Online Learning Update

By Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

A growing number of colleges are turning to for-profit companies to help them run their online programs, and to help finance them. These companies are known as online program managers, or OPMs. The relationships can mean a clash of cultures. One college official recalled a meeting where the head of a popular OPM showed up wearing a gold chain and talking about the “cost of acquisition” of students. That focus on sales can be uncomfortable for traditional colleges, who prefer to talk about their nonprofit missions of preparing students to be good citizens.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-04-04-when-colleges-consider-outsourcing-online-programs-calculations-can-get-complicated

By Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive
Three markets are driving the growth in online education, according to a new report by consultancy Entangled Solutions: online education for graduate students, online courses for traditional undergraduates and fully online education for undergraduates.  Graduate and professional online programs are the most competitive, with about one-third of graduate students taking all their courses online. In comparison, fully online undergraduate education, which primarily targets adult learners, has “significant room for growth,” and online courses for traditional undergraduates is the “least developed” market. Although the online education space has become increasingly crowded, most of the growth has been concentrated. The 10 institutions with the largest online-only enrollment account for about 20% of fully online students, while the top 100 institutions account for about half.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/3-ways-colleges-can-expand-online/552109/

Liam Tung, ZDnet

Amazon has plans to establish a constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit to patch up areas with poor or no internet connectivity. The documents were filed by Kuiper Systems LLC. First spotted by Geekwire, the documents reveal Amazon plans to put 3,236 satellites at three different altitudes. There would be 784 satellites orbiting at an altitude of 367 miles (590km); 1,296 satellites at 379 miles (610km); and 1,156 satellites at 391-mile (630km). An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the existence of Amazon’s satellite broadband ambitions, noting that it was a “long-term project that envisions serving tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet”.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/amazons-big-internet-plan-3236-satellites-to-beam-faster-cheaper-web-to-millions/

Marianne C. Bickle, Ryan D. Rucker, Katherine Annette Burnsed; OJDLA

The purposes of this study were to examine students’ satisfaction with online learning and identify attributes that contribute to humanizing the online classroom. A total of 228 students participated in the study, which attempted to determine whether students perceived a social presence in the online course as a result of a variety of communication tools used in group participation assignments. Findings revealed students’ perceptions of a high-quality course were dependent upon continual communication with the instructor, a predetermined method of connecting students with one another and students’ ability to express their opinions. Different group activities and the use of technology allowed online learners to make humanistic connections with other students and the instructor.

https://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring221/bickle_rucker_burnsed221.html

Michael Staton, Clemson College of Education
The Clemson University College of Education honors teachers every year during Extra Yard for Teachers. Its new SC Teacher Incentive Program is one of many ways it will say “Thank you” to dedicated South Carolina educators all year long.  South Carolina teachers pursuing graduate education programs in Clemson University’s College of Education will receive a 10 percent tuition reduction thanks to the college’s new SC Teacher Incentive Program beginning in the 2019-20 academic year. The program will apply to four of the college’s online master’s programs: its Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teaching and Learning, M.Ed. in Literacy and both the M.Ed. and Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision. The discount will apply to any South Carolina teacher currently employed in a K-12 classroom.

http://newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/clemson-college-of-education-to-discount-online-degree-programs-for-s-c-educators/

WMTW
A proposal at the state house would allow Maine school departments to make up snow days in new ways. According to “An Act To Give Maine Schools Additional Options To Make Up Missed School Days,” the bill would add language to the state law to allow schools make up snow days with packets of homework or develop plans to make up days under state guidance. The homework that is meant to cover a snow day is sometimes referred to as a blizzard bag. According to the Department of Education, current law allows schools to make up missed school days by rescheduling the day, postponing the end of the school year, holding weekend classes and adding hours to the school day.

https://www.wmtw.com/article/blizzard-bags-online-learning-could-make-up-for-missed-school-days-in-maine/27040767

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology
open educational resources
Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is working with three of the largest community college systems in the country to adopt the use of interactive open educational resources. The Consortium for Open Active Pathways, as it’s called, will use technology to increase the availability of college-level educational materials, particularly in healthcare studies, a big component of community college education. The work is being funded by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The other institutions involved are Maricopa Community Colleges in Phoenix, Florida’s Miami Dade College and Indiana’s Ivy Tech Community College.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/04/04/arizona-state-working-with-community-colleges-in-interactive-oer-pilot.aspx

Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive

As AI technology steers colleges away from a one-size-fits-all approach, it is helping them make progress on one of their most long-running goals: making higher ed more accessible to all types of learners. It is doing that in several ways. Among them, by scanning class materials for accessibility issues, improving learning tools for students with disabilities and offering personalized resources for learners who may need additional support, such as those who speak English as a second language. AI stands to open the door to levels of accessibility that weren’t possible before, and its effects extend to the entire student body.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/will-artificial-intelligence-make-the-college-classroom-more-accessible/551988/

By IBL News

Adam Medros, President and CCO at edX, explained in a video-interview with IBL News the new business model that edX Inc is adding to its strategy to become financially sustainable. Medros elaborated on the B2B, the edX For Business initiative, which he defined as “a natural extension of selling in bulk what is already available for B2C”. He also referred to edX’s new “Lean OPM” model. “Online Master’s is a fantastic market opportunity: we can change affordability, accessibility, and the cost of offering a degree,” he explained. The main value of the edX (and Coursera, too) offer in this area is the cost of acquisition per learner. Usually, with 2U and other traditional OPMs the cost of getting a student goes beyond $5,000, experts told IBL.

https://iblnews.org/2019/04/03/edx-as-a-new-opm-we-can-change-the-economics-of-customer-acquisition-and-retention/

Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed
A growing number of colleges and employers are working together to better use labor-market data in postsecondary training. Two experts discuss what’s possible and what’s needed. The tight labor market is helping prod employers and colleges to cooperate more closely to ensure that credentials pay off in the work force. And solid data on the labor market and student outcomes are key to this collaboration.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/04/04/experts-discuss-uses-labor-market-data-postsecondary-training

By Nick Howe, ATD

Doctors are among the most time-pressured, highly educated professionals. After the rigors of medical school and residency, they take on demanding jobs while also preparing for board certification. Throughout their years in practice, doctors must engage in continuing education and lifelong learning to stay current with the latest research, advancements in medical science, and best practices in medicine. And throughout it all, time remains scarce. To address this need, Area9 partnered with NEJM Group (a division of the Massachusetts Medical Society, publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine) to create a first-of-its-kind adaptive learning offering: NEJM Knowledge+. NEJM Knowledge+ was launched in 2014 as a highly efficient, effective way for physicians to prepare for board exams, pursue continuing medical education (CME) and maintenance of certification (MOC), and engage in lifelong learning. Based on the Area9 adaptive learning platform, this smart technology is able to adapt to clinicians’ goals and pace of learning while identifying their knowledge gaps to deliver the specific instruction needed.

https://www.td.org/insights/adaptive-learning-solution-for-time-starved-professionals

Mark Lieberman, Inside Higher Ed

The Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University has since 2008 launched 351 new online master’s degree courses across 21 programs. Slightly more than 100 of those courses have been redeveloped or refreshed since their inception. At first, the school planned to redevelop courses on a three-year cycle, according to Paul Huckett, assistant dean of learning design and innovation in the engineering school. During a session last Thursday at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association’s annual conference here, Huckett jokingly called that approach “an absolute lie.” We were never going to complete that. It was impossible,” Huckett said. “We’ve adjusted that a wee bit.” The new process involved establishing a comprehensive database that includes detailed information on each existing course: when it was first developed and launched, how many times it has been offered, who has taught it. The next step was a “redevelopment prioritization list.”

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/04/03/processes-developing-and-revamping-online-courses-emerge

Robert Hansen,  Kathleen Ives, Russ Poulin; EvoLLLution
Despite changing student demographics and technological advancements, the American higher education regulatory infrastructure and related legislation continue to address only the needs of traditional postsecondary students. In this interview, leaders from three associations serving providers of non-traditional higher education—Robert Hansen from UPCEA, Kathleen Ives from OLC and Russ Poulin from WCET—discuss some of the critical reforms needed for federal legislation to better fit the 21st-century model of higher education.

https://evolllution.com/managing-institution/government_legislation/aligning-the-regulatory-environment-with-the-21st-century-realities/

by Debbie Carraway and Marc Hoit, EDUCAUSE Review

When we began work on redesigning IT governance, our goal was to bring IT governance into alignment with the university’s mission. Our existing governance process was complex and technology focused, with more than forty committees and subcommittees comprised largely of IT staff at various organizational levels. We reviewed our existing IT governance process to identify its strengths and weaknesses and found several problem areas. There was confusion about committee scope and decision-making authority, as well as deficiencies in communication among the various committees. Subcommittees were making tactical and operational decisions, and strategic issues were not consistently brought forward to governance. However, participants found value in having a forum for communicating with peers and an opportunity to share information about IT issues and initiatives.

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2019/3/redesigning-it-governance-for-digital-transformation-at-north-carolina-state-university

By Sara Friedman, THE Journal
While the technology is still in the nascent stages, blockchain-based education systems have the potential to revolutionize how school districts manage student data. At the fundamental level, blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology that allows parties to share information with each other through a controlled system that manages transactions. Universities started exploring this space over the last few years in academic credentialing. Transcripts, grades, test scores and digital diplomas could be stored in a student’s digital wallet, where the student has control over how the information could be shared. Blockcerts, developed by MIT’s Integrated Learning Initiative and Learning Machine, is one initiative that is helping universities and students take ownership of their data when it comes to digital diplomas. Southern New Hampshire University and Central New Mexico Community College have also taken steps to offer digital diplomas to their graduates.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2019/03/28/blockchains-potential-for-education.aspx

By Sara Friedman, THE Journal
See also: Blockchain’s Potential for Education
When it comes to using blockchain technology, there are several use cases across all sectors that institutions are interested in. However, some considerations need to be taken into account before jumping into the technology in full force. New America’s Blockchain Trust Accelerator has released a checklist for deploying a blockchain-powered solution in the blockchain sector:

https://thejournal.com/articles/2019/03/28/blockchain-deployment-checklist.aspx

BY SIR ANTHONY SELDON, Campus Technology

A more international and forward-looking model of university archetypes have been outlined by Glyn Davis, formerly vice chancellor of the University of Melbourne. The “influencer” university is international in perspective, strongly driven by research and tackling the major issues facing each individual country and the world. The “agile” university is rich in AI and digital technology, and dedicated to applied research as well as giving students a competitive advantage. The “consultant” university is focused on the job market and its purpose is to serve organizational clients who buy expert advice, education, and research/innovation to boost their own performance. Finally, the “community” university is less interested in national and international league tables and has its raison d’etre principally in serving local students and business, and in championing them on national stages.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2019/04/03/what-will-next-gen-universities-look-like/

A Q&A with Kyle Bowen by Mary Grush, Campus Technology
At Penn State University, campus conversations once centered on digital literacy. Now, they’re focused on digital fluency. Do these topics sound similar? Here, Penn State’s Director of Teaching and Learning with Technology Kyle Bowen explains why the differences may be greater than you think.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/04/01/exploring-digital-fluency-at-penn-state-university.aspx

By David Raths, Campus Technology
Most instructional designers will tell you their work begins with getting a foot in the door with faculty and building rapport from there. Here are three ways to make that relationship a success. With the growth in hybrid and online courses and the introduction of open educational resources, active learning concepts and new learning spaces, it is an exciting time to be an instructional designer in higher education. More faculty members need help rethinking course activities, materials and assessments. Yet like campus librarians, instructional designers still struggle at times to raise awareness about the variety of services they can offer and to form meaningful partnerships with other stakeholders on campus — in part because some faculty members see them as IT support staff.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/04/03/3-keys-to-engaging-faculty-in-instructional-design.aspx

By Roy A. Swift, WorkCred

Credentials can play an important role in helping to close these staffing gaps due to skills mismatch. They can help individuals gain new skills and demonstrate that they have attained competencies needed by industry, and they can help employers understand what an individual knows and can do. However, to maintain their validity, credentials must be aligned with the current skill needs of industry and updated continually as those skill requirements evolve. As highlighted in the research report, aligning competencies with employer needs requires  effective communication and collaboration among employers, credentialing organizations, and education and training providers.

https://rfums-bigtree.s3.amazonaws.com/files/resources/newneededresearchunderstandcredentialingneeds-swif-3.pdf

By Jillian Berman, Market Watch

The college experience means many things to many people — it can be a place to make lifelong friends, expand the mind or learn some of the skills associated with participating in a democracy. Still, over the past few decades, policymakers, employers, parents and students have all coalesced around one goal they believe college should achieve: Preparing students for a decent career. Right now, organizations like TalentPath are working with college graduates to help them fill gaps in their training and land jobs. Recent graduates participate in an immersive training program for 12 weeks and then TalentPath hires them out to companies for roughly 18 months, paying their salary while billing the client for their services. After the 18-month commitment, the company has the option to hire the TalentPath worker as a full-time employee.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/college-students-of-the-future-could-get-their-career-prep-from-private-companies-not-universities-2019-04-01