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"Published March 21, 2013 Kelly A. Lack As online courses continue to gain in popularity at colleges and universities throughout the country, knowledge about the effectiveness of this mode of instruction, relative to that of traditional, face-to-face courses, becomes increasingly important. A 2009 report by the U.S. Department of Education provides a meta-analysis of studies published up to 2008, examining the relative effectiveness of the different delivery formats in helping various populations of students learn different types of course content. This Ithaka S+R literature review complements that effort. It examines several studies that are not included in the DOE report, focusing on research that compares online or hybrid learning to face-to-face instruction in the context of semester-length, undergraduate-level, credit-bearing courses. The review yields little evidence to support broad claims that online or hybrid learning is significantly more effective or significantly less effective than courses taught in a face-to-face format, while also highlighting the need for further studies on this topic. The value of research of this kind will only grow as even more sophisticated, interactive online systems continue to be developed, and as the current budgetary constraints and enrollment pressures on postsecondary institutions strengthen the case for improving productivity."

"Abstract Competency-based education (CBE) awards academic credit based on mastery of clearly defined competencies. CBE replaces the conventional model in which time is fixed and learning is variable with a model in which the time is variable and the learning is fixed. CBE is built around clearly defined competencies and measurable learning objectives that demonstrate mastery of those competencies. Measuring learning by competency is not new, but various challenges facing higher education, combined with new models and technologies, have brought a new focus on CBE. A growing number of competency-based programs have been developed at all levels of instruction. CBE capitalizes on the potential of online learning, enabling new models that can reduce both the cost and time needed to earn credentials while better preparing students for their professional lives. The 7 Things You Should Know About... series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues."

"An important area that digital natives have been unable to manage effectively is their own personal learning. There are 3 very specific habits that new learners bring with them into the E-Learning environment that need to be "un-learned" so effective "re-learning" can take place" (¶5, retrieved 2015.06.26).

"EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A new business landscape is emerging wherein a multitude of small entities will bring products and services to market using the infrastructure and platforms of large, concentrated players. The forces driving this are putting new and mounting pressures on organizations and individuals while also opening up new opportunities. But traditional postsecondary educational institutions are not supporting individuals in successfully navigating this not-too-distant future, nor are the educational institutions immune to these forces. Perhaps more than any other sector, postsecondary education is being affected by changing demand as the learning needs and preferences of the individual consumer rapidly evolve. Increasingly, individuals need both lifelong learning and accelerated, on-demand learning, largely as a response to the pressures of the broader evolving economic landscape. Rarely seen amid gross national statistics on the skills gap, employability, completion rates, and tuition hikes is a serious discussion of the unmet, and increasingly disparate, needs and expectations of individual learners. The costs to the individual are increasing, and the payoff is less certain. Students of all ages are more comfortable with technology and are less tied to traditional notions of the academy as fewer American adults between the ages of 18 and 22 achieve a four-year, full-time, campus-based degree.1 At the same time, technological advances reduce the lifespan of specific skills, and an increasingly globalized and automated workforce needs to continuously learn and retrain."

The creation of the Office of the Vice Provost for Online Learning - part of the larger Stanford Online initiative - signals both a restructuring of the university and its dedication to ensuring pedagogical agility and rigor in the face of global, economic and social transformations.

"Join Kathy Craven and Emily Wray, faculty from Full Sail University, for an interactive session exploring the art and science of digital storytelling. Learn how to facilitate these dynamic projects in an online classroom - from scripting and story boarding to production and publishing. Learn to use collaborative web-based tools and countless free resources to develop a practical production model for engaging your students' creativity and critical thinking skills. The NMC Horizon Connect Webinar series is free for Higher Ed and K-12 NMC members throughout the year. Non-members pay $99 per webinar. If you are not a member, learn how to become a Higher Ed or K-12 NMC member here and join before you register. "

"Speakers: Malcolm Brown, Director, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative Andy Calkins, Deputy Director, Next Generation Learning Challenges George Siemens, Associate Director, Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute, Athabasca University Date: November 20, 2012 Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET (UTC-5); convert to your time zone Topic: This free hour-long webinar, "The Current and Future State of Higher Education," will outline an open online course, conducted in fall 2012, that evaluated the change pressures that face universities and the opportunities that can help universities prepare for the future state of higher education."

Why Web Literacy Should Be Part of Every Education Cathy Davidson and Mark Surman Making web literacy the fourth literacy begins with the premise that not only are humans capable of learning together--we're doing it, contributing to peer learning online, every day of our lives. That is a major educational paradigm shift, the great gift we've been given by those who built the web on open architecture. Web literacy explains the world we live in and gives us the tools to contribute to that world.