Transforming the Postsecondary Professional Education Experience

Many postsecondary professional schools are recognizing that they must develop innovative programs to address the changing environment that surrounds them as well as the new requirements their graduates currently face. Here, CT talks with Dean and Professor of Information Thomas A. Finholt at the University of Michigan School of Information to find out what changes UMSI is anticipating.

Research: Online Courses Associated with Improved Retention, Access

Online courses are associated with higher retention and graduation rates, increased access and cost savings of as much as 50 percent, according to a new study from Arizona State University.

New Coursera MasterTracks Offer 'Gateway' to Advanced Degrees

EdX has its "MicroMasters" program. Now Coursera has introduced the "MasterTrack." The massive open online course provider recently announced that it will pilot three MasterTrack certificate programs in coming months: one at the University of Michigan and two others at the University of Illinois. The news came during Coursera's partners conference, hosted at Arizona State University. The idea: to parcel up degrees in small, more digestible chunks for prospective students.

D2L Updates Brightspace with Professional Development Features

D2L's Brightspace learning platform now features a variety of ways to organize and manage faculty and staff professional development. Bringing these capabilities into Brightspace eliminates the need to maintain a separate learning management system for faculty development, according to the company. "Instructors and staff can use the same learning system to develop their professional skills that their learners are using — which saves organizations money, resources, budget and time,” explained John Baker, president and C.E.O. of D2L, in a statement.

Udacity Dives Deep with AI School

MOOC provider turned for-profit educational provider Udacity has launched a new "School of Artificial Intelligence," which features four "nanodegrees" covering AI and machine learning. Each program has tuition and a set period in which to participate and complete the lessons. The courses consist of video lectures, personalized project reviews and a dedicated mentor. Those who successfully finish the program receive certification.

Arkansas State U Rolls Out App to Meet Students' Mobile Needs

A new mobile app at Arkansas State University will help the institution communicate with students on their on terms — via mobile device. The university partnered with OOHLALA Mobile to build the app, which will include message boards, event tracking tools, calendars and other resources, according to a news announcement.

Microsoft AI Gives Deaf RIT Students Auto-Captioning Boost in Lecture Presentations

The Rochester Institute of Technology is one of nine colleges to pilot the use of an artificial intelligence-powered speech and language technology that Microsoft has produced. Microsoft's Translator for Education provides the intelligence behind Presentation Translator, a Microsoft "garage project" that breaks down the language barrier by letting users offer continually updated subtitled presentations from PowerPoint. As the presenter speaks in one of 10 supported languages, the add-in generates subtitles directly under the presentation in any of 60 different text languages.

Clemson U Upgrades Mail and Print Tech

Clemson University is streamlining its mail and print services on campus with a big upgrade. The institution worked with Ricoh to roll out the company's Student, Departmental and Bulk Mail Services, Production Print Services and Managed Document Services in an effort to reduce its reliance on paper, increase electronic communication and modernize its student mail facility.

Campus Labs to Acquire Chalk & Wire

Data and assessment company Campus Labs is expanding its analytics platform with the acquisition of Chalk & Wire. Chalk & Wire's learning assessment and credentialing tools will "allow Campus Labs to provide enhanced and integrated ways to assess student learning [and] unlock the power of student learning across varied, measurable learning paths," according to a news announcement.

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