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.

Using technology to fast-track student success at Temple University

Long after diplomas are in hand and graduation caps tossed in the air, student loan payments remain for many college grads. According to the Department of Education, students are leaving college faced with significant amounts of student debt. The national average owed for a bachelor’s degree stands at $30,500.

For those with student loans, receiving an undergraduate degree in four years—versus five or six—brings big advantages. Eliminating extra semesters means eliminating additional tuition, translating to lower overall student debt. Plus, graduating sooner allows individuals to enter the workforce sooner, getting a jump start on a career path and hopefully the ability to start paying down debt.

While graduating from a four-year college in four years seems like a straightforward achievement, only 41 percent of students are able to do it, according to The New York Times.…Read More

Looking to boost graduation rates?

A report from Complete College America reveals that only 19 percent of students attending public colleges full-time earn a bachelor’s degree in four years. A new initiative at Northwest Missouri State University (Northwest) is aggressively working to reverse that trend.

Launched in fall 2018, Complete 30 is a school-wide effort to help students graduate on time and is loosely based on Complete College America’s 15 to Finish program. Students strive to complete 30 credit hours every academic year, spanning fall, spring, and summer sessions.

“All of our students are encouraged to participate, but we also understand that the academic journey for each student is different,” says Allison Hoffmann, director, academic success and retention at Northwest. “We take a very personalized approach to student success and the same can be said for participation in Complete 30.”…Read More

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Higher Education Research Institute reports issues on graduation rates

The Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA released a report Tuesday outlining how graduation rates at four-year universities can be better determined and improved, the Daily Bruin reports. The study contains data from the 2004 Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshman Survey, which details characteristics of incoming classes, and degree completion data from the National Student Clearinghouse. With results obtained from the study, the institute hopes to help more students complete their degrees, the report stated.

“All institutions really need to ramp up degree completion, and even at an institution like UCLA, there are areas for improvement,” said Linda DeAngelo, lead author of the report and assistant director for research at the institute…

Click here for the full story…Read More

Ed-tech grant program aims to boost college readiness

The Educause-backed program will fund ed-tech projects designed to make high school graduates college ready.
The Educause-backed program will fund ed-tech projects designed to make high school graduates college ready.

Six months after the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pumped $3.6 million into a national certification program for teachers of remedial college courses, a new initiative will dole out grants to education-technology projects aimed at improving college readiness, especially among low-income students.

The Next Gen Learning Challenges program, launched in late June and headed by nonprofit education technology supporter Educause, will aim to raise America’s high school graduation rate – which hovers around 50 percent among Hispanic, African American, and low-income students – and ensure that college freshmen are ready for higher education without having to take non-credit-bearing remedial classes.

Only half of Americans who enroll in a postsecondary school will earn a degree, according to national statistics, with as few as 25 percent of low-income students completing a degree program.…Read More

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Duncan: Ban NCAA teams with low grad rates

Duncan drew attention to low college graduation rates as March Madness began March 18.
Duncan drew attention to low college graduation rates as March Madness began March 18.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan says college basketball teams that don’t graduate at least 40 percent of their players should be banned from postseason play.

Duncan said in remarks delivered in a conference call March 17 that his idea represents a low bar, and over time it should be raised.

NCAA spokesman Bob Williams says a ban based on graduation rates unfairly penalizes current players for the academic performance of athletes from years ago. He says the NCAA already has a system in place that penalizes schools if they do not meet academic benchmarks.…Read More