The report titled, Global Online Education market, has been prepared based on an intense market analysis with inputs from industry professionals. The report covers the market scenario and its growth forecast from 2019 to 2026. The report also includes a discussion of the key players operating in this market.

This Online Education Market research study is a set of insights that translate into a gist of this industry. It is described in terms of a plethora of factors, some of which comprise the current scenario of this marketplace in tandem with the industry scenario during the forecast period 2019 to 2026.

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What Makes the Online Education Market Report More Effective:

Market competitive landscape:

This global Online Education market report focuses on the key competitors present in the market. The global market is highly split and the major players have used numerous strategies such as new product launches, agreements, expansions, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to dominate their presence in this market. In addition, business strategies utilized by the companies, their financial status, sales, etc. are also incorporated in this Online Education research report. The report includes market shares of the Online Education market for global, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Some of the major companies profiled in the reports are

Chegg Ambow Education CDEL EF Education First TAL Tata Interactive Systems N2N Services Saba Software McGrawHill Tokyo Academics Knewton YY Microsoft And Others

Segmentation Analysis

The market segmentation for the global Online Education market is product type and application/end-users. The product type segment discusses the different kinds of products made available by the global Online Education market. The product application segment examines the different end-users operational in the global Online Education market space.

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Regional Glimpse

Online Education market analysts are experts in covering all types of regional markets from emerging to old ones. You can hope for an all-inclusive Online Education industry research study of key regional and country-level markets. With detailed statistical patterns and regional categorization, Research Industry US offers you one of the most detailed and very well and simply logical regional analyses of the global Online Education market. The regional category includes major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa. Dominating region and the region with the highest growth are also described in the report.

Who should buy the global Online Education report?

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Online Education Market 2019| Size, Share, Global Trends, CAGR Status, Analysis and Industry Forecasts to 2026| Research Industry US - News Obtain

This years education scandal saw parents shelling out megabucks to gain college admittance for their children. Federal prosecutors have charged more than 50 people with participating in a scheme to get their children into colleges by cheating on entrance exams or bribing athletic coaches. They paid William Singer, a college-prep professional, more than $25 million to bribe coaches and university administrators and to change test scores on college admittance exams such as the SAT and ACT. As disgusting as this grossly dishonest behavior is, it is only the tiny tip of fraud in higher education.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016, only 37% of white high school graduates tested as college-ready, but colleges admitted 70% of them. Roughly 17% of black high school graduates tested as college-ready, but colleges admitted 58% of them. A 2018 Hechinger Report found,More than four in 10 college students end up in developmental math and English classes at an annual cost of approximately $7 billion, and many of them have a worse chance of eventually graduating than if they went straight into college-level classes.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures,when considering all first-time undergraduates, studies have found anywhere from 28 percent to 40 percent of students enroll in at least one remedial course. When looking at only community college students, several studies have found remediation rates surpassing 50 percent.Only 25% of students who took the ACT in 2012 met the tests readiness benchmarks in all four subjects English, reading, math and science.

Its clear that high schools confer diplomas that attest that a student can read, write and do math at a 12th-grade level when, in fact, most cannot. That means most high diplomas represent fraudulent documents. But when high school graduates enter college, what happens? To get a hint, we can turn to an article by Craig E.Klafter,Good Grieve! Americas Grade Inflation Culture,published in the Fall 2019 edition of Academic Questions. In 1940, only 15% of all grades awarded were As. By 2018, the average grade point average at some of the nations leading colleges was A-minus. For example, the average GPA at Brown University (3.75), Stanford (3.68), Harvard College (3.63), Yale University (3.63), Columbia University (3.6), University of California, Berkeley (3.59).

The falling standards witnessed at our primary and secondary levels are becoming increasingly the case at tertiary levels.Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campusesis a study conducted byprofessors Richard Arum andJosipaRoksa. They found that 45% of 2,300 students at 24 colleges showed no significant improvement incritical thinking, complex reasoning and writing by the end of their sophomore years.

An article in News Forum for Lawyers titledStudy Finds College Students Remarkably Incompetentcites a study done by the American Institutes for Research that revealed thatmore than75% of two-year college students and 50% of four-year college students were incapable of completing everyday tasks. About 20% of four-year college students demonstrated only basic mathematical ability, while a steeper 30% of two-year college students could not progress past elementary arithmetic. NBC News reported that Fortune 500 companies spend about $3 billion annually to train employees inbasic English.

Here is a list of some other actual college courses that have been taught at U.S. colleges in recent years:What If Harry Potter Is Real?,Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame,Philosophy and Star Trek,Learning from YouTube,How To Watch Television,andOh, Look, a Chicken!The questions that immediately come to mind are these: What kind of professor would teach such courses, and what kind of student would spend his time taking such courses? Most importantly, what kind of college president and board of trustees would permit classes in such nonsense?

The fact that unscrupulous parents paid millions for special favors from college administrators to enroll their children pales in comparison to the poor educational outcomes, not to mention the gross indoctrination of young people by leftist professors.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

MATTHEWS: Democratic voters are no longer buying what Elizabeth Warren is selling

BARONE: Give Thanks for Americas Increasing Fairness

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WILLIAMS: Fraud in higher education - North State Journal

Which is Better: School Online or a Standard Education? (Photo : pexels.com)

Online education has grown visibly over the last few years. It has a tendency to offer inexpensive and flexible learning alternatives as compared to the standard education system. You can clearly take a look at online and get a possible diploma certificate upon completing your tasks. Online training is honestly the ideal manner to strike a balance among work, own family and research.

However, we can't completely discredit standard schooling. Attending a physical discussion does not only permit students to have a one-on-one experience with the teacher but also exposes them to real skills that can be useful to their future profession. Fundamentally, each of those educational alternatives comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. It's all about choosing the one that works perfectly for your education needs.

Online Education Vs Standard Education: Which One Is Better?

There are different benefits of classroom learning vs. online learning. Before deciding on which choice to select between online education vs standard schooling, it is essential to first weigh the pros and cons of each. You must be responsible and have a look at the effect of each alternative and pick one that offers greater advantages for your current situation.

Here are two of the important factors that come into play when searching online vs traditional schooling differences:

1. Social Interaction

When searching about online education vs traditional one, people are concerned with regards to social interaction. One of the important questions college students need to ask themselves before enrolling is; do I need a one-on-one discussion with my teachers or friends? Online training typically provides an alternative for teachers and college students to interact with each other via an online classroom or video conferencing software. With the use of such online classroom system, it is less complicated to attend classes online from anywhere at any time. Usually, the platform lets the students enjoy the streaming of full HD and crystal clear audio lessons. It also gives them the opportunity to attend lessons with minimum distractions and can choose to be and their comfy place during each session. Teachers can use screen sharing function to share their modules to the students.

The traditional college or school is an amazing option for those looking for face-to-face communication. It makes it feasible for students to have direct engagements with teachers and college students. With this approach of learning, students are capable of getting exact discussions, asking lots of questions and overlaying many ideas in one topic. That will, in the long run, improve student's overall performance and competence within the field of his chosen specialization.

2. Flexibility

This is one of the main reasons that freshmen and working students should consider. Online schooling offers flexibility to students, especially those who are already committed to work or family life. With online-based courses, you can take lessons whenever and wherever you want, without being forced to attend classes except for the scheduled ones

On the other option, traditional education can be exceptional for students who have more time to spend learning. This option is right for a college student who isn't committed to other major responsibilities. However, some campus courses have classes scheduled for evenings, which may offer another alternative for students. Distance from home could be the most challenging factor when it comes to traditional schooling.

As you could see, each online and traditional academic establishments offer their own particular benefits. They equally come with their personal set of challenges. In either option, it will be your commitment and perseverance that will clearly matter the most.

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Which is Better: Online School or a Standard Formal Education? - University Herald

A Florida teacher is accused of having sex with her sons 15-year-old friend for more than a year.

Arrested on Monday, Susan Weddle, 40, has resigned from her position as a learning resource specialist position at the J.E. Hall Center. Last month, a high school guidance counselor contacted the Department of Children and Families after someone informed the counselor of explicit text messages between Weddle and the teen, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

The victim reportedly told authorities in late November that he and Weddle had sex several hundred times and that their sexual relationship began when he was 15 and Weddle was 39. According to the arrest report, he claimed they first had sex in October 2018, when he and Weddles son attended a football game and party before going to Weddles home to drink.

How do you protect your children from predators? Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-class experts for the online course Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here.

The victim reportedly claimed he was drunk when he tried to convince Weddle to have sex with him. He said Weddle said she knew it was wrong but she eventually gave in.

According to NorthEscambia.com, a witness claimed he saw Weddle and the victim kissing in the kitchen during a party at Weddles house. He said the victim admitted to having sex with Weddle after the party.

The witness reportedly also told authorities that he saw a video that possibly depicted the victim and Weddle having sex. However, he noted that faces were not visible in the video.

Weddle allegedly gave the victim an iPhone, necklace, and bracelet during their illicit relationship. The victim also said that he and Weddle exchanged nude photos but claimed the phones used to send the messages were either destroyed or factory reset.

Weddle was charged with felony sexual battery on a victim 16 or 17 years old, lewd and lascivious behavior, and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony. Her bond was set at $150,000.

For the latest true crime and justice news,subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Listen to the latest episode:

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[Featured image: Susan Weddle/Escambia County Jail]

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Special education teacher has sex with son's teen friend 'several hundred times': Docs - CrimeOnline

Harvard University to provide closed captioning on online videos after a four-year-long lawsuit.

On November 27, the National Association of the Deaf (N.A.D.) won a landmark settlement with Harvard University that institutes a series of new guidelines to make the universitys website and online resources accessible for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The settlement represents the most comprehensive set of online accessibility requirements in higher education and ensures for the first time that Harvard will provide high-quality captioning services for online content.

The settlement expands upon Harvards new digital accessibility policy, which was announced in May. According to the new policy that will go into effect on December 1, Harvard must provide captions for all online resources, including school-wide events that are live-streamed, content from department-sponsored student organizations and any new university created audio or video hosted by third-party platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud.

Also, Harvard must add closed captioning to existing content posted on or after January 2019 within two years. For any content not already captioned, upon receiving a request, Harvard must caption the content within five business days. Harvard is also required to submit reports every six months beginning in June 2020 to N.A.D. and the Disability Law Center with information about the number of requests received and any changes made to these policies, among other details.

The terms of the settlement are included within a consent decree, which can be enforced by the court. The court must approve the consent decree before it may become active.

This settlement means greater access for current and future deaf and hard of hearing learners to the vast universe of Harvards online content. Ensuring accessibility is not something that can be considered a bonusit is a fundamental right that everyone deserves. Were pleased that Harvard will finally be treating all learners with the same standard of respect, explains Amy F. Robertson, the co-executive director of the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center.

This settlement was reached four years after this litigation began in 2015 when it was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Massachusetts as a class action lawsuit.

The lawsuit was prompted by the recognition that, notwithstanding the description of Harvards online resources as available to learners throughout the world, many of its videos and audio recordings lacked captions or used inaccurate captions. Harvard had no published policies in place to ensure these learning tools were accessible to people who are deaf and hard of hearing. In the United States alone, approximately 50 million people are considered deaf or hard of hearing. The failure to provide appropriate accommodations to this community is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

A similar lawsuit wasfiled against the Massachusetts Institution of Technologyat the same time, but they havent settled on the litigation yet. Both Harvard and M.I.T. are known for their extensive materials available free online, and the two universities are the founding partners of edX, a nonprofit that offers dozens of massive open online courses (MOOCs), free to students around the world.

Through the litigation, Harvard filed two motions to dismiss the case. In response to each, the court ruled those federal laws prohibiting disability discrimination covered Harvards online content. After these rulings were issued, Harvard announced its new digital accessibility policy, and several months later, the parties reached a settlement.

As Harvard learned through this lawsuit, universities and colleges are on notice that all aspects of their campus, including their websites, must be accessible to everyone. Captioning video content is a basic form of access that opens up academic learning to not only deaf and hard of hearing people but the world. The National Association of the Deaf asks all who develop video content for the Internet to ensure access through quality captioning, said Howard A. Rosenblum, C.E.O. of the National Association of the Deaf.

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Harvard University, The Latest Higher Education Institution To Be Mandated To Provide Video Closed Captioning - Forbes

This story originally appeared on the front page of the Nov. 17, 1989 issue of The Press Advertiser. Editor

I think education is good to me and many others because it gives us a chance to do and know more. For example, we must learn how to read and write. Without knowing those basic skills it would be hard to get through life. Once we know these skills we can learn almost anything we want to learn. I can't imagine what it would be like to walk into a restaurant and not be able to read a menu or not be able to fill out a check or even a job application.

I enjoy getting an education because it is fun to learn new things. It's nice to learn about places I may go when I grow up.

Who knows, maybe someday I will be able to help someone else get an education. That would mean a lot to me. I love learning about good education. Andria Hargis

It means to learn. Without Education where would we be. Educcation is your life. If you did not have an Education you would die, because you could not get a real job. You could not get food, clothes and a house. You would have to have someone take care of you. Lets just say you can't live without Education. the end. Eric Wright

What education means is to go to school and lrne. And to be a good stotit. And it means to lisin to the techer. Rachal Dyan Laut

If you dont go to school you won't know how to read or write or anything like grown-ups do. You need to know how to read and write if you want to be a teacher. Danielle Coffey

I like learning because it is fun. If we did not have education nobody would be smart. Then nobody would know how much their grocerys are, and also I would not be writing this story. Chrysten Cook

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We got to come to school to learn what to do. I want to be a doctor when I grow up. I like the big old cars they have. They get lots of money and you have to have an education to be one. Brayton Hedgcoth

1. Education is learning a bowt being a good citizen. 2. Education means going to school and getting a good Education. 3. Of you have a good Education you can have a job. The ede. Darielle Wallis

Education helps people get along in the world. It gives you jobs, like a doctor or a lawyer, instead of selling candy around the neibarhood. With an education you can buy more food for your family. Some people without an education can't even afford food. With an eduacation you can know what's going on in the world around you. You can also know whats happening out of this world, like anothe planet.

An education lets you go in a store and figure up you bill without the workers telling you what it is. It is much easier to live with a good education. Be cool graduate from school. Amanda Barnhouse

Education means good grades a good job and a good life. Education is working, learning having fun. Education is skool, books, pencils.

I like Educatin because you learn new things like math spelling and the other subjects you learn definitions how to use a dictinary, you learn everything from Education. Education Motto IF YOU KEEP EDUCATION it will kep you. April Crocker

To me eduction means knowledge and how to get a job. I also think it means learning about certain things that you will have to know through life.

It means to use our minds and to try hard. It mens to learn ordinary and special kills. Thats what education means to me. Shelly Watkins

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Students offer their perspective on the importance of education - Daily Journal Online

A new business intelligence report released by Research Industry US with the title Global Online Higher Education Market Report 2019 by Type, Application, Region, and Manufacturers is prepared to cover the micro-level of analysis by companies and key business segments. The Global Online Higher Education Market study offers dynamic visions to conclude and study the market size, market trends, and competitive surroundings. The research is derived through verified primary and secondary sources and it comprises both qualitative and quantitative detailing.

The market research report on Global Online Higher Education Market covers the numerous industry prospects including the industry sectors, trends, newest industry highlights, growth factors, and restraints, eventually providing market projections for the coming years. It comprises of the latest technological advancements and inventions, Porters five forces analysis, and company profiles of the industry players. Further, the Online Higher Education report delivers an analysis of the high-scale and low-scale factors designated for the new and key players in the market together with a value chain analysis.

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Competitive Analysis:

The Online Higher Education industry company profile section of the report includes their basic information like website, legal name, market position, and headquarters, top competitors by market revenue or capitalization, and past background together with contact information.

The competitive evaluation of the application market brings monitoring into the product usage types of the current top players. Also, the study focusses on characteristic features & Online Higher Education price, valuable reviews on the crucial products in the global market. The report offers key facts and figures on the Online Higher Education market statistics, key competitors and is a significant source of guidance and business direction and an individuals interests in the Online Higher Education industry.

Some of the leading players profiled in the report are

Graham Holdings Company American Public Education Apollo Education Group Adtalem Global Education Grand Canyon Education Strayer Education Universal Technical Institute Lincoln Educational Services ITT Educational Services Education Management Corporation And Others

Market Segmentation

The Online Higher Education Market report also includes the bifurcation of the global market based on the kind of service or product, technology, end-users, applications, and others. Further, it entails extensive data about specific business & financial terms, predictable market growth, market strategies, and so on. Additionally, the report also encompasses clarification of key factors that are anticipated to considerably drive or obstruct the Online Higher Education Markets growth. It also divulges the future impact of enforcing regulations and policies on the expansion of the Online Higher Education Market.

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Global Online Higher Education Market What to expect from this report:

The Market Report Contains The Following Chapter:

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Online Higher Education Market Global Opportunities 2019 by Industry Size, Growth Rate, Price, Trends, Share, Revenue and more| Research Industry US -...

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Photo credit: Star file photo

Photo credit: Star file photo

Photo credit: Star file photo

Antonia Rainey December 2, 2019

Students have the opportunity to influence statewide education by applying to be a representative on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Texas Senate Bill 1007passed in 2007 and implemented in 2008allows Texas students from a public university to apply to become a representative on the Texas Higher Education Board. The student representative will serve a one-year, non-voting term and gets appointed June 2020.

Only one Texas student at a public higher education institution is selected to be a representative. Currently, a student from Texas Tech University is serving until the end of their term in May 2020. There has not yet been a Texas State student appointed to serve on the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

To apply, students must have at least a 2.5 GPA as an undergraduate or graduate student and maintain good academic standing. Students can fill out the online applications found on the TXState VPSA page, and then print and submit them to the Division of Student Affairs, which work in conjunction with Student Government.https://www.vpsa.txstate.edu/students/resources/Student-THECB-Application.html

By Jan. 1, Student Government members will select no less than five applicants to give to University President Denise Trauth. Trauth will select two nominees and then send the nominations to the governor by Feb 1. Gov. Greg Abbott will be able to select who he wants to appoint for the position by June 1.

Vice President for Student Affairs Joanne Smith said the university has been sending out the application and information for a student representative on the board for years. The main purpose of the Student Affairs Office is to ensure applications are filled out correctly. Disciplinary records and transcripts are checked to guarantee candidates meet the required academic standards.

We are basically the screeners of the application and make sure everything is correct before it gets sent up, Smith said, We make sure everything is complete and (students) have all the right information asked for.

Chief Operating Officer of the Commissioners Office in the Texas Higher State Education Coordinating Board Linda Battles said the goal of the bill is to allow more student perspectives on the educating board.

Institutional student perspectives are very important to the work we do, Battles said. Obviously, it is one of the reasons why we exist: to serve the students. We want to make sure student perspectives and concerns are represented in these discussions and deliberations our boards take.

A day before the first committee meeting on June 17, the newly appointed student representative will go through an orientation for the Higher Education Coordinating Board before participating in their first meeting. Toward the end of July, the representative will then participate in their first-floor board meeting on July 23.

According to Battles, the responsibilities of a student representative on the Board are to review agenda materials and attend at least three of the four committee meetings. The student will attend three of the four board meetings as well, both of which are held quarterly in Austin.

The student representative serves on the board and three committees total as ex officio members, meaning they do not vote, but can participate in discussions and deliberations. Additionally, the student representative may be contacted from constitutes in which they can either respond directly or have the agency respond on their behalf.

Battles said the student representative must have an interest in serving not only their institution but the whole of the state.

We try to ensure members of the board have a statewide perspective, and theyre not representing a particular point of view from one institution, Battles said The student board member comes from all walks of life, not just students enrolled at a particular institution.

Trevor Newman, candidate for the Hays Democrat Chair, encourages students to get involved in government and politics. By doing so, students are able to influence government officials to pass legislation benefiting students needs.

The people that know students the best are other students, and students know what each other needs and what they want to learn more about, Newman said. We know what things are being used on campus or our public education more than other things. I think thats where we get interesting insight because weve been through public education. We need more young voices within our democracy and if young voices arent willing to jump in the game, then were going to have older people making decisions for us.

Students who would like a chance to be selected for representative on the board must complete the higher education board application and Governors appointment application as well as send their resume and transcript to the Vice President for Student Affairs Office in the J.C Kellam Building, Room 980 by Dec. 2.

The appointment from Abbott will be announced June 1, 2020. The position is in effect until May 31, 2021.

For more information, students can call the VPSA office at (512)-245-2152.

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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to get new student representative - University Star

Coming out of an abusive relationship, Jill realized that many domestic violence victims have been in worse situations than she's had to deal with.

But she's grateful for every bit of help provided by the Women's Center of Montgomery County.

"I was in an abusive relationship about six years ago and they kind of saved me from that," she recalled. "So I've been with them for a long time."

The mother of a 14-year-old and a 9-year-old, Jill has never been homeless, but is expecting some guidance from the organization in the coming months in finding affordable housing.

"I've never had to stay at a shelter. I'm staying with my sister right now but plan to move in the next four or five months," she said.

With her background in the medical field, Jill said she's been working steadily, except for a brief period when she had knee surgery.

"I try to get to as many of the weekly meetings as I can, but during that time when I wasn't working I was able to get to more meetings than I usually do," said Jill, who plans to pursue a grant to finance a degree that will allow her to pursue a different field.

"They can provide the resources for that but they don't do it for you. You have to do the work yourself," she said.

Jill wasn't sure how much assistance from Operation Holiday would be coming her way, but anything would be helpful, she said.

" My kids will be getting some gifts for Christmas, but not that much. I did get a call from Pauline about the program, so that's nice to know I'm on the list."

Jill noted that she had nothing but praise for Pauline McGibbon, who provided tremendous guidance over the years.

"She has always been there for me and it's meant so much," Jill said.

Now in its 29th year, Operation Holiday has provided a brighter holiday season to thousands of families with children throughout the region. Donations from readers last year allowed the program to provide food and gifts for 144 families with 442 children in need.

This year, 15 agencies in Montgomery County and northern Chester County have referred 107 families with 325 children. Stories of families interviewed by our reporters will appear in the newspaper and online between now and December 24.

There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay local. Funds are collected and audited in a non-profit foundation account managed by staff of MediaNews Group.

Food, which includes the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry, is ordered, bought, packed and distributed by employees and their family members as well as local high school and community volunteers..

Gift cards for every child in the program 16 years of age or younger are purchased through Boscovs and distributed in partnership with the referring agencies.

Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency in order to protect the integrity of the program.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by readers contributions. All contributions are tax deductible.

Contributions can be mailed to The Mercury, Attn: Operation Holiday, PO Box 1181, Pottstown, PA 19464, or The Reporter, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale PA 19446. Make checks payable to "Operation Holiday."

Online donations are being accepted in a secure portal in partnership with TriCounty Community Network. Visit https://tcnetwork.org/ and click on the link for Operation Holiday.

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OPERATION HOLIDAY: Woman hoping for an educational grant with the help of Women's Center - The Times Herald

Engineers are taking free online courses to gain new knowledge to address challenges in their work and to improve their employment prospects, writes Brian Mulligan

Technology is now enabling many alternative models of engineering education.

Brian Mulligan

Engineers are taking free online courses to gain new knowledge to address challenges in their work and to improve their employment prospects, writes Brian Mulligan.

You can learn almost anything on the internet. Kids are learning to play the piano without a teacher by watching YouTube videos. Technicians are using videos viewed through augmented reality glasses to maintain equipment.

So will this change the nature of engineering education? It has already started in CPD, where busy engineers take online courses in topics that are not available close by, saving them time and minimising disruption of their lives.

Even practical work is being facilitated online with simulators, remote access to rigs and virtual reality based learning experiences.

For undergraduates lecturers are starting to use the web to improve their teaching. They are posting links to resources, accepting assignment and giving feedback online and using quizzes to encourage and monitor progress.

However, these changes are only augmenting the basic model of education that has been with us for hundreds of years. Are there more radical approaches that might change the underlying teaching or business models of engineering education?

Flipped Learning, where the student engages with the content before class, and takes part in activities during class, is gaining traction. Why give the same lecture every year when it can be recorded? Why not use the valuable time in class to apply knowledge and to get support from the lecturer (and peers in large classes)?

Why not create a full Project Based Learning (PBL) degree. Why have any lectures at all? A programme based around the execution of projects will better prepare the students for the workplace.

Students can access low-cost courses on the web to underpin their learning. Many of these will be compulsory and considered to be a fundamental part of an engineering education, but many will be chosen by the students on the basis of their own interests or the requirements of the projects.

However, college projects are artificial and a limited attempt to emulate the real world. What if undergraduates spent the full length of their degree in the workplace? Work-Based Learning (WBL) degrees already exist, often as apprenticeships in a block-release format.

Online learning allows such work-based programmes to be more convenient as the student can attend work continuously and study online. This model has already been successfully deployed by Institute of Technology Sligo in the apprenticeship degree in insurance practice.

Manufacturing employers around Ireland have indicated great interest in employing young trainees to get their engineering degree in this mode.

Both PBL and WBL are examples of how technology can enable radical changes in teaching models, but it might be suggested that changes in business models could be even more radical. Although the hype of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has passed, they continue to be popular.

IT Sligo enrolls 2,000 learners every year on a free Introduction to Lean Sigma course, an important marketing tool for our large range of CPD courses. Many universities are monetising this development by amalgamating MOOCs into micromasters and charging for assessment.

The most notorious example of this style of low-touch, low-cost education is the masters in computer science from Georgia Tech. At $6,500 (about 5,900), the programme has 5,000 students enrolled and is partially to blame for the reduction in enrollment in computer science masters degrees around the US.

AI systems are now being deployed to reduce the workload in both supporting students and creating assessments.

Cutting cost through scale and the use of technology, strategies familiar to engineers, are now being applied in education. The value proposition for learners seems very compelling and may well be a threat to existing programmes.

To finish, consider a more radical concept called free range learning where the learner chooses what, how and where they learn.

This may be difficult to develop in a traditional and highly regulated profession like engineering. However, given the need for more engineers, the increasing specialisation of work and the constant emergence of new technologies, perhaps this should be considered.

As accreditation is important, the key to the development of such a model is Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Many shorter courses on the Internet are issuing micro-credentials, often electronic (and more recently based on blockchain).

Electronic certificates, which can hold much richer data about a learners achievement will ease verification and make RPL more feasible. However, institutions will need to also change their regulations to be more accepting of learning gained elsewhere.

Technology is now enabling many alternative models of engineering education. Many will resist change for both valid and invalid reasons. However, learners, who will now have many more choices than they have ever had before, may force the pace of change, preferring those providers that innovate.

Author: Brian Mulligan is a civil engineer, and is responsible for online learning innovation at the Institute of Technology Sligo where he has worked as a lecturer, online learning developer and online innovation manager since 1984. bit.ly/brianmulligan

Engineers are taking free online courses to gain new knowledge to address challenges in their work and to improve their employment prospects, writes Brian Mulligan. You can learn almost anything on the internet. Kids are learning to play the piano without a teacher by watching YouTube videos. Technicians are using...

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Engineering education online the future is now - Engineers Journal