IT leaders at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recognized that unbundling, analyzing and sharing learning management system data could produce results, particularly in driving online students’ success. So they partnered with the College of Education to make it happen. Student behaviors such as ignoring the syllabus or not opening assignments will get […]
Leading the charge: 12 representatives from all departments at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio Phase 1 (three years ago) The team began with an “amnesty period” in which members showed each other the data they captured and discussed how it could be shared and used. Progress: “Everyone began to see there were all types of efficiencies […]
Are data silos a big problem in higher ed, and what are the most important reasons for taking them down? “It’s common to see a divide between interests in graduation and retention on the one hand, and teaching and learning on the other. These are complementary perspectives, yet many times they are siloed despite a […]
At the Internet of Things Village of the DEF CON security conference in 2016, hacking contests revealed nearly 50 vulnerabilities in 23 devices from 21 manufacturers. Security flaws were exposed in smart door locks, padlocks, thermostats, refrigerators, wheelchairs and even solar panel arrays—all items that can be found connected to an institution’s computer network. Improperly […]
As colleges and universities find new ways to partner with each other to improve services and reduce costs, the idea of sharing an LMS is starting to gain traction. For instance, selecting and sharing a learning management system was key to an online teacher training and certification partnership established in 2017 between the schools of […]
In what ways could sharing an LMS benefit colleges, and what do you see as the biggest or most surprising challenge institutions would need to overcome to purchase the same LMS? “Sharing an LMS across institutions provides many benefits, including consolidation through one system, categorizing content and cross-collaboration. One of the challenges of sharing an […]
Gather stakeholders—including faculty, students, IT leaders and others—for honest discussion. In California, it was crucial to include student representation in the statewide committee that examined various LMS candidates, says Jory Hadsell, executive director of California Community Colleges’ Online Education Initiative. That positive approach allowed college constituency groups to focus on the end goal of student […]
Following the multiple hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast this past September, several higher ed institutions used unmanned aerial vehicles or systems—or drones—to assess damage on campuses and beyond. In Daytona Beach, professors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University assisted local police by providing images both before and after Hurricane Irma. Drones were flown over municipal, private […]
While most institutions use financial aid systems to award and distribute regular financial aid, that isn’t always the case with emergency aid. Usually, each student’s situation must be evaluated to determine whether emergency financial help is warranted and if so, at what level. That process isn’t always built into the standard financial aid system—so institutions […]
“BEAT BAMA WE ALREADY DID!” reads a flier that Louisiana State University prepared for its incoming freshmen this year. Wait, what? LSU’s football team has lost its annual matchup with Southeastern Conference rival Alabama for each of the last six years. Keep reading, and you learn the Tigers’ victories were not on the field […]
