student-related

College sports are out of hand! [Christian]

On 10/29/2024, in business, business side of he, change, changing business models, colleges, Daniel S. Christian, higher education, parents/guardians, student-related, trends, United States, universities, vendors, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
The following reflections were catalyzed by Jeff Selingo’s Next posting from 10/22, specifically the item:

Student fees for athletics, dark money in college sports, and why this all matters to every student, every college.

All of this has big risks for institutions. But whenever I talk to faculty and administrators on campuses about this, many will wave me away and say, “Well, I’m not a college sports fan” or “We’re a Division III school, so that all this doesn’t impact us.”

Nothing is further from the truth, as we explored on a recent episode of the Future U. podcast, where we welcomed in Matt Brown, editor of the Extra Points newsletter, which looks at academic and financial issues in college sports.

As we learned, despite the siloed nature of higher ed, everything is connected to athletics: research, academics, market position. Institutions can rise and fall on the backs of their athletics programs – and we’re not talking about wins and losses, but real budget dollars.

And if you want to know about the impact on students, look no further than the news out of Clemson this week. It is following several other universities in adopting an “athletics fee”: $300 a year. It won’t be the last.

Give a listen to this episode of Future U. if you want to catch up quick on this complicated subject, and while you’re at it, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Clemson approves new athletics fee for students. Here’s what we know — from sports.yahoo.com by Chapel Fowler
How much are student fees at other schools?

That’s true in the state of South Carolina, when comparing the annual fees of Clemson ($300) and USC ($172) to Coastal Carolina ($2,090). And it holds up nationally, too.

DC: Having played a sport at the NCAA Div I collegiate level, I can say sports are out of hand in our country. Increasingly, ALL students are being billed new athletic-related fees. One wonders…in the future, how much will future Ss/parents pay per yr? https://t.co/P64plKVdH2

— Daniel S. Christian (@dchristian5) October 22, 2024

From DSC:
The Bible talks a lot about idols….and I can’t help but wonder, have sports become an idol in our nation?

Don’t get me wrong. Sports can and should be fun for us to play. I played many an hour of sports in my youth and I occasionally play some sports these days. Plus, sports are excellent for helping us keep in shape and take care of our bodies. Sports can help us connect with others and make some fun/good memories with our friends.

So there’s much good to playing sports. But have we elevated sports to places they were never meant to be? To roles they were never meant to play?

Next-Generation Durable Skills Assessment [McClennen]

On 10/29/2024, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, assessment, innovation, instructional design, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, simulations, skills, student-related, teachers, United States, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

Next-Generation Durable Skills Assessment — from gettingsmart.com by Nate McClennen

Key Points

Emphasizing the use of AI, VR, and simulation games, the methods in this article enhance the evaluation of durable skills, making them more accessible and practical for real-world applications.
The integration of educational frameworks and workplace initiatives highlights the importance of partnerships in developing reliable systems for assessing transferable skills.

Half of Higher Ed Institutions Now Use AI for Outcomes Tracking, But Most Lag in Implementing Comprehensive Learner Records — from prnewswire.com; via GSV

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Instructure, the leading learning ecosystem and UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announced the results of a survey on whether institutions are leveraging AI to improve learner outcomes and manage records, along with the specific ways these tools are being utilized. Overall, the study revealed interest in the potential of these technologies is far outpacing adoption. Most respondents are heavily involved in developing learner experiences and tracking outcomes, though nearly half report their institutions have yet to adopt AI-driven tools for these purposes. The research also found that only three percent of institutions have implemented Comprehensive Learner Records (CLRs), which provide a complete overview of an individual’s lifelong learning experiences.

New Survey Says U.S. Teachers Colleges Lag on AI Training. Here are 4 Takeaways — from the74million.org by ; via GSV
Most preservice teachers’ programs lack policies on using AI, CRPE finds, and are likely unready to teach future educators about the field.

In the nearly two years since generative artificial intelligence burst into public consciousness, U.S. schools of education have not kept pace with the rapid changes in the field, a new report suggests.

Only a handful of teacher training programs are moving quickly enough to equip new K-12 teachers with a grasp of AI fundamentals — and fewer still are helping future teachers grapple with larger issues of ethics and what students need to know to thrive in an economy dominated by the technology.

The report, from the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a think tank at Arizona State University, tapped leaders at more than 500 U.S. education schools, asking how their faculty and preservice teachers are learning about AI. Through surveys and interviews, researchers found that just one in four institutions now incorporates training on innovative teaching methods that use AI. Most lack policies on using AI tools, suggesting that they probably won’t be ready to teach future educators about the intricacies of the field anytime soon.

It is bonkers that I can write out all my life goals on a sheet of paper, take a photo of it, and just ask Claude or ChatGPT for help.

I get a complete plan, milestones, KPIs, motivation, and even action support to get there.

Less than 5% of the world uses the SOTA AI…

— Allie K. Miller (@alliekmiller) October 21, 2024

The 5 Secret Hats Teachers are Wearing Right Now (Thanks to AI!) — from aliciabankhofer.substack.com by Alicia Bankhofer
New, unanticipated roles for educators sitting in the same boat

As beta testers, we’re shaping the tools of tomorrow. As researchers, we’re pioneering new pedagogical approaches. As ethical guardians, we’re ensuring that AI enhances rather than compromises the educational experience. As curators, we’re guiding students through the wealth of information AI provides. And as learners ourselves, we’re staying at the forefront of educational innovation.

Freshman enrollment dropped more than 5% from last year at American colleges & universities [Montague]

On 10/23/2024, in business side of he, colleges, community colleges, higher education, parents/guardians, reinvent, staying relevant, student-related, surviving, United States, universities, by Daniel Christian

Freshman Enrollment Appears to Decline for the First Time Since 2020 — from nytimes.com by Zach Montague (behind paywall)
A projected 5 percent drop in this year’s freshman class follows a number of disruptions last year, including persistent failures with the FAFSA form.

Freshman enrollment dropped more than 5 percent from last year at American colleges and universities, the largest decline since 2020 when Covid-19 and distance learning upended higher education, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, a nonprofit education group.

The finding comes roughly a year after the federal student aid system was dragged down by problems with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, commonly known as FAFSA, which led to maddening delays this year in processing families’ financial data to send to school administrators. That in turn held up the rollout of financial aid offers well into the summer, leaving many families struggling to determine how much college would cost.

Re: the business of higher ed, also see:

Tracking college closures— from hechingerreport.org by Marina Villeneuve and Olivia Sanchez
More colleges are shutting down as enrollment drops

College enrollment has been declining for more than a decade, and that means that many institutions are struggling to pay their bills. A growing number of them are making the difficult decision to close.

In the first nine months of 2024, 28 degree-granting institutions closed, compared with 15 in all of 2023, according to an analysis of federal data provided to The Hechinger Report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association or SHEEO.

And when colleges close, it hurts the students who are enrolled. At the minimum, colleges that are shutting down should notify students at least three months in advance, retain their records and refund tuition, experts say. Ideally, it should form an agreement with a nearby school and make it easy for students to continue their education.

New Study Reveals Keys to Re-Engaging the 41.9 Million Americans with Some College, but No Credential [StraighterLine]

On 10/17/2024, in adult learning, career development, change, changing business models, colleges, communications, community colleges, cost of getting a degree, engagement / engaging students, higher education, learning ecosystem, society, student-related, United States, universities, by Daniel Christian

New Study Reveals Keys to Re-Engaging the 41.9 Million Americans with Some College, but No Credential — from globenewswire.com by StraighterLine
Students’ Perception of the Value of a Degree Drops 50% After Stopping Out

Key Findings Included:

Financial Barriers Remain Significant. 58% of respondents note their current financial situation would not allow them to afford college tuition and related expenses. 72% cite affordable tuition or cost of the program as a necessary factor for re-enrollment.
Shifting Perceptions of Degree Value. While 84% of respondents believed they needed a degree to achieve their professional goals before first enrolling, only 34% still hold that belief.
Trust Deficit in Higher Education. Only 42% of respondents agree that colleges and universities are trustworthy, underscoring a trust deficit that institutions must address.
Key Motivators for Re-enrollment. Salary improvement (53%), personal goals (44%), and career change (38%) are the top motivators for potential re-enrollment.
Predicting Readiness to Re-enroll. The top three factors predicting adult learners’ readiness to re-enroll are mental resilience and routine readiness, positive opinions on institutional trustworthiness and communication, and belief in the value of a degree.
Communication Preferences. 86% of respondents prefer email communication when inquiring about programs, with minimal interest in chatbots (6%).

Most parents know AI will be crucial to their children’s future — from eschoolnews.com
A new survey from Samsung Solve for Tomorrow reveals an urgent need to address the looming AI knowledge gap in schools

Parents of Gen Alpha and Gen Z students are optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance various aspects of education, according to a new Morning Consult survey commissioned by Samsung Solve for Tomorrow.

The survey notes that an overwhelming 88 percent of parents believe that knowledge of AI will be crucial in their child’s future education and career. However, despite this belief, 81 percent of parents either don’t believe or are not sure that AI is even part of their children’s curriculum. That disparity highlights a pressing need to raise awareness of and increase parental involvement in AI discussions, and advance the implementation of AI in American primary and secondary education.

Opening Keynote – GS1

Bringing generative AI to video with Adobe Firefly Video Model

Adobe Launches Firefly Video Model and Enhances Image, Vector and Design Models

The Adobe Firefly Video Model (beta) expands Adobe’s family of creative generative AI models and is the first publicly available video model designed to be safe for commercial use
Enhancements to Firefly models include 4x faster image generation and new capabilities integrated into Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Express and now Premiere Pro
Firefly has been used to generate 13 billion images since March 2023 and is seeing rapid adoption by leading brands and enterprises

Photoshop delivers powerful innovation for image editing, ideation, 3D design, and more

Even more speed, precision, and power: Get started with the latest Illustrator and InDesign features for creative professionals

Adobe Introduces New Global Initiative Aimed at Helping 30 Million Next-Generation Learners Develop AI Literacy, Content Creation and Digital Marketing Skills by 2030

Add sound to your video via text — Project Super Sonic:

New Dream Weaver — from aisecret.us
Explore Adobe’s New Firefly Video Generative Model

Cybercriminals exploit voice cloning to impersonate individuals, including celebrities and authority figures, to commit fraud. They create urgency and trust to solicit money through deceptive means, often utilizing social media platforms for audio samples.

Students need clarity on their postsecondary pathways — from eschoolnews.com by Laura Ascione
When it comes to planning for life after high school, a lack of career exposure is hindering many students’ abilities to envision a future

Key points:

Students require guidance and career exposure to plan for the future
The exposure gap is blocking students’ ability to envision future careers
3 online resources to encourage student career planning
For more news on career readiness, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub

Much emphasis is placed on college and career readiness, but too often, K-12 students aren’t exposed to career possibilities or career resources to form an idea of what their future may look like.

“College competition & operational pain are the ‘new normal,’ S&P says” [Unglesbee] + other items re: higher ed

On 10/14/2024, in adjunct faculty, business side of he, colleges, community colleges, cost of getting a degree, faculty, higher education, learning ecosystem, liberal arts, neurodivergent/special needs, parents/guardians, student-related, teaching & learning, United States, universities, by Daniel Christian

S&P: Community colleges lifted by improved enrollment and finances — from highereddive.com by Ben Unglesbee

Dive Brief:

With enrollment trends improving and state appropriations increasing, the community college sector has reason for “optimism,” according to a recent report from S&P Global Ratings.
For 2023, median full-time equivalent enrollment, at 5,439 students, was down just 0.3% from 2021 and up nearly 8.1% from the previous year, S&P found among the roughly 200 community colleges it rates. That comes after enrollment in the sector fell 7.7% year over year in 2022,.
Meanwhile, median state appropriations per FTE student for the sector increased 19.1% to $4,930 between 2021 and 2023, analysts found.

College competition and operational pain are the ‘new normal,’ S&P says — from highereddive.com by Ben Unglesbee-
Margins are down, costs are up and tuition revenue is constrained after the pandemic exacerbated existing challenges, according to a recent report.

Dive Brief:

U.S. colleges face a “new normal” and accelerated existing challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including constrained operations and heavy competition, a recent report from S&P Global Ratings found.
Between 2018 and 2023, operating margin rates fell from 0.8% to -0.1% amid rising costs to colleges, according to S&P. Meanwhile, median tuition discount rates at private colleges rose by more than 5 percentage points, to 44.4%, in that period, putting pressure on college revenues.
From 2019 through the second quarter of 2024, the ratings agency issued 126 credit downgrades for the higher ed sector, compared to 62 upgrades, per the report.

5 ways colleges can improve outreach to rural students — from highereddive.com by Laura Spitalniak
Students from small towns help strengthen campus communities, said panelists at the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s conference.

We cannot just swoop in and take the best and brightest and just say, ‘Oh, good job us.’ We want this to be a two-way highway, not a one-way brain drain.

Marjorie Betley
Deputy director of admissions at the University of Chicago

A Trauma-Informed Teaching Framework for Stewards — from scholarlyteacher.com by Jeannette Baca, New Mexico Highlands University; Debbie Gonzalez, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt; Jamie Langlois, Grand Valley State University; and Mary Kirk, Winona State University

Using the Trauma-Informed Community of Inquiry (T-I CoI) framework as a pedagogical design helped us address students’ emotional stress and facilitated cognitive growth and connection to the learning process. It also provided an opportunity to create a sense of community within an online learning environment. When we returned to in-person instruction, the model continued to be beneficial.

An incredibly powerful video. We don’t always know what our students are going through.

On 10/07/2024, in Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), education, Emotion, ideas, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning spaces, parents/guardians, psychology, student-related, teachers, youth, by Daniel Christian

This film lasts only 4 minutes and it won an Oscar …

Intense, but it conveys tremendous reality, empathy and putting ourselves in other people’s shoes …

Knowing how to recognize your mistakes and knowing that others also have their problems and empathizing is precious … pic.twitter.com/OXo3wbsyAK

— Figen (@TheFigen_) October 6, 2024

From DSC:
I don’t care whether this video won an Oscar or not — it’s message is incredibly powerful.

Employers Say Students Need AI Skills. What If Students Don’t Want Them? — from insidehighered.com by Ashley Mowreader
Colleges and universities are considering new ways to incorporate generative AI into teaching and learning, but not every student is on board with the tech yet. Experts weigh in on the necessity of AI in career preparation and higher education’s role in preparing students for jobs of the future.

Among the 5,025-plus survey respondents, around 2 percent (n=93), provided free responses to the question on AI policy and use in the classroom. Over half (55) of those responses were flat-out refusal to engage with AI. A few said they don’t know how to use AI or are not familiar with the tool, which impacts their ability to apply appropriate use to coursework.

But as generative AI becomes more ingrained into the workplace and higher education, a growing number of professors and industry experts believe this will be something all students need, in their classes and in their lives beyond academia.

From DSC:
I used to teach a Foundations of Information Technology class. Some of the students didn’t want to be there as they began the class, as it was a required class for non-CS majors. But after seeing what various applications and technologies could do for them, a good portion of those same folks changed their minds. But not all. Some students (2% sounds about right) asserted that they would never use technologies in their futures. Good luck with that I thought to myself. There’s hardly a job out there that doesn’t use some sort of technology.

And I still think that today — if not more so. If students want good jobs, they will need to learn how to use AI-based tools and technologies. I’m not sure there’s much of a choice. And I don’t think there’s much of a choice for the rest of us either — whether we’re still working or not.

So in looking at the title of the article — “Employers Say Students Need AI Skills. What If Students Don’t Want Them?” — those of us who have spent any time working within the world of business already know the answer.

#Reinvent #Skills #StayingRelevant #Surviving #Workplace + several other categories/tags apply.

For those folks who have tried AI:

Skills: However, genAI may also be helpful in building skills to retain a job or secure a new one. People who had used genAI tools were more than twice as likely to think that these tools could help them learn new skills that may be useful at work or in locating a new job. Specifically, among those who had not used genAI tools, 23 percent believed that these tools might help them learn new skills, whereas 50 percent of those who had used the tools thought they might be helpful in acquiring useful skills (a highly statistically significant difference, after controlling for demographic traits).

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Duolingo Introduces AI-Powered Innovations at Duocon 2024 + an AI-based reading coach

On 10/05/2024, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, education, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, K-12 related, languages and translation, learner profiles, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning preferences, learning spaces, lifelong learning, multimedia, Natural Language Processing (NLP), online learning, online media, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, platforms, reading, skills, student-related, tools, United States, usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, vendors, videoconferencing, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, voice recognition / voice enabled interfaces, writing, by Daniel Christian

Duolingo Introduces AI-Powered Innovations at Duocon 2024 — from investors.duolingo.com; via Claire Zau

Duolingo’s new Video Call feature represents a leap forward in language practice for learners. This AI-powered tool allows Duolingo Max subscribers to engage in spontaneous, realistic conversations with Lily, one of Duolingo’s most popular characters. The technology behind Video Call is designed to simulate natural dialogue and provides a personalized, interactive practice environment. Even beginner learners can converse in a low-pressure environment because Video Call is designed to adapt to their skill level. By offering learners the opportunity to converse in real-time, Video Call builds the confidence needed to communicate effectively in real-world situations. Video Call is available for Duolingo Max subscribers learning English, Spanish, and French.

And here’s another AI-based learning item:

AI reading coach startup Ello now lets kids create their own stories — from techcrunch.com by Lauren Forristal; via Claire Zau

Ello, the AI reading companion that aims to support kids struggling to read, launched a new product on Monday that allows kids to participate in the story-creation process.

Called “Storytime,” the new AI-powered feature helps kids generate personalized stories by picking from a selection of settings, characters, and plots. For instance, a story about a hamster named Greg who performed in a talent show in outer space.

Average Student Loan Debt — from educationdata.org by Melanie Hanson; last updated August 16, 2024

Report Highlights.

The total average student loan debt (including private loan debt) may be as high as $40,681.
The average federal student loan debt is $37,853 per borrower.
Outstanding private student loan debt totals $128.8 billion.
The average student borrows over $30,000 to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
A total of 42.8 million borrowers have federal student loan debt.
It may take borrowers close to 20 years to pay off their student loans.

From DSC:
In other words, we are approaching the end of the line in terms of following the status quo within higher education. Institutions of traditional higher education can no longer increase their cost of tuition by significantly more than the rate of inflation. Increasingly, K-12 students (and families) are looking for other pathways and alternatives. Higher ed better stop trying to change around the edges…they need new, more cost-effective business models as well as being able to be much more responsive in terms of their curricula.

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