Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

5 institutions making innovative moves

Colleges and universities are often hubs of innovation, particularly when faculty and researchers are driven by the desire to improve learning and quality of living for students and the university community.

In fact, nearly all administrators (91 percent) in a recent survey say innovation is a top strategic or academic priority.

Most higher-ed institutions recognize the importance of innovation, and many are beginning to consider a position for a dedicated innovation officer, according to The Emergence of the Chief Innovation Officer in Higher Education, a new report from Russell Reynolds Associates.…Read More

4 key findings about university innovation

Nearly all administrators (91 percent) in a recent survey say innovation is a top strategic or academic priority, but just 40 percent say their institution has a dedicated university innovation budget, according to a new report that explores the drivers and barriers to higher-ed innovation.

The State of Innovation in Higher Education: A Survey of Academic Administrators, from The Learning House and the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), surveyed more than 100 U.S. academic administrators and seeks to highlight how higher-ed institutions define and employ such innovation.

University leaders appear to share the fundamental view that innovation is “the art of solving problems to ensure students succeed in higher education,” but there is a lack of consensus on the definition of university innovation.…Read More

4 actions to improve the future of higher education

Following four national priorities, including increasing completion rates and strengthening the student educational experience, could exponentially improve the future of higher education, according to a report based on two years of research.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, with funding from Carnegie Corporation of New York, convened the Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education (CFUE), comprised of leaders from higher education, philanthropy, business, and government. The Commissioners were charged with assessing the state of undergraduate education and making recommendations for a future with better institutions and better-positioned graduates.

The report, The Future of Undergraduate Education, The Future of America, zeroes in on four national priorities that offer actionable solutions to improve undergraduate education and increase the number of students who complete their education without unmanageable debt, said said CFUE Co-chair Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., president and CEO of TIAA.…Read More

6 emerging cyberlearning areas

Six emerging design themes are impacting cyberlearning, or the future of learning with technology, according to a new report.

Cyberlearning researchers investigate this learning future, and while many cyberlearning projects are in initial stages and don’t aim to produce market-ready products, they do yield early results with proof-of-concept designs or theoretical insights.

Those researchers also believe they can explore how people learn by designing innovative technologies that draw from findings from the learning sciences and experimenting with those designs in real-world settings.…Read More

Why your institution should have a Chief Innovation Officer in 2018

Most higher-ed institutions recognize the importance of innovation, but few universities have taken steps to create roles for chief innovation officers, who focus on reaping revenues from innovation, according to new research.

Though most research universities have a technology transfer office (TTO) that helps bring new discoveries to market, a dedicated innovation officer is not as common–but that’s changing, according to The Emergence of the Chief Innovation Officer in Higher Education, a new report from Russell Reynolds Associates.

But the emergence of the chief innovation officer position is spurred by various changes in higher education. As government funding declines, as nontraditional education opportunities increase, and as educators focus on how students learn best and turn to new learning experiences, some universities are rethinking how they position their institutions.…Read More

4 successful innovations that should be considered by all institutions

Higher education is in a state of change, and as many higher-ed leaders are realizing, bold moves are necessary to navigate this change and sustain innovation.

From gaming-based research to new learning delivery models and new ways to look at education, some universities and colleges are forging paths designed to move faculty and students into the next phase of higher education.

Below, we’ve gathered a sampling of some of the boldest and most innovative university moves, projects and policies in the past few years. If you know of an innovative university program, let us know in the comments section below.…Read More

Part 2: The 16 innovators in high-ranking institutions

[Editor’s Note: For Part 1 of this story that delves into the measures that should be included in the rankings of the future, read here.]

As the higher education landscape evolves and new institutional rankings take into account alternative data, such as low-income student enrollment and a focus on STEM, innovative individuals within these high-ranking institutions have also come into the spotlight.

As more institutions explore how they can help the most students achieve their goals of earning degrees with as little financial burden as possible, these sixteen higher-ed stakeholders are rising to the challenge and are brainstorming new ideas and approaches to make those goals a reality. These efforts also are shaking up the traditional college rankings system.…Read More

UCI to launch official e-sports gaming initiative

Specially equipped gaming, competition site to be built at Student Center

UC Irvine is launching an official e-sports and gaming initiative this fall, which the university says is the first of its kind at a public research university.

A state-of-the-art arena equipped with high-end gaming PCs, a stage for League of Legends competitions and a live webcasting studio will be constructed at the Student Center, and as many as 10 academic scholarships will be offered to students on the team.

“UCI eSports will be built on four pillars: competition, academics, entertainment and community,” said Thomas Parham, vice chancellor for student affairs. “We hope to attract the best gamers from around the world, and our academic programs in computer gaming science, digital arts, computer science, engineering, anthropology, law, medicine, neuroscience and behavior create a strong foundation for research and inquiry related to gaming.”…Read More