Anthropic last month took the lead in providing early access to basic AI agents for the masses. This is a huge leap forward from the chat bots that have dominated early generative AI. Anthropic offers the new function that enables its Sonnet version to control your computer: “Claude 3.5 Sonnet is the first frontier AI model to offer computer use in public beta.” This is just the beginning of the next phase of generative AI. Over the coming weeks and months, we will see many platforms offer this capability to users.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
"Anthropic last month took the lead in providing early access to basic AI agents for the masses. This is a huge leap forward from the chat bots that have dominated early generative AI."
The latest news related to the meaningful and effective implementation of educational technology and e-learning in K-12, higher education, corporate and government sectors.
Watch this video to learn more about the fully online, accelerated, project-based Master of Education in Educational Technology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. For more information, visit: https://www.utrgv.edu/edtech/index.htm
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
This 30-hour accelerated program designed to prepare persons in K-12, higher education, corporate, and military settings to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for the classrooms and boardrooms of tomorrow. Students in this program have the opportunity to earn one or more graduate certificates in E-Learning, Technology Leadership, and Online Instructional Design.
This is a fantastic program! Its practical, real-world based and applicable to many areas of industry where teaching and learning, training and development are used.
In today’s digitally driven and student-first higher ed landscape, an institution’s website can be a critical tool in fostering student engagement.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
College websites should be dynamic, interactive platforms that shape student recruitment, engagement, and retention, making personalization and accessibility essential.
Students who learn AI skills in higher education today will be among the most in-demand hires in a quickly-evolving workforce.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
"As with any technology or digital tool, AI is evolving quickly, and as it changes, advocates and naysayers aren’t afraid to share their views on what role AI should–or should not–play in higher education."
"The introduction of artificial intelligence is changing education, prompting teachers to reevaluate their roles and methods. While uncertainty and fear accompany this change, educators are encouraged to embrace growth and experimentation with AI tools. By fostering critical thinking and maintaining personal connections, teachers can enhance their impact and adapt meaningfully to this transformation."
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
Education has continually evolved with new tools, and today, artificial intelligence presents the most transformative yet uncertain shift in teaching and learning.
A key pillar of the new generation of the internet economy is the digital identity revolution.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
The rise of digital identity systems is transforming online security and privacy, presenting both risks and opportunities as they become essential passports to the digital world.
AI systems are evolving from narrow task-specific agents to more autonomous digital workers, with Reasoners providing intelligence and agentic systems enabling action, potentially transforming expert-driven industries.
OpenAI has committed $50 million for research and technology to support AI breakthroughs at 15 institutions including the University of Michigan, the California State University system and Harvard University.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
OpenAI launched NextGenAI, a $50 million initiative supporting students, educators, and researchers in advancing AI innovation and discovery.
Small language models help colleges deploy AI efficiently, reducing costs, improving security and enhancing edge computing for smarter campus operations.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
Small language models (SLMs) may offer higher education leaders a cost-effective, efficient AI solution, enabling innovative applications on network edge devices.
The idea that AI ‘learns’ like humans do is one of many misconceptions about the technology.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
AI systems like ChatGPT don’t truly “learn” but operate based on predefined training, and understanding this distinction helps users engage with AI more effectively.
Our mainstream education systems are obsessed with measurement, but they measure the wrong things. Schools track test scores, attendance,…
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
The big takeaway: Education should prioritize meaningful learning over high-stakes testing, which fosters anxiety, stifles critical thinking, and undermines true innovation.
AI is fundamentally changing the classroom and workplace--and education policies must be strategic, practical, and thoughtful.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
The Southern Regional Education Board’s Commission on AI in Education has released its first six recommendations to guide schools and colleges in adopting AI strategically and effectively.
"As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the academic landscape, two professors of educational technology have examined its potential to transform learning while bringing challenges including fair use, plagiarism, and the digital divide.
"As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform higher education, institutions are encountering significant challenges related to ethics, policy, and implementation. This book offers a comprehensive framework for universities to integrate AI in a responsible manner while enhancing teaching, learning, and academic integrity."
Addressing digital accessibility requires time and effort, but the benefits of inclusive digital environments are profound.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
Public higher education institutions must urgently address the DOJ’s new ADA rule, which mandates WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance by 2026 or 2027, ensuring digital accessibility and equity for all students.
Emerging technologies, including AI and augmented reality, can transform personalised learning and tutoring and enhance the student experience. Here’s how it might happen
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
The big takeaway: Faculty buy-in is essential for the effective adoption of AI and immersive technology in education, as these tools are poised to reshape the future workforce.
"2025 has been dubbed the “Year of the AI Agent” by tech giants like Marc Benioff and Sam Altman. What could this mean for K12 education this year and in the years to come?"
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
AI assistant tools in education are rapidly expanding, aiming to provide personalized tutoring for students and support teachers with assessments, feedback, and instructional resources.
As AI-driven learning reshapes Instructional Design, IDs must evolve. Explore the new role of Instructional Design and Designers.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
As AI-driven learning transforms Instructional Design, designers must shift from content creators to learning architects, embracing adaptive, on-demand learning over rigid, structured pathways.
Students, faculty, and staff need to understand the fundamentals of AI to able to effectively use AI tools and evaluate the outputs.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
This report introduces a comprehensive AI Literacy framework for higher education, preparing students, faculty, and staff to engage effectively and ethically with AI in academic and professional settings.
Like the press release last month announcing its partnership with California State University, I see NextGenAI as an act of desperation by OpenAI, a company that has yet to figure out a profitable strategy for selling what it hopes is an educational technology.
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
OpenAI’s recent partnerships with research institutions and universities signal a strategic push to market AI-driven educational tools directly to institutions amid ongoing challenges in finding a profitable model.
A new study found that refraining from using social media improved the mental health of young adults, but so did reframing their relationship to these apps
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
A study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that reframing social media use can reduce its negative impact on young adults’ mental health.
/PRNewswire/ -- In an era where workforce demands and the needs of high school learners are rapidly evolving, a new survey by Penn Foster Group sheds ligh
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
Teachers report a growing student preference for entering the workforce post-graduation, driving a shift toward skills-based, real-world learning.
"We are excited to announce the official launch of the brand new OLC Course Review Scorecard. The Course Review Scorecard is a course-level review instrument intended to evaluate the quality of online, blended, and digital learning. The release of this scorecard continues OLC’s long commitment to advancing quality in education."
EDTECH@UTRGV's insight:
"[T]he Course Review Scorecard is available as a free download to anyone with a web browser. The scorecard is remixable and can be adapted to fit individual or organizational needs"
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"Anthropic last month took the lead in providing early access to basic AI agents for the masses. This is a huge leap forward from the chat bots that have dominated early generative AI."