game-changing environment

iTunes U downloads top 300 million

On 08/24/2010, in Apple, game-changing environment, global / globalization, online learning, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

iTunes U downloads top 300 million — press release from Apple.com

CUPERTINO, California—August 24, 2010—In just over three years, iTunes® U downloads have topped 300 million and it has become one of the world’s most popular online educational catalogs. Over 800 universities throughout the world have active iTunes U sites, and nearly half of these institutions distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store®. New content has just been added from universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico and Singapore, and iTunes users now have access to over 350,000 audio and video files from educational institutions around the globe.

“iTunes U makes it easy for people to discover and learn with content from many of the world’s top institutions,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “With such a wide selection of educational material, we’re providing iTunes users with an incredible way to learn on their computer, iPhone, iPod or iPad.”

Created in collaboration with colleges and universities, iTunes U makes it easy to extend learning, explore interests or learn more about a school. A dedicated area within the iTunes Store (www.iTunes.com), iTunes U offers users public access to content from world class institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, University of Melbourne and Université de Montréal. iTunes U gives anyone the chance to experience university courses, lab demonstrations, sports highlights, campus tours and special lectures. All iTunes U content is free and can be enjoyed on a Mac® or PC, or wirelessly downloaded directly onto an iPhone®, iPod touch® and iPad™.

Also see the following graphic (from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/08/24/itunes-u-enrollment-soars/)

Tagged with: Apple • content repositories • game-changing environment • Global learning • iTunes U • ocw • online learning

A quote re: a piece of the perfect storm in higher ed…

On 08/24/2010, in budgets, business side of he, dangers of the status quo, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, new business models, by Daniel Christian

“While I still haven’t given up on state government’s role in supporting public higher education,” [Boise State University President Bob Kustra] said, “with each passing year I see more clearly that the funding of higher education as we experienced it in the past will not be replicated in future years.” Boise State needs to re-examine the business model universities use and construct a new one, according to Kustra.

— from What’s next for Boise State?: Kustra asks for a new business model at State of the University Address

Tagged with: budgetary • business side of he • dangers of the status quo • future of higher education • game-changing environment • higher education • new business models in he • perfect storm

Are there lessons here for institutions of higher ed?

On 08/23/2010, in budgets, business side of he, change, changing business models, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, future of higher education, game-changing environment, innovation, by Daniel Christian

BlackBerry crumble: Why RIM is in trouble — from cnn.com

chart_ws_stock_researchinmotionltd.top.png

BlackBerry’s biggest problem: The app gap (From DSC: RIM didn’t build the infrastructure / ecosystem necessary to compete)
With that in mind, some worry that there are eerie similarities between Research in Motion and Palm, the once-hot smartphone maker that failed to keep up with Apple, Research in Motion and others.

After Palm’s Pre phone flopped, the company’s stock took a nasty dive and some feared that it may not have enough cash to make it for the long-term. Hewlett-Packard finally stepped in and agreed to buy the company earlier this year, however.

Chris Bulkey, an analyst with Technology Research Group in Narberth, Pa., said Research in Motion could suffer the same fate. For now, the company’s sales and profits are still growing, but the pace is slowing.

And without a hot product on the horizon, Bulkey, who has a “sell” rating on the stock, said it’s hard to envision a bright future for Research in Motion.

“Research in Motion sells a commoditized product. There is margin pressure and the revenue growth is weak,” Bulkey said. “Over the long-term, they may need someone to bail them out like HP did with Palm if they see value in the technology.”

From DSC:
Along these lines…I recently received a call from a colleague who mentioned that Novell has recently been pushing their new videoconferencing product…hmmm…WAAAAAYYY too late to the game in my opinion. Here is a company who could have dominated the web-based videoconferencing and collaboration space — had they been able to innovate better and to think just a tad outside their normal LAN box.

If what we are offering in higher ed is a commodity…we had better look out! Times ahead will be very rough indeed. That’s why I have been preaching innovation, change, the dangers of the status quo, planning for the “Forthcoming Walmart of Education” and trying to create a strategy whereby we are not a commodity — as we all must bring something unique and compelling to the table.

Tagged with: adding value/not a commodity • budgetary • business side of he • change • cost of getting an education • dangers of the status quo • future of higher education • game-changing environment • innovation • new business models in he • perfect storm • Walmart of Education

New private university signals drive to privatise higher education in Britain

On 08/18/2010, in budgets, business side of he, game-changing environment, higher education, UK, by Daniel Christian

New private university signals drive to privatise higher education in Britain — from sott.net by Zach Reed

BPP, a private company that possesses 14 sites around the UK providing law and business degrees, was granted “university college” status in July, creating the first private university in the UK for 30 years. The decision signals the coalition government’s drive to privatise higher education.

Massive spending cuts brought forward by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government, combined with rising youth unemployment, has seen 200,000 students denied a university place this year. It is in this context that calls have been made to privatise higher education.

Tagged with: budgetary • business side of he • game-changing environment • higher education • UK

Online collaboration: New innovations pave the way for convergence

On 08/17/2010, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, blended learning, change, changing business models, collaboration, convergence, dangers of the status quo, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, expectations, face-to-face, future, game-changing environment, global / globalization, hybrid learning, innovation, interactivity, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, multimedia, online learning, online media, social learning / networks, technologies for your home, telecommunications, trends, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Online collaboration: New innovations pave the way for convergence — from prnewswire.com
Merger of television and computer takes giant step closer as innovative online tool suite is released

CALABASAS, Calif., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Anticipating the coming paradigm shift that will merge your television and your computer, NxtGenTV has just released the most cohesive system of online tools to facilitate the ultimate interactive communication platform. Four years of innovating has resulted in NetConference.com, an elegant, easy-to-use online meeting system that supports the diverse requirements of single users, small and medium size businesses as well as enterprise and nonprofit organizations. Creating a new opportunity for the global audience to interact online in even greater and more efficient ways is only one of the many benefits of building a social media broadcasting system that facilitates Communication, Collaboration, Presentation and Education.

An industry leader in online games, apps, widgets, banners and rich media development for major entertainment brands, The Illusion Factory created a new company, NxtGenTV to develop and patent cutting-edge online technologies such as shared synchronized visual media and other key innovations that will further blur the lines between computers and television. “We have been passionate about creating the cumulative new systems that will drive Convergence,” shares Brian Weiner, CEO of The Illusion Factory, “our creation of NxtGenTV will lead the push for truly interactive television.”

Tagged with: 21st century • blended learning • collaboration • convergence • digital audio • digital storytelling • digital video • distance ed • future • game-changing environment • global • hybrid learning • innovation • new media literacies • online learning • online media • social networking • student expectations • technologies for the home • telecommunications • trends • videoconferencing • web-based collaboration

Udemy launches Udemy Academic with 600 courses – 12,000 video lectures

On 08/14/2010, in game-changing environment, new business models, online learning, online media, open courseware and systems, by Daniel Christian

Udemy launches Udemy Academic with 600 courses – 12,000 video lectures — from kirstenwinkler.com

According to an email of Gagan Biyani, Co-Founder of Udemy their platform is now even bigger than Academic Earth or VideoLectures.net.

Udemy Academic features courses from 18 institutions, including UC Berkeley, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, Yale, Columbia, Khan Academy, and more. In total, there are nearly 12,000 free video lectures on Udemy organized into courses – sequential, on-demand content collections that allow anyone to take a University class online.

The most interesting part about this project is that Udemy will be giving away the course creating tool to all major universities which are interested in building their own OpenCourseWare but don’t have the funds or technical skills to do so (emphasis DSC).

OpenCourseWare can cost thousands of dollars per course, and Udemy wants to minimize those costs.

.

Tagged with: game-changing environment • new business models in he • ocw • online learning • online media • open

Buffett, Gates persuade 40 billionaires to donate half of wealth — from OregonLive.com

SEATTLE — Forty wealthy families and individuals have joined Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett in a pledge to give at least half their wealth to charity.

Those who have joined the Giving Pledge, as listed on its website, are: Paul G. Allen, Laura and John Arnold, Michael R. Bloomberg, Eli and Edythe Broad, Warren Buffett, Michele Chan and Patrick Soon-Shiong, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg, Ann and John Doerr, Larry Ellison, Bill and Melinda Gates, Barron Hilton, Jon and Karen Huntsman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, George B. Kaiser, Elaine and Ken Langone, Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest, Lorry I. Lokey, George Lucas, Alfred E. Mann, Bernie and Billi Marcus, Thomas S. Monaghan, Tashia and John Morgridge, Pierre and Pam Omidyar, Bernard and Barbro Osher, Ronald O. Perelman, Peter G. Peterson, T. Boone Pickens, Julian H. Robertson Jr., David Rockefeller, David M. Rubenstein, Herb and Marion Sandler, Vicki and Roger Sant, Walter Scott Jr., Jim and Marilyn Simons, Jeff Skoll, Tom Steyer and Kat Taylor, Jim and Virginia Stowers, Ted Turner, Sanford and Joan Weill and Shelby White.

From DSC:
This is fantastic news! Excellent. I’m a big supporter of various charities myself — albeit with far fewer O’s ($$) behind the amounts of my checks than what these folks are able to provide! 🙂 But it got me to thinking…

If the United States government — or the government from another interested nation — could even get 1-2 billion of this enormous accumulation of wealth, think what could be done to create interactive, multimedia-based, engaging, customized/personalized, online learning-based materials that could be offered FREE of charge to various age groups/cognitive levels. Creative simulations and animations could be built and offered — free of charge — to students throughout the world. The materials would be available on a variety of devices for maximum flexibility (laptops, notebooks, iPads, iPhones, tablet PCs, workstations, etc.)

An amazing amount of digital scaffolding could be provided on a variety of disciplines. THIS could represent the Walmart of Education that I’ve been talking about…wow!

Tagged with: budgetary • business side of he • cost of getting an education • costs • disruption • educational technology • engagement • engaging students • future of higher education • game-changing environment • Global learning • internet • Keeping students engaged • leadership • learning objects • multimedia • new business models in he • ocw • online learning • strategy • student-related • Walmart of Education

Ready or not, here they come.

On 08/12/2010, in 21st century, change, dangers of the status quo, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, by Daniel Christian

— above quotes from Creating effective digital learning environments for higher education (HP and CampusTechnology.com)

Tagged with: 21st century • change • dangers of the status quo • engagement • engaging students • future of higher education • game-changing environment • generational differences • Keeping students engaged

Report: Higher education in Michigan hurting

On 08/11/2010, in budgets, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, future of higher education, higher education, Michigan, by Daniel Christian

Report: Higher education in Michigan hurting — from The Detroit News by Kim Kozlowski

Michigan’s declining investment in higher education is among the worst in the nation — making it difficult for students to get degrees and the state to recover from the poor economy, according to a report released Monday.

The first report of its kind by the Michigan League for Human Services found state aid and financial aid programs to Michigan’s 15 public universities declined by nearly 17 percent from 2002 to 2010. Meanwhile, undergraduate tuition for in-state residents during that same time period jumped 88 percent.

Funding for the state’s 28 community colleges, meanwhile, decreased 7 percent between 2002 and 2010 as tuition increased 40 percent — from an average of $54 to $76 a credit hour, the report showed.

The trends occurred as Michigan’s job market is moving away from manufacturing to a knowledge-based sector, and must be reversed, officials said.

Tagged with: budgetary • cost of getting an education • dangers of the status quo • game-changing environment • higher education • Michigan • Walmart of Education

A business model for higher education — by Tim Kastelle

On 08/10/2010, in Australia, business side of he, game-changing environment, leadership, new business models, strategy, by Daniel Christian

Professor Tim Kastelle at the University of Queensland talks about business models
for information businesses and identifies three key areas that require leadership attention.

Tagged with: Australia • business side of he • game-changing environment • leadership • new business models in he • strategy • Walmart of Education

Education remix: New media, literacies, and the emerging digital geographies

On 08/10/2010, in game-changing environment, innovation, multimedia, new media literacies, research, by Daniel Christian

Education remix: New media, literacies, and the emerging digital geographies — from Australian Policy Online by Lalitha Vasudevan [via GetIdeas.org blog]

This article explores instances of youth educating themselves beyond the boundaries of school through engagement with and production of ‘digital geographies’, or the emerging landscapes that are being produced through the confluence of new communicative practices and available media and technologies.

A framework of digital geographies, which is grounded in theories of spatiality, literacies, and multimodality, is used to analyze the social media practices and multimedia artifacts produced by two court-involved youth, who are part of an ongoing, multi-year ethnography of an alternative to incarceration program. Attention to digital geographies, and attendant communicative practices, can yield important insights about education beyond the school walls. The conclusion addresses the implications of this research for meaningful educational contexts for adolescents’ literacies and how learning might be conceptualized and designed within school.

Tagged with: game-changing environment • innovation • multimedia • new media literacies • research

Gates’s millions: Can big bucks turn students into graduates?

On 08/10/2010, in budgets, colleges, community colleges, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, student-related, universities, by Daniel Christian

Gates’s millions: Can big bucks turn students into graduates? — from The Chronicle by Elyse Ashburn

Tagged with: budgetary • colleges • community college • future of higher education • game-changing environment • student-related • universities

Saving public universities

On 08/10/2010, in budgets, cost of getting a degree, future of higher education, game-changing environment, online learning, universities, by Daniel Christian

Saving public universities — from convergemag.com by Jessica B. Mulholland

As university budgets shrink, governors are searching for ways to make the remaining education money more effective, Thomasian said. “One of those ways to make it effective is for higher education to start using a lot more online learning.”

Debates about the rigor of online versus traditional degrees abound, but the truth is that the recession is straining traditional public universities, tuitions are continuously rising and students are being turned away from already-overcrowded classrooms. So does online education offer a viable alternative for delivering higher education, career retraining and lifelong learning?

Ray Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association, thinks so. “I really believe that higher education has to move online,” he said at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers midyear meeting in Baltimore. “Private universities have done it; government will have to follow along.”

…

A Broken Model?

Ultimately the higher education system as we know it is in jeopardy, and many contend that the model is already broken.

“Particularly for the public institutions,” Breneman said, “if you think their role and purpose is to serve the public in a broad way and to be affordable and accessible, I think we are running a risk of closing out opportunities to a substantial part of the youth population if we aren’t careful. We’re shifting the cost from the general taxpayer, which is what it has historically been, over to the families.”

Tagged with: budgetary • game-changing environment • online learning • universities

Online-Only Western Governors University could be new model for education

On 08/09/2010, in cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, online learning, by Daniel Christian

Online-Only Western Governors University could be new model for education — from govtech.com by Jessica B. Mulholland [via Ray Schroeder]

The need for affordable and flexible education rings truer today than ever before. According to the College Board’s 2009 Trends in College Pricing report, the cost of higher education is rising: Tuition for in-state residents at public four-year institutions was about $7,020 for the 2009-2010 academic year, bringing the total cost for one academic year to more than $19,000 when books and living expenses are included. This means a four-year degree at a public university costs nearly $80,000, and according to the same report, a private four-year degree costs twice that — $160,000.

And governors will continue cutting higher education budgets, which will drive further increases in tuition costs, said John Thomasian, director of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. The lack of affordability combined with the complexity of student financial aid threatens higher education’s accessibility, said David Breneman, the Newton and Rita Meyers professor in economics of education at the University of Virginia. “To find out what the actual price of college is going to be is not trivial in this country,” he said. “The kids who are coached know how to run the financial aid system if they are eligible, while the kids from less sophisticated families — I think a number of us worry that they sort of get lost at the starting gate.”

Tagged with: cost of getting an education • dangers of the status quo • game-changing environment • online learning

Murdoch says iPad is a game changer

On 08/09/2010, in Apple, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, game-changing environment, multimedia, new business models, trends, by Daniel Christian

Murdoch says iPad is a game changer — from PadGadget.com

News Corp announced their 4Q numbers [August 4] and during the earning call News Corp CEO, Rupert Murdoch, said the iPad was a “game changer” for the media industry.

News Corp has eagerly embraced the iPad and was one of the first media companies to launch a newspaper title for Apple’s new device. The Wall Street Journal app quickly shot to the top of the apps charts and has been a top download since the launch of the iPad back in April.

News Corp management is very excited by the tablet format with Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey saying the iPad has “transformed people’s expectations and the opportunities around mobile.” Carey went on to say “it is also a device that for the first time really starts to deliver on the promise of multimedia, where you can see how you could…go between what traditionally would be video content, printed content, advertising that really is attractive that you could penetrate through and engage with.”

Also see:
New online business model will succeed, says Rupert Murdoch

Tagged with: Apple • digital audio • digital learning • digital photography • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • disruption • engagement • game-changing environment • iPad • journalism • multimedia • new business models in he • trends

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