We are back with more great articles about higher education and online learning. Here are the articles we most enjoyed reading and sharing this week; covering subjects including National Distance Learning Week, the use of student data, Veteran’s Day, and more in online learning.
Celebrating National Distance Learning Week – ProctorFree
In celebration of National Distance Learning Week, we are sharing why distance learning is important to our Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer Velvet Nelson and how ProctorFree will continue to support its growth. “ProctorFree is taking the complications out of testing, making distance learning more convenient and accessible, protecting the course and exam integrity, and giving it the same reputation as a traditional class,” says Velvet; who believes distance learning’s disruption of higher education is just beginning to be felt. “We support distance learning, we know it is the future of education, and we will do anything we can to help it grow.”
The results of a recent survey show that students already share large amounts of personal data with their schools, and in return they expect their schools to use that data in ways that benefit them. The online survey from Ellucian Analytics and Wakefield Research found that of 1,000 US college students, 77% think that schools should do a better job of using their personal data to improve the college experience. Campus Technology discusses the various survey results that indicate that students expect their institutions to utilize their personal information to improve the academic process.
Celebrating Veteran’s Day – ProctorFree
Today, ProctorFree is celebrating Veteran’s Day and honoring veterans both in the ProctorFree family and beyond. ProctorFree is both led and supported by veterans. Mike Murphy, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, served as an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army before transitioning into the entrepreneurial space. ProctorFree also salutes Jon and Chris Boggiano of VersaMe, and Brandon Shelton of Task Force X Capital Management; key members of the ProctorFree leadership team and US Army veterans.
4 Ways Technology is Effectively Bringing Higher Ed to the Workforce – eCampus News
The disconnect between higher education and the needs of the labor market is a data problem. eCampus News highlights four ways that technology is fixing this disconnect. Credentialing and CBE, third-party online learning such as coding boot camps, Learning Relationship Management Platforms, and IT-based internships are effectively bringing higher education into the workforce.
VR’s Higher-Ed Adoption Starts with Student Creation – EdSurge
Students who are passionate about experimenting are driving Virtual Reality research and development. While the adoption of VR in higher education is not quite ready yet, programs such as Masters of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center are providing students the opportunity to make and share their own virtual realities. EdSurge discusses various projects of these students and whether there is a market for VR in higher education.
Learning in the Age of Digital Distraction – NPR
Students today are constantly fighting off distractions during their learning experience and there is a negative impact of multi-tasking on school performance. NPR interviews Dr. Adam Gazzaley, coauthor of “The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High Tech World.” Dr. Gazzaley concludes that we must retrain ourselves to become comfortable with sustaining our attention on a single goal and learn to value and appreciate the value of sustained attention.
Check back next week for more of what we’re reading about in higher education and online learning. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to have daily access to higher education and edtech news.