Online, Continuing, and Professional Education Update by UPCEA

Post -secondary education: Who cares about length of study – what about work experience? - Alyshah Hasham, Toronto Star

2012-03-03T05:12:00.000-05:00

Shorter undergraduate degrees, online classes and year-round studying could help students get into the workplace faster and with less debt according to an unpublished government paper on reforming the post-secondary education system. But, if businesses could get a say in improving the system, what would they want to see in their future employees? The most valuable reform would be more work experience, say Rowan O’Grady, president of recruiting firm Hays Canada. Internships and co-op placements make people more employable when they graduate, he said. “It’s one thing to learn a topic and understand it theoretically and nearly always different to work in the industry.” With youth unemployment at about 14 per cent in Canada – double the national average – giving graduates the skill they need to get hired is a pressing concern.

MIT Online vs. Your Local College: How Will Online Learning Stack Up? - Alan Jacobs, the Atlantic

2012-03-03T05:10:00.001-05:00

That's going to be the key to the future of online learning: not whether universities simply film their best lecturers, or place all their course materials online, but whether they find an optimal design for online learning. But of course, as I suggested in my earlier post, it may not be universities who first figure this out: it may be educational entrepreneurs like Sebastian Thrun. If so -- and depending on what kinds of intellectual property claims people like Thrun can make and sustain -- universities may find themselves playing a futile game of catch-up.

More online learning classes just one tech trend for colleges - ELIZABETH COOPER, Observer-Dispatch

2012-03-03T05:05:00.000-05:00

From the way classes are taught to how college officials respond in times of emergency, technology is changing local colleges. The uses are as diverse as technology itself and as mixed as the academic disciplines it serves. Students and private-sector technicians will use a massive clean room planned for SUNYIT as part of a partnership with the Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. At Utica College, a simulated stock trading floor helps students learn about the world of investing. And at Mohawk Valley Community College, professors are using more videos and other web-based learning tools, and even piping in guest lecturers from other countries.

Wanted: a 21st century education - mbjerede, e-Mergents

2012-03-02T05:08:00.000-05:00

Well into the 21st century, we are still trying to get a handle on what a 21st century education really is – both the question of what young adults really need to know and be able to do and the question of the best way to help them get there. In his book, The Global Achievement Gap, Tony Wagner lays out seven “survival skills” that are needed in a modern workplace: Critical thinking and problem solving; collaboration across networks and leading by influence; agility and adaptability; initiative and leadership; effective oral and written communication; accessing and analyzing information; and curiosity and imagination. There are many ways to slice and categorize modern skills, but this is a pretty good description of what young adults need to know and be able to do in today’s workplace.

Seven Myths about Online Mobile Learning - Adam Bockler, FLOAT Learning

2012-03-02T05:05:00.000-05:00

If there was one takeaway from yesterday’s Mobile Learning Conversations webinar on the Seven Myths of Mobile Learning, it’s that there are more than seven myths of mobile learning. The following list is the myths that were the cornerstones of the conversation:

Mobile content can’t be as secure as online learning content.
Mobile learning content should be SCORM-compliant.
Mobile learning is not as effective as either instructor-led training (ILT) or online learning.
Rich media files are compelling but hard to prepare and distribute.
Flash content works easily on any smartphone.
You should limit the variety of mobile devices your organization supports for mobile learning.
Integrating mobile learning results with other learning data can be very difficult.

Marketing as Strategy, Part Two: Start With What You Know - Margaret Andrews, Inside Higher Ed stratEDgy

2012-03-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

In the first installment of Marketing as Strategy (Part One), Margaret Andrews mentioned “it all starts with research – some internal, some external, some primary, some secondary, some qualitative, and some quantitative.” Research can be one of the great levelers, since different people throughout the institution have different knowledge and ideas about how the institution or school is perceived externally, based on who they interact with and how long they’ve been part of the organization. Having accurate data on market perceptions helps move the discussion from hearsay and opinion to fact. It helps you get to the heart of the problem, confirms (or disconfirms) assumptions, and separates “what we think” from “what we know.” It changes the discussion from “what the problem is” to what should be done about it.

CSU professors plan a spring vote on 'rolling' strike at all campuses - Kevin Yamamura, Sacramento Bee

2012-03-01T05:10:00.000-05:00

In the midst of a contract fight, the statewide union representing California State University professors will vote this spring on whether to impose a "rolling" strike at all 23 campuses. The California Faculty Association, which represents 23,000 professors, counselors and other campus staff, voted Tuesday to authorize its members to decide in late April whether to impose two-day strikes if mediation fails. Spokesman Brian Ferguson said the strikes could take place toward the end of the spring semester or next fall, depending on the status of talks. The union said it opposes moving more courses into "extension" programs and wants greater restrictions on class sizes. Faculty members also want general salary increases for the past two school years and oppose the chancellor's ability to reopen contract provisions on wages and benefits in the near future.

How To Build 50,000 New Colleges - Michael Horn, Forbes

2012-03-01T05:04:00.000-05:00

An article on Yahoo! News caught my eye a little while back because of what it says about the potential—and perhaps likelihood—of India leapfrogging the U.S. education system. Titled “In India, the challenge of building 50,000 colleges,” the article also provides a window into the theories of disruptive innovation, as it details the government’s goal of building 1,000 universities and 50,000 colleges (or so it says) within the next decade to cope with the wave of young people that will increase the country’s labor pool by 100 million workers by 2020.

Ontario universities should move 1/3 of courses to online learning: report - The Canadian Press

2012-03-01T05:00:00.002-05:00

A report before the Ontario government is calling for universities and colleges to move a third of their courses online -- a proposal that's received a failing grade from a prominent students' organization. The draft report obtained by The Canadian Press calls for a shift toward web-based learning that would have students take up to three courses out of five online each semester. "As the world of online learning expands, Ontario will be at the forefront of this digital, portable and low-cost alternative," reads the document, which was prepared for the ministry that oversees post-secondary education. It advises that "approximately one-third of courses each year be available online and count toward a student's undergraduate degree."

House votes to roll back Department of Education rules - Pete Kasperowicz, the Hill

2012-02-29T05:15:00.000-05:00

The House on Tuesday afternoon voted to repeal two Department of Education regulations, an act that Republicans said would help lower the cost of college for millions of students. Members approved the Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education act, H.R. 2117, in a 303-114 vote. Despite Democratic complaints about the bill during floor debate, 69 Democrats joined all voting Republicans in support of the legislation. One of the rules sets out federal guidelines state officials must follow when authorizing schools to operate in their state, and the other sets out a nation-wide definition for "credit hour" — both must be met for educational institutions to participate in federal aid programs.

(editor note: Many states have indicated that they will continue with plans to levy fees on out of state colleges and universities enrolling students residing within their boundaries)

US college grads get older, shift workplace trends - Hope Yen, Associated Press

2012-02-29T05:08:00.000-05:00

Americans 60 or older are more likely than ever to have college degrees, helping redefine work and retirement as educated baby boomers swell the senior population at rates faster than young adults earn diplomas. Census figures released Thursday highlight changes in U.S. college completion, which reached a high of 30.4 percent last year. It comes amid increasing shares of older Americans in the workplace and record drops in employment for young adults, an age twist that is historically unprecedented. "This is an important milestone in our history," Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said, referring to the increase in people with college degrees across all age groups. "The more education people have the more likely they are to have a job and earn more money, particularly for individuals who hold a bachelor's degree." The college gains are making it easier for older Americans to work later in life because they are more likely than their parents' generation to hold higher-skilled jobs, which are seen as harder to replace. Due to increased life expectancy, rising health care costs and other financial incentives to keep working, the government projects that 1 in 4 workers by 2020 will be at least 55 years old -- up from 1 in 5 today.

Manifesto for Teaching Online - the University of Edinburgh MSc in e-Learning

2012-02-29T05:05:00.000-05:00

This collection of statements is generating wide interest and discussion in higher education around the world. The manifesto for teaching online is intended to stimulate ideas about creative online teaching. It was written by teachers and researchers in the field of online education, in connection with the MSc in E-learning programme at the University of Edinburgh. It attempts to rethink some of the orthodoxies and unexamined truisms surrounding the field. Each point is deliberately interpretable, and this page is a starting point for some of those interpretations.

Graduates of For-Profits Lag Behind Their Peers in Earnings and Employment, Study Finds - Dan Berrett, Chronicle of Higher Ed

2012-02-28T05:04:00.001-05:00

For-profit colleges do a good job of retaining students in their first year and getting them to finish, but over time these students also tend to fare worse than similar students at community colleges and public and private nonprofit institutions, according to a new study. Six years after they enter college, students from for-profit institutions are employed at lower rates and earn less than their peers, according to a study by three scholars from Harvard University. The scholars are affiliated with the Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment, a collaboration of universities that is led by the Community College Research Center at Columbia University's Teachers College.

Money, Politics, and the Rise of For-Profit Higher Education in the US - CHSE, UC Berkeley

2012-02-28T05:03:00.003-05:00

For-profit colleges and universities in the US have been growing at a staggering pace in enrollment, in profits, and in the corporate value of those traded on the New York Stock Exchange. From 2000 to 2010, the sector grew by some 235 percent in enrollment, increasing its market share from 3 to 9.1 percent of all tertiary enrolled students. What accounts for this rapid growth in the For-Profit (FP) sector in the US? How will such growth influence educational opportunity and degree attainment rates in a country that first pioneered a mass higher education built largely around expanding public colleges and universities? As discussed in the following essay, there are specific characteristics of the FP sector that are peculiar to the US; others reflect global trends largely seen in developing economies. Simply put, in the US as in other parts of the world, the FP sector is a modern feature of changing market dynamics related to demand and supply – or the lack thereof.

Crackdown on For-Profits - Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

2012-02-28T05:00:00.002-05:00

Sacramento has upstaged Washington as the hot spot for policy debates over for-profit higher education. While federal scrutiny over for-profits continues, some of that energy has shifted to states. And a recent flurry of activity in California has many observers wondering if the Golden State will be where advocates for tighter regulation of the industry make their next play.

Positioning For Strength In Times Of Institutional Change - Robert Hansen, Chief Executive Officer, UPCEA

2012-02-27T05:10:00.005-05:00

Continuing Education units must position themselves to provide indispensible value and lead discussions about their institution’s future. This article is a Q&A conducted with University Professional and Continuing Education Chief Executive Officer Robert Hansen. In this interview, Hansen discusses the positioning of Continuing Education units as the education industry undergoes its transformation. Drawing on his experience at the helm of UPCEA and his time as a chief continuing education officer at two institutions, Hansen argues that Continuing Education units must lead discussions on their institution’s future and utilize their business-mindedness to improve the efficiency of higher education institutions.

Open sesame! Taking university education to the world via online learning - the Conversation

2012-02-27T05:04:00.001-05:00

The word “open” has grown educational wings over the past decade. From the British Open University, which enrolled its first students in 1971, the concept has expanded to mean various ways of relaxing the traditional barriers to entry, study and success in higher education. So what does it mean to be open? There are four ways of being open:

location: you can study anywhere; you don’t have to be on campus
time: you can study at any time; you don’t have to be in a scheduled class
entry: you don’t have to have special qualifications to gain entry
fees: you don’t pay

But there have been three key limitations on open education:

do you get feedback and evaluation?
do you get certification for finishing a subject?
can you use your education to get a degree?

KU program puts technology, expert training, new teaching in classrooms - the University of Kansas

2012-02-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

It’s becoming more common with every semester for a school to hand out new electronics such as iPads or laptop computers to give students a new tool in their educational kit. For years now, a University of Kansas program has been going several steps beyond, knowing it’s not enough to just give a classroom new gadgets, it’s vital to provide teachers with the training on how to use the technology to enhance curriculum and help change how students learn. Since 2003, Technology Rich Classrooms, a project of Advance Learning Technologies in Education in KU’s Center for Research on Learning, has been managing a Kansas State Department of Education program that provides funding to school districts across the state to purchase new technology and fund a facilitator in the school who coaches teachers how to make the new devices part of higher order curriculum. Nearly 90 Kansas schools have received the two-year, Title IID grants, and the program is spreading beyond Kansas’ borders. “When it comes down to it, we don’t talk about iPads or Macbooks, we talk about using any technology the school has that engages students and empowers critical thinking,” said Amber Rowland, project leader.

U. shifts admission policy to better address older students - BRIAN MAFFLY, The Salt Lake Tribune

2012-02-26T05:10:00.000-05:00

The University of Utah is revising its admissions policy for some older students in the wake of a civil-rights complaint filed by a learning-disabled applicant who was denied admission because he read and wrote at only a fourth-grade level. A temporary policy, adopted last month while a permanent one is being drafted, spells out in detail the academic benchmarks that those older than 25 who have never been to college must meet for admission. But officials stressed there is plenty of flexibility to admit even those who look bad on paper, as long as they demonstrate they can succeed. The policy revision affects only applicants who graduated from high school seven or more years before admission and have never been enrolled at a regionally accredited college, a narrow definition that covers fewer than 100 applicants each fall. But the overhaul illustrates how tricky it is for selective universities to asses

Grant-giving group finds Virginia colleges lacking - Janie Bryant, The Virginian-Pilot

2012-02-26T05:05:00.000-05:00

For more than half a century, the Beazley Foundation has invested millions of dollars into college-bound students and the Virginia colleges and universities they attend. Last year, the foundation's trustees commissioned a study to check on their investment. What they learned troubled them. Students at liberal arts schools are not being exposed to a comprehensive core curriculum of classes, the study told them when it was released Jan. 30. And the cost of getting a degree has increased so much that many are priced out of the dream altogether. The trustees voted to suspend grants to undergraduate liberal arts schools in Virginia until they come up with a plan to ensure the funding goes to the best-performing institutions.

Justices Take Up Race as a Factor in College Entry - ADAM LIPTAK, NY Times

2012-02-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

In a 2003 decision that the majority said it expected would last for 25 years, the Supreme Court allowed public colleges and universities to take account of race in admission decisions. On Tuesday, the court signaled that it might end such affirmative action much sooner than that. By agreeing to hear a major case involving race-conscious admissions at the University of Texas, the court thrust affirmative action back into the public and political discourse after years in which it had mostly faded from view. Both supporters and opponents of affirmative action said they saw the announcement — and the change in the court’s makeup since 2003 — as a signal that the court’s five more conservative members might be prepared to do away with racial preferences in higher education.

Michael Horn on How 'Blended Learning' and Technology Can Bridge the Education Gap - Knowledge@Wharton

2012-02-25T05:09:00.001-05:00

Michael Horn sees the Internet providing access to a range of products and services that will help improve the way people can learn. While adult education is where on-line learning initially got its start, Horn predicts that half of high school courses in the U.S. will be taken online in less than a decade. Horn co-wrote the bestselling book Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns with Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen. He and Christensen later co-founded The Innosight Institute, a non-for profit think tank devoted to applying the theories of disruptive innovation to problems in the social sector. In the future, Horn predicts the majority of students will be engaged in what he calls "blended learning" where they'll learn online with control over the pace of their learning in schools with teachers providing guidance

Universities training students for jobs in high, low demand - Roger McKinney, Joplin Globe

2012-02-25T05:05:00.000-05:00

Area universities and community colleges are training students for careers that are in high demand. Nursing and teaching, for example. And they are training students for careers for which there may be less demand in the future. Police officers, for example. At issue is the role of universities and colleges. Is it to train students for specific careers and jobs? Or is it to give them tools to prepare them for a fluctuating job market? In the 21st century, it’s both, educators say.

More Pressure on the Higher Ed Bubble - Evan Walter, the Foundry

2012-02-25T05:00:00.001-05:00

Despite the fact that the “cost of basic knowledge is cheaper than ever before,” the cost of attending college continues to skyrocket. In large part, dramatic increases in college tuition are the result of ever-growing federal higher education subsidies, which have allowed universities to raise prices while incentivizing students to take on more loan debt. But the college price bubble could soon be on the verge of busting, thanks to budding innovations and entrepreneurs in the higher education market. Udemy and Udacity are two new and innovative online learning platforms providing access to educational content to anyone, anywhere, at little or no cost to the user. Both Udemy and Udacity were founded on a single principle: that everyone in the world should be able to access knowledge. Both companies operate using an online, open-source model: Anyone who has Internet access can take a class. It is an important step toward the democratization of access to course content and an important new market pressure being placed on a bloated higher education system.

Announcing #femlead - University of Venus, Inside Higher Ed

2012-02-24T05:05:00.002-05:00

We are pleased to announce the inauguration of #femlead: a biweekly (every other week) Twitter chat focusing on women in higher education leadership. With this conversation, our goal is to create an open and inclusive forum for: networking, sharing experiences and resources, and addressing the challenges and opportunities facing women in higher education who seek to lead with vision. The numbers of women filling leadership positions on campuses around the world are growing; they are staff, faculty, and administrators. The growing numbers are cause for celebration as more women take on exciting and transformative roles. But we feel this also creates a need for a supportive space for women--and men--to talk about what these new roles mean and how best to fill them in order to pursue personal, professional, and institutional goals with integrity.