College student outcomes and state funding are intertwined, report finds -Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, HigherEd Dive

State funding cuts cause modest decreases in graduation rates and college credentials awarded, according to a new report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. SHEEO analyzed empirical research to study how changes in state funding for public colleges and financial aid affected student outcomes. The organization argues that investing in public colleges, which three-fourths of students nationwide attend, will be key as an economic recession stresses state budgets and exacerbates inequities in higher ed.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/college-student-outcomes-and-state-funding-are-intertwined-report-finds/600458/

How AI Is Infiltrating Higher Education - Derek Newton, Undark

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is being used to shoot off these seemingly personal appeals and deliver pre-written information through chatbots and text personas meant to mimic human banter. It can help a university or college by boosting early deposit rates while cutting down on expensive and time-consuming calls to stretched admissions staffs. AI has long been quietly embedding itself into higher education in ways like these, often to save money — a need that’s been heightened by pandemic-related budget squeezes.

https://undark.org/2021/05/18/how-ai-is-infiltrating-higher-education/

Changing lives by connecting all Americans to broadband internet - Tom Wheeler, Brookings

The mountain hollows around McKee (pronounced “hollers” by the locals) were once home to Daniel Boone. Today, homes can use urban-grade high-speed fiber connections to stream Daniel Boone movies and television shows. But the importance of those high-speed connections is far beyond television shows. The ability to work from home was standard practice long before the rest of us discovered it during the pandemic. The ability to find employment without leaving home has been important to everyone, but particularly important to individuals with disabilities. Thanks to the fiber-to-the-home connection, when COVID hit, students were prepared for remote learning.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2021/05/19/changing-lives-by-connecting-all-americans-to-broadband-internet/

Using Data Analytics as a Source of Change - Knowledge at Wharton

If knowledge is power, then the vast knowledge contained in big data is powerful enough to change the world. But simply harnessing bits and bytes into tidy tables or whizbang algorithms won’t move the needle on progress. Companies, organizations, and researchers must view the data through a social, political, and cultural lens if they want to solve problems. 

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/using-data-analytics-source-change/

The State of Continuing Education 2021 - Modern Campus

In this report, Modern Campus identifies student engagement gaps educational providers are experiencing. Modern Campus surveyed 213 continuing education (CE) managers, academic executives and administrative executives in the U.S. (85%) and Canada (15%). The report offers recommendations on how to integrate alternative programming into course offerings, as well as technological outreach solutions designed to meet the engagement needs of students.

https://wfmonitor.com/2021/04/28/the-state-of-continuing-education-2021/

Four Ideas to Spark Active Learning in an Online Classroom - Adrianna Davis, Faculty Focus

Active learning can be an intimidating concept for educators.  Many educators have heard the term but struggle to understand the true meaning of active learning and/or integrate active learning strategies within their classroom. As such, it is important to define active learning in simple terms. According to Bonwell and Eisen (1991), active learning is “anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing” (p. 2). Essentially, active learning involves including students in what they are learning, and fostering an environment that encourages them to think on these matters. Student involvement and metacognition, or thinking about thinking, are fundamental to one’s ability to understand active learning.

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-course-delivery-and-instruction/four-ideas-to-spark-active-learning-in-an-online-classroom/

73 Percent of Students Prefer Some Courses Be Fully Online Post-Pandemic - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

In a recent survey, nearly three-quarters of students — 73 percent — said they would prefer to take some of their courses fully online post-pandemic. However, only half of faculty (53 percent) felt the same about teaching online. The fourth and final installment of Cengage's Digital Learning Pulse Survey, conducted by Bay View Analytics on behalf of the Online Learning Consortium, WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) and Canadian Digital Learning Research Association, polled 1,469 students and 1,286 faculty and administrators across 856 United States institutions about how higher education is changing in the wake of COVID-19.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2021/05/13/73-percent-of-students-prefer-some-courses-be-fully-online-post-pandemic.aspx

Striking a deal to strengthen broadband access for all - Tom Wheeler, Brookings

President Biden told the joint session of Congress he was asking Vice President Harris to take the lead on the broadband component of his infrastructure plan, “because I know it will get done.” The headlines emphasized the statement, “I am asking the vice president to lead this effort.” They called attention to how placing a high-profile figure such as the vice president in charge of closing the digital divide signals the issue’s high priority.

https://www.brookings.edu/research/striking-a-deal-to-strengthen-broadband-access-for-all/

Getting a degree pays off, but graduates don't benefit equally, report finds - Natalie Schwartz, HigherEd Dive

The Postsecondary Value Commission, which is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, created a framework to measure how much attending college benefits a student and to identify equity gaps. At roughly three-quarters of nonprofit public and private colleges, students have median earnings a decade after enrolling that cover their total cost of attendance and are greater than high school graduates in their state, its analysis found. Half of for-profit colleges did not. The commission also analyzed data within the University of Texas System, which revealed deep racial, gender and socioeconomic disparities in the value students gain from their education.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/getting-a-degree-pays-off-but-graduates-dont-benefit-equally-report-find/599999/

Flexibility key for universities' hybrid learning, researchers say - Emily Bamforth, EdScoop

The solution to student engagement in online learning isn’t picking the right way to deliver courses, but allowing students the flexibility to take the course the way they want to, researchers said during an online event this week. As higher education was forced to switch to online learning last March because of the coronavirus pandemic, educators gained an opportunity to experiment with new teaching techniques and see the results in real time. One major challenge higher education faced was fostering a sense of community while students learned remotely, said participants of the Wednesday symposium, which was co-hosted by learning centers at Duke University, University of Michigan, Stanford, Penn State and Princeton.

https://edscoop.com/flexibility-universities-hybrid-learning-researchers/

Online learning doesn't improve student sleep habits, research suggests - Simon Fraser University

New research from Simon Fraser University suggests that students learning remotely become night owls but do not sleep more despite the time saved commuting, working or attending social events. The study, led by psychology professor Ralph Mistlberger, Andrea Smit and Myriam Juda, at SFU's Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Lab, compared self-reported data on sleep habits from 80 students enrolled in a 2020 summer session course at SFU with data collected from 450 students enrolled in the same course during previous summer semesters. The study results were recently published in the journal PLOS ONE.

https://www.newswise.com/articles/online-learning-doesn-t-improve-student-sleep-habits-research-suggests

Online Cheating Charges Upend Dartmouth Medical School - Natasha Singer and Aaron Krolik, NY Times

He is one of 17 medical students whom Dartmouth recently accused of cheating on remote tests while in-person exams were shut down because of the coronavirus. The allegations have prompted an on-campus protest, letters of concern to school administrators from more than two dozen faculty members and complaints of unfair treatment from the student government, turning the pastoral Ivy League campus into a national battleground over escalating school surveillance during the pandemic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/09/technology/dartmouth-geisel-medical-cheating.html

A Second Demographic Cliff Adds to Urgency for Change - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

Now, we see another major drop in births during 2020, with births down 4 percent over the year, but notably accelerating to 8 percent by December as the impact of COVID took hold earlier in the year, reducing births nine months later. In sum, competition is rapidly growing; the pool of “traditional” students is evaporating; employers are dropping degree requirements; and, with student debt now surpassing $1.7 trillion, we all know that families are looking for more cost-effective paths to the knowledge and skills they seek. "The fundamental business model for delivering education is broken," said Rick Beyer, a senior fellow and practice area lead for mergers and affiliations at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. "The consolidation era started a few years ago. It will continue. We will see more closures." What, then, are the bright spots for postsecondary learning?

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/second-demographic-cliff-adds-urgency-change

The Impact Of OER At the University - Matthew Lynch, Tech Edvocate

A large-scale study conducted at the University of Georgia discovered that students who received free course materials at the beginning of a class received much higher academic results than those who did not. The study drew a comparison between the final grades of students enrolled in eight major undergraduate courses between 2010 and 2016. Each course was taught by a professor who, at a point during the six-year study period, changed from using a commercial textbook that was valued at more than $100 to a digital, free textbook, otherwise known as an open educational resource (OER). When the results (before and after) were compared, it was concluded that changing to OER increased the quantity of A and A- results by 5.5% and 7.73%, respectively.

https://www.thetechedvocate.org/the-impact-of-oer-at-the-university/

Acceptance of the Widespread Transition to Online Learning Grows - FinancialBuzz.com

Thesurvey, conducted by The Digital Learning Pulse, includes responses from 772 teaching faculty, 514 academic administrators and 1,413 students who were registered at a U.S. higher education institution for both the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. The majority of students, 73%, "somewhat" or "strongly" (46%) agreed that they would like to take some fully online courses in the future. Online learning is also structured to save time and opens several doors to immersive learning. Instead of being passive, learners can choose what they need to learn quickly and easily, from wherever they are. Overall, the global online education market size is projected to reach USD 245.9 Billion by 2026, from USD 153.18 Billion in 2020 while witnessing a CAGR of 8.2% during 2021-2026, according to data provided by Valuates Reports.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acceptance-of-the-widespread-transition-to-online-learning-grows-301282754.html

Predicting Levels of Student Satisfaction during COVID-19 - Madison Foerderer, Sarah Hoffman, Natalie Schneider and J. Roxanne Prichard; EDUCAUSE Review

Based on our own and our peers' disappointment with the quality of online learning in spring 2020, we hypothesized that there would be a difference in student satisfaction levels across the three modalities. We predicted that face-to-face learning would have the highest level of student satisfaction and online would have the lowest. However, the data showed otherwise. Even when students had no choice but to enroll in the format their school was offering, there was not a significant difference in overall student satisfaction levels across the three learning modalities. When asked to rank their level of agreement with the statement "Overall, I liked the course," students' average endorsement scores ranged between "neither agree nor disagree" and "somewhat agree" (see table 1).

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/4/predicting-levels-of-student-satisfaction-during-covid-19

What Ed Tech Could Be Today's Antikythera Mechanism? - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

The Antikythera mechanism is an astounding device dating to antiquity. It has been hailed as the first mechanical computer, but more precisely it is an educational device.This was an ed-tech device that was millennia ahead of general adoption. It is that revelation that gives me pause to question, what might be the educational technology in recent history that could be comparable in some more modest way to the Antikythera mechanism? Likely, any such comparison will be to virtual technologies such as apps or software.Or, maybe, in fact, it is the medium rather than the multitude of educational technology devices and applications that are developed that will go down as the most remarkable ed tech of our time.

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/what-ed-tech-could-be-todays-antikythera-mechanism

The 4 stages of Zoom enlightenment - Tom Haymes, eCampus News

Digital environments, like their physical counterparts, can offer great opportunities but, in order for them to be sustainable, we need a system to define and understand how different online interactions actually work. Understanding how different online interactions lead to and support learning is critical as learning becomes increasingly digital. I call this system the Four Stages of Zoom Enlightenment.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/05/03/the-4-stages-of-zoom-enlightenment/

Engaging all higher education students with student-centric approaches - Anthony Salcito, Vice President, Microsoft Education

A new whitepaper, “Reimagining higher education as a student-centered experience” by Microsoft Education, explores some post-covid trends impacting higher education, and how technology can help address them.

Trend 1: Students are becoming more diverse and so are their expectations of higher education’s role in their path to employment  Trend 2: Harnessing data and leveraging AI will increasingly help institutions provide more personalized experiences and operate with greater agility Trend 3: The integration of technology with pedagogy will enable more flexible, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences.

https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2021/04/engaging-all-higher-education-students-with-student-centric-approaches

The Changing Face of Science - Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed

Academic science is much more diverse than it was a generation ago, even if it still has a ways to go. That’s according to a new report on women, minorities and people with disabilities from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics at the National Science Foundation. The share of academic jobs held by female doctorates in science, engineering and health fields increased from 26 percent in 1999 to 39 percent in 2019. Underrepresented minorities hold more of these jobs now than in 1999, but their share -- 9 percent -- is still “considerably less” than their share of the population, according to the NSF. By comparison, underrepresented minorities make up one-third of the U.S. The share of academic scientists with one or more disabilities also increased over the same period, to 9 percent. Their share of the general population is about 11 percent.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/05/04/federal-report-shines-light-historically-underrepresented-groups-science

6 Key Technologies Moving Teaching and Learning Forward in 2021 - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

 Educause's latest Horizon Report outlines the biggest trends shaping teaching and learning this year. In particular, the report identified six technologies and practices that are key to higher education institutions' future planning, whether those topics are newly emerging or evolving from previous years. They are topics that can come, go and return to Horizon Reports from year to year "more organically, reflecting the most current issues," the report explained. In this year's list of key technologies, the categories of artificial intelligence, open educational resources, and learning analytics have made a repeat appearance in the report. They are joined by three new categories: blended and hybrid course models, quality online learning, and microcredentialing.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2021/04/26/6-key-technologies-moving-teaching-and-learning-forward-in-2021.aspx?admgarea=news

Online learning remains high priority for higher ed, Educause report finds - Emily Bamforth, EdScoop

Higher education leaders and instructors interviewed by Educause reviewed 130 technology practices and identified six as the most crucial to the future. Blended and hybrid course models were rated as the most important as universities sought ways to maintain their operations through the health crisis. “Sustainability was something that I think we felt worldwide,” said Kathe Pelletier, director of Educause’s teaching and learning program. “If I had to trace that back, [that could be from] having come from a place of responding to the pandemic and at those panelists own institutions that they did not have a sustainable or a flexible plan that could help sustain.”

https://edscoop.com/online-learning-remains-high-priority-for-higher-ed-sustainability-educause-report-finds/

Online learning remains high priority for higher ed, Educause report finds - Emily Bamforth, EdScoop

Higher education leaders and instructors interviewed by Educause reviewed 130 technology practices and identified six as the most crucial to the future. Blended and hybrid course models were rated as the most important as universities sought ways to maintain their operations through the health crisis. “Sustainability was something that I think we felt worldwide,” said Kathe Pelletier, director of Educause’s teaching and learning program. “If I had to trace that back, [that could be from] having come from a place of responding to the pandemic and at those panelists own institutions that they did not have a sustainable or a flexible plan that could help sustain.”

https://edscoop.com/online-learning-remains-high-priority-for-higher-ed-sustainability-educause-report-finds/

Students Want Online Learning Options Post-Pandemic - Lindsay McKenzie, Inside Higher Ed

The experience of learning remotely during the pandemic left students with a positive attitude toward online and hybrid courses, a new survey suggests.The Digital Learning Pulse survey, published today, is the fourth in a series of surveys published by Bay View Analytics in partnership with Cengage, the Online Learning Consortium, the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies and the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. The majority of students, 73 percent, "somewhat" or "strongly" (46 percent) agreed that they would like to take some fully online courses in the future. A slightly smaller number of students, 68 percent, indicated they would be interested in taking courses offering a combination of in-person and online instruction.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/04/27/survey-reveals-positive-outlook-online-instruction-post-pandemic

Many left behind in this recovery have something in common: No college degree - Heather Long, Washington Post

The latest hiring numbers show encouraging signs that women are returning to the labor force, but major struggles remain for men and women without college degrees. Hiring has rebounded quickly for Americans with college degrees. In recent months, there has been a noticeable surge in people with two-year associate’s degrees getting back into the workforce, but Americans with only a high school diploma or less remain deep in crisis mode, even as employers claim they are having trouble finding workers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/22/jobs-no-college-degree/

Cultivating the agile university requires good leadership - Nita Temmerman, University World News

At the heart of the agile university is good leadership: a leader who is committed to and can successfully and clearly guide the people and operations of the institution towards ever better results and reputation; a leader who will steer the way to nurturing a healthy community culture in which people feel they belong, that their contribution is valued and that they are entrusted to work independently towards achieving expected outcomes. This might mean eliminating barriers between divisions and layer upon layer of bureaucracy that impedes progress and pits different sections of the institution against each other.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210419105006889

Here’s Who Was Hit Hardest by Higher Ed’s Pandemic-Driven Job Losses - Dan Bauman, Chronicle of Higher Ed

Mirroring trends in the larger economy, certain workers in higher education have endured a disproportionate share of the losses. Workers with limited labor protections, like those providing administrative support or working in food service, were particularly hard hit. So were employees of color, who saw outsized losses relative to their share of the overall work force. Job losses were worst in the early months of the pandemic, when higher ed shed hundreds of thousands of jobs in a relatively short period. Despite a significant increase in recent months, the net loss in jobs remains so large that it’s erased more than a decade of job gains for the sector, with higher ed’s work force now matching its size in February 2008.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/heres-who-was-hit-hardest-by-higher-eds-pandemic-driven-job-losses

Higher ed’s role and opportunity in coskilling, upskilling, and reskilling- Vistasp M. Karbhari, eCampus News

The accelerating convergence of information and technology especially as related to AI and robotics is changing the knowledge and skills desired in the workforce, with some estimating that nearly 50 percent of subject knowledge acquired during the first year of an undergraduate degree program is outdated by the time the student attains a degree. Recent estimates predict that by 2022 about 54 percent of all employees would require significant reskilling and upskilling to meet the needs of a changing work environment.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/04/23/higher-eds-role-and-opportunity-in-coskilling-upskilling-and-reskilling/

Temple’s business school sees virtual reality as future of online learning - Zoe Rosenberg, Philadelphia Inquirer

Before the pandemic made online schooling a necessity, Bora Ozkan theorized that students learning remotely would be more engaged in virtual reality. Ozkan, a finance professor at Temple University and academic director of its online MBA, has tested that belief since March 2020, when he launched the class Fintech, Blockchain and Digital Disruption in a virtual reality, or VR, program. It took 18 months to research the technology and build the course at a cost upward of $100,000. The finished product was completed with the help of Glimpse Group, a New York-based virtual reality and augmented reality company.

https://www.inquirer.com/business/remote-learning-vr-mba-20210423.html

Co-Facilitated Discussions to Truly Engage Your Online Students with Course Content - Murat Turk, Faculty Focus

There are many ways in which instructors might use AODs in their online courses, but traditionally, online students are asked in discussions to post once and respond a specific number of times. A challenge with this strategy is that once each student completes their postings and responses, they often quit reading, responding to, and engaging with what others say or think about the issue or topic under study, thus missing out on useful insights and experiences. One effective solution is to incorporate peer moderation or facilitation of online discussions, which I have been using in my own online courses since summer 2020 when I read Milman’s (2014) article about co-facilitation of online discussions.

https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-student-engagement/co-facilitated-discussions-to-truly-engage-your-online-students-with-course-content/

Two principles guiding this professor’s pandemic teaching - Byron K. Hargrove, eCampus News

A Berkeley College professor speaks about how responsiveness and compassion with students paid off during the pandemic. The two central lessons I found to be extremely helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic have to do with being more open and adaptive to online learning and finding ways to be uber responsive, flexible and caring with my students.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/04/21/two-principles-guiding-this-professors-pandemic-teaching/