Higher Ed

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VR & AR. The future is here.

Who doesn’t love phrases, such as, “The Future is Here”? How about “The Future is Near”? Those are two phrases that we read in regard to virtual and augmented reality (VR AR). So, let’s take a walk through the “Ancient Past” and see when harnessing the awesome power of VR and AR will transform education. We can do some carbon-dating of when the future is coming.

“The future is here, and it has come faster than anyone thought. In an age marked by the rapid integration of computers in schools, the ultimate technology looms on the horizon – the age of virtual reality in schools. Using virtual reality as an educational tool conjures up visions of a Jetsons-like futuristic scenario, students exploring their schoolwork immersed in virtual reality, gaining a deeper understanding of their subjects. A physics class experiment with a simulated virtual reality lab where they control the properties of objects and observe them from any angle. In another part of the school, a social studies class uses virtual reality to travel back in time into the Battle of 1812. Spanish class visits the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, and soon.

Harnessing the awesome power of virtual reality for educational uses will permanently change the nature and course of how children learn. No longer will children sit idly by in classrooms – the opportunity is here to provide them with an unprecedented chance to explore, engage, and visualize schoolwork like never before” (The Journal, 1999).

This article was written in The Journal more than 20 years ago. It sounds like it could have been written, today.

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By Dr. Anne-Marie Fiore, ago
King Friday

College Majors, Old and New

At work, I often research college majors that hold promising career paths for today’s students. Usually, I find majors such as computer science, cybersecurity, and nursing.

Imagine my surprise when this year, I found a whole new group of majors offered by colleges and universities worried about declining enrollment. The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) provided the desperate details of colleges and universities with strained finances and declining student populations offering a whopping 41,446 new degree or certificate programs since 2012.

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By Dr. Anne-Marie Fiore, ago
lms

What is a Learning Management System?

And, Do I Need One?

Most colleges and universities use a Learning Management System to deliver courses. You may have heard of some of the more well-known ones, such as Canvas by Instructure, Blackboard, or Moodle. You may have even taken a course in one of these popular LMS. If you are wondering what an LMS can do for your organization, let’s look at what an LMS does and why you may need one.

For corporate use, an LMS is an online application where you can house, deliver, and track your workforce development or training content. In addition to delivering content, an LMS can handle items such as onboarding for new employees and compliance training.  With the current skills gap impacting so many industries, your need for continuous educational opportunities and leadership training is ongoing.

An LMS for your business can result in improved productivity, lower training costs, and better compliance. In addition, employees are more invested when you are invested in them. Your goal with continued professional or workforce development is to enable and support employees to realize their full potential. An LMS can help with that! 

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By Dr. Anne-Marie Fiore, ago