The essential human element of AI in education

World AI Week represents a unique moment to reflect on how AI has changed the way we work, live, and learn. Many brilliant minds and progressive companies are gathering for the World Summit AI (WSAI) in early October to discuss AI’s potential, and among the many topics of discussion, the role of AI in education will certainly be a hot topic.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has greatly shifted the landscape of technology in education. Overnight, learning worldwide became remote and distributed. What were once simple tasks like distributing and collecting homework or administering an in-class midterm became complex technological challenges, for which our collective tools fell short. However, we also made great strides in closing the gap, and along the way developed, improved, and scaled our technology and products in ways that we never thought possible. We’re proud of how our AI helped instructors by assisting in grouping similar answers to accelerate feedback, our state-of-the-art handwriting recognition that brings a new level of offline-to-online accessibility to our cutting-edge platform and our writing AI that helps students improve the way they write and use citations.

To continue to add a new perspective to this conversation, I asked a number of AI in education experts as well as two faculty members for their thoughts about AI’s role and potential in education.…Read More

University experiences explosive growth in campus video use thanks to new platform

Sonic Foundry, Inc., a video creation and management solution, announced that Kansas State University has standardized on Mediasite to create online learning content and serve as the central repository for all academic video files on campus.

With Mediasite, the university has undertaken a focused, campus-wide video content management initiative to preserve the thousands of hours of academic video—historical footage, guest lectures, etc.—amassed over the past nearly four decades. The legacy content, much of which was created on outdated devices and exists in various formats, is being imported to Mediasite to be incorporated into today’s instruction.

“We’ve had a history of solutions scattered everywhere, and Mediasite is a great end-to-end, automated platform from capturing to managing to distributing the media,” said Brandon Utech, Instructional Media Administrator, Kansas State University Office of Mediated Education.…Read More

EDUCAUSE and University of Central Florida enable blended learning innovation

Recently, EDUCAUSE and the University of Central Florida (UCF) announced the availability of BlendKit2017: Becoming a Blended Learning Designer, a five-week course developed to provide facilitated assistance to faculty members and instructional designers in developing and designing blended courses. The MOOC is the fifth iteration of the EDUCAUSE and UCF partnership.

BlendKit2017 will be facilitated by UCF Center for Distributed Learning instructional designers Dr. Baiyun Chen and Ms. Sue Bauer. The course is free and open to any learners. Course registrants can also elect to participate in a low-cost certification track, which includes a full portfolio review and, upon completion, offers a certificate from EDUCAUSE and UCF and a digital badge.

The course also includes:
● Expert and peer assessment and critique on design work
● Blogging and social networking interaction opportunities
● Weekly webinars with guest presenters
● Document templates and practical step-by-step “how to” guides
● Interactive activities for institutional groups participating together…Read More

New tool plays admissions matchmaker

In what could be considered the admissions matchmaker for higher education and students, marketing agency Higher Ed Growth has released a new lead generation tool called EduMaximizer that is aimed at helping students to match with the best institution and degree program that meets their needs, while also promoting compliance.

With student achievement and job placement becoming ever-important measures of an institution’s success, it is important for students to not only find an institution that meets their goals, but also receive important and personalized information right from the point of inquiry. According to the company’s own research and case studies of their users, EduMaximizer’s automated school searches are cutting call times in half and even boosting quality matches by 26 percent.

“Helping students narrow their focus and select a school with programs they will excel in is vital,” said Frank Healy, CEO of Higher Ed Growth. “By leveraging technology, EduMaximizer enables call centers to more effectively align an individual’s needs with programs that are the best fit for them. Selecting the right education setting up front will set students on a path for success before they even step foot in a classroom.”…Read More

Pearson Announces LEED Certification Program With Everglades University

New Introduction to Sustainability digital course leverages LEED U.S. Green Building Council content and customized curriculum to put students on a path to successful careers

NEW YORK — June 13, 2016 — Today Pearson announced a new partnership with Everglades University to develop an Introduction to Sustainability digital course. With a customized curriculum including U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) aligned content, the course is designed to put students on the path to high demand careers in green energy and building design.

Offered online and on-ground, the course improves students’ preparation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications in growing fields such as construction management; alternative and renewable energy management; environmental policy and management; land and energy management; and crisis and disaster management. Upon completion of the course, students earn certificates of completion that can be featured in the form of digital badges and added to their resumes, demonstrating their education in and commitment to sustainability.

The course was initially offered in March 2016 and is an integral part of the university’s curriculum as a required course for undergraduate students in all degree programs. Ultimately, this partnership will benefit thousands of students, dozens of university staff and faculty members, and the community at large surrounding Everglades University’s four geographic locations throughout the state of Florida.…Read More

Data shows widening gap in higher-ed technology adoption

EDUCAUSE research finds IT’s role in higher education has reached a critical point

higher-technologyResearch from higher education technology association EDUCAUSE shows that in 2015, colleges and universities will need to evolve to address very real challenges of IT security, cost, and productivity, as well as providing user support for the “new normal” that covers mobile, cloud, online education, and BYOD environments.

“The pace of change for higher education information technology is increasing–not slowing–and on many fronts. Trends that have previously dominated thought leadership and motivated early adopters are now cascading into the mainstream,” said Susan Grajek, vice president of data, research, and analytics at EDUCAUSE.

“What is concerning is that we are seeing the gap widening between the forward-thinking early adopters and the growing number of institutions that cannot keep up with the pace of change. More and more institutions are falling behind when it comes to implementing and leveraging technology to solve large-scale problems and address strategic issues, like using cloud technologies to standardize business processes on campus and analytics to predict and address student outcomes.”…Read More

Vernier expands data-logging tools for Chromebooks

New Graphical Analysis for Chrome app enhances functionality for science teachers and students

science-chromebooksTo address the extensive adoption and use of Chromebooks in classrooms, Vernier Software & Technology recently released its free Graphical Analysis app. Developed specifically for the Chrome operating system, the new app makes it easy to collect and share scientific data using Chromebooks.

By spring of 2015, updates to the app will provide teachers and students with the ability to connect a Vernier Go!Temp, Go! Motion or Go! Link to Chromebook’s USB port for data collection. Using Go! Link, a single-channel interface, students can collect data using Vernier sensors. Teachers can also link multiple Chromebooks with a single LabQuest 2 and use the data-collection device to wirelessly collect and stream data to each student’s Chromebook in a lab group.

“With more than a million purchased by schools last year, Chromebooks are becoming the mobile device of choice in many classrooms,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and former physics teacher. “Graphical Analysis for Chrome and its support of Vernier sensors provides schools with an easy-to-use and cost-effective way to further utilize Chromebooks and engage students in hands-on learning in science and STEM classrooms.”…Read More

Epson expands PowerLite Pro G-Series projectors for large venues

All eight new models deliver HDBaseT™ and other integration options

epson-projectorEpson has introduced eight new PowerLite® Pro G-Series projectors, which deliver enhanced connectivity and installation flexibility for large venue commercial spaces, including education. Building upon the previous generation of Pro G projectors, all the new models have a built-in HDBaseT™ interface for easier connectivity and reduced costs, as well as support for Extron® XTP® and Control4® Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP).

The Pro G-Series offers bright, true-to-life images and produces color brightness and white light brightness3 ranging between 4,500 to 7,000 lumens, including the addition of a new 6,500 lumen WXGA model.

“As AV technology continues to advance, integrators require solutions with more diverse connectivity options, as well as easy installation capabilities,” said Sean Gunduz, senior product manager, Projectors, Epson America, Inc. “We listened to our customers’ needs and introduced the new PowerLite Pro G-Series with exceptional image quality, and tools for easy integration into their existing infrastructures in nearly any venue.”…Read More

Cengage Learning and Cerego Tap the Science of Teaching and Learning to Improve Student Outcomes with Adaptive Learning Technology

Strategic partnership enhances MindTap platform to support mastery in Intro to Psychology courses

Boston, MA, December 9, 2014 — Today’s Psychology students are required to understand and apply large quantities of information and complex concepts. To provide them with the tools necessary for success, Cengage Learning, a global education company, and Cerego, the essential memory management tool, have partnered to integrate adaptive learning technology with the MindTap platform for the Psychology discipline beginning in 2015. Using a series of integrated apps, called MindApps, the MindTap platform provides a premier e-learning environment that delivers high levels of engagement to inspire improved student outcomes.

Particularly important in the study of Psychology, the Mastery Training MindApp powered by Cerego measures the rate of information absorption and memory decay, simultaneously calculating the precise moment to review in order to achieve quick and long-lasting learning. Cerego’s Memory Bank, a personalized visualization of learning progress, maps activation and memory strength across all courses and individual items studied. The Memory Bank makes learning and re-learning more efficient and effective by developing a granular, real-time understanding of progress for each unique learner. Mastery Training creates various question types, personalizing the presentation on an item-by-item and user-by-user basis. To aid retention, Mastery Training generates a forgetting curve for each student and re-presents information at the point of predicted forgetting. Progress to the learning goal is richly and visually displayed for students and instructors.…Read More

D2L’s Winter 2015 Release Speeds Delivery of Innovation to the Brightspace Platform

Powerful Product Updates and User Experience Improvements Incorporate Engaged Customer Feedback; End User Support and Game-Based Learning Service Offerings Equip and Empower Learners

KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON–(Marketwired – December 09, 2014) – D2L (formerly Desire2Learn) today unveiled a host of powerful product features and innovative service enhancements for Brightspace, the company’s integrated learning platform (ILP), as part of its Winter 2015 release. The release includes numerous user experience improvements — 25 percent of which were inspired by feedback from the Brightspace community — along with an expert multi-lingual 24/7 End User Support service and the general availability of a Game-Based Learning offering. The product updates are delivered automatically through the cloud and available immediately to Brightspace users.

“The Winter 2015 release demonstrates D2L’s commitment to improving learner outcomes and a deep understanding of our customers’ needs. With many of these updates resulting directly from our interaction with the Brightspace community, we’re working to ensure that staff and learners have the most effective tools available to help them achieve their full potential,” said John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. “With these enhancements, instructors can focus on what matters most — personalizing the learning experience.”…Read More

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