Universities to take back control of digital resources

A new consortium called Unizen hopes to exert greater control and influence over digital education

unizen-digital-resourcesFour large research universities have formed a new consortium in an attempt to wrestle some control of the digital learning landscape from educational technology companies, the founders announced Wednesday.

Called Unizin, the consortium consists of Colorado State University, Indiana University, the University of Florida, and the University of Michigan.

According to its website, Unizin will function as an evolving set of tools that can be used to improve all kinds of digital learning — including flipped classrooms, online courses and degrees, badged experiences for Alumni, and massive open online courses (MOOCs).…Read More

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.…Read More

New study explores ResNet trends, challenges

Colleges are struggling to contend with the rising costs and inevitable expansion of ResNets.

Residential networks (ResNets) are essential to today’s college students, and universities are working tirelessly to secure and maintain them. A new report highlights important ResNet trends and challenges that campus administrators should be aware of.

The second installment of a five-year study from the Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Ed (ACUTA) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) revealed that colleges struggle to contend with the escalating costs of ResNets, especially with shrinking budgets. Most of the 251 colleges and universities surveyed are meeting bandwidth demands, but they anticipate future obligatory expansions.

“The ACUTA/NACUBO study paints a vivid picture of the intensifying tug-of-war between rising ResNet costs and tightening budgets at many of our nation’s universities and colleges,” said Dee Childs, ACUTA’s Environmental Scanning Committee chair, who is also an associate provost and chief information officer at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. “It is our hope that the study will provide a comprehensive and coherent inventory of practices, perceptions, and priorities to help administrators rise to the challenges of the coming  years.”…Read More

ACE conference addresses college sustainability in troubled times

This week, a panel of higher-education stakeholders gathered to discuss their greatest sustainability challenges during the economic downturn.

During a seminar this week at the American Council on Education’s annual conference, panelists addressed how colleges and universities continue to be plagued by the repercussions of the “Great Recession” of 2008.

A panel of higher-education stakeholders discussed their greatest challenges in dealing with the economic downturn. Chief among these, college presidents said, was achieving a delicate balance between strengthening their financial stability and maintaining good value.

San Diego State University President Elliot Hirshman, who was appointed to the post in 2011, touted the value of resiliency and adaptation in troubled times. He spoke about having to contend with strict budget limitations, and having to find innovative ways to generate revenue in order to continue important research initiatives.…Read More

Three colleges that benefit siblings, families

Some colleges offer discounts for siblings that attend the same college concurrently.

As college costs continue to skyrocket, American families are finding it increasingly challenging to pay for college for a single child, much less multiple college-age children simultaneously.

According to a recent College Board study, the median cost for a year at a public four-year higher education institution is $8,672; a year at a private nonprofit four-year institution is $30,200.

But parents of multiple college-age children soon might find a bonus in having two children enrolled in higher education: A growing number of schools are beginning to offer discounts for siblings who are enrolled in the same schools.…Read More

More proof that the economics of higher education must change

Two-thirds of incoming freshmen said their choice of which college to attend was significantly affected by current economic conditions.

Continuing a recent trend, more incoming freshmen at four-year colleges said money was a key factor in their choice of school—and the percentage of students who said their main reason for attending college was career-focused reached an all-time high.

These are the primary takeaways from an annual survey released Jan. 24, and they lend further support to the idea that the economics of higher education must change as colleges compete for students.

Each year since 1966, UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute has conducted a massive survey of incoming freshmen at four-year colleges, asking questions about their motivations, their plans, and their political views. Typically, big shifts are only apparent over long time periods. But sometimes economic and political currents can lead new college students to give responses noticeably different from what their predecessors said.…Read More

Free digital textbooks surge in popularity

Boundless offers students digital textbooks with reputable content—free of charge.

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 taking advantage.

Publicly launched this past August, Boundless produces digital textbooks consisting of reliable, open-licensed online content to match students’ reading material in at least 18 subject areas. Boundless primarily uses academic material from reputable sources such as open educational libraries, government resources, and other free learning sites.

Experts in multiple academic fields review gathered content and organize it into digital textbook selections that are structured based on a student’s needs. Students enter their assigned textbook title into Boundless’ website, and it locates comparable material for free, supplementing the text with visual graphics.…Read More

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