Citing IT skills shortage, IBM wants to expand presence at universities — from wiredacademic.com
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
“We want to be the scale up partner of choice for these universities,” said Jim Sporher, head of IBM’s university programs. “We want to make sure they have access to technology and understand our strategy.” He also sees massive open online courses (MOOCs) as a mega-trend and will be considering ways for IBM to be part of the MOOC trend in the future, particularly as many of the MOOC providers such as Udacity and Coursera offer classes in computer science.
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As a big blue-chip progenitor of the tech industry, IBM is worth listening to in many regards. For one, corporate computing trends often filter down into the education space. The corporate world often has the money to purchase and deploy game-changing technologies. IBM sees that it also works the other way too, where computing at the university level creates new businesses and ideas that move up into the corporate realm.
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From DSC:
I wonder…will the corporations develop their own MOOCs? Their own digital “playlists” and associated exams? (i.e. that someone needs to go through and pass in order to work for them…show me what you can do.) Hmmm…
Also see:
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Also see:
- This could be huge… — from timeshighereducation.co.uk by Zoë Corbyn
MOOCs are already big – in reach and in hype – and are predicted to explode. Zoë Corbyn checks in to learn if they are more than just a novelty and to find out what it’s like to teach a class of 38,000 - Georgetown to offer free online courses — from washingtonpost.com
- Free online courses could change Engineering education — from theinstitute.ieee.org by Kathy Pretz
Re: Corps opening their own MOOCs.
Interesting idea. Haven’t thought of it before but I’d say its likely as long as unemployment stays relatively high. Seems that companies require ever diversifying skill sets and knowledge bases that higher ed couldn’t possible prepare every student for (under the traditional model). Large companies could use it as a type of certification required for employment. Think realtor’s license-you don’t expect to start work for a realty company BEFORE you pass the exam, certification is expected. Great ideas! Keep ’em coming.
Thanks Dirk for the feedback and excellent thoughts on this! I appreciate you taking the time to post a comment here. Along the lines/words of Jurassic Park, I think people will find a way; and if they can’t afford it one way, they’ll pursue another route.
Thanks again Dirk,
Daniel