A Love Letter to Shifting Paradigms in Higher Ed

Today is Valentine’s Day. So, in honor of the holiday, I’m going to throw out some love on and props to those things I find pretty cool on the higher ed landscape. But first, a little background. Valentine’s Day — it is believed — began in the late Fifth Century when Pope Gelasius I declared a Christian feast day in honor of St. Valentine and, at the same time, abolished the ancient Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia, which was traditionally held on February 15. Lupercalia was one of the oldest known Roman festivals. It celebrated fertility, and not much else is known about it. Although it’s been co-opted by greeting card and chocolate makers, the holiday has survived under it’s current name…

via Affordable Schools Online:

Today is Valentine’s Day. So, in honor of the holiday, I’m going to throw out some love on and props to those things I find pretty cool on the higher ed landscape. But first, a little background.

Valentine’s Day — it is believed — began in the late Fifth Century when Pope Gelasius I declared a Christian feast day in honor of St. Valentine and, at the same time, abolished the ancient Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia, which was traditionally held on February 15. Lupercalia was one of the oldest known Roman festivals. It celebrated fertility, and not much else is known about it. Although it’s been co-opted by greeting card and chocolate makers, the holiday has survived under it’s current name for a millennium and half and, as Lupercania, for several hundred years before.

How is it that we, in some form, are still celebrating a holiday that pre-dates the Roman Empire? Because Valentine’s Day has evolved with us, and we have continually adapted it to be (somewhat) relevant in light of our current place in history.

To complete my tortured metaphor, that’s what higher ed needs to do to remain relevant. Over the past few years we’ve seen some signs of such evolution. And I love them.

Happy Valentine’s Day to Free Schools!

People and employers are beginning to understand that the value of higher ed is in the education, itself, not in the diploma handed out. More and more in today’s global, crowd-sourced, freelance economy, employers and clients are looking for mad skills and chops more than a fancy credential.

That’s why I love the idea of non-profits like CodeAcademy. One of several sites that will teach you to code — for free or at a nominal cost — CodeAcademy offers those so-inclined to learn what amounts to a modern trade. Students can then take what they learn, build an app or design a site, and, suddenly, they are viable candidates for paying jobs. What’s truly beautiful about this model is that coding languages are global, so anyone with an Internet connection and Google translate, anywhere in the world, could ostensibly learn this crucial, modern skill.

Another nonprofit that I’m loving — especially for its global reach — is University of the People. With no brick and mortar campus, all instruction at the tuition-free university is delivered online over the Internet. While the school offers degrees (both bachelors and associates) in computer science and business administration, the degrees are not yet accredited. But the instruction is real, and People University has some powerful educational partners including Yale Law School, New York University and the United Nations.

University of the People is at the forefront of offering world-class education to students who may not have access to higher ed in their own countries — or in places where the education matters more that the diploma. The school offers a unique perspective on what the future of education could be and represents a really sweet shift in the traditional college paradigm.

MOOCs Be Mine!

Accredited or not, massively open online courses (MOOCs) rock. They are a fantastic way to simply learn on your own by taking classes sponsored by renowned, accredited universities and taught by their faculty. I’ve enrolled for MOOCs for three semesters, now, and although I have nothing more than an unaccredited electronic certificate to show for them, they have enhanced my life.

That being said, companies like EdX and Coursera offer verified certificates — at a cost of around $50 — that they hope can one day translate into college credits. The courses offered through Coursera and other MOOC providers are not Last February, for example, the American Council on Education (ACE), which advises 1,800 schools on matters of accreditation, recommended that several MOOCs be approved for college credit at its member institutions. The problem is that ACE member schools are not bound by the Council’s recommendations. And, at this point, none of the sites through which MOOCs are offered confer degrees. So, those who enroll in the courses simply out of interest or for the educational value, are getting a tremendous bargain — the courses are free or cheap.

Even if you don’t actually get credit for MOOC courses, you can still translate them into college credits, or at least, college savings. You can use MOOCs to study for credits by exam like CLEP. Or if your school requires you to take placement tests on entry, use the MOOCs to bone up on math and language skills and avoid paying for a remedial prerequisite class.

Yep, these are the things I’m loving about higher ed today. Hope you all are able to focus on some love today, too. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Glasgow, Greenwich officials to speak at Urban London

via Greenbang:

Two new speakers — Brian Devlin and Trevor Dorling — have been added to the lineup for Urban London, scheduled for June 5 at Digital Enterprise Greenwich.

Brian Devlin

Brian is executive director of land and environmental services for the Glasgow City Council. In that position, he oversees an annual revenue budget of £170 million and a capital budget of £318 million. He also holds strategic responsibility for around 3,300 employees.

He led the £24 million bid for Future Cities that was awarded to Glasgow in January 2013. He is the lead officer in the city authority driving that project forward.

Prior to joining Glasgow in 2012, Brian worked in a commercial support services organization. He also served as director of environment and housing for the Stirling Council.

Trevor Dorling

Trevor is assistant director for employment and skills at the Royal Borough of Greenwich. In that role, he manages Digital Enterprise Greenwich, which is responsible for developing a digital economy and embedding a smart-city approach as part of the borough’s regeneration program.

Trevor is also an adviser to London Councils on economic development and is co-chair of the British Standards Institution Smart Cities Advisory Group.

A chartered town planner, Trevor has more than 35 years of experience with London local authorities in town planning, employment and skills, and economic development. He holds degrees in town planning and ICT (information and communications technology).

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California For-Profit Slams Doors on Students and Faculty

Hundreds of students and faculty at a financially troubled South Gate trade school were left angry and unsure of their fate Thursday, after the school abruptly closed its doors and federal officials said students would no longer be eligible for financial aid. Authorities confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that accreditation and eligibility to offer student loans, grants and other assistance had been withdrawn from Career Colleges of America amid ongoing financial problems. The for-profit school, which opened in 1988, provides training in such medical fields as surgical technology, medical assistance, and alcohol and drug counseling. About 800 students are enrolled at campuses in South Gate, mid-city Los Angeles and San Bernardino. “We were informed this afternoon that the school lost accreditation, and when that happens…

via Affordable Schools Online:

Hundreds of students and faculty at a financially troubled South Gate trade school were left angry and unsure of their fate Thursday, after the school abruptly closed its doors and federal officials said students would no longer be eligible for financial aid.

Authorities confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that accreditation and eligibility to offer student loans, grants and other assistance had been withdrawn from Career Colleges of America amid ongoing financial problems.

The for-profit school, which opened in 1988, provides training in such medical fields as surgical technology, medical assistance, and alcohol and drug counseling. About 800 students are enrolled at campuses in South Gate, mid-city Los Angeles and San Bernardino.

“We were informed this afternoon that the school lost accreditation, and when that happens we have to terminate student aid eligibility,” said Chris Greene, a spokesman for the U.S Department of Education.

Greene said the school had initially told authorities that it was closing for about a week and intended to reopen, but the loss of accreditation put that plan in doubt.

In August, the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training had placed the school on “show cause” status — a step before revoking accreditation — over budgeting and other fiscal issues. The accrediting panel was notified that the school had closed as of Wednesday, executive director William Larkin said.

The private accrediting agency evaluates colleges based on their programs, operations and financial stability. Schools must be accredited in order to offer federal assistance.

Tuition varied by program, ranging from about $740 for students studying to become home health aides to about $37,000 to study diagnostic medical sonography.

College administrators did not return calls seeking comment.

Students say they first heard their classes might be in danger on Monday, when a number of teachers at the school walked out, saying they hadn’t been paid in months. On Wednesday, students and teachers — some in the middle of lectures — were told to leave the building, some said.

Anthony Romo, 34, teaches alcohol and drug counseling classes and has worked full-time for nearly three years. Romo said he hadn’t been paid since November and had been forced to choose which bills to pay on a slim income from two other part-time jobs. He said he continued to teach until Wednesday afternoon, when an administrator came into his classroom and told everyone to leave.

“I feel defrauded. These are hours that I’ve worked already,” he said, surrounded by students who were holding cardboard signs demanding answers from school leaders.

Alexus Pugh, a single mother who dropped out of high school and was studying to become a medical assistant, viewed the school as a shot at a better life for her year-old son. She quit her job as a home-care worker and took out loans to pay more than $17,000 in tuition. Now, she doesn’t know what she’ll do.

“I feel hurt. I feel betrayed,” said Pugh, 18. “I dedicated my time, my energy and my money to this. I did my part. They were supposed to do theirs.”

A reporter who sought to speak with staff inside the South Gate campus was told to leave.

The California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education had sent representatives to the three campuses Thursday to advise students on recovering tuition payments and how to qualify for having their federal financial aid loans forgiven should the school close permanently, said Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for the California Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the postsecondary agency.

Students should try to get copies of their transcripts, financial aid documents and enrollment agreements, which would be required for transfer, he said. They can call 800-433-3243 for information about federal student aid or find information on the agency’s website, which has a guide for students facing school closure.

The U.S. Department of Education had been monitoring the financial status of the school and had placed restrictions on reimbursing the college pending “properly documented expenditures,” according to an accrediting report.

Officials have also been trying to find other private schools to help Career College students finish their studies. So far, that effort has been unsuccessful.

“We are working with all parties involved as well as with potential ‘teach out’ schools to finalize a plan,” Greene said. “Several schools have indicated a willingness to assist. We’d have to find schools with the same kinds of programs where students could get credit and finish out the curriculum to obtain a degree.”

Stephanie Chavez, 24, said she chose the college after her mother made her promise to make something of herself. Recently evicted, she had been staying with friends and relatives when her mother agreed to take in Chavez and her 6-year-old son.

“I took a chance on this school, hoping this would be my big break,” she said, “and I got this.”

christine.mai-duc@latimes.com

carla.rivera@latimes.com

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"Utah A.G. joins other states in defending Nevada’s ban on gay marriage; They see a slippery slope in extending rights to same-sex couples"

“Utah A.G. joins other states in defending Nevada’s ban on gay marriage; They see a slippery slope in extending rights to same-sex couples”: Brooke Adams of The Salt Lake Tribune has this news update. Posted at 10:20 PM by Howard Bashman”Lawyer will fight for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s life”: The Boston Herald has an article that begins, “Federal prosecutors are facing a legal obstacle course — including a highly experienced anti-death-penalty defense attorney, a largely liberal Massachusetts jury pool and multiple appeals — before they can win an execution order against accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.” Posted at 05:10 PM by Howard BashmanAccess online the January 2014 edition of “Appellate Issues,” published by the ABA’s Council of Appellate Lawyers: Via this link. It contains articles titled “A …

via How Appealing:

“Utah A.G. joins other states in defending Nevada’s ban on gay marriage; They see a slippery slope in extending rights to same-sex couples”: Brooke Adams of The Salt Lake Tribune has this news update.

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"Utah A.G. joins other states in defending Nevada’s ban on gay marriage; They see a slippery slope in extending rights to same-sex couples"

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Cyclist calls for pothole action

Veterans’ Day 2013—A “Call to Arms” to Help Veterans Stricken…On MyBiologica.comHealth is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person’s mind and body, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain.Alternative medicine is any of a wide range of health care practices, products and therapies, using methods of medical diagnosis and treatments which, at least up to the end of the twentieth century, were typically not included in the degree courses of established medical schools teaching medicine. Examples include homeopathy, Ayurveda, chiropractic and acupuncture.On MyBiologica.com all you are looking for about alternative medicine and health.Coming soon section with best cheapset health insurance offers for self employed …

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Cyclist calls for pothole action

via Claims Direct News Feed:

Home » No Win No Fee » Latest Personal Injury News » 2013 » 11 » Cyclist calls for pothole actionCyclist calls for pothole actionA cyclist that made a report about a dangerous pothole has called on his local council to take action that could stop a road traffic accident.Keith Wigley, 60, of Heeley, was riding along the A61 when his wheel got stuck in a pothole that was covered up by a puddle, reports The Star.”Had I fallen, I could have ended up in the path of a vehicle,” the veteran cyclist remarked.Mr Wigley has previously fallen victim to potholes in the Sheffield Council area and ended up with bruising all over his upper body after crashing – something he might be able to claim compensation for.Amey, which is in charge of road maintenance in the Sheffield area, has since filled in the pothole and thanked Mr Wigley for bringing the issue to its attention.But with the winter drawing in and more potholes expected to be created by poor, icy conditions, it is likely the problem will become worse before it gets better.By Francesca WitneyOr call us on 0800 884 0321SHARE THIS

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