Top 10 ed-tech stories of 2013, No. 7: Sustainability


“Flipped” and adaptive learning programs gained traction on campus. A high-profile internet hoax involving a college athlete propelled the term “catfishing” into the public consciousness. MOOCs hit some key stumbling blocks, while the notion of a college degree became more fluid.

tech

These were some of the key ed-tech developments affecting colleges and universities in the past year—and we’ve got a full recap for you right here.

In this special all-digital publication, the editors of eCampus News highlight what we think are the 10 most significant higher-education technology stories of 2013.

To learn how these stories have made an impact on colleges and universities this year—and how they’ll continue to shape higher education in 2014 and beyond—read on.

7. Technology plays a key role in saving colleges money—while boosting sustainability.

Campus budgets for instructional technology and other IT costs have taken a hit in recent years, and regardless of how much money is available for these items, campus technology leaders are always looking for ways to stretch their ed-tech dollars and get the best possible value for their investment.

Fortunately, technology is playing a key role in saving schools money—while also supporting campus sustainability initiatives.

For instance, seven years into a system-wide sustainability initiative, Arizona State University is on track to become completely carbon neutral by the year 2025. And it’s not just the campus environment that’s being saved—the university has reduced operating costs by $2 million a year by using more efficient printing technology from Canon.

College campuses, with their abundance of devices and tech-savvy students, can be a huge source of electronic waste. But earlier this year, FundingFactory—a recycling program for schools and nonprofits—introduced a new initiative targeting universities’ recycling habits, paying universities for their recyclable eWaste.

Large, commercial enterprise systems that handle functions such as campus finances and human resources are notorious for being costly, inflexible, and often hard to manage. Now, a growing number of institutions are turning instead to open-source alternatives developed collaboratively “by universities, for universities” through the nonprofit Kuali Foundation.

In other cost-saving developments, virtualization technology is taking hold in higher education, helping colleges save space, energy, and money—while extending the life of older computers. Universities in Oklahoma and New York have collaborated to generate millions of dollars in cost efficiencies as a result of a commitment to share campus IT services. And MIT researchers are hoping to make cloud computing more efficient.

See also:

Controlling Technology Costs

University opens ‘living lab’ of energy efficiency

Arizona State University, Canon work to create a more sustainable university

Program takes eWaste off universities’ hands, replaces it with cash

New York campuses share information technology services

MIT researchers hoping to make cloud computing more efficient

‘Community source’ project helps colleges tackle enterprise systems

Virtualization taking root on campus

Sharing IT services saves millions for Oklahoma universities

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