Teaching tips from a learning science pioneer; Coursera co-founder goes back to college

The latest news and trends shaping higher education and beyond

No. 239 | October 16, 2020 View in Browser Subscribe to this newsletter » Next The latest news and trends shaping higher education and beyond This issue is sponsored by "There's going to be more COVID stimulus relief for colleges, eventually." That's the view of Mitchell Stevens, a professor of education and sociology at Stanford University. And he has an idea for how to make such a stimulus serve as "a Manhattan Project for the future of work." He and a colleague released a policy paper this week for the Brookings Institution's Hamilton Project that lays out the proposal. It has two parts: First, to issue funds called Learning Opportunity Credits to all unemployed U.S. adults or those who receive the Earned Income Tax Credit that can be used toward workforce training. The second part would give out competitive grants to colleges and other education providers, through a coordinated effort by various government agencies, to encourage better opportunities for adult learners spending those credits. A key strategy of the effort would be to get the U.S. Department of Education working more closely with federal agencies dealing more directly with employment issues, Stevens told EdSurge this week. "People who do workforce and people do higher education—they speak different languages and they rarely talk to each other," he said. In previous times of national crisis, the federal government has helped mobilize higher education to solve crucial social issues, he added. That happened in 1958 with the National Defense Education Act, which bolstered scientific research, and in 1965 with the Higher Education Act, which created financial aid programs to open wider access to colleges. Today, he argued, the big challenge is helping the country prepare for a rapidly changing job sector. "We don't want the postsecondary sector to waste the crisis," he concluded. EAR TO THE GROUND BACK TO COLLEGE: Coursera co-founder Daphne Koller is starting a new company hoping to disrupt higher ed, and it has already raised $14.5 million. Another MOOC? No—not quite. This one hopes to bring the feeling of being in class to virtual classrooms. Here's what that looks like. TIPS FROM A LEARNING SCIENCE PIONEER: Richard Mayer is one of the most influential educational researchers. The journal Contemporary Educational Psychology ranks him as the No. 1 most productive educational psychologist in the world. EdSurge reached out to Mayer to learn what his research reveals about effective ways to adapt one's teaching in response to the pandemic. MOOCS FOR CREDIT? Providers of large-scale online courses known as MOOCs are hoping colleges will increasingly turn to digital materials to supplement campus courses or bolster their course catalogs. This week Coursera, one of those providers, announced new features to reassure skeptical college officials and professors that the online courses can be delivered in a way that safeguards against one of their biggest concerns: cheating. ON A PODIUM: With the pandemic squeezing budgets, programs that save colleges money and equip students with in-demand skills as more jobs go remote and digital may seem very appealing—at least to investors. Podium Education is aiming to do just that, with a $12 million assist from funders. But it's not the only player on the stage. The following is a message from our sponsor A brief history lesson. In 1801, a classroom in Scotland featured the first chalkboard. In 1950, the dry erase board was invented (sparing millions of educators from clouds of chalk dust). In 2015, inspired by Google Docs, Figma brought the dry erase board to the web. Now, classrooms around the world are using Figma for everything from brainstorms to slides to designing websites and apps. Oh, and they're doing it for free. Be a part of history. Use Figma in your classroom. Follow the EdSurge editorial staff @tonywan, @jryoung, @ByEmilyTate, @stephenoonoo and @becky_koenig for the latest news and scoops as they hit the wire. LET'S TALK BRING YOUR TEACHING QUESTIONS: This unprecedented fall semester means plenty of instructors are having to adjust their teaching on the fly. So we're using this month's EdSurge Live online forum to answer questions about teaching. Our guest will be Bonni Stachowiak, host of the long-running podcast, Teaching in Higher Ed, and dean of teaching and learning at Vanguard University of Southern California. Join us on Tuesday, October 27, 1 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. ET, and bring your questions. RSVP here. ON THE PODCAST GET OUT THE VOTE: Research shows young citizens are motivated to vote. But they don't always make it to the polls. Why not? To find out, we interviewed Sunshine Hillygus, political scientist and co-author of the new book "Making Young Voters." She shares surprising insights about what kind of K-12 and higher education actually influences youth voting behavior. Hint: It's not civics class. STAT-O-MATIC 3 percent: The proportion of colleges planning to teach primarily in person in the spring semester. Around 20 percent are undecided about spring plans; 23 percent are opting for a fully online semester; and 32 percent say teaching will be hybrid. That's according to a new survey of enrollment managers and registrars out this week. (The Chronicle of Higher Education) SPOKEN WORD A student at the University of Iowa fears that "there won't be a decrease in jobs, but that there will be a decrease in interesting jobs. Less innovation, risk-taking, global interaction, etc. I'm sure I can get a job, but my worry is if it will be the exciting experience I want it to be." — from a survey of 450 college students from across the U.S. about their views on the impact of the pandemic. (Livia Morris, a student at U.C. Davis, on Medium) BYTE-SIZED BRIEFS U.S. sues Yale University for alleged bias against Asian and white applicants. (Yahoo News) Children from immigrant families are increasingly the face of higher education. (The New York Times) Gates Foundation gives $15 million to support COVID-19 testing at HBCUs. (The Wall Street Journal) FROM THE ARCHIVES DEPOLARIZING CAMPUS DISCUSSIONS: Hoping to teach students how to talk productively about politics in an increasingly polarized world, a nonprofit group called Heterodox Academy developed an online training that some colleges have used in their classes. We first wrote about it in 2018, and it's feeling even more relevant as Election Day approaches. Sponsored by Kajeet Kajeet Distance Learning Bundles for Higher Education. Ensure all your students can connect to a virtual or hybrid learning model this Fall. Kajeet Distance Learning Bundles come with SmartSpot devices, our Sentinel platform to manage them, and cellular data plans on multiple networks to keep students connected. Looking for a job in edtech? You've come to the right place. EdSurge has the leading edtech jobs board with over 400 openings from schools, nonprofits and companies. Post a Job See all edtech jobs Division Director for Curriculum and Communications Smithsonian Science Education Center Direct and coordinate editorial, production, and art & design functions to ensure materials (printed curriculum and digital media) represent the standards of the SSEC and Smithsonian. Product Management • Non Profit • Washington D.C. Psychometrician Amira Learning AI pioneer Amira Learning is looking for a part-time/contract psychometrician to help build the next generation early literacy assessment. Data Analysis • Startup • Remote Instructional Media Designer University of North Carolina at Charlotte The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is seeking applications for an Instructional Media Designer for the Audiovisual Integration and Support for Learning Environments (AISLE) with the Academic Affairs Department. Higher Ed Instructional Designer • Higher Ed Institution • Charlotte, NC Research Scientist Curriculum Associates Curriculum Associates is seeking a Research Scientist to develop and execute rigorous research projects focused on solutions for improving student outcomes in reading and mathematics, especially for students who are historically underserved.​ Research • Large Company • Remote Postsecondary Pathways Director Motivate Lab ​Motivate Lab is now hiring for a remote Postsecondary Pathways Director to oversee the postsecondary access and success work at the Motivate Lab. Project Management • Non Profit • Remote Associate Director for Media Technology and Innovation Center for Academic Innovation The Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) at the University of Michigan is seeking an Associate Director for Media Technology & Innovation to provide leadership regarding media innovation. Engineering • Higher Ed Institution • Ann Arbor, MI Events Post an event • See all events and meetups The Standards and STEM Working towards effective STEM learning means gaining a deeper understanding of the future we aspire to build, and having the ability to imagine this future. Dec 15 • Online • Free Thanks for Reading ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you've got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. ➔ Event planners: Feature your in-person or virtual event on our calendar & newsletters. EdSurge covers and connects the people, ideas and technologies that shape the future of learning. We are an independent news and research initiative of the International Society for Technology in Education. Tips? Email us at feedback@edsurge.com Manage Subscription © 2011-2020 EdSurge. All rights reserved.  Mailing address: 621 SW Morrison Street, Suite 800, Portland, OR 97205

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