Teaching and Learning blog

There are a lot of higher education professional development opportunities in the spring. I’d like to bring your attention to a new one on the market –  Now/Next in learning that is happening April 22-24 in Scottsdale, AZ.

Here are 5 great reasons to attend:

1. Bring out your inner artist

There are several opportunities for you to embrace your creative side including Phil Hansen’s Interactive Art Experience keynote address and the pre-conference Storytelling workshop with MothWorks at The Moth.

2. Enjoy an inspiring desert getaway

The Scott Resort is a secret oasis in the heart of Scottsdale, Arizona — the perfect setting to relax, put aside distractions, and be inspired by new ideas and ways of thinking. Escape the cold winter gripping most of the country and enjoy a beautiful desert sunset during our Evening Social at El Chorro.

3. “There are no strangers here. Only friends you haven’t met yet.”

When William Butler Yeats said it, he wasn’t talking about Now/Next in learning — though he could have been. Whether you attend with a crew or on your own, you’ll have the opportunity to network with 200 like-minded individuals keen on driving education forward in new, innovative ways.

4. No extra costs

Your registration fee covers all sessions — including the pre-conference Storytelling Workshop with The Moth on Monday, April 22 — meals, the Opening Reception & StorySLAM, and the Evening Social on Tuesday, April 23. Download this Justification Letter to help make your case to the boss.

5. Flexible pricing options

In order to ensure you are getting the most value from attending Now/Next in learning, there is an array of registration options at different price points, including group rates and individual day and activity passes.

View the program and register for this event

A new report responds to The Future of Skills by exploring its implications for education systems and offers up practical solutions for higher education to more closely align with what the workforce needs.

We are excited to share a new report by Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Pearson that explores the changing world of work and provides recommendations for shifting from the traditional route to employment to a network of pathways that is flexible, dynamic, and ultimately serves more learners.

Released at the Horizons conference in June, Demand-Driven Education: Merging work and learning to develop the human skills that matter looks at what is required for transitioning to the third wave in postsecondary education reform – demand driven education.

The first wave – access – was focused on getting more people to enter higher education. The second wave was focused on improving achievement – getting more students to earn degrees and certificates.

In this third wave, the worlds of education and work will converge producing programs that ensure students are job-ready and primed for lifelong career success.

Adapting to the needs of both the learner and the employer, “demand-driven education takes account of the emerging global economy — technology-infused, gig-oriented, industry-driven — while also striving to ensure that new graduates and lifelong learners alike have the skills required to flourish.”

The report states, “as the future of work unfolds, what makes us human is what will make us employable.”

While technological literacy is critical, learners need educational experiences that cultivate skills, including fluency of ideas, originality, judgment, decision-making, and active learning, all supported by collaborative academic and career paths.

Higher education and employers are making headway in this arena with innovative programs like University of North Texas’s Career Connect and Brinker International’s Best You EDU.

In a recent interview, Joe Deegan, co-author of the report and senior program manager at JFF, said,“although technology such as digital assessment might enable educators to make programs faster and more adaptive, the most significant change is one of mindset.”

The future is bright. And there’s a lot of good work to do through active collaboration and partnership to create rewarding postsecondary learning experiences that are responsive to our changing world and inclusive of all learners.

In 2016, distance education enrollment continued to grow for the 14th straight year.

This is the headline coming out of Grade Increase: Tracking Distance Education in the United States – a recent report released by Babson Survey Research Group (BSRG).

As stated in BSRG’s press release: “The growth of distance enrollments has been relentless,” said study co-author Julia E. Seaman, research director of the Babson Survey Research Group. “They have gone up when the economy was expanding, when the economy was shrinking, when overall enrollments were growing, and now when overall enrollments are shrinking.”

Explore the key findings from Grade Increase in our infographic below and download the full report to dive in deeper.

Digital learning webinar series for educators

In the spirit of always learning, we have an extensive lineup of free, professional development webinars that will leave you with actionable ideas and strategies to effectively implement digital learning tools that will increase student engagement and leave you with the freedom to do what you do best: teach.

Pick and choose from over 50 webinars that span across all disciplines featuring renowned authors and digital learning leaders, like you.

Aren’t sure where to start? Check out a sampling below or visit our This is Digital Learning Webinar Series website to browse or sort by discipline.

Unable to attend live? No problem – all webinars are recorded and available to you at your convenience.

Showcase your learning

Digital credentials allow you showcase the learning you’ve achieved. When you attend one of the webinars live and complete a brief assessment at the end, you will earn a Digital Learning badge via Acclaim to share with your networks.

Happy digital learning!

Monday, March 19, 2:00-2:40 p.m.
Learning Mathematics through Digital Technologies…the Right Way!
Kirk Trigsted, Professor, University of Idaho

Tuesday, March 20, 11:00-11:30 a.m.
6 Ways to Use Polling Questions to Engage Students in Your Accounting Classroom
Dr. Wendy Tietz, Professor, Kent State University

Wednesday, March 28, 4:00-4:30 p.m.
WAKE UP! Engagement Strategies to Compete in an Attention Economy
Michael R. Solomon, Professor, Saint Joseph’s University

Monday, April 9, 12:00-12:30 p.m.
Dynamic Techniques for Teaching Structure and Agency in the Sociology Classroom
Jodie Lawston, Professor, California State University, San Marcos

Tuesday, April 10, 2:00-2:30 p.m.
Measuring Student Apprehension, Comprehension, and Engagement in the E-book Era
Dr. Sam Sommers, Professor, Tufts University & Dr. Lisa Shin, Professor, Tufts University

Thursday, April 12, 11:00-11:30 a.m.
Stories and Histories: Hooking Students with the Tale
Bill Brands, Professor, University of Texas at Austin

Metacognitive Learning Strategies for A&P Students (recording available)
Chasity O’Malley, Professor, Palm Beach State College

Thinking Critically from Day ONE of Class (recording available)
Dr. Lourdes Norman-McKay, Professor, Florida State College-Jacksonville

No More “But That’s the Answer the Computer Gave Me” (recording available)
Jim Hanson, Professor, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

This year at Educause, Erick Jenkins, East Carolina University student and Pearson Campus Ambassador, and Jenn Rosenthal, community manager at Pearson, went behind the scenes to learn about what was top of mind for contributors to the best thinking in higher education IT.

Erick and Jenn spoke with digital learning advocates about the latest and greatest in digital learning and what exactly that means for students, educators, and institutions.

Together, they demystified Inclusive Access, discussed the importance of 21st century skills, engaged with cognitive tutor extraordinaire – IBM Watson, and dove into the world of AR and mixed reality.

Catch their interviews below and let us know what roles you see technology playing in the future (near or far) of education in the comments section.

Erick and Jenn talk with Jeff Erhlich, Director of Special Projects at Park University about what exactly Inclusive Access is (hint: it’s more than eText) and the benefits it brings to students, educators, and institutions.