5 roles university libraries will play in the future

Universities are seeking ways to innovate and keep up with the changing expectations of students and faculty, and university libraries are no different.

Academic libraries are good at adapting as they try to meet students and faculty who learn differently and who have varying expectations for what their university library is.

As physical space, available funding, and student needs change, university libraries will have to adapt to meet different needs and campus roles.…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

This new program preps STEM grads for jobs

Many employers of STEM professionals are requiring new hires to communicate their research to the general public. However, most schools and graduate programs do not provide communication training to STEM students.

Now, a multi-disciplinary research team from the University of Missouri (MU) has found that after completing a science communication training program, STEM graduates are more likely to be successful in communicating their research to the general public.

“Science foundations and STEM researchers might find it difficult to get funding if they have difficulties explaining what their research is about and how it will make a difference,” said Shelly Rodgers, professor of strategic communication and senior research advisor for the Health Communication Research Center at MU. “We’ve found that in order to advance society’s understanding of science, you have to work to improve how you communicate science to a wide audience in a way they will understand.”…Read More

Higher-ed spending gaps do a disservice to minority students

Inequities that negatively impact students of color in the K-12 education system continue into postsecondary education and are detrimental to student success, according to a new analysis.

When students of color graduate from underfunded and understaffed high schools, gaps in support and spending follow they into postecondary education.

In fact, according to a Center for American Progress (CAP) analysis of IPEDS spending an enrollment data, public college spend roughly $5 billion less educating students of color in one year than they do educating white students.…Read More

5 ways to help students cultivate a sense of belonging

Students who report a strong sense of belonging at their college or university typically do better in school, and a new survey points to five key steps schools can take to support students’ mental health and success.

This sense of belonging is critical for students, especially students who are first-generation college students and students of color from low-income backgrounds. In fact, feeling a sense of belonging has been proven to have an effect on college completion rates.

A report based on a survey of alumni from the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), which aims to prepare its K-12 students to thrive in education and the workforce, points to clear-cut steps institutions can take to help students feel positive about their path.…Read More

11 online education trends institutions should track

Career aspirations continue to drive students’ decisions to enroll in online education programs, according to a new survey tracking online learning trends.

The report from BestColleges.com surveyed 295 online program administrators and 1,500 students, including prospective students, current students, and alumni, to gauge their experiences in online education programs.

In addition to career motivations, survey results show online students are getting younger, and schools report an increase in enrollment of traditional college students.…Read More

4 key predictors of students’ satisfaction with their institution

Students who find their higher-ed studies relevant to their current roles in the workforce tend to believe they received a high-quality education that was worth the cost, according to a new Strada Education and Gallup study examining perceived quality and value of higher education.

Relevance has emerged as a key issue in both K-12 and higher education, with students more engaged in and satisfied with their education when they know their classroom lessons are directly related to the world around them.

The report is the first in a three-part series, “From College to Life: Relevance and the Value of Higher Education,” and examines perspectives from a nationally representative sample of 78,091 adults, ages 18 to 65, who are currently employed and have taken at least some college courses. Findings come from the daily Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey.…Read More

How to use technology to improve the transfer process

The University of Arkansas had a problem: Admissions staff needed to make quicker decisions about transfer students and needed to reach students in new markets, but a backlog of transfer credits slowed progress.

After a state lottery bill funded academic scholarships in 2009, the university saw enrollment jump. Then, it became easier for students to transfer their associate degree coursework to four-year schools, leading to transfer increases between 5 and 10 percent each year.

Despite these spikes in enrollments and transfer students, the university’s registrar and admissions staff remained the same size, which meant staff had to process more documents and transcripts via legacy technology and manual processes.…Read More

9 online learning trends straight from chief online officers

Online learning continues to offer expanded learning opportunities to traditional and nontraditional students, but it also challenges institutional norms.

Now, a new report examines what chief online officers have to say about must-have technologies and tools, new program ventures, and alternative learning providers.

The 2018 Changing Landscape of Online Education is part of a continuing effort to uncover what chief online officers at higher-ed institutions think about learning policies, practices, and plans. It’s a joint initiative of Quality Matters and Eduventures.…Read More

Is your state among the best for higher education?

Virginia tops the 2018 list of best states for a higher education, according to a new ranking from SmartAsset, which analyzes U.S. public institutions to determine which offer the best value based on a variety of metrics.

The analysis compares states using five factors:

Undergraduate graduation rate: Data comes from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Data is for the 2015-2016 school year.…Read More

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