“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.
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.
6. Adaptive learning moves into the educational mainstream.
In adaptive learning, specially designed computer programs assess students’ subject-matter knowledge and then create individual learning maps based on those findings. If a student struggles in one area, the programs repeatedly reinforce that topic, and they let students progress quickly through areas in which they demonstrate mastery.
A number of developments in the past year have affirmed the notion that adaptive learning has arrived in higher education.
For instance, during the 2013 EDUCAUSE conference in Anaheim, Calif., McGraw-Hill Education said it’s applying adaptive learning technology to improve remedial instruction.
Only 22.3 percent of students complete remediation classes and graduate with associate’s degree programs in two years, according to Complete College America—and more than half of students at two-year colleges are placed in the wrong remedial courses, the organization said.
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