Arkansas taps VR simulations for career training - Laura Ascione, eCampus News

The Arkansas Office of Skills Development (AOSD), along with Arkansas Community Colleges, is partnering on a statewide program that is harnessing the power of virtual and augmented reality for career exploration.  Through a partnership with economic development platform TRANSFR, the program has helped hundreds of Arkansas residents gain access to hands-on career exploration virtual reality simulations that offer a real-world look into a variety of fast-growing jobs and industries—with plans to reach up to 4,500 more in 2022. “This statewide program is an example of how we can pair innovative technologies with our existing career and technical education resources to help more students prepare for new career horizons—and meet the skilled workforce needs of employers.”

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2022/05/12/arkansas-taps-vr-simulations-for-career-training/

Survey: Prospective Students Eye Career & Workforce Landscape When Deciding Their Future - Kristal Kuykendall, Campus Technology

According to nonprofit ECMC Group's latest Question The Quo Education Pulse survey of 14- to 18-year-olds, high-schoolers are paying attention to the career landscape and workforce shortages, and they're looking for the fastest, least expensive route to careers in high-demand fields. About three-fourths of the 5,300 students surveyed over the last two years said they've heard about worker shortages, and half said they're no longer considering four-year college, according to the report from ECMC. Less than half of respondents said they believe a four-year degree will make them successful, and a third said they're planning to forge a shorter pathway to their future career.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2022/05/20/survey-prospective-students-eye-career-and-workforce-landscape-when-deciding-their-futures.aspx

Private colleges’ net tuition revenue from first-year students declined in 2021-22, study finds - Rick Seltzer, Inside Higher Ed

The revenue drop comes as tuition discount rates for first-year undergraduates rose to 54.5%, NACUBO found. Selective colleges discounted less than others. Net tuition revenue from first-time undergraduates fell for just the second time in 10 years, with colleges that aren’t selective in admissions struggling most.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/private-colleges-net-tuition-revenue-from-first-year-students-declined-in/624153/

Warren Buffett: 3 Things in Life That Separate Successful People From Everyone Else - Marcel Schwantes, Inc.

The mega mogul has uttered countless inspiring and prophetic statements over the decades. Here are three that have captured my attention:

1. "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."

2. "You will move in the direction of the people that you associate with. So it's important to associate with people that are better than yourself."

3. "It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results."

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/warren-buffett-3-things-in-life-that-separate-successful-people-from-everyone-else.html

Lifelong Learning for a Changing Workforce - Jim Shea, Inside Higher Ed

Where higher education fails America is in its inability to recognize, or perhaps failure to address, the fact that in a knowledge-based economy, there are workforce and employee needs that only America’s knowledge providers—our universities—can provide, and that state universities in particular have an ethical responsibility that they are failing to meet. That failure is both morally questionable and socioeconomically damaging to the nation and its people. State universities must step up to address employer demand for tailored, knowledge-based degrees to help employees meaningfully advance in their careers, Jim Shea writes.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2022/05/18/its-time-rethink-workforce-development-opinion

Motivator in Chief: Getting the Most from Your Team - Knowledge at Wharton

One of managers’ primary responsibilities is motivating their teams to do their best work — and feel a sense of fulfillment in the process. A motivated team is a highly engaged one; its members are better at handling uncertainty, solving problems, and applying high levels of creativity and innovation to their work. They’re also much more likely to stick around. Motivation can be driven by intrinsic reasons (e.g., a desire to learn or be challenged) or by extrinsic ones (e.g., a desire to gain status or earn a financial bonus). Not every team member is going to be motivated in the same way, and the role of a manager is to discover team members’ motivation preferences and then meet those preferences.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/motivator-in-chief-getting-the-most-from-your-team/

Is unbundling the future of higher education? - Omer Riaz, eCampus News

1.7 million fewer students are enrolled today than were enrolled 10 years ago. Simultaneously, the cost of college has increased over 25 percent, the percentage of courses taught by tenured professors has steadily declined, and students are leaving degree programs with more than $30,000 in debt and often without the skills necessary for lucrative jobs. While the data continues to demonstrate the financial benefits of a college degree, it’s evident that many learners are beginning to question the return on investment of the college experience and are searching for alternative ways to get an education.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2022/05/16/is-unbundling-the-future-of-higher-education/

Online M.B.A.s Overtake Residential Programs - Liam Knox, Inside Higher Ed

In a watershed moment for graduate-level business education, more full-time M.B.A. students were enrolled in online programs than residential ones during the 2020–21 academic year. According to data from the Association to Advance Collegiate Business Schools (AACSB), the leading business school accreditation agency, 45,038 students were enrolled in online programs last year, while 43,740 were in person. The shift to online classes during the pandemic expedited the growth in online M.B.A.s, but trends have been pointing in that direction for years.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/05/17/full-time-online-mba-enrollment-surpasses-person-programs

How Can We Get More Women in Tech — and Support Their Growth? - Lauren Harrison, Noelle Knell, Gov Tech

A champion of bringing more women into the gov tech workforce, Executive Director of Enterprise GRC and Resiliency Anushree Bag talks about attracting women to the job and guiding them through a career path.  The gap between the number of women and men in technology roles, particularly in government, is not a new topic. Organizations and nonprofits exist throughout the country to get women and girls interested in — and committed to — STEM subjects. 

https://www.govtech.com/workforce/how-can-we-get-more-women-in-tech-and-support-their-growth

Forget Unpaid Internships. Instead, Colleges Should Offer Work-Based Courses. - Kevin Fauzie, EdSurge

Colleges have already come up with a model for this by offering work-based courses, which pair students with businesses and other organizations to solve real-world problems. With COVID-19 normalizing remote work, creating this kind of program is easier than ever. Business schools at several leading universities, including Stanford, MIT and Berkeley, include an increasing number of work-based courses in their curriculum, allowing students to work on various challenges, such as growing a startup or reducing homelessness in California.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-05-09-forget-unpaid-internships-instead-colleges-should-offer-work-based-courses

More than 70 new colleges and universities chosen to help the incarcerated get credentials - Chris Burt, University Business

The Department of Education is expanding Second Chance Pell Experiment for prospective students in prison.  The U.S. Department of Education announced it has selected an additional 73 institutions to take part in the Second Chance Pell Experiment, which has helped incarcerated individuals gain access to higher ed programming since 2015. The program, with its third wave of new additions, has now reached 200 institutions chosen to lead the way on this unique initiative, which is expected to fully ramp up in July 2023 when Pell Grant reinstatement occurs.

https://universitybusiness.com/more-than-70-colleges-and-universities-have-been-chosen-to-help-the-incarcerated-get-credentials/

8 Interview Questions That Elon Musk, Sara Blakely, and Other Top Execs Ask Job Candidates (and So Should You) - Marcel Schwantes, Inc.

The best business leaders ask the best questions, especially when hiring new staff. After all, these are the people who will drive their company's growth and success. But savvy business leaders and execs aren't always looking for a 'right' answer. Instead, they're more interested in how potential employees handle the questions being asked. First of all, understanding what interview questions to ask is key. Equally important is knowing the intentions behind the toughest questions you're choosing to ask.

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/8-interview-questions-that-elon-musk-sara-blakely-other-top-execs-ask-job-candidates-and-so-should-you.html

What is the metaverse—and what does it mean for business? - Mina Alaghband with Cathy Hackl, Mckinsey Digital

"No official definition yet exists for the metaverse, but companies can’t afford to wait until one does or the metaverse fully evolves to start experimenting and investing in it.... If you wait a year and a half or two years to do something, to have a clear strategy, and to start testing these assumptions, it might be a little bit too late."

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/what-is-the-metaverse-and-what-does-it-mean-for-business

'Stackable credentials' could be future of higher education in Colorado - Nicole Brady, Denver Channel

Metropolitan State University of Denver is one of Colorado’s largest four-year institutions, but some students are spending just months there — not years — before joining the workforce. They’re doing it by “stacking” credentials. “Stackable credentials are really a convergence of individuals wanting to learn in smaller chunks and industries being willing to accept those chunks,” said Terry Bower, associate vice president of Innovative and Lifelong Learning at MSU Denver.

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/stackable-credentials-could-be-future-of-higher-education-in-colorado

The Great Resignation has no end date - Erica Pandey, Axios

Job turnover is 20% higher in our new remote and hybrid working world — and it's going to stay that way, new research from Gartner, a technology research firm, shows. By the numbers: Some 37 million people will leave their jobs in the U.S. this year, Gartner projects. That's a 20% jump from pre-pandemic levels. Zoom in: A company that was seeing a fifth of its workforce turn over annually before the pandemic, for example, can now expect to lose almost a quarter of its employees each year. "This is for as far as the eye can see at this point," says Brian Kropp, chief of research for Gartner's HR practice. "As long as we're in this world of remote and hybrid work — and it's hard to see us getting out of it — that elevated level of turnover is going to stick with us."

https://www.axios.com/2022/05/06/great-resignation-turnover-lasting-remote-hybrid-work

Executive Order to Strengthen California Blockchain Efforts - Dennis Noone, Gov Tech

With an executive order, Gov. Gavin Newsom has placed California first among the states in efforts to create “a comprehensive and harmonized framework” for assessing how state and public institutions can use blockchain technology and build research and workforce development pathways for state residents. Newsom’s order, according to a news release from his office, “aims to create a transparent regulatory and business environment for web3 companies which harmonizes federal and California approaches, balances the benefits and risks to consumers, and incorporates California values such as equity, inclusivity and environmental protection.”

https://www.govtech.com/policy/executive-order-to-strengthen-california-blockchain-efforts

Where can microcredentials take higher education? - Laura Ascione, eCampus News

Unlike academic degree programs, microcredentials are bite-sized educational courses with a more specific focus. They could take months or weeks to complete. Because of their convenience, microcredentials appeal to employees looking for a highly personalized, flexible, and cost-effective way to further their education. As automation and technological advances change the job market, policymakers and employers recognize the potential of microcredentialing and professional certifications to help meet demands for new skills.

https://www.ecampusnews.com/2022/04/25/where-can-microcredentials-take-higher-education/

Ransomware Hit 64% of Higher Ed Institutions Globally in 2021, Sophos Survey Finds - Kristal Kuykendall, Campus Technology

Across all sectors surveyed, 66% of respondents said their organizations were hit with ransomware in 2021, up from 37% in 2020. Among higher ed institutions included in the survey, 64% of higher ed IT professionals responding, representing 410 institutions, said they were a victim of ransomware last year. Higher ed institutions hit by ransomware were the slowest to recover of the sectors surveyed, as well, the Sophos survey found. Two in five respondents among higher ed institutions said recovery took more than a month.

https://campustechnology.com/articles/2022/04/27/ransomware-hit-64-percent-of-higher-ed-institutions-in-2021-sophos-survey-finds.aspx

Up Next For Higher Ed? Cryptocurrencies, Political Battles and Hybrid Learning - Rebecca Koenig, EdSurge

In the realm of political trends, the report notes that the increasing polarization of American society is fast encroaching on higher education. It predicts that, “at those institutions with stated political allegiances, the idyllic vision of a university classroom alive with free thought and open debate will give way to classrooms with constrained discussions and narrow definitions of what counts as legitimate knowledge and truth.” It also forecasts that faculty teaching will be “brought in line” with institution values and standards. Meanwhile, universities will need to put in time, money and effort to integrate their physical and digital learning offerings, argues Lee Skallerup Bessette, assistant director for digital learning at Georgetown University, in an essay in the report.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-04-28-up-next-for-higher-ed-cryptocurrencies-political-battles-and-hybrid-learning

Communicating the Realities of Higher Ed in 2022 - Ray Schroeder, Inside HIgher Ed

This is a challenging time to lead, as a provost, dean, director or department chair at a college or university. One can say that every era in our field has brought challenges. Yet this time we are facing sea changes that span the entire field and beyond. Let’s look at a few of these changes and how today they impact the way in we which lead for tomorrow. We must relentlessly communicate to our legislators, regulators, faculty, staff and peers the nature of the challenge, the magnitude of the new competition and ultimate ramifications that confront us. To the extent that the university workforce is unprepared, unable or unwilling to make the needed changes to adapt to more efficient, effective and affordable delivery of education, there will be widespread dissatisfaction, friction and dwindling success.

https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/communicating-realities-higher-ed-2022

Four Signs Online Learning Is Here to Stay - Luyen Chou, Evolllution

Now, two years into the pandemic, I’ve identified four signs that signal a significant turning point in the adoption of online learning—not just as a business continuity tool during a global pandemic but to fundamentally improve student outcomes. 1. Better—and Cheaper—Technology  2. 30+ Years of Learning Science  3. An Explosion of Learner Data  4. Seismic Shifts in the Learning Landscape

https://evolllution.com/attracting-students/accessibility/four-signs-online-learning-is-here-to-stay/

Should State and Local Governments Care About the Metaverse? - Julie Pattison-Gordon, Gov Tech

Governments may be reluctant to invest in metaverse-based services without a clearer sense of how the space is forming and how residents want to use it. These early days could be time for learning what the technologies might offer and how interventions could encourage equitable development. Governments cannot know for sure how metaverses will develop or if they’ll live up to the hype, but now may be the time to start exploring the possibilities and making plans to guide the space’s development.

https://www.govtech.com/products/should-state-and-local-government-care-about-the-metaverse

It's not just a talent shortage - employers admit they're hiring the wrong people - Owen Hughes, Wired

The rush to recruit is leading to sloppy hiring decisions, with nearly half of business leaders making bad hires in the past year. The worsening skills shortage is triggering poor hiring decisions by employers, with nearly half of business leaders saying they have made a bad hire in the past 12 months. Research by recruitment specialist Robert Half found that 61% of employers have settled for a candidate that did not sufficiently match the job role, ultimately hindering growth and incurring additional costs to businesses. Meanwhile, more than half (53%) of business leaders feel pressure to pay new hires more than current employees, adding to the burden of making a bad hire.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-not-just-a-talent-shortage-employers-admit-theyre-hiring-the-wrong-people/

There is No Going Back: Higher Education is Changed Forever - Annie Galvin Teich, Fierce Education

Education experts were asked to provide input across five macro trends for the EDUCAUSE Teaching and Learning Horizon Report. After distilling the changes of the last two years, they identified the following trends by category:

Social: Hybrid and online learning; skills-based learning; remote work

Technological: Learning analytics & big data; redefining instructional modalities; cybersecurity

Economic: Cost and value of college degrees; the digital economy; financial deficits

Environmental: Physical campus structures; sustainable development goals; planetary health

Political: Political instability driving uncertainty in higher education, political ideology impacting pedagogy; decrease in public funding

https://www.fierceeducation.com/leadership/there-no-going-back-higher-education-changed-forever

Beyond the limits of the LMS: ways to communicate effectively with students - Kris Erskine, THE Campus

If you do a lot of online teaching these days, you may find yourself grumbling about how inefficiently your learning management system (LMS) platform manages your communication with students. The LMS is behind the curve. Effective communication technology abounds yet LMSs have been slow on the uptake in relation to improving communication between instructor and student. This is not necessarily a criticism; every user of educational platforms has seen massive recalibrations of how those platforms are used.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/beyond-limits-lms-ways-communicate-effectively-students

Progress on academic pay equity between genders stalls, report finds - Laura Spitalniak, Higher Ed Dive

Women in full-time faculty roles are still being paid less, making roughly 82 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn, according to the American Association of University Professors’ annual faculty compensation survey. The average salary for full-time female faculty in 2021-2022 was $92,787, compared to the average salary of $113,331 for men. That gap has barely budged over the past decade or so.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/progress-on-academic-pay-equity-between-genders-stalls-report-finds/622567/

Students are different, so why are you still teaching them all the same way? - Plata-Marroquin & Leticia Castaño Sánchez, THE Campus

We know that trying to teach them all in the same way does not offer the best results – but individualised learning is often not a viable option. When this is the case, differentiated instruction offers a great alternative means to meet the needs of diverse learners. It is carried out by identifying patterns of need among students in order to sort them into categories and then using teaching methods appropriate to each group rather than relying on one way of teaching for the whole class. Here, we provide a methodology for personalising learning via differentiated instruction:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/students-are-different-so-why-are-you-still-teaching-them-all-same-way

Asynchronous communication strategies for successful learning design partnerships - Rae Mancilla and Nadine Hamman, THE Campus

Asynchronous communication that builds rapport among university course designers and external edtech providers, explained by Rae Mancilla and Nadine Hamman in the first part of a series looking at strategies for successful learning design partnerships. After two previously unsuccessful design partnerships, university and edtech team leaders re-envisioned a new model for collaboration. This three-part series documents practical strategies deployed by the University of Pittsburgh-Construct team to lay the foundation for a strong design partnership. In the first part, we will focus on four asynchronous strategies to streamline cross-team collaboration.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/asynchronous-communication-strategies-successful-learning-design-partnerships

Why faculty morale is a major factor in higher education's workforce problem - Kansas City Business Journal

“The truth of the matter is, I just saw so many mistakes and so many unforced errors in institutions’ pandemic response and the way that they were treating people — I just couldn't let it go,” said McClure, associate professor of higher education at The University of North Carolina Wilmington. McClure and other professors interviewed for this story who study higher education contend that the sector is suffering from low morale after two years of operating during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is bad news for college administrators trying to right the ship and rebuild their communities. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2022/04/21/faculty-salaries-morale-universities-workforce.html

What’s New in Digital Equity: Millions Continue Flowing for Broadband - Zack Quaintance, Julia Edinger, GovTech

At both the state and federal levels of government, millions of dollars in new funding continue to be made available for broadband projects across the U.S. Plus, advocacy groups release new guidance resources for the work. New funding for broadband continued flowing this week with government agencies at both the state and federal levels making significant announcements. At the highest level of government, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced $37 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund money, which will go to support libraries and schools.

https://www.govtech.com/civic/whats-new-in-digital-equity-millions-continue-flowing-for-broadband/

Digital Credentials Will See an Explosion of Demand, Experts Say - IBL News

The number of digital credentials issued in 2021 saw a 67% growth, according to Accrediblle. Experts expect that this year will be an explosion of demand. The consensus is that the market for digital credentials platforms and products is on fire. The Biden Administration’s view is contributing to this increase. During his first State of the Union Address, President Biden supported skills-based hiring, stressing that “millions of Americans without a college degree are needlessly disadvantaged in the pursuit of good jobs, even when they have the skills and knowledge employers need.”

https://iblnews.org/digital-credentials-will-see-an-explosion-of-demand-experts-say/