Last week, we published a post that covered some current activity regarding the channels of food production. On one end of the spectrum, there were large, industry-wide changes (new, national FDA laws); on the other end were smaller, more personal goings-on (local grassroots initiatives by Maine farmers). Now, somewhere in the middle of it all, lands a new report from ... Read More »
Here’s an interesting fistful of facts from a marketing firm (for the record: no connection to the College of Professional Studies) about who is enrolling in online ed programs (and where, and what kind). One very interesting finding: “Most online students enroll in institutions that have a campus/facility within 100 miles of their home.” Looks like “distance learning” might actually be relatively ... Read More »
In an audio interview posted recently on evolllution.com, Kevin Currie, executive director of Northeastern University Online, shares his perspectives on the nature of competition in the higher education market, along with his thoughts on the differences between the adult/continuing higher ed category and other similar services offered by competing institutions. It’s an eight-minute interview, downloadable as an MP3; perfect for the drive ... Read More »
Dan Lebowitz, NU Executive Director of Sport in Society, was on HuffPost Live yesterday, to discuss the contract non-renewal of Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, whose immense popularity is matched only by the success of his track record. The Grizzlies’ management cited “philosophical differences” as their reason for declining to keep Coach Hollins on. Lebowitz joins the panel to discuss ... Read More »
John Tamny, Forbes economics and political writer, has written a column on the next economic “bubble” ready to pop. It’s not another housing implosion or a tech stock meltdown; nor is it another dot-com bust—not quite. Tamny says that there’s a growing dot-edu bubble, and, unlike the rising tuition figures associated with traditional, on-campus education, it’s on its way to ... Read More »
In his article in the New York Times, author Richard Pérez-Peña focuses on the difficulties inherent in cultivating a diverse student body, in regard to race and economic status. “It’s expensive,” said Donald E. Heller, dean of the College of Education at Michigan State University. “You have to go out and identify them, recruit them and get them to apply, and ... Read More »
Looking for a good long read this weekend? This New Yorker article fits the bill. Written by Nathan Heller, the piece introduces readers to the concept of MOOCs, particularly as they relate to storied educational institutions such as Harvard, Stanford and MIT. Regular readers of Aspire will find a number of familiar references (Amherst, San Jose State, edX and more), but as ... Read More »
In a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article, author Karin Fischer discussed the concerns that international students and their parents have about safety as they consider attending schools in the United States. These worries are particularly relevant in Boston because one of the three casualties of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings was Lingzi Lu, a Boston University graduate student ... Read More »
Inside Higher Ed technology reporter Ry Rivard’s recent in-depth post covers the process and challenges numerous state universities are experiencing as they incorporate Coursera online materials into their curricula. Rivard outlines a number of ways that schools may implement these tools; a synopsis of these, drawn from his post, indicates an intriguing range of opportunities: Some university officials say they ... Read More »
Nick Anderson, a higher ed writer at the Washington Post, has posted a pair of articles focusing on an uptick in the granting of Master’s degrees by schools across the country, and at Northeastern University in particular. His May 25 piece, “Master’s degree programs surge at nation’s colleges and universities,” attributes this rise to “a surge in demand for advanced ... Read More »
