Microsoft details the most clever phishing techniques it saw in 2019 - Catalin Cimpanu, ZDNet

This year's most clever phishing tricks include hijacking Google search results and abusing 404 error pages. While phishing attacks increased, the number of ransomware, crypto-mining, and other malware infections went down, the company said at the time. In a blog post published today, the Redmond-based tech giant reviewed three of the more clever phishing attacks it seen this year.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-details-the-most-clever-phishing-techniques-it-saw-in-2019/

5 Easy Mistakes to Make When Collecting Feedback for Your Online Course - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Getting feedback from learners about your online course is important. Feedback from course goers tells you what you can do to improve the course for future students. Asking for feedback from existing students also makes them feel that you value their input, which means they might enroll with you for another course. Asking for feedback from students on your online course can make you feel somewhat uncomfortable, but it can only help you to improve your courses and gain more students. Let’s look at some of the mistakes to avoid when you’re collecting feedback about your online course.
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/5-easy-mistakes-to-make-when-collecting-feedback-for-your-online-course/

College credit where credit is due — recognizing ‘prior learning’ - Frank Swanzy Essien Jr., Medium

With a little help, nearly 36 million Americans who spent some time at college but never finished could be encouraged to resume their studies and get their degrees. What would it take? For starters, we need to improve recognition for prior learning, or RPL. In other words, we need better, more efficient processes for giving students credit for what they’ve learned outside of a college campus. That includes skills learned at work, in apprenticeships, at training courses, and much more. Receiving credit for what students know and can do could be a powerful motivator to continue school and graduate.
https://medium.com/todays-students-tomorrow-s-talent/college-credit-where-credit-is-due-recognizing-prior-learning-f359a751d043

Learn how to future-proof your campus - BRADLEY FUSTER, eCampus News

The current campus-based, semester-delivery model is unlikely to sustain itself into the next century--efforts to future-proof campuses will pay off. In any ecosystem, if one waits long enough, eventually a cataclysmic disruption occurs. The final years at Blockbuster Video, Kodak Corporation, and Toys “R” Us, all share the consistent systemic failure to respond to disruptive threats: a willful ignorance to reexamine and adjust their product, services, and business model. Higher education is behaving much the same way. Until institutions acknowledge both the impending disruptive threat and the risk of not appropriately responding, higher ed remains a vulnerable enterprise.
https://www.ecampusnews.com/2019/12/11/learn-how-to-future-proof-your-campus/

Ratings Agencies Post Mixed Outlooks for Higher Education - Rick Seltzer, Inside Higher

Two ratings agencies offered differing opinions Tuesday on the future of the U.S. higher education sector. Moody’s Investors Service raised its U.S. higher education outlook from negative to stable as it sees steady revenue streams, solid reserves and strong operating performance at large comprehensive universities bolstering the sector over the next year to 18 months. Fitch Ratings kept a negative outlook in place, predicting continued operating pressures as challenges persist from a moderate number of students graduating from high school, limited public funding levels and slowing tuition growth.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/12/11/ratings-agencies-post-mixed-outlooks-higher-education

Online Enrollments Grow, but Pace Slows - 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

Collaboration in hard times in higher education - David Porter, University Affairs Canada

Collaboration in hard times in higher education - David Porter, University Affairs Canada
At its best, collaboration in higher education can inspire teachers, students, researchers and administrators with a common vision of educational excellence and the sense of purpose needed to help achieve it. But despite known benefits, collaboration is often hostage to structural and cultural constraints that limit the open sharing of ideas and activities. In an environment of fiscal restraint, tendencies toward isolationism are intensified with predictable results – the aspiration to sustainable action on multiple fronts that is needed to address the dynamic training and education challenges of today is replaced with an attitude of let’s look after ourselves. What we need, instead, is collaboration to go forward.
https://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/collaboration-in-hard-times-in-higher-education/

Leading Companies in North America Partner with Coursera to Execute on Digital Transformation - Business Wire

Coursera, the world’s leading online learning platform, today announced several new customers as part of its fast-growing enterprise business. In 2019, large organizations including Mastercard, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, and the NYC Department of Small Business Services initiated or continued partnerships with Coursera for Business to equip employees with the skills of the future. To date, Coursera has helped over 2,000 companies and governments worldwide achieve their skills development goals, including more than 60 companies in the Fortune 500.
https://www.ksl.com/article/46688448/leading-companies-in-north-america-partner-with-coursera-to-execute-on-digital-transformation

Workers are taking courses online to communicate better off-line—here’s why - Abigail Hess, CNBC

It may sound counter-intuitive, but today workers are turning to online courses to improve their off-line communication abilities. According to a recent analysis by LinkedIn Learning, the No. 1 topic that learners took the most courses in this year was communication. The trend could be seen across all age brackets, from Generation Z workers at the beginning of their careers to baby boomers at the management and executive levels. One reason communication was the most popular topic, Emily Poague, vice president of LinkedIn Learning told CNBC Make It: There is a large volume of communication classes offered online, driven by a strong interest.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/09/workers-are-taking-courses-online-to-communicate-better-off-line.html

5 Proven Ways to Make Your Good Online Course Great - Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Recent research uncovered just a handful of distinct elements that set great online teaching apart from the merely good. The findings came out of interviews with eight faculty members who have won awards for their online teaching from three professional associations: the Online Learning Consortium, the Association for Educational Communications & Technology and the United States Distance Learning Association. According to the research, undertaken by Swapna Kumar and Albert Ritzhaupt at the University of Florida and Florence Martin and Kiran Budhrani at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, award winners emphasize five musts for their online courses
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/12/09/5-proven-ways-to-make-your-good-online-course-great.aspx

Woman Charged With Paying Someone to Take Online Classes for Her Son - Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed

Karen Littlefair, a California woman, has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to charges that she paid someone to take online courses for her son, and to transfer the credits to Georgetown University, where he was a student. Littlefair paid the money to Rick Singer, the mastermind of the college admissions scandal, but her son was already enrolled at Georgetown. For the $9,000 she paid, her son received credit for four courses. He graduated from Georgetown last year. Littlefair agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The government will recommend a sentence of four months behind bars.
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/12/10/woman-charged-paying-someone-take-online-classes-her-son

Gartner: 10 Ways Technology Will Change What It Means to Be Human -Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

"The human condition is being challenged as technology creates varied and ever-changing expectations of humans," according to research firm Gartner. That's the theme behind 10 strategic predictions it has made for 2020 and beyond: ways that technology will change the way humans interact with their environment and each other.  "Technology is changing the notion of what it means to be human," noted Daryl Plummer, distinguished vice president and Gartner Fellow, in a statement. "As workers and citizens see technology as an enhancement of their abilities, the human condition changes as well. CIOs in end-user organizations must understand the effects of the change and reset expectations for what technology means."
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/12/04/gartner-10-ways-technology-will-change-what-it-means-to-be-human.aspx

Mixing in Online Courses Boosts Outcomes for CC Students - Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

A statewide study of 30 SUNY community colleges found that, overall, students who successfully completed online courses nearly doubled their chances of earning a degree or transferring to a four-year college. However, racial minority students had reduced outcomes. As reported in the study published recently in the Online Learning Journal, the current thinking holds that "some students" do worse when they study online compared to when they attend face-to-face classes.   The results, developed by Peter Shea at SUNY's University of Albany, and Temi Bidjerano at South Carolina's Furman University pulled data from 45,557 students attending community colleges for the first time in New York between fall 2012 and fall 2017. 
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/12/05/mixing-in-online-courses-boosts-outcomes-for-cc-students.aspx

Our Greatest Strength Is Our Greatest Vulnerability - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

The greatest strength of online learning is the anytime and anywhere characteristic, but the online aspect is also our greatest vulnerability.  We tend to think often about the worldwide reach and impact of online learning. Through online, we have the power to change lives and societies. However, we are seriously vulnerable, more so, one might argue, than our campus-based colleagues. The online digital nature of our field is such that we are subject to outages and cyberattacks.  As we move toward the integration of more “smart” AI applications such as neural networks,   concerning strategies are emerging. Intelligent chat boxes, “smart” assistant programs and learner face- or voice-recognition programs all carry vulnerabilities due to the emergence of adversarial machine learning, creating another approach to compromising our online learning programs. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/our-greatest-strength-our-greatest-vulnerability

4 Benefits of Adaptive Learning in Corporate Training - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Adaptive learning is transforming education. It is changing the way learning content is delivered and contributing to better learning outcomes. What is adaptive learning exactly? Adaptive learning uses technology to deliver personalized learning by adjusting the path and pace of learning for each student, optimizing their chances of success. Adaptive learning leverages artificial intelligence to tailor content to each learner’s needs. Specifically, the system adapts to the confidence level and level of understanding of each learner. Let’s look at the benefits of adaptive learning in corporate training.
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/4-benefits-of-adaptive-learning-in-corporate-training/

The Difference Between Mobile Learning and eLearning - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

The delivery of education has advanced over time as different technologies became available, and people’s lifestyles started to change. With the advent of computers and the internet, classes were no longer confined to a building, and distance learning became possible. With the advancement of technology, students received their learning materials via their computers and laptops, and eLearning came into being. The next development was mLearning, where students receive their learning materials on their mobile devices. There are several differences between these two forms of education.
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/the-difference-between-mobile-learning-and-elearning/

Can colleges launch data science programs fast enough? - Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive

But colleges are largely struggling to add or expand their programs to keep up with the growing demand for such workers. More than 150,000 jobs requiring data science skills are unfilled, with particularly severe shortages in large cities such as New York City and Los Angeles, according to a 2018 report from LinkedIn.  IBM is hoping to help. In September, the technology company announced it is working with the U of Pennsylvania and the Linux Foundation to create an open-source data science curriculum kit that any institution can use.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/can-colleges-launch-data-science-programs-fast-enough/568126/

Nexus Degrees in Georgia - Madeline St. Amour, Inside Higher Ed

Colleges in the University System of Georgia will soon offer a new credential similar to an associate degree, featuring a flexible curriculum and specific workforce skills. Adult students could return to college to complete a nexus degree, which could move quickly if they have already completed core requirements. Albany State is planning nexus degrees in both blockchain with machine learning and blockchain with data analytics. Other institutions in the system are looking at offering nexus degrees in strategic languages or health-care fields, Denley said.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/12/04/georgias-public-colleges-soon-will-be-offering-new-form-two-year-degree

Who Is Responsible for Biased and Intrusive Algorithms? - Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth, Knowledge@Wharton

Algorithms have become part of our everyday lives. Whether one considers jobs, loans, health care, traffic or news feeds, algorithms make several decisions for us. While they often make our lives more efficient, the same algorithms frequently violate our privacy and are biased and discriminatory. In their book The Ethical Algorithm: The Science of Socially Aware Algorithm Design, Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth, professors at Penn Engineering, suggest that the solution is to embed precise definitions of fairness, accuracy, transparency, and ethics at the algorithm’s design stage.
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/who-is-responsible-for-biased-and-intrusive-algorithms/

The Rise of Do-It-Yourself Education - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

DIY has become pervasive in our culture. In part it is fueled by the internet, most particularly by YouTube. In part it is energized by time and money savings. It is further driven by the possibility of personalization and customization to meet individual needs just in time and just in place. More than 50 percent of the DIY-ers are between 24 and 44 years of age, and the numbers are growing. This trend is immutable now; it is continuing to grow in numbers and expand into new fields every year. Perhaps we have not been losing learners in the U.S. at all. In fact, there may be millions more postsecondary learners in the U.S. than ever before; they are simply not enrolling directly in colleges and universities, but instead choosing to DIY via MOOCs and other online, nondegree modes.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/rise-do-it-yourself-education

Going digital – A big challenge for universities - 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

Why university lecturers need a teaching certificate - 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

Colleges See Equity Success With Adaptive Learning Systems - 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

Five Key Reasons E-learning Is a Green Option - Kristie Rickerd, Linfield

Sorry the site hosting immediate prior posting on this topic has disappeared - here's one with much the same info
An online college degree program is a convenient, flexible option for most people. But many of them aren’t aware that e-learning benefits the environment. Most people are familiar with most of the benefits of pursuing an online college degree program, such as convenience and flexibility. However, it’s less well-known that e-learning also has measurable eco-friendly benefits. Here’s how online learning fits into a green lifestyle.

http://www.linfield.edu/dce/blog/five-key-reasons-e-learning-green-option/

Sustainable Study: The Nature of Online Learning - Daniel L. Wilde, Memorial Muse

Online learning has many benefits, not the least of which is a reduced impact on our environment. The default position that online learning represents a detached and solitary form of study is far too short-sighted to take seriously. The reality is that it has the potential to enhance our experience of social bonding, community awareness, and appreciation for the re-invigorating natural spaces that surround us – wherever that rich environment finds us most comfortable.
https://www.themuse.ca/sustainable-study-the-nature-of-online-learning/

What colleges can do now to help students vote in the 2020 election - Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive

The average student voting rate doubled to 40% in the 2018 midterm elections from 19% of eligible voters in 2014, according to the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), which tracks students of all ages. Colleges and politicians alike are hoping to build on this momentum to create a culture of voting among students. "No single mobilization effort, voter administration rule, charismatic candidate, or hot policy issue is responsible for voter turnout increases and decreases," IDHE Director Nancy Thomas wrote in the report. "[B]ut clearly something is happening on college and university campuses that warrants closer examination and even replication."
https://www.educationdive.com/news/what-colleges-can-do-now-to-help-students-vote-in-the-2020-election/567913/

New report emphasises the importance of interpersonal skills and having a compassionate approach for effective teaching online - Dublin City University

A new report by the National Institute for Digital Learning at DCU highlights the differences in teaching online to a traditional classroom setting. It emphasises the importance of interpersonal skills and having a compassionate approach for effective teaching online. The ability to connect and to build good teacher-student relationships, both of which can be more challenging in an online environment, becomes more effective when an online educator has a strong social presence. The report also finds that when educators have a compassionate approach to student’s diverse needs, it builds trust and leads to a more positive learning experience.
https://www.dcu.ie/news/news/2019/Nov/New-report-highlights-differences-teaching-online-traditional-classroom-setting

Canada’s post-secondary institutions are expanding online learning - EINPresswire

Toronto: Growth in online learning continues in Canadian universities, colleges, and CEGEPs as they increasingly offer flexible access to post-secondary courses and programs throughout the country, according to a recent report released by the Canadian Digital Learning and Research Association. The results of the 2019 Tracking Online and Digital Learning in Canada survey can be found online at: http://onlinelearningsurveycanada.ca
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/502730144/canada-s-post-secondary-institutions-are-expanding-online-learning

Will online learning help four-year colleges weather the next recession? - Liz Farmer, Education Dive

Some higher ed analysts say the four-year schools that have made their programs more open and flexible, such as by offering them online, are in a better position than they were a decade ago to attract a wider range of students. That will be critical for those schools in the event of a downturn. "They are being a bit more flexible in their programmatic structure to offer more accessibility," said Emily Wadhwani, a higher education analyst at Fitch Ratings​. "In the next downturn, that should help to prevent erosion of those programs."​
https://www.educationdive.com/news/will-online-learning-help-four-year-colleges-weather-the-next-recession/567824/

As 1000s Of Missouri Jobs Go Unfilled, Colleges Put Greater Emphasis On Training Programs - CORINNE RUFF, KCUR

Since taking office, Gov. Mike Parson has focused heavily on jobs. Earlier this year, he went so far as to sign an executive order to merge the departments of higher education and workforce development. Zora Mulligan, Missouri’s higher education commissioner, helps lead the new department in Jefferson City. She said the change has helped broaden the state’s scope of job preparedness. Previously, she said the education department placed too much emphasis on four-year degree programs as the clear path to a well-paying job.
https://www.kcur.org/post/1000s-missouri-jobs-go-unfilled-colleges-put-greater-emphasis-training-programs#stream/0

Work from home? Survey says "Yes" - Greg Nichols, ZD Net

Increasingly, employers in many sectors are allowing or even encouraging their traditional employees to work remotely, and for good reason. Turns out a huge number of workers place remote work at the top of the priority list.  The headline? Nearly everyone wants to work remotely, at least part of the time. Some 74% of respondents said they'd be willing to quit their job to work at home, and more than 1 in 4 said they already have quit a job because the company didn't offer flexible or remote work options.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/work-from-home-survey-says-yes/

What jobs are affected by AI? Better-paid, better-educated workers face the most exposure - Mark Muro, Jacob Whiton, and Robert Maxim, Brookings

AI could affect work in virtually every occupational group. However, whereas research on automation’s robotics and software continues to show that less-educated, lower-wage workers may be most exposed to displacement, the present analysis suggests that better-educated, better-paid workers (along with manufacturing and production workers) will be the most affected by the new AI technologies, with some exceptions. Our analysis shows that workers with graduate or professional degrees will be almost four times as exposed to AI as workers with just a high school degree. Holders of bachelor’s degrees will be the most exposed by education level, more than five times as exposed to AI than workers with just a high school degree.
https://www.brookings.edu/research/what-jobs-are-affected-by-ai-better-paid-better-educated-workers-face-the-most-exposure/

6 Reasons Why Higher Education Needs to Be Disrupted - Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Becky Frankiewicz, HBR

No clear alternative to universities has yet emerged, and while there’s no clear path to disrupting higher education, there are pain points which those of us in the education field and beyond could be confronting. At some point a viable alternative will likely emerge and we see six reasons that make the case for demanding something different.
https://hbr.org/2019/11/6-reasons-why-higher-education-needs-to-be-disrupted

Dealing With Bias in Artificial Intelligence - Craig S. Smith, NY Times

Three women with extensive experience in A.I. spoke on the topic and how to confront it. Bias is an unavoidable feature of life, the result of the necessarily limited view of the world that any single person or group can achieve. But social bias can be reflected and amplified by artificial intelligence in dangerous ways, whether it be in deciding who gets a bank loan or who gets surveilled. The New York Times spoke with three prominent women in A.I. to hear how they approach bias in this powerful technology.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/technology/artificial-intelligence-bias.html

Preparing for the Great Enrollment Crash - Robert Massa, Don Hossler and Jerome Lucido, Inside Higher Ed

American colleges and universities have weathered severe storms throughout their history. Wartime pressure, civil unrest, demographic shifts and economic downturns have resulted in everything from a suspension of activities to temporary and sometime permanent college closings. With major demographic shifts already upon us and more to come, colleagues have recently written in this and other higher education publications about the challenges faced by many colleges to enroll new students. They predict, as we do, even tougher times ahead. For those of us who have been responsible for enrollment and net revenue, it is natural to think about what our institutions must do to survive and thrive.
https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/views/2019/11/18/colleges-need-prepare-great-enrollment-crash-opinion

How to Use Micro Learning in Your Course - LAURA LYNCH, eLearning Learning

The idea of micro learning encompasses micro content, which involves breaking large courses down into smaller pieces. Micro learning is also concerned with the way larger courses are delivered. You can create a semester-long course which you deliver in fragments, or you can incorporate micro learning moments into your normal course material. Whichever way you approach this teaching method, using it is likely to show positive results in your course. Micro learning is an effective means of reducing cognitive load, which is the limit of information a learner can absorb at one time before their short-term memory becomes over-burdened. Because of this, educators should take measures early to offer their learners micro learning opportunities in their course.

https://www.elearninglearning.com/edition/weekly-digital-industry-2019-11-09?article-id=12054881&article-title=how-to-use-micro-learning-in-your-course

Editorial: UNI looks forward with partnerships - Courier

The sands of higher education are shifting, prompting more schools to enter into partnerships and utilize distance learning to attract elusive “place-bound” students. The University of Northern Iowa took a step this month to increase its Des Moines footprint. UNI President Mark Nook and President Rob Denson of Des Moines Area Community College announced a new 2+2 partnership — earning an associate of arts degree on DMACC’s Urban Campus, then completing work through UNI for a bachelor of liberal studies degree. The UNI courses would be offered online initially with staff present to support students, beginning in fall 2020.
https://wcfcourier.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-uni-looks-forward-with-partnerships/article_738885f4-84a2-5562-97eb-4829fa389358.html

Digital Transformation Signals: Is Your Institution on the Journey? - Malcolm Brown, Betsy Reinitz and Karen Wetzel, EDUCAUSE Review

Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. The digital transformation signals listed in this article indicate progress along the way and provide guideposts for the journey. In the context of sweeping social, economic, technological, and demographic changes, digital transformation (Dx) is a series of deep and coordinated culture, workforce, and technology shifts that enable new educational and operating models and transform an institution's business model, strategic directions, and value proposition. Dx can make institutions more resilient, flexible, and relevant as they face an array of increasingly difficult challenges that include declining student enrollment, increased public skepticism, and skyrocketing student debt.
https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2019/10/digital-transformation-signals-is-your-institution-on-the-journey

The future of employment in an age of automation: A long-read Q&A with Carl Benedikt Frey- American Enterprise Institute

Will the rise of robots and artificial intelligence deliver a prosperous economy? And what policies should we adopt to ensure that all Americans are included in this prosperity? On this episode, Carl Benedikt Frey discusses the impacts of technological progress on the economy, past and present. Dr. Frey is the Oxford Martin Citi Fellow at Oxford University, where he teaches economics and economic history. In 2013, he co-authored a widely-shared paper with Michael Osborne titled “The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?” in which he estimated that 47 percent of jobs were susceptible to automation.
https://www.aei.org/pethokoukis/carl-benedikt-frey-on-the-technology-trap/

Five Facts about Student Loans - Kadja Yilla & David Wessel, Brookings

Americans owe about $1.5 trillion on their student loans–more than they owe on their credit cards. The increase in total student debt, stories of families struggling with six-figure loans, and the response of politicians to anxiety about student debt among young voters have turned student debt into a high-profile issue. To inform that conversation, here are five facts about student loans drawn from an event – Student loans: A look at the evidence – hosted by the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/11/12/five-facts-about-student-loans/

Fully Online Courses Are No. 1 Requirement for Many Working Learners - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

A recent report found that four out of five working learners do some of their learning online, and more than half (53 percent) are enrolled in courses that are entirely online. In fact, 42 percent of respondents said that "offering fully online classes and coursework" was their most important factor when choosing a school for continued education. The 2019 Working Learner Index, produced by child care and education benefits company Bright Horizons, is based on a survey of more than 31,000 workers who are going back to school while on the job.
https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/11/07/fully-online-courses-are-no-1-requirement-for-many-working-learners.aspx

Are Colleges and Universities Meeting the Online Learning Challenge? - Elliott Levine, EdTech

Online learners deserve the same engaging experience as traditional learners — and colleges have good reason to make it happen. Statistics indicate the global online education market is expected to top more than $130 billion in the next few years. Meanwhile, on-campus enrollment is dropping, and the number of students turning to online education is steadily growing. But there is more to these trends than meets the eye.
https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2019/11/are-colleges-and-universities-meeting-online-learning-challenge

5 Microlearning Myths You Need to Stop Believing - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Microlearning is a modern educational tool that provides learners with bite-sized pieces of content on their mobile devices, be it smartphones, tablets, or laptops. In today’s complex business environment and with technologies evolving all the time, employees must continue to learn and upskill. According to the Deloitte report The Future of Work, 47% of today’s jobs will be gone in ten years, and 67% of employees believe they must continuously reskill themselves to stay relevant in their careers. The fact that microlearning focuses on short learning content to cater to an audience whose attention span has shrunk doesn’t mean that that is all microlearning is about. Let’s clear up some misunderstandings about microlearning.
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/5-microlearning-myths-you-need-to-stop-believing/

What Is 5G? - Sascha Segan, PC Magazine

All of the US carriers have now launched some form of 5G cellular network. But what exactly is 5G, and how fast is it compared with 4G? Here are the facts we know so far. It's messy. It's very early days. And if you like new technology, it's very exciting. The early 5G rollouts are more like a public beta test than a final product. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are all using technologies that only travel about 800 feet from a cell site, which means there isn't much coverage. All four carriers are waiting for upgrades to their base stations that will improve coverage, speed, and reliability. Around the end of this year or the beginning of 2020, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all intend to launch 5G networks that use existing 4G spectrum, which will have slower speeds but broader coverage.
https://www.pcmag.com/article/345387/what-is-5g

As Pressure To Upskill Grows, 5 Models Emerge - Allison Dulin Salisbury, Forbes

Quantifying the value of a new era of educational investments starts with setting expectations about returns, and defining—with greater precision— their value in a particular corporate context. As the market evolves, we’re seeing five distinct categories—on-ramps, upskilling, reskilling, outskilling, and education as a benefit—that each have their own particular business proposition.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/allisondulinsalisbury/2019/10/28/as-pressure-to-upskill-grows-5-models-emerge/

Career Change Is the New Normal: How Does eLearning Help? - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals born in the latter years of the baby boom era (1957-1964) change their career twelve times during their working life. Research company Gallup calls millennials the job-hopping generation. A recent Gallup report on the millennial generation reveals that 21% of millennials say they’ve changed jobs within the past year. There are many reasons why employees decide to make a career change, but whatever the reason, taking an eLearning course or two can smooth the process. Let’s discuss five ways that taking an online course can help with a career change.
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/career-change-is-the-new-normal-how-does-elearning-help/

Some College, No Degree: A 2019 Snapshot for the Nation and 50 States - National Student Clearinghouse

In the United States, approximately two million people each year enter postsecondary education for the first time. Eight years later, one-third of those who started have not earned any formal credential and are no longer enrolled.1 While it is true that more people have been going to college than ever before, the college completion rate hasn’t changed much. Because of this, we expect the number of people who start—but don’t finish—college to grow as well.
https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/SCND_Report_2019.pdf

A Certificate, Then a Degree: Certificate-first programs can help tackle America’s college-completion crisis - Clark G. Gilbert and Michael B. Horn, Education Next

Helping students earn certificates upfront offers a promising path to address the dropout rate. Postsecondary institutions offer these credentials of student educational attainment in a growing variety of subjects, which run the gamut from auto mechanics to unmanned aircraft systems to finance. Although community colleges have long offered such programs, name-brand institutions also have gotten involved: the extension program at the University of California, Los Angeles, for example, provides certificates in subjects like cybersecurity and interior design, and delivers some of its programs through an app.
https://www.educationnext.org/certificate-then-degree-programs-help-tackle-college-completion-crisis/

The degrees of separation between the genders in college keep growing - Jon Marcus, Washington Post

Fifty years ago, 58 percent of U.S. college students were men. Today, 56 percent are women, Education Department estimates show. This year, for the first time, the share of college-educated women in the U.S. workforce passed the share of college-educated men, according to the Pew Research Center. It’s not just that more women opt for college. It’s that fewer men do, affecting their opportunities and lifetime earnings.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/the-degrees-of-separation-between-the-genders-in-college-keeps-growing/2019/10/25/8b2e5094-f2ab-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html

At 69, she's still paying off $12,000 of student debt — including out of her Social Security checks. - SHANNON NAJMABADI, Texas Tribune

About 222,140 Texans ages 60 and older had student loan debt in 2017, carrying a median load of $15,754, according to government data. Costley works part time at a food bank, making $7.25 an hour, and said she stretches every dollar she has. But every month, she receives a letter in the mail saying the federal government is withholding $134 from her Social Security checks — the equivalent of 18 hours of work. Like death and taxes, Costley may be facing another certainty in life: her student loans. Although she attended college decades ago and made payments when she could, Costley’s debt has gone into default, swollen with accrued interest and been turned over to a collection company.

https://www.texastribune.org/2019/10/23/student-debt-not-just-millennial-problem/

Give Me Security, Give Me Convenience, or Give Me Both! - Joe Galanek, EDUCAUSE Review

When it comes to information security, well-informed paranoia is a good trait for everyone to cultivate.1 Security remains at the top of the EDUCAUSE list of "Top Ten IT Issues" year after year, reflecting the importance of cybersecurity and the need to foster an institutional culture of security. Even though it is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, convenience is still an important consideration, right? Why would someone bother going through extra steps for a login when a quick social login with Facebook or Google is so much more convenient?2 Do you really need a password manager if you add a symbol, dollar sign, or ampersand to your dog's birthday? (Yes!) But in an age of unprecedented convenience, don't people deserve ease, utility, and simplicity?3 In fact, aren't things like social logins and online shopping catering to the desire for convenience?
https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2019/10/give-me-security-give-me-convenience-or-give-me-both

IBM Looks Beyond the College Degree - Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

Citing a serious skills gap, the multinational International Business Machines Corporation is looking for different recruiting channels for its workforce of 360,000 employees. IBM's view is that “new-collar” jobs in cybersecurity, cloud computing and other high-demand fields don’t necessarily require a traditional college degree. The company also has created one of the most developed digital badge portfolios for an employer, which both its workers and those outside IBM can earn, and it is adding more and different apprenticeship opportunities as well launching its own boot camp-style offerings. At the same time, IBM continues to partner with traditional colleges, particularly through its expanded work with community colleges.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/10/29/interview-ibm-official-about-companys-new-collar-push-look

The role of universities in a highly technological age - Gerard A Postiglione, University World News

Universities are, however, facing the challenge of how to align their core missions with the rapid emergence of technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, big data and algorithms, facial recognition, biosensors, augmented reality, gamification, blockchain, cloud computing and other yet-to-be-created technological innovations. These can become disruptive, but they can also be tapped for their potential to improve how students are selected, how courses are offered, how student learning is programmed and evaluated, how higher finance is managed, how knowledge networks are organised, accessed and expanded, and how more graduates can be prepared for entrepreneurial jobs, smart cities and sustainable development.
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20191023081415452

MIT Reaffirms Commitment to Open Access - Lindsay McKenzie, Inside Higher Ed

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has published its final recommendations on how to increase the open sharing of MIT publications, data, software and educational materials. An open-access task force was convened in 2017 to update and revise MIT’s open-access policies. A draft set of recommendations was released in March 2019 for public comment. “Scholarship serves humanity best when it is available to everyone,” said Hal Abelson, Class of 1922 Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, who co-chaired the task force with MIT Libraries director Chris Bourg.
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/10/21/mit-reaffirms-commitment-open-access

Algorithms are grading student essays across the country. Can this really teach kids how to write better? - Loren Katz, Vox

The reason it’s so hard to figure out who’s affected by AI grading is because there’s not just one program that’s being used. But they’re all made in basically the same way: First, an automated scoring company looks at how human graders behave. Then, the company trains an algorithm to make predictions as to how a human grader might score an essay based on that data. Depending on the program, those predictions can be consistently wrong in the same way. In other words, they can be biased. And once those algorithms are built, explains Reset host Arielle Duhaime-Ross, they can reproduce those biases at a huge scale.
https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/10/20/20921354/ai-algorithms-essay-writing

How does society create an ethics guide for AI? - RAMIN VATANPARAST, Venture Beat

Coined the fourth industrial revolution, the advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning brings interesting discussion to the table. Because AI is so comprehensive and covers several industries, we find ourselves asking obscure questions such as “Do we need to legalize predictive AI policing?” or “How do we iron out biases from algorithms that determine job promotions?” With these questions arising, the key one that remains unanswered surrounds ethics. How do we ensure that AI technologies are ethically designed? To answer this question, there are essentially four aspects that dictate the result: the dilemma, the impact, adoption, and institutionalization.
https://venturebeat.com/2019/10/18/how-does-society-create-an-ethics-guide-for-ai/

Study: Less state funding has hiked college tuition by nearly 40% since 2008 crisis - Daniel Uria, UPI

Decreases in state funding have pushed the cost of higher education to historic levels over the past decade, according to a new report by a budgetary think tank. The 22-page analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said Thursday the average cost for tuition at four-year public institutions in all 50 states increased by nearly 40 percent between 2008 and 2018, or a little over $2,700. Overall funding for two- and four-year state colleges and universities, meanwhile, decreased by $6.6 billion.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/10/25/Study-Less-state-funding-has-hiked-college-tuition-by-nearly-40-since-2008-crisis/6241571963849/?sl=2

How a University Took on the Textbook Industry - Rebecca Koenig, EdSurge

Some economists say OpenStax and other OER producers helped to halt the decades-long rise of textbook prices, which, along with other supplies, now set the average undergraduate back between $1,200 and $1,440 each school year, according to the College Board. Feeling squeezed, for-profit publishers are searching for new revenue by selling colleges digital homework systems that charge students up to $100 for a semester’s worth of access. Since professors typically require use of these tools to participate in class, students complain that they are essentially being charged to turn in their assignments.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-10-24-how-a-university-took-on-the-textbook-industry

A Fresh Look at Blockchain in Higher Ed - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

Blockchain is advancing in higher education, as it is in all of society, with some interesting new applications and ramifications. Perhaps most importantly, blockchain will facilitate the difficult shift in higher education that we are now navigating. We are moving from a degree-centric environment in which the university is engaged in the life cycle of the student while on campus to one that is more of a supply-chain design providing lifelong learning. In the emerging mode, the university will engage the student prior to their first arrival on campus (or online) through their degree experience and far beyond.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/fresh-look-blockchain-higher-ed

Not Future-Ready - Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed

Survey of four-year-college leaders finds they lack confidence in their institutions' ability to adapt -- and aren't planning ahead in ways that would ensure success. The report, "The Transformation-Ready Higher Education Institution," included a survey of nearly 500 senior administrators at four-year colleges and universities, roughly half of whom were presidents and chancellors. The survey sought to gauge the campus leaders' assessments of the most significant challenges awaiting their institutions in the next three to five years, how prepared they felt to respond to those pressures, and whether their institutions were structured and managed with agility and responsiveness in mind.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/10/22/four-year-college-leaders-not-feeling-ready-future

Report: College leaders not confident they can beat new competition - Hallie Busta, Education Dive

When it comes to strategic planning, just one in six colleges is looking a decade or more ahead, according to a new report from the American Council on Education (ACE), Huron and the Georgia Institute of Technology based on a survey of 495 leaders at four-year institutions. They cite several challenges ahead: more competition for new students, particularly from national universities investing heavily in online education; an increase in nontraditional students; less state and federal support; and declining public confidence in higher ed's value. While they say their institutions are prepared to meet students' changing needs, they are less confident in their ability to address new forms of competition or change how the public views higher ed.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/report-college-leaders-not-confident-they-can-beat-new-competition/565483/

10 Powerful Women Leaders Discuss Keeping AI Safe for Humanity - Tyler Gallagher, Entrepreneur

'History has shown that whenever a great invention gets into the wrong hands, evil tends to prevail. Right now, we're in the early stages of AI and currently exploring the many potential benefits of using AI for good.' In an effort to highlight some of the accomplished women in this sector, Authority Magazine interviewed women leaders in artificial intelligence as part of a series. Each was asked the following question: “As you know, there is an ongoing debate between prominent scientists about whether advanced AI has the future potential to pose a danger to humanity. This debate has been personified as a debate between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. What is your position about this?
https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/340907

Quantum Computing Is Poised to Change Everything - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

It is truly rare that an advancement comes along that changes every aspect of society; quantum computing is poised to do just that in the 2020s.  The supremacy challenge earlier this summer was based on a problem given to both the Summit and the Google Quantum computers to prove that a set of numbers was truly random. That’s a rather esoteric test, but it demonstrates the magnitude of superiority of quantum computing: 200 seconds compared to 10,000 years.  Do you recall Moore’s law? That’s the axiom developed by Gordon Moore some two dozen years ago that the processing power of computers would double every 18 months to two years. Now, quantum computing has ushered in Hartmut Neven’s law. His law predicting growth in quantum computing power is one that is doubly exponential. That is two to an exponent of two to a second increasing exponent. Charted on a graph, that growth rate appears to become nearly vertical.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/quantum-computing-poised-change-everything

The Incredible Shrinking Higher Ed Industry - Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed

Higher education enrollments have been falling for years, a well-documented outcome that can be attributed to some combination of a strong U.S. economy, changes in birth rates and, perhaps, growing doubts about the value of a college degree. Another decline is also unfolding -- this one attributable to a mix of economic and political forces: the number of colleges and universities in the United States is at its lowest ebb since at least 1998. Data released by the U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics Friday included statistics on a range of topics, including total head count of enrolled students through 2017-18 and the number of colleges and universities in the most recent academic year, 2018-19.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/10/14/higher-ed-shrinks-number-colleges-falls-lowest-point-two-decades

Russia Is About to Disconnect From the Internet: What That Means - Adam Smith, PC Magazine

On Nov. 1, Russia is poised to disconnect from the internet—in theory. That is when a long-planned internet bill will go into effect and lay the foundation for a national network whereby internet service providers are controlled by Roskomnadzor, Russia's telecom agency. The goal is to give Russia the power to disconnect from the global internet in the event of a cyberwar and, in the interim, serve up a walled-off version of the web sanctioned by the Russians. It also gives President Vladimir Putin greater control over Russian citizens.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/371347/russia-is-about-to-disconnect-from-the-internet-what-that-m

How eLearning Providers Can Help Students Who Struggle Online - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Research has shown that whereas online courses can improve access, they are also challenging, especially for the least well-prepared students. These students don’t do well in online courses; they still perform better in face-to-face classrooms. Research has found that while online learning could potentially, through artificial intelligence, provide the optimal course pacing and content to fit each student’s needs. In reality, the vast majority of online courses still mirrors face-to-face classrooms. eLearning has excellent potential, but eLearning providers will have to rethink course design and educational support so students can be more comfortable doing online courses. Let’s look at some ways that this can be achieved.
https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-elearning-providers-can-help-students-who-struggle-online/

How does blockchain work in 7 steps — A clear and simple explanation. - Jimi S, Good Audience

And this technology, blockchain, still holds huge potential. Now could be the time for business developers, entrepreneurs and curious individuals to jump on the blockchain train and to be inspired. But such inspiration will require a better understanding of how the technology works first. Unfortunately, most of the current explanations out there are either covered in complex technical jargon or are way too shallow and lack in-depth details, neither of them which leads to a clear understanding. So where to start? Allow me to suggest you to start here. This ten minute read will explain what is considered so revolutionary about this technology. It will be well worth your time. Enjoy reading.
https://blog.goodaudience.com/blockchain-for-beginners-what-is-blockchain-519db8c6677a

60 Years of Higher Ed — Really? - Alina Tugend, NY Times

“The real driver of the 60-year curriculum is the job market and length of life,” said Huntington D. Lambert, the dean of the division of continuing education and university extension at Harvard University, who is a leader in the movement. Many continuing education programs already offer some of the elements. For example, the University of Washington Continuum College, which is the continuing education and professional development division of the University of Washington in Seattle, offers 99 certificate programs — most noncredit — as well as 111 graduate degree programs. An entire certificate course, which can take up to nine months part time to complete, runs between $3,600 and $4,500, said Rovy Branon, the college’s vice provost.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/10/education/learning/60-year-curriculum-higher-education.html

Udacity will offer 100,000 free programming classes as part of the ‘Pledge to America’s Workers’ - Jonathan Shieber, Tech Crunch

Under the leadership of newly minted chief executive Gabe Dalporto, Udacity is committing to giving away free introductory technology training classes to 20,000 applicants every year. The program is focused on teaching front-end web development, mobile app development and data analytics. There are no prerequisites for applicants, but the scholarships are reserved for low-income individuals looking to learn programming skills.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/10/udacity-will-offer-100000-free-programming-classes-as-part-of-the-pledge-to-americas-workers/

Some colleges seek radical solutions to survive - Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report

More than 400 colleges and universities still had seats available for freshmen and transfer students after the traditional May 1 deadline to enroll for this fall, the National Association for College Admission Counseling reports. More are likely to go under; Moody’s projects that the pace of college closings will soon reach 15 per year. Yet some campus leaders, asked what steps they’re taking to avoid this fate, responded like the president of one small private liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. His school, he said, would “continue to graduate students who will make a tangible and constructive difference in the world.”
https://hechingerreport.org/some-colleges-seek-radical-solutions-to-survive/

Fewer students, tepid state funding roil Michigan public universities - Ron French, Bridgemi

Michigan universities are facing what amounts to a perfect storm of economic, demographic and political factors. There are fewer Michigan high school graduates in part due to a declining birth rate, leaving colleges to fight over a smaller pool of potential in-state students. That pool is drained more because a vibrant economy is luring some high school grads to go straight into the job market rather than delay earning a paycheck through years of college. At the same time, there is growing public discontent with higher education,  based on rising costs, rising student debt and a belief among some that universities are liberal bastions hostile to conservative thought.
https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/fewer-students-tepid-state-funding-roil-michigan-public-universities

Case study: Why Kraft Heinz has history majors working in finance - Riia O'Donnell, Education Dive

"Meritocracy in the foundation of our culture," said Kornblut. "We're looking for students who want to make an impact from the beginning — be given real work that they're able to show off their abilities early on. We look for people who can come in and take on a lot of things." He added that "ownership mentality" goes a long way. The rotational aspect of the program allows students to get exposure to all parts of the business — and in the process, find something that may pique their interest. The company will recruit 40 trainees and 40 interns this year. Notably, the trainee program is not a probationary period. They're full-time workers from day one, Kornblut said, going first into a 10-month rotational program before entering into a final placement. Trainees and interns go through the same vetting process, Kornblut said, and the goal is for all of them to end up with a job offer.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/case-study-why-kraft-heinz-has-history-majors-working-in-finance/564515/

Women are slowly pursuing more high-paying degrees, but the pay gap remains, says new research - Abigail Hess, CNBC

Economists estimate that the gender pay gap — the gap between the median salaries of all working men and women in the U.S. — is about 80 cents earned by women for every dollar earned by a man. When CNBC Make It spoke with economists about the causes behind the pay gap, several pointed to education. Today, women outnumber men at all levels of education, but many pursue degrees in traditionally lower-paying fields. But according to new research from Carolyn Sloane, an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Erik Hurst and Dan Black, professors at the University of Chicago, women are slowly shifting to higher-paying majors.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/04/women-are-pursuing-more-high-paying-degrees-but-the-pay-gap-remains.html

Colleges Need to Build Digital Quads to Support Social Learning for Online Students - Soulaymane Kachani and Sandesh Tuladhar, EdSurge

As this trend continues, universities risk losing the community of informal, social learning that they were designed to foster. And that would deprive their students of a fundamental and important mode of learning and growth. Rather than ignore this challenge, or chalk it up to the inevitability of the digital world, universities can and should create digital equivalents and environments to replicate—or even enhance—the authentic student interactions they are likely encounter on campuses. In the absence of such digital equivalents, students may find or create social spaces online anyway, with the potential to bring out poor behavior and becoming disconnected from the formal social constructs of academic life.
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-10-05-colleges-need-to-build-digital-quads-to-support-social-learning-for-online-students

Navigating the Credential Marketplace: A How-to Guide - Credential Engine

The number of both traditional and non-degree credentials is exploding, but as programs proliferate, it becomes more difficult to acquire information about the precise skills and abilities they develop, the pathways they support, and their impact on employment and earnings outcomes. At the same time, today’s economy is in constant flux, bringing changing demands for skills and credentials. To keep up with these changing landscapes, there emerges an obvious need for and value of a common credential description language and a Credential Registry that is updated in real time to ensure that everyone can make informed decisions about education and career pathways. Credential providers, policymakers, employers, and regulatory agencies all have an important role to play in making this a reality
https://credentialengine.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Counting-Credentials-How-To-Guide_190925.pdf

Where Online Learning Goes Next - Leah Belsky, Harvard Business Review

By harnessing emerging technologies, universities can reach beyond campus walls to empower diverse learners at global scale. It begins with embracing stackable, online learning, which provides flexibility and affordability that increases access to university curricula and allows students to engage in smaller chunks of learning before committing to larger degree programs. Technology-powered formats like mobile-friendly experiences meet the learner where they are, enabling more seamless transitions for those entering a new learning environment or picking up where they left off. At a more advanced level, embracing AI-powered adaptive learning will enable universities to personalize education for millions for more effective outcomes.
https://hbr.org/2019/10/where-online-learning-goes-next

Why Higher Education Will Change: Innovation in higher education is not an option. It is essential - Steve Mintz, Inside Higher Ed

Higher education needs to find more effective, efficient ways to educate students, without sacrificing rigor or the human interactions and feedback that lie at the heart of a quality education. And it needs to do this while somehow covering the escalating costs of financial aid, student services, technology, and compliance with government mandates. It is not enough to try to protect and preserve the status quo. Trends that are unsustainable inevitably come to an end. But that need not mean that brick-and-mortar institutions need to be replaced by universities in the cloud.  It means that these schools must adapt.

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/why-higher-education-will-change?mc_cid=9cfca997f9&mc_eid=879d6835e3

Universities Should Be Preparing Students for the Gig Economy - Diane Mulcahy, Harvard Business Review

How well do universities prepare students to work independently in the Gig Economy? Today’s graduates are joining a workforce where the Gig Economy — including consultants, independent contractors, freelancers, side giggers, and on-demand workers — makes up an estimated 30-40% of the U.S. workforce. They’re also facing an economy in which alternative work arrangements are growing faster than traditional full-time jobs, and are only projected to keep growing. The recent news that the majority of Google’s workforce is made up of independent and temporary workers rather than full-time employees is just one example of the rapid transformation of the corporate workforce.
https://hbr.org/2019/10/universities-should-be-preparing-students-for-the-gig-economy

In the Dark on Digital Learning - Lilah Burke, Inside Higher Ed

The results of a new survey offer presidents, provosts and CFOs a wake-up call about how they’re perceived by their colleagues in IT and digital learning. The reviews are less than glowing, with only about 40 percent of IT officials reporting that college leaders are “well informed” about digital learning and digital transformation. Ray Schroeder, [UPCEA Senior Fellow, and] associate vice chancellor for online learning at University of Illinois at Springfield (and an Inside Higher Ed columnist), said that although administrators at his university have been very engaged, the results of the survey were not surprising. Schroeder also said more residential students are choosing to take online classes for the scheduling freedom they can provide. As the trend doesn’t seem to be abating any time soon, Schroeder said it’s important for administrators to give IT officials a seat at the table, specifically on the dean’s council or president's executive committee.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/10/16/administrators-are-neither-engaged-nor-knowledgeable-about

70% of college students graduate with debt. How did we get here? - Samantha Fields, Marketplace

Today, roughly 70% of American students end up taking out loans to go to college. The average graduate leaves school with around $30,000 in debt and all told, some 45 million Americans owe $1.6 trillion in student loans — and counting. How did we get here? Slowly, over decades, according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of research at the website Saving for College. “You can compare it to cooking a lobster,” he said. “By the time you figure out that the water is boiling, you’re already cooked.”

https://www.marketplace.org/2019/09/30/70-of-college-students-graduate-with-debt-how-did-we-get-here/

The students disappearing fastest from American campuses? Middle-class ones - Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report

Middle-class high school students give a number of reasons for forgoing higher education, according to an analysis of federal data by the Georgetown Center for Education and the Workforce: 4 percent cited family obligations, 6 percent planned to take a gap year before enrolling, 8 percent said they weren’t ready and 20 percent said they just didn’t want to go. Fully a quarter of middle-class high school students who don’t plan on college said it was because of the expense.
https://hechingerreport.org/the-students-disappearing-fastest-from-american-campuses-middle-class-ones/

A Roadmap to Student Success — and the Technology That Can Get You There - Eli Zimmerman, EdTech Magazine

Academic and university success are intertwined, and through communication, data analytics and personalized learning tools, institutions and students can win together. Innovations in artificial intelligence are helping to solve for this problem. For example, universities are beginning to experiment with Netflix-style academic video hubs to make it easier for students to personalize their learning to fit what they want to study. The applications are still relatively new, as AI as a curricular tool is still in its infancy. However, Schroeder maintains there are opportunities to use this technology to help students create a learning environment that works for them. By combining these three focus areas, universities can work with students to promote academic achievement on a personal level while maintaining financial success as institutions.
https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2019/10/roadmap-student-success-and-technology-can-get-you-there-perfcon

'This is the bust': Colleges tackle the challenge of regional consolidation - Liz Farmer, Education Dive

Regional colleges have long played the role of community economic engines. For many students, the educational experience they offer is more aligned with the needs and opportunities in the local workforce than is that of their state's flagship institution. But post-recession economic headwinds have worked against these smaller, less-resourced institutions. Many are facing financial pressures driven by declining budgets and changing demographics that are forcing a reorganization of higher education across the country. And although such moves can be controversial and take years to implement, experts say the trend is only expected to continue.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/this-is-the-bust-colleges-tackle-the-challenge-of-regional-consolidation/564182/

edX Announces Its Eleventh Degree: A Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering - IBL News

edX announced on September 30 the launch of its eleventh MOOC-based degree, reaffirming its role as an OPM (Online Program Manager) company. The new degree is top-ranked, as the #5 online graduate engineering program according to U.S. News & World Report. The Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University School of Electrical and Computer Engineering will cost $22,500, that is, 30 credits at $750 each. The current online master’s program in Purdue costs nearly $40,000. The lower price point was made possible in part due to the support from edX and the ability to offer courses at scale, according to Dimitrios Peroulis, school’s head. [ed note:how do these reduced-cost degrees from high-visibility / nationally-ranked universities impact enrollments at regional public universities?]
https://iblnews.org/edx-announces-its-eleventh-online-degree-a-masters-in-electrical-and-computer-engineering-from-purdue/

White House working group outlines future of universal transcripts - By Hallie Busta, Education Dive

In a new white paper, a workforce policy advisory board established by the Trump administration outlines the steps required to develop and successfully implement interoperable learning records (ILRs), which are compilations of peoples' traditional and hands-on learning experiences. ILRs are already being piloted as a way to readily and securely share such information with educational institutions and employers by using vendor-agnostic technology that doesn't require direct coordination or synchronization. The board sees broader potential for ILRs and suggests promoting that growth by creating a public list of pilot projects, developing a plan for implementing ILRs and bringing a basic ILR to market.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/white-house-working-group-outlines-future-of-universal-transcripts/563808/

4 edutech innovations that will redefine learning habits in 2019 - Nicholas Chew, e27

Technology is changing the way that we learn, information is also more abundant to the masses. Breakthroughs of new technology innovations such as A.I. and Blockchain are giving more opportunities for the Edutech sector to grow. Let’s dig deeper into how Edutech can boost learning in the digital world.
https://e27.co/4-edutech-innovations-that-will-redefine-learning-habits-in-2019-20190928/

Major challenges facing our young people, graduates and students today - Patrick Ow, Thrive Global

Just-in-time continuous learning through flexible short courses (online virtual learning and offline bricks and mortar), and continuous on-the-job learning and training will become a norm as new skills are constantly created to keep up with advances in technology, evolving business models, and organizational restructure. The role and relevance of colleges and universities in preparing our future generations for work and employment must be scrutinized and debated. They must respond to the ever-changing need of the demand side of the work equation because graduates are using less than half of what they have learned in universities at work. The half-life of knowledge is also decreasing.
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/major-challenges-facing-our-young-people-graduates-and-students-today/

DYI Education Gaining Steam - Tamara Holmes, Yahoo

In fact, a new study suggests many people across the world are instead embracing a hodgepodge of do-it-yourself learning options.  To collect the data, Pearson conducted an online survey of 11,083 people between the ages of 16 to 70.  An overwhelming 81% of respondents said they believe learning will become more of a self-service affair as people get older. Among U.S. respondents, 87% said learning does not end after graduation. Education is also viewed as a way to pivot in one’s life, as 73% of U.S. respondents said they like to reinvent themselves by learning new skills, and 52% said they planned to pursue a second career, start a business or take classes after retirement.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/yourself-learning-gaining-stream-151554041.html
FULL GLOBAL LEARNER SURVEY REPORT: https://www.pearson.com/corporate/news/global-learner-survey.html

How Student Debt is Disrupting Life Chances and Widening the Racial Wealth Gap Institute on Assets and Social Policy - Brandeis University

The current higher education financing regime sediments and exacerbates inequality, and
student loans adversely affect the Black-White racial wealth gap.6 Black students—and students at for-profit universities, who are more likely to be students of color—often face the greatest challenges as they try to finance their degrees with student loans. They take on more loans, amass higher amounts of loans, and experience greater difficulty in paying off loans.7 Frequently without family financial wealth to support repayment and facing ongoing discrimination in the labor market,8 Black borrowers are much more likely to experience longterm financial insecurity due to student loans. Would anybody knowingly design a system where, two decades after starting college, many Black borrowers still are paying on virtually all of their student loans, while for the typical White borrower, a minimal debt burden remains?
https://heller.brandeis.edu/iasp/pdfs/stallingdreams-how-student-debt-is-disrupting-lifechances.pdf

Liberal arts degree? No degree at all? You are the perfect candidate for a tech job - Eric Rosenbaum, CNBC

For the past two years as many as 1 million tech jobs remain unfilled. Tech executives on the CNBC Technology Executive Council say it has become harder to fill tech positions, so candidates with liberal arts degrees, or no college degree, are now being hired. “Tech companies and enterprises who depend on digital technologies to drive their primary mission are in a virtual arms race to hire and retain tech-skilled workers,” one executive told CNBC.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/26/tech-jobs-now-a-fit-for-a-liberal-arts-degree-or-no-degree-at-all.html

The Essentials of Blended Learning - BY PATRICIA DE SARACHO, GovTech

The concept of blended learning has been around since the 1960s, but only recently has it taken off as a methodology, enabled by technology, for integrating traditional and virtual classrooms. At its most basic level, the term refers to the use of online learning methods and technologies to complement and enhance the traditional classroom experience. “Blended learning is one of the most powerful and influential innovations in education,” according to aeseducation.com, because it combines “the benefits of face-to-face education with the anywhere-anytime power of the Internet.”
https://www.govtech.com/education/The-Essentials-of-Blended-Learning-Contributed.html

The Importance Of Presence Offline And Online In Higher Education - Marvin Krislov, Forbes

Presence means, essentially, being there. It’s something that happens naturally in physical classrooms. But in online education, instructors have to work to create it. Poorly constructed online courses can feel cold and impersonal; online faculty can feel distant. But in a well-designed course, where faculty work to be present, students can thrive. Studies have shown that creating strong presence and engagement in an online class—mimicking that personal connection Gabelli and I so value—improves academic outcomes and student experience. So how can educators make sure they maintain presence as education moves online?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marvinkrislov/2019/09/25/the-importance-of-presence-offline-and-online-in-higher-education/#6765cd923295

Where Did All the Students Go? - Cristina Spanò, The Chronicle

We are facing a crisis in enrollment, but it’s not just an enrollment challenge. Instead, it requires the attention of every member of every university community coming together to think less about our own self-interest and more about the common good of our institutions and society. Big public universities and well-endowed private colleges with powerful brands are safe for the near future — or so it seemed until a few recent announcements that make even the most optimistic of us wonder. The big question: Can we begin to get back in shape, or will our collective complacency finally do us in?

https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/20191006-A-Crisis-in-Enrollment

The Impact of At-Scale and Mega-U Degrees - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

In the near term, it appears that at-scale programs will be launched in popular, broad degree areas; the same for most mega-universities. That leaves more highly specialized, emerging market, just-in-time degree and certificate programs that meet the needs for newly forged career paths. Such programs will find an audience that is not yet large enough for the bigger institutions to consider offering at scale. In order to take on these emerging online program areas, the small and medium-size institutions must be in close touch with business and industry. They must anticipate the emergence and growth in new fields. They must be nimble and decisive to move ahead with these new programs.
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/impact-scale-and-mega-u-degrees

Google’s quantum bet on the future of AI—and what it means for humanity - Katrina Brooker, Fast Company

Hartmut Neven, who leads Google’s quantum team, presented the lab’s advances during Google’s Quantum Spring Symposium in May, describing the increases in processing power as double exponential. Within computer science circles, this growth rate for quantum computing has been dubbed Neven’s law, a nod to Moore’s law, which posits that “classical” computing advances by doubling the number of transistors that can fit on a chip every 18 months. [ed note:  This changes everything we know - follow this field|
https://www.fastcompany.com/90396213/google-quantum-supremacy-future-ai-humanity

We all have a lot to learn from nontraditional learners - Mari Cini, Education Dive

About three in four undergraduate college students are what policy experts refer to as "nontraditional" learners. These are students who attend college later in life, go to school part-time, work full-time while enrolled or are raising children while earning a degree.  They can teach all of us about the importance, and the increasing necessity, of evolving our education-to-career pathways. Here are three things we can — and must — learn from so-called nontraditional students:
https://www.educationdive.com/news/we-all-have-a-lot-to-learn-from-nontraditional-learners/563063/

How can the Ed Department better review accreditors? - Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive

The U.S. Department of Education should go "beyond a box-checking exercise" when assessing whether accreditors are adequately doing their jobs, contends a new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP).    Antoinette Flores, associate director for postsecondary education at the left-leaning CAP, writes that the Ed Department needs to spend more time assessing accreditors that oversee the largest share of federal funds and conduct more open-ended investigations. The report comes as the Ed Department is rewriting the regulations around accreditation that would ease its review of accreditors.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/how-can-the-ed-department-better-review-accreditors/563418/

'Transaction Man': The Rise of Disposable Professors and Insecure Institutions - Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed

Anyone who thinks about the future of higher education is likely to find themselves in a state of unease. The trends are worrying. A decade from now will witness unprecedented declines in the numbers of new high school graduates, particularly in the Northeast and the Midwest. These demographic headwinds, combined with continued public disinvestment and rising costs, have pushed many schools to various levels of financial instability. The decline of tenure-track positions, in favor of adjunct faculty, is one strategy that colleges and universities have pursued to bring their revenues and costs in line with one another explain the current postsecondary reality of concentrated privilege and system-wide anxiety?

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/transaction-man-rise-disposable-professors-and-insecure-institutions?mc_cid=c87d143421&mc_eid=879d6835e3

Choosing Employers Over College for More Education - Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

Roughly half of American adults without a college degree (46 percent) said they need additional education to advance in their careers, according to new survey data from the Strada Education Network and Gallup. Employers were the first-choice providers for this group, with 33 percent saying they are most likely to participate in additional education and training from employers. Community colleges were next (23 percent), followed by trade schools or programs (21 percent), and traditional four-year colleges (17 percent).
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/23/choosing-employers-over-college-more-education

Communicating science online increases interest, engagement and access to funds - Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher, the Conversation

Scientists are active on social media, discussing everything from methods to the latest developments in research. They even use social media to raise funds. Scientists sometimes provide mentoring online and have conversations with more junior researchers about their careers. Social networking tools also provide a space to build both social and professional networks, allowing scientists to develop new collaborations. Dismissing online science communication as trivial to the intellectual work of scientists would be a mistaken position.
https://theconversation.com/communicating-science-online-increases-interest-engagement-and-access-to-funds-122102

New study: Towards a do-it-yourself learning style - Financial Express

This was revealed by Pearson’s Global Learner Survey, the findings of which were released last week: DIY mindset is reshaping education: When they have to retrain for work, 42% of learners in the US and 50% in China and India taught themselves using internet. Digital and virtual learning are new normal: Globally, 76% people believe college students will be taking online courses within 10 years, and 78% Indians believe students today have the benefit of using technology to support their learning. Lifelong learning is the new reality: Globally, there is wide agreement that people need to keep learning throughout their career to stay up-to-date in their careers—today, 60% of Indians believe that the world is shifting to a model where people participate in education over a lifetime.
https://www.financialexpress.com/education-2/new-study-towards-a-do-it-yourself-learning-style/1714218/

Keys to an Analytics Future: Governance, Collaboration, and Communication - Betsy Reinitz, EDUCAUSE

Additionally, as analytics initiatives get underway, colleges and universities will need to make decisions about how to allocate resources to sustain and grow analytics. Not everything can be done, and these decisions about what to do and what not to do can be difficult. As one summit presenter, San Cannon, Chief Data Officer at University of Rochester, said, "Everybody gets a say but not everybody gets their way."3 Having all of the appropriate stakeholders participate in that conversation through a governance process is necessary for making resource decisions that ensure the analytics initiative addresses the goals set out for it.
https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2019/9/keys-to-an-analytics-future-governance-collaboration-and-communication

Student Debt and the Class of 2018 - Institute for College Access and Success

Student Debt and the Class of 2018 is TICAS’ fourteenth annual report on the student loan debt of recent graduates from four-year colleges, documenting changes and variation in student debt across states and colleges. Unless otherwise noted, the figures in this report are only for public and nonprofit colleges because virtually no for-profit colleges report what their graduates owe. Nationally, about two in three (65%) college seniors who graduated from public and private nonprofit colleges in 2018 had student loan debt, the same share as the Class of 2017. Borrowers from the Class of 2018 owed an average of $29,200, a 2 percent increase from the average of $28,650 in 2017.
https://ticas.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/classof2018.pdf

What are Digital Credentials and What Do They Mean for Education? - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

Digital credentials can be found in a variety of places. In educational games, a learner may get a badge after reaching a certain level or mastering a certain skill within the game. In the workforce, a digital badge certifies that a person has taken a professional development course and demonstrated mastery of a set of related skills. In higher education, universities are using digital credentials to give students a head start in acquiring skills for their future careers.  Because of the way they connect the workplace with education, digital credentials are poised to have a profound impact on the way students plan their futures both in and outside of the classroom. 

https://www.thetechedvocate.org/what-are-digital-credentials-and-what-do-they-mean-for-education/

To keep up with blockchain, colleges look across disciplines - Hallie Busta, Education Dive

As fintech expands, institutions are adding classes in cryptocurrency and digital ledgers to equip students with practical skills. To tap into emerging industries, colleges often have to break through the walls that separate academic disciplines. One of the latest barriers they're addressing stands between their business and technology programs. The emergence of artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain and cryptocurrency is changing how money moves between people and organizations. That's created a new industry — financial technology, or fintech — around which colleges are being asked to create new curriculum as employers seek hires with these specific skill sets.
https://www.educationdive.com/news/to-keep-up-with-blockchain-colleges-look-across-disciplines/563031/

Preparing for Tomorrow With Online Professional Development - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

We are entering the fourth industrial revolution, in which jobs and careers are changing at a dizzying pace. The impact in the working world is profound. Overall in the U.S., the average number of years that an employee stayed with an employer as of last year was 4.2. For most people in this emerging fourth industrial revolution, professional development is not an option; it is a necessity. But that doesn’t mean it should be chore. In fact Mary Shindler, senior program manager on the learning and development team at LinkedIn, says, "Data is showing that team members who engage in learning are found to be happier and feel more satisfied in their careers."
https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/preparing-tomorrow-online-professional-development

Taking IT Way beyond Accessibility: 5 + 4 = 1 Approach - Thomas Tobin, EDUCAUSE Review

The colleges and universities that are furthest along in their accessibility efforts tend to have IT leaders and staff who share certain practices. They typically chop off the end of the word "accessibility," focusing their efforts on expanding access, regardless of the ability profiles of their learners.20 They shift their goals away from making content accessible and look instead at making interactions easier to engage in.21 And they have largely moved beyond the mental model of universal design (UD) in the physical environment, which is static, bounded, and predictable—instead designing interactions according to UDL, which sees interactions as dynamic, open, and emergent.
https://er.educause.edu/articles/2019/8/taking-it-way-beyond-accessibility-5-4-1-approach

Forecasts, FlexchainEdu, and the Promise of Future Horizons - Taylor Kendal, EDUCAUSE Review

Berners-Lee's oft-quoted view of the future-past of the web applies equally well to the higher education ecosystem: its future is so much bigger than its past. I believe that in just a decade, the postsecondary education ecosystem will be both utterly unrecognizable and strikingly familiar. It will consist of bootcamp-university hybrids, algorithm-driven space-sharing agreements, discipline-specific micro-schools, AI-driven instruction/courses, and perhaps most noticeable and widespread, entirely new means of validating the knowledge and skills that such an ecosystem is providing or was meant to provide its students. Yet while surrounding pressures will necessitate some degree of adaptation, this landscape will still be dotted with legacy systems, slow-rotting code, and familiar conversations regarding how we plan to prepare future generations for the ever-changing technological revolution looming just over the horizon.

https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2019/8/forecasts-flexchainedu-and-the-promise-of-future-horizons

Policies and Payoffs to Addressing America's College Graduation Deficit - Christopher Avery,Jessica Howell,Matea Pender, Sacerdote; Brookings Papers

We consider four distinct policy levers available to states for raising bachelor’s degree completion rates in the U.S. through their public colleges and universities. We simulate these policies using elasticities from the existing literature and a matched College Board-National Student Clearinghouse dataset on enrollment and degree completion. Increasing spending at public college and targeted elimination of tuition and fees at four-year public colleges with an income cutoff are projected to be the most effective of these policies in terms of cost per additional BA degree. Reducing tuition and fees at public colleges and a distinct policy of moving students to the best available in-state public college (BISPO) are next best on a cost-benefit basis. Free community college policies are significantly less cost effective.

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Avery-et-al_conference-draft.pdf

At these colleges, students begin serious research their first year - Nancy Stamp, the Conversation

While about one out of every five undergraduates get some kind of research experience, the rest tend to get just “cookbook” labs that typically do not challenge students to think but merely require them to follow directions to achieve the “correct” answer. That’s beginning to change through First-year Research Immersion, an academic model that is part of an emergent trend meant to provide undergraduates with meaningful research experience. The First-year Research Immersion is a sequence of three course-based research experiences at three universities: University of Texas at Austin, University of Maryland and Binghamton University, where I teach science.

https://theconversation.com/at-these-colleges-students-begin-serious-research-their-first-year-117959

It’s Time To Act: Congress Needs to Reauthorize the Higher Education Act - Young Invincibles

Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act should be the first major and immediate step in addressing our higher education problems. It’s truly shocking to realize that such a consequential piece of legislation has not been reauthorized in more than 11 years. With our national student debt rapidly increasing, now more than $1.6 trillion, and in-state tuition for a 4-year public college having increased by 41% since 2008, there is an urgency for Congress to take action now.

https://younginvincibles.org/its-time-to-act-congress-needs-to-reauthorize-the-higher-education-act/

Chatting with Chatbots - By Lindsay McKenzie, Inside Higher Ed

More and more colleges are deploying virtual assistants or chatbots to communicate with students on all aspects of college life, creating a virtual "one-stop-shop" for student queries. Colleges initially were deploying this technology only in specific areas, such as financial aid, IT services or the library. Now institutions are looking to deploy chatbots with much broader capability. For the companies that make this computer software that conducts text or voice-based conversations, this changing usage on campus marks a significant shift.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/09/06/expansion-chatbots-higher-ed

Seventeen Questions Every College Should Be Asking - Ben Sasse, US Senator/former college president, the Atlantic

Here’s the problem: Higher education is in the middle of multiple, massive disruptions—and it isn’t clear that the leaders of the sector grasp the magnitude of the waves of change breaking on their ivy-covered gates. As just one example, it is decreasingly clear what purpose a four-year degree should serve when technology is changing the nature of work. These tidal economic and cultural changes should be prompting serious soul-searching in every board and faculty meeting, but most universities are deliberating with the urgency of 1951 becoming 1952.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/17-questions-every-college-should-be-asking/597310/

Introducing the Coursera Global Skills Index - Emily Glassberg Sands, Coursera

Urgency around upskilling is a global one, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each country has a unique set of circumstances – economic, political, social – that shape their skills landscape today. Industries, too, face challenges unique to their verticals that require tailored talent strategies. This first edition of the Coursera Global Skills Index looks closely at these trends, benchmarking 60 countries and 10 industries across Business, Technology, and Data Science skills. The findings draw from an innovative data methodology that uses machine learning to map skills to the content that teaches them and then robustly measure skill proficiencies based on the assessment performance of the millions of learners on Coursera.
https://blog.coursera.org/introducing-the-coursera-global-skills-index/