As any casual reader of the Quick and the Ed knows, 2012 was the year of the MOOC. Whether it’s individual professors offering free online courses through Udacity, elite colleges signing up with Coursera or EdX to expand their online footprint, or the many efforts underway to determine how to attach formal academic credit to these innovations, 2012 will be remembered as the year that the traditContinue Reading »

The question of whether higher education is moving too slowly to position itself for a rapidly changing world has been front and center throughout 2012. Not a week seems to go by where there is not another conference to discuss the future of higher education. The topic is anxiety-filled for many college leaders, who feel adrift as they attempt to position their institutions for a sustainable fuContinue Reading »

Cynthia Brown and Theodora Chang on collaborative education reform: “Last week the Illinois State Senate passed a bill that was crafted in partnership with teachers’ unions and shows that meaningful reform can take place without pitting stakeholders against one another.” (Center for American Progress)

George Will describing Rep. John Kline’s (R-MN) philosophy on ESEA reContinue Reading »

Quick Hits is a daily compilation of essential education news stories, blog posts, and video clips that Education Sector team members are reading or viewing.

A couple of weeks ago I was at a meeting where a higher education spokesperson flat-out stated there was no market demand for student learning data. His group had done focus groups, he said, and it just wasn’t as high on their list as other things. His point would be fair, even if true, if there was real, meaningful data available on student outcomes in higher education. Instead, his arguContinue Reading »