Online Learning Update

by Brian Rashid, Forbes

StudySoup, a new age learning marketplace was designed to cater to both students’ increasing comfort interacting and sharing via digital platforms, as well as their needs to find new resources to expand their educational experiences. The StudySoup platform was born out of the founders’ own frustrations with limited peer-driven academic resources in the digital age. As a student at UC Santa Barbara, Sieva Kozinsky knew, firsthand, that traditional study aids were not cutting it as sufficient academic resources. As a student, he felt limited by the resources he had at his disposal: outdated guides, incomplete class notes, and online tutors who were well out of his budget as a student. Feeling trapped by the lack of help he felt he had, and the lack he saw his friends experiences, Sieva created a peer-driven solution that has opened up the world of academic tutoring and exploration and has empowered students to take more proactive roles in fueling their classmates academic trajectories. Here are a few ways StudySoup has rocked the collegiate world for the better:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianrashid/2017/06/15/how-this-entrepreneur-is-changing-the-way-college-leaders-are-learning/

BY SOPHIA STUART, PC Magazine

Class, in this case, is being conducted through my computer. I’m enrolled in a massive open online course (MOOC) through FutureLearn, and for the past three weeks, my Philosophy of Technology and Design class has studied the challenges (and opportunities) between humans and our emerging silicon cousins (robots, automated transportation, and other things as yet uninvented). Our professor, Dr. Peter-Paul Verbeek, is from the University of Twente in the Netherlands, while my classmates include AI researchers, industrial engineers from Indonesia, a civil engineer from South Korea, system designer from India, quite a few educators from Western Europe, and at least nine PhDs from Denmark, Italy, UK, and the US. We’re not alone. According to stats from Class Central, at least 23 million people registered for a MOOC for the first time in 2016; overall, 58 million students at 700+ universities took 6,850 online courses worldwide last year.

http://www.pcmag.com/news/354333/giving-online-learning-a-try-with-a-crash-course-in-robot-et

by The Star

East Mississippi Community College is the first college in Mississippi to offer an E-Commerce Technology program tailored to meet a growing need for employees in the online business sector. “One of our goals at EMCC is to ensure that our course offerings reflect marketplace demands,” EMCC Associate Dean of Instruction Dr. Melanie Sanders said. “Given that the impact of E-Commerce is being felt across the global economy, we felt that the time was right to offer a program that would help our students capitalize on this growing industry.” “We will offer a prestigious one-year certificate for business graduates that can be completed in two semesters online,” EMCC Marketing instructor Dr. Joshua Carroll said. “This is perfect for graduates with a master’s degree who are looking for certification in E-Commerce.

http://www.meridianstar.com/news/business/emcc-first-community-college-in-the-state-to-offer-e/article_38cc9027-26d2-57df-b740-00894ac1e328.html

by Lin Qi, China Daily

China’s new e-university taps lecturers around the globe. The recent launch of the online L-Art University in China promises to give people access to courses taught by lecturers around the world. L-Art University went live on May 20 to provide training to professionals in art and culture. It also caters to art lovers and collectors who regularly visit museums. Anyone interested can register for and follow a course at the university’s website, LArt.org, or download its app. On offer are 10 courses, including 3D animation, filmmaking, exhibition design, 20th-century European art and museum management. Young people take art courses offered by LArt University, a new online-education institute, taught by lecturers around the world. Each course involves seven to 14 classes, each of which is a 30-minute video uploaded weekly. The course prices start at a few hundred yuan.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/aec/asean_plus/30318254

by: Martin Arnold, Financial Times

The market for recruiting blockchain engineers has been described as “red hot”. But where can aspiring software coders find training about the intricacies of this technology? There has been a surprising dearth of courses available in this nascent but fast-growing field. Yet the signs are that this is starting to change. Blockchain is a technology that powers cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, the value of which soared to more than $2,500 recently, up almost fivefold in the past year. Blockchains allow encrypted data on anything, from money to medical records, to be shared between many companies, people and institutions. This protects data from fraud while instantly updating all parties concerned. Experts say the demand for expertise is coming from all sectors — from financial services to retail — and it is far outstripping supply.

https://www.ft.com/content/f736b04e-3708-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3

by Priyanka Sangani, Economic Times

Online education provider Udacity analysed data on online course consumption in the country and found a sharp increase in demand since the start of the year. Uncertainty in Indian IT sector has led to employees learning new technologies on their own time. Online education provider Udacity analysed data on online course consumption in the country and found a sharp increase in demand since the start of the year. Linked below are the key findings:

http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate/demand-for-online-education-courses-shoot-up-due-to-it-sector-uncertainty/59212489

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Most adults would change at least one big decision related to their college education if they could, related to their major (36 percent), what institution they attended (28 percent) or what type of degree they pursued (12 percent). This finding came from interviews with almost 90,000 U.S. adults conducted as part of an “Education Consumer Pulse” survey run between June 2016 and March 2017 by Gallup and Strada Education Network. Strada, previously USA Funds, is a nonprofit focused on student success in higher education. The Education Consumer Pulse is a new research platform developed by the two organizations to research “education consumers.”

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/06/12/adults-regret-their-college-education-decisions.aspx

by Shalina Chatlani, Education Dive

Managers of Facebook groups listed as a class or school have noticed that the site now has an option where they can upload course units that can also track progress, reports Inside Higher Ed. The program is actually the company’s initiative to connect developers together, in a program known as Developers Circle; Facebook has teamed up with Udacity to develop training programs for them on artificial intelligence and internet-connected devices, but other users in the education space have noticed that these features are available more widely. Facebook has not definitively said whether these features were intended to turn the site into a platform for online learning; rather, a Facebook spokesperson had said that the company is still “testing” them.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/facebook-testing-new-features-to-turn-site-into-platform-for-online-educati/444874/

by Autumn A. Arnett, Education Dive

According to a recent Moody’s analysis of private colleges, 70% of the wealth in higher ed is concentrated between 20 institutions, while most others continue to struggle with declining revenues and negative investment returns. Nearly one-third of small colleges across the country were operating in the red in fiscal 2016. This number represents an increase from 20% three years ago, and shows a steep contrast to large institutions, which saw a decline in institutions facing operational deficits from 20% to 13% in the same period. Expense growth is outpacing revenue growth, though by small margins, while the median return on cash and investments last fiscal year was -1.8%.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/moodys-70-of-wealth-in-higher-ed-is-concentrated-among-20-institutions/444980/

By Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

The Competency-Based Education Network, a grant-funded group of 30 institutions with competency-based programs, has become a free-standing nonprofit association and is opening up its membership. The group was founded in 2013 and has been funded exclusively by the Lumina Foundation. Last year C-BEN released a draft set of voluntary quality standards for the emerging field. As it becomes an association, the group said its priority is to spread knowledge and expertise about competency-based education. “C-BEN is based on the conviction that collaboration across institutional boundaries is key to accelerating progress on the toughest challenges facing advocates of competency-based learning,” Charla Long, C-BEN’s executive director, said in a written statement.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2017/06/19/competency-education-group-opens-membership

By Jordan Friedman, US News

Prospective online students should research whether employers in their industry prefer online degrees with certain programmatic accreditation. When it comes to pursuing an online degree, it’s important to select a legitimate program offering marketable credentials. A key indicator of legitimacy, experts say, is accreditation. Though it’s voluntary, accreditation has several benefits and typically validates a program to other colleges and universities as well as employers. While it’s generally safe to assume that online programs at reputable universities are accredited, experts say it doesn’t hurt to double check. For those earning a degree from a lesser-known online school, researching accreditation is particularly important given the prevalence of scams on the internet.

https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/2017-06-12/how-to-check-if-an-online-program-is-accredited-follow-5-steps

By Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

New Facebook features intended for developers could, if expanded, turn the social networking site into an online learning platform. Facebook is testing new features in its developer community that, if rolled out across the platform, could let anyone on the social networking service teach online courses. Moderators of some Facebook groups listed as school or class have recently noticed that they can add course units that link to one another. As members of the groups work their way through the units, their efforts are tracked by a progress bar. The features are part of an initiative, known as Developers Circles, to connect local developers with one another that Facebook launched at this spring at its developers conference, F8. The company is working with online education provider Udacity to create training programs for developers who participate in the circles.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/06/12/facebook-testing-features-let-users-teach-online-courses

BY LEE RAINIE AND JANNA ANDERSON, Pew Research Center

In 1999, 18 years ago, when just 4% of the world’s population was online, Kevin Ashton coined the term Internet of Things, Neil Gershenfeld of MIT Media Lab wrote the book “When Things Start to Think,” and Neil Gross wrote in BusinessWeek: “In the next century, planet Earth will don an electronic skin. It will use the internet as a scaffold to support and transmit its sensations. This skin is already being stitched together. It consists of millions of embedded electronic measuring devices: thermostats, pressure gauges, pollution detectors, cameras, microphones, glucose sensors, EKGs, electroencephalographs. These will probe and monitor cities and endangered species, the atmosphere, our ships, highways and fleets of trucks, our conversations, our bodies – even our dreams.”

http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/06/06/the-internet-of-things-connectivity-binge-what-are-the-implications/

by LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

A new guide for trustees and academic leaders profiles successful efforts to increase affordability and high-quality education. Bold thinking and bold action from higher-ed trustees and academic leaders are essential if the next generation of students is to have access to high-quality and affordable education, according to a new report. With a little creativity and engagement, though, trustees and campus administrators can implement policies and strategies that improve campus efficiency, accountability, educational quality, and completion rates. Bold Leadership, Real Reform 2.0: Improving Efficiency, Cutting Costs, and Expanding College Opportunity, revisits schools profiled in an earlier report and provides updates on the schools’ initiatives and efforts to improve institutional quality and lower costs.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/campus-administration/innovative-university-models/

by LEIGH M. AND THOMAS GOLDRICK, Campus Technology

It’s up to IT leaders within colleges and universities to explore the pros and cons of integrating these disruptive technologies. Despite Higher Ed’s reputation for being slow to adapt, it is undeniable how disruptive certain technologies have been in recent years. The Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality, and advancements in online learning have changed the way universities reach prospective students, engage with their current student body, and provide them the resources they need. As with any disruption, there are certain “growing pains” that forward-thinking universities must endure to stay on the leading edge of Higher Ed technology. It’s up to IT leaders within these institutions to explore the pros and cons of integrating new technologies, so that they may guide decision-making processes before external elements force their hands.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/disruptions-and-innovations/disruptive-technologies-higher-ed/

by Matt Zalaznick, University Business

Badges have not just motivated students to take a deeper look at the skills they’ve earned. Several institutions also issue badges for professional development. At Emporia State University in Kansas, badges awarded to faculty who’ve completed a course in online teaching readiness have been viewed online more than any badge the institution offers to students or instructors. “Faculty are parlaying that into potential evidence for tenure and promotions,” says Rob Gibson, director of learning technologies. Auburn University in Alabama does not specifically mandate professional development. So, Lindsay Doukopoulos, assistant director of the university’s Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, launched a badging program in April 2017 to incentivize participation in the university’s workshops.

https://www.universitybusiness.com/article/badges-give-faculty-boost

By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway, Campus Technology

It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that OERs — Open Education Resources — are the future of curriculum. That said, turning OER into actual, coherent, cohesive, aligned curricular lessons is fraught with challenges. The particular challenge under our microscope here is this: we aren’t seeing support for the full life-cycle of an OER-based lesson on OER websites. Say what? Let’s step back — in time — to when curriculum was “atoms (paper) based” in contrast to today’s OER-curriculum that are “electronic bits-based.” While it might not have been explicit, there was nonetheless a “life-cycle” to a lesson that teachers followed:

https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/06/05/supporting-the-full-life-cycle.aspx

by Sri Ravipati, Campus Technology

The total number of devices connected to IP networks is projected to be three times the global population by 2021. Internet of things (IoT) technologies specifically are expected to represent more than half of the total 27.1 billion devices and connections. That analysis comes from Cisco’s recent Visual Networking Index for the 2016-2021 forecast period. Wireless and mobile devices will make up 63 percent of total IP traffic by 2021 — up from 51 percent in 2016. ”TVs, tablets, smartphones and machine-to- machine (M2M) modules will have traffic growth rates of 21 percent, 29 percent, 49 percent and 49 percent, respectively,” according to the report.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/06/09/iot-to-represent-more-than-half-of-connected-device-landscape-by-2021.aspx

BY ROB SPARKS, eCampus News

Have faculty, administrators and advisors actually prepared their students for the “real world” and aligned programs, degrees and training with the job market? Without diminishing the quality of the academic program, have students made the right choices to fulfill their ambitions and aspirations and begin their contributions to society? For decades, institutions have made it their missions to improve not just academic outcomes for their students but also career outcomes. Career fairs, services and internships have been a staple of the student experience for decades. But the reality is that most employers still find graduates lacking essential skills and academic programs lagging behind current needs in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Often, educators find themselves out of sync with the job market.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/campus-administration/universities-data-grads-careers/

By Joe Chapman, US News

Online degrees allow students to get to the next level in their careers, but time management can be challenging. The reality is that there will never be a perfect time to return to school. But that doesn’t mean that earning a degree is beyond reach. Heading back to school requires organization and patience and support from those around you. Higher education also remains the best pathway to career success, directly impacting employment opportunities and wages. A study from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found that bachelor’s degree holders earn 31 percent more than those with an associate degree and 74 percent more than those with only a high school diploma.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-06-09/3-things-to-know-about-working-while-getting-an-online-degree