Education IT News For VARs — December 26, 2014
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
In news this week is a discussion of how emerging technology will reshape higher education, a report that finds public research universities need to do more with technology, and predictions that campus IT hiring will rise in 2015.
A Look At How 3 Emerging Technologies Will Reimagine Higher Ed In 2015
This article from Education Dive examines three emerging technologies that are primed to change the landscape of higher education for the future. The three advances that will reimagine higher ed include developments in online learning from nanodegrees to courses taught via iPads attached to robots; the use of holograms as distance learning tools; and the inclusion of virtual reality technology in everything from campus tours to dissection without bodies.
Report: Public Research Universities Aren’t Doing Enough With Technology
According to a new report, while administrators are hoping to harness the power of technology-enhanced education to improve their success rates and make education more efficient for their institutions, they also face a number of challenges. The study “Technology-Enhanced Education at Public Flagship Universities: Opportunities and Challenges,” found that the biggest obstacles for leveraging technology were budgetary constraints and shifts in the manner in which students consume education.
Campus IT Hiring Increase Predicted For 2015
According to this article from Campus Technology, campus information technology departments are looking for candidates with skill sets in areas such as mobile and Big Data, but they will be competing with corporations for top talent. Colleges and universities can boost their appeal to potential IT employees through their school mission, access to new technology, and benefits packages. IT staffing firm Modis reported that IT salaries will jump almost 5 percent overall, but high-demand jobs that require complex analytical or enterprise architect skills will increase between 10 and 12 percent, and budget-pressed institutions will find it difficult to compete with corporate salaries.
Education IT Talking Points
The Daily Californian reports UC Berkeley has announced the possibility that the personal information of approximately 1,600 current and former employees and contractors may have been compromised by a data breach of the campus’ real estate division, accessing 1,300 Social Security numbers and 300 credit card numbers. The data was from the early 1990s through May of 2014. The breach occurred when the username and password of an employee doing work on vacation was stolen.
Teachers and parents support learning beyond the classroom, as evidenced by the fact that Education.com has surpassed the 5 million member mark, according to a press release. The site offers free and paid content, and it recently launched Brainzy, a portal filled with digital, Common Core-aligned games geared toward 3- to 7-year-olds. Education.com sees the expansive member community as a sign of growing appreciation for digital learning tools.
For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Education IT Resource Center.