As we all know, technology is constantly evolving, leading to advancements in higher-ed edtech.
These advancements have a big impact on teaching and learning, on efficiency in higher ed, on policy, and on instructors’ ability to personalize instruction for students.
Related content: Higher ed must use data more wisely
Here are some of the most interesting developments in higher-ed policy and technology from the past couple weeks.
1. From MarketScale
After nearly 200 years in existence, Green Mountain College in western Vermont is no more. The same goes for Southern Vermont College, the College of St. Joseph and Atlantic Union College. All of them, gone. The fact that some smaller colleges come and go should surprise nobody. Change is inevitable in any industry, and higher education is no exception. But I believe there are more fundamental issues at play with these recent closures. As we look toward 2020, we are hearing that many traditional colleges and universities — unable to adjust to technological and other socioeconomic changes — will essentially go out of business.
2. From InformationWeek
Pick your favorite storyline regarding the current state of tech talent. Whether you believe in various levels of talent scarcity, inequality, poaching or tampering, the one constant is volatility. Talent comes and goes. What matters most is a developed pipeline to keep business forging ahead. We’ve all heard the stories of the entrepreneurs and programmers who forgo or leave college to become the next big Silicon Valley star. And while they aren’t household names, plenty of other people have successful tech careers but don’t have college diplomas. When it comes to sourcing talent today, the question has become, how fundamental is a traditional college degree to success in our industry?
3. From EDUCAUSE
The EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research (ECAR) analyzed data from 2019 EDUCAUSE Technology Research in the Academic Community (ETRAC) student and faculty surveys to learn what is most important to students and faculty when it comes to using campus technology: security or convenience. These preferences may shape how frequently faculty contact IT support services (e.g., for challenges accessing online resources) or how students rate their network connectivity. The survey data also tell us something about what faculty and students need in a time of heightened awareness of security breaches and undisclosed harvesting of private data.4 Faculty and students need security, but how much convenience would they be willing to give up for this peace of mind? To help answer this question, we asked students and faculty what is more important to them when it comes to connecting personal devices, accessing resources (on and off campus), and user account policies.
4. From The Washington Post
More than a month after $255 million in funding for minority-serving colleges expired, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) took to the Senate floor on Tuesday to request unanimous approval to extend the money. Senate Education Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) objected, shutting down the vote but offering to address the funding in a higher education bill he introduced earlier this year. Cardin returned the favor with an objection of his own that stymied Alexander’s request for unanimous consent for his bill. The funding, established in 2008, is for schools that primarily educate minority students: tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, and historically black colleges and universities. Many colleges use the money for STEM programs — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and for scholarships and to improve facilities.
5. From The New York Times
When Steve Thorsett crunched the numbers, things looked grim. Business was flagging. His flow of customers had fallen to a 10-year low, down nearly 20 percent since 2015. By the year after that, annual expenses were outpacing operating revenues by $14 million. In an increasingly unforgiving market, Mr. Thorsett needed to do more than chip away at the margins of this problem. He could make cuts, but that was complicated in his industry, and would likely only speed the downward spiral. To differentiate himself from his competitors, this chief executive determined that his operation needed to grow bigger, not smaller.
- First-generation students are more likely to seriously consider leaving college - April 17, 2024
- How higher ed can meet workforce needs - April 15, 2024
- Higher ed leaders believe continuing education units are undervalued - April 10, 2024