Online Learning Update

By Hallie Busta, Education Dive
ECPI University, a for-profit college based in Virginia, is among the latest colleges to offer verification of student degrees via blockchain, according to The Roanoke Times, which notes that Virginia Tech is “in the early stages” of considering a similar offering. The university, which partnered with blockchain digital credentialing startup Learning Machine, has uploaded more than 1,000 diplomas to the blockchain since August. Students can still obtain paper certificates. With a blockchain diploma, students can share a web link to their credentials with future employers, allowing those employers to verify them without contacting the university.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/more-colleges-are-using-the-blockchain-for-student-records/542093/

MATTHEW HALLIDAY, Globe and Mail
He is among the growing number of Canadian students who are not only taking advantage of the flexibility of online education but also using it to dramatically open up their living options. No home location is too remote for online students as long as they’ve got an internet connection. “The typical bread and butter for universities has long been the Grade 12 graduates, but Canada’s demographics are changing,” says Tina Reed, director of recruitment and partnerships for Contact North, a provincially funded organization that works with universities and colleges in Ontario to deliver distance education to that province’s small and remote communities.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-living-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-is-no-obstacle-for-online-students/

Contact North has created this summary infographic on ten key facts about OER. Each fact links to additional readings and resources. This is a great ready reference on Open Educational Resources.

https://teachonline.ca/sites/default/files/tools-trends/downloads/ten_facts_aboutopen_educational_resources.pdf

By James Paterson, Campus Technology
Colleges must support online offerings with many of the same initiatives they offer to on-campus students, though some programs may need to be tailored to the online learner’s unique needs, according to three officials at the Arizona State University who are helping to shepherd the online university, which is a priority with the university. Writing in The evolllution, the three suggest that Arizona State actively recruits online learners with approaches that best suit them, including communications through various media, unobtrusive automated contact technology that can be easily customized, and a website that fully informs the students and allows for a growing number of “stealth applicants” who interact with the admissions office very little or not at all. University officials also make close connections to the business community for these students. The authors suggest that colleges can support them with initiatives such as student services and online communities, noting that research shows the top reasons online learners drop out they feel the university doesn’t care about them.

https://www.educationdive.com/news/scaling-programs-that-support-unique-needs-of-online-students/525435/

by Quality Matters
QM and Eduventures have teamed up to conduct a multi-year study to examine the changing landscape of online education, provide results to those who can use them and help those involved with online education place their institution within a broader context and possibly influence strategic decisions and organizational changes. Please complete the form on this page to gain access to the 2018 CHLOE 2 Report. The third iteration of CHLOE is scheduled for April 2018 and focuses on in-depth coverage of issues such as governance of online programs, blended learning and the influence of subject matter on the design and delivery of online programs. If you are a Chief Online Officer and wish to participate in the next CHLOE Survey, or if you wish to nominate the COO at your institution, please contact QM’s Manager of Research & Development Barbra Burch.

https://www.qualitymatters.org/qa-resources/resource-center/articles-resources/CHLOE-2-report-2018

by Elizabeth Kilpatrick, Daily Targum

While most Rutgers students take a bus to class and sit in a lecture hall, others enroll in classes that take place miles away from campus.  Online courses present students who cannot take traditional classes an opportunity to earn their degree. They benefit students with strong writing skills, said Ian Dunham, a doctoral student in the School of Arts and Sciences. “That’s 98 percent of the way I interact with students online,” he said. Considering that all assignments are written submissions in his class, this is a crucial area to do well in, Dunham said. There is also less emphasis on class-like participation, since there is no face-to-face contact.

http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2018/02/online-classes-help-alleviate-social-anxiety-among-other-perks-for-students

By Olena Reid, US News

With less in-person contact in an online course, a prospective student should expect ample written communication with classmates, school staff and professors. nteracting with faculty outside of the virtual classroom is an essential part of successfully completing an online degree program. Here are four ways to connect with instructors in online courses. Online students have various opportunities to interact with instructors via email, the school’s portal, videoconferencing or even in-person meetings. Each channel is an opportunity to address concerns and answer their questions. They should remember to acknowledge their professor’s preferred method of communication and be proactive in the process.

https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2018-01-26/4-ways-to-communicate-with-professors-in-online-courses

by Newswire

Online learning is now a core form of delivery for Canadian universities and colleges, according to a report released today at the World Conference on Online Learning in Toronto. This survey of online learning, the first covering all Canadian public post-secondary institutions, was conducted by a small group of independent Canadian researchers, under the leadership of Dr. Tony Bates, a visiting professor at Ryerson University and a Research Associate at Contact North, Ontario.   Online enrollments have expanded at a rate of 10%-15% per annum over the last five years; online learning now constitutes between 12%-16% of all post-secondary teaching for credit,

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3523443

By David Raths, Campus Technology

Algorithms can help faculty discover and select open educational resources for a course, map the concepts covered in a particular text, generate assessment questions and more. The basic definition of machine learning is that it allows a computer to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. One obvious example: the way a Netflix algorithm learns our TV-watching habits to make suggestions of other movies we might like. We come into contact with dozens of such machine-learning algorithms every day. And in support of faculty members, several efforts are underway to use machine learning to analyze the contents of open educational resources (OER) for their fit in a particular course.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2017/10/04/how-machine-learning-is-easing-oer-pain-points.aspx

by Meghan Bogardus Cortez, EdTech

New research shows online learners are seeking more interaction, mobile device support and career services.A new report from the Learning House and Aslanian Market Research measures the opinions of 1,500 online students regarding everything from course satisfaction to study methods in the hopes that it can help universities keep their online programs up to students’ standards. “No longer can online education be seen only as ‘flexible’ and ‘covenient,’” reads the report’s introduction. “The conversation needs to become more nuanced, and institutions need to more clearly share the positive outcomes that come with completing degree and certificate programs online.” Most notably, more than half of students indicate that interaction with educators and peers for an online course is important to them. About a quarter of the students surveyed say online courses would be better if there was more contact and engagement. For more on the report, check out the infographic linked below.

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2017/06/online-students-need-more-interaction-peers-and-teachers-infographic

By Natalie Gagliordi – Between the Lines

According to a CrowdFlower survey, more than 90 percent of data scientists said they were happy doing their jobs, and nearly 50 percent said they were thrilled. According to the study, more than 90 percent of data scientists surveyed said they were happy doing their jobs, and nearly 50 percent said they were thrilled. Data scientists are effectively the human engine behind today’s most pivotal technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and algorithms and analytics. This report suggests most practicing data scientists are well aware of their importance and relish the job stability. Nearly 90 percent of data scientists are contacted at least once a month for new job opportunities, more than 50 percent are contacted on a weekly basis, and 30 percent are contacted several times a week, according to the study’s findings.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/data-scientists-really-love-their-jobs-survey-finds/

By eCampus News

Cengage survey presents adjunct faculty feedback on collaboration, digital technology and professional development. A new study from Cengage finds that although adjunct faculty are very student-focused and believe they offer unique value, including real-world expertise and industry contacts, they feel disconnected and less valued than full-time faculty. And, while more than half of adjuncts are using digital learning tools, they want more opportunities for collaboration and professional development using these materials, the survey finds. Cengage and Zeldis Research Associates conducted both qualitative and quantitative research over a six-month period and connected with nearly 500 adjunct instructors.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/campus-administration/adjuncts-academic-community/

By Jordan Friedman, US News

For prospective online students, sampling an online degree program is key to determine whether the format is right for them and choose a program based on structure and flexibility, many experts say. These opportunities are often available on a program’s website or by contacting an admissions or enrollment counselor. “I think sometimes, perceptions of students don’t necessarily align with the actual reality of what a program is,” says Vickie Cook, director of the Center for Online Learning, Research and Service at the University of Illinois—Springfield. Online learning requires self-motivation and the ability to communicate with peers and instructors from a distance, experts say. And each program is created differently. Here are six ways prospective online students might sample online degree programs, depending on what’s available at different schools.

http://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/2017-01-26/6-ways-to-sample-an-online-degree-program

by IU Kokomo

How do you take an online class on a field trip? Stanley, visiting lecturer in health care management, creates and teaches online classes for one of Indiana University Kokomo’s newest programs, the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.). Though her classes don’t meet on campus, she wants her students to connect with her and with one another, and to experience the high-quality instruction expected from an IU degree. “When we’re connected, and have trust, they’re willing to take more chances,” she said. “Their papers are richer, and their responses are richer. Some people have the idea that an online class is like a correspondence course. It’s not just power points, a webpage, and a textbook. My online classes are interactive. I want students to feel comfortable reaching out and asking questions. If they’re intimidated or unsure of me, they will avoid making contact. Part of that effort includes virtual field trips.

http://newsroom.iuk.edu/articles/2016/10-oct/online-instructor-creates-rich-learning-environment.php

by the Independent

There was a time when juggling studies with work, social life, and a family was just not possible. Thankfully, though, in the digital age and amid an ever-changing modern-day learning climate, dealing with all of the aforementioned couldn’t be easier with the help of the Internet, along with other options. This option allows students to learn remotely and without the need for regular face-to-face contact with a teacher in the classroom and, according to The Complete University Guide (CUG), more than 270,000 undergraduates are taking their first degrees by distance learning this year, along with around 108,000 postgrads. “In recent years, the advent of the Internet and widespread use of the computer has led to a huge growth in distantly delivered tuition and study,” CUG adds among distance learning’s many advantages.

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/student-life/Studies/juggling-work-and-university-study-in-2016-couldn-t-be-easier-a7133326.html

By Public Affairs, UC Berkeley

Online courses may not have overwhelmed undergraduate education in a disruptive “tsunami,” as once predicted. But teaching and learning technology is “going to change the landscape of everything we do,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks told an audience at Stanford University on Friday. Dirks made that prediction in conversation with Stanford president John Hennessy, kicking off the fourth annual “learning summit,” held this year on the Stanford campus. “We’ve seen that online resources can be very important,” Dirks said. “But at the same time they don’t substitute for being there” – for personal contact with faculty or the sense of community that residential undergraduate institutions provide. So far, he added, MOOCs have been “most spectacularly successful for students who have graduated.” Hennessy concurred, observing that massive open online courses (MOOCs) have gotten their greatest traction among professionals already working in their field.

https://news.berkeley.edu/2016/04/18/berkeley-chancellor-stanford-president-kick-off-online-learning-summit/

by Diane Ting, Parent Herald

Distance education is becoming increasingly popular in many campuses across the country as an unconventional means of education. As students live more mobile and unpredictable lives, deciding to spend a semester on campus has become challenging. To define distance education according to California Distance Learning Project, it is an alternative means of high-quality education and training for students who cannot take conventional educational programs on a campus. Distance learning is an instruction delivery system that connects learners with education resources and access not enrolled in educational institutions, as defined by the. Not to be confused with open learning, flexible learning and online learning, distance learning is less a philosophy and more of a method of education. Students study on their own times at their preferred place without the need for face-to-face contact with a teacher, Fay Observer said.

by Jordan Friedman, US News

Students are experiencing the growth of blended learning – classes presented partially online and partially in person – in medical education. In what’s also referred to as the “flipped classroom” model, several U.S. ​medical schools are requiring students to watch videos and complete online activities prior to class, and then spend face-to-face time on discussion and analysis, rather than passive forms of learning such as taking notes during lectures. Schools like the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine even integrate blended learning into the clinical rotation phase of medical education. At some medical schools, elements of blended learning might have existed in the past, but many are now working to formally integrate them into their curricula, though to varying extents, experts say. Prospective students interested in medical school can determine whether blended learning is right for them by speaking to other students, contacting faculty or researching programs online.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/articles/2016-03-23/blended-learning-options-rise-at-medical-schools

by Northwestern State University

“While our campuses in Natchitoches, Shreveport, Leesville, and Alexandria are ready to resume operations, we realize that many of our faculty and students are still dealing with the effects of this historic flood,” said NSU President Dr. Jim Henderson. “Students who are unable to travel to campus or access their online course materials should contact their academic dean to discuss their situation and what accommodations can be made. We are committed to our students’ success in the face of this unprecedented event.” In addition to extensions for assignments and examinations, accommodations for students may include excused absences for face to face and/or online classes for students unable to attend class due to issues caused by flooding. Students should contact their dean or faculty advisor to discuss lost textbooks or other course materials and the possibility of moving from face to face to online courses if they have transportation issues due to flooded cars, etc. Students with campus employment will be allowed flexibility to make up missed time.

http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/news/local-news/nsu-will-accommodate-students-affected-by-flooding

by LINDA WHITE, Toronto Sun

Opportunities to learn whenever you want and wherever you are just got better. A brand new online portal — eCampus Ontario — offers more than 13,000 university and college courses recognized for credit at multiple institutions. “Students should be excited about the eCampus online portal, which gives them the flexibility to access high quality online courses wherever and whenever works best for them,” minister of training, colleges and universities Reza Moridi says in a statement. Ontario already offers hundreds of online courses transferable between participating colleges and universities through collaboration with the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer, Contact North and OntarioLearn.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/09/online-learning-becomes-more-flexible