Weigh if a Part-Time MBA Program Is the Right Fit

By Mariya Greeley, US News

There’s growing interest among prospective MBA students to study while working. While enrollment for full-time MBAs decreased significantly in the U.S. between 2005 and 2016, enrollment at part-time programs has risen nearly 20 percent, according to a survey of about 350 accredited business schools from AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Dan LeClair, executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer at AACSB, notes that the part-time numbers signal “some really important changes that are happening in higher education.” Increasingly, students seem to value the greater convenience of these programs as well as the ability to keep their jobs and salaries.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/2018-03-29/weigh-if-a-part-time-mba-program-is-the-right-fit

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Student engagement at the heart of new online charter school

by Mindi Smith, Kokomo Herald
Indiana Agriculture & Technology School is a new tuition-free, statewide charter school that couples online learning with labs and project-based activities on a working farm.  Indiana Agriculture & Technology School is a new tuition-free, statewide charter school that couples online learning with labs and project-based activities on a working farm. Courtesy of Indiana Agriculture & Technology School
Those behind the Indiana Agriculture & Technology School say they’re changing the game for online schools. And they’re doing so by keeping the enrollment low and the student accountability high. IATS is a new tuition-free, statewide charter school that couples online learning with labs and project-based activities on a working farm.

http://kokomoherald.com/Content/Community/Community/Article/Student-engagement-at-the-heart-of-new-online-charter-school/32/759/32852

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Amazon to close TenMarks online education service after 2018-19 school year

BY TODD BISHOP & FRANK CATALANO, Geekwire

Amazon will close its TenMarks online math and writing learning service after the 2018-2019 school year, the latest surprise twist in the tech giant’s foray into education technology. The company broke the news in emails to customers this week and in a message on the TenMarks website. “We’re winding down,” the announcement reads. “TenMarks will no longer be available after the 2018-2019 school year. Licenses for TenMarks Math and Writing will be honored through June 30, 2019.”

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/amazon-close-tenmarks-online-education-service-2018-19-school-year/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=38394

Digital Readiness Gaps

BY JOHN B. HORRIGAN, Pew Charitable Trust

In this report, we use newly released Pew Research Center survey findings to address a related issue: digital readiness. The new analysis explores the attitudes and behaviors that underpin people’s preparedness and comfort in using digital tools for learning as we measured it in a survey about people’s activities for personal learning. Specifically, we assess American adults according to five main factors: their confidence in using computers, their facility with getting new technology to work, their use of digital tools for learning, their ability to determine the trustworthiness of online information, and their familiarity with contemporary “education tech” terms. It is important to note that the findings here just cover people’s learning activities in digital spaces and do not address the full range of important things that people can do online or their “readiness” to perform them.

http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/09/20/digital-readiness-gaps/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=26047

Partnerships between bootcamp programs, traditional higher ed a win-win

by Autumn A. Arnett, Education Dive

universities to offer their same lower-cost certification programs through institutions with stronger reputations, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. For the bootcamp companies, which became the targets of employer skepticism recently, partnering with traditional universities offers more “legitimacy” and the benefit of a bigger, more trusted brand. For the institutions, the pairing increases capacity to train students in marketable skills, thus boosting alumni’s chances of finding employment after graduation.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/04/05/kevin-mccarthy-wants-va-provide-free-high-tech-courses-vets/100096868/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=26032

Instructor burnout a concern under flipped learning models

by Roger Riddell, Education Dive

Bay Path University Associate Professor of Biology Thomas Mennella writes for Campus Technology that current approaches to active learning must be rethought to avoid instructor burnout. Mennella began using a flipped classroom approach around four years ago, shortly after his institution began providing all incoming freshmen with an iPad — and while he praises the amount of professional development instructors received, he says adopting a flipped approach has greatly increased the amount of assignments he must grade, as well as the number of hours he spends interacting with students. Though Mennella notes that no one is forcing him to use a flipped approach, a dynamic and active learning experience is something that students have come to expect, and he feels the days of the “sage on the stage” are over.

http://www.educationdive.com/news/instructor-burnout-flipped-teaching-models-Mennella/439915/

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How To Satisfy Demand For The Biggest Job Of The 21st Century

by Lydia Dishman, Fast Company

Data scientist is one of the most in demand jobs of the future. These three companies are trying to fill the skills gap. Harvard Business Review once called it “the sexiest job of the 21st century.” Data scientist is not only the top job this year (the position ranked number one on Glassdoor’s top jobs for 2016) but based on hiring demand and the potential for salary growth it’s poised to be the top job in the future as well. But there may not be enough people to fill it. A McKinsey report predicted that by 2018, “the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills, as well as 1.5 million managers and analysts with the know-how to use the analysis of big data to make effective decisions.”

http://www.fastcompany.com/3058502/the-future-of-work/how-to-satisfy-demand-for-the-biggest-job-of-the-21st-century

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Communications is next ‘top’ technical skill

by LISA KATZ, Crain’s Business

According to data from the Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan (WIN), 40 percent of job postings identify communications skills — including verbal, written, and interpersonal skills — as a need. It is likely that the true number of job postings emphasizing communications skills is even higher, but the attribute is not specifically stated in the posting. WIN’s Eureka Report on preparing the workforce for innovative and disruptive technologies further underscores this research: It found that employers are less concerned about young peoples’ technical skills and more concerned about their abilities to relate and engage with others in the workplace.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160405/BLOG107/160409927/communications-is-next-top-technical-skill

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15545

The State of Education Video 2016

By Paul Riismandel, Streaming Media

Both inside and outside the classroom, video is as essential to students as email and Wi-Fi. Look for live streaming to increase in higher-ed, especially for popular events. Online video in education is the new normal. To grasp the full impact of that declaration, it’s important to take a step back from thinking only about memories of our own classrooms. Sure, video has come a long way in traditional teaching environments—something I won’t neglect in this review. But video takes a central role in learning in general. By the looks of it, LinkedIn agrees. Last April the company spent $1.5 billion to acquire Lynda.com, an early—and profitable—pioneer in providing skills-based video courses online. Lynda is a go-to destination to gain proficiency in areas such as web design, as well as courses on topics as diverse as accounting fundamentals and “The Neuroscience of Learning.”

http://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/The-State-of-Education-Video-2016-110211.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=15542

5 Key Ways To Stretch Your Tech Budget

By Chet Bembenek, THE Journal

The Columbus School District in Wisconsin serves a small community south of Madison, with only three schools and 1,300 total students — about 30 percent of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. In other words, we’re just a typical small school district trying to make the most of our limited ed-tech budget. Despite our modest means, we have a fairly robust technology infrastructure. A 10-gigabit fiber backbone connects our three school buildings, all of which have wireless access. We have 100 Mbps of bandwidth out to the public Internet, and we’re bumping that up to 300 Mbps soon. We’re also on our way to having one device for every student in grades 1 through 12 next year. We’ve built out our IT infrastructure with the help of a few simple strategies. Here are five recommendations based on our experience.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/04/09/5-key-ways-to-stretch-your-tech-budget.aspx

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State’s universities getting fast and furious internet for collaboration

by eCampus News

Arizona’s Sun Corridor Network announces two 100 gigabit connections to Internet2. The Sun Corridor Network, Arizona’s high-speed research and education (R&E) network, is now providing 100 gigabit per second (100G) connections to Internet2, for academic researchers at Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of Arizona (UA). The two Internet2 connections—one located in Phoenix and one in Tucson—aim to benefit Arizona’s public universities by facilitating high-performance, data-intensive research and collaboration among peers at national institutions to enable discovery, knowledge and information sharing.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/arizona-universities-internet-981/

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Innovation is building your own adaptive tech solution, says major university

by eCampus News

Arizona State University (ASU), Cengage Learning and Knewton announced a partnership to co-develop what ASU is calling “Active Adaptive” learning solutions, which leverage Knewton adaptive technology in new ways. These innovators in higher education will co-develop a solution from the ground-up utilizing adaptive technology paired with content and active learning activities, with the aim of empowering instructors to spend more time supporting and inspiring learning, and less time managing and lecturing students. ASU recognized the need for a new, customized way to deliver materials to students, allowing them to learn using instruction and content uniquely tailored to their individual needs in an environment that meets the University’s goals of having students take a more active role in their own learning.

http://www.ecampusnews.com/business-news/adaptive-knewton-asu-563/

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Technology and the Future(s) of the University

by By Dian Schaffhauser, Campus Technology

Georgetown University is calling on its entire campus community to explore what the institution of 2030 will look like and to experiment with new ways of educating students. The impact of its discoveries may ultimately end up being felt throughout American higher ed. Introducing innovation in education is easier when the institution is new. Georgetown University, established in 1789, may not necessarily be the first institution to come to mind when thinking about innovation related to higher education. But an initiative introduced in November, called “Designing the Future(s) of the University,” is calling on the entire campus community to explore what the Georgetown of 2030 will look like and to experiment with new ways of educating its students.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2014/04/01/technology-and-the-futures-of-the-university.aspx

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Teachers Honored for the Innovative Use of Tech in Science Ed

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

Friction, rocketry and alternative energy are some of the projects undertaken by the latest crop of teachers who have been named winners in an annual competition put on by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Vernier, a company that sells scientific equipment for teachers. All of the educators were selected based on their use of data-collection technology in science classes. The six winners in K-12 were honored during this year’s NSTA National Conference and received $1,000 in cash, $3,000 in Vernier products and $1,500 toward travel expenses to attend the event in Boston.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/04/07/teachers-honored-for-the-innovative-use-of-tech-in-science-ed.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uis/edtech/~3/V5_Z99-dCbU/

One-Third of U.S. Students Use School-Issued Mobile Devices

By David Nagel, THE Journal

New research indicates virtually all middle and high school students have access to mobile devices and are using them for schoolwork. And nearly a third of them are using mobile devices issued by their schools. According to the report, “The New Digital Playbook: Understanding the Spectrum of Students’ Activities and Aspirations,” issued by Project Tomorrow in an event taking place in Washington, DC today, 89 percent of high school students (grades 9–12) and 73 percent of middle school students (grades 6–8) have access to smart phones. Another 66 percent in both groups have access to laptops. Sixty-one percent of middle schoolers and 50 percent of high schoolers have access to tablets. And 48 percent of middle schoolers and 39 percent of high schoolers have access to digital readers.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/04/08/a-third-of-secondary-students-use-school-issued-mobile-devices.aspx

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