higher education

Why 10 Gig-Ethernet makes sense

On 05/03/2011, in cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, community colleges, digital learning, digital video, higher education, internet, multimedia, technology (general), telecommunications, by Daniel Christian

Why 10 Gig-Ethernet makes sense — from edtechmag.com by Beth Bacheldor
Colleges deploy 10 Gigabit Ethernet to support bandwidth-intensive video applications, university research and mainstream business apps.

Excerpt:

10 Gig-E in a Nutshell
Why are more organizations deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet in their data centers? They want to deliver bandwidth levels that can support ever-increasing data stores, server virtualization and data center consolidation.

10 Gig-E products are built to support such projects. For example, with virtualization, server utilization goes up. And with this increased utilization comes increased network bandwidth needs.

On the data consolidation front, 10 Gig-E can connect backbone switches and routers between data, storage and server networks. It also increases the bandwidth capacity for the backbone, reducing network latency between switches and routers. And because it’s Ethernet, there’s built-in plug-and-play with existing equipment, reducing administration and operating costs.

Finally, 10 Gig-E gives organizations a clear path to 40 Gig-E and 100 Gig-E, both of which will be vital for meeting the future bandwidth requirements that will likely come with cloud computing.

Also see/related:

Internet2 and Level 3 Team To Deliver 8.8 Terabit to Schools — from by Dian Schaffhauser
Advanced networking consortium Internet2 will be working with Level 3 Communications, which develops fiber-based communications services, to deliver 8.8 terabit capacity to support institutions nationwide, including K-12 schools and community colleges. The network upgrade will allow those users to access advanced applications not possible with the consumer-grade Internet services many of them currently work with.

Tagged with: cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • colleges • community college • digital learning • digital video • higher education • infrastructure • internet • multimedia • telecommunications • universities

Boosting productivity in US higher education [Cota, Jayaram, Laboissière]

On 04/29/2011, in budgets, business side of he, education technology, higher education, United States, by Daniel Christian

Boosting productivity in US higher education — from McKinsey Quarterly by Cota, Jayaram, Laboissière

Excerpt:

The United States needs more college graduates. Opinions vary on exactly how many, but McKinsey estimates that the nation will need an additional one million each year by 2020 to sustain its economic health. That would mean increasing today’s annual total—2.5 million—by 40 percent.

To meet this goal, universities and colleges would have to increase their output of graduates by 3.5 percent a year over the next decade. That’s a daunting task for two reasons. First, it would cost an additional $52 billion a year, based on 2008 costs to produce a graduate. Yet many states, plagued by fiscal woes, have recently lowered spending on higher education, a trend that’s unlikely to be reversed. Second, to achieve this increase, colleges would need to enroll many more than 3.5 percent more freshmen each year, because today, on average, only 40 percent of students who enroll go on to graduate.

Tagged with: budgetary • business side of he • course redesign • educational technology • higher education • United States

The New “Free Agent Learner” — leading edge currently now in middle school [Evans]

On 04/28/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, dangers of the status quo, digital learning, education reform, expectations, future of higher education, game-changing environment, K-12 related, online learning, online media, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • customized learning • dangers of the status quo • digital learning • education reform • future of higher education • game-changing environment • higher education • K-12 • online learning • online media • online tutoring • personalized learning • student expectations • student teaching/teacher education • student-related

Pearson acquisitions [Siemens]

On 04/27/2011, in business, digital learning, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, innovation, new business models, publishing, strategy, vendors, by Daniel Christian

Pearson acquisitions — from FutureLearn.org by George Siemens

Excerpt:

Education is on a path to globalization, roughly where businesses were in the 1970s. No clear leader exists, conglomerates haven’t made a huge impact yet, technology is marginally used for conducting business, and acquisitions to expand market capacity are rare. That’s changing. Pearson is rapidly pursuing acquisitions. The education sector, from the stance of corporations, is ripe for innovation. For startups this is a great opportunity. The Silicon Valley effect (create a startup with the intention of being purchased by Google, Microsoft, Facebook) is starting to gain traction in the education sector.

Tagged with: business • digital learning • game-changing environment • Global learning • higher education • innovation • new publishing models • publishing • strategy • vendors

Teaching in the Age of Participation [Pacansky-Brock]

On 04/27/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, disruption, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, face-to-face, flipping -- inverted learning, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, higher education, innovation, internet, learning ecosystem, learning preferences, mobile learning, motivation, multimedia, online learning, online media, participation, pedagogy, social learning / networks, strategy, student-related, teaching & learning, tools, trends, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Teaching in the Age of Participation — keynote address by Michelle Pacansky-Brock

Sample slides:

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • digital audio • digital learning • digital video • disruption • e-learning • educational technology • emerging technologies • engagement • face-to-face • flipping -- inverted learning • future of higher education • game-changing environment • generational differences • higher education • innovation • internet • learning ecosystem • learning preferences • lecture recording • Mobile learning • motivation • online learning • online media • participation • pedagogy • social learning • strategy • student expectations • student-related • teaching & learning • tools • trends • virtual reality / worlds / learning • vision • web-based collaboration

Higher education’s toughest test — from by Jon Bischke and Semil Shah

In the debate sparked by Peter Thiel’s “20 Under 20 Fellowship” (which pays bright students to drop out of college), one fact stands out: the cost of U.S. post-secondary education is spiraling upward, out of control. Thiel calls this a “bubble,” similar to the sub-prime mortgage crisis, where hopeful property owners over-leveraged themselves to lay claim to a coveted piece of the American dream: home ownership.

…

Today, however, the credentialing provided by universities is becoming decoupled from the knowledge and skills acquired by students. The cost of obtaining learning materials is falling, with OpenCourseWare resources from MIT and iTunes U leading the charge. Classes can be taken online on sites like Udemy and eduFire, either for free or a fraction of the cost to learn similar material at a university, and sites like Veri, which recently launched at TechStars NYC Demo Day, aims to organize and spread one’s accumulated knowledge.

…

The fresh cadavers from the shakeouts in the music and publishing industries should provide motivation to presidents, chancellors, and provosts to look seriously at this problem, as many of the same dynamics that disrupted those industries are now at play in higher education. As students around the world start preparing for their year-end exams, it will be interesting to see how seriously leaders of universities prepare for one of the toughest tests that they’ll ever face.

From DSC:
I have been trying to get these trends/warnings/messages across to others for years — more people are starting to raise the same red flags on some of these same topics as well.

There is great danger in the status quo these days. Don’t get me wrong — I’m a firm believer in education, especially liberal arts education. But the traditional model is simply not sustainable — it continually shuts more people out of the system and/or puts such a burden on students’ backs as to significantly influence — if not downright limit — their future options and experiences.

But as the saying goes, “Change is optional — survival is not mandatory.”

Addendum:

Is Higher Education a classic bubble? 7 reasons to think so — by Donald Clark

Tagged with: accreditation • budgetary • business side of he • change • cost of getting an education • dangers of the status quo • Daniel S. Christian • disruption • future of higher education • game-changing environment • higher education • innovation • leadership • new business models in he • staying relevant • strategy • surviving • traditional • trends • UK • United States • Walmart of Education

[From Educause] Day 1, April 25: The Future of Mobile Computing

On 04/25/2011, in higher education, mobile learning, mobile technologies, by Daniel Christian

Mobile Computing 5-Day Sprint
An Online Conversation on Mobile Computing and Higher Education

Day 1, April 25: The Future of Mobile Computing
Welcome to the Mobile Computing 5-Day Sprint daily newsletter.

This newsletter connects you to today’s theme and activities.

Tagged with: higher education • Mobile learning • mobile technology

Benefits of adding dynamic digital signage to college and university campuses [Bunn]

On 04/20/2011, in colleges, community colleges, universities, by Daniel Christian

Benefits of adding dynamic digital signage to college and university campuses — from DSA.com by Lyle Bunn
Colleges and universities can enjoy considerable benefits by adding dynamic digital signage networks to their campuses.

Bunn has written a 34-page white paper to assist in the planning and successful operation of implementing digital signage on campuses.

Tagged with: colleges • community college • digital signage • higher education • universities

The Chronicle’s special section regarding online learning

On 04/19/2011, in higher education, online learning, trends, by Daniel Christian

Excerpt:

Online and distance learning are playing an ever increasing role in higher education. Tight budgets and increased pressure from students has left many academic institutions searching for solutions to meet the heightened demand for online and distance learning programs.

Are you doing what’s right for your institution? Is there something you don’t know about?

The Chronicle’s special Online Learning section presents case studies, white papers, and articles about how top online learning companies are working with today’s colleges and universities to create high quality online and distance learning programs.

Visit the site to learn more about:

What you can do to point your Online Learning Program toward success.

How some universities have successfully enhanced their online and distance learning systems by collaborating across over 50 facilities nationwide.

How one college enlisted the help of their longterm provider to stay current and competitive in their online learning competencies.

What one small institution did to become a leader in the unification of traditional and online education.

Who is providing low maintenance, high-reliability solutions to meet the needs of a growing online programs.

…and much more.

Tagged with: higher education • online learning • trends

Convergence: The “Smart”/Connected TV; Multimedia-based, personalized, training & education on demand

On 04/18/2011, in A/V -- audio/visual, convergence, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, interaction design, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, multimedia, new media literacies, online learning, participation, personalized/customized learning, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, social media, technologies for your home, telepresence, television, transmedia, trends, vendors, videoconferencing, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

New Sony TV Ad: Television Redefined, Internet TV, 4/15/11 — from electrictv.com

New Samsung Smart TV Ad: Internet TV, 4/13/11 — from electrictv.com

[WATCH]: Interactive Video Conferencing at NCSSM

Tagged with: A/V • convergence • corporate / business world • corporate universities / corporate training • customized learning • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • disruption • future • future of higher education • game-changing environment • Global learning • higher education • interaction design • interactivity • internet • K-12 • learning ecosystem • learning spaces • online learning • participation • personalized learning • smart classrooms • social learning • social media • technologies for the home • telepresence • training • transmedia • trends • vendors • videoconferencing • web-based collaboration • webinars

Stream Catcher: A new concept for the user interface/learning experience of the future

On 04/15/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, content development, aggregation, repositories, convergence, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, entrepreneurship, future, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent systems, interaction design, interactivity, K-12 related, mobile learning, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, online media, online tutoring, RSS, social learning / networks, social media, training / L&D, usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • A/V • Connectivism • content • Content aggregration • content repositories • convergence • corporate training / universities • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital video • disruption • distance ed • e-books • e-readers • entrepreneurship • future • higher education • human-computer interaction (HCI) • innovation • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • lecture recording • Mobile learning • multi-touch • multimedia • online learning • online media • online tutoring • RSS • social learning • social media • social networking • training • TV • usability • user experience • videoconferencing • web-based collaboration • webinars

A hugely powerful vision: A potent addition to our learning ecosystems of the future

On 04/09/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, change, colleges, convergence, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, entrepreneurship, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global / globalization, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, immersion, informal learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, marketplaces, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multi-touch, multimedia, new business models, new media literacies, online learning, online media, online tutoring, pace of change, personalized/customized learning, platforms, play, podcasting, professional development, reinvent, RSS, simulations, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, social media, society, storytelling, strategy, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, tablets, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telepresence, television, transmedia, trends, ubiquitous learning, universities, user experience (UX), using teams, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Daniel Christian:
A Vision of Our Future Learning Ecosystems

In the near future, as the computer, the television, the telephone (and more) continues to converge, we will most likely enjoy even more powerful capabilities to conveniently create and share our content as well as participate in a global learning ecosystem — whether that be from within our homes and/or from within our schools, colleges, universities and businesses throughout the world.

We will be teachers and students at the same time — even within the same hour — with online-based learning exchanges taking place all over the virtual and physical world. Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) — in the form of online-based tutors, instructors, teachers, and professors — will be available on demand. Even more powerful/accurate/helpful learning engines will be involved behind the scenes in delivering up personalized, customized learning — available 24x7x365. Cloud-based learner profiles may enter the equation as well.

The chances for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship that are coming will be mind-blowing! What employers will be looking for — and where they can look for it — may change as well.

What we know today as the “television” will most likely play a significant role in this learning ecosystem of the future. But it won’t be like the TV we’ve come to know. It will be much more interactive and will be aware of who is using it — and what that person is interested in learning about. Technologies/applications like Apple’s AirPlay will become more standard, allowing a person to move from device to device without missing a beat. Transmedia storytellers will thrive in this environment!

Much of the professionally done content will be created by teams of specialists, including the publishers of educational content, and the in-house teams of specialists within colleges, universities, and corporations around the globe. Perhaps consortiums of colleges/universities will each contribute some of the content — more readily accepting previous coursework that was delivered via their consortium’s membership.

An additional thought regarding higher education and K-12 and their Smart Classrooms/Spaces:
For input devices…
The “chalkboards” of the future may be transparent, or they may be on top of a drawing board-sized table or they may be tablet-based. But whatever form they take and whatever is displayed upon them, the ability to annotate will be there; with the resulting graphics saved and instantly distributed. (Eventually, we may get to voice-controlled Smart Classrooms, but we have a ways to go in that area…)

Below are some of the graphics that capture a bit of what I’m seeing in my mind…and in our futures.

Alternatively available as a PowerPoint Presentation (audio forthcoming in a future version)

— from Daniel S. Christian | April 2011

Goab TV Concept — What if these ideas could be applied towards education!?! [Fubiz.net]

On 04/07/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, convergence, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, flipping -- inverted learning, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learner profiles, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, mobile learning, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, online media, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, platforms, relationships, social learning / networks, social media, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telepresence, television, training / L&D, transmedia, ubiquitous learning, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, virtual tutoring, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • 3D • A/V • convergence • corporate training / universities • customized learning • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital video • disruption • distance ed • e-books • e-readers • educational technology • elearning • emerging technologies • engagement • flipping -- inverted learning • future • future of higher education • game-changing environment • higher education • homeschooling/homeschoolers • human-computer interaction (HCI) • intelligent systems • intelligent tutoring • interactivity • internet • iPad • iPhone • iPod • iTunes U • K-12 • learner profiles • Learning Agents • learning ecosystem • learning spaces • lecture recording • Lifelong learning • location aware/enabled apps • Mobile learning • multi-touch • multimedia • nontraditional • online learning • online media • online tutoring • personal learning networks (PLNs) • personalized learning • platforms • relationships • smart classrooms • social learning • social media • social networking • technologies for the home • technology (general) • telecommunications • telepresence • training • transmedia • TV • ubiquitous learning • videoconferencing • virtual field trips • virtual reality / worlds / learning • virtual schools • virtual tutoring • Walmart of Education • web-based collaboration

Faculty “buy-in”– to what?

On 04/07/2011, in adult learning, education technology, emerging technologies, future of higher education, higher education, instructional design, learning theories, pedagogy, research, teaching & learning, by Daniel Christian

Faculty “buy-in”– to what? — from CampusTechnology.com by Trent Batson

Excerpts:

We can continue incrementally to find our generalized theory as a national and international enterprise if we are willing to wait decades and waste enormous energy and time on failed experiments. Or, we can make efforts to bring together the learning theorists and researchers with those who understand the capabilities of the technology.

At conferences of learning theorists and researchers, we hear about useful new ideas, research results, hopeful new ways of framing what we have gleaned from a century of careful thought and work about how humans learn. But, we don’t find that these learning theorists understand the dynamics of the new technologies sufficiently to recommend a path toward implementation of the theories.

At conferences of technologists, we hear of successful work in innumerable contexts across the country. But the technologists are not aware of learning theory in most cases, or they do know about learning theory but are not active in a learning theory research field. The innumerable technology implementation contexts, then, remain just anecdotal as they are not tied to a developing new theoretical construct.

…

The challenge is to build a cultural theory that guides academia to re-imagine itself in every tiny bit of being. Who is taking up this challenge? Where is our theory? Where are our theorists?

I hope our community will move away from the simplistic notion that somehow information technology can be “bolted on and not built in” to quote a colleague from last November’s ePortfolios Australia Conference in Melbourne.

Academic transformation is under way. Don’t put the technology first; put understanding of the technology implications first–the unifying learning theory. Second, start the changes on campus that will provide the road system for academics to use in our new landscape.

From DSC:
Having just completed a course re: learning theories, I greatly appreciated Trent’s article here. In that class, I was constantly looking for the applications of the learning theories. While learning to give up on the idea of a silver bullet, I was still in search of answers to questions like:

What does all this mean?
What’s the bottom line for such and such a learning theory?
How does this learning theory impact someone’s teaching and learning strategies (pedagogy and/or andragogy)?

Graphically speaking, I came up with these thoughts:
(Depending upon how you are viewing them, you may need to right click on these graphics and save them down to your desktop; them up them up in a new window/application)