Top higher-education technology news: March 2013


Here are some of the highlights from the March 2013 issue of eCampus News.

A new business model emerges for MOOCs … Free electronic textbooks see growth … Colleges learn how to boost success in online courses: These are among the top higher-education technology stories in the March 2013 issue of eCampus News.

The digital edition of our March issue is now available online. You can browse the full publication here, or click on any of the headlines below to read these highlights.

A new business model for MOOCs

Nine universities are piloting a new game-changing business model that offers students free access to massive open online courses (MOOCs) for credit in hopes of increasing enrollment in full degree programs…

Five Coursera MOOCs recommended for credit

As massive open online courses continue to soar in popularity, some administrators continue to assert that MOOCs lack the high quality and credit-worthiness of traditional college courses. But soon, all that might change.

The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service announced that it’s recommending credit for the initial five Coursera MOOCs it has been evaluating since late last fall—meaning students enrolled in those courses could earn college credit toward a degree…

‘Community source’ project helps colleges tackle enterprise systems

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. That’s why a small but growing number of institutions are turning instead to open-source alternatives developed collaboratively “by universities, for universities” through the nonprofit Kuali Foundation…

Free eTexts prove popular

As college textbook prices continue to climb, a free alternative to traditional textbooks has gathered steam—and its provider claims that students at more than half of U.S. colleges are now taking advantage…

How to boost student success in online classes

A majority of colleges consider online education crucial to their long-term success, according to a study from Education Sector that also examined how educators could learn from one successful college system’s impressive online student retention numbers…

Niche-based digital marketing attracts nontraditional students

To improve enrollment, officials at Mount Olive College in Mount Olive, N.C., knew they needed to understand their own student population better, and identify the types of students they should target in the future. To do this, the college enlisted the help of ed-tech company Hobsons…

Viewpoint: An untapped potential for MOOCs

There’s a key use for MOOCs that U.S. universities so far have missed, write Lisa L. Martin and Barbara F. Walter: the ability to export gender equity and powerful female role models to the rest of the world…

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eCampus News Staff