Asynchronous discussions and group projects are the most important techniques currently used for online learning, according to a new survey of online education leaders from Quality Matters and Eduventures Research. When asked which online learning methods were most important at their institutions, respondents pointed to those two activities first, followed by problem-based learning, quizzes and research projects.
Spending on security, including hardware, software and services, will reach $91.4 billion this year, according to a new forecast from International Data Corp, marking a 10.2 percent increase over 2017 spending. That growth rate will remain relatively steady throughout the forecast period, according to the company, holding a compound annual growth rate of 10 percent from 2016 to 2021, when the forecast calls for $120.7 billion in spending.
When asked what tools and technologies they would most like to adopt for their online programs, online education leaders cited adaptive learning and learning analytics as their most wanted tech, according to the latest Changing Landscape of Online Education report, a joint initiative of nonprofit Quality Matters and Eduventures Research.
John Wiley and Sons has launched Wiley Assessment Service, a new tool the company describes as an "assessment-as-a-service" offering. Wiley Assessment Services allows instructors to build assignments, quizzes or tests using more than 2 million assets and more than a dozen different question types. Students can access assignments made with the tool through WileyPlus or their school's learning management system and will receive immediate feedback as they answer questions.
When searching for information on colleges, prospective students are most interested in information about specific majors and minors, according to a new survey from research company E.A.B. Seventy percent of respondents said they primarily searched college websites for information about majors and minors, compared to 19 percent who wanted to know about a school's ranking or reputation. Forty-five percent of respondents were looking for information about college costs, and 24 percent wanted to know about financial aid.
Nearly all, 85 percent, of educators and policymakers in the United States say they think creative problem solving is a very important skill for students to learn in school, according to a new survey. At the same time, 84 percent of educators and and 68 percent of policymakers surveyed said that there is not enough emphasis on creative problem solving in American education.
Sierra College is putting a $350,000 grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to use through relationships with Hacker Labs, Truckee Roundhouse and Curious Forge, community makerspaces near three of the college's campuses. The grant was awarded last year as part of the California Community Colleges Maker Initiative, a program comprising 25 community colleges in the state which aims to prepare students for STEM and STEAM careers by building makerspaces, embedding making into the curriculum and through internships with local employers.
Aruba today announced NetInsight, a network analytics and assurance product that uses artificial intelligence to monitor and optimize network performance. NetInsight constantly monitors an institution's network and establishes baselines for normal performance. Its machine learning tools then tag deviations, analyze the impact and provide insights so that IT departments can identify problems before they impact users, according to information from the company.
Next month, students at five U.S. universities will work on next-generation software concepts in an on-campus FutureMakers Challenge program designed to foster innovation and develop the next-generation digital engineering workforce. The competition is being hosted by Siemens in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Smart Technologies today introduced Smart InkScan, a mobile app that converts handwritten artifacts into a digital file that can be edited and shared. The app, currently available for iOS devices, allows users to take a photo of notes from any medium — paper, whiteboard, napkin, etc. — and then push the digitized content directly to a Smart Board with I.Q.