Higher Education 2.0

The time has come. After a month of data collection, we are ready to release unto you the results of our largest survey to date. When the dust settled, nearly 500 schools had responded to this year's CMS survey, more than triple what we had last time.

Educators, technologists, and campus decision makers who reside in the educational technology bubble speak the ed-tech vernacular like a second language, frequently using words and phrases wholly foreign to many in higher education. It's not dissimilar to others in specialized fields whose daily jobs revolve around technical jargon that may sound like another language to those outside of ed-tech.

The U.S. Department of Education took new steps in November to reinstate federal online learning regulations that have drawn the ire of many online learning institutions. The department announced on Nov. 20 that it is creating a Negotiated Rulemaking Committee to contemplate regulations for "state authorization for programs offered through distance education."

The MOOC market (Massive Open Online Courses) has exploded. This month Coursera landed another $20M in funding, bringing their total investment to $63M (even more than edX's original $60M funding by MIT and Harvard). Why all the investment? Because this market opportunity is massive and building these online courses is expensive.

WHEN the first commercially successful steamship traveled the Hudson River in 1807, it didn't appear to be much of a competitive threat to transoceanic sailing ships. It was more expensive, less reliable and couldn't travel very far. Sailors dismissed the idea that steam technology could ever measure up - the vast reach of the Atlantic Ocean surely demanded sails.

Can 50 face-to-face courses, one massive open online course and more than 50,000 students working together change higher education? That’s what Duke University professor Cathy N. Davidson hopes, even as she embraces the technological issues of guiding an effort the size of a small city.

Read more: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/11/04/duke-u-professor-plans-massive-collaborative-effort-tackle-challenges-facing-higher#ixzz2jhLFqUJa
Inside Higher Ed

Free Higher Education News, Jobs, Career Advice and Events for college and university faculty, adjuncts, graduate students, and administrators.

Dear #heweb13, Every time I leave the annual High Ed Web conference, and I've done it five times now, I find myself trying to put together some sort of cogent, blog-worthy reaction to the whole thing. And more often than not, I wind up defeated. It's just so hard to wrap up all the great...

Everybody wants a viral hit, and communicators often feel that the value of a YouTube video is measured in view counts. If success is about outcomes, not clicks, then Virginia Tech's division of Outreach and International Affairs offers a model of video brand journalism-even on some of its not-so-often viewed videos.

Where's What helps improve the educational process by giving students access to the technology and equipment they need.

Students and staff can access the system and search & book available items. Where's What keeps track of who has what and for how long and even sends reminders for items that are late for return, so you, as an admin, can save time and focus on supervision.