Archive
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From Batch Print to Show What You Know
The shift from print to digital is a big deal, but in many ways the shift from cohorts to competency is the more profound transformation underway in education.
Infographic: Show What You Know Beats Batch Processing
The Show What You Know Beats Batch Processing infographic complements our recently released paper, “The Shift From Cohorts to Competency”. t
Digital Learning Now! Releases Competency Education Paper
Digital Learning Now! (DLN) today released “The Shift From Cohorts to Competency,” the fourth DLN Smart Series white paper in collaboration with Getting Smart®, that explores the shift from seat time to demonstrated mastery.
Mass Community Colleges Focus on Employability
The 15 Massachusetts community colleges participating in the Massachusetts Community Colleges & Workforce Development Transformation Agenda (MCCWDTA) are making notable progress on improving rapid pathways to high wage jobs. The awkwardly named project is funded by a three-year, $20 million grant from the U.S.
Hype vs. Hope: San Jose State + Udacity vs. Linn State Technical College
While it would be a stupendous achievement if Udacity and other MOOC providers are able to develop and deploy a model that can successfully remediate math and reading at scale, we need to step back and look at the bigger picture: A more powerful (and much more realistic) achievement would be to put society’s needs and judgments ahead of those of higher education institutions, and focus on propagating proven programs that prepare students for profitable employment and a life of learning.
Competency-Based Learning and FLVS
Competency based learning has its origins in the business world. High school graduates who decide to become a barber, for example, would need specialized training in cutting hair. They would take an assessment to verify competency before receiving a license to cut hair. In order to maintain global standing, industry and education leaders teamed up to create a description of elements for 21st century outcomes.
Next-Gen State U
A state policy maker called and asked how a next-gen state university would work. They had spent lots of money with a brand name consultant that had given them predictable advice (create a consortium or start a new institution) and the policy maker had the sense that they weren’t pushing hard enough. Given the pressure for lower costs, better outcomes, and expanded access, there’s a new conversation about further and higher education (as they’d say in the Eurozone).
New Paper on Student Supports in Competency-Based Environments
In December 2012, CompetencyWorks released The Learning Edge: Supporting Student Success in a Competency-Based Learning Environment. The paper delves into the fourth element of the definition: Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.
Sir John Daniel: Openness Rather Than Scale is MOOC Contribution
"I'm delighted that openness has gotten to some very closed institutions," said Sir John Daniel. As the former CEO of Commonwealth of Learning and Vice-Chancellor of Open University, he knows a lot about higher education, open education resources (OER), and online learning.
McKinsey Report on Edu to Employment: Useful Frame, Missing Innovation
McKinsey released a report called Education to Employment: Designing a System that Works. The six findings are rationale but fall short on the innovation front. The big sector wide solutions that the McKinsey team described will be beneficial when and where the occur. In the mean time, watch for organic solutions that emerge around new skills acquisition capabilities and marketing signaling strategies.