E-Learning-Inclusivo (Mashup)

A number of higher education–focused sessions at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference touched on issues surrounding student retention and completion—and with the costs of tuition, housing, and materials constantly rising, saving students money is a major consideration. When the conversation includes state and community colleges, and a student body that may have less access to financial resources, finding strategies to cut costs becomes more important than ever. Open educational resources (OER)—freely accessible texts and media that faculty can assemble, repurpose, and package under open access agreements for teaching and research—are a rapidly growing option.

Via Dr. Susan Bainbridge

As the world's data grow exponentially, organizations across all sectors, including government and not-for-profit, need to understand, manage and use big, complex data sets—known as big data, a term spreading through forward-thinking business dialogue and building job market demand. Data science is the answer to optimizing (or, for starters, simply dealing with) big data. However, the iSchool’s distinct perspective approaches data science with a view of the full data life cycle, going beyond what most discuss as data analytics. iSchool Offering Open Online Course In Applied Data Science Earlier this year, the iSchool successfully ran its first introductory-level MOOC—the popular term for free, massive, open, online courses. Its next offering, called Applied Data Science: An Introduction, introduces similar content in a new format: self-guided learning. Participants will be able to work their way through the course at their own pace without the constraints of deadlines. This course is free of charge and a select number of participants will be invited to try it on October 28. Successfully completed MOOC coursework results in a certificate of completion. For more information, please complete the form below: Questions? Contact iMOOC@syr.edu.

Via Karen du Toit, Beth Kanter

"During a Knight conference exploring the role of libraries in the digital world, we interviewed library directors from eight communities - Philadelphia, St. Paul, Macon, Charlotte, Miami, Akron, San Jose and Detroit - to ask these questions and more.

Hear what library directors from these communities say are their biggest successes and listen to insights in how they’re addressing challenges.

In these videos, library directors also share what projects they’ve developed to help better serve their communities. The Free Library of Philadelphia, for example, was able to involve itself more deeply in communities by creating hot spots in areas with limited digital access."

 

Interviews with:

James Crawford, Google Books
Siobhan A. Reardon, Philadelphia
Kit Hadley, Saint Paul
Thomas Jones, Macon
Karen Beach, Charlotte
Raymond Santiago, Miami
David Jennings, Akron
Jane Light, San Jose
Doug Dotterer, Stow-Munroe
Juliet Machie, Detroit

Via Karen du Toit, Gerrit Visser, Joao Brogueira