Online Learning Update

March 17, 2017

Unexpected advantage I saw taking online classes

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

By Jager Robinson, Newsday

The next shift in higher education is coming online. Whether it be through full online programs or select courses offered as part of an on-campus degree, online learning is taking large steps toward becoming a mainstream approach to higher education. Contrary to common beliefs, early results provide no data to suggest that accredited online degrees, like Georgia Tech’s, teach less than their in-person counterparts: Several Harvard economists, who studied GA Tech’s program, concluded students “finish their courses with at least as much knowledge as their in-person counterpart.” With the introduction of prestige into the affordable online environment, online learning is taking a shift for the best. Whether it be fully online, or a hybrid degree, colleges and universities across the country are taking the necessary steps to provide for an increasingly online world.

http://www.newsday.com/opinion/commentary/unexpected-advantage-i-saw-during-online-classes-1.13227353

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The Future is Hybrid

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

by Anant Agarwal, Huffington Post

The digital approach of online learning is a convenient way to develop hybrid skills. Traditional education and traditional corporate training is incredibly siloed. This approach leads to students and employees who may have an extremely in-depth understanding of one specific field, but will not be equipped to succeed in the hybrid jobs that today’s workplace is embracing and tomorrow’s workplace will be composed of. Here is where taking a digital approach is the game changer. The digital approach allows the learner to transcend time and space and reach outside their current silo to flexibly learn new things at their own pace. Specifically, you can learn new things digitally while continuing in your current major or chugging away on your current job as and when you can make the time.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-future-is-hybrid_us_58c081e6e4b0a797c1d398a4

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Ransomware-An executive guide to one of the biggest menaces on the web

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

By Danny Palmer, ZD Net

As ransomware continues to evolve, it’s therefore crucial for your employees to understand the threat it poses, and for organisations to do everything possible to avoid infection, because ransomware can be crippling. Cybercriminals didn’t use to be so obvious. If hackers infiltrated your corporate network, they would do everything possible to avoid detection. It was in their best interests not to alert a victim that they’d fallen victim to cybercrime. But now, if you are attacked with file-encrypting ransomware, criminals will brazenly announce they’re holding your corporate data hostage until you pay a ransom in order to get it back. It might sound too simple, but it’s working: cybercriminals pocketed over $1bn from ransomware attacks during 2016 alone. Everything you need to know about ransomware is at the link below: how it started, why it’s booming, how to protect against it, and what to do if your PC’s infected.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-an-executive-guide-to-one-of-the-biggest-menaces-on-the-web/

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March 16, 2017

The truth about MooCs and bootcamps: Their biggest benefit isn’t creating more coders

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

By Nick Heath, Tech Republic

The world needs more software programmers and MooCs and coding bootcamps promise to deliver the needed skills. But as an on-ramp to becoming a developer, they have debatable value. No one can fault the ambition of the companies that run Massive Open Online Courses. One of the pioneers of these online learning hubs, Udacity founder and chairman Sebastian Thrun, recently summed up their mission as nothing less than democratizing education.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-truth-about-moocs-and-bootcamps-their-biggest-benefit-isnt-creating-more-coders/

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edX Announces New MicroMasters® Programs

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

by edX

With 12 of our prestigious university partners, we are offering new MicroMasters programs across in-demand fields such as business analytics, digital product management, cybersecurity and data science. These programs build on the success of the MicroMasters product launch in September 2016. Columbia University, Rochester Institute of Technology and Curtin University continue their participation in the MicroMasters initiative, offering additional, new programs to learners worldwide. And, we are excited to welcome new partners to MicroMasters programs, including Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, The University of California, San Diego, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), The RWTH Aachen University, University of British Columbia, University System of Maryland and others.

http://blog.edx.org/new-micromasters-programs-gain-demand-knowledge-advance-career?track=blog

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Revenue declines in 24 states could lead to massive cuts in higher ed

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

by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

More than 24 states are projecting a decrease in tax revenues for this fiscal year, a circumstance that will yield substantial cuts for public higher education across the country. Missouri has been among the nation’s most aggressive states in higher education divestment over the last two years, cutting more than 8% of total sector spending. Smaller schools like Harris-Stowe State University expect the cuts to force tuition increases and financial hardship for low-income students. The culture of budget trimming is counter to the ongoing construction explosion and competition between institutions for marketing to and enrolling students.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/revenue-declines-in-24-states-could-lead-to-massive-cuts-in-higher-ed/437509/

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March 15, 2017

5 innovative strategies to support non-traditional students

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

BY LAURA ASCIONE,eCampus News

The report notes that the number of non-traditional students is projected to increase more than twice as fast as traditional students from 2012 to 2022, according to the CLASP Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success. And because non-traditional students are among the fastest-growing student groups, this means schools face retention challenges. Only 37 percent of at-risk students said they feel confident they will accomplish their educational goals, and 33 percent of those at risk participate in extra-curricular activities, compared to 62 percent of non-traditional students who are not at risk of not graduating. The at-risk group spends less time on campus–10 hours per week compared to the 16 hours per week that non-traditional on-track students spend on campus.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/campus-administration/support-non-traditional-students/

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16 of this year’s biggest teaching and learning issues in higher ed

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

BY MERIS STANSBURY, eCampus News

Since 2011, the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) has surveyed the higher education teaching and learning community to identify its key issues. This year, the top three dominant issues within colleges and universities include those around faculty development, academic transformation and digital and information literacies. The community polled by the ELI is wide in scope: the initiative solicits input from all those participating in the support of the teaching and learning mission, including professionals from the IT organization, the center for teaching and learning, the library, and the dean’s and provost’s offices. According to college and university thought leaders, these are the 16 biggest teaching and learning issues in 2017

http://www.ecampusnews.com/campus-administration/biggest-teaching-learning-issues/

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How to address faculty’s 3 biggest online learning concerns

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

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

Online and blended learning programs from higher-ed institutions across the nation certainly inspire innovation, but higher-ed administrators must consider faculty point of view amidst these changes, according to Building Trust: How to Address Faculty Concerns about Online Education, a new whitepaper from Wiley Education Services. Nearly five years ago, 58 percent of professors in a Babson College survey described themselves as having “more fear than excitement” about the growth of online learning; more than 80 percent of academic technology administrators, on the other hand, said they felt more excitement than fear. The whitepaper aims to help administrators better understand faculty concerns about online learning, and it also offers recommendations to address those concerns.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/online-learning/facultys-online-learning-concerns/

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March 14, 2017

‘No Plans’ to Delete Free Content

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 11:17 am

By Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

The recent decision by the University of California, Berkeley, to restrict public access to free online educational content has raised questions about whether other colleges and universities will do the same to avoid legal action. Disability rights groups have been open about continuing to take the legal route to ensure that institutions don’t discriminate against students with disabilities. Inside Higher Ed asked several universities that offer free online courses and other educational content if they are considering following in Berkeley’s footsteps. The institutions that did respond were unanimous in their responses: they will continue to offer publicly available content. It is unclear whether the Justice Department will take as active a role in accessibility lawsuits under President Trump.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/14/after-uc-berkeley-announcement-universities-say-they-will-continue-offer-free

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The Rise of Online Education: Why More NJ Students Are Opting for Online Courses

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

by NJ Today

A few years ago, a lot of high school graduates would move out of New Jersey to pursue the degree of their choice. The same can be said for professionals wanting to pursue a master’s degree in their fields. Today, however, that same pattern is becoming less and less obvious. The main reason behind this is the increasing popularity of online programs. Online education has changed a lot over the years. Today, even undergraduate students prefer to take online programs instead of the equivalent offline course. There are a number of reasons behind this new rise of online education.

http://njtoday.net/2017/03/03/rise-online-education-nj-students-opting-online-courses/

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10 Tips on Embedding Industry and Professional Certifications in Education Programs

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

by Holly Zanville, Evolllution

More and more of today’s students stand to benefit from a promising new trend: certification-embedded education programs. These are partnerships between education institutions and industry and professional associations that stack industry certifications within education programs. The practice lets learners simultaneously obtain marketable industry certification(s) and education credentials such as degrees, diplomas and certificates. The certifications are not typically awarded for completing an education program based on students’ seat time and grades; rather, they’re awarded through assessment and validation that the learner has indeed achieved specific learning outcomes or attained a defined level of knowledge or skill relative to a given industry standard.

http://evolllution.com/revenue-streams/professional_development/10-tips-on-embedding-industry-and-professional-certifications-in-education-programs/

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Online MBAs: digital degrees come of age

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

by Jonathan Moules, Financial Times

Last year there was a small but significant increase in the take-up of programmes covered by the annual Financial Times Online MBA Ranking. Enrolment numbers on these course rose on average 7 per cent for the 15 schools in the 2016 ranking. Five more schools were added to this year’s ranking, reflecting an increase in online offerings from notable institutions. Several factors have come together to drive this shift. They include the tightening of visa conditions in the UK and elsewhere, schools attempting to reach overseas markets, advances in teaching technology and the growing credibility of online

https://www.ft.com/content/4e1934a8-f47a-11e6-95ee-f14e55513608

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March 13, 2017

4 Benefits of Virtual Labs

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

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

Now consider classroom technology and how it is also evolving rapidly. Implementation of technology in the classroom goes beyond Google searches and reading apps. It stretches into every area of learning, including the sciences. Virtual laboratories are popping up in school districts and online learning curriculum across the country and making it easier and less expensive for students to do experiments remotely. Here are some of the benefits of virtual labs.

http://www.theedadvocate.org/4-benefits-of-virtual-labs/

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Coursera chief on the future of online learning and the Trump era

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

by: Hannah Kuchler, Financial Times

“What online technology does for business schools is very substantially expand their market to people who don’t take time out from their career to come back to business school,” Mr Levin says. Coursera was originally designed to provide the infrastructure for universities to put any course online. However, it was quickly adopted by people looking for practical business courses to improve their performance at work. “I think the breakthrough occurred when Wharton took the plunge and put a mini-version of its first-year core curriculum online,” he says. “It was extremely successful and that got people more interested. It saw the potential branding and visibility to a large global audience — our 24m learners on the platform.”

https://www.ft.com/content/554ddb6e-f47c-11e6-95ee-f14e55513608

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Technology and the Future of Online Learning

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

By Ruth Reynard, Campus Technology

What are the latest technologies to impact the evolution of online learning? According to eLearningIndustry.com, there were “5 Amazing eLearning Trends in 2016”: Mobile Learning; Gamification; Video-Based Training; Competency-Based Learning; and Big Data. I would suggest that these were not trends specific to 2016, as they were emerging through the years along with the technology changes and developments I’ve briefly outlined. What has taken place more recently, however, is a clearer impact on learning and specifically the delivery, organization, presentation and engagement/interaction involved in the learning process. I would agree, though, that gamification and big data have emerged more strongly as critical aspects of full engagement with and application of learning — they are the product of new knowledge and information scope.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/03/01/technology-and-the-future-of-online-learning.aspx

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March 12, 2017

Infographic: 6 Career Change Stories From Online Students

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

By Jordan Friedman, US News

Among the greatest benefits of online learning for working adults, many students say, is the ability to pursue a new career or advance a current one as they work full time, and to apply what they learn in class to their job, and vice versa. That’s the case whether they’re returning to school to earn an online bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. Here are stories from six past and current online students about how online education enabled them to change careers, and the advice they offer prospective students aiming to follow a similar route.

https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/2017-03-02/infographic-6-career-change-stories-from-online-students

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Courseware, Learning Analytics See Most Acquisitions in Ed Tech Market

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

By Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

The ed tech market is restless. With vendors constantly acquiring and merging with other companies and startups popping up every other month, it can be difficult to keep track. Courseware, learning analytics platforms and constituent relationship management (CRM) platforms are the fussiest, with these market segments seeing the most consolidations. Cloud-based student information systems (SISs) are slowly being adopted, while adaptive learning and online program managers (OPMs) seeing the most growth at disproportionate levels.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/03/03/report-courseware-learning-analytics-see-most-acquisitions-in-ed-tech-market.aspx

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Embrace Mobile Technologies as an Online Student

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

By Joe Chapman, US News

Prospective online students should ensure that video lectures can we viewed on all their devices. The ways that people today access information have become increasingly mobile. With that, universities are providing opportunities for students to learn on the go. Reports indicate that internet usage on smartphones in the U.S. will soon surpass desktop computers. Since many online students juggle time-consuming obligations at work and home while also working toward a college degree, having the option to learn through mobile devices like smartphones and tablets is important. When choosing an online degree program, make sure the technologies available for learning fit in with your daily life and will benefit, not hinder, your education experience.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-03-03/embrace-mobile-technologies-as-an-online-student

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March 11, 2017

Virtual Laboratories – All Good?

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

BY MATTHEW LYNCH, Tech Edvocate

Implementation of technology in the classroom goes beyond Google searches and reading apps. It stretches into every area of learning, including the sciences. Virtual laboratories are popping up in school districts and online learning curriculum across the country and making it easier and less expensive for students to do experiments remotely. Perhaps the most often cited benefit of any online learning is that it can be done at the student’s convenience and when he or she learns best. The same is true of virtual laboratories if the experiments are on the student’s own time. In some cases, a virtual lab may be used during regular class time which narrows this benefit but still allows flexibility for the teacher who is not limited by using resources within a strict timeframe.

http://www.thetechedvocate.org/virtual-laboratories-all-good/

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Udacity acquires CloudLabs to enable collaborative programming for students

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:08 am

by CIOL

Marking its first ever acquisition, online education platform Udacity has acquired CloudLabs, a small five-person firm building interactive coding environments that let groups collaboratively code from within their browsers. Interestingly, Cloud Labs also creates platforms where others can come up with interactive computer programming courses. For instance, Terminal.com that enabled the custom creation of computer programming courses built around an interactive, container-based, command-line interface. Meanwhile, Udacity hopes to implement the company’s live developer environments in some of its courses. With this new tech, instructors will be able to inspect the code, draw attention to specific issues and screen share with students.

http://www.ciol.com/udacity-acquires-cloudlabs-to-enable-collaborative-programming-for-students/

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