“Given the rapid acceleration of EdTech in higher education since 2020, it is important for institutions to understand the impact on key users, including faculty, students, and administrators,” said Omid Fotuhi, Director of Learning and Innovation at WGU Labs. “Successful implementation depends on how faculty perceive, understand, and trust the use of technology to improve the student experience. We’ve identified actionable strategies from this year’s CIN Faculty EdTech Survey, which we believe will foster better technology integration in higher education to help realize the many possibilities of EdTech.”
As EdTech becomes increasingly prevalent in higher education, with proponents arguing that it increases college access, makes courses more engaging, and personalizes the learning experience, it is vital to address faculty pain points. Burnout and fatigue affect a significant portion of educators, with 44% of respondents reporting feeling burned out and 43% feeling emotionally exhausted due to their work. Technology fatigue emerged as a strong predictor of burnout, job dissatisfaction, and the likelihood of considering job changes within three years. To mitigate these issues, it is essential to strategically select technologies, redefine instructional models, and address technology-related stressors to promote faculty well-being.
The resource: IBM Global Skills and Education Study
The details:
Job seekers, students, and career changers around the world want to pursue roles related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across different industries, but say they are not familiar with career options. At the same time, online training and digital credentials are emerging as a recognized pathway to opportunity as respondents plan to seek new jobs in the year ahead.
These were some of the global findings from a new study that IBM unveiled earlier this year. The study, administered by Morning Consult and commissioned by IBM, is based on more than 14,000 interviews of students, people seeking new jobs, and people seeking to change careers, located across 13 countries. Respondents also cited concerns that career options may not be available to them. These findings contrast with market data that employers are investing in the reskilling of their current workforce to keep pace with rapid advances in technology and stay relevant in the modern, digital economy.
“Technology training can have a transformational effect on a person’s life,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Chief Impact Officer. “There are many misconceptions about what’s needed to pursue a rewarding and lucrative career in today’s rapidly advancing workplace. This is why we must raise awareness of the breadth of science and technology roles that exist across industries. Together with our IBM SkillsBuild partners, we’re highlighting the many pathways that exist for underrepresented communities to pursue futures in tech.”
To help tackle these misconceptions and bring STEM education closer to historically underrepresented communities in the field, IBM announced 45 new educational partners around the world. These IBM SkillsBuild collaborations across social service, economic development, and vocational organizations, as well as government agencies, and universities, will make free online learning widely available, with clear pathways to employment. Many of these organizations focus on specific communities that are underrepresented in technology and will help skill women, including mothers returning to the workforce, ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and refugees.
The IBM / Morning Consult study revealed perceptions from interviewed students, career changers, and job seekers who are interested in a role in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM):
