Data Systems
States Need Better Data to Meet Student Expectations
eCampus News, November 26, 2019, Laura Ascione
A new framework report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy highlights the role states play in compiling data for decision making. The framework lists different approaches to eliminating barriers to data use. IHEP gathered state data policy experts to discuss “current barriers that limit their use of data to promote strong student outcomes and identified potential solutions.”

Data Privacy 
10 Things to Know About California's New Data Privacy Law
EdWeek, January 6, 2020, Mark Leiberman
The California Consumer Privacy Act, a new data privacy law modeled after the EU’s GDPR, went into effect on January 1 but won’t officially be enforced until July. Here’s what schools and vendors should be aware of:

1. CCPA applies directly to for-profit companies, not schools.
2. Data use restrictions in K-12 education were already in place.
3. The law will not require an enormous amount of extra work on the part of school districts.
4. Issues may arise if parents exercise CCPA rights to request the deletion of personal information that schools are required by other laws to maintain.
5. Lawyers hope California officials will clarify ambiguities in the law related to education.
6. The difference between a company website's privacy policy and a company product's privacy policy is crucial.
7. More students will enjoy privacy under the new law.
8. The protections are stronger, but advocates are still worried about the ability to enforce penalties.
9. Similar laws could arise in other states or on the federal level.
10. These laws are confusing for everyone and many teachers feel they haven’t had enough training on the new law.

Predictive Analytics
‘Data Analytics Can Save Higher Education’, Say Top College Bodies
EdTech Magazine, November 26, 2019 Shailaja Neelakantan
Many higher education institutions, like Georgia State University, have successfully used predictive analytics to improve retention and graduation rates. A joint statement from the Association for Institutional Research, EDUCAUSE, and the National Association of College and University Business Officers offers guidelines that will address “some of the institutional, ethical, practical and bureaucratic flaws that beset the analysis of Big Data,” such as making substantial investments with time and talent to mine data effectively.

Bandwidth 
The Speed of Light, Cost of Bandwidth and Big Data: What's Really Driving Computing to The Edge?
Forbes, January 17, 2020, Bill Galloway
As technology advances, the need for more bandwidth to support this technology is imperative. While the overall cost of bandwidth has decreased, new 5G technologies are still expensive. “Even with today’s fiber connections and the potential of 5G, light only travels so fast. So, if you want to move a lot of data from point A to point B, and these points are any real distance apart, you’ll pay a lot for adequate bandwidth.” Edge computing now allows data to be processed and stored where it is collected. “Edge computing allows organizations to process and analyze critical data near its point of origin, with efficient bandwidth utilization.”

Dawn of 5G: Empowering VR, AR and Much More
Inside Higher Ed, January 29, 2020, Ray Schroeder
As 5G technologies become more widespread to support virtual and augmented reality devices, infrastructure will require not only high-download bandwidth, but also low latency timing. Experts note that while 4G speeds top out at around 1Gbps, accurately supported 5G technologies will be able to manage up to 20Gbps. This means that college students and faculty not physically on campus will “have connectivity equal to or exceeding those on campus.”
 

Emerging Technologies 
Successful AI Examples in Higher Education That Can Inspire Our Future
EdTech Magazine, January 2, 2020, Shailaja Neelakantan
Two Georgia universities have been using AI to make academic processes more efficient and to boost enrollment. Georgia Tech is using AI by implementing virtual teaching assistants. “Jill” was identified as one of the most efficient teaching assistants by answering questions with a 97 percent accuracy rate. Georgia State University is using AI through a chatbot to reduce the number of students dropping out between spring semester and the following fall semester.

AI and Smart Campuses Are Among Higher Ed Tech to Watch in 2020
EdTech Magazine, December 9, 2019, Adam Stone
Universities across the country are increasingly using AI to improve student outcomes. While implementation and adoption of AI may still be limited, campuses are showing increased interest in using AI. Many institutions are taking a blended approach to data management by combining both cloud and on-site resources.

New Learning Models 
What Role Should Faculty Play in CBE Models?
eCampus News, November 27, 2019, Brooks Doherty
Competency Based Education Models are generally time-fluid ways of learning which focus on student learning and assessment by demonstration. By definition, CBE models should:

• Be sufficiently resourced with faculty and staff to meet the needs of the learner. Faculty and staff roles are designed to provide differentiated support to a diverse range of learners that leverages the individual talents, strengths, and competence of the faculty and staff.
• Provide opportunities for engagement with peers, faculty, staff and employers, who reflect the diversity of the learner population.
• Have meaningful access to faculty subject-matter experts who play an active, central role in the design and delivery of the program.

The author discusses an “unbundled faculty model” in which one faculty member is in charge of instruction and another in charge of assessment. This allows for the instructional faculty member to have more time for lecturing and facilitating dialogue. Having a separate faculty member in charge of assessment “reduces the possibility of personality bias and increases objectivity in grading learners’ projects.”

Student Digital Literacy 
4 Ways Podcasts Help Improve Student Literacy
eSchool News, January 3, 2020, Michael Godsey
The author discusses the usefulness of podcasts in developing literacy in a non-traditional way. Using podcasts as a tool helps build confidence in literacy through listening comprehension. Podcasts also present a variety of narrative types and subject matter. Students indicated that reading along with podcasts helps them to maintain focus. Lastly, most podcasts are free, providing a cost-efficient new tool for classrooms.

International Study Finds Major Inequities in Computer Literacy
EdWeek, November 5, 2019, Alyson Klein
A study completed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement found that simply having access to a computer does not make students computer-literate. The study also found that “if a student doesn't learn such skills at home, it's unlikely that their teacher will be able to fill in the gaps.” Further findings include girls outperforming boys on overall computer literacy skills.

Technology Security 
Recent School Ransomware Attacks Highlight Need for Ongoing Vigilance
Education Dive, January 3, 2020, Naaz Modan
Cybersecurity experts say that it is very difficult to determine whether student or staff data has been compromised during cyber and ransomware attacks. Over 700 schools have publicly reported cyberattacks since 2016. “As more schools incorporate technology in the classroom and depend on it for everyday functions like payroll and heating and cooling, potential vulnerability for attacks increases.” Experts suggest keeping a cybersecurity insurance policy in place and regularly auditing data systems.

How Schools and Universities Can Thwart Cyberattackers
EdTech Magazine, November 14, 2019, Shailaja Neelakantan
In Summer 2019, the governor of Louisiana declared a state of emergency after several cyberattacks in the state. Both K-12 and higher education institutions were affected, and a cyber incident response team was activated to help control the damage. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, housed in the Department of Homeland Security, suggests the following:

1. Restrict users’ permissions to install and run software applications and apply the principle of “least privilege” to all systems and services. Restricting these privileges may prevent malware from running or limit its ability to spread through a network.
2. Use application whitelisting to allow only approved programs to run on a network.
3. Enable strong spam filters to prevent phishing emails from reaching end users and authenticate inbound email to prevent spoofing.
4. Scan all incoming and outgoing emails to detect threats, and filter executable files from reaching end users.
5. Configure firewalls to block access to known malicious IP addresses.

Digital Accessibility 
Standards for Online Learning Updated for First Time Since 2011
EdWeek, December 11, 2019, Mark Leiberman
In an effort to provide guidance for online learning, the Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance teamed with Quality Matters recently introduced newly revised standards for virtual education. Accessibility in virtual learning environments proved to be one of the more challenging topics to address in the standards. The organizations wanted to ensure that standards were in place and that states could add their own requirements as necessary.

Colleges See Equity Success with Adaptive Learning Systems
EdTech Magazine, November 25, 2019, Shailaja Neelakantan
Community colleges and universities in Ohio, Arizona, and Illinois are using adaptive learning techniques to meet individual student needs and improve student learning outcomes. A white paper by McGraw-Hill Education indicates that adaptive learning instructors “provide precise direction to fill knowledge gaps and adapt to each student’s individual learning styles.”
Policy 
Academic Publishers, and a U.S. Senator, Resist Possible Policy Change on Open Access
EdSurge, December 18, 2019, Rebecca Koenig
Over 100 organizations, ranging from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the New England Journal of Medicine, expressed their concerns regarding a potential executive order that would make all “research conducted with federal funds be made immediately free for public access.” In a letter addressed to the president, the organizations expressed their concerns that such an order could jeopardize the rigorous nature of research conducted in the U.S.

Free Textbooks for Law Students
Inside Higher Ed, January 3, 2020, Lindsay McKenzie
Law professors at New York University School of Law have begun publishing their own textbooks for little or no cost to students. Digital copies of the textbooks are free to download, and print copies are available for about $20. While the books are free or low-cost, they may not be considered open content as not all of the textbooks allow changes or derivatives as do most OER materials.