Whenever this time of year is upon us (you know, the time of year when you start thinking about the impact of the year?), I hear Frank Sinatra ringing in my ears. “When I was 35, it was a very good year…” rambles around in my brain and I start asking an important question. Was it truly a good year?

Of course, that kind of thing is all about perspective. For many, 2011 was NOT a good year at all. Japanese citizen? Devastating year. Afghani citizen? Bad year likely doesn’t cover it. American citizen? Well…it depends.

Sure, we are still floundering in an economic cesspool, our unemployment rate is still flirting with Great Depression numbers, and it looks like NBC officially cancelled “The Event”… Ok, that last one was probably more for me than most of you, judging by the numbers anyway.

But who wants to end the year on such sour notes? Some may say it’s more realistic to do so, but I think it just sets up the first quarter of 2012 as time to get over 2011. And that is just wasted energy from my perspective!

So, rather than pushing holiday depression on you, I am going to do my best to suggest three 2011 elements that were actually positive, even GOOD to help us move into 2012 with a sense of hope, ok? Are you with me? (Cricket, cricket….) Trust me – this is the good stuff!

1. Serious games are getting serious. Gaming is really starting to find its way into main-stream education. Finally! There are so many types of experiences and so many platforms for games out there, many educators are finally realizing that a serious game doesn’t always equal “X”. In reality, serious games equal X, Y, Z, and 1, 2, 3! There are simulations, alternative reality games (ARG), immersive environments, simple gaming elements, gaming strategies, etc. And any one or combination could mean the difference between great retention rates and students who are bored out of their skulls.
   This was likely pushed forward by gaming in non-educational arenas. “The Inside Experience” game, played out on YouTube is one small example of how social networks are creating new platforms for gaming. And those platforms are translating to education through the work of groups like SIIA, the Serious Games Initiative, WCET, Gamasutra, and more. As well, interdisciplinary and massive online games are starting to take shape, giving individual instructors new in-roads to teaching and learning. Games like World Without Oil, Evoke, and SuperBetter give students a chance to learn not only about science, math, literacy, etc, but also about powerful social issues. But the ultimate ‘win’ (pun intended) for serious games had to come when people playing Foldit — “a computer game enabling players to contribute to important scientific research” seen in the picture here —helped determine the structure of an AIDS-related enzyme which, according to Time magazine’s Techland blog, had stumped the scientific community for decades! (By the way…it took the gamers 3 weeks…)
2. Data driven decisions are definitely desired. Back in 2008, I blogged about how data was the white buffalo of education. It would be cool to find it, but what exactly would you do with it once you had it? People have been touting the benefits of data in education for years, but it just hasn’t reached a tipping point….until now. Educators and business analysts alike are showcasing all of the promise of education data wrapped up into this system and that system. Look at an education conference program which 2 years ago would have had Web 2.0 dominating the pages but now has “data” in every other session title. Educators want data that shows how students are learning, behaving, scoring, while needing data that can be mined to show at-risk reports, demographic trend analysis, and outcomes measurement. Of course, I would be remiss to not point out that Pearson has been going down this path for years, honing these exact tools and report building implementations. But it looks like the world is catching on. The thing that has changed almost every industry in the world has finally reached education in a meaningful way…data!Schools are actually embracing and even integrating with websites like www.ratemyprofessor.com, accrediting agencies are beginning to include aggregation data requirements into their guidelines (remember the “accreditation portfolio room”? Real time data makes these just another file closet…), and even the Department of Education is getting into the act. They have recently suggested that data is going to be how we finally improve the Carnegie Unit as the standard measure of time in higher education, understanding what is more appropriate for teachers and students in the 21st century, rather than using a measure from 100 years ago. Data is being visualized in new (and useful) ways, like this social graph from LMS usage shown in the picture on the left. And probably most interesting to me are the creation of multiple data “consortia” – groups who will share all kinds of institutional data – from academic to demographic to behavioral to cognitive – in order to get a much bigger, better picture of what is happening at our schools. (It’s about time….)
3. Ed Tech is just about ready to lead. For years, online learning has been a bigger cousin of distance learning, both of which were viewed as the ugly step-sisters of education. Blogs galore still talk about the woes of online teaching and learning with instructors ranging from suspect to downright loathsome of the medium. As well, news editorials and presentations to political leaders have suggested that there is really no need for new hardware / software in education, but instead more teachers with bigger budgets is all we really need. (And yet our students are failing in higher percentages at every level…) Enter technology-based learning. The evidence is finally mounting a sizable defense, showcasing the power of the technology enabled classroom. Whether its eBooks, eLearning, or eTeaching, the results are proving what many converts have known all along: technology enabled teaching is better for results, for teachers, and most importantly for students.And so, as schools are bleeding money, students are demanding better than the 400 person lecture, business is screaming that the workforce is dreadfully underprepared, accreditors are scrambling to hold schools accountable for quality and relevance, and even parents are demanding better results, most schools are realizing that technology actually is the best answer. In a recent GAO report specific to online learning, it was reported through 2008 IPEDS data that well over 20% of students took an online class that year. Estimates for 2011 data suggest well over 30% and the numbers keep climbing. Schools cannot afford to build right now, but online programs allow for growth. Students and educators alike are touting the value and importance of individualized learning, which becomes much easier and more scalable through technology. The number of non-traditional students continues to climb as online education grows too, forcing professors and designers to consider the efficacy of mobile, web-based, and hardware based learning like never before.Technology makes it possible to do things in the classroom that were never imaginable before. Software can measure a person’s forget curve and help them study concepts that they will (literally) never forget. Students can collaborate with students in other parts of the world via the Internet thereby solving not just math, science, and history problems but also solving social, real-world problems. Social tools can provide bigger, deeper, more meaningful communities of learning. Creativity, entrepreneurship, and problem finding are just a few of the hundreds of positive outcomes from technology-enabled classrooms. And don’t forget #1 and #2…technology creates wonderful gaming platforms and provides much more, and much better data.

So, as we look back on a tumultuous year full of financial crisis, natural disasters, civil wars, and on and on, we do have some things to remain hopeful for. Education is changing before our eyes, and in this case that change holds the promise of great things. While there is still much to do around all of the cornerstones (assessment, delivery, engagement, retention, etc., etc.) of education, there are some really powerful tools being both used and created that can and will help.

So bring on 2012. Let’s go into the new year with a rejuvenated sense of empowerment. After all, that is what this (very) short list of 3 things do for education…they empower educators and the curriculum to teach better, assess better, and ultimately to create better students. At the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Happy New Year – Good luck and good teaching.

Dr. Jeff D Borden

Sr Director of Teaching & Learning

Higher education is undergoing an explosive period of transformation that embraces the digital age. From tablets to smart phones to wikis and blogs, today’s digital environment makes communication, collaboration and information sharing easier than ever before.

Teaching and learning now occurs on a multi-dimensional level that involves both personal instruction and cutting-edge online technologies. This paradigm shift has made advanced education considerably more accessible to current and potential students, driving increased demand for online learning opportunities.
Statistics show that higher education institutions are striving to meet this demand. The 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning [1] revealed that enrollment rose by almost one million students from a year earlier, and that nearly 30 percent of all college and university students now take at least one course online. Online learning offers students easier access to education, as well as a more personalized, flexible, and customized learning experience, which explains its increasing popularity among a cross section of students including working professionals interested in lifelong learning.

Along with the benefits, the phenomenal growth of online learning also presents an uncharted set of challenges for academic institutions, most of which are much more familiar with the traditional classroom setting. Additionally, it has spurred a new set of demands and expectations from a range of stakeholders including students, instructors, regulatory institutions and advocacy groups. Given these new challenges, several factors are proving to be instrumental in shaping the way higher education institutions implement and improve upon the state of online learning.

Accountability and Transparency

Academic accountability and transparency are two of the largest catalysts in the transformation of online learning in higher education.

As more individuals enroll in online courses, certificate and degree programs, the need for a universal standard of quality is escalating in importance. Currently, online programs must adhere to specific standards, yet the level of academic rigor and quality offered may differ from one school to another or one instructor to the next. Seeking consistency and excellence government institutions, advocacy groups and students are calling for greater accountability measures.

To this end, new research has shown that online education can be just as, if not more, effective than in-classroom instruction. A recent report on online education, conducted by SRI International for the Department of Education, concluded, “On average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction” [2].

Aiming to meet these distinct needs, academic institutions are eager to implement effective new tools that enable transparent academic reporting and assessment. As a result, offerings such as learning management systems are fast becoming a staple for any institution that offers, or plans to offer, online education.

Course and Content Quality

The mounting focus on accountability and transparency will naturally drive improved course and content quality—a factor that is of ultimate importance to every institution.

But what will actually facilitate this overall improvement? Many experts agree academic analytics and assessment solutions that are built into online learning environments, particularly learning management systems, will serve as valuable tools when it comes to assessing and amplifying course and content quality.
Higher education institutions will increasingly rely on learning management systems that enable “prescriptive content”—meaning the systems define appropriate content for each student, according to their measured abilities, and employ learning modalities and techniques that are proven to drive achievement. This method of online learning challenges the student while allowing them to progress at their own pace—ultimately resulting in increased academic success and satisfaction.

By evaluating students in a number of key areas—including time and task, grades, answer confidence, information retention and satisfaction —learning management systems are eliminating the days of cookie cutter content and one-size-fits all courses. By harnessing these tools, instructors are able to continually track and evaluate students and optimize course content to help individuals overcome academic hurdles and address difficulties as they occur. As a result, the quality of course and program content will only continue to improve.

The Role of the Instructor

One of the most important factors impacting student success is the instructor. Yet, some professionals still fear that their role will become marginalized as technology becomes more deeply integrated into today’s learning environments. However, the reality is technology will not replace the teacher, even in fully online learning environments. Although some instructors fear technology will increase their workload, effective education technology tools provide instructors with new ways to better engage and teach students, without additional demands on time.

Additionally, as online learning continues to progress, instructors will also be held to a higher standard of excellence, driving increased demand for quality, tech-savvy instructors. This new generation of educational leaders will be called on to use technology in the fully online and blended learning classrooms, thereby changing the way courses are taught. Instead of demanding memorization and feedback, instructors will employ tools that enable application of knowledge to real-life problems and real-time collaboration with peers.

To support instructors in these efforts, administrators can use academic analytics and assessment tools to analyze their individual performance and areas where improvement needs to be made. By employing ongoing assessment, institutions will be able to set a higher standard for teachers and cultivate an environment where quality is a norm.

Collaboration and Multi-Modal Content Delivery

The availability and adoption of student-to-student and teacher-to-student collaboration tools is already a reality—and they are making a big impact on the way teaching and learning continues to evolve. Web 2.0 collaboration tools such as social networking, user-generated content, video conferencing, wikis and blogs, are changing the way institutions educate students. These various changes include professors teaching in more than one medium; students being expected to collaborate online to complete group projects; printed textbooks being replaced by customized eBooks with multimedia content; and traditional paper-based grading methodologies changing to accommodate new ways of learning, including collaborative projects.

Given the fact that learning management systems play a key role in online learning, it is important to note that most systems already offer a variety of collaboration tools. This level of availability is helping to create new opportunities to engage students in a more accessible and flexible environment. It will also help to transform learning management systems from a platform into a true environment that enables more collaborative online learning.

In short, the institutions that are able to effectively integrate these new collaborative, multi-modal mediums into their online and blended learning environments will emerge as the pioneers of the next generation of online learning.

Conclusion

Technology is transforming education and its impact just continues to grow. By creating and embracing a solid framework for online learning and employing cutting-edge learning management systems, higher education institutions are in a position to significantly improve student outcomes today and into the future.

About the Author

Senior Director of Teaching & Learning at Pearson eCollege, Jeff Borden has his M.A in rhetoric/human communication and is currently a doctoral student (ABD) in education leadership at Argosy University in Denver. Borden has created, taught, and administered several upper and lower division communication and computer courses for several universities and community colleges around the country since 1998. Additionally, he has assisted faculty, administrators, and trainers from diverse fields in conceptualizing and designing both on-ground and online courses as well as given direction to schools for total program success.

References

[1] The 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning. “Class Differences: Online Education in the United States, 2010.” November 2010.
[2] U.S. Department of Education. “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies.” (Revised September 2010)