Online Learning Update

November 18, 2016

“This house believes AI could, should and will replace teachers”

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:02 am

by OEB

At this year’s OEB, we’re looking to provide some of that nuance in our annual Plenary Debate on the motion entitled “This house believes artificial intelligence (AI) could, should and will replace teachers”. This is not only a debate about the capabilities of technology, but also about its ethical implications. In this particular case, it’s as much a question of philosophy as of technological practicality. What exactly is a teacher? Some would say that in many schools, teachers have become little more than devices for transmitting information in the hope of achieving defined educational outcomes and that these functions can be taken over – and even improved on – by a machine. For Donald Clark (proposition) the case for teaching bots is fairly obvious: they would be “free from cognitive… racial, gender and socio-economic biases. They never get ill, don’t forget much of what they are taught, operate 24/7, and can deliver from anywhere to anywhere where there is an internet connection. Unlike our brains they don’t sleep for eight hours a day and, in a fatal objection to human frailty, neither get burnt out, retire or die.”

http://www.online-educa.com/OEB_Newsportal/this-house-believes-ais-could-and-will-replace-teachers/

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November 17, 2016

New Era for Disability Rights

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:10 am

By Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

Miami University in Ohio last month became the latest institution to overhaul its accessibility policies for people with disabilities. Miami is far from the only university to face legal action over accessibility issues. In the last two years alone, several colleges and education companies — Atlantic Cape Community College, edX, Harvard University and the University of Phoenix, among others — have either been sued or settled complaints about inaccessible websites or content. . Lennard J. Davis, a prominent disability studies scholar based at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said those lawsuits highlight a trend of the last 10 years of accessibility lawsuits shifting from concerning physical to digital spaces. “The web and technology associated with sensory impairments are where it is at right now,” Davis said in an email. “The virtual and digital world has replaced the physical world as the locus for discrimination and barriers.”

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/11/07/disability-rights-advocates-shift-strategies-ensure-equal-rights-digital-age

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Georgia Tech’s Ashkok Goel says automated ‘nano tutors’ will take-off in education

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:04 am

by Tim Dodd, Financial Review

Georgia Tech artificial intelligence pioneer Ashkok Goel says his ground-breaking use of artificial intelligence to interact with students will soon be cheap and widely available. Earlier this year Professor Goel famously introduced a “nano tutor”, dubbed Jill Watson, to answer the questions in the online forum for students in his course at the US university, called Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence. For over a month students didn’t realise they were talking to a robot teaching assistant (TA) rather than a real one. “We did not tell the students Jill Watson was an AI [artificial intelligence]. As far as they were concerned Jill Watson was just another human TA,” he told a Sydney conference last week. After learning that one of their teaching assistants was a bot, students were both amazed and receptive.

http://www.afr.com/news/policy/education/georgia-techs-ashkok-goel-says-automated-nano-tutors-will-takeoff-in-education-20161103-gshuth

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U of Alberta launches more massive open online courses to increase brand

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:03 am

by Daniel Stilwell, iNews

The University of Alberta is adding another option to their range of massive open online courses. The MOOC program started a couple of years ago with the highly popular Dino 101 program. U of A Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Dean Kerry Mummery said Dino 101 and several other courses were so successful that they thought opening up a new course called Mountains 101 would be a good fit. “We’d certainly be the leaders in the world right now for inter-disciplinary mountain studies and we’re intent on claiming that for the University of Alberta. Where better than Alberta to claim the mountains? We’re known internationally for them,” said Mummery.

http://www.inews880.com/syn/110/133286/133286

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November 16, 2016

IBM picks Blackboard and Pearson to bring Watson computer technologies to colleges and universities.

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 11:50 am

By Carl Straumsheim, In higher education

IBM is at the moment working with Blackboard and Pearson on student retention and tutoring, respectively. Both education companies are this fall beginning to test a handful of early prototypes, exploring potential use cases and working with clients to learn what sort of software they are interested in. “This is about augmenting human intelligence,” Neti said. For example, Pearson is testing what Angie McAllister, senior vice president says is how Watson technology could power a virtual assistant similar to Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, which students could chat with if they need help while studying. Blackboard is working on tools for advisers and faculty members, said Katie Blot, chief strategy officer. “We’re very focused on student pathways, support and persistence.” She highlighted Planner, a student planning tool, as one product that could benefit from Watson technology.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/11/16/blackboard-pearson-join-ibms-ecosystem-bring-watson-technology-higher-ed

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Growth in Online Education at Private Colleges

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:15 am

By Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

Private colleges are growing more accepting of online education, according to a survey of chief academic officers conducted by the Council of Independent Colleges and the Learning House. Compared to a similar survey conducted in 2013, the share of private colleges that offer five or more fully online programs has grown from 15 percent to 25 percent, and while about half (48 percent) of colleges say some faculty members are still skeptical of online education, 38 percent say they have overcome that barrier. The Learning House and the CIC surveyed 169 members of the organization for the study. Other findings include: More private colleges offer at least one fully online program. This year, 61 percent of respondents said they do so. One-quarter of colleges report making more than $1 million in revenue from their online programs.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/11/14/growth-online-education-private-colleges

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Do online high schools make the grade?

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:10 am

by Leslie Katz, C|Net

There are all kinds of online high schools — from government-funded public and charter schools, which are free to resident minors, to private schools including those like OHS, which are affiliated with universities. This last category varies in price: Indiana University High School charges $250 for each course, George Washington University Online High School costs $12,000 a year, while yearly tuition at OHS hits nearly $20,000 for four or more courses. (OHS says about 15 percent of its students receive financial aid.) Nearly 460 full-time charter, privately run or district-operated virtual schools enrolled more than 261,000 students during the 2014-15 academic year, according to the National Education Policy Center.

https://www.cnet.com/au/news/online-schools-get-mixed-report-cards/

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Oberlin College Goes Global with Online Courses

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:05 am

by Melissa Harris, Oberlin Review

The College is going digital and entering the world of online education as part of a bid to raise revenue, increase research opportunities for faculty and heighten international exposure. The College will partner with Pioneer Academics to provide online college-level educational programs and research mentor partnerships with professors for high school students. Through Pioneer, a start-up that aims to expand educational accessibility with technology, students taking these online courses will be able to access Oberlin’s online library resources, receive college credits and have an opportunity to work with college professors as they pursue research projects.

http://oberlinreview.org/11637/news/college-goes-global-with-online-courses/

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Shifting to digital classrooms

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:02 am

By Skylar Griego, Daily Lobo

With registration for the spring semester beginning on Nov. 14, many students are browsing the UNM course catalog to start piecing together their class schedule. Some may notice a number of courses available online for the first time. Students may also notice that many of the new classes aren’t actually new — they’re online sections of courses already held on campus. UNM Extended Learning is developing online sections for classes in high demand to add to the online course directory. Debby Knotts, the executive director of UNMEL, said this she hopes of creating more availability for students trying to meet requirements for their degrees.

http://www.dailylobo.com/article/2016/11/4-online-courses-at-unm

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November 15, 2016

Marco Rubio still teaching an FIU course, online

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:09 am

by Patricia MazzeiPatricia Mazzei, Miami Herald

Rubio has co-taught an online fall course, according to the university and his campaign. The class, held for an hour a week on Wednesday evenings, is titled, “Topics in Politics — the General Election.” “He participates live from home or on the campaign trail using a laptop,” campaign spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement. On Aug. 16, John F. Stack Jr., dean of the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, sent Rubio a letter inviting him to work as a “visiting assistant scholar/science/engineer” for the three-credit class, which is co-taught by Dario Moreno and Sara Moats. The course enrolls more than 150 students. Rubio has taught on and off at FIU for years, particularly with Moreno, a Republican pollster. He’s getting paid $8,000, according to Stack’s letter, which the Miami Herald obtained from FIU through a public records request. That’s based on an annual salary rate of $24,000. Rubio makes $174,000 a year as a U.S. senator.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/marco-rubio-still-teaching-an-fiu-course-online/2301404

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Why Udacity and EdX Want to Trademark the Degrees of the Future—and What’s at Stake for Students

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:05 am

By Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

No one owns the term “master’s degree.” But upstart education providers dream of getting a lock on the words for the next generation of online graduate certifications. Their strategy says a lot about how today’s online programs differ from those in the past (Hint: duration and price are just one part of that). Udacity won a trademark for Nanodegree last year. And in April, the nonprofit edX, founded by MIT and Harvard University to deliver online courses by a consortium of colleges, applied for a trademark on the word MicroMasters. And MicroDegree? Yep, that’s trademarked too, by yet another company. Sean Gallagher, chief strategy officer at Northeastern University’s Global Network, picked up on this trend recently and wondered what’s going on. He knows the space well, since he literally wrote the book on “ The Future of University Credentials.” The trademarked words don’t mean much today, since they “aren’t really recognized by employers yet,” Gallagher says.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-11-03-why-udacity-and-edx-want-to-trademark-the-degrees-of-the-future-and-what-s-at-stake-for-students

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Penn State’s World Campus looks to future of online learning

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:02 am

BY LORI FALCE, Centre Daily

When Penn State’s World Campus started in 1998, it had a grant and a dream. Eighteen years later, the World Campus is a national leader in online education, with students around the globe and a stack of accolades from U.S. News and World Report for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. “It’s successful because it’s embedded in the core of the university,” Craig Weidemann told the Penn State trustees committee on outreach, development and community relations on Thursday. It was Weidemann’s last meeting as the vice president of outreach and vice provost for online education. He retires Dec. 31. He leaves behind a program that has 20,000 students and 10 percent growth in enrollment each year. The campus is on track to hit 35,000 students by 2025.

http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/board-of-trustees/article112434877.html

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November 14, 2016

In a recent study, students learning via project tested better and improved applied problem-solving skills

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:05 am

by eSchool News

Educators often talk about 21st-century skills and the benefits of incorporating communication, creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking into lessons. These are skills students rarely learn straight out of a textbook. The best way to teach them, we’ve found, is by making these skills a relevant part of their active lives. If that sounds daunting, rest assured, it doesn’t always have to be. One way we have taught these skills is through project-based learning (PBL), where students apply what they’ve learned during a hands-on project that is relevant to the real world — and their lives.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/11/01/our-research-shows-that-when-students-work-on-projects-they-learn-more/

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New data: Higher ed has massive misconceptions about low-income student success

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:03 am

BY LAURA DEVANEY, eCampus News

New data released at EDUCAUSE challenges the commonly held perception that low-income students have a categorical deficit and cannot thrive in a variety of four-year college ecosystems. Contrary to a commonly-held belief that low-income students are more likely to struggle in a four-year institution, new data indicates students from low-income households are, in fact, likely to thrive in four-year institutions, according to a new survey. Higher education institutions are relying on predictive analysis to make decisions about admission and resource allocation, but that process could perpetuate the under-representation of minority and low-income students, according to a survey released by vibeffect at EDUCAUSE.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/events/conferences/educause/take-low-income-students-thrive/

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Online learning: the benefits outweighs the drawbacks

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:01 am

by Abimbola Jubril, Western Herald

Technological advancements have allowed us to accomplish what seemed like impossible tasks a few decades back. Technology has become a part of our everyday life, assisting in every way imaginable. We can easily communicate with loved ones, purchase items online and even get a degree, all without being physically present because technology gives us the ability to do so. Online education has certainly been growing in popularity over the past couple years. Though there are still some negative perceptions about online learning, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

http://www.westernherald.com/opinion/campus_issues/article_1c740a36-9d4f-11e6-b351-e37ac392df9e.html

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November 13, 2016

Udemy launches online class to help you start a career

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:09 am

by FinBuzz

If you are targeting at an entry- or junior-level position at a top investment bank, like Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase or Goldman Sachs, or you are simply seeking to expand your breadth of knowledge, “The Complete Investment Banking Course” provided by Udemy could be perfect for you. Everything this bundle comprises will make you acquainted with the inner system of investment banks. The course is taught by 365 Careers, a firm specializing in advanced financial training programs, and it comes with lots of interactive material, including five hours of video training and 103 lectures.

http://finbuzz.com/udemy-launches-online-class-help-start-career/

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How online education can fix its student retention problem

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:05 am

By Satesh Bidaisee, Herald Chronicle

The recent growth of online education has been astounding. Last year, 35 million people signed up for at least one online class. The popularity of online learning is easy to understand. Today, students have access to well over 4,000 courses in a wide array of subjects, from chemistry to philosophy to graphic design. Many courses are free. There is, however, a serious problem currently keeping online education from reaching its full potential — low retention rates. About 90 percent of enrollees in “MOOCS” — short for “Massive Open Online Courses,” which have unlimited registration and are the most popular online education product — drop out within two weeks. The key to solving this problem? Making MOOCs more interactive. While MOOCs can never perfectly replicate the in-person back-and-forth of traditional brick-and-mortar schools, they can capitalize on modern technologies that empower students to more intimately engage with the material, their instructors, and their peers.

http://www.heraldchronicle.com/how-online-education-can-fix-its-student-retention-problem-guest-editorial/

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Immersive game-based experiences aim to revolutionize the way students learn calculus

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:03 am

by eCampus News

“Variant: Limits” brings calculus to life by transforming abstract ideas into creative and visually-engaging challenges. Calculus courses today have one of the highest failure rates of any course on any campus, yet Calculus remains a core element of the ever growing STEM curriculum. Easing complex Calculus concepts for students, Triseum is unveiling the first game in a new series of immersive educational experiences for Calculus students, Variant: Limits, at this week’s EDUCAUSE conference. The Variant series gives students a new perspective on difficult Calculus topics, empowering them to learn through high quality, fun and results-driven experiences.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/technologies/gaming/triseum-learn-calculus/

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November 12, 2016

State University System of Florida Looks to Double Online Enrollment

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:07 am

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

A system of 12 public universities in Florida has set a goal that will double student enrollment in online classes within a decade. The State University System of Florida (SUSF) wants 40 percent of undergraduate credit hours completed online by 2025. According to a News4Jax report, at the most recent Florida Board of Governors meeting, the Innovation and Online Committee said that cost is the main factor driving the transition to online courses. The committee wants to make online classes more affordable for students, citing the fact that last year students actually paid more on online classes at certain universities compared to on-campus classes, due to distance learning fees that would range from $15–$55 per hour.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2016/10/26/state-university-system-of-florida-looks-to-double-online-enrollment.aspx

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4 ways technology is effectively bridging higher ed to the workforce

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:04 am

BY MERIS STANSBURY, eCampus News

Internet- and technology-based supports are helping traditional colleges and universities reach the national goal of helping students find their place in the workforce. In the midst of the seemingly never-ending debate as to whether or not traditional higher education institutions can help graduates find meaningful employment, four overarching technology-based pathways and tools seem to be doing an excellent job of trying to end the heated argument. “The historic disconnect between higher education and the needs of the labor market is a data problem,” writes Ryan Craig for TechCrunch. “In the past, data translating the discrete skills or competencies that employers need was not easily available or meaningful to faculty who create courses, or the students who take them.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/alternative-pathways/technology-bridging-workforce/

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Is higher ed finding its ideal in micro-master’s?

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:03 am

BY JEREMY CUNNINGHAM, eCampus News

Relevancy within post-grad careers just became as easy as a 5-course plan called a micro-master’s. It’s a jarring realization that after 9 years of post-high school education, a person can feel stuck. But that’s how I feel sometimes as I consider my professional options. I love what I do as a high school teacher and part time college instructor. Yet, as I sense the education landscape dynamically shifting all around me, I wonder what is next. How can I stay relevant without starting all over with another 3, 4, or 9 years of education?

http://www.ecampusnews.com/cc-blog/career-pathways/ideal-micro-masters/

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