nanodegrees-college-education

Trend: Faster is better for postsecondary learning


Rise in nanodegrees and microlearning from Silicon Valley striking a cord with students; should your institution consider this option?

Considered major players in the education disruption business, companies like Udacity and EdCast are working with colleges, universities, and entrepreneurial leaders to develop shorter degree pathways (nanodegrees) and shorter online learning experiences.

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Key points:

  • Udacity has partnered with tech giants such as AT&T, Google, Facebook and Amazon to reinvent job training via nanodegrees.
  • Udacity has enrolled more than 11,000 students in its nanodegree programs and graduated 3,000 of those.
  • EdCast’s EdCasting invites educators and entrepreneurs to create mini-MOOCs on its social sharing platform, otherwise known as “Twitter for education.”
  • EdCast also launched its microlearning series, the “10 Minute Insights” series, mobile-enabled live-streamed/live-cast and then archived mini-discussions hosted by Silicon Valley innovators representing a broad range of expertise is various subjects.

(Next page: Overview; What nanodegrees and micro-learning mean for colleges and universities)

In an effort to address the skills shortage, three-year-old Udacity (2016 CNBC Disruptor No. 12) has partnered with tech giants such as AT&T, Google, Facebook and Amazon to reinvent job training.

In what CNBC is calling a “just-in-time training approach to higher education with huge global market potential” Udacity—a company founded by a Stanford professor and former Google VO Sebastian Thrun– has repositioned its focus from MOOCs to certification training on very specific skills with the goal of addressing the current skills shortage in the global marketplace. Students can earn a “nanodegree” and learn things like front-end web developing, iOS and Android programming, or machine learning in less than a year—and for less than $1,000. Udacity is doing this with help from partners AT&T, Google, Facebook and Amazon.

Though Udacity still offers free online course MOOCs (with 4 million students enrolled as noted by CNBC), it is quickly expanding its nanodegree program in the United States and in Europe and Asia. It’s already tailored programs for students in India and China and last week launched in Germany.

The move comes as the MOOC revolution stalls due to poor retention rates, causing Thurn to reimagine the company’s strategy after spotting an overlooked opportunity in the global marketplace. Since retooling its offerings, Udacity has enrolled more than 11,000 students in its nanodegree programs and graduated 3,000 of those—a drastic improvement in retention and completion rates. The company’s valuation has been boosted to about $1.1 billion.

In another effort to better tailor content to students’ needs, the personal learning network platform EdCast is slimming down MOOCs to make them more concise and relevant to learners eager to jump into the global community.

EdCast’s EdCasting invites educators and entrepreneurs to create mini-MOOCs on its social sharing platform, otherwise known as “Twitter for education.” EdCasting is a less formal version of online courses, and is akin to tweeting, with the difference being that each post is based on a video or link that can be described without being limited to 140 characters. The launch of EdCasting included 10 channels ranging from entrepreneurship, architecture, robotics, technology, and health, filled with insights from over 100 globally renowned experts and influencers.

EdCast also launched its micro-learning series, the “10 Minute Insights” series, mobile-enabled live-streamed/live-cast and then archived mini-discussions hosted by Silicon Valley innovators representing a broad range of expertise is various subjects. What makes these series more than just a mini-MOOC is that every person watching the live stream is able to ask questions directly to industry leaders, even on their mobile devices—an opportunity that moves beyond merely trend-setting and into the realm of an invaluable knowledge resource for learners seeking real-world advice.

What this Means for Colleges and Universities

A recent Hanover Research trends report reveals that after analyzing over 1,000 research reports commissioned by more than 300 higher education clients (Hanover’s client list includes Georgetown University, Gonzaga, Johns Hopkins, Texas A&M, and Wake Forest to name a few) the majority of all research has been on program management; specifically, new program development.

Therefore, if institutions are looking for new pathways in program development, perhaps offering smaller, career-tailored nanodegrees supplemented with microlearning opportunities is a viable option.

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