The Blend: April ‘21
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Welcome to the first edition of The Blend. Here at edCircle, we love combing through edtech innovation news to find the latest developments applicable across sectors and student audiences. Let’s get into it.
APRIL ‘21 HIGHLIGHTS
What lessons will we keep from the virtual year indoors as we transition into post-pandemic workplaces?
Keeping it in the family…Many companies like Facebook and Salesforce are developing their own curricula and rapidly expanding their publicly-facing credential offerings. Google recently announced an expansion of the company’s Google Career Certificates portfolio.
… And standing on their own…Digital credentialing platform Credly reports that the number of organizations issuing industry and workforce credentials is up 83 percent since the pandemic. In publicly traded online education company 2U’s last fiscal year, “alternative credential” revenue surged 83 percent to $288 million.
What have we stored?…Before COVID-19, only 1/4 of institutions required training on privacy policies. What information have higher ed institutions been storing about students online? Now is the time for institutions to review all the digital platforms they leverage, especially if urgent solutions were thrown together in the past 6 months.
A serious business…Coursera recently went public on the stock market. Has edTech finally shifted into a serious silicon valley identity? Like many early tech companies it’s been a 9+ year journey to strategically monetize their services. While they use AI to grade technical learning content, they are finally seeing competitors from other sectors that can create more subjective and personalized experiences for learners.
What else we’re following…
New platforms: Google has been experimenting with mobile-first learning. A quiet launch of their product Primer provides access to a business course they created for entrepreneurs.
Podcast: Listen to a discussion from the edtech leaders at the University of Central Florida as they debate how ‘Blended is the Future (And It’s Not Just Courses)’
Engage: The creators of Khan Academy are exploring a new way to bring tutors and students together. Their approach could be the key to better adult learning outcomes in Exec Ed & Continuing Studies.
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