US data science education lacks a much-needed focus on ethics - Jeffrey C Oliver and Torbet McNeil, University World News

Universities and colleges have responded to the demand by creating new programmes or revamping existing ones. The number of undergraduate data science programmes in the US jumped from 13 in 2014 to at least 50 as of September 2020. As educators and practitioners in data science, we were prompted by the growth in programmes to investigate what is covered, and what is not covered, in data science undergraduate education. We found most programmes dedicated considerable coursework to mathematics, statistics and computer science, but little training in ethical considerations such as privacy and systemic bias. Only 50% of the degree programmes we investigated required any coursework in ethics.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php

Can Elon Musk’s Satellite Wi-Fi Improve Digital Equity? - Erin Cunningham, EdTech

To help bridge the digital divide, especially during remote instruction, schools and communities have set up hotspots and other platforms to help connect students and families to the internet. Ector County has used those strategies too, Wilks says, but the shared signal often degraded depending on how many people were using the hotspot, and the speeds were insufficient. Now, through a relationship with Starlink, the satellite internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, local families have access to high-speed, low-latency internet for students. Wi-Fi has been an effective solution to connect rural students and families to the internet, says Pratt. 

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2021/09/can-elon-musks-satellite-wi-fi-improve-digital-equity

Advancing and Streamlining DX in Higher Ed - Carly Walker, EdTech

Even before March 2020, a steady decline in undergraduate enrollment was being closely monitored as higher education experienced a shift away from tradition. A significant portion of college students were no longer solely focused on attending classes full time. It was common to find students balancing work, family and school due to the time, money and resource expenditures that come with attending a college or university. To maintain a competitive edge, institutions worked to improve student outcomes and implement more effective teaching methods. But COVID-19 accelerated the need for post-secondary infrastructural changes that can only be achieved through digital transformation (DX).

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2021/09/advancing-and-streamlining-dx-higher-ed

Colleges Need to Better Define Their Student Market - Lisa Honaker & Dr. Joe Sallustio, Fierce Education

The redefinition of higher education has only just begun. Covid-19—and resulting variants—have disrupted global business operations, inclusive of higher education and catalyzed innovation. That said, pre-pandemic, many traditional higher education institutions faced, and still face, the incredible demographic shift looming in 2025/2026—with an estimated 15% decline in the college-aged population(1). While just one of these phenomena comes with significant disruption, it is unfathomable to think about how these events have changed the plans of college-going students now, and over the next few years. 

https://www.fierceeducation.com/administration/colleges-need-to-better-define-their-student-market

Confronting Ethical and Moral Dilemmas: Don’t Go It Alone - G. Richard Shell, Knowledge at Wharton

According to a 2021 report from the Ethics and Compliance Initiative, 63% of middle managers were pressured by bosses to violate their firm’s ethical code of conduct in 2020. Over half of middle and upper managers observed ethical misconduct, while 79% of employees experienced retaliation for reporting it. Well-run corporate compliance programs and healthy corporate cultures can reduce this problem significantly, but these are hard to sustain across large enterprises over long periods of time. And too many companies give only lip service to both.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/confronting-ethical-moral-dilemmas-dont-go-alone/

Changes to come should be ‘music to your ears,’ higher education innovators say - Liz Willen, Hechinger Report

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Morehouse College offered fewer than nine online courses.  “Many of our faculty were resistant,” Morehouse President David Thomas said recently. “As leaders of colleges like Morehouse, we have to think of technology not as an adjunct to our infrastructure but core to it, and I think that will permeate forever,” Thomas told a packed audience at a session on the future of higher education during the annual ASU + GSV summit earlier this month. “There are good and great years ahead, not without challenge but with huge opportunity.”

https://hechingerreport.org/column-changes-to-come-should-be-music-to-your-ears-higher-education-innovators-say/

Call for Chapters: New Models of Higher Education: Unbundled, Customized, Aaron Browe & Ryan Specht-Boardman- IGI

This is an edited volume on the future of American higher education, focusing on how students mix-and-match education and training over the course of their careers to reach personal and professional goals. Broadly speaking, this describes the way in which students combine degrees and certificates, credit and non-credit programs, on-the-job training, and alternative credentials--all in active pursuit of their professional and personal goals. Our objective is to pull together leading voices and stakeholders who are committed to this student-centered, DIY, mix-and-match vision of how higher education has evolved. We believe that this future is already here, with students engaging in this way for their lifelong education and training, and doing it despite how higher education is currently structured.

https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/5534

Howard University’s Devastating Ransomware Attack Can Teach Other Colleges a Valuable Lesson - JOSEPHINE WOLFF, Slate

The Howard story is a sobering one for those of us at universities hoping for a relatively smooth return to something resembling normal operations this year. It’s also a stark warning of just how much work all organizations, not just college campuses, need to be doing right now to prepare for the possibility of ransomware attacks. That preparation goes beyond just creating back-ups of crucial data and systems—it means also running regular drills for how to get critical networks back up and operating using only those back-ups. Without a clear and practiced procedure for resuming operations in the wake of a ransomware attack, the fallout can be immensely disruptive and continue for days, or even weeks, as organizations scramble to set up alternative systems.

https://slate.com/technology/2021/09/howard-university-ransomware-attack.html

Tim Collins: A Bearish View Toward Online Education - Eric Reed, the Street

Online education companies may have had a boost from the effects of COVID-19 on stay-at-home learning over the last 18 months, but sometimes investors miss the real lesson.Collins added "As we've seen from recent IPOs, the reaction can be hit or miss. Coursera grabbed hold of the online education burst because of Covid and rode the fires of momentum the first day. The stock opened around $40 but traded to $60 in its first week. This came after the company priced its shares at $33. From a nearly double back to even by mid-May. It's fair to say this one has been a roller coaster, but what I see are a series of lower highs and a bearish setup yet again."

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/tim-collins-a-bearish-view-toward-online-education

The geography of AI: Which cities will drive the artificial intelligence revolution? - Mark Muro and Sifan Liu, Brookings Institution

Based on advanced uses of statistics, algorithms, and fast computer processing, AI has become a focal point of U.S. innovation debates. Even more, AI is increasingly viewed as the next great “general purpose technology”—one that has the power to boost the productivity of sector after sector of the economy. All of which is why state and city leaders are increasingly assessing AI for its potential to spur economic growth. Such leaders are analyzing where their regions stand and what they need to do to ensure their locations are not left behind.  Scroll down in article to see the top 20 universities leading the way in AI.

https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-geography-of-ai/

Just Released: UNBOUND 2021 Issue - Second Installment - UPCEA

Among the newly-released articles are:

• Honoring a Legacy of Service: The UPCEA Diversity in Leadership Scholars Program
• Lifelong Learning Programs Adapt to an Online World
• A Virtuous Cycle: Driving Equity Through Financial Gifts in the Non-credit Space
• Prior Learning Assessment: Necessary Burden or Future-Proofing Strategy?

https://unbound.upcea.edu/

Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Online learning revolution - Stewart Watts, Open Access Government

According to a recent report by the British Council, and authored by the Association of Colleges, it is unlikely that colleges will ever return to pre-pandemic teaching and learning practices. In fact, based on research across five countries, the report revealed that six per cent of global technical and vocational education institutions will maintain purely face-to-face teaching delivery.(2) It appears that online learning is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future, as institutions navigate the road ahead. As the pandemic continues to evolve, many schools and universities will want to establish robust contingency plans. 

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/technical-and-vocational-education-and-training-tvet-online-learning/119247/

Could Coursera Become as Prestigious as Harvard? This Expert Thinks So. - Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

Big changes are coming to higher education, and those changes will be bigger and more disruptive than many college leaders realize as online education grows in both size and prestige. That’s the view of Arthur Levine, in a new book called “The Great Upheaval: Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future,” which he co-wrote with Scott Van Pelt, a lecturer and associate director of the Communication Program for the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Levine has been a player in shaping education for decades. The positions he’s held include president of Teachers College at Columbia University, president of Bradford College and most recently, president of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation—which just changed its name to the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-09-07-could-coursera-become-as-prestigious-as-harvard-this-expert-thinks-so

Connected Campus Combines the Best of Physical and Remote Learning - Peggy Bresnick, Fierce Education

The ability for students and faculty to seamlessly engage and have complete access to information regardless of where they are located physically is key to the future of higher education. Before the pandemic, tech-savvy college students expected instantaneous connected experiences on their campuses. However, COVID-19 forced administrators to play catch up to ensure that everyone is always connected. “Higher education institutions need a smart campus strategy that supports new technologies like mobile apps and next generation platforms to ensure seamless engagement and accessibility for all,” said Elliot Markowitz, Head of Content at Fierce Education.

https://www.fierceeducation.com/accessibility/connected-campus-combines-best-physical-and-remote-learning

The Future of Online Learning Is Flexible and Stackable - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology

Over the past few years, online learning in higher education has gone through a period of disruptive change. Not only did the pandemic trigger a massive shift from in-person classes to online, but it also brought new models of hybrid learning to the forefront. And micro-credentials, programs certifying specific competencies that can stand alone or be applied toward a larger degree, have gained momentum as learners have needed to reskill and compete in an evolving workforce. To explore these trends and more, we spoke with Dr. Betty Vandenbosch, chief content officer at Coursera, about the state of online education, the future of the traditional four-year degree, and what universities should be doing to keep up with alternative credential pathways.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2021/08/26/podcast-the-future-of-online-learning-is-flexible-and-stackable.aspx

GSA seeks online learning providers for upskilling pilot across 24 agencies - Dave Nyczepir, FedScoop

The General Services Administration is looking to pilot a tool that identifies a federal employee’s knowledge gaps and lets them purchase online educational content to fill them, according to a request for information released Thursday. GSA wants online universities and tech companies to apply to work with the federal Chief Financial Officers Council on providing pay-for-access content across 54 competencies with an emphasis on data, technology and financial management skills.Applications are also open to business education content holders and talent development vendors, and those selected will become “trusted providers.” The deadline to apply is Dec. 16.

https://www.fedscoop.com/gsa-online-learning-upskilling/

Blackboard to Merge With Anthology, Creating Massive Ed-Tech Company - Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed

Anthology, which emerged a year ago from the combination of three higher education administrative software firms, will merge with Blackboard, long the most visible company in learning technology, the two companies announced today. The companies did not share any financial data, but the combined entity is likely to be among the sector's biggest educational technology firms. "Our combined footprint, from both a product perspective and from the more than 4,000 colleges and universities we serve worldwide, likely makes this the largest education technology company selling into higher education," Jim Milton, Anthology's chairman and chief executive officer, said in an interview this morning. Milton will lead the combined company, whose name has not yet been decided.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/09/14/blackboard-merge-anthology-creating-massive-ed-tech-company

7 Keys to Re-Envisioning Higher Ed to Ensure Equity of Opportunity - ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Vistasp M. Karbhari, Fierce Education

While the scope and purpose of higher education may have evolved and the demographics of those seeking the opportunities of higher education have changed dramatically, the structures and mechanisms in place for access, progression, and success, have by and large not kept up. While it is not feasible to restart the entire system with a blank sheet of paper there are times, such as the one facing us today, where a true re-envisioning of structure, mechanisms, and purpose might well be possible. This in no way suggests that the entire system be disrupted and changed but rather that new options be added to address current and changing realities for the benefit of students, and society at large. In that vein, here are a few aspects for consideration as we look towards the development of higher ed for a post-COVID 21st century world.

https://www.fierceeducation.com/administration/7-keys-to-re-envisioning-higher-ed-to-ensure-equity-opportunity

Higher-ed students say they need more flexibility - Laura Ascione, eCampus News

The pandemic has prompted colleges and universities to revisit traditional methods of teaching and engaging students. And though the abrupt, nationwide switch to online and hybrid learning presented many challenges, it also served to emphasize that students do not all learn in the same way or at the same pace, and that for many, online learning can offer much-needed flexibility. As one community college student explained, “Not everyone is a traditional student with the same amount of time and resources.” While in-person learning will always maintain its value, technology will allow the future of higher education to become more accessible, and more desirable, to students. In fact, 69 percent of students said more flexibility for attending classes and completing coursework was a key need.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/08/31/higher-ed-students-say-they-need-more-flexibility/

A Different Kind of College Ranking - Paul Glastris, Washington Monthly

Politics being what it is, either or both bills could bite the dust or be radically scaled back. But if you want to know which specific colleges and universities are likely to benefit most from whatever largess emerges, you could do worse than scan the top rungs of the Washington Monthly’s college rankings. As it has since 2005, the Monthly ranks colleges and universities on three broad criteria: the degree to which they recruit and graduate students of modest means (with Pell Grants as the main data point), produce the scholarship and scholars that drive economic growth and human flourishing (with federal research dollars a central measure), and encourage students to be active citizens (with national and community service participation a key variable). That these criteria line up almost precisely with the new funding priorities of Congress and the Biden administration has lent of late an air of triumphalism to Washington Monthly staff Zoom calls.

https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/september-october-2021/introduction-a-different-kind-of-college-ranking-12/

What factors should college leaders consider with consolidations? - Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, HigherEd Dive

State demographic shifts that change the demand for certain higher education programs are often why public colleges consider mergers, according to new research from Ithaka S+R. Local and state politics also heavily influence consolidations, the research and consulting group found. Its new work delves into mergers in Wisconsin, Texas and Georgia, with separate case studies on mergers in each state. College administrators should plan for how mergers affect racial, ethnic and socioeconomic minorities on campus — populations often not central in these arrangements, the report's authors argue.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/what-factors-should-college-leaders-consider-with-consolidations/605857/

AI Is Leading a Revolution in Roles, ROI and Opportunities - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed

The fourth industrial revolution has shown up first and most prominently in the high-tech fields. Unsurprisingly, they are the ones leading us to use emerging technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency and reliability. The impact of the revolution is going to reach much further, harnessing the immense and awesome powers of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and innovation to solve challenges that have escaped our reach over the decades and centuries. In higher education those challenges include personalizing learning -- that is, how we can tailor learning to each student’s needs without boring them with redundant learning that they have already mastered or moving too rapidly for full comprehension and retention. A further challenge has been how to keep our teaching and learning relevant to the world today and tomorrow, rather than the past.

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/ai-leading-revolution-roles-roi-and-opportunities

A Bad Solar Storm Could Cause an 'Internet Apocalypse' - Lily Hay Newman, Wired

Scientists have known for decades that an extreme solar storm, or coronal mass ejection, could damage electrical grids and potentially cause prolonged blackouts. The repercussions would be felt everywhere from global supply chains and transportation to internet and GPS access. Less examined until now, though, is the impact such a solar emission could have on internet infrastructure specifically. New research shows that the failures could be catastrophic, particularly for the undersea cables that underpin the global internet.

https://www.wired.com/story/solar-storm-internet-apocalypse-undersea-cables/

University rankings should measure what we truly value - Jon Harle, University World News

What is the true value of research and knowledge? What do we mean by excellence? Is it the reputation of the journal or platform on which that knowledge is shared or is it the relevance of that research to society’s needs? Across the globe, publication remains the primary way in which the value of research is judged. Moreover, research tends to be judged not on whether it was published in the most appropriate place, to be most accessible to its intended readership, but on whether it was published in a ‘top’, ‘high impact’ or ‘international’ scientific journal.The distortions that a reliance on publication measures have created have been amplified by the incorporation of those measures into the global university rankings.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210824104246601

Alternative credentials in higher education have a champion - Emily Bamforth, EdScoop

A leading higher education association is setting its sights on alternative credentials, on Tuesday launching two new groups to simplify the process for institutions looking to implement more short-term programs. The University for Professional and Continuing Education Association announced a council, composed of campus leadership drawn from its more than 400 member institutions, to lead research and discussion on logistics and strategy for offering alternative credentials. Alternative credentials, such as micro-credentials and certificates offered by bootcamps and massive online open courses, are often offered online and are skill-based. Julie Uranis, the association’s vice president for online and strategic initiatives, told EdScoop institutions can struggle with the IT component of introducing credentials that aren’t based in credit hours, as student information systems are often built for traditional degrees.

https://edscoop.com/upcea-higher-ed-alternative-credentials/

Protecting Your Mental Health at Work - Tiffany Johnson and psychologist Hammad S. N’cho, Knowledge at Wharton

Unhappy employees often describe their workplace as a toxic environment rife with distrust, low morale, negativity, and burnout. But organizational and behavioral health experts have a different word for workplaces that are harmful enough to affect mental and physical health — traumatic. As many Americans head back into the office this fall, businesses can help mitigate that effect by adopting a “trauma-informed management strategy” that recognizes the extraordinary stresses of the last 18 months, said Hammad S. N’cho, a licensed psychologist who specializes in front-line trauma response.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/protecting-mental-health-work/

The future is all about durable skills - Laura Ascione, eCampus News

Call them soft skills, durable skills, career skills--whatever they are, they're in high demand, and students need to develop them ASAP.  According to new data, both recent grads and HR managers believe that the absence of durable skills–including people skills–training in higher education offers an opportunity for colleges and universities to partner with students and employers in closing a critical skills gap.  A new report from Mursion, From Skill to Instinct: How Higher Education Can Bridge the Gap Between Classroom and Career, found that while the hard, technical skills ingrained throughout traditional academia are critical to career success, these skills may not be enough to stand out in a highly competitive job market.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/08/13/the-future-is-all-about-durable-skills/

Go back to the office? Some workers would rather sacrifice half their pay - and their holidays - Owen Hughes, ZD Net

A survey of 3,500 workers in the US found that some employees would sacrifice up to 50% of their salary, alongside other benefits like paid holidays, in return for continued WFH options.  A survey of 3,500 US workers commissioned by GoodHire, an employment screening service provider, found that more than two-thirds (68%) would choose remote working over working from an office -- a sentiment that has been echoed thoroughly by white-collar workers who have enjoyed the freedom and flexibility of working from home during the pandemic. So hesitant are employees to return to the office, in fact, that 61% of those surveyed said they would be willing to take a pay cut in exchange for being able to work from home permanently. Some even suggested they'd sacrifice up to 50% of their current wage to do so.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/go-back-to-the-office-some-employees-would-rather-give-up-half-their-salary/

Law Makes Textbook Prices Transparent to Ore. Students - Maria Carrasco, Inside Higher Ed

Starting next year, Oregon’s public colleges will be required by law to disclose textbook prices before students enroll in classes. A spokesperson for the University of Oregon said the institution is working on updating its website to ensure compliance with the law by next fall. The ​Association of American Publishers, which represents book, journal and education publishers in the U.S., welcomed the news. "AAP is supportive of legislation like this because we believe that students benefit when colleges provide clarity and visibility regarding costs, and because we are deeply committed to affordability in course materials," Maria A. Pallante, president and CEO of the AAP, said in a statement.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/08/24/new-law-requires-textbook-price-transparency

Can a Hollywood-Backed VR Company Make Science Labs More Effective? - Jeffrey R. Young, EdSurge

As professors are redesigning a lab unit for an introductory biology course at Arizona State University, they’re getting advice from Steven Spielberg and other Hollywood veterans on how to help students form emotional connections with fictional “frog-cats.” The university is building the course material as part of a partnership with a VR entertainment company called Dreamscape Immersive.  One of the developers of ASU’s VR lab material, Mike Angilletta, said his goal is to run studies of how well students perform with the new lab versus traditional teaching, and he said an initial test found an 18 percent learning gain.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-08-19-can-a-hollywood-backed-vr-company-make-science-labs-more-effective