Online Learning Update

August 22, 2020

Will Online College Courses Help Reduce Textbook Prices?

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

Robert Farrington, Forbes

While the textbook industry would obviously hate for that to happen, the realities of pursuing higher education in the midst of a pandemic might bring this change regardless. Like it or not, students attending school virtually don’t have a lot of incentive to purchase a big, bulky textbook when most of their materials are presented online. With that in mind, maybe — just maybe — Covid-19 will actually have a positive impact in this tiny part of our lives. If online school could bring down textbook prices, it would be a huge win for college students who desperately need a break.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertfarrington/2020/08/07/will-online-college-courses-help-reduce-textbook-prices/#459ec1fc133c

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August 21, 2020

College in the time of coronavirus: Challenges facing American higher education

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:11 am

American Enterprise Institute

Forward-thinking institutions will recognize that the pandemic has accelerated preexisting demographic and financial challenges to their model and will translate necessary, short-term modifications in course delivery, student services, academic calendars, and pricing and fee structures into lasting reforms.

https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/college-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-challenges-facing-american-higher-education/

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Colleges begin releasing coronavirus test results ahead of fall

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

Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive
Colleges and universities are beginning to release the results of coronavirus tests done on students and employees upon their return to campus. Some institutions — including the University of Kentucky, the University of Washington and West Virginia University — also have public dashboards showing how many coronavirus cases the tests are turning up. These efforts can encourage colleges to be more transparent, but officials should also explain what the data means and how they’re using it to make decisions, experts say.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/colleges-begin-releasing-coronavirus-test-results-ahead-of-fall/583336/

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2U reports ‘unprecedented demand,’ but challenges lurk ahead for OPMs

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

2U reports ‘unprecedented demand,’ but challenges lurk ahead for OPMs
Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive

Although the pandemic has been a boon for distance education, online program managers can still expect headwinds. On the heels of a turbulent year, 2U appears to have turned a corner. The past three months have brought “unprecedented demand” to the online program management (OPM) company’s entire suite of offerings, its CEO, Chip Paucek, said on a call with investors last week. This marks a shift from last year, when 2U’s stock tumbled after company officials said they expected to launch fewer graduate degree programs and have smaller program sizes going forward.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/2u-reports-unprecedented-demand-but-challenges-lurk-ahead-for-opms/582902/

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August 20, 2020

Student Loan Debt by School by State 2020

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

Mike Brown, LendEDU

Not only has outstanding student loan debt ballooned to $1.67 trillion, but the coronavirus pandemic has students and parents weighing the true value of higher education and the financial burden of student loan debt that usually comes with earning a degree. This year, we found that burden continues to increase as the average borrower from the Class of 2019 left campus with $29,076 in student loan debt, an increase from the $28,565 owed by the average borrower from the Class of 2018.

https://lendedu.com/student-loan-debt-by-school-by-state-2020/

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Global Study Reveals There’s No Unplugging from Online Learning for Most Learners

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

Pearson

Pearson has released the results of its second Global Learner Survey, an annual study capturing the voice of learners worldwide. The findings show learners believe there is little likelihood of ever returning to the pre-COVID world of fully in-person work and learning, with more than 75% saying the pandemic has fundamentally changed education as we know it. While learners come to terms with this new reality, they also are pushing for schools and government to address inequity and rushing to gather the digital skills that will help them adapt to the new economy.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-study-reveals-theres-no-unplugging-from-online-learning-for-most-learners-301108637.html

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MIT Develops Open Source Tool to Support Spontaneous Online Conversations

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

Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
Researchers at MIT’s Sloan School of Management have developed a new software platform for having private, on-the-spot conversations online. Called Minglr, the open source tool is designed to replicate the kinds of interactions people might have before and after meetings, in the lobby during breaks of conferences and around the office coffee machine, in a virtual environment. “By making these interactions possible online, systems like Minglr can further boost the desirability and feasibility of remote work, learning, and professional networking,” the university said in a news announcement.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/08/05/mit-develops-open-source-tool-to-support-spontaneous-online-conversations.aspx

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August 19, 2020

After the Pandemic, Higher Education Can’t Afford to Go Back to ‘Normal’

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

Mordecai I. Brownlee, EdSurge

The truth is, while many institutions have used the idea of “innovation” as a marketing ploy, the pandemic has exposed the lack of innovation in academe. But student retention and persistence in the remote, online environment can be improved—if faculty are better prepared to creatively deliver engaging instruction that is relevant to today’s job market.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-08-06-after-the-pandemic-higher-education-can-t-afford-to-go-back-to-normal

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4 recommendations for online learning this fall

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

LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News
A new resource from Indiana University (IU) offers a look at some of the most important factors that make online learning a success. When IU closed physical classes and moved to online instruction, the eLearning Research and Practice Lab started work to gauge undergraduate students’ and instructors’ online learning experiences via a full-census survey. While the trends and recommendations that emerged from that survey aren’t intended to evaluate the university’s online learning success, they do play an important role in helping stakeholders gain insight into the practices and policies that may help to guide their planning for fall.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2020/08/10/4-recommendations-for-online-learning-this-fall/

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At Home, Workers Seek Alternative Credentials

Filed under: Online Learning News — Ray Schroeder @ 12:04 am
Lindsay McKenzie, Inside Higher Ed

Several leading massive open online course providers, coding bootcamps and business schools offering non-degree credentials reported manyfold increases in web traffic, inquiries and enrollments. Though big surges took place in April and May, they quickly started to flatten for most providers. They did not, however, return to their original baseline. Online learning leaders report that interest in both free and paid credentials is holding steady at a rate that is significantly higher than what many were seeing last year — suggesting the pandemic and subsequent economic downturn may have a lasting counter-cyclical impact on online enrollment.

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August 18, 2020

University of Kentucky Partners With NAACP to Establish New Research Initiative

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

Walter Hudson, Diverse Education
The University of Kentucky is partnering with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to establish a research initiative focused on education equity, civil rights and social justice. The initiative, which will be housed in the university’s College of Education, will support the NAACP’s work in ensuring that all disadvantaged students, particularly students of color, have access to quality teaching, equitable resources and a robust academic curriculum, said university officials.

https://diverseeducation.com/article/186876/

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CED Provides Recommendations for Higher Education Reform After COVID-19

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

Sarah Wood, Diverse Education
A new brief from the Committee for Economic Development of the Conference Board (CED) provides recommendations to policymakers for how to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the higher education system. The brief, “Developing the Future Workforce: Revitalizing Postsecondary Education and Training After COVID-19,” lays out the challenges faced by institutions during the pandemic and recommends ways to improve postsecondary education and workforce training in a post-pandemic society.

https://diverseeducation.com/article/185717/

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Watch 3 Videos from Coursera’s New “Machine Learning for Everyone”

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

Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World

Machine learning is booming. It reinvents industries and runs the world. According to Harvard Business Review, machine learning is “the most important general-purpose technology of our era.” But while there are so many how-to courses for hands-on techies, there are practically none that also serve business leaders – a striking omission, since success with machine learning relies on a very particular business leadership practice just as much as it relies on adept number crunching.

https://www.predictiveanalyticsworld.com/machinelearningtimes/watch-3-videos-from-courseras-new-machine-learning-for-everyone/11555/

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August 17, 2020

Embracing the Unknown: Why Online Postsecondary Study Is Worth the Risk

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

Kathleen Bortolin, EDUCAUSE Review
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown much of higher education into disarray, but amid this storm are opportunities to redesign teaching and learning in dynamic, student-centered, and empathy-rich ways, with a mind to the skills that students will need to succeed now and in the future.  I think another dimension of this change is emerging: postsecondary teaching may evolve to be, somewhat counterintuitively, even more student-centered, wellness-based, and empathy-enriched. In my experience, many instructors are not just dumping content into online platforms, walking away, and calling it a day.

https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/8/embracing-the-unknown-why-online-postsecondary-study-is-worth-the-risk

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Gen Z views traditional college path as old school

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

LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News
While young people believe education is critical to their future, they’re not always convinced a 4-year degree is the right solution. Amidst a global pandemic, American teenagers remain steadfast in their belief that higher education plays a key role in their future success; however, the paths they are planning to take after high school differ from previous generations. In fact, more than half are open to something other than a four-year degree and 70 percent want to follow their own educational pat

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2020/08/07/gen-z-views-traditional-college-path-as-old-school/

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Big Ten Universities Partner to Offer Free Online Courses

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

Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
This fall, students at any of the seven participating Big Ten Academic Alliance universities will have access to free online courses at other Big Ten schools. The initiative is designed to “enhance educational opportunities for students during the COVID-19 crisis,” according to a news announcement. Available courses include Supply Chain Security and Risk Management; Design Thinking and Creativity; Inequality: Determinants and Policy Remedies; Insect Biology; Introduction to the Built Environment; and Intro to Sports Marketing and Management; among others.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/08/05/big-ten-universities-partner-to-offer-free-online-courses.aspx

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August 16, 2020

Transitioning to Online Learning

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

Laura Otten, Diverse Education

Almost 20 years as a full-time, face-to-face teacher of both undergraduate and graduate students—and six years running as teacher in and director of a totally virtual master’s program—has taught me a thing or two about both pedagogical models. And while I continue to surprise myself every time I say it, I have developed a preference for virtual teaching. I would encourage my peers to think differently about this opportunity for skill acquisition, especially as public health experts are forecasting several waves of COVID-19 cases. Adaptation to what could be a new normal will be critically important for academics and students, alike. Done well and done right, virtual teaching is so much more challenging and far more time consuming for the faculty member than is face-to-face teaching, but the educational benefits to the students are exponentially greater.

https://diverseeducation.com/article/186510/

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Collaboration Tools for the Future of Online Learning

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

Dana Corey, EdTech

As higher education leaders prepare for what remains an undefined fall semester, they face a whirlwind of decisions. With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on reopening changing seemingly every day, so do the on- and off-campus procedures for colleges across the nation. As a result, colleges and universities are depending on collaboration technologies to keep their students and faculty connected safely through the unforeseeable future of the global health crisis.

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2020/08/collaboration-tools-future-online-learning

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Low-income households falling further behind on student debt due to COVID-19

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

Jason Jabbari, et al; Brookings Institution
On January 20, 2020, the United States reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19. By March 13, New York City had declared a state of emergency. To better understand the influence of COVID-19 on American household finances, the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis conducted a nationally representative survey with approximately 5,500 respondents in all 50 states from April 27 to May 12, 2020. Within our sample, roughly one-fourth of households (24 percent) had student loans with an average balance of $30,118 (median amount = $14,750). Of 1,264 households with student loans, roughly one-fourth (23 percent) reported being behind on their student loan payments, and over half of these households (58 percent) reported that they were behind on their student loan payments as a result of COVID-19.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/08/05/low-income-households-falling-further-behind-on-student-debt-due-to-covid-19/

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August 15, 2020

Moving to Offense: A New Playbook for Confronting Budget Shortfalls

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

Tammy Kolbe and Rick Staisloff, Inside Higher Ed

Across-the-board cuts and salary freezes won’t make colleges sustainable. It’s time to adopt a strategic framework for financial decision making.  State revenues were projected to drop 10 percent for the 2020 fiscal year (which ended June 30), and as much as 25 percent again in 2021. Institutions are uncertain about fall enrollment numbers and face increased cost in operations due to the need to address immediate COVID-19 impacts and invest in alternative ways to deliver instruction. And, unlike the years following the 2008 recession, institutions cannot expect to fill budget holes by raising tuition, owing to concerns over the already high cost of tuition and student debt burden.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/08/06/new-playbook-confronting-higher-education%E2%80%99s-looming-budget-shortfalls-opinion

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10 Types of Credentials You Can Earn Online

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

Jordan Friedman and Josh Moody, US News

When it comes to online learning, students should choose a credential that fulfills their goals while providing flexibility – whether it’s a single course certificate or a full degree. “There’s such a wide range of offerings to them at economical prices that allow them to target their education specifically to their career plan,” says Ray Schroeder, associate vice chancellor for online learning at the University of Illinois—Springfield. In fact, the nonprofit Credential Engine calculates more than 738,428 “unique credential programs” in the U.S., a number that Executive Director Scott Cheney expects to continue to rise. Here are 10 different credentials students can earn online.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/slideshows/10-types-of-credentials-you-can-earn-online

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