professional wordpress themes

The disruption in higher ed continues: Some recent items

On 03/30/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, dangers of the status quo, digital learning, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, new business models, online learning, by Daniel Christian

Does online education put traditional universities at a ‘grave risk’? — from eCampusNews.com by Denny
An expert on ‘disruptive innovation’ says ed tech could change the way powerhouse universities operate

Excerpt from article:

Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor and author of The Innovator’s Dilemma and The Innovator’s Prescription, delivered the keynote address to an audience of higher-education officials March 7 at the American Council on Education’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Christensen outlined the ways upstart, innovative businesses have toppled the giants of industry—such as Toyota’s rise coinciding with American automakers’ downfall—and how that model might translate to colleges and universities.

While online college classes have grown more available and affordable over the past decade, Christensen said a major shift had not yet occurred in higher education. Not until online learning grew in popularity was higher education even “amenable” to a major “disruption,” he said.

“When technology gets good enough, it sucks customers out of the old into the new,” he said, referring to institutions that have specialized in online learning, rather than traditional schools that have slowly adopted online college classes. “It doesn’t work the other way around.”

That move away from traditional powerhouses of education, he said, likely would happen in the next 20 years, and elite schools should be prepared.

…

National data support Christensen’s warning to traditional universities. Online student enrollment increased by 21 percent in 2010, according to the annual Sloan Survey of Online Learning. Overall, higher-education enrollment grew by 2 percent.

The survey of more than 2,500 colleges and universities showed online college classes gained 1 million students from 2009. More than 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one web-based class in the fall 2009 semester.

Some example items from Christensen’s and Cizik’s keynote presentation:
The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of Higher Education From the Inside Out

 

 

Also relevant/see:

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • •  

When the invincible become “vincible” [Ashkenas]

On 03/29/2011, in 21st century, business, career development, change, corporate / business world, disruption, game-changing environment, higher education, professional development, workplace, by Daniel Christian

When the invincible become “vincible” — from HBR.org by Ron Ashkenas

Excerpt that caught my eye:
We now live in a world in which that sense of security can disappear in a heartbeat — whether your company falls off the cliff, or makes significant changes to avoid the cliff. Like an investment disclaimer for individuals, past performance is no guarantee of future success. So to keep on your guard, ask yourself these questions:

  • What would you do if your job was suddenly eliminated, outsourced, or relocated?
  • How are you preparing yourself today to compete in tomorrow’s global economy?
  • How can I reapply my skills to other areas if my industry no longer has opportunities?

You may not need answers to these types of questions today. But better to address them now — instead of the moment when you’re falling off the cliff.

 

 

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • •  

IADIS International Conference: Intelligent Systems and Agents 2011

On 03/24/2011, in 21st century, blended learning, cost of getting a degree, Daniel S. Christian, elearning, emerging technologies, Europe, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, hybrid learning, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, K-12 related, learning agents, online learning, personalized/customized learning, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
In my mind, this area of intelligent systems and agents is one of the most important areas to watch in the years ahead.  Such efforts should help us develop sophisticated systems that can help deliver personalized, customized education at the K-12 and higher ed levels…and perhaps will be relevant in the L&D space as well.

The innovations that come from this area may make hybrid-based — as well as  100% online-based learning — incredibly powerful!

If someone can develop such systems and make them available at far cheaper prices than exist today, a quality “Walmart of Education” will truly have been built.


IADIS International Conference: Intelligent Systems and Agents - in Rome, July 24-26, 2011

 

Per the Call for Papers section, the topics for this conference include, but are not limited to:

 

Area 1 – Intelligent Systems  

– Algorithms

– Artificial Intelligence

– Automation Systems and Control

– Bioinformatics

– Computational Intelligence

– Expert Systems

– Fuzzy Technologies and Systems

– Game and Decision Theories

– Intelligent Control Systems

– Intelligent Internet Systems

– Intelligent Software Systems

– Intelligent Systems

– Machine Learning

– Neural Networks

– Neurocomputers

– Optimization

– Parallel Computation

– Pattern Recognition

– Robotics and Autonomous Robots

– Signal Processing

– Systems Modelling

– Web Mining

 

 

 

 

 Area 2 – Agents  

– Adaptive Agent Systems

– Agent Applications

– Agent Communication

– Agent Development

– Agent middleware

– Agent Models and Architectures

– Agent Ontologies

– Agent Oriented Systems and Engineering

– Agent Programming, Languages and Environments

– Agent Systems

– Agent Technologies

– Agent Theories

– Agent Trends

– Agents Analysis and Design

– Agents and Learning

– Agents and Ubiquitous Computing

– Agents in Networks

– Agents Protocols and Standards

– Artificial Systems

– Computational Complexity

– eCommerce and Agents

– Embodied Agents

– Mobile Agents

– Multi-Agent Systems

– Negotiation Strategies

– Performance Issues

– Security, Privacy and Trust

– Semantic Grids

– Simulation

– Web Agents

 

 

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

Cal State University to cut enrollment, faculty, staff and more

On 03/23/2011, in adjunct faculty, budgets, business side of he, change, faculty/staff, game-changing environment, higher education, legislatures / government / legal, organizational change, student-related, United States, by Daniel Christian

Cal State University to cut enrollment, faculty, staff and more — from The L.A. Times by Carla Rivera
Facing an 18% cut in state funding, Cal State plans to reduce enrollment by 10,000, cut $11 million from the chancellor’s office and shrink campus funding by $281 million. No tuition hikes are planned, chancellor says.

Also see:

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • •  

Blockbuster’s largest shareholder calls Blockbuster worst investment ever made

On 03/23/2011, in 21st century, change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, leadership, new business models, online learning, pace of change, staying relevant, strategy, surviving, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Blockbuster’s largest shareholder calls Blockbuster worst investment ever made — from FastCompany.com by Austin Carr

.

After years as Blockbuster’s largest shareholder, Carl Icahn, who at one point amassed some 17 million shares of the now-bankrupt company, has called Blockbuster “the worst investment I ever made.”

In a candid piece written for the Harvard Business Review, Icahn opens up about the rental giant’s struggles and failures in an ever-changing industry.

“[Blockbuster] failed because of too much debt and changes in the industry. It had too many stores, Netflix created a better business model, and then Redbox kiosks and the whole digital phenomenon eliminated the need for consumers to go to a separate DVD store,” Icahn wrote. “Maybe the board did make a mistake in picking Jim Keyes as [John] Antioco’s successor—Keyes knows retailing and did an excellent job with the stores, but he isn’t a digital guy.”

From DSC:
I write about Blockbuster — and I emphasize the items above — because Blockbuster did not respond to the changes that were occurring around them.

.

What about those of us in higher education?
How’s our response(s) coming along?

.

The pace has changed -- don't come onto the track in a Model T

.

Staying Relevant

 

5/2/11 addendum:

4/7/11 addendum:


If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

Christensen on disruptive innovation in higher education [via Lloyd Armstrong]

On 03/23/2011, in business side of he, cost of getting a degree, disruption, future of higher education, game-changing environment, innovation, new business models, online learning, quality, strategy, United States, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Christensen on disruptive innovation in higher education — from Lloyd Armstrong, University Professor and Provost Emeritus at the University of Southern California

Although the absence of an upwardly scalable technology driver has rendered higher education impossible to disrupt in its past, we believe that online learning constitutes such a technology driver and will indeed be capable of disruptively carrying the business model of low-cost universities up-market.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • •  

From Anya Kamenetz on 3-21-11 — DIY U: The transformation of higher education

On 03/22/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, accreditation, active learning, career development, change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, digital learning, disruption, education reform, education technology, engagement / engaging students, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global / globalization, higher education, informal learning, innovation, learning, learning ecosystem, more voice more choice more control, motivation, new business models, participation, personalized/customized learning, presentations, professional development, relationships, social learning / networks, staying relevant, strategy, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, teaching & learning, technology (general), traditional / tradition, trends, web-based collaboration, workplace, by Daniel Christian

The transformatin of higher education -- 3-21-11 presentation by Anya Kamenetz

.

The transformatin of higher education -- 3-21-11 presentation by Anya Kamenetz

.

From DSC:
For those of us in more traditional institutions of higher education, if this is where things are heading — or even if pieces of Anya’s presentation come to fruition — what is our response? Strategy?

 

 

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

The Education Game-Changer [Neal Bascomb]

On 03/22/2011, in education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, future, game-changing environment, by Daniel Christian

The Education Game-Changer — from the Huffington Post by Neal Bascomb (author of THE NEW COOL, a story about science, education, and robots)

Charter schools, standardized tests, merit pay, teacher tenure — worthy topics, but ones about incremental movements in an American educational system desperate for a game-changer.

…

A noble ambition, but the truth is we already have the technology to transform education and return American schools to their preeminence in the world. The game-changer is the creation of a first-class, digital educational platform with enhanced, immersive lessons across a range of subjects at all grade levels. Technology will be in our schools, the focus should be on the quality of content on their screens.

For generations calculus has been taught the same way.

…

Now imagine learning calculus in a new way. Color tablet computer in hand, students choose their preferred learning style (lecture-based, symbolic, text, or visual). They set their own pace and level of interactivity. They select the avatar of their choice to deliver lectures (will.i.am, anyone) and how often they need to be quizzed to determine/aid retention. The standards of what is taught do not change, but their presentation is remarkably transformed. Instead of a blur of equations and two-dimensional graphs, imagine calculus illustrated with 3-D animations and defined in terms of its real-world applications. Solving a differential equation to determine trajectory is a lot more interesting if we make it about a doomsday scenario of an asteroid crashing into Earth — or just missing. Such video game-like techniques would be part and parcel of this new platform. Add in a social network, where students can interact with their peers, and an “app” market where experts offer their own pieces of the puzzle, and this platform comes even more alive.

More here…

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • •  

Great assignment for a macroeconomics class or an international business course! And perhaps a warning to the rest of us…not sure.

On 03/09/2011, in business, corporate / business world, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, economics, faith, game-changing environment, global / globalization, ideas, political science, United States, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
On February 24th, I saw this piece at Forbes.com — > USA Inc.: Mary Meeker’s Deep Dive Into The Federal Budget

Excerpt:

“By the standards of any public corporation, USA Inc.’s financials are discouraging,” she writes in an introduction to the report. “True, USA Inc. has many fundamental strengths. On an operating basis (excluding Medicare and Medicaid spending and one-time charges, the federal government’s profit and loss statement is solid, with a 4% median net margin over the last 15 years. But cash flow is deep in the red (by almost $1.3 trillion last year, or ~$11,000 per household) and USA Inc.’s net worth is negative and deteriorating. That net worth figure includes the present value of unfunded entitlement liabilities but not hard-to-value assets such as natural resources, the power to tax or mint currency, or what Treasury calls ‘heritage’ or ’stewardship assets’ like National Parks. Nevertheless, the trends are clear, and critical warning signs are evident in nearly every data point we examine.

…

She points out that Congressional Budget Office data suggests that by 2025 all of the government’s income will go to entitlement spending and interest payments, leaving nothing for any other expenditures.


From DSC:
The day before, I had seen a video mentioned on TV.  From the mentioned URL, I checked the majority of it out. It made me ask, “Is this for real!!!???”

Most likely it is just a sales pitch. But the underlying concept of the growing national U.S. debt is not a joke — and, if not reversed, could have a serious affect on global economies.

As I don’t know, I’m seeking input/feedback from any and all economists out there! If what he is saying is even remotely true, the financial aftershocks will be felt throughout the world. Below are my reflections/questions on that potentially-very-important topic/perspective.

.

I’m not sure what I think about a video that I ran across the other day. I’m referring to a video done by Porter Stansbury, founder of Stansberry & Associates Investment Research. I saw the URL posted on a cable TV station, referencing a URL/video at:

 

End of America 2011 Video

While I’m not big on the latter part of the video/piece where he pitches some potential investing solutions and reports, (and, NOTE: I do not mean to endorse any strategy he may be talking about nor is this posting meant to get into investment strategies or advice!)

I studied Economics at Northwestern years ago and several things this gentleman says in this video seemed within reason/feasible. Also, I have heard a variety of economists (here in the United States) through the years voicing their concerns about the enormity of the growing level of federal debt and the amount of our debt being owned by other countries.

(As an aside, people don’t like to hear bad news and we don’t vote the rare politicians into office who actually stand up and tell us what we really need to do to fix whatever mess we were/are in. I’ve noticed that in the world of higher education, many don’t like to hear news of the disruptions already underway either.)

Spiritually speaking, America has pushed the LORD out of the public square for so long, that it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see our nation continue its steep and rapid decline. Throughout history, nations have come and gone…risen and fallen…why should we be any different?  (Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…Psalm 33:12 — and conversely…)

By way of a quick piece of research I did — this page on their website claims that the total outstanding debt of the U.S. Federal government is $14.131 trillion — which appears to be true:

Watch out!

Questions:

  • Is this presentation for real? Are the facts and figures accurate?
  • Could these things occur? Are there grounds to his assertions/predictions? 
  • Have these things happened to nations in the past? If so, under what conditions?
  • Would some macroeconomics professor or an international business class review this video and get to the bottom of his arguments and assertions?!?

It’s very real world and students could work to try and pick apart the various arguments/assertions/implications mentioned therein. Prove if this is a scam or not.

Your thoughts on this anyone?
.
Thanks!
Daniel
.

.
New, network-based currencies -- from futurist Gerd Leonhard --2011
.
.
3/11/11 addendum:
Also see Is America a Nation in Decline? — from impactlab.net
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • •  

Some items on the future…

On 03/08/2011, in business, change, economics, emerging technologies, future, game-changing environment, generational differences, lifelong learning, technology (general), workplace, by Daniel Christian

2020 Learners — from learning with ‘e’s by Steve Wheeler

Excerpt:

Children of the future will also need to learn for life – learning to be flexible, adaptable and open to changes that might – for our current generation at least – be perceived as a threat. Of one thing we can all be certain – that change will accelerate in the next few years. Change can be disruptive and can take time, energy and effort to adapt to, but learners of the future will need to see change as an opportunity, and will need the requisite skills to take the opportunities that are presented and turn them into positive and sustainable outcomes.

Finally, children will need to be able to design their own learning spaces, create their own content and learn from it. They will be less reliant on didactic and transmissive forms of teaching and will turn instead to more independent learning from the vast storehouse of knowledge we know as the World Wide Web. This does not preclude some form of ‘schooling’ however. The teacher’s role will change to accommodate these new needs. Teachers will become facilitators, mediators, co-authors and co-producers of content, and ultimately, companion travellers with children on their road to better learning. It is already happening in some schools. In posts later this week, I will explore what possible new roles of teachers in 2020 will need to adopt to help to prepare learners for an uncertain and certainly unpredictable future.

Lisa Gansky: The future of business is the “mesh” — from TED

At TED@MotorCity, Lisa Gansky, author of “The Mesh,” talks about a future of business that’s about sharing all kinds of stuff, either via smart and tech-enabled rental or, more boldly, peer-to-peer. Examples across industries — from music to cars — show how close we are to this meshy future.

Preparing for Generation C — from Business Spectator by Roman Friedrich, Michael Peterson, and Alex K

Excerpt:

Colin is a 20-year-old computer science student living in London with two other students in the year 2020. He enjoys backpacking, sports, music, and gaming. He has a primary digital device (PDD) that keeps him connected 24 hours a day — at home, in transit, at school. He uses it to download and record music, video, and other content, and to keep in touch with his family, friends, and an ever-widening circle of acquaintances. His apartment is equipped with the latest wireless home technology, giving him superfast download speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

…

Much of Colin’s experience at school is mediated by his PDD. He can attend lectures, browse reading material, do research, compare notes with classmates, and take exams — all from the comfort of his apartment. When he goes to campus, his PDD automatically connects to the school’s network and downloads relevant content, notices, and bills for fees, for which he can authorise payment later, at his leisure. Although he prefers to shop online, when he visits a retail store, his PDD automatically connects to the store’s network, guiding him through product choices, offering peer reviews, and automatically checking out and paying for items he purchases.

…

This is the first generation that has never known any reality, other than that defined and enabled by the Internet, mobile devices, and social networking. They have owned various hand-held devices all their lives, so they are intimately familiar with them and use them for as much as six hours a day. They all have mobile phones, yet they prefer sending text messages to talking with people. More than 95 per cent of them have computers, and more than half use instant messaging to communicate, have Facebook pages, and watch videos on YouTube. Their familiarity with technology; reliance on mobile communications; and desire to remain in contact with large networks of family members, friends, business contacts, and people with common interests will transform how we work and how we consume.

The article includes this graphic:

.

http://www.strategy-business.com/media/image/11110-ex01b.gif

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • •  

If higher ed is not in a game-changing environment, then how do you explain this (increasingly-prevalent) line of questioning?

On 03/07/2011, in budgets, business side of he, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, future of higher education, game-changing environment, liberal arts, new business models, student-related, by Daniel Christian

Is the Four-Year, Liberal-Arts Education Model Dead?

.IMPORTANT NOTES FROM DSC:

I went through a liberal arts degree in college (Economics) and I work for a Christian liberal arts college. As such, one can tell that I greatly endorse and believe in the benefits of a liberal arts education; such an education is extremely valuable and helpful, no matter which career path(s) a student may choose to pursue after college.

However, it has become clear that the costs of education are getting out of hand — and out of the reach of a growing number of people. Now with the Internet and alternative methods of delivery in the mix — and the current model continuing to show itself as being vulnerable and unsustainable for a growing number of people —  there is a potent equation for change in the air.

So…if you don’t believe we are in a game-changing environment, how do you explain this (increasingly-prevalent) line of questioning? (Though most of the articles I’ve seen do not use the word “dead”, the flavor/meaning of such articles and postings is much the same.)

 

 

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • •  

Podcast: The New York Times joins colleges to create online courses

On 03/03/2011, in change, changing business models, game-changing environment, new business models, online learning, online media, publishing, by Daniel Christian

Podcast: The New York Times joins colleges to create online courses — from The Chronicle by Josh Fischman

 

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • •  

Public universities seek more autonomy as financing from states shrinks

On 03/03/2011, in budgets, business side of he, game-changing environment, higher education, legislatures / government / legal, new business models, universities, by Daniel Christian

Public universities seek more autonomy as financing from states shrinks — from the NYT by Tamar Lewin

With states providing a dwindling share of money for higher education, many states and public universities are rethinking their ties.

The public universities say that with less money from state coffers, they cannot afford the complicated web of state regulations governing areas like procurement and building, and that they need more flexibility to compete with private institutions.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • •  

Student engagement on the go

On 03/03/2011, in engagement / engaging students, game-changing environment, K-12 related, mobile learning, mobile technologies, usability, user experience (UX), by Daniel Christian

Student engagement on the go — from The Journal by Chris Riedel

Assistant Principal Patrick McGee explains that whatever the other advantages of adopting iPads and iPods in the classroom, the key is student engagement.

“This is my 3-year old daughter the day the iPad came out,” said Patrick McGee as he displayed a movie of a young girl sitting at a kitchen counter, gripping an iPad in both hands. The audience watched as the little girl found, launched, and began to use a Dr. Seuss app; all without intervention or explanation from an adult. “Kids know–intuitively–how these things work; even at 3,” he said. “We need to use that.”

 

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • •  

The future of television: Sweeping change at breakneck speed

On 03/01/2011, in A/V -- audio/visual, change, convergence, future, game-changing environment, innovation, media/film, pace of change, technologies for your home, television, vendors, videoconferencing, by Daniel Christian

The Future of television: Sweeping change at breakneck speed — from Cisco by Scott Puopolo, Carlos Cordero, William Gerhardt, Kate Griffin, Leszek Izdebski, and David Parsons, Cisco IBSG Service Provider Practice
10 reasons you won’t recognize your television in the not-too-distant future

Also see their blog posting on this.

.



.
Reminds me of a graphic I created a while back…

.

The pace has changed -- don't come onto the track in a Model T

Also see:

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • •  
Previous Entries Next Entries
© 2025 | Daniel Christian