by Christopher Ly, elPaisano If you’re the type of student who doesn’t mind being an individual learner and loves to study by yourself and you usually don’t tend to have issues with reading and understanding what is given to you, then the online classes may suit you. But if you’re very weak in the area of math for example, I’d recommend taking the course in person, in a classroom setting instead of online because the online course limits the amount of help you’ll receive from the professor. I am not very great at math and had issues with learning the subject when I took it online, and as a result ended up dropping the course due to my ability not to understand the problems and finding it difficult to communicate with the professor to help me with the problem that I had. If you are a responsible, self-disciplined student that is computer literate then you should do just fine in an online course. http://elpaisanoonline.com/opinion/2015/09/13/are-online-college-courses-the-way-to-go/ Share on Facebook

by the Training Journal L&D teams are increasingly buying-in ready-made learning resources, rather than creating their own, according to an annual survey by Video Arts, which reveals an upsurge in the use of off-the-shelf e-learning and video content. The poll conducted in June, surveyed 400 learning and development professionals about how they deliver training and their plans for the future. The results show overall stability in the use of classroom training (89 per cent) as well as e-learning (79 per cent) and coaching (69 per cent). However, e-learning is still being used as a standalone resource in the majority of companies.​ https://www.trainingjournal.com/articles/news/survey-reveals-growing-demand-customised-e-learning-and-video-content Share on Facebook

By Krithika Krishnamurthy, Economic Times Online learning platform Coursera, which raised $49.5 million (Rs 328 crore) last month, is doubling down on India, with the aim to introduce hundreds of new courses in technology, data science and business in the coming year. "We expect the next 12 months to be our greatest year of growth yet," said Daphne Koller, President and Co-founder at Coursera, who added that India is Coursera’s third largest market after the US and China, with over one million users. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/online-learning-platform-coursera-bets-big-on-india-to-start-new-technology-business-courses/articleshow/48964316.cms Share on Facebook

By Bill Daggett, Raymond J. McNulty, Brian M. Shulman, SNHSU Online and digital delivery of K-12 learning, including digital game-based learning (DGBL), is exponentially growing in usage and in functionality. Teachers, who bring hands-on knowledge and expertise to the table, typically welcome a sense of involvement in strategic decision making from administrators. Educational leaders, however, need to be drivers, not passengers, on this journey and guide the evolution of digitally enhanced learning so they can shape and direct its emergence and usage. Both teachers and educational leaders can then use DGBL to focus on their ultimate goal of student growth and achievement. Students can and should be drivers in the process, too. Professional educators need to "own" DGBL so they can make their own larger organizational agendas part of DGBL’s emergence, implementation, and usage. Share on Facebook

By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology Faculty and librarians don’t see eye to eye. While nearly every single academic librarian (98 percent) thinks there needs to be better communication between the library and faculty, only 45 percent of faculty think the same. They even disagree on whether or not they work together to coordinate course reserves. While 57 percent of faculty say they do, 69 percent of libraries say they don’t. The only place they appear to agree with each other is on the preferred mode of communication — email; almost half of librarians push email to confer with faculty, and 61 percent of faculty do so. http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/09/15/survey-librarians-and-faculty-a-mile-apart-on-need-for-better-communication.aspx Share on Facebook

By Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology Course materials management company Rafter today announced new agreements with several colleges and universities to deploy Rafter360, technology that provides both print and digital textbooks through a flat-rate model. Students at Mars Hill University (NC), Green Mountain College (VT), the Institute of American Indian Arts (NM), Illinois College and Bethany College (KS) will now receive all course materials by the first day of class, for a reduced fee that is incorporated into their tuition. Rafter’s pricing is expected to save students more than 50 percent compared to traditional textbooks. And when students have access to all their course materials up front, their chances of success improve, according to the company. http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/09/16/universities-move-to-flat-rate-textbooks.aspx Share on Facebook

by Sue Pelletier, MeetingsNet If intuition tells you that an online learning portal that prompts learners with notes and reminders at strategic spots, includes interactive polls and links to resources, and allows learners to take notes and send themselves reminders would be more effective than one that just entails watching the traditional video with periodic polls, you’d be right—times four. At least, that’s what data from a recent comparative effectiveness trial indicates. http://meetingsnet.com/cme-design/data-show-interactivity-quadruples-effectiveness-e-learning Share on Facebook

by Jonathan Shieber, Tech Crunch With an eye toward building what EdCast chief executive Karl Mehta calls "the next big social media company," his company has launched a new interactive platform with the help of some titans of media, technology and finance. "We know we are building something that will be worth $20 billion," says Mehta of his education startup. The goal, as he sees it, is nothing less than the transformation of learning through a blend of online classes (formal education) with bite-sized tutorials with real practitioners and specialists in certain fields (informal learning). The new 10 Minute Insight Series, which the company launched today, is a key part of that project, says Mehta. "There is not a single social media site that’s focused on knowledge networking," says Mehta. "Everybody needs to learn every day in a social way. We are building knowledge networking." http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/15/edcast-launches-new-interactive-learning-platform-to-bridge-formal-and-informal-learning/ Share on Facebook

by Michael Feldstein, Phil Hill, Thomas Cavanagh, EDUCAUSE Personalized learning provides a unique, highly focused learning path for each student. Individual attention from instructors isn’t feasible in traditional educational models with large numbers of students, and personalized learning is intended to use IT systems and tools to tailor learning experiences based on student strengths, weaknesses, and pace of learning. Technologies including analytics, adaptive learning, digital courseware, and others underlie personalized learning, which builds a "profile" of each student and makes continual adjustments to learning paths based on student performance. It also provides information to help instructors better target their teaching to individual students. http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-personalized-learning? Share on Facebook

by Farhad Manjoo, NY Times Economists and technologists agree that in the future, just about everyone’s job will involve more technology. During the last few years, many local and online schools have popped up to teach people how to code. They offer a vast range of prices and techniques. Some, like Codecademy, are free, while others can cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.  Now Udacity, a four-year-old online teaching start-up, believes that after years of trial and error, it has hit on a model of vocational training that can be scaled up to teach millions of people technical skills. Udacity’s founder, Sebastian Thrun, a specialist in artificial intelligence at Stanford University who once ran Google X, the search company’s advanced projects division, said that the "nanodegree" program that the firm created last year will result in vastly lower education costs and wider accessibility. Early data suggests the program is efficient and reliably results in new jobs http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/technology/udacity-says-it-can-teach-tech-skills-to-millions.html?_r=0 Share on Facebook

By Ellen Wexler, Wired Campus When students enroll in MOOCs, they almost always watch a series of video lectures. But just watching videos — without also engaging interactively — is an ineffective way to learn, according to a study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. The study looked at a generally available course, offered through the Georgia Institute of Technology, called "Introduction to Psychology as a Science." Some students chose to take it as a traditional MOOC, spending most of their time watching video lectures. Others opted for a version that combined the MOOC and interactive materials produced by Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative. All of the students were assigned 11 weekly quizzes and a final examination. Those in the MOOC-only course scored an average of 57 percent on the final. Those in the combined course scored an average of 66 percent. And when students in the combined course completed an interactive activity, they learned six times as much as those who only read the material or watched a video. http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/in-online-courses-students-learn-more-by-doing-than-by-watching/57365 Share on Facebook

by the Hindu Open education resources and massive open online courses (MOOC) are the future of higher education and help reach out to a large number of learners. This was one of the key aspects discussed at the millennium lecture hosted by M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation here on Wednesday. Tracing the role of information and communication technology in helping the rural poor and MSSRF’s contribution, V. Balaji, director, Technology and Knowledge Management, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada, said online open education resources are reusable. More MOOC courses are being developed on mobile platforms as well to meet the requirements of agricultural education. However, scalability is proving to be a challenge. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/open-resources-online-courses-hold-key-to-future-of-education/article7660922.ece Share on Facebook

by Jessica Oranika, Alestle Live Online enrollment is steadily increasing at SIUE. Students are leaning more toward online classes than ever before. According to the Dean of the School of Business John Navin, the growth has to do with the fact that SIUE offers more online classes than ever before and how convenient they are for students who have busier schedules. "[Online class enrollment] is clearly growing and it’s not just in the business world — it’s growing everywhere on campus," Navin said. "I think there are a number of reasons. I think it offers more alternatives. There’s a convenience factor for students. They have the ability to do work at their own pace. It works well for students who are trying to schedule around jobs or athletics." http://www.alestlelive.com/news/article_97a83ac6-5cdf-11e5-9e99-ff8e8379886b.html Share on Facebook

by Emma Williams, Arkansas State Herald For many students at Arkansas State and across the country, online learning has significantly impacted their success in earning a college degree. Arkansas State recently added four online Bachelor of Arts degree programs, one of which happens to be my major. Now, students at A-State have access to online political science, criminology, sociology and communication studies degree programs. Those enrolled in online classes have access to school at the press of a button from almost any location. Many students do not live in the area or cannot afford to live on campus for the entirety of their college career. Online classes eliminate the need to physically be at Arkansas State, making it much easier to provide an education to students who aren’t on campus. http://www.astateherald.com/opinion/benefits-outweigh-downsides-in-case-for-online-learning/article_10014f30-5cb3-11e5-8f1d-9bd232288f66.html Share on Facebook

By Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive No longer trying to tempt traditional students from higher education, Udacity’s new model focuses on adults who have skills, but want to add new ones through intensive courses supported by the industry. The New York Times reports Udacity wants to teach millions of adults tech skills quickly, providing at least minimally recognized nanodegrees in five months, on average. The courses cost $200 per month for as long as students take to finish them and upon completion, Udacity reimburses half of the tuition cost. http://www.educationdive.com/news/udacitys-new-business-model-markets-nanodegrees-for-in-demand-skills/405832/ Share on Facebook

By Michael Patrick Rutter, Harvard Gazette Peter Bol, Harvard’s vice provost for advances in learning (VPAL), announced Thursday the formation of the VPAL Research Group. The organization will integrate HarvardX and the research fellows’ programs from the Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching (HILT), and adds new leadership and positions. "This fusion to support our growing work in the learning sciences is absolutely additive," said Bol, Charles H. Carswell Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, who has served in the vice provost role for two years. "Moreover, research is following our faculty, as what is happening online and in the classroom is increasingly blurred, and researchers have already been skating across both realms. In that sense, it’s a reflection of a reality that has already existed over the past few years." http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/09/learning-about-learning-creating-a-connection/ Share on Facebook

by Aaron Kim, Business to Community The not-so-secret sauce to make the most of the new learning opportunities brought by the digital transformation movement is to combine the best of the consumer Internet with the peculiarities of the corporate environment, enabling new models of learning, such as peer-to-peer, just-in-time and non-structured approaches that are often overlooked when our eyes are obfuscated by the intense brightness of the big stars of the consumer learning space. http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/digital-learning-beyond-the-copycat-model-01328279 Share on Facebook

By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz - American-Statesman Veronica Vargas Stidvent became chancellor of the Texas arm of Western Governors University in June 2014. WGU occupies an unusual niche: It’s private, nonprofit and mostly online, with a curriculum that lets students advance at their own pace. Established in 1997 by 19 Western governors, including George W. Bush of Texas, it offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, health professions, education and information technology. As the chief executive of WGU Texas, Stidvent, 41, is enjoying annual enrollment growth of 30 percent in the Lone Star State. There are challenges as well. She wants to recruit more students in rural areas, and four-year graduation rates are mixed: 27 percent for undergraduates, 63 percent for graduate students. http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/wgu-texas-chancellor-explains-online-competency-ba/nngPx/ Share on Facebook

by Seb Murray, Business Because Business schools and their partners in the nascent edtech sector are exploring digital analytics to improve students’ academic performance. Elite universities have been adapting technology used to predict a student’s final grade to improve their overall results. Edx, the edtech venture of top US universities MIT and Harvard, is conducting research into how big data can help answer key online learning questions, such as the best ways to teach complex ideas, and which parts of a course are best taught in person instead of online. By assessing course data — from mouse clicks and time spent on tasks to evaluating how students respond to assessments — the company hopes to shed light on how learners access information and master material. http://www.businessbecause.com/news/connected-classroom/3466/connected-classroom-edtech-harnesses-big-data Share on Facebook

by Candace Thille, John Mitchell and Mitchell Stevens, Inside Higher Ed What no technology can solve is a failing business model for U.S. higher education. Citizens benefit most from education early in their lives when they are least able to pay for it themselves. Yet students and their families are now being asked to pay ever-larger proportions of the cost of higher education as government support for college has increasingly taken the form of subsidized loans. Students, parents, entrepreneurs and politicians alike are eagerly seeking alternative forms of higher education, and for a brief moment back in 2012 many wanted to believe that the simple Internet technologies embodied in MOOCs would be the next big thing. It’s not that simple. MOOCs have not fixed higher education, but they are poignant reminders of the urgent problems of college cost and access, potential forerunners of truly effective educational technology, and valuable tools for advancing the science of learning. That’s progress. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2015/09/22/moocs-are-no-panacea-they-can-help-improve-learning-essay Share on Facebook

by Leena Rao, Fortune Online education company Udacity will start offering classes tailored to Indian students, marking the startup’s first effort to target a country outside the U.S.The move is a major step for the company as tries turn its popular courses into a real business, something it has strived to do since its founding in 2012. In India, Udacity will offer its degrees in areas like Android development and data analyses for around $148 per month. That’s still a hefty price to pay for Indian students, but Udacity says that half of the tuition will be reimbursed to them following their graduation. http://fortune.com/2015/09/21/udacity-google-india/ Share on Facebook

by Chen Zhenghao, et.al.; Harvard Business Review Our latest research demonstrates that among learners who complete courses, MOOCs do have a real impact: 72% of survey respondents reported career benefits and 61% reported educational benefits. Furthermore, our findings suggest that people from developing countries more frequently report benefits from taking MOOCs and, also in developing countries, people with lower socioeconomic status and with less education are more likely to report benefits. It appears that MOOCs are tangibly helping people who take the time and effort to complete courses. https://hbr.org/2015/09/whos-benefiting-from-moocs-and-why Share on Facebook

By David Raths, Campus Technology Implementing adaptive learning technology in college courses can be an uphill struggle but well worth it, according to pioneering faculty members. Adaptive learning platforms in higher education are starting to produce some promising results, yet the market is still in its infancy. Instructors who volunteer to be guinea pigs for pilot implementations often end up encouraged by the results — yet exhausted by how much work is involved in retrofitting their courses to the adaptive platforms. Campus Technology interviewed several administrators and faculty members who have worked on adaptive projects about their experience. Here is what they told us: http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/09/23/tales-from-the-front-lines-of-adaptive-learning.aspx Share on Facebook

By Michael Hart, Campus Technology Even though tablet purchases are on the rise among college students, most of them still prefer to use laptops for learning. At the same time, overwhelming majorities of students believe tablets will serve more and more educational functions in the future. According to a new Harris Poll conducted for Pearson, 52 percent of college students now own tablets. That is up from 45 percent in 2014. However, only one in 12 (8 percent) college students aged 18 and 19 (typically freshmen and sophomores) said they use a tablet every day for their school work, while two-thirds (66 percent) use a laptop every day for school. http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/09/23/poll-most-college-students-prefer-laptops-over-tablets-for-school.aspx Share on Facebook