<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" > <channel> <title>Inscribe – Jeff Presents</title> <atom:link href="http://jeffpresents.com/index.php/tag/inscribe/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>http://jeffpresents.com</link> <description>Education - Communication - Transformation</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:48:24 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">144472685</site> <item> <title>Coming Together to Cover the Pandemic</title> <link>http://jeffpresents.com/index.php/2020/03/16/2020-3-16-coming-together-to-cover-the-pandemic/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[bordenj88]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:48:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Connectedness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Grants]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vendor Relationships]]></category> <category><![CDATA[budget]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Campus]]></category> <category><![CDATA[campus app]]></category> <category><![CDATA[care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[commercial]]></category> <category><![CDATA[community]]></category> <category><![CDATA[compassion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[connectedness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[coronavirus]]></category> <category><![CDATA[cost]]></category> <category><![CDATA[covid-19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ed tech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[education technology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Grant]]></category> <category><![CDATA[infrastructure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Inscribe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[interconnected]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lumen Learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mobile app]]></category> <category><![CDATA[portal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[providers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[socialness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Socrative]]></category> <category><![CDATA[student support]]></category> <category><![CDATA[support]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://jeffpresents.com/index.php/2020/03/16/2020-3-16-coming-together-to-cover-the-pandemic/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p class="">Education is seeing unprecedented support from education technology during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong><em>I am proud of ed tech.</em></strong></p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I have literally spent half of my career in formal academic positions and the other half on the solutions-provider side of the equation supporting formal, academic initiatives and strategies. <em>In that time, as you might imagine, I have heard and seen a lot regarding the intermingling of two worlds that sometimes have a love/hate relationship.</em></p> <div class=" image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none " data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" ></p> <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " style="max-width:620px;" ></p> <div style="padding-bottom:72.58065032958984%;" class=" image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio " data-animation-role="image" ><br /> <noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584376772570-EOWGFOO55K87KKDF01H6/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kNXbagHlXSSSV8qu65DOcAlZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpyrvwTRazbtKbC4itpue0lDS2gYy5WKsUJN3s10WnaQTH4iDNJqv1mt7e32JdnaCyQ/FriendFoe.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1" alt="FriendFoe.jpg" /></noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="thumb-image" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584376772570-EOWGFOO55K87KKDF01H6/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kNXbagHlXSSSV8qu65DOcAlZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpyrvwTRazbtKbC4itpue0lDS2gYy5WKsUJN3s10WnaQTH4iDNJqv1mt7e32JdnaCyQ/FriendFoe.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584376772570-EOWGFOO55K87KKDF01H6/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kNXbagHlXSSSV8qu65DOcAlZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpyrvwTRazbtKbC4itpue0lDS2gYy5WKsUJN3s10WnaQTH4iDNJqv1mt7e32JdnaCyQ/FriendFoe.jpg" data-image-dimensions="620x450" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="FriendFoe.jpg" data-load="false" data-image-id="5e6fabc4cd70ff1ff04af5ce" data-type="image" /> </div> </figure></div> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I have heard (both 1st and 3rd person) academics say that <em>working for a commercial organization is the “dark side”</em>, although in fairness I also hear that a lot when faculty move into administrative roles. I recall vividly a meeting where a Department Chair wagged her finger at a book publisher saying how unethical it was to “make a profit” off of education. <em> (The rep, quite shaken by the interaction, told me later how frustrating it was as there is no college or university in the world that isn’t trying to make more revenue…)</em></p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">But despite the (sometimes) oil and water nature of providing products and services that legitimately cost money to build, maintain, integrate, support and more, <em>it has brought me a swell of pride to see the outpouring of help and hugely discounted rates by many, many commercial providers. </em>Our country and our world is obviously in a massive time of stress, with a huge amount of fluctuation in “normal” operations, which absolutely includes education. More and more schools are going to finish out the term completely online, with a professoriate who may have never touched an online platform in their lives expected to create “as good as” educational experiences. And this context will likely play out for a while as experts say that next Fall / Winter are likely to be far worse than this Spring. </p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">So, as I watch my Twitter feed and my LinkedIn updates, I am so grateful to the ed tech companies, large and small, who are going above and beyond to do their part. Yes, I have heard of a few organizations in ed tech who are “price gouging” (<em>which seems like business suicide to me…this pandemic will go away eventually and people will remember!</em>), but for the most part, ed tech companies are<strong> putting holds on sales calls, discounting platforms, and in some cases, giving their systems and services away</strong> as schools try to transition to a new norm. </p> <div class=" image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none " data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" ></p> <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " style="max-width:1600px;" ></p> <div style="padding-bottom:51.25%;" class=" image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio " data-animation-role="image" ><br /> <noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584377100276-6602TOMNP0TQNE9IRJIC/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kP70LZcLHkkl_sMO89Iv5-AUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYy7Mythp_T-mtop-vrsUOmeInPi9iDjx9w8K4ZfjXt2drfAMsz3GC04JZ4aoKNDVYwYRHZh_64W717MCKT1CaQVCjLISwBs8eEdxAxTptZAUg/Campus2020.png?w=1220&ssl=1" alt="Campus2020.png" /></noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="thumb-image" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584377100276-6602TOMNP0TQNE9IRJIC/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kP70LZcLHkkl_sMO89Iv5-AUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYy7Mythp_T-mtop-vrsUOmeInPi9iDjx9w8K4ZfjXt2drfAMsz3GC04JZ4aoKNDVYwYRHZh_64W717MCKT1CaQVCjLISwBs8eEdxAxTptZAUg/Campus2020.png?w=1220&ssl=1" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584377100276-6602TOMNP0TQNE9IRJIC/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kP70LZcLHkkl_sMO89Iv5-AUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYy7Mythp_T-mtop-vrsUOmeInPi9iDjx9w8K4ZfjXt2drfAMsz3GC04JZ4aoKNDVYwYRHZh_64W717MCKT1CaQVCjLISwBs8eEdxAxTptZAUg/Campus2020.png" data-image-dimensions="1600x820" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="Campus2020.png" data-load="false" data-image-id="5e6fad0c6c85611f8f942822" data-type="image" /> </div> </figure></div> <ul data-rte-list="default"> <li> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://campus.app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Campus </a><em>(who, in the spirit of transparency, is working with our Institute to give away their platform via a </em><a href="/coronavirus-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>grant</em></a><em>)</em>, is doing what they can. As I said earlier, these products and services cost money. So, just as Socrative had to <a href="https://www.showbie.com/covid-19-complimentary-showbie-pro-socrative-pro-for-schools-moving-to-distance-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rescind </a>their generous offer allowing anyone moving online to use their system for free, some providers realize out of the gate that they cannot over-extend. Doing so would not only hurt the new partner, but also existing partners. So, Campus has taken a very measured approach to do their part. Despite being an early-growth company, they are offering to bring one school onto their platform for free (until June 30, 2021), while offering a free first year of a multi-year license to others. <em>The totally free setup will help any school who realizes that an LMS alone is simply not enough to get the job done and retain business continuity during this crisis, while the second grant(s) will likely be perfect for any schools who were already looking for a portal, mobile app, and social solution, but are now forced to divert costs elsewhere.</em> </p> </li> <li> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://info.lumenlearning.com/transition-spring2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lumen Learning</a> is also getting into the act. Just as most colleges and universities will soon see that they struggle with infrastructure around support, connection, etc., most already know that they will need to do something with course management. That’s where Lumen Learning can really help.<em> Lumen courses are “ready to teach,” meaning instructors can get started quickly with minimal set-up.</em> Faculty and/or departments can do as much or as little customization as desired. And they are offering special help for schools during this time of crisis.</p> </li> <li> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://inscribe.education/main/inscribe/6754110229456694/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inscribe</a> is also providing community tools and help for schools and faculty seeking to go online, many for the first time. When I was at Saint Leo we piloted InScribe for our courses, allowing students and faculty alike to generate meaningful learning communities. <em>This is exactly the kind of application that can be a game changer for instructors who are worried about students drifting away in an online class. </em>What makes this even more impressive to me is that InScribe is a true start-up. They aren’t flush with cash like a Pearson or BlackBoard, but they are doing what they can to help. Amazing.</p> </li> </ul> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I know there are others. In fact, there are too many to detail here. But it’s really impressive to see so many providers working hand-in-glove with institutions to provide the exact types of support needed to keep education moving forward. </p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The next few months are going to be a wild ride, that’s for sure. Next week, I promise to write more about what to do now that teaching and learning has transitioned to online. You’ll see a lot of resources and websites and webinars (heck, I am lending some assistance to a Cengage webinar this coming Friday on the subject), but I want to make sure to check in regularly and help with things after week 1. There are tips and tricks that can genuinely help.</p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">But for now, let’s get our infrastructure setup. And for that, most schools will look to commercial providers for help. I hope you can step back, just for a moment, and thank some of those providers with me. This really is a time of solidarity and it’s powerful to see so many of us coming together. </p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Let me close with one last note about this, but from a different perspective. I closely follow<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/david-brooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> David Brooks</a> in writing, video interviews, and more. As the conservative journalist for the NY Times, I have always been impressed with his intentional, thoughtful, and reasonable perspective. He is often the voice of calm during a storm. But he mentioned this week (<em>both on PBS and in his column</em>) that pandemics result in a decrease in compassion. As one example, during the Spanish Flu outbreak of the early 1900’s, many people stopped volunteering, stopped helping their neighbors, and stopped worrying about anyone other than themselves. <em> At the start of the outbreak, everyone was joining together to muster on, but over time, this quickly dissipated. </em> </p> <div class=" image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none " data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" ></p> <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " style="max-width:1200px;" ></p> <div style="padding-bottom:52.499996185302734%;" class=" image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio " data-animation-role="image" ><br /> <noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584377205506-UXP05LQALUBPSE4ZJPY4/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kEhRb-mGDiEi0xC18_AR20gUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKcsUFtfQr2yxuOzlidL-fYvTwqjsYaERXA-DujV44Tnn4ay3UZP6GxYjP38VLon1Vj/UmbrellaSupport.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1" alt="UmbrellaSupport.jpg" /></noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="thumb-image" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584377205506-UXP05LQALUBPSE4ZJPY4/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kEhRb-mGDiEi0xC18_AR20gUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKcsUFtfQr2yxuOzlidL-fYvTwqjsYaERXA-DujV44Tnn4ay3UZP6GxYjP38VLon1Vj/UmbrellaSupport.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1584377205506-UXP05LQALUBPSE4ZJPY4/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kEhRb-mGDiEi0xC18_AR20gUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKcsUFtfQr2yxuOzlidL-fYvTwqjsYaERXA-DujV44Tnn4ay3UZP6GxYjP38VLon1Vj/UmbrellaSupport.jpg" data-image-dimensions="1200x630" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="UmbrellaSupport.jpg" data-load="false" data-image-id="5e6fad74efd68d1617895851" data-type="image" /> </div> </figure></div> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">This weekend, I saw two women literally fight in a grocery store over a bottle of hand-sanitizer. The older of the two ladies ended up bleeding from the head, after being pushed back into a nearly empty rack, as the grocery store was picked clean. Much has been said about what our new normal could do to people. The elderly will struggle with a decision to remain safe or fall into a depression from loneliness. A huge percentage of kids who rely on schools to feed them each day will now go hungry. People are going to suffer and that suffering will continue for a year or more, most likely. Not to mention what happens when the majority of people find out that COVID-19 produces the symptoms of a cold <em>(making them believe it’s fine to go back to life as they lived it previously)</em>, while a smaller percentage see results that are far, far more serious. </p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">So, as I conclude, let’s try hard to remember over time that we are still in this together. We are staying at home more to try and help each other. Yes, you may be fine. You may get the virus and have no ill effects. But you likely have at-risk people you know, and absolutely will be out in the world interacting with others who have at-risk people in their lives. As time goes on, let us remember the interconnectedness and interdependence we all have on each other. Our world is smaller than ever before and now is not the time to brandish a selfish, nobody’s-gonna-tell-me-what-to-do attitude. <em>Let’s try to create a support net for all of our people now, and in the future.</em></p> <p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Good luck and good learning.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">266</post-id> </item> <item> <title>What Is A Learning Ecosystem?</title> <link>http://jeffpresents.com/index.php/2018/08/20/2018-8-20-what-is-a-learning-ecosystem/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[bordenj88]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 20 Aug 2018 21:24:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Connectedness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Learning Analytics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[systems thinking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[affection]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Assessment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[campus app]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Campus by Ucroo]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Canvas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[cognition]]></category> <category><![CDATA[conation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[connected campus]]></category> <category><![CDATA[connectedness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[CRM]]></category> <category><![CDATA[data]]></category> <category><![CDATA[data analysis]]></category> <category><![CDATA[demographics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[digital learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ellucian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ePortfolio]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Foliotek]]></category> <category><![CDATA[holistic learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Inscribe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[learning analytics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[learning ecosystem]]></category> <category><![CDATA[lms]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MeTL]]></category> <category><![CDATA[middleware]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category> <category><![CDATA[outcomes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[portal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[rube goldberg]]></category> <category><![CDATA[SIS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Student portal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[student success]]></category> <category><![CDATA[system architecture]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://jeffpresents.com/index.php/2018/08/20/2018-8-20-what-is-a-learning-ecosystem/</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><em>A crucial "systems thinking" component of a learning ecosystem is this</em>: <strong><em>Integration trumps functionality</em></strong>.  In other words, if 85% of your desired functionality can be achieved with a fully integrated tool, or 97% of your desired functionality can be achieved with no connection to other parts of the ecosystem, use the former and avoid the latter.  <em>(Of note, this is why the RFI / RFP process can be so detrimental to an organization's longitudinal well-being from a systems perspective.)</em>   </p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>So what is in a learning ecosystem in 2018?</strong></p> <div class=" image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none " data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" ></p> <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " style="max-width:500px;" ></p> <div style="padding-bottom:90.80000305175781%;" class=" image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio " data-animation-role="image" ><br /> <noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534799403313-5HPC2NI4ZE9QR9SACOYH/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kPzhekLiTXn34n_hT2J2lTNZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpypO-Xj1FtM-XeLFu1OeDCCkY68LDPkX4sWSIiRGCqtscQIyGG1LwZq5PDs_YKY_6U/cloud-computing.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1" alt="cloud-computing.jpg" /></noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="thumb-image" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534799403313-5HPC2NI4ZE9QR9SACOYH/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kPzhekLiTXn34n_hT2J2lTNZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpypO-Xj1FtM-XeLFu1OeDCCkY68LDPkX4sWSIiRGCqtscQIyGG1LwZq5PDs_YKY_6U/cloud-computing.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534799403313-5HPC2NI4ZE9QR9SACOYH/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kPzhekLiTXn34n_hT2J2lTNZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpypO-Xj1FtM-XeLFu1OeDCCkY68LDPkX4sWSIiRGCqtscQIyGG1LwZq5PDs_YKY_6U/cloud-computing.jpg" data-image-dimensions="500x454" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="cloud-computing.jpg" data-load="false" data-image-id="5b7b2e2b8a922da6925baa19" data-type="image" /> </div> </figure></div> <p>In <a target="_blank" href="https://www.iceinstitute.org/blog/2018/8/13/what-is-a-learning-ecosystem-10-minutes" rel="noopener">part 1</a>, we looked at how and why a learning ecosystem works. We talked through what is (and what is not) interdependent about many systems, but we also stressed <em><strong>the importance of people</strong></em> in the equation, with technology acting in a supportive way. It is extremely important to remember that<em> if technology does not help you do something (faster, better, etc) that you could not do without it, then the technology is there for its own sake</em>. But we also argued that even if technology does in fact help a few people, but does not connect / assist larger groups or organizations, technology as a stand-alone solution is typically not ideal. This is especially relevant within higher education. </p> <p>Unfortunately, education has been very late to the game in terms of integration, erring on the side of single-point solutions. This is likely due to the heavily political and siloed nature of the industry. But with technology changing so rapidly and with more and more integration options available, a learning ecosystem as described in Part 1 is not just possible, <strong>at this point it is senseless to work toward anything else. </strong></p> <p>So, based on the skeleton of part 1, here is the meat for those bones. The following list will shift and change over time, although not likely in a mass way at any single point in time. As new tools come and go, it is optimal that a “plug n play” mentality be associated with your learning ecosystem, which creates a strong case for middleware and other integration solutions. But, <em><strong>here are the types of tools to consider for a best-in-class College or University Learning Ecosystem</strong></em>:</p> <p><strong>Must Haves</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>SIS</strong> (Student Information System) / <strong>ERP</strong> (Enterprise Reporting Program) – the source of truth for an institution holding most of the highest-security data such as financial aid, grade, contact info, social security number, etc. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ellucian.com/Software/Student-Information-Systems/" rel="noopener">Ellucian </a>– Banner or Colleague, PeopleSoft, Workday, Jenzibar, etc)</li> <li><strong>LMS</strong> (Learning Management System) – a parallel or augmentable delivery system to the face to face classroom, it is important to note that online classes should leverage the same outcomes as their F2F counterparts, the best online classes are far more than a translation of F2F experiences, actually leveraging the power of the web. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.canvaslms.com/" rel="noopener">Canvas</a>, D2L, Amplifire, Blackboard, Moodle, Schoology, etc)</li> <li><strong>Portal/Digital Campus</strong> – the connection “hub” or “front door” (via SSO) to all people, services, communication channels, and support at the institution, modern portals are far more than a conglomeration of links nor are good portals an overabundance of tiles / widgets; however the best portals are multi-channel experiences (web, tablet, mobile, etc) pushing notifications, clustering people, and providing support options for all. (<a target="_blank" href="https://ucroo.com/" rel="noopener">Campus</a>, Skooly, ClassLink, Luminis, CampusCruiser, etc)</li> </ul> <div class=" image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none " data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" ></p> <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " style="max-width:1200px;" ></p> <div style="padding-bottom:133.33334350585938%;" class=" image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio " data-animation-role="image" ><br /> <noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534799802699-6LI21W79O4DCW6LRI38F/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kOocpZx0xlvWaMfujuqmZxF7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QHyNOqBUUEtDDsRWrJLTmujyyI7Frso6MRdplGTbhDuXZECgQPB9cqfz5W6M2bbtdO48clcURN-OsvwxYNGXR/image-asset.jpeg?w=1220&ssl=1" alt="" /></noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="thumb-image" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534799802699-6LI21W79O4DCW6LRI38F/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kOocpZx0xlvWaMfujuqmZxF7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QHyNOqBUUEtDDsRWrJLTmujyyI7Frso6MRdplGTbhDuXZECgQPB9cqfz5W6M2bbtdO48clcURN-OsvwxYNGXR/image-asset.jpeg?w=1220&ssl=1" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534799802699-6LI21W79O4DCW6LRI38F/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kOocpZx0xlvWaMfujuqmZxF7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QHyNOqBUUEtDDsRWrJLTmujyyI7Frso6MRdplGTbhDuXZECgQPB9cqfz5W6M2bbtdO48clcURN-OsvwxYNGXR/image-asset.jpeg" data-image-dimensions="1200x1600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="5b7b2fb91ae6cf55a0b61b17" data-type="image" /> </div> </figure></div> <p><strong>Advanced Ecosystem Elements</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>CRM</strong> (Customer Relationship Management) – a project management tool for managing students at risk, for enrollment, and beyond, the CRM is often associated with other tools that identify flags / triggers which can then be acted upon by staff. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.salesforce.com/solutions/industries/higher-ed/overview/" rel="noopener">SalesForce</a>, Zoho, Dynamics365, Sugar etc)</li> <li><strong>Student Success Platforms</strong> – a mature organization is iteratively moving forward with the use of behavioral, predictive analytics to further student success and by which to perform algorithmic sorting, predictive modeling, and other heavy duty math to help establish students who are likely or unlikely to succeed. Some platforms include some degree of CRM (above) whereas others typically feed a CRM. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.civitaslearning.com/" rel="noopener">Civitas Learning</a>, HelioCampus, EAB, Starfish, Tableau, etc)</li> <li><strong>Integration Middleware</strong> – far more common in the banking, healthcare, and other commercial areas, integration middleware platforms allow any/all tools to be connected via full API sets to the platform, making it easy to transfer information as well as data back and forth, as well as plug-n-play tools being added or removed with ease. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mulesoft.com/" rel="noopener">Mulesoft</a>, Dell Boomi, Apigee, Tibco, Jitterbit, Zapier, etc)</li> <li><strong>Tutoring / Writing </strong>– once considered only necessary if a school leveraged online learning, most institutions now realize that students need help 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, which means working with various academic help systems that can be integrated heavily or lightly as appropriate. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tutor.com/" rel="noopener">Tutor</a>, SmartThinking, Grammar.ly, MyWritingLab, etc)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Components</strong></p> <p>There is a long list of other potential assets used in a learning ecosystem. However, the next set of tools are often not linked or integrated in a “system” with the tools listed above. They might be tied to one specific tool (example: an ePortfolio to the LMS), but rarely do they push and pull information or data, despite how helpful that may truly be, between systems. The following list is not exhaustive, nor does it place value on the solution or concept. But these common components should represent a lot of the tools and platforms used throughout higher education, therefore considered part of the learning (eco)systems in place:</p> <ul> <li><strong>ePortfolio</strong> – more and more educational institutions are seeking better ways to measure and represent learning and ePortfolios, with their evidence based, project enabled, outcomes-mapped systems are one way that is happening. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.foliotek.com/" rel="noopener">Foliotek</a>, LiveText, TaskStream, Tk20, etc)</li> <li><strong>Content aggregators</strong> – as OER (Open Educational Resources) are finding more success, textbooks (commercial, OER, and low-cost) and other subject material(s) which need to be leveraged beyond insertion into an LMS, are entering the ecosystem space. (<a target="_blank" href="https://openstax.org/" rel="noopener">OpenStax</a>, Lumen Learning, OER Commons, Pearson, Cengage, etc)</li> <li><strong>Exam Management</strong> – since tests are still used almost exclusively for high stakes, mid/final assessment experiences (instead of as learning tools), there is still a lot of formality around these tools, typically standing alone or plugging into an LMS only. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ets.org/" rel="noopener">ETS</a>, Pearson, GRE, Accreditation / Department specific systems, etc)</li> <li><strong>Engagement systems – </strong> As George Siemens states, “I wonder when it will become illegal to teach by lecture. No longer worthy of the placebo effect in experiments, the mounting evidence is so clear that active learning strategies are better in every measurable way, I wonder when Do-No-Harm will be invoked in the classroom?” However active, brain-based learning at scale almost always requires technological assistance. <em>From crowdsourced academic support like <a target="_blank" href="https://inscribe.education/" rel="noopener">InScribe</a> to Presentation Slide killers such as <a target="_blank" href="https://stackableregiments.github.io/analyticalmetlx/guide.html" rel="noopener">MeTL</a> or Explain Everything to immediate feedback channels like Poll Everywhere or Clickers to community content tools like blogs or wikis and even starting to include augmented or virtual reality</em>, academics should always be on the lookout for powerful, academic engagement tools to capture and retain student attention. If there are tools that meet specific, initiative-driven needs, <em>consider ways to integrate them into your learning ecosystem. </em></li> <li><strong>Process systems – </strong>regarding data, databases, and other processes important to higher education, there are a litany of other tools and assets some schools find crucial to their ecosystem. From attendance tracking to internship application to forms and websites, there are a lot of other “one off” platforms that can help meet a need at your institution. <em>Note that a lot of those capabilities are likely possible through the toolsets listed above. </em> So, noting the importance of connection and integration, institutions should look to see if they can get a lot more for their money as they build out a modern experience through a single engagement, rather than trying to wedge 3 tools together when they don’t have to. <em>A crucial “systems thinking” component of a learning ecosystem is this</em>: <em><strong>Integration trumps functionality</strong></em>. In other words, if 85% of your desired functionality can be achieved with a fully integrated tool, or 97% of your desired functionality can be achieved with no connection to other parts of the ecosystem, use the former and avoid the latter. <em>(Of note, this is why the RFI / RFP process can be so detrimental to an organization’s longitudinal well-being from a systems perspective.)</em> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Tools Demoting Interdependence</strong></p> <p>By nature, some tools “feel” modern or connective, but in reality promote silos and disconnectedness across campuses. Any tool in the grouping described above, whereby the tool meets a need but does not integrate back into the ecosystem meaningfully is one that demotes interdependence. But more specifically, here is an example.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Mobile</strong> – assuming schools are getting the most for their money with a modern portal that is also a mobile system, specific mobile app for a college or university should not be necessary in 2018. While “deep linking” between mobile portals and other native apps such as an LMS are very helpful to students, stand-alone, mobile solutions tend to create more silos and disconnected experiences than otherwise.</li> </ul> <p><strong>A Learning Ecosystem Architecture</strong></p> <p>The following image represents an <em><strong>aspirational learning ecosystem</strong></em>, whereby the technology and infrastructure are designed to best support human actors at every turn. “Note: the student portal solution (Campus) includes a responsive web and mobile app solution – in other words, supporting the concepts from above, in an ideal ecosystem there is not a separate web portal and campus app.</p> <div class=" image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none " data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" ></p> <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " style="max-width:1514px;" ></p> <div style="padding-bottom:75.82562255859375%;" class=" image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio " data-animation-role="image" ><br /> <noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534797947616-YG2A1M45D10FUW9FOCKV/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kLeyhfsOrhIUB8vGN5EzOl97gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UTzomjgnjKqMt9Ku-VJueyBR-ZakMRqvo3C7IuAxgNcLqbQn8vVQ_opmIaE21ql8RQ/image-asset.jpeg?w=1220&ssl=1" alt="" /></noscript><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="thumb-image" src="https://i0.wp.com/images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534797947616-YG2A1M45D10FUW9FOCKV/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kLeyhfsOrhIUB8vGN5EzOl97gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UTzomjgnjKqMt9Ku-VJueyBR-ZakMRqvo3C7IuAxgNcLqbQn8vVQ_opmIaE21ql8RQ/image-asset.jpeg?w=1220&ssl=1" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a8d040564b05f9d780ecc2f/1534797947616-YG2A1M45D10FUW9FOCKV/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kLeyhfsOrhIUB8vGN5EzOl97gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z5QPOohDIaIeljMHgDF5CVlOqpeNLcJ80NK65_fV7S1UTzomjgnjKqMt9Ku-VJueyBR-ZakMRqvo3C7IuAxgNcLqbQn8vVQ_opmIaE21ql8RQ/image-asset.jpeg" data-image-dimensions="1514x1148" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" data-image-id="5b7b287a8a922da6925b5846" data-type="image" /> </div> </figure></div> <p>A quick metaphor that may help you know if you have a learning ecosystem at your institution or not, might be that of a solar system. You might think of the SIS as the sun, with 3-6 “planets” orbiting via full-API integrations, producing data, etc. Those planets may have a few moons circling them, via LTI integration, but your learning scientists and student success teams would have the crucial data they need regarding the whole student experience, to help determine support and risk.</p> <p><strong><em>Systems thinking means holistic experience and intervention which are dependent upon knowing what is happening both inside the classroom (cognition) and out, including data around personal history (demographics), engagement (affection) as well as grit, mindset, or open-mindedness (conation).</em></strong> Feeds of that data would be available to multiple stakeholders, including (but not limited to) student success, administration, faculty, staff, and others. Even students might start to take advantage of the hyper-connected, learning eco-system data to view what they do or how they might transform their own practices. <em>(I want to get a GPA of ___ in my major. What do others do so as to make that possible?) <strong>A true learning ecosystem can produce this kind of experience for all stakeholders and this level of data as well.</strong></em></p> <p>It is that <strong>holistic </strong>view of <em>people, technology, support, communication, and more</em> that the learning ecosystem really shines. Focusing only on one part will likely result in weak metrics and small, incremental changes at best. A learning ecosystem can help administrators as well as faculty and staff create a better environment for “total” learning by students, but also a more satisfying, collaborative experience for themselves. </p> <p>Do you have a learning ecosystem? Need an audit of your existing architecture? Want to start moving in that direction? <strong>Contact the <a href="http://iceinstitute.org">Institute for Inter-Connected Education</a> at any time.</strong></p> <p><strong>Good luck and good learning.</strong></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">369</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>