As schools begin to invest in competency-based education (CBE) and higher ed institutions set up competency-based programs, two of the big questions often unanswered become “is their focus on education or on learning ?” Educators can argue that the characteristics of CBE call for increased attention to learning: clearly defined competencies, flexible time structures for competency mastery, and teacher and faculty roles for mentoring learners, to name a few. MORE

” She was, apparently, at Koch Industries. Online Education (and the Once and Future “MOOC”). ” Via Edsurge : “5 Ways MOOC -Based Degrees Are Different From Other Online Degrees.” ” Not listed: other online degrees simply aren’t hyped the way MOOCs are. “ FutureLearn Looking To Raise £40m, Announces a MOOC-based BA,” says Class Central. “ Does OER Actually Improve Learning? MORE

Because of their mission and relative autonomy on university campuses, continuing education programs—in the form of extension schools and schools of continuing and professional education—are well-positioned to experiment with different student-centered learning models, create innovative programs that generate new revenue streams, and build bridges with industry partners. MOOCs are not the only ones that offer on-demand learning today. MORE

Again and again, the media told stories — wildly popular stories , apparently — about how technology industry executives refuse to allow their own children to use the very products they were selling to the rest of us. But listening to the hand-wringing of the “tech regrets” industry — those Silicon Valley elite who are now remorseful about what their products and services have done to democracy — tell us we should simply make better choices isn’t going to get us anywhere. MORE

Although practitioners may squabble over the definition of competency-based education (CBE), there is a fundamental core of CBE that centers on mastery, formative tests, and recurring feedback. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a wild proliferation of learning pathways that burgeon from those same core definitions. accredited degree program through a blend of massive open online courses (MOOCs), CBE, and guided in-person interactions. MORE

Also note, the point of this post isn’t to showcase how innovative higher education is but rather to point out innovations that are out there as a kind of survey while also hopefully helping pollinate the possibility of innovation in the upper end of the field and ‘industry’ of education. Competency-Based Learning. MOOCs are great ideas, but assessment and feedback loops and certification are among the many issues holding them back. MORE

Because of their mission and relative autonomy on university campuses, continuing education programs—in the form of extension schools and schools of continuing and professional education—are well-positioned to experiment with different student-centered learning models, create innovative programs that generate new revenue streams, and build bridges with industry partners. MOOCs are not the only ones that offer on-demand learning today. MORE

Redesigning Learning Spaces: Panelists identified changing learning spaces as a trend that educators and district leaders have embraced for quite some time and which is likely to continue. An increasing number of educators are finding that collaborative, hands-on learning requires a different type of space than most traditional classrooms offer, and that the learning environment greatly impacts both pedagogy and student engagement. MORE

” Via Inside Higher Ed : “A bill backed by President Trump and announced Wednesday aims to reduce overall legal immigration by half while putting in place a new points-based system for applicants for employment-based green cards that would privilege graduates of American universities.” ” Online Education and the Once and Future “MOOC” Via Edsurge : “As In-Person Bootcamps Falter, Codecademy Introduces Paid Online Options.” MORE