PITTSBURGH, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Management Corporation (NASDAQ: EDMC - News), one of the largest providers of post-secondary education in North America, welcomes Lieutenant General John (Jack) W. Bergman, United States Marine Corps (retired), a lifelong advocate for ensuring that our nation's military members are provided with worthwhile, broadbased educational benefits in their quest to transition from service to civilian life.

An authority on organizational leadership, General Bergman will serve in a key leadership role to our 107 schools nationwide in an effort to assist enlisted military and veteran students with meeting their educational goals in order to start the next phase of their careers.

"Veterans expect and respect straight forward, imaginative, quality education and training," General Bergman said. "EDMC will continue to meet and exceed veterans' expectations and I am very excited to play a role in that effort."

General Bergman will liaise with government leaders on ensuring that student-veterans have every opportunity to make a smooth transition to civilian life. General Bergman has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs, saying that student-veterans need "education opportunities and benefits that are basically equitable and easy to utilize."  

"We are pleased with General Bergman's recognition of the importance of our programs' flexibility and convenience in ensuring that we are delivering a quality education that meets the needs of our country's men and women in uniform," said Tony Guida, Senior Vice President, EDMC External Affairs. 

Recently, General Bergman toured The Illinois Institute of Art — Chicago (ILIA — Chicago), met with student-veterans and had lunch at Backstage Bistro, the restaurant run by ILIA — Chicago culinary students. The General also paid a visit to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, meeting with student-veterans.  

About Education Management

Education Management Corporation (www.edmc.com) is among the largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America, based on student enrollment and revenue, with a total of 107 locations in 32 U.S. states and Canada. We offer academic programs to our students through campus-based and online instruction, or through a combination of both. We are committed to offering quality academic programs and continuously strive to improve the learning experience for our students. Our educational institutions offer students the opportunity to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees and certain specialized non-degree diplomas in a broad range of disciplines, including design, media arts, health sciences, psychology and behavioral sciences, culinary, fashion, business, education, legal and information technology.

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Education Management Corporation (EDMC) Welcomes Lieutenant General John (Jack) W. Bergman, a Strong Advocate for ...

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rY-lJhakm0

14-02-2012 03:10 The first episode in the series is an introduction to Online Learning and why we use it in the Nordic Armed Forces.

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Episode 1 - Why Online Learning.mp4 - Video

A recent report from Nielsen showed that in 2011, teens ages 13-17 used an average of 320MB of data per month on their cell phones –an increase of 256 percent from 2010. OnlineSchools.com has reported on additional key findings from the report in its newest infographic.

Foster City, CA (PRWEB) February 14, 2012

OnlineSchools.com, a digital resource for online education from kindergarten to graduate school, recently launched “Generation Text,” an in-depth look at mobile phone usage among teens. Analysis of Neilsen’s study, “New Mobile Obsession: U.S. Teens Triple Data Usage,” shows that teens exchange an average of 3,417 text messages per month, more than any other age group tracked. Comparing data from 2010 and 2011, the infographic also discusses the average monthly data usage between males and females.

“One of the standout data points from this study was the quantity of mobile messages being exchanged. On average, teens surveyed are sending around seven text messages per hour,” shared Seth Restaino, OnlineSchools.com spokesperson. ”Sadly, what this study does not show is that teen texting has been linked to other unhealthy behaviors, such as texting while driving.”

Teens increased their cell phone use by upwards of 95 percent for activities such as online gaming and mobile radio. More than 20 percent of teens included in the study say that they choose to text over call because it’s faster. Furthermore, as teen cell phone use becomes more popular, it comes as no surprise that they prefer smart phones like Androids and iPhones.

“As a result of the popularity of smart phones with teens, we're seeing an increase in the number of education-related mobile applications that are available. Having access to these new mobile learning tools is helping to inspire teens to give greater consideration to their future educational opportunities and that’s something that OnlineSchools.com is excited to be a part of,” noted Restaino.

For news related to this infographic, such as 11 free iPad apps to help with homeschool and other information related to online schooling and education news, follow @OnlineSchools on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

About OnlineSchools.com

Launched in 2011, OnlineSchools.com provides a searchable directory of accredited schools serving current and potential online students at every grade level. The site advocates online learning and supports parents and students as they progress from one educational decision point to the next. OnlineSchools.com is owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ: QNST), one of the largest Internet marketing and media companies in the world. QuinStreet is committed to providing consumers and businesses with the information they need to research, find and select the products, services and brands that meet their needs. The company is a leader in visitor friendly marketing practices. For more information, please visit QuinStreet.com.

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Sara Robbins
QuinStreet, Inc.
775-321-3621
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Teen Cell Phone Use on the Rise in 2011, OnlineSchools.com Infographic Reveals

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Capella Education Company (NASDAQ: CPLA - News), a provider of online post-secondary education, primarily through its wholly owned subsidiary Capella University, today announced financial results for the three months and year ended Dec. 31, 2011.

“2011 was a year marked by a challenging economic environment and increased competition for the high-quality learners Capella serves,” said Kevin Gilligan, chairman and chief executive officer. “We shifted to a brand driven marketing strategy, made difficult decisions to align expenses and stayed focused on delivering a high-quality educational experience to our learners. Capella’s momentum entering 2012 continues in the right direction as we accelerate investments to drive learner success through innovation.”

For the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011:

Revenues were $110.0 million, compared to $114.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, a decrease of 4.1 percent. Operating income was $18.9 million, compared to $28.3 million for the same period in 2010. Operating margin was 17.2 percent, compared to 24.7 percent for the fourth quarter 2010. An elimination of 63 non-faculty positions resulted in a $1.3 million charge. The workforce reduction is expected to result in annualized cost savings of about $5.2 million. Net income attributable to Capella Education Company for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $12.1 million, compared to $18.1 million for the same period in 2010. Diluted net income per share was $0.85, compared to $1.09 for the same period in 2010. Capella University total active enrollment decreased 4.5 percent to 37,704 and new enrollment decreased by 9.4 percent from fourth quarter 2010.

For the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2011:

Revenues increased by 0.9 percent to $430.0 million, compared to $426.1 million for the same period in 2010. Operating income for 2011 was $80.1 million or 18.6 percent of revenue, compared to $95.0 million or 22.3 percent of revenue during 2010. Excluding the impact from two workforce reductions during fiscal year 2011, the operating margin was 19.4 percent. Net income attributable to Capella Education Company was $52.1 million or $3.40 per weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding, compared to $61.3 million or $3.64 per share for 2010. Capella University average quarterly enrollment growth decreased by 1.5 percent compared to 2010. Total Capella University new enrollment for 2011 decreased 32.0 percent, compared to a 24.4 percent increase in 2010.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

As of Dec. 31, 2011, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of $127.0 million, compared to $193.2 million at Dec. 31, 2010, and no debt for the same periods.

Cash flow from operations for 2011 was $80.3 million compared to $88.4 million in 2010, a decrease of 9.2 percent.

Share Repurchase

The Company repurchased approximately 2.5 million shares of Capella stock for total consideration of $103.4 million in fiscal year 2011. In the fourth quarter 2011, the Company repurchased approximately 775,000 shares of Capella stock for total consideration of $25.2 million. The remaining authorization as of the end of the fourth quarter was $59.6 million.

“Our financial position is solid with a strong balance sheet and significant cash position to continue to invest in long-term sustainable growth,” said Steve Polacek, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “Despite economic pressures in 2011 we maintained our commitment to help our learners achieve their academic and professional goals and to return value to shareholders.”

Outlook

For the first quarter ending March 31, 2012, consolidated revenue, including revenue from Resource Development International Ltd. (RDI), our UK subsidiary, is expected to decline by about 1 to 2 percent compared to first quarter 2011. Capella University total enrollment is expected to decline by about 5 to 6 percent compared to first quarter 2011. New enrollment growth for Capella University is expected to be slightly down for the first quarter of 2012, compared to a new enrollment decline of 36 percent in the first quarter of 2011.

The consolidated operating margin is anticipated to be approximately 15 to 16 percent of total revenue for the first quarter of 2012 compared to 20.2 percent during the first quarter of 2011. The expected decline in operating margin is primarily related to strategic investments in learner success initiatives and higher depreciation expenses, as well as financial results related to Resource Development International which was acquired in July 2011.

“Visibility beyond first quarter remains limited, given the market environment and our new brand and learner success strategies,” said Polacek. “However, we expect 2012 quarterly year-over-year total enrollment percentage declines to be less than first quarter 2012. Our goal is to achieve operating margins in the range of 15 to 17 percent for 2012 as we are investing significantly in innovative ways to support learner success, drive differentiation and strengthen diversification.”

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this news release does not relate to historical financial information, including statements relating to our future prospects and our expectations regarding our revenues, enrollment, and operating performance, and may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available at the time those statements are made or management's good faith belief as of that time with regard to future events, and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results in the future to differ materially from its historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. The company undertakes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date.

Among these risks and uncertainties are any failure to materially comply with the extensive regulatory framework applicable to us, including compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act and the regulations thereunder; complying with U.S. Department of Education rules, including those regarding incentive compensation, state authorization, and gainful employment; maintaining our business in accordance with regional and specialized accreditation standards and state regulatory and program approval requirements; changes in the administration, funding and availability for Title IV programs; responding to any additional governmental inquiries into our financial aid practices; attracting and retaining high quality, academically prepared learners; updating and expanding the content of existing programs and developing new programs; the review of our business and financial aid practices by governmental authorities, including action by Federal Student Aid on the final audit report of the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education arising out of its ongoing compliance audit of Capella University; changes in applicable federal and state laws and regulations and accrediting agency policies, including as a result of ongoing U.S. Department of Education rulemaking and recent Congressional review of our industry; maintaining and expanding existing commercial relationships with employers and developing new such relationships; effectively instituting changes in our marketing and brand management approach and with the use of aggregators; improving our learner cohort retention rate; improving our conversion rates; keeping up with advances in technology important to the online learner experience; our ability to successfully identify and integrate acquisitions; complying with regulations applicable to our international operations; managing operational challenges with acquired entities; our use of business technology to accurately store, process and report relevant data; changes in student enrollment including new enrollments and learner persistence; effectively implementing cost reductions in our business; managing increases in our expenses; and risks associated with the overall competitive environment and general economic conditions.

Other factors that could cause the company's results to differ materially from those contained in its forward-looking statements are included under, among others, the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Qs on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Conference Call

Capella will discuss its fourth quarter 2011 results and outlook during a conference call scheduled today, Feb. 14, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time (ET). To participate in the live call, investors should dial 866.385.4179 (domestic) or 702.928.7882 (international) at 8:50 a.m. (ET), conference ID# 39946212. The webcast, including the accompanying presentation, will be available on the Capella Education Company Web site at http://www.capellaeducation.com. A replay of the call will be available starting on Feb. 14, 2012 through Feb. 21, 2012, at 855.859.2056 (domestic) or 404.537.3406 (international), conference ID# 39946212. It will also be archived at http://www.capellaeducation.com in the investor relations section for 60 days.

About Capella Education Company

Founded in 1991, Capella Education Company is a leader in online education, primarily through our wholly owned subsidiary Capella University, a regionally accredited* online university. In addition, Capella Education Company offers online education through Resource Development International Ltd. (RDI), an independent provider of United Kingdom (UK) university distance learning qualifications.

Capella University offers online graduate degree programs in business, counseling, education, health administration, homeland security, human resource management, human services, information technology, nonprofit management and leadership, nursing, psychology, public administration, public health, public safety, and social work, and bachelor's degree programs in business, information technology, nursing, psychology, and public safety. These academic programs are designed to meet the needs of working adults, combining high quality, competency-based curricula with the convenience and flexibility of an online learning format. Currently, Capella University offers 46 graduate and undergraduate degree programs with 143 specializations. More than 37,000 learners were enrolled as of Dec. 31, 2011. For more information about Capella Education Company, please visit http://www.capellaeducation.com. For more information about Capella University, please visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).

Resource Development International Ltd. partners with a number of the top 100 universities in the UK to develop, validate and deliver UK higher education qualifications, predominantly through online courses. For more information, please visit http://www.rdi.co.uk.

Capella Education Company is also an investor in an innovative startup company called Sophia (http://www.sophia.org) - a social teaching and learning platform that integrates education with technology.

*Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), http://www.ncahlc.org. Capella University, Capella Tower, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552), http://www.capella.edu.

  CAPELLA EDUCATION COMPANY Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except par value)       As of     As of December 31, 2011 December 31, 2010 ASSETS (Unaudited) Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 61,977 $ 77,416 Marketable securities 65,067 115,818

Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $5,789 at December 31, 2011 and $3,783 at December 31, 2010

18,239 13,680 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 12,493 8,290 Deferred income taxes   3,452   2,444 Total current assets 161,228 217,648 Property and equipment, net 50,713 44,910 Goodwill 16,980 0 Intangibles, net   6,552   0 Total assets $ 235,473 $ 262,558   LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 8,977 $ 4,599 Accrued liabilities 29,306 29,962 Income taxes payable 2,427 344 Deferred revenue   7,769   5,885 Total current liabilities 48,479 40,790 Deferred rent 4,215 3,466 Other liabilities 6,425 855 Deferred income taxes   12,575   7,838 Total liabilities 71,694 52,949   Redeemable noncontrolling interest 1,180 1,023   Shareholders’ equity: Common stock, $0.01 par value: Authorized shares — 100,000, issued and outstanding shares — 13,882 at December 31, 2011 and 16,306 at December 31, 2010 139 163 Additional paid-in capital 103,900 115,075 Accumulated other comprehensive income 307 758 Retained earnings   58,253   92,590 Total shareholders’ equity   162,599   208,586 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 235,473 $ 262,558     CAPELLA EDUCATION COMPANY Consolidated Statements of Income (In thousands, except per share amounts)       Three Months Ended     Year Ended December 31, December 31, 2011     2010 2011     2010 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Revenues $ 109,983 $ 114,723 $ 430,043 $ 426,123 Costs and expenses: Instructional costs and services 44,281 42,035 171,809 164,231 Marketing and promotional 32,220 32,288 132,032 120,427 General and administrative 13,302 12,103 42,933 46,464 Reduction of workforce   1,305   0   3,167   0 Total costs and expenses   91,108   86,426   349,941   331,122 Operating income 18,875 28,297 80,102 95,001 Other income, net   337   508   1,811   2,038 Income before income taxes 19,212 28,805 81,913 97,039 Income tax expense   7,333   10,840   30,370   35,860 Net income 11,879 17,965 51,543 61,179 Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest   178   91   572   91 Net income attributable to Capella Education Company $ 12,057 $ 18,056 $ 52,115 $ 61,270   Net income attributable to Capella Education Company per common share: Basic $ 0.85 $ 1.10 $ 3.42 $ 3.68 Diluted $ 0.85 $ 1.09 $ 3.40 $ 3.64   Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: Basic 14,212 16,410 15,241 16,648 Diluted 14,264 16,532 15,314 16,848     CAPELLA EDUCATION COMPANY Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In thousands)       As of December 31, 2011     2010 (Unaudited) Operating activities Net income $ 51,543 $ 61,179 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Provision for bad debts 10,565 8,744 Depreciation and amortization 24,165 18,512 Amortization of investment discount/premium 2,049 2,180 Asset impairment 35 19 Gain on disposal of property and equipment (30 ) 0 Stock-based compensation 4,883 3,698 Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation (248 ) (4,251 ) Deferred income taxes 2,516 1,354 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of assets acquired and liabilities assumed: Accounts receivable (13,789 ) (9,733 ) Prepaid expenses and other current assets (3,424 ) (1,635 ) Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (612 ) 4,787 Income tax payable 1,559 5,030 Deferred rent 750 514 Deferred revenue   342     (1,991 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 80,304 88,407 Investing activities Capital expenditures (29,587 ) (25,481 ) Purchases of marketable securities (3,500 ) (60,211 ) Payment for acquisition, net of cash acquired (12,640 ) 0 Sales and maturities of marketable securities   51,442     10,978   Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 5,715 (74,714 ) Financing activities Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation 248 4,251 Net proceeds from exercise of stock options 1,634 6,842 Repurchase of common stock   (103,375 )   (49,775 ) Net cash used in financing activities   (101,493 )   (38,682 )   Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash   35     0     Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (15,439 ) (24,989 ) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   77,416     102,405   Cash and cash equivalents at end of year $ 61,977   $ 77,416     Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information Income taxes paid $ 26,340   $ 29,563   Noncash transactions: Purchase of equipment included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 348   $ 1,110   Noncontrolling interest contributions $ 0   $ 1,346       CAPELLA UNIVERSITY Other Information       December 31,     Enrollment by Degree (a): 2011     2010 % Change PhD/Doctoral 11,619 12,058 (3.6 )% Master’s 17,049 18,740 (9.0 )% Bachelor’s 8,489 8,435 0.6 % Other 547 244 124.2 % Total 37,704 39,477 (4.5 )%  

(a) Enrollment as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 is the enrollment as of the last day of classes for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Non-GAAP Operating Income Margin and Diluted Earnings Per Common Share:
Non-GAAP operating income margin and diluted earnings per common share are non-GAAP financial measures consisting of operating income margin or diluted earnings per common share excluding the impact of the workforce reduction expense recognized in the quarters ended March 31, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2011. The following table provides a reconciliation of operating income margin and diluted earnings per common share, the most directly comparable GAAP to non-GAAP measures.

  CAPELLA EDUCATION COMPANY Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information For the Year Ended December 31, 2011 (unaudited) (in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

   

Year Ended

       

Year Ended

December 31, 2011

Adjustments

December 31, 2011

(GAAP) (Non-GAAP) (Non-GAAP)   Revenues $ 430,043 $ 430,043 Costs and expenses: Instructional costs and services 171,809 171,809 Marketing and promotional 132,032 132,032 General and administrative 42,933 42,933 Reduction of workforce   3,167   (3,167 )   0   Total costs and expenses   349,941     346,774   Operating income 80,102 83,269 Operating income margin 18.6 % 19.4 % Other income, net   1,811     1,811   Income before income taxes 81,913 85,080 Income tax expense   30,370   1,181   31,551   Net income 51,543 53,529 Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest   572     572   Net income attributable to Capella Education Company $ 52,115   $ 54,101     Net income per common share attributable to Capella Education Company: Basic $ 3.42   $ 0.13   $ 3.55   Diluted $ 3.40   $ 0.13   $ 3.53   Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: Basic 15,241   Diluted 15,314    

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Capella Education Company Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Results

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McGraw-Hill Higher Education Partners with University of Nebraska-Lincoln to Develop All-Digital Economics Course with ...

OldHawk777 writes with news that MITx, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's online learning initiative, has opened free enrollment for its first course: 6.002x: Circuits and Electronics. "Modeled after MIT’s 6.002 — an introductory course for undergraduate students in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) — 6.002x will introduce engineering in the context of the lumped circuit abstraction, helping students make the transition from physics to the fields of electrical engineering and computer science. ... 'We are very excited to begin MITx with this prototype class,' says MIT Provost L. Rafael Reif. 'We will use this prototype course to optimize the tools we have built by soliciting and acting on feedback from learners.' To access the course, registered students will log in at mitx.mit.edu, where they will find a course schedule, an e-textbook for the course, and a discussion board. Each week, students will watch video lectures and demonstrations, work with practice exercises, complete homework assignments, and participate in an online interactive lab specifically designed to replicate its real-world counterpart. Students will also take exams and be able to check their grades as they progress in the course. Overall, students can expect to spend approximately 10 hours each week on the course."

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MIT's Online Education Prototype Opens For Enrollment

China Telecom and ClevrU Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding today in Beijing China witnessed by the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, to jointly work together to develop the mobile online education market in China and in 50 other countries.

Waterloo, Ontario (PRWEB) February 10, 2012

It is the intention of ClevrU and China Telecom to develop a long-term strategic partnership relationship to research and develop a business model for the mobile online education market in China and 50 other countries that China Telecom has operations.

China Telecom and its subsidiary China Communication Services Corporation Limited and its subsidiary’s will support ClevrU’s market development with assistance in market research, business model development, platform deployment and operational implementation.

ClevrU agrees to support China Telecom and its subsidiaries with adapting ClevrU’s education platform and applications to the needs of the Chinese market and 50 other countries supported by China Telecom.

“ClevrU is excited with the opportunity to work with China Telecom and its affiliated companies to jointly study and develop the mobile online education market and the need to provide greater access to quality education services both in the enterprise training market and the consumer education market.” said Dana Fox, CEO and President of ClevrU Corporation.

About ClevrU Corporation

ClevrU is focused on WEB 3.0 applications that intelligently leverage Cloud Computing in a mobile environment. ClevrU has developed an e-teaching content delivery platform with advanced tools to assist in interactive teaching and student/instructor collaboration. This application uses an intelligent engine to adapt course content to users personal needs in a mobile environment. ClevrU is initially focused on international education markets. ClevrU's technology combines video e-teaching with semantic based intelligent social network tools for educational institutions universities and colleges, cellular phone/ tablet computer manufacturers and cellular carriers to deliver course content to students anywhere, anytime. ClevrU branded the platform ClevrU EDU and registered a patent pending on its Intelligent Collaborative Platform Technology.

About China Telecom

China Telecom Corporation Limited is the world's largest wireline telecommunications and broadband services provider and the world's largest CDMA mobile operator. Serving as a full services integrated information service operator, China Telecom provides basic telecommunications services, such as wireline telecommunications services and mobile telecommunications services, and value-added telecommunications services, such as Internet access services and information services in the PRC. As of the end of March 2011, the Company has wireline access lines in service of about 173 million, wireline broadband subscribers of over 66 million and mobile subscribers of more than 100 million. The Company's H shares and American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") are listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and the New York Stock Exchange, respectively.

###

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dana@clevru.com
519 575 1477
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ClevrU and China Telecom Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Jointly Work Together in Developing the Mobile Online ...

Administrators are skeptical about the trajectory of online education after a startup company made a splash last month by offering free online courses taught by universities’ top professors.

Udemy, a for-profit company that allows users to create and sell courses, tapped into professors’ knowledge base with the launch of The Faculty Project Jan. 26. Twelve professors at universities like Vanderbilt, Northwestern and Colgate have developed free courses in subjects ranging from public health to Russian literature and music.

The Udemy courses – which are offered for no academic credit – are presented through a combination of media, often including video mash-ups in which the professor is seen talking and outlining graphs next to a presentation. Students can post comments and questions under the lectures to which professors might respond.

GW professors are not offering any courses through the project, which cost about $500 each to develop, director of The Faculty Project Tim Parks said. The company has to select professors to participate.

Academic administrators have yet to jump on board with free online courses, citing their costly upkeep as a deterrent.

Provost Steven Lerman said the University is looking closely into the online education marketplace, which “has a lot of different models floating around,” including Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s OpenCourseWare, which Lerman helped launch 10 years ago when he was a professor there. After a decade of offering free lecture videos to students around the world, MIT will start granting certificates to students who take the courses this spring in a new program called MITx.

“The hard question is how do you sustain those [courses]. Even if you get some money to help do it at first, there’s a care and feeding cost to these things,” Lerman said. “The courses have to be updated, certainly if you want to do something like give examinations to students and give them certificates.”

The University is making strides in offering more hybrid courses – taught partly in the classroom and partly online – as a way to mitigate dwindling classroom space and the pinch of the city-imposed population cap for on-campus student enrollment. GW also offers 60 degree and certificate programs that use a standard distance learning model where students never have to set foot on campus.

To keep up with the expenses of developing online options and help subsidize free course materials, some universities rely on grants or donations.

Stephen Ehrmann, vice provost for teaching and learning, said the separation between GW and elite institutions that are taking up free online education models comes from the significant grants pulled in yearly from foundations.

“GW has no plans to offer free online non-credit courses comparable to the ones offered by MIT and Stanford,” Ehrmann said. “When we get large gifts or foundation support, I’d like to see us use it to improve the education of GW students who are working hard to earn a degree,” instead of outside students seeking free online courses, he said.

Likening free online courses to “public television or the New York Public Library,” Ehrmann said, “You have to have a lot of money to offer them. If you can do it, it can be a real public service.”

Especially as tuition costs are spotlighted nationwide, Robert Garland, a Colgate professor who is teaching ancient Greek religion through Udemy, said no-cost courses open doors for people who cannot otherwise afford higher education.

“This is an important issue for all institutions of higher learning, that online learning is here to stay. What format classes will be in and how they’ll impact higher learning is not clear at this moment,” Garland said. “I certainly believe in trying to promote learning to a wider group of people.”

Other online education issues, including the costs of courses, will be on the docket for GW’s six-month-old Teaching and Learning Collaborative this spring, the advisory board’s lead faculty member Rahul Simha said.

The 19-person board was created to examine teaching strategies toward boosting student engagement in the classroom.

“It’s exciting that today’s technology allows certain kinds of scaling and cost efficiencies, so institutions of higher education need to figure out how to make use of that,” Simha, who is also a computer science professor, said.

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GW wary to adopt free online courses

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: Pasco senior Mike Larry survives all that life throws at him — including the murder of his mother, his father and brothers being jailed — to raise his grades at an alternative center, make a football team and win a college scholarship. (Times photo, Stephen Coddington)

LET THEM ANSWER: The Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association complains that some teachers were left out of the district's annual climate survey. 

FOUR-DAY WEEK: Pasco parents raise multiple concerns about a proposal to have students attend fewer, longer school days.

NO SUBSTITUTE: Online education isn't the same as a classroom experience with good teachers and classmates, Eckerd College president Donald Eastman writes in a column for the Times.

WHAT MATTERS MOST: Lake County teachers ask to be freed of extra duties so they can focus more on academics, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

UNFAIR: An Orange County principal says schools serving poor students won't get fair treatment in the state's merit pay system, WKMG-6 reports.

STRAIGHT TO STUDENTS: The Florida Department of Education studies the Lake Wales Charter Schools model of directing grant funds straight to schools, the Ledger reports.

COLLEGE CREDIT: A growing number of Miami-Dade and Broward high school students take dual enrollment college courses, the Miami Herald reports.

LIBRARY FINES: Palm Beach schools fail to collect about $2 million in lost book fees, the Palm Beach Post reports.  

FOLLOW THE RULES: A finalist for Palm Beach superintendent withdraws after the School Board allows the interim superintendent, who was contractually barred from applying, to be considered for the job, the Palm Beach Post reports.

SUE YOU: Two ousted Brevard maintenance workers file a lawsuit saying their were wrongfully terminated, Florida Today reports.

PAY UP: Former Monroe superintendent Randy Acevedo, ousted and found guilty of public corruption, has yet to pay his criminal fines, the Keynoter reports.

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Florida education news: Success story, four-day school week, online education and more

OTTAWA — Many young people remain vulnerable to online predators because they are dangerously unaware that privacy on the Internet is an illusion, experts say.

And the Internet has opened so many avenues for young people that they've become blissfully ignorant it can also be used to harm them.

Teenage girls in particular tend to be easy prey because they see the Internet as part of their living space and consider — incorrectly — whatever they do online as private, said Shaheen Shariff, an associate professor of education at McGill University, who specializes in cyber-bullying and online social networking.

The reality is that the Internet has no boundaries — once an image leaves a home computer or cellphone, it becomes universally available.

What makes teenage girls who are frequently online even more vulnerable is the fact that many are at an age where they are experimenting with their sexuality, and it's easy to take advantage of them, experts add.

They say the case of a 20-year-old Ottawa man who used threats and extortion to lure young women into performing online sexual acts reinforces the need for more Internet-usage education.

"Young people today see the Internet as part of their lived space . . . and when they send photographs, or are seduced by people to do it online, they consider that to be private space," Shariff said.

"They do not understand that what they send is available to an infinite audience and the information can be permanently damaging to them."

Michael Hoechsmann, another McGill University expert in education, media and new technology, says the Internet is not to blame.

Young people have always experimented, he says, but what has changed is that the Internet offers an avenue for mass distribution, especially for images.

And since it has become such an integral part of the culture and personality for young people, abuses are inevitable. But malicious acts are seemingly becoming more the exception than the rule.

"Increasingly, young people are living virtual lives and using the Internet as a form of expression and meeting place. The fact that many young people carry cameras with them on a daily basis has made them broadcasters," Hoechsmann said.

"When people bring whatever element of their identity to that meeting place, you're going to have some that are going to express it in a hateful manner," he added.

Shariff says that while a number of incidents involving predators has created a "moral panic" in the media, making the Internet seem "bad" for girls, the contrary is true.

The Internet, she says, remains a positive instrument for young people — but the challenge is to identify those who are vulnerable, and put in measures to protect them.

She says the problem is that "the lines between public and private" are blurred for teen girls, and it is important to get them to understand the limits of online privacy.

It is a task that requires the combined effort of parents, teachers and everyone involved in teenagers' lives.

"The advent of the Internet has posed a whole new series of challenges to our society and the youth in particular," said Alex McKay, research co-ordinator of the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada.

"Clearly, there are some kids who are not aware of what can happen to their communications and images that are posted on the Internet. It is extremely important that schools as part of the education they provide, include information and skills that will help young people navigate the Internet safely."

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Teens need education in online privacy