higher education

Personalized Learning

A Real MBA

A real MBA in entrepreneurship would involve building a company. Imagine how much you would learn with money at stake.

Personalized Learning

Postcards from 2015

Here’s a couple snapshots of high school a few years from now using currently available tools and a few in development.  These pictures are student-centric; there are obviously a number of teachers and learning professional involved in the success of each of these students.  Comments, suggestions, alternatives welcome.

Personalized Learning

Skip a Year or Two of High School

Sports, socializing, and selective colleges are the primary reason for 4 years of high school. Most kids can and should spend less time in high school and more time in career programs or high education.  Several reporters came to similar conclusions in the last few days.  Walter Kirn, NYT Magazine, suggests…

Personalized Learning

Online Com/Tech College Enrollments Grow

This story about increased online community college enrollment in Louisiana is interesting for a couple reasons: 1. Online Community and Technical College enrollment jumped 43%-a combination of more courses and worse economy. 2. Students and colleges saved money learning online. 3. Increased ability to take CC…

Personalized Learning

Blended Rumi

Coleman Barks, a poet in his own right, is the primary translator of Rumi’s 11th century Persian wisdom.  In an interview with Bill Moyers, Barks said that he thought about this poem in relation to teaching, “it doesn’t really matter what the teacher talks about…what we remember were a few…

Personalized Learning

Post-inflection learning ecosystem for entrepreneurs

National Journal asked us to review a Springboard (Business Roundtable) report.  My reaction was, “Where’s the entrepreneurship?”  Springboard made some sound recommendations, but it reads like the predictable managed economy platform of big biz/labor. In contrast, yesterday Tom Friedman noted the Great Inflection and the ‘maker economy.’ …

Personalized Learning

UExcel: University credit by exam

I joined the Western Governor’s University board almost 10 years ago because I was enthusiastic about the idea of credits for competencies.  More recently, I’ve been investigating pathways to US universities for international students.  Given both of these interests, I was pleased to read about UExcel:…

Personalized Learning

Free higher ed courses not great USED investment

Rick Hess makes a series of good arguments that the $500m ‘online skills laboratory’ isn’t a great investment. In the mixed provider post secondary space, quality content isn’t the top barrier.  It’s pricing that reflects the sunk costs of existing institutions.   A healthy market will make investment in…