Pandemic diaries finale; Tallying missing students; Parents protest automated proctoring tools

No. 248 | 12/18/20 | Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by As 2020 fades into 2021, trend watchers will publish lists of what's hot and what's not for the new year. We've got an early prediction for higher ed:     Out: College rankings. In: College COVID dashboard rankings.   That's right, not only has the pandemic prompted colleges to monitor campus coronavirus cases with data dashboards—it's also inspired a group of professors and students to monitor that monitoring.    They call themselves "We Rate Covid Dashboards." And on their website, they explain the criteria they use to assign scores and letter grades to the data visualizations colleges have created to disseminate public health information.    In general, the rating scheme rewards sharing as much information as possible as frequently as possible about testing and case rates—as long as it's all still easy to read. The group has rated almost 350 dashboards so far, giving out a decent number of As and Bs. Fs are reserved for schools that don't have dashboards at all.  If you're scratching your head trying to figure out why this task is being tackled by a team of volunteers, or why colleges are devising their own data dashboards in the first place, you're not the only one. As an EdSurge story from earlier this fall explains, the federal government isn't tracking coronavirus cases at schools or colleges, and educators have scrambled to fill the void. 👂 EAR TO THE GROUND   PARENTS PROTEST REMOTE PROCTORING: This week a group of parents became the latest group to push back against automated proctoring software. More than 2,000 parents signed a letter to one of the largest textbook publishers, McGraw-Hill, calling on it to end its partnership with Proctorio, calling the software "invasive and racially biased."   GONE MISSING: Experts have been tallying declines in college student enrollment all semester, and this week, the results are in. The big winner: For-profit colleges, which gained students. The big loser: community colleges, which notched double-digit losses. Find out just how many students were "missing" from college this semester here.   ISA, AMA: Income-share agreements have emerged as a new student financing option in higher education and have stirred both hopes and concerns. How is this experiment faring so far? On EdSurge Live this week, we hear from a couple of the first "guinea pigs" from these programs (including the first graduate of Purdue's ISA fund) and what researchers are learning. ✍️ COLUMNIST CORNER     MAKING EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION EQUITABLE: In the past, the pathway to economic opportunity was too often painted as a false dichotomy: Either pursue formal learning or work experience; degrees or apprenticeships; college prep or tracking into vocational education. But there is a way to combine traditional education and real-world work experience through the use of experiential learning. Those opportunities need to be made more broadly available, argue two professors from Northeastern University. The following is a message from our sponsor Higher education institutions often deal with outdated data collection methods or overloaded IT teams. With FormAssembly's web form and data collection platform, simple, secure data collection is possible. Through intuitive form building, smart integrations, and administrative capabilities, we help higher education professionals collect quality data and engage students, staff, and alumni. Learn more today. 🎧 ON THE PODCAST   OPEN OR CLOSED CAMPUSES? Some colleges were committed to doing as much in-person teaching and activities as possible this semester, even during this health crisis. Other colleges decided early on to shutter campus and focus attention online. For our series finale of the Pandemic Campus Diaries, we ask: which decision was the right one for students and professors? 📈 STAT-O-MATIC $52,129 to $14,945  The amount selective colleges spend per full-time student compared to the amount spent by colleges that admit the majority of applicants, according to research published by think tank Third Way. The report argues that investing more in student support and instruction at the latter colleges would boost college completion rates of low-income students and students of color. 📢 SPOKEN WORD   "The model says most students won't get sick, and most students won't have severe symptoms. How did you account for us, the students that do have severe symptoms, in your reopening plan?" —Stella Linardi, a Cornell University junior who struggled through a difficult case of COVID-19 and felt her case was poorly handled by a college now touting its pandemic response. (The Chronicle of Higher Education) 💼 BYTE-SIZED BRIEFS   Two outsiders emerge as top contenders for Biden's education secretary. (The Washington Post)   Common App starts new effort to reach low-income students. (Inside Higher Ed) TikTok to donate $1M apiece to 10 academic institutions. (AdWeek) 📚 FROM THE ARCHIVES   EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE: Basing teaching strategies on cognitive psychology research about how people perceive, learn, attend to and remember information can help ensure that lessons are effective. In this column, a psychology professor explains how learning science studies happen in the laboratory and how educators can flexibly apply the principles that researchers discover in their own classrooms. Looking for a job in edtech? You've come to the right place. EdSurge has the leading edtech jobs board in the industry with openings from schools, nonprofits and companies.   Post a job | See all jobs Director of Development, Presidential Advancement | ASU Enterprise Partners Newly created as a growth position within the ASU Foundation and supporting Arizona State University Higher Ed Head of Innovation • Non Profit • Tempe, AZ   The Edward John Noble Foundation Deputy Director for Learning and Audience Engagement | DRG The DDLAE will lead and oversee the design of bold and inspired educational strategy, programming, and community building experiences across the Museum that align with and amplify MoMA's global mission as a leader in connecting audiences with art. C-Level Executive Leadership • Non Profit • New York, NY   Instructional Technology Trainer | Digital Promise The Instructional Technology Trainer will be responsible for delivering high-quality live and recorded professional development for teachers, coaches and leaders within the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools. Customer Implementation / Customer Success • Non Profit • Remote   Research Project Manager - Education Practice | Christensen Institute The Christensen Institute seeks a highly motivated individual to join the Social Capital R&D Project team immediately, providing essential project management, research assistance, and writing support to the project's co-directors. Research • Non Profit • Lexington, MA or Remote   Director of Development, Presidential Advancement | Mary Institute and Country Day School MICDS seeks a chief information officer, starting July 1, 2021. Applications due January 18.  C-Level Executive Leadership • School • St. Louis, MO   Director, Learning Futures Initiatives | Arizona State University The Learning Futures Collaboratory at Arizona State University is seeking a Director of Learning Futures Initiatives. Higher Ed Admin Operations • School • Tempe, AZ   Events Post an event • See all events and meetups   Learning and the Brain 59: Teaching Purposeful Minds This virtual conference will explore the importance of purpose, connections (including love and belonging), and curiosity and exploration, and how they can help support learning, coping, and personal growth. Apr 17-18 • Online • More than $250  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. International Society for Technology in Education, 621 SW Morrison Street, Suite 800, Portland, Oregon 97205, USA, 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 503.342.2848 (Int'l) Unsubscribe Manage preferences