IBL News

Author: IBL News

  • An edX Course Created as Peace Project Between Israel’s Jewish and Arab Cultures Makes a Global Impact

    An edX Course Created as Peace Project Between Israel’s Jewish and Arab Cultures Makes a Global Impact

    IBL News | New York

    Learners from 69 countries have enrolled in “The Hook, the Bait, and the Fish: Approaches to Teaching Thinking”, an awarded, video-driven course launched on edX.org in November 2020 and created as a peace project to bring closer Israel’s Jewish and Arab cultures.

    This MOOC was created by the Al-Qasemi Academy, a small teacher college in Israel. This 8-week, online, free class follows the purpose stated in the classic adage, “give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”

    It teaches students educational and philosophical thinking by providing students motivational tool tools to enhance their creativity and develop lifelong learning skills.

    The course, a finalist for the 2021 edX Prize, is led by Professor at Al-Qasemi Academy and book author Yoran Harpaz [in the picture above], whose educational theories comprise the teachings of the course. “Giving people the tools to become independent thinkers sets them on the path to fulfillment,” he said.

    To explain concepts connected to thinking, Professor Harpaz wrote light-hearted videos shot in locations like a zoo, a library, and his own kitchen. Storytelling is one of the reasons for the success of the class.

    Developed in three languages—Arabic, Hebrew, and English—the course is a significant cultural achievement for IsraelX, the international arm of Campus-IL, the flagship project of the National Digital Agency and Council for Higher Education in Israel.

  • Confidence In the Teaching Profession Continues to Decline in the U.S.

    Confidence In the Teaching Profession Continues to Decline in the U.S.

    IBL News | New York

    Confidence in the education profession continues declining, and 76% of educators feel negative about the state of the teaching job in the U.S. The Educator Confidence Index now sits at 40 out of 100, the lowest rate in the report’s history—down from 42.7 in 2021 and 49.0 in 2020.

    These are the main conclusions extracted from the 2022 Educator Confidence Report, released by learning technology, Boston-based company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) this month. The study surveyed over 1,000 K-12 teachers and 125+ administrators in May and June.

    These are the key findings of the report:

    • 73% of educators feel that technology is significantly more integrated into the classroom now than pre-pandemic, with tools to communicate between teachers and parents and tools that deliver interactive learning opportunities to students most favored among teachers. Even more, 68% of educators said EdTech has become essential to the classroom.
    • 81% report the experiences of the last two years have moved education closer to fully realizing the potential of technology in teaching. Educators are most excited about easy-to-use technology that can be used in-classroom and remotely (63%).
    • 78% of educators state that their top concern is the mental health of their peers. The majority also need more aid in the classroom, with 64% saying they need adequate funding for classroom supplies and resources.  According to today’s educators, improved salary and benefits (90%) and more support for educator well-being (67%) would make the profession more appealing to new educators.
    • 79% of educators say customized learning based on what students know and what they need would most transform learning and teaching in the future. The future of the classroom is personalized—for both students and teachers, with data-driven, personalized EdTech solutions making it possible to meet everyone where they are.
    • Community support for teacher compensation is key for not only retention but the future of the profession. Teachers are looking for more appreciation, respect, and trust in their experience.
  • Students Name the Best Colleges in the U.S. in Princeton Review’s Annual Survey

    Students Name the Best Colleges in the U.S. in Princeton Review’s Annual Survey

    IBL News | New York

    The Princeton Review released its 31st annual Best Colleges ranking lists and guidebook last month after surveying 160,000 students attending 388 schools and reflecting their experiences.

    The New York-based company ranks the top 25 colleges in 50 categories for 2023, including a new category titled Green Matters, which names the schools with the most robust commitment to the environment and conservation on their campus.

    Categories span academics, amenities, school services, campus culture, extracurriculars, and others. Available on the website, these are some of the best-ranked universities.

    • Best Professors — Reed College (OR)
    • Most Accessible Professors — Williams College (MA)
    • Best-Run Colleges — Rice University (TX)
    • Great Financial Aid —Vanderbilt University (TN)
    • Best Career Services — Clemson University (SC)
    • Best Health Services — United States Air Force Academy (CO)
    • Best Student Support and Counseling Services — United States Military Academy (NY)
    • Best Science Lab Facilities — Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN)
    • Best College Library— University of Denver (CO)
    • Most Beautiful Campus — University of San Diego (CA)
    • Best College Dorms — Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
    • Best Campus Food — University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
    • Green Matters: Everyone Cares About Conservation — College of the Atlantic (ME)
    • Most Politically Active Students — Hampden-Sydney College (VA)
    • Most Conservative Students—College of the Ozarks (MO)
    • Most Liberal Students—Bennington College (VT)
    • Most Religious Students— Thomas Aquinas College (CA)
    • LGBTQ-Friendly — Mount Holyoke College (MA)
    • Lots of Race/Class Interaction — Rice University (TX)
    • Happiest Students—Tulane University (LA)

    The Best 388 Colleges is one of more than 150 books developed by The Princeton Review and published by Penguin Random House. The line includes guides to standardized tests, study aids, and other college-related books, including College Admission 101.
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  • Students Say that College Is Worth What They Pay Despite the Financial Struggle

    Students Say that College Is Worth What They Pay Despite the Financial Struggle

    IBL News | New York

    Nearly two-thirds (65%) of students will struggle to shoulder education expenses on their own this academic year. Despite this, the majority of students say college tuition is worth it as it is a gateway to financial independence.

    This is the main outcome of a survey of 1,200 students conducted by education technology giant Cengage, released this month.

    “Despite struggling to keep up with tuition and other costs, students still believe in the power of a college education; students shouldn’t have to make painful tradeoffs when it comes to their education and a path to a better future,” said Kevin Carlsten, Senior Vice President of the U.S. Higher Education Institutional Group at Cengage.

    Around 61% of four-year students are solely paying their education costs, and 29 percent are splitting costs with parents or family, according to the research.
    The survey points out that nearly all students (81%) said schools should spend more money on providing course materials and less on amenities like dorms, facilities, and athletics.
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  • MasterClass.com Issues a Course with Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice

    MasterClass.com Issues a Course with Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice

    IBL News | New York

    MasterClass.com announced the launch of a class on diplomacy with two former U.S. secretaries of state, Condolezza Rice and Madeleine Albright, this month.

    Both politicians — close friends from opposing political parties — will teach how to build trusted teams, reconcile differences, overcome failed decisions and apply diplomacy in everyday life.

    The class culminates with a conversation between Albright and Rice focused on the state of democracy.

    Currently, Rice teaches at Stanford University in the Department of Political Science and the Graduate School of Business. In September 2020, she became the Director of the Hoover Institution.

    This class is part of the “MasterClass Presents the White House” series, in which participate leaders who have influenced American politics and changed the world.

    President Bill Clinton teaches inclusive leadership, while the former U.S. Secretary of State, Senator, and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton lectures on the power of resilience, and President George W. Bush gives a class on authentic leadership.

    The San Francisco-based MasterClass platform features a catalog of 150 classes taught by leaders on leadership, cooking, photography, writing, etc. It offers a membership subscription starting at $15 per month.

    Each class includes around 20 video lessons that are 10 minutes long on average, along with an in-depth workbook. 

     

     

  • Harvard Business School Will Offer Its Two-Year MBA Program for Free to 200 Students

    Harvard Business School Will Offer Its Two-Year MBA Program for Free to 200 Students

    IBL News | New York

    Harvard Business School (HBS) announced this month it will offer free MBA tuition to approximately 10% of its student body which is in the greatest financial need. The school will also offer scholarship support to more students from middle-income backgrounds — around 50% of students.

    This means that HBS will waive annual tuition of $76,000 on its two-year full-time MBA program — about 200 students in its current cohort of 2,000. Students will still be required to cover living costs and insurance, estimated at about $35,000 a year.

    Currently, the school’s annual MBA financial aid budget exceeds $45 million as a result of annual gifts and more than 750 fellowship funds from HBS alumni. In addition, Harvard has the largest overall university endowment.

    “We know that talent is much more evenly distributed than opportunity,” said HBS Dean Srikant Datar. “Harvard Business School should be a place where the most talented future leaders can come to realize their potential. We want to remove the financial barriers that stand in their way and alleviate the burden of debt so they can focus on becoming leaders who make a difference in the world.”

    HBS said that in order to make the MBA Program more affordable held the cost of tuition flat since 2019; launched the Forward Fellowship, and instituted a need-based application fee waiver, among other measures.

    According to the school data, the average annual need-based scholarship in 2021-2022 was $42,000 ($84,000 over the two years of the program).

    Along with Harvard University, some other U.S. universities, particularly the richer ones, are offering improved financial terms. These decisions are helping schools to combat criticism over rising costs.

     

  • Open edX & Learning Platforms Newsletter | August – September 2022: Open edX, 2U, Coursera, Degreed, Litmos, Canvas LMS…

    Open edX & Learning Platforms Newsletter | August – September 2022: Open edX, 2U, Coursera, Degreed, Litmos, Canvas LMS…

    [ Newsletter format  |  Click here to subscribe ]

    AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 – NEWSLETTER #46  |  Breaking news at IBL News  |  Noticias en Español

     

    Open edX

    • The tCRIL Organization Releases Nutmeg, the 14th Version of the Open edX Platform

    • Amgen Foundation Will Invest $30M on Open edX-Based LabXchange Platform

     

    2U / edX Platform

    • 2U Offers edX Universities a New Revenue Sharing Program

    • 2U Inc. Receives an Offer of $1 Billion with a Premium of 50%

    • 2U / edX Offers Scholarships for Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Boot Camps in Tulsa

    • 2U Presents Quarter Results While Transitions to Operate Under the edX Brand

    • EdX Announces Two Career Courses with META on Augmented Reality

     

    Coursera

    • Coursera Slightly Improved Its Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2022

    • Meta Delivers Five New Certificate Programs in Coursera.org in Software Engineering

    • Skillsoft Will Now Include on Its Platform the Coursera Enterprise Content

     

    Learning Platforms: Transactions

    • SAP Litmos Training Platform Sold to a Private Equity Firm

    • Varsity Tutors Acquires Codeverse, a Platform that Teaches Kids to Code

    • Degreed Buys Its Former CEO’s New Company and Puts Him to Lead a New Strategy

    • Class.com Completes the Acquisition of Blackboard Collaborate

     

    Learning Platforms: Results and VC

    • Edmodo.com Will Shut Down Its Platform and Service on September 22

    • Canvas LMS Reported a Revenue Increase of 22% During the Second Quarter

    • Docebo Reported an Increase in Sales and Profits in the Second Quarter

    • Territorium Raised $4.4 Million In a Seed Round Led by Cometa Investment

    • German Learning Platform CoachHub Raises Another $200 Million

     

    Learning Platforms: Functionalities

    • Learning Platform Kahoot! Issues an Add-On for Google Classroom

    • Instructure, the Maker of Canvas LMS, Announces New Features and Partnerships

    • Engageli Announces that Its Learning Platform Will Expand into the L&D Market

     

    Initiatives

    • OpenStax Will Make Available for Free the Bestselling Organic Chemistry Textbook

    • Harvard Business School Will Offer Its Two-Year MBA Program for Free to 200 Students

     

    2022 Events | All of the Key Conferences Listed!

    • Education Calendar 2022  – AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | Conferences in Latin America & Spain

    This newsletter was created in collaboration with IBL Education, a New York City-based company specializing in AI-driven, skills learning platforms and predictive analytics. We also film and produce courses for universities and business organizations. Read the latest IBL Newsletter   |  Archive of Open edX Newsletters

  • Online Learning Newsletter | August – September 2022: Student Loan Forgiveness, Higher Ed, Trends, Initiatives…

    Online Learning Newsletter | August – September 2022: Student Loan Forgiveness, Higher Ed, Trends, Initiatives…

    [ Newsletter format  |  Click here to subscribe ]

    AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 – NEWSLETTER #52  |  Breaking news at IBL News  |  Noticias en Español

     

    Higher Ed

    • Biden Announced Its Plan to Cancel $10,000 in Student Loan Debt for Most Borrowers

    • The U.S. Government Cancels $3.9 Billion in Loans for Deceived ITT Students

    • Higher Ed’s Data and Analytics Infrastructure Is Outdated, Finds an Educause Report

    • A Majority of Higher Ed Institutions Were Hit by Ransomware Attacks

    • New York State Government Alerts of Scam Practices in Higher Ed

     

    Universities

    • Harvard University Starts the Search for Its Next President

    • The University of Michigan Appoints a Canadian and Asian Descendant as Its 15th President

    • The University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) Buys the OPM Business of Zovio

    • A Leading Cognitive Scientist Will Be the First Woman to Lead Dartmouth

    • A Singapore Firm Buys a Private U.S. University and Will Create a Version in the Metaverse

     

    Trends

    • A Cengage’s Report Reveals that the Degree Stigma Causes Employment Crisis

    • Half of the Students Prefer a Hybrid Class Format, While Faculty Favor In-Person Learning

    • Learning Soft Skills Is Critical to Be Hired, Says a Majority of Employers

    • Skill-Based Premium Pay: An Effective Way to Attract IT Talent, Says Gartner

    • About 222 Million School-Aged Children Around the World Need Education Support

     

    Initiatives

    • AWS Introduces Paid Subscriptions for Learners Looking to Bolster Cloud Skills

    • Google Releases an Android App that Encourages Children to Practice Reading

    • YouTube Launches the Shorts Feature to Compete with TikTok

    • FINRA Will Invest $90M Coming from Fines to Robinhood to Educate Newer Investors

     

    Open Source

    • An AI Model Named BLOOM, Larger than OpenAI’s GPT-3 and MetaAI’s OPT, Will Be Open Sourced

    • META Engineers Build a Universal Translator of 200 Languages in Open Source Software

     

    Financials

    • College Endowments Lost 10% In the Last Year

    • O’Reilly Says Its Business Grew at 45% Through Its New Platforms

    • ClassDojo Achieves the Unicorn Status at a $1.25 Billion Valuation

    • Web3 Learning and Talent UK’s Neol Attracts $5.2 Million from Investors

     

    2022 Events | All of the Key Conferences Listed!

    • Education Calendar 2022  – AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | Conferences in Latin America & Spain

     

    This newsletter was created in collaboration with IBL Education, a New York City-based company specializing in AI-driven, skills open source learning platforms and predictive analytics. We also film and produce courses for universities and business organizations. Read the latest IBL Newsletter   |  Archive of Open edX Newsletters

  • Biden Announced Its Plan to Cancel $10,000 in Student Loan Debt for Most Borrowers

    Biden Announced Its Plan to Cancel $10,000 in Student Loan Debt for Most Borrowers

    IBL News | New York

    U.S. President Joe Biden announced loan debt relief for millions of Americans yesterday. Democrat lawmakers praised the initiative, and Republicans railed against it, claiming that forgiveness is unfair to those who tightened their belts to pay for college. Market analysts expressed their fear that this debt forgiveness could exacerbate inflation.

    The Education Department estimates that 27 million borrowers qualify for up to $20,000 in relief.

    Biden said he would cancel $10,000 in debt for those earning less than $125,000 per year and $20,000 for those who had received Pell grants for low-income students. (Around 60% of borrowers have received Pell grants, and the majority come from families making less than $30,000 a year.)

    Current students are also eligible for debt relief as long as they were dependent on their parent’s income.

    Around 45 million people owe $1.6 trillion for federal loans taken out for college in the U.S.

    In remarks from the White House, President Biden said: “All of this means people can start finally to climb out from under that mountain of debt and finally think about buying a home or starting a family or starting a business.”

    He also announced that a pandemic-era pause on student loan payments, which has been in effect since March 2020, would expire at the end of the year.

    • CNBC: Here’s what President Biden’s student loan forgiveness means for your taxes

  • Edmodo.com Will Shut Down Its Platform and Service on September 22

    Edmodo.com Will Shut Down Its Platform and Service on September 22

    IBL News | New York

    The popular collaboration tool for 12-K instructors, Edmodo.com, with 100 million users, announced this month that it will shut down its free platform and service, including the mobile apps, on September 22, 2022. Seen as a competitor to Schoology and Google Classroom, Edmodo social platform has been operating for 15 years.

    The accounts of teachers, students, and parents are expected to be permanently deleted after the platform is shut down. ​​”You can be assured that your personal data will not be shared, transferred, or sold to any 3rd party and, in fact, once permanently deleted, it will not be accessible or recoverable even by Edmodo,” said the owner of the company, China-based, publicly-traded NetDragon Websoft, that paid $137.5 million for Edmodo in 2018.

    Users will need to manually export their files and information to a personal device or drive before the Edmodo platform shuts down.

    “After more than a decade of ensuring Edmodo can stay a free tool for all, we have found that it is no longer viable for us to maintain the level of service you deserve and that we can take pride in ourselves,” explained the parent owner company, the Hong Kong-based NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited.

    This Asian company — which established China’s first online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China’s influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless — said that the Edmodo platform will be offered in some countries outside the U.S. “The Company expects to realize substantial savings in operating cost, which will accelerate the path to reaching operating profitability of its education business.”