Big Deals: Edtech news from UMGC, Crayon, Kahoot!, and eCampusOntario

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), one of the largest public, nonprofit online universities in the U.S., today announced the expansion of an institution-wide coaching initiative designed to bolster its proven current student success model. In collaboration with national student coaching nonprofit InsideTrack, the university will work to refine and scale up its in-house success coaching program to increase support for online students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, including working adults, part-time students and first-time college-goers.

“Meeting the needs of today’s fast-changing workforce and society demands that college leaders continuously ask ourselves what we’re doing to become student-ready, not the other way around,” said Susan Hawkins-Wilding, vice president of student success at UMGC. “The simple fact is that there are many entry points to and through higher education, whether you are a first-time college-goer, a returning learner or a military service member or working adult making a transition in the peak of your career. No matter the circumstance, our commitment to every learner is to meet them where they are—and work to remove obstacles every step of the way.”

To help expand its wraparound support for its highly diverse population of first-time students, the university has engaged InsideTrack, which has served more than 3.2 million learners since its founding in 2001 and has developed a coaching model proven to measurably increase student persistence and graduation. Over the course of five months, professional coaches from InsideTrack will work one-on-one with up to 600 first-time students, helping to provide newly-enrolled students with personalized support needed to persist during the critical first year of study and provide short-term expansion of coaching support to UMGC’s growing number of new students.…Read More

Crunch the Numbers: Supporting Faculty Mental Health; Generative AI and Curricula; Top 20 Graduate Centers

Supporting students’ mental health and well-being has practically become a job expectation for higher education faculty and staff. Yet, educators on the front lines of the campus mental health crisis do not always feel that they have the support they personally need.

According to a national survey by TimelyCare, three out of four faculty and staff said more mental health support would improve job satisfaction. More than half (53%) have considered leaving their job because of burnout, increased workload and stress, underscoring continuing concerns about employee retention in the aftermath of the pandemic. The survey included more than 500 faculty and staff members at public and private four-year and two-year higher education institutions. “The weight of faculty and staff burnout and stress threatens the foundation of higher education. When faculty and staff are struggling, it’s hard for them to support students to their fullest potential,” said Dr. Bob Booth, Chief Care Officer of TimelyCare. “To build a resilient generation of future leaders, we must ensure that all campus employees receive the support they need and deserve.”

Key faculty and staff mental health survey highlights include:…Read More

The world’s first AI-powered course taught completely by AI teachers?

Here’s an interesting announcement that came across my feeds. After the public launch of the world’s first digital human teacher in August 2023, Otermans Institute (OI) has taken a bold step in transforming the educational landscape as its AI-powered teachers are now teaching an entire 9-lesson course in universities and institutions across 4 continents.

Their AI teachers not only teach and test the learners, but also create the course content. The new approach entails a paradigm shift in the very essence of teaching and learning.

Thanks to the OIAI technology – the fine-tuned language model developed by the same organisation – they say virtual and digital education can now transcend the limitations of traditional one-directional instruction and become a dynamic, two-way conversation between students and their AI teachers.…Read More

Crunch the Numbers: A Question of Leadership; First-gen Students Get Online; AI Worries on Student Privacy

Americans are experiencing a crisis of faith toward higher education leaders and do not fully trust them to prioritize their students, a new survey from U.S. News & World Report and The Harris Poll shows.  The results were revealed December 12 at an exclusive event, “The Evolution of Leadership: Education”. U.S. News – the global authority in education rankings and consumer advice – convened more than 125 education thought leaders, college presidents and government officials in New York for a discussion on crucial topics shaping the future of higher education.

Wendy Salomon, managing director of corporate strategy & reputation at The Harris Poll, presented the survey’s results. Among the key findings:

  • Fifty-eight percent of Americans believe that university leaders are failing students today, while 53% of current Gen Z and Millennials believe the same thing.
  • Only 43% of Americans and 45% of Gen Z and Millennials believe that universities are succeeding in developing leaders of tomorrow.
  • Fifty-six percent of Americans think that university leaders are not good examples of leaders for their students.
  • Only 45% of Americans trust university leaders to do the right thing for their students. However, 57% of Gen Z and Millenials trust university leaders to do the right thing for their students.
  • As for Americans’ trust in their university leaders to prioritize their students:
    • 59% of Americans trust public university leaders
    • 55% of Americans trust private university leaders
    • 51% of Americans trust ivy university leaders

“We know that important work has had to be undertaken in an increasingly difficult environment in this country where we are seeing declining levels of trust in our academic institutions, as well as decreasing enrollment numbers today where high school students are increasingly electing not to go to college,” Eric Gertler, U.S. News executive chairman and CEO, told attendees. “These last two months have made one’s role as president of a university infinitely more difficult. Leadership has never been easy – especially in times of crisis. But that is what we expect and demand from those in these positions of leadership.”…Read More

Big Deals: Pearson adds AI to Chem; Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology launched; zSpace expands workforce training tools

As students wrap up the fall semester, Pearson this month announced plans to expand the availability of its generative AI beta to millions of students in leading math, science and business titles. This summer, Pearson became the first major higher education publisher to integrate generative AI study tools into its proprietary academic content.  

“Students and faculty have told us they are looking for AI tools that are aligned with the Pearson content they trust and already use. We know they want these tools to help them earn higher grades, save time, and master key concepts,” said David Kokorowski, SVP and Chief Product Officer Higher Education. “To meet these needs and provide a more frictionless learning experience, we embedded generative AI study tools into Pearson’s market leading content. We’re encouraged by how students engaged with the technology, and we’re excited to expand and further study how these tools are benefiting students and faculty alike.”    

Pearson’s current beta will expand to dozens more MyLab and Mastering titles by Fall semester 2024. MyLab and Mastering is an interactive platform backed by content from Pearson authors that allows instructors to scale teaching excellence. The platform, with integrated eTextbook, allows instructors to design their course, assign homework and assessments, and monitor student progress in real time. …Read More

How can AI help in Higher Education and Beyond?


Arizona State University (ASU) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) last month announced the next phase of the ASU Cloud Innovation Center (CIC), powered by AWS, an initiative they hope will advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector. I had the chance to speak with John Rome, the Deputy CIO and a 20+ year employee at ASU about the efforts behind their work. John is a pioneer of data warehousing in higher education, building ASU’s data warehouse in the early 1990’s. He is also an instructor in the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business. His areas of expertise include information technology strategy, analytics/business intelligence, data governance, organization development, program management, big data, public cloud development and deployment, and most recently, voice-enabled interfaces.

In our conversation, John emphasizes the importance of collaboration, student involvement, and thought leadership in the evolving field of AI. He also discusses the center’s mission, which goes beyond technology to include ethics, education, and societal impact. The goal, he says, is to democratize generative AI and foster meaningful collaborations with the public sector. Other highlights include:

  1. Student Involvement: ASU places a strong emphasis on student involvement, with a team of students actively engaged in generative AI projects. The goal is not only to build solutions but also to provide students with real-world experience, preparing them for future contributions in the workforce.
  2. Thought Leadership and Ethics: ASU aims to be a thought leader in the AI space, prioritizing thought leadership, ethics, and societal impact. The university seeks to go beyond mere technological solutions, fostering a comprehensive understanding of AI’s implications for society.
  3. AI Democratization: One of the center’s overarching goals is to democratize generative AI, making it accessible to a broader audience. ASU envisions a collaborative environment where different stakeholders, including government agencies and nonprofits, can benefit from the possibilities offered by generative AI.
  4. Challenges and Learning: John acknowledges the evolving nature of the AI landscape, with a commitment to addressing challenges as they arise. The center sees itself as a learning environment, sharing insights and lessons learned with the broader community.
  5. Future Aspirations: ASU envisions continued growth and impact for the Cloud Innovation Center over the coming years. The center’s success will be measured not only in technological achievements but also in its ability to contribute to societal well-being and serve as a model for other institutions exploring generative AI.

Click through to listen and scroll down for more information provided by the program.…Read More

Crunch the numbers: The latest edtech data on AI tools, international students, and online learning perceptions

Anthology, a leading provider of education solutions that support the entire learner lifecycle, announced this month the results of its 2023 global research study: Comparing Global University Mindsets and Student Expectations. The survey results reveal the perceptions and realities of generative AI use among university leaders and students in the U.S., and how they differ from colleagues in other parts of the world based on a survey of more than 5,000 current students and university leaders across 11 countries.

AI use among U.S. students growing but lags global peers
The survey revealed intriguing differences in the adoption of generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, among university students in the United States compared to their peers in other countries. Overall, 38% of students in the United States reported using generative AI tools frequently or occasionally.

While the U.S. has a lower percentage of frequent users of AI writing tools on a weekly basis (10% compared to a global average of 23%), a higher proportion are occasional users (monthly use) (28%). The study also highlights a comparable rate of experimentation with AI tools between the U.S. and other countries. However, a significant percentage of U.S. students remain unfamiliar with or do not use generative AI writing tools, marking a significant divergence in adoption (22% of students in the United States vs. 12% of students in other countries surveyed).…Read More

AI in action

It’s one thing to talk about AI. Who isn’t? Then there is Professor Daniel Nathanson from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, who can talk about how he actually uses it, right now, in his classes.

Nathanson helped pilot an AI tool from Breakout Learning, an edtech company that helps educators moderate and grade scenario-based, small-group discussions. The tool acts as a consultant, offering suggestions and synopses, making grading more meaningful over time. The tech also aids in understanding how deeply students engage with case issues and fosters more meaningful class discussions.

I had the chance to discuss with Dan how the method reinvents the way he teaches and assesses students in large classes. While it’s not perfect, he says it significantly enhances the teaching experience by helping him focus on key learning points, encourages active participation, and fosters in-depth discussions. Have a listen and scroll down for more details.…Read More

Tomorrow’s English assessment: It’s still about the people

Technology such as generative AI is shaking up the English teaching and learning sector, but it cannot replace the social and emotional aspect of teaching English, according to an expert from Cambridge. Dr Evelina Galaczi from Cambridge University Press & Assessment recently said that AI can enhance the learning experience, but teachers will continue to play a very crucial role in the future.  

‘We’re seeing more AI tools such as ChatGPT in classrooms, Virtual Reality letting us learn in distant worlds and computer games taking learning to the next level,’ commented Galaczi. She continued: ‘While these are all fantastic innovations and we’re really embracing them in Cambridge, we’re not going to rush in and cut corners to suit the technology. This means that teachers will continue to play a really crucial role in the English language classroom.’  

Dr Galaczi recently presented Cambridge’s seven key principles for successfully integrating AI into the English language classroom. One of these principles is to ensure that the quality and scope of language assessments and learning resources are maintained. A big part of achieving this is to use technology to enhance education, but not to let it determine the educational approach. She also stressed the importance of more teacher training to get AI ready. She commented:  …Read More

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