college announced today that it is the first liberal arts college and also the first women’s college to join the Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology online learning collaborative edX, which offers massive open online courses (MOOCs) EdX was founded by Harvard and MIT and was launched in May 2012 as platform for online learning, and as a way to research how students learn and how technology transforms learning, according to a Wellesley College press release.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/x1978613768/Wellesley-College-to-offer-free-courses-online#axzz2EKBaPmOh

BY JANE DARBY MENTON AND JULIA ZORTHIAN, Yale Daily

In a report released Tuesday, the ad hoc Yale College Committee on Online Education recommended the University offer online for-credit courses to undergraduates and the public during the academic year. The final report issued to Yale College Dean Mary Miller details the committee’s findings and recommendations for the University’s development of an online education program. The committee, led by psychology professor Paul Bloom and music professor Craig Wright, convened in September to assess and consider ways to expand Yale’s online educational presence so that non-Yale students can benefit from Yale resources and teaching. The recommendations from this report will be discussed at Thursday’s Yale College faculty meeting. “Yale has this mission — the creation, preservation and dissemination of knowledge. This is dissemination,” Bloom said. “We’re extremely excited for the use of digital initiatives to disseminate knowledge and we plan to move forward building upon the strengths we’ve already established.”

http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/12/05/committee-proposes-online-courses/

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Two community colleges in Massachusetts will be trying out a blended model of instruction that integrates online content from edX. edX is a non-profit organization founded by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to offer massive open online courses, or MOOCs. Funded by a million-dollar grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bunker Hill and MassBay Community Colleges will offer an adapted version of the MITx 6.00x Introduction to Computer Science and Programming course at their respective campuses starting in spring 2013. The virtual courses offered through the MOOC site will be enhanced with in-class supporting materials and breakouts.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/12/03/community-colleges-try-moocs-in-blended-courses.aspx?admgarea=news

by Jamaal Abdul-alim, Washington Monthly

Banking on students looking for shortcuts to graduation, a shadowy enterprise has been posting numerous ads on the Internet offering to take online courses in statistics, algebra, and other tough subjects in exchange for a fee…. A man reached by phone has posted thousands of online ads on websites such as Craigslist.org and Backpage.com saying things such as “Why study, when you can call us? We can take each of your classes for you!” “I’m just a small fish making a few hundred dollars a month helping people out,” said the man, who identified himself only as “Jason” but used other identities when speaking with journalism students that were tapped to speak with him undercover.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/blog/online_education_invites_new_w.php

by Twin Cities Daily Planet

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a growing trend in education. A new trend in postsecondary education, according to David Clinefelter, is the growing number of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offered today by colleges and universities and private companies. MOOCs are “massive” (they have large enrollments), “open” (they are free to anyone); “online” (they are 100 percent internet-based) courses. Currently, students don’t pay tuition for the courses, nor do they get credit for taking them.

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2012/12/02/david-clinefelter-online-courses-poised-change-face-higher-education

By Derek du Preez, Computerworld UK

“Online learning will continue to challenge the traditional learning models and universities around the world will ignore this at their peril. They need to embrace such disruptive trends and seek to leverage their intellectual and social capital as well as their international standing and alliances to exploit this trend,” said Professor Atta Badii, Director of the Intelligent Systems Research Laboratory, who leads the INTUITEL research at Reading. “This is an opportunity to re-invent university provision, offering new accredited programmes to support the increasing number of lifelong learners throughout the world via platforms for innovative flexible anywhere anytime learning.”

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/enterprise/3414216/researchers-tell-traditional-universities-ignore-e-learning-at-their-peril/?olo=rss

By JOCE DeWITT, Corvallis Gazette-Times

A typical workday for Lt. Gabe Burgi starts by 6 a.m. That’s when Burgi, an instructor for the ROTC Naval Science Department at Oregon State University, checks in at his office to take part in an ROTC activity like physical training. He spends his afternoons adivising students and teaching courses in naval science. But when the workday ends, typically about 4 p.m., Burgi doesn’t go home. He turns to his computer and switches to his other life – as a student. In addition to his leadership role in ROTC, Burgi is a full-time master’s student in natural resources, and is studying through OSU’s Extended Campus — it’s also called Ecampus — OSU’s online education program.

http://democratherald.com/news/local/learning-differently/article_becea584-3c3c-11e2-b2c8-001a4bcf887a.html

By Jeb Bush & Randy Best, Bloomberg

Given the pressing demands on state budgets, it is unlikely that funding for higher education will return to pre-2007 levels anytime soon. In fact, analysts predict just the opposite: Financing levels will continue to decrease in the years ahead to the point where a number of colleges and universities may be forced to close. The real numbers tell a drastically different story: Online education holds the promise for universities to not only shrink their deficits but also extend their programs to a vast number of students, all at significantly lower costs. So what is the true incremental cost of serving an online student at a state university today? A study carried out by the University of Texas, comparing online versus on-campus instruction across 15 institutions serving more than 150,000 students, demonstrated a 30 percent to 50 percent cost savings for the Web-based approach. Given that students are asked to shoulder debt for services and amenities that are, objectively, nonessential to their education, people should take notice.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-02/online-classes-mean-no-dorm-gym-or-debt.html

by Nick Zautra, Edudemic

Coursera, a company that offers online courses from top universities, including California Institute of Technology, Duke University, Georgia Institute of Technology, John Hopkins University, Rice University, UC San Francisco, University of Illinois, University of Washington and the University of Virginia as equity investors. The courses will be available to anyone with a computer and Internet access. Upon completion of a course, most universities will offer certifications at the discretion of the professor and the college. But most importantly, this is just a phenomenal opportunity to reignite your mind and start learning again. Below is a list of distance education universities & institutions and some of the most novel courses now offered through Coursera, courtesy of USAToday and Inside Higher Ed.

http://edudemic.com/2012/12/8-trendsetting-online-courses-you-should-enroll-in/

by Gareth Evans, Western Mail

Older people are more likely to study independently at home than in groups at university or college, a new report has found. A survey of people over 50 in the UK conducted by adult learning organisation NIACE revealed a marked shift from public to private, between 2005 and 2012. Statistics show the proportion of older adults who are engaged in learning and studying in further education colleges and universities has halved from 35% to just 17%. On the other hand, the proportion learning at or through work has risen from a quarter to a third and those learning on their own has gone up from 12% to 18%. According to NIACE, the most dramatic change since 2005 is the swing from older people learning about computing – to those using computers to learn.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education-news/2012/11/29/fewer-older-people-going-to-college-but-more-learn-online-91466-32326032/

by Edudemic

The Internet has made many things possible that would have been difficult to imagine just a few decades ago. People are able to find information on almost any subject in a few seconds, and more people are able to educate themselves as a result. Many people have also found more opportunities for education through developments in online education. Accredited universities are offering a wide-range of courses for undergraduates and graduate students, and studying through the channels of the Internet has made higher education much more flexible. Although there were many educators and institutions that were skeptical in how effective online education could be, there have since been many success stories and statistics that have shown how beneficial it can be to learn through online classrooms.

http://edudemic.com/2012/12/developments-in-online-education/

by Abby Grosse, Manitou Observer, St. Olaf College

It’s unnerving, to say the least: Higher education is more expensive than it’s ever been while its value has never been more questioned. The “consumers” of education want to see a direct relationship between tuition dollars spent now and professional income a few years out, so the “producers” are facing unprecedented pressure to commodify the college experience. At a school like St. Olaf, one that prides itself on its small, traditional seminars, it’s easy to interpret structural changes as assaults on our core values. But one possible reform – putting introductory lectures online – could be an advantageous move for our students, faculty and surrounding communities.

http://www.manitoumessenger.com/opinions/2012/12/01/free-access-to-online-classes-will-challenge-improve-education/

by Eboni Boykinin – World,Afghanistan (via Policy Mic)

Online courses can be exactly what the college dropout needs to be successful — basic knowledge and mastery of otherwise lesser known skills, and just enough marketability to retrieve an entry level position. Or they maybe even could aquire the basic skills needed to bring about a revolutionary idea. In those cases, official credit for a course isn’t really necessary. What matters is that the individual learned skills that can be applied to a career, since that is why employers want their employees to have an education in the first place. Who cares what form someone got the information from, right? So for a millennial looking for a way to launch the next big thing, maybe the time and money needed to attend college isn’t necessary. And soon, maybe college won’t be necessary for anyone anymore.

http://www.policymic.com/articles/19979/ivy-league-online-degrees-should-millennials-drop-out-of-traditional-college

By Kolten Parker, My San Antonio

“Start-up costs” for building a comprehensive online course catalog at Texas’ public universities could be cited for keeping the price of online classes as high and sometimes higher than traditional classes — for now. University officials say cost is a reflection of the investment associated with a new way of teaching and learning. “Building an online infrastructure has a large up-front cost but can save the university space and money over years of using the technologies,” said Dominic Chavez, spokesman for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. will pass on the savings to students, who enjoy the flexibility and convenience of online classes while universities can enroll more without accommodating them on campus.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/Online-learning-can-be-pricey-4084212.php

by CHRIS VOGEL, Boston Daily

Online Learning is leading the way.  Programs that are cheap, accessible, and functionally useful are the keys to surviving in the future. And if you’re not convinced, a recent Northeastern University study really hammers home that point. Based on more than 1,000 interviews, the survey shows that while 70 percent of Americans believe higher education is “extremely” or “very important” to securing the elusive American Dream, 83 percent say that higher education is in desperate need of a shakeup. Enter programs such as the Harvard-MIT brainchild EdX, or similar massive online endeavors Coursera and Udacity, all of which offer free classes, after which students earn a certificate of mastery.

http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/boston_daily/2012/11/30/northeastern-university-study-tells-know-online-classes-entrepreneurship-future/

by CAM FORTEMS, Clearwater Daily News

People living here can’t remember the last time one of their brightest kids went on to medical school. This year’s graduating class at Clearwater secondary school numbers 54 students. But classes can fluctuate: the current Grade 7 class at the elementary school has just 25 kids. Even at 54 students, Clearwater cannot offer academic mainstays such as biology 12, math 12 and chemistry 12, let alone honours-level classes demanded by the province’s brightest 17-year-olds. So students Katie Bieber and Chyan Kennedy are grouped in with other high-achieving students from rural schools through video-conferencing classes

http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20121130/KAMLOOPS0101/121129811/-1/kamloops01/online-learning-fills-gaps-in-rural-education

by Tom Vander ArkBlogger, GettingSmart.com

Together, six technology trends are making it easier for individuals to learn and easier for teachers to create great schools.

1.Personalization: adaptive tools that quickly diagnose needs and online systems that power anywhere anytime learning.

2.Profiles: comprehensive records of learner progress that help teachers and algorithms better meet student needs.

3.Playlists: a sequence of tailored learning experiences that customizes learning for every student (like iTunes Genius does for music).

4.iPad: cheap mobile devices are powering an explosion of learning apps

5.Progress: it’s becoming more common for students to progress to the next unit or grade after they show what they know (see CompetencyWorks.org for more)

6.Platforms: there are lots of efforts to build powerful next generation platforms that combine content, social learning, profiles, assessments, and services.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-vander-ark/dont-be-lame-personalize-_b_2211926.html

by Ki Mae Heussner, gigaom

San Francisco-based online learning startup Udemy says that a quarter of its approved instructors will finish the year with more than $10,000 from sales of their self-created courses on subjects ranging from web development and entrepreneurship to yoga and photography.

http://gigaom.com/2012/11/30/on-online-learning-site-udemy-quarter-of-approved-instructors-earn-10k-or-more/

By Alisha Azevedo, Chronicle of Higher Ed

Salman Khan’s dream college looks very different from the typical four-year institution. In the book, Mr. Khan also advocates for a separation of universities’ teaching and credentialing roles, arguing that if students could take internationally recognized assessments to prove themselves, the playing field would be leveled between students pursuing different forms of higher education. Although students would not be graded in the imagined university he describes, they would compile a portfolio of their work and assessments from their mentors. “Existing campuses could move in this direction by de-emphasizing or eliminating lecture-based courses, having their students more engaged in research and co-ops in the broader world, and having more faculty with broad backgrounds who show a deep desire to mentor students,” he writes.

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/khan-academy-founder-proposes-a-new-type-of-college/41160

by the Guardian

Online learning provides a way of studying for pleasure, opens up new ways of learning and offers the chance to participate in a social ‘event’. Here are some thoughts about how MOOCs are opening up education to new solutions. “The hype has a number of cool spin offs for learning researchers; it is bringing the power of open educational resources to the top of the agenda, by interesting both business and politicians in new forms of learning. It stimulates us to demonstrate that the learning isn’t actually in the resources per se, but is in the engagement of the students with them. In the process; in the people.” Peter Scott, director of the Knowledge Media Institute at the Open University.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/nov/30/online-learning-teaching-access-innovation