Online Learning Update

Alejandro Caballero, University World News

Around the world traditional, campus-based universities are facing headwinds as they try to expand student enrolment. The challenge is especially acute in more advanced developing countries where the college-age population is shrinking for the first time due to decreasing birth rates. In addition, the rise of the gig economy and the decline of lifelong professions are leading some young people to wonder if the classic four-year campus college degree is still worth it. Meanwhile, the appetite for digitally delivered higher education continues to grow.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20191126141606776

Tony Bates, University World News

Changes over the past 50 years to higher education systems now require lecturers to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of different teaching methods, how learning actually takes place, how to select and use technology appropriately and how to validly assess students. We can argue about the details, but the broad picture is overwhelming: post-secondary instructors need proper training to teach well.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2019112809050642

IBL News

“In the last few years, MOOCs have been generally focused on micro-credentials and certifications; now, it is more about online degrees and corporate training,” Dhawal Shah, Founder and CEO at Class Central, explained in a video interview with IBL News.

https://iblnews.org/today-moocs-are-focused-on-online-degrees-and-corporate-training-says-dhawal-shah/

BY LAURA ASCIONE, eCampus News

“While the majority of recent college graduates believe that their education brought them value in obtaining employment, there remains a large minority that hold some reservations about the career preparation aspect,” says Dr. Larry Chiagouris, the report’s director. “If you consider that most companies would not be pleased to learn that more than a third of their customer base holds some form of negative perception, it’s clear that there is a path to improvement in this area.”

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2019/11/28/what-do-millennials-think-of-their-college-education/

University Herald Reporter

Online education has grown visibly over the last few years. It has a tendency to offer inexpensive and flexible learning alternatives as compared to the standard education system. You can clearly take a look at online and get a possible diploma certificate upon completing your tasks. Online training is honestly the ideal manner to strike a balance among work, own family and research.

https://www.universityherald.com/articles/76941/20191129/which-is-better-school-online-or-a-standard-education.htm

Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kennesaw State University computer science student Rebekah Roepke said the courses in her major teach the technical skills necessary for a career in her field, but not all of the communication skills, the “soft skills” many employers say students are not learning in college. The core curriculum upgrade is one of several changes the system’s chancellor, Steve Wrigley, has pushed as part of a long-term plan to improve student success. The system earlier this month got approval from the regents to expand online learning opportunities and address barriers for working and adult learners through a new strategic plan.

https://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/georgia-system-upgrading-core-college-education-curriculum/kLUioX8rhTsJgfcXxNf1XO/

Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Given all this growth in online learning (at the institution, program, and student level), why is it that the role of faculty is so seldom discussed? We often hear about the benefits of online education for students (flexibility, ability to work, etc.) and schools (enrollment and revenue), the advantages of creating new online programs for faculty gets less attention. Seldom do we hear university leaders saying things like: “We plan to grow our online education programs so that our professors can make more money, enjoy more flexible professional lives, and learn new skills to enhance their teaching.”

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/prioritizing-faculty-online-education

By Matthew North, New Scientist

Artificial intelligence is getting better at reading your mind. An AI could guess what videos people were watching purely from their brainwaves. Grigory Rashkov at Russian research firm Neurobotics and his colleagues trained an AI using video clips of different objects and brainwave recordings of people watching them. The recordings were made using an electroencephalogram (EEG) cap and the video clips included nature scenes, people on jet skis and human expressions. The AI then tried to categorise and recreate the video clips from EEG data alone. In 210 out of 234 attempts, the AI successfully categorised each video, by providing tags such as waterfalls, extreme sports or human faces.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2224866-ai-recreates-videos-people-are-watching-by-reading-their-minds/

Above the Law and iLaw

As technology continues to integrate itself into the practice of law, law schools are the latest to get on board with the digital revolution. We sat down with Ken Randall, former Dean of the University of Alabama School of Law and founder of distance learning company iLaw (a BARBRI Company), to discuss the rise of hybrid J.D. programs and how iLaw is helping law schools to expand their offerings in today’s digital era.

https://abovethelaw.com/2019/11/how-online-learning-is-revolutionizing-legal-education-a-discussion-with-ken-randall-of-ilaw/

Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kennesaw State University computer science student Rebekah Roepke said the courses in her major teach the technical skills necessary for a career in her field, but not all of the communication skills, the “soft skills” many employers say students are not learning in college. The core curriculum upgrade is one of several changes the system’s chancellor, Steve Wrigley, has pushed as part of a long-term plan to improve student success. The system earlier this month got approval from the regents to expand online learning opportunities and address barriers for working and adult learners through a new strategic plan.

https://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/georgia-system-upgrading-core-college-education-curriculum/kLUioX8rhTsJgfcXxNf1XO/

Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed

New federal data show that more than a third of all 2018 college and university students took at least one online course, and that online enrollments continue steady growth as overall numbers dip. The proportion of all enrolled college students who took at least one online class continues to rise, edging up to 34.7 percent in fall 2018 from 33.1 percent the previous year. The rate of increase appears to be slowing ever so slightly, although online education remains the main driver of growth in postsecondary enrollments. These are among the conclusions one might glean from the latest federal data on distance education enrollments, drawn from the Education Department’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/12/11/more-students-study-online-rate-growth-slowed-2018

Michael Miller, Eduventures

2019 IPEDS data shows Master’s programs now make up nearly 16% of completions across all levels of U.S. higher education. For several years, this market has been the primary sector of growth for many institutions—led in large part by the development of online programs. In October, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released new data about the number of academic programs offered in specific fields of study and how many students completed those programs for the 2017–2018 school year. As a critical dataset for anyone interested in the health of online master’s programs, we’ve done some initial analysis.

https://encoura.org/2019-ipeds-update-five-insights-into-the-online-masters-market/

Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

If you’re like me, you probably wonder what the future holds, especially in the arena of technology as it relates to education. As I read about the advancement of artificial intelligence, I can’t help but look to 2020 for what I think will be some of the most welcome trends in AI development.

https://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-i-expect-from-ai-in-2020/

Knowledge@Wharton

Imagine software that creates its own software. That is what machine programming is all about. Like other fields of artificial intelligence, machine programming has been around since the 1950s, but it is now at an inflection point. Machine programming potentially can redefine many industries, including software development, autonomous vehicles or financial services, according to Justin Gottschlich, head of machine programming research at Intel Labs. This newly formed research group at Intel focuses on the promise of machine programming, which is a fusion of machine learning, formal methods, programming languages, compilers and computer systems.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/ai-machine-learning/

Shailaja Neelakantan, EdTech

At Columbus State Community College’s Bridge to College Math course, there is no professor at the front of the room lecturing students. Instead, students sit in pairs at carrels — one at a computer and another with a notebook — as two math instructors make their way through the room. As this happens, a central workstation monitors the students’ computer screens to keep track of their learning progress. Instructors then analyze this information and tailor teaching to each student as part of an adaptive learning system — powered by AI and advanced algorithms — introduced at this Ohio community college seven years ago. The system has transformed Columbus State’s course completion rates, especially for historically disadvantaged students.

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2019/11/colleges-see-equity-success-adaptive-learning-systems

Hallie Busta, Education Dive

Jonathan Finkelstein, Credly’s founder and CEO, is optimistic that the market will become more open to these credentials. Traditionally, whether students complete 25%, 50% or 90% of their programs, they receive the same level of recognition from their institution — none at all. This has created a population of “some college, no degree” students who have invested significant time, effort and resources into their postsecondary education, and who have gained skills and competencies but have no way of demonstrating what they’ve learned or of unlocking the labor market value of these abilities.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/credlys-ceo-on-how-colleges-can-prepare-students-for-skills-based-hiring/568078/

KVOA

Just under 45,000 students attend the University of Arizona during this fall semester, according to the Arizona Board of Regents.  However, some students are not coming onto campus at all thanks to a big rise in online classes.  “It’s broadening our borders beyond the main campus,” Associate Vice Provost for Digital Learning Melody Buckner said. Campus officials say the number of undergraduates taking one or more online classes is up more than 45 percent compared to a year ago.

https://kvoa.com/news/2019/11/25/arizonas-public-universities-see-spike-in-students-taking-online-classes/

Facility Executive

The survey found respondents have overwhelmingly shifted their belief that online education will materially impact the nature and number of higher education institutions in the U.S. In 2012, 33% believed online education will have an impact on higher education, that figure rose to 74% this year indicating that higher education professionals underestimated the extent online learning would transform education. This has led to administrators placing a higher priority on developing the classroom of the future and ensuring facilities can endure the growth of online learning.

https://facilityexecutive.com/2019/11/what-are-current-trends-in-higher-education-facilities/

Triple Pundit

Online learning reduces the negative environmental impacts that come from manufacturing and transportation. The materials needed for traditional education institutions (textbooks, desks, electricity, buildings) are dramatically reduced. This reduces waste and conserves natural resources. Additionally, online learning saves money and time for both the learning institution and the student.

https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2015/4-unsung-environmental-benefits-online-education/35151

Christopher Pappas, ELearning Industry

The human attention span is already short. But those who suffer from attention deficit disorder must deal with a litany of other issues, including impulsivity, lack of concentration, and trouble following through. Thus, you must take their unique traits and learning needs into consideration when designing your eLearning course. Here are 8 top tips to help online learners with attention deficit disorder focus on the eLearning activities and immerse themselves in the eLearning content.

https://elearningindustry.com/how-develop-online-courses-learners-with-attention-deficit-disorder

Niamh Coomey, Minnesota Daily

This year, Big Ten university libraries have begun work on creating a more collective system of books across institutions, including the University of Minnesota. Earlier this semester, library leaders within the Big Ten Academic Alliance released a statement outlining their intent to create a more coordinated and accessible system of shared library materials.  A report by the Online Computer Library Center in collaboration with the BTAA earlier this year suggested three action areas for the project going forward: policy, content and technology. The BTAA has formed committees around those three distinct areas to discuss how to move forward with this project, Lougee said.

https://www.mndaily.com/article/2019/11/n-big-ten-libraries-begin-creating-shared-collection