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higher education

Cost remains the top barrier to higher education

The cost of college, including the expense of living and the cost of tuition and course materials, is the biggest barrier to post-secondary education for students.

Not surprisingly, current, future and students who dropped out say “free college” would have the single biggest impact on them finishing or returning to post-secondary education, according to the Barriers to Post-Secondary Education Report from Cengage Group, a global education technology company.

The company surveyed more than 1,600 current college students, recent high school graduates and students who have dropped out of post-secondary education to better understand their education barriers and what would have the biggest impact on them completing their education.…Read More

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It’s beyond time to showcase all postsecondary education paths

COVID-19 has caused a marked shift in attitudes toward higher education, particularly among high school students who are rethinking their options as they look ahead to a future career path that remains in flux due to the pandemic’s impact on the workforce and economy. While exacerbated over the past year, this was a trend we were seeing in the United States even before our nation went under lockdown.

Data from ECMC Group’s Question The Quo surveys fielded throughout the pandemic show more than half of students are open to something other than four-year college and the majority want to forge their own educational path.

In addition, while more than half of teens believe they can be successful with education they can complete in three years or less, a majority feel uninformed when it comes to their options, with 63 percent wanting their high school to provide more information about the variety of postsecondary education routes. Parents are also looking for options that stray from the four-year path, according to a recent Gallup poll.…Read More

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The role of no-code in back-to-school safety

The next challenge for educators as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic is safely returning to in-person learning. After over a year of forced shutdowns and adoption of an online workforce and remote learning, the logistics of safely returning to in-person learning are overwhelming. The challenge is even greater with the Delta variant of COVID-19 becoming more prolific, and K-12 districts, colleges, and universities are racing against the clock to figure out what their approach will be this coming fall.

Whether schools opt for a phased approach, stay with hybrid learning or proceed with fully in-person classes, the goal is the same: to safely, quickly and efficiently return to school. Further, higher education institutions have to be cognizant of their impact on the larger community. Colleges and universities are a hub–with thousands traveling to and from campus each year, mingling, cohabitating and more, what happens within an academic institution may reach far beyond the campus.

So what can be done to help leaders navigate these challenges? Enter no-code. The past year has highlighted the need for agility and the ability to adapt when change and disruption happens – which, as we know, is a constant. The adoption of no-code processes is vital to empowering organizations to adapt with change.…Read More

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The future is all about durable skills

The price of a college degree continues to creep higher across the country. But has the value of that degree kept pace? Students expect their investment in college to pay off in the form of meaningful employment. However, according to new data, both recent grads and HR managers believe that the absence of durable skills–including people skills–training in higher education offers an opportunity for colleges and universities to partner with students and employers in closing a critical skills gap. 

A new report from Mursion, From Skill to Instinct: How Higher Education Can Bridge the Gap Between Classroom and Career, found that while the hard, technical skills ingrained throughout traditional academia are critical to career success, these skills may not be enough to stand out in a highly competitive job market.

In fact, the data revealed that 44 percent of HR professionals would hire an applicant with strong durable skills, such as superior people skills, over an applicant with superior hard skills.…Read More

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3 financial literacy tips for students

While moving into adulthood, teens are faced with a number of paths. Empowering students to select which path works best for them and determine how to best financially plan for the future are key to ensuring that some of their first adult decisions set them on a trajectory toward success.

While research shows a positive connection between higher education and economic status, it’s important to recognize that the traditional route to higher education does not work for every student. However, it is critical that every student have access to information that will help them plan for whatever path they choose.

Opting for traditional higher education can prove challenging for many due to the rising costs. Since the 1970s, college costs in the U.S. have tripled. Today, private school costs an average of $30,000+ per year while public college costs $22,000+ per year, according to U.S. News & World Report.…Read More

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D2L is a multiple award winner — again

LONDON, UK (June 28, 2021) – D2L Brightspace has been named the Best Solution for Students with Special Needs, Best Customer Experience in EdTech, and Best Remote Learning Experience Partner K-12/Higher Education of 2021 as part of the annual SIIA CODiE Awards. The prestigious CODiE Awards recognise the companies producing the most innovative education technology products across the country and around the world.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to be recognised, once again, by SIIA with the CODiE awards,” said John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. “Our mission is to transform the way the world learns, and that’s never been more pressing than in the last year and a half, when COVID-19 demanded that we go above and beyond for learners and educators around the world. Everyone at D2L is committed to innovation and excellence, and these awards are recognition that we’re moving in the right direction, which is only going to benefit the people we’re all focused on – students.”

“Congratulations to the 2021 Ed Tech CODiE Award winners,” said SIIA President Jeff Joseph. “The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us of the importance of innovative Ed Tech products and services and this year’s class takes a special place among the many amazing products recognised across the 35-year history of the CODiE Awards.”…Read More

Rise Vision and Sharp NEC Display Solutions Partner to Offer Schools a Free Year of Digital Signage

June 22, 2021 –– Rise Vision and Sharp NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc. have partnered to offer K-12 schools and higher education institutions a free year of Rise Vision digital signage with each NEC display MediaPlayer solution they purchase. 

NEC displays enable collaboration between students and teachers, keeping the classroom connected and driving student engagement in an interactive way. With up to 4K UHD resolution and sizes up to 98”, NEC displays are large enough for classrooms that need to maintain social distancing. Implementing the right technology with the flexibility for various learning options ensures all students, whether remote or in the classroom, can learn effectively.

As part of this partnership Rise Vision has integrated their solution with the NEC MediaPlayer via the pre-installed Raspberry Pi® Compute Module 3 or Compute Module 4. Schools can simply select the Rise Vision CMS in the MediaPlayer settings and have their digital signage up and running in minutes. This greatly simplifies the installation process, eliminating the need for an external media player, and reduces the cost of digital signage.…Read More

4 ways private LTE supports learning today–and tomorrow

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to the disruption of a range of uniquely vital vertical sectors. This is especially true for K-12 and higher education as schools, colleges, and universities have been forced to close in order to slow the spread of the virus and find alternative, but technologically accessible, ways to reach students–literally.

With students, teachers and lecturers confined to their offices, homes, and dorm rooms to study and teach, many colleges and universities have come to realise that existing connectivity infrastructure just isn’t up to par. They may not understand why, but they know what they need. Question mark is: where to find it, and what to ask for?

Until 2019, really, the traditional means of acquiring connectivity via public or private Wi-Fi has demonstrated limitations, including an inability to efficiently cover large campuses and wide areas, and the dearth of offering security assurances schools and universities need from their networks. All this costs money. Meanwhile, costing even more money, public cellular networks are often a drain to run and, like Wi-Fi, cannot guarantee coverage, capacity, and security requirements, nor provide adequate control of network usage patterns. …Read More

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Kajeet Announces Launch of 2021 Digital Inclusion Grant Program

To support digital inclusion, Kajeet will provide one year of free internet connectivity hardware and patented Kajeet® managed service to equity-focused organizations

McLean, Va. – May 4, 2021 – Kajeet®, a leading provider of wireless connectivity, software and hardware solutions that deliver safe, reliable and controlled internet connectivity to enterprises, state and local governments, students and IoT solution providers, today announced the official launch of its 2021 Digital Inclusion Grant program. Open to U.S. K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, public libraries, education and career non-profits and municipalities, the program will grant winners one year of free Kajeet internet connectivity hardware and managed service on its award-winning mobile connectivity platform, Sentinel®.

While much work has been done to help close the digital divide, according to the FCC’s Eighth Broadband Report, an estimated 19 million American citizens still lack reliable broadband internet access at home. Guided by the belief that internet access has become a basic human right, Kajeet’s 2021 Digital Inclusion Grant seeks to support an equitable future for all individuals. In addition to one year of free patented Kajeet managed internet service, winners are able to select the Kajeet internet connectivity hardware solution – Kajeet SmartBus ™, Kajeet SmartSpot™ or Kajeet Connect Prime ™ – that best fits the unique needs of the communities they serve.…Read More

Getting students back on track to higher education

COVID-19 has raised a number of major questions for educators, one of which is “Why are college applications decreasing?” Higher education lost about 400,000 students this fall. Are these students taking a gap year between high school and college? If so, that might be a good thing, since data suggests that a gap year can actually help students. The most important question is, “Will students put off college for a significant period, or choose not to go to college because of financial hardship?”

Fall 2020 enrollment data shows the largest decreases falling across community colleges and public universities, especially among lower income and minority students. This last data point is perhaps the most concerning. Educators need to be especially watchful and mindful of where these students land, and how we engage them and bring them into higher education after an (unplanned) gap year. Why? Because putting off college can have a significant impact on lifetime earnings, and overall education level continues to be one of the strongest predictors of lifetime earnings.

According to the Social Security Administration, men with bachelor’s degrees earn approximately $900,000 more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. Women with bachelor’s degrees earn $630,000 more. Men with graduate degrees earn $1.5 million more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates. Women with graduate degrees earn $1.1 million more.…Read More

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