Online Learning Update

May 31, 2018

Will Blockchains Revolutionize Education?

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

by David McArthur, EDUCAUSE Review

Researchers, educators, and developers have envisioned various roles for blockchains in education and training, including their use for storing standards and issuing credentials. Several possibilities arise based on ideas from blockchains that provide trustworthy intellectual property records. For example, an educational standards committee might upload formal statements of their official competency hierarchies to a blockchain. Further, smart contracts managed in blockchain systems such as Ethereum could establish conditions under which a student would receive a certificate from a provider, and a series of those contracts could define a full degree program.

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2018/5/will-blockchains-revolutionize-education

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Declining Majority of Online Adults Say the Internet Has Been Good for Society

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

BY AARON SMITH AND KENNETH OLMSTEAD, Pew Internet
At the same time, the contours of connectivity are shifting: One-in-five Americans are now ‘smartphone only’ internet users at home.  Americans tend to view the impact of the internet and other digital technologies on their own lives in largely positive ways, Pew Research Center surveys have shown over the years. A survey of U.S. adults conducted in January 2018 finds continuing evidence of this trend, with the vast majority of internet users (88%) saying the internet has, on balance, been a mostly good thing for them personally. But even as they view the internet’s personal impact in a positive light, Americans have grown somewhat more ambivalent about the impact of digital connectivity on society as a whole.

http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/04/30/declining-majority-of-online-adults-say-the-internet-has-been-good-for-society/

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Show What You Know: The Shift To Competency

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

by Tom Vander Ark, Forbes

“GPAs are worthless as a criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless,” said Laszlo Bock, former head of HR at Google. “Google famously used to ask everyone for a transcript and GPAs and test scores, but we don’t anymore, unless you’re just a few years out of school. We found that they don’t predict anything,” added Bock. In the now famous 2013 interview with the New York Times, Bock signaled the beginning of the end of courses and credits as the primary measure of learning and the beginning of the show what you know era. Professions (including law, real estate, and accounting) have long relied on test-based measured of readiness. Some professions have gone a step beyond to require demonstrated competence (e.g., doctors and pilots are required to pass tests, endure simulations, and perform in a variety of live settings).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomvanderark/2018/05/21/show-what-you-know-the-shift-to-competency/#6687f2a81a5b

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May 30, 2018

Brookings survey finds worries over AI impact on jobs and personal privacy, concern U.S. will fall behind China

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

 

by Darrell M. West, Brookings

To examine attitudes towards AI, researchers at the Brookings Institution undertook an online national survey of 1,535 adult Internet users between May 9 and May 11, 2018. There has been considerable controversy over the workforce impact of AI and whether it will create new jobs or reduce the number of jobs. When asked about the employment impact, 12 percent indicated they thought artificial intelligence would create jobs, 13 percent believed it would have no effect on jobs, 38 percent said it would reduce jobs, and 37 percent didn’t know or gave no answer. Men (42 percent) were more likely than women (34 percent) to say AI will reduce jobs. The group most likely to feel that way were people aged 25 to 34 years old as 43 percent of them felt that way.

Brookings survey finds worries over AI impact on jobs and personal privacy, concern U.S. will fall behind China

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Should large companies co-provide university courses?

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

By Tony Featherstone, Sydney Morning Herald

Picture this: a top law firm and a university law school form a commercial joint venture to provide undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees. Each has equity in the new company. A mix of university lecturers and law firm staff teach the course, providing theory and practice. The course has a higher component of online learning compared to traditional degrees. There is more industry-based learning as students spend time at the law firm.

https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/companies-joint-venture-university-courses-degrees-20180508-p4ze2z.html

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Enrollment Declines Steepest in Midwest and Northeast

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:06 am

By Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed
Overall college enrollments continue to slide, according to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, a nonprofit that tracks 97 percent of students who attend degree-granting institutions that are eligible to receive federal financial aid. This spring the center found a decline of more than 275,000 students, or 1.8 percent, compared to the previous spring. The decrease follows six straight years where fewer students attended college in the U.S. Enrollments went down in 34 states this spring, the center said. Six of the 10 states with the largest declines are in the Midwest or Northeast (see below).

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/05/22/enrollment-declines-steepest-midwest-and-northeast

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Going beyond the hype: How AI can be used to make a difference

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

BY ELENA COX, eCampus News
Artificial intelligence’s potential to reduce human error and to scale human expertise is worth understanding.  We can also measure inspired ideas and expertise by administration, faculty, advisors, coaches, and others for correlation to individual success and evidence of performance at scale. We have found variables in the output that are low- to no-cost to test in control trials and then at scale. This combination of actionable data, extracted with precision, and affordable practices that work at scale is the powerful promise of AI to education. Realizing this promise depends on human intelligence and discipline around data practices. With dialogue about AI and ML becoming pervasive, and often surrounded by excitement, it is important that everyone in this sector gain a basic understanding and language on this subject. Otherwise, this dialogue can become another hyperbole.

Going beyond the hype: How AI can be used to make a difference

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May 29, 2018

Georgia Tech Envisions ‘Deliberate Innovation, Lifetime Education’ in New Report

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:06 am

by Susie Ivy, Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology announces the official release of Deliberate Innovation, Lifetime Education, a report based on input and recommendations from the Commission on Creating the Next in Education, an Institute-wide commission of more than 50 faculty, staff, and students. Using the year 2040 as a long-term vantage point, the Commission was asked to explore and evaluate innovative approaches to higher education, and address issues facing current and future students. The group was also tasked with making recommendations on alternative educational models that reduce costs, improve the effectiveness of current methodologies, and increase opportunities and accessibility to serve the needs of the next generation and beyond.

http://www.news.gatech.edu/2018/04/24/georgia-tech-envisions-deliberate-innovation-lifetime-education-new-report

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How Digital Credentialing is Driving the Shift Towards a Learning Economy

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

by Louis Soares, Evolllution

Digital credentials are at the forefront of broader technological innovation in the academic sector and signal the possibility of broader cooperation between higher education and the labor market—but, as Louis Soares points out, the revolution towards a true learning economy is far from finished. For evidence of this expansion, the American Council on Education (ACE) has partnered with Credly to allow participants in ACE’s College Credit Recommendation Service to award badges recognizing professional and academic achievements. In this interview, Soares lays the groundwork for continued growth in digital credentialing, and discusses the role of the ACE in exploring, adopting and acculturating technological change in higher education.

How Digital Credentialing is Driving the Shift Towards a Learning Economy

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May 28, 2018

Student ROI more dependent on degree than status of institution

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

By Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive
When it comes to student return on investment, differences in marketplace value among fields of study means that students are often able to earn higher salaries with significantly less education, because what they make no longer depends on “how many degrees” are earned or “where you go to college,” said Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, during a recent episode of “In Focus” from Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies.  Carnevale said there’s a $3.3 million career-earnings difference between the highest-paying bachelor’s degree and the lowest-paying bachelor’s degree, and because of this gap, 40% of people with bachelor’s degrees make more than those with graduate degrees, on average.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/student-roi-more-dependent-on-degree-than-status-of-institution/523421/

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How artificial intelligence will change the future of work

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

by Fred Dews, Darrell M. West, and Bill Finan; Brookings

Darrell West, director of the Center for Technology Innovation, discusses his recent book “The Future of Work: Robotics, AI, and Automation.” West explains that as robots, artificial intelligence, and automation make it possible to be more productive while working fewer hours, society must change its definition of work.

 

How artificial intelligence will change the future of work

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Will Google Duplex Evolve Into a Virtual Teaching Assistant?

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

by Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Once we get over Google’s boneheaded failure to clearly indicate that the calls were originating from a computer, can we take a step back and try to think about the implications of this technology? What Google is demonstrating with Duplex is the ability of AI (artificial intelligence) to have conversations.  Right now, these conversations are limited.  Duplex will be able to call and make a dinner reservation or a styling appointment, but it is not clear what else the technology will be able to do. The current generation of personal digital voice assistants – Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant and Microsoft’s Cortana – are just not all that useful.  They seem like a technology in search of a problem to solve.

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/will-google-duplex-evolve-virtual-teaching-assistant

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May 27, 2018

For Free Community College, Online Learning Isn’t Always Part of the Recipe for Success

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:06 am

By Sydney Johnson, EdSurge

Free community college programs are springing up around the country, aiming to bring more students to local higher-ed institutions. But several colleges experimenting with such programs are avoiding a tactic that other public institutions are increasingly using to boost numbers: online learning. That’s the case in Tennessee—one of the first states to introduce a free college program, called Tennessee Promise—where advisors at some campuses steer students participating in the program away from online courses. Students entering their first year in Tennessee Promise aren’t prohibited from taking online courses, says Judy Lowe, assistant vice president for academic resources and testing at Chattanooga State Community College. However, she and other officials at Chattanooga State worry that sending students straight into online courses might hurt their chances of success.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-05-18-for-free-community-college-online-learning-isn-t-always-part-of-the-recipe-for-success

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Pros, Cons of Online Learning for Students With Disabilities

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

By Jan Holloway and Chris Foley, US News

Online learning can provide a practical, workable option for diverse populations of learners, including students with various kinds of disabilities. Attending an online college offers flexibility, convenience and privacy. Various assistive devices and applications can help students consume information in formats that align with their needs. Before pursuing a degree online, though, be sure to consider the pros and cons.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2018-05-18/pros-cons-of-online-education-for-students-with-disabilities

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Educause Releases 2018 Horizon Report Preview – Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

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

After acquiring the rights to the New Media Consortium’s Horizon project earlier this year, Educause has now published a preview of the 2018 Higher Education Edition of the Horizon Report — research that was in progress at the time of NMC’s sudden dissolution. The report covers the key technology trends, challenges and developments expected to impact higher ed in the short-, mid- and long-term future.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/04/27/educause-releases-2018-horizon-report-preview.aspx

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May 26, 2018

How Can We Improve Accessibility Through Instructional Design?

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

By Michael Sano, EdSurge

Regardless of how they represented their concepts, #DLNchat-ters agreed: accessibility starts at the beginning of the design process. Phyllis Brodsky put it this way, “The commitment to accessibility should be authentic, not rote, and up front, not an afterthought… Applying sound pedagogy that drives design and truly integrates UDL is foundational.”  Part of this process is considering the platform in which the course will be designed. As Albat pointed out, “Just the LMS can be a challenge in itself. Screen readers have an awful time with the separate sections.”

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-05-09-how-can-we-improve-accessibility-through-instructional-design-dlnchat

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Where Are All the Faculty in the Open Education Movement?

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:06 am

By Jasmine Roberts, EdSurge

Open educational resources (OER) are gaining increasing popularity. And as an active member in what advocates define as the “open education movement,” I frequently hear about the growing dissatisfaction of textbook costs and pedagogical concerns among faculty about outdated course materials. When I attend professional gatherings on open education, however, instructors like myself are often the minority. Yet open educational materials impact faculty and students alike, and many instructors are using these resources today. So why are there so few practitioners actively involved in increasing open education?

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-05-16-where-are-all-the-faculty-in-the-open-education-movement

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The online world at risk of ADA lawsuits

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

by Kent Bernhard, Pittsburgh Business times

Lawsuits and enforcement actions over websites’ accessibility to disabled people have swamped businesses, as well as colleges and universities over the past several years. “We’ve seen such a spike in the last few years in threatened litigation and enforcement actions,” says Susan Deniker, an attorney with the law firm Steptoe & Johnson PLLC who focuses on labor and employment law, litigation, and education law. “We’ve seen this hit many different industries. Any business that has a public website faces these issues.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2018/05/07/the-online-world-at-risk-of-ada-lawsuits.html

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May 25, 2018

Connecticut Online consortium to close due to declining revenues

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

by Jarrett Carter, Education Dive

The Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium, which works with the states public institutions on online programs and technology, announced it will shut down, ending a 20-year digital institutional collaborative, according to Inside Higher Ed. While no closure date is set, consortium officials said they want to keep some of its most productive programs after shutting down. The consortium, which is partially funded by the state, cites decreased enrollment and budget cuts as key elements of its closure. Much of its operation was driven by revenues from online instructional design, consulting, web integration and system hosting, and expanded over its history to service the state’s K-12 districts and state agencies.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/online-consortium-to-close-due-to-declining-revenues/522912/

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Global Corporate LMS Market Expected to Grow to USD 7.12 Billion by 2023

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

By Cait Etherington, eLearning Inside

A new study suggests that the corporate LMS market will grow from USD 2.06 billion in 2018 to USD 7.12 billion by 2023, at a compound annual growth rate of 28.2% over the five year period in question. Factors driving the increase include the ongoing innovation in eLearning tools, increasing mobility of these tools, and growing demand for continuous learning. The study was released by Research and Markets earlier this week and is based on interviews with chief executive officers (CEOs), marketing directors, innovation and technology directors, and executives from a wide range of key organizations in the corporate LMS market.

Global Corporate LMS Market Expected to Grow to USD 7.12 Billion by 2023

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The Good Life and Open Online Learning: MOOCs after the hype.

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

By Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

MOOCs are one more platform that faculty can use for public engagement. An advantage of MOOCs is that this public engagement can be interactive, two-way, and participatory. Good open online courses have high levels of engagement. Much of the connections formed in a MOOC are between and across learners. Still, these are real learning communities. There are many other complementary advantages to open online education. Well run MOOC programs will help advance the core residential, blended, and online teaching on the campuses in which they originate. MOOCs can be opportunities to develop new materials – such as simulations and assessments – that can be re-purposed for traditional (small-scale) courses.

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/good-life-and-open-online-learning

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