Major Updates
Digital Accessibility Requirements For Online Learning | UPCEA Primers + Insights – NEW
How Disability Anti-Discrimination Laws Impact Online Courses and Programs
Across UPCEA’s membership and higher education more broadly, every individual plays an important role in fostering inclusive environments. Digital accessibility is not just a regulatory requirement but a cornerstone of inclusive learning environments. There are substantial accessibility requirements from the Department of Justice recently established which will apply broadly to public universities (and possibly other institutional categories) in the coming years. As part of our commitment to support and enhance UPCEA members’ understanding of federal compliance issues, we are proud to announce the latest addition to our Policy Matters: Primers and Insights series, titled “Digital Accessibility Requirements for Online Learning and Programs.”
This brand new resource details digital accessibility requirements primarily from a legal perspective. However, it is ultimately intended to serve as a more foundational resource to help those working in a wide range of roles to both support risk mitigation efforts and implement appropriate measures to create a more inclusive online learning landscape. This publication is designed to empower every member of the UPCEA community, in various roles, to understand US federal accessibility expectations and enforcement, as well as compliance tips to consider.
We hope you will find this resource helpful and encourage you to continue the important conversation around digital accessibility in online learning by sharing any additional resources and examples you may have as well as questions and concerns in our CORe discussion thread about the resource. Access our new resource.
This resource is the latest in our new compliance series, Policy Matters: Primers and Insights – helping you navigate policy frameworks critical to higher education in the United States. Find additional Policy Matters: Primers and Insights here.
Other News
- Universities Hit Back Against Proposed Online Attendance Policy (Inside Higher Ed)
- Funding Opportunities Shared from US Department of Education OCTAE:
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- $25 Million Good Jobs Challenge Notice of Funding Opportunity – will support sectoral partnerships that bring together diverse stakeholders, including employers, labor unions, education institutions, training organizations, community-based organizations, and others to develop high-quality training programs that lead directly to a good job. EDA anticipates making five to eight awards ranging from $1 million to $8 million, which are anticipated to be announced in winter 2024. Applications due September 27, 2024.
- Applications for New Awards; Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education Program – inviting applications for fiscal year 2024 for the Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher Education (TGIY) Program. The TGIY Program aims to provide a funding opportunity for organizations that work directly with gang-involved youth to help such youth pursue higher education opportunities that will lead to certification or credentials. Applications due September 24, 2024.
- Department of Labor Workforce Development Grants – YouthBuild – DOL will award grants through a competitive process to organizations providing pre-apprenticeship services that support education, occupational skills training, and employment services to opportunity youth, ages 16 to 24, who are performing meaningful work and service to their communities. The YouthBuild program model prepares participants for quality jobs in a variety of careers, in diverse industry sectors, particularly in infrastructure sectors, and includes wrap-around services such as mentoring, trauma-informed care, personal counseling, transportation supports, and employment preparation — all key strategies for addressing violence in communities. YouthBuild applicants must include construction skills training and may include occupational skills training in other in-demand industries. Applications due September 18, 2024.
- Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants – to build community colleges’ capacity to meet the skill development needs of employers and equitably support students in obtaining good jobs in in-demand industries. Grantees will enhance sector-based career pathways programs using strategies rooted in evidence and designed to build further evidence on the effectiveness of sector-based career pathways programs in leading to positive employment outcomes. Successful applicants will use the diverse strengths of their Strengthening Community Colleges Partnership members to accomplish and sustain systems change. Applications due September 24, 2024.
“A new higher-ed playbook aims to accelerate the development and delivery of non-credit, short-term credentials that are effectively directed at the workplace.
Building Capacity, Expanding Pathways: Accelerating the Growth of Credential Innovation in Higher Education, from online and professional education association UPCEA and supported by a grant from Walmart, features lessons learned and promising practices discovered by 10 institutions during a year-long project focused on credential innovation and grounded by collaboration with the business community.
The 10 institutions, which were selected from approximately 40 applicants, vary in size and represent different institutional types (public/private and Carnegie category) and geographic regions across the U.S.”
The anticipated replacement of human workers with Generative AI (GenAI) apps has begun. Earlier this year IBM announced about 8,000 layoffs amid an AI-powered initiative.
As reported by Byte magazine, Cisco is among a group of other tech companies that most recently announced layoffs:
“Despite tech conglomerate Cisco posting $10.3 billion in profits last year, it’s still laying off 5,500 workers as part of an effort to invest more in AI, SFGATE reports. It joins a litany of other companies like Microsoft and Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, that have used AI as justification for the mass culling of its workforce. The layoffs at Cisco came to light in a notice posted with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, affecting seven percent of its staff. In a short statement, CEO Chuck Robbins used the term “AI” five times, highlighting the company’s efforts to keep up in the ongoing AI race.”
Meanwhile, ABC reported earlier this month that Cisco is expecting another large layoff of thousands of workers to be replaced by AI. “’Google’s cut back, Microsoft’s cut back. So this would not be unique for Cisco,’ said North Carolina State University economist and professor Michael Walden. The move to reduce its workforce, which the company refers to as ‘limited restructuring,’ is said to be so that the company can focus more on its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts.”
Yet, this is only the very beginning of layoffs in business, industry, and government as GenAI develops greater multi-modal capabilities and is trained to better directly serve in public relations, marketing, accounting, and associated knowledge-worker fields.
In The Rise of AI Atlantis: A New Digital Continent, Peter Diamandis, American marketer, engineer, physician, and entrepreneur and executive chairman of Singularity University, points to the insightful predictions of industry leader Emad Mostaque, former CEO of Stability AI:
“One of the most pressing concerns about AI is its impact on jobs. Emad’s paper cites estimates that AI automation puts 300 million full-time jobs at risk. However, he’s quick to point out that new AI-related roles are sprouting up everywhere, with projections suggesting AI will create 97 million jobs by 2025 across various industries. The key, according to Emad, is adaptability and continuous learning…. As we navigate this AI revolution, let’s heed Emad’s advice: stay curious, stay engaged, and above all, recognize that we all have a role to play in shaping this transformative technology for the betterment of humanity. The future is not predetermined—it’s ours to create. The time to act is now, for as Emad warns, we have a small window of opportunity to shape the future of AI. Let’s seize it and work towards a future where AI uplifts and empowers all of humanity.”
Mostaque is not alone in predicting widespread changes in the workforce. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported in January AI Will Transform the Global Economy. Let’s Make Sure It Benefits Humanity. IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, writes
“In advanced economies, about 60 percent of jobs may be impacted by AI. Roughly half the exposed jobs may benefit from AI integration, enhancing productivity. For the other half, AI applications may execute key tasks currently performed by humans, which could lower labor demand, leading to lower wages and reduced hiring. In the most extreme cases, some of these jobs may disappear.”
IMF Managing Director Georgieva goes on to suggest “Guided by the insights from the AI Preparedness Index, advanced economies should prioritize AI innovation and integration while developing robust regulatory frameworks. This approach will cultivate a safe and responsible AI environment, helping maintain public trust. For emerging market and developing economies, the priority should be laying a strong foundation through investments in digital infrastructure and a digitally competent workforce.”
Earlier this month, NVIDIA and the state of California took steps to lay a foundation for the digitally competent workforce in a public-private collaboration with NVIDIA providing substantial training and resources to the University of California System, the California State University System and the System of Community Colleges in California. My colleague and co-author in GenAI, Katherine Kerpan of the University of Illinois Chicago, spoke with the Head of Strategic Initiatives driving innovation at NVIDIA, Louis Stewart. Her assessment is that:
“California’s strategic partnership with NVIDIA is a shrewd move, poised to accelerate AI adoption and bolster the US position in the global semiconductor race. The stark decline in US chip manufacturing capacity, from 37% in 1990 to a mere 10% in 2022, as reported by the Semiconductor Industry Association, underscores the urgency of this partnership. It tackles both the supply and demand sides of the semiconductor ecosystem, fostering a pipeline of skilled talent while driving demand for advanced chips. This forward-thinking approach to partnership underscores NVIDIA’s prescience and bold leadership, as proven by its brief reign as the world’s most valuable company in June 2024, surpassing even giants like Microsoft and Apple. This powerful collaboration demonstrates how public-private partnerships can effectively address technological challenges while fortifying national competitiveness in critical industries.”
At the advent of GenAI replacement of human positions, how can you predict the likelihood that your job might be impacted by AI in the near future? American futurist and frequent speaker, Thomas Frey, based at the DaVinci Institute in Westminster, Colorado, has developed a set of 25 questions to understand how AI will affect you and your job in the future, and gain insight into the potential vulnerability of your position.
Depending upon your answers to the 25 questions, coupled with your individual circumstances and preferences, your best option may be to upskill – that is, to develop advanced or expanded skills through additional education or training. If the path forward is unlikely to be accomplished by upskilling, alternatively, it may be to reskill. According to TechTarget:
“Reskilling is the process of teaching an employee new skills to improve proficiency in their current job or move into an advanced position. It should not be confused with retraining, the process of reintroducing a prior skill to an employee who lacks recent hands-on experience with or current knowledge of that skill.” Or, given some means of financial support other than working, the best option may be to retire or to semi-retire. Wikipedia defines retirement: “Retirement is the withdrawal from one’s position or occupation or from one’s active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload.”
It is not too early to begin to consider how the rapidly-expanding capabilities and economies of AI may impact your career in the future. As Emad Mostaque suggests, there may be 97 million new jobs created associated with AI in the next year. With wise upskilling and reskilling, one of those jobs may open a new career path for you.
This article was originally published in Inside Higher Ed’s Transforming Teaching & Learning blog.
![A man (Bruce Etter) is dressed in a blue suit smiling for a headshot.](https://upcea.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Bruce-Etter-Headshot-e1689004310517-150x150.jpg)
By Bruce Etter
Earth. Where we live. Often referred to as The Blue Planet. The reason? About 70% of its surface is covered by water, a blue sphere when viewed from space. And liquid water is necessary for the survival of all known living things. For this reason, astrobiologists, when searching for other bodies in our solar system and beyond that might harbor living organisms, look for the presence of water. Water is vital, the key to life.
Water may sometimes be taken for granted. Just as it is crucial for the survival of life on our planet, data is critical for the survival of modern institutions, working in the background to ensure these institutions operate smoothly. But what happens when that data is not readily available to aid our decision making? Or worse, what happens if the data is incorrect or misinterpreted? The 2024 State of Education Report produced by UPCEA, The EvoLLLution, and the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE), found that only 29% of respondents agreed that it was easy for members of their institution to access real-time enrollment data for online and professional continuing education students. While this data point alone is troubling, what is worse is the fact that this percentage has slowly decreased each year, from a high of 35% in 2022. The lack of access to data is important for several reasons. As colleges and universities adapt to the gig economy and the expansion of microcredentials, institutional systems and structures must be evaluated to ensure that higher education institutions are competitive and attracting the next generation of adult learners.
First, institutions can face challenges in making well-informed decisions regarding critical aspects such as course offerings and staffing needs when lacking readily available data. This can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Additionally, an UPCEA and Search Influence study found that only 47% of marketers were satisfied with the performance of their marketing campaigns, but only 29% were satisfied with the ability to track the success of those campaigns. Institutions that were more likely to be satisfied with their ability to track marketing campaigns were more likely to be satisfied with their performance.
Second, the inability to access up-to-date enrollment information hinders an institution’s ability to promptly respond to students’ needs and preferences, which can ultimately impact student satisfaction and retention rates. Being aware of enrollment rates is especially important because they contribute to financial stability funding the entire institution. Without a comprehensive understanding of this metric, institutions can risk poor resource allocation, leading to many other, potentially compounding, problems.
Real-time data is crucial for planning and forecasting, helping institutions anticipate and understand trends to better prepare for the future. As access to data declines, the potential gap between an institution and its capabilities grows, having long-term implications. Like the relationship between water and living things, institutions rely on comprehensive data to run smoothly. Most decisions are data-driven, and without the proper data, institutions risk drying up and withering on the vine.
The lack of access to data contributes to the large gap in awareness within these institutions. The 2024 State of Education Report found that 50% of respondents did not know their enrollment numbers. Without the proper data, institutions are left to make decisions without being able to understand the bigger picture.
This trend is also evident in marketing online and professional continuing education programs. UPCEA and Search Influence built a comprehensive survey to gain a deeper understanding of marketing metrics and costs of online and professional education units and programs. The survey reported that fewer than 50% of higher education marketers track cost per inquiry and nearly one out of five do not track the source of inquiries, cost per inquiry, or cost per enrolled student.
Having accurate, up-to-date financial data is critical in ensuring that institutions run smoothly. These metrics allow institutions to effectively allocate resources, assess the efficiency of their operations, and make informed decisions. By having a clear picture of costs, institutions are able to prioritize spending, identify areas where they can save money, and ensure that funds are directed toward the most pressing matters. This financial insight also helps administrators set realistic budgets, which leads to the way that an entire institution functions. Without a well-rounded grasp of costs, institutions risk inefficiencies and effectiveness and miss out on opportunities to grow and improve.
The same UPCEA and Search Influence study found that in general, marketers lack the ability to track the success of their marketing campaigns, which impacts student satisfaction and most likely the effectiveness of the campaign. Ninety-two percent of those who are satisfied with their tracking abilities stated that they are satisfied with the performance of their marketing campaigns. This correlation highlights the critical role effectively analyzing data has in overall performance.
Furthermore, clean and well-organized data will be the fuel that powers many of the advances promised by artificial intelligence. UPCEA and EducationDynamics’ 2024 Emerging Technology Report found that marketing and enrollment professionals see areas of opportunity for improving the student journey (80%), improving conversion rates (67%), and creating a more personalized student experience (62%), all with the use of emerging technologies. Institutions that lack the foundational data for these processes will struggle, running as best they can but ultimately falling behind their peers.
Water is the key to life. Without it, life withers and dies. Like water, data is often taken for granted and its importance is not recognized until signs of withering appear. Data is the source that powers our institutions and must be treated as such. Emphasizing the measurement, access, and understanding of data is essential not only for growth, but to sustain operations of any institution. As life without water, institutions without data also risk withering and dying. Keep them well “hydrated.”
The marketing industry is experiencing significant changes, driven by the increasing integration of technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. As the field evolves, marketers are required to adapt to new roles, tools, and strategies that emphasize strategic thinking, customer experience, and specialized skills.
As of August 2024, the U.S. marketing sector is poised to grow significantly, with 1.7 million jobs currently in the market and a projected 16% increase by 2034. The rise of AI and automation, the shift to digital and omnichannel marketing, and the growing importance of data-driven decision-making are all reshaping the demands placed on marketing professionals. Higher education institutions have a unique opportunity to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in the jobs of the future in marketing.
Key takeaways for this sector:
- Tasks related to data analysis and predictive analytics are becoming increasingly automated through AI and machine learning applications. Similarly, the use of AI and automation will streamline tasks such as customer segmentation, ad placement, and campaign optimization.
- The marketing field will continue to be heavily influenced by digital technologies, with an increasing focus on digital marketing strategies, including social media, SEO, and online advertising.
- Personalizing marketing efforts that meet the specific needs and preferences of individual consumers will be increasing expected as part of the customer experience.
Read the full Briefing on the future of Marketing occupations here.
This post is part of an occupational focus series from UPCEA and Lightcast. See prior Briefings on Legal Professions and Criminal Justice.
A Funny Thing About Humans
Information gathering is a universal behavior. Living creatures of all varieties gather information about their environment in order to thrive within it. But we humans take information gathering to a new level. Curiosity. We seek to learn, not just to survive, but to understand. This thirst for knowledge has led to our greatest discoveries and achievements.
But, besides knowing and learning things, we want to be known as individuals. To be understood. From Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to a global obsession with social “likes,” we crave recognition and yearn to be seen as the unique beings we are.
This need creates challenges for marketers across all industries, and the importance of leading with personalization seems to grow with each new generation. Fortunately, our ability to “know” our prospects has grown even faster, thanks to the information explosion of the past few decades.
Technology Adoption in Higher Ed
Despite the potential upside of the digital revolution, higher education has a history of approaching new technology with a healthy dose of caution. Concerns over quality, resource management, and compatibility with institutional values require a measured approach. While this mindset has helped the industry avoid many pitfalls, it has left us playing catch-up with the very students we intend to serve.
To be fair, technological advances have helped simplify and streamline many routine administrative processes, such as submitting an application or enrolling in courses, while simultaneously expanding access through virtual learning. But there is a much larger opportunity to transform prospective student engagement through data-driven insights.
Knowing vs. Understanding
Data-driven insights can take us from a position of “knowing about” our prospects to “understanding” them, creating a basis for enhanced student engagement across all touch points. And, while technology cannot, and will not, replace people, it can, when supplied with the right data, enable universities to transform student engagement in a holistic way. The following highlights three ways that institutions can take better advantage of the opportunities presented by technology and an expanded data universe.
Unifying data in fragmented systems to drive deeper insights
Universities have many specialized and legacy systems in place that monitor specific tasks – from marketing analytics that track ad performance to application systems to student information systems to learning management systems. While each provides valuable insight within its defined area of focus, the lack of communication among and between systems creates a fragmented student experience.
Developing a holistic approach to the student journey requires gathering data from disparate sources into one central source of truth. This “data lake” provides guidance to help address real-time needs, but also facilitates a deeper understanding of the learner journey. This allows universities, for example, to not just understand which ads generate click volume, but also which ads generate “quality” clicks and engage students with a higher propensity to graduate.
Expanding the data pool beyond historical benchmarks
The data sources that universities have traditionally leaned on—demographics, psychographics, academic performance/involvement—remain valuable as a framing mechanism, but with so much more information available, institutions must adopt a more wide-ranging and deep-diving approach. For example, while comparing performance measures against previous years can be indicative, the pace of change has made historical data less predictive. Similarly, we must be mindful of external events that impact traditionally reliable comparisons. As you can imagine, almost any data collected in 2020 is not likely to be a good predictor for behavior in 2025.
One simple way to expand your institution’s “student view” is to include peer benchmarks. This allows universities to better understand how they are performing in context and can provide valuable insight into what other learning opportunities are competing for student mindshare. Expanding still further to include benchmarking from alternatives like apprenticeships and skills-based certifications can help universities better understand the true environment and drive better models.
Embracing a student-first approach
Many KPIs for universities typically center around metrics such as CPC, enrollment targets, and deposits. While these data points are important and will remain important measures of success to institutional leadership and donors, today’s students expect, and indeed demand, that marketers of all kinds reach out to them in meaningful, personalized ways across all touch points. The considered analysis and use of an expanded data set enables universities to develop meaningful interactions that ensure students feel “known.”
A valuable tool in managing this growing “data lake” is AI. When combined with a deep data set, the prudent application of AI can allow universities to offer more personalized experiences at scale, without requiring additional staff. At Noodle, we fuel our support bots with all the available, relevant information to create a one-stop experience for students. Doing so eliminates the repetition of tasks and reduces bounce rates. Furthermore, the data gathered at each conversation follows the students, allowing them to feel known in other interactions, with humans or technology.
To AI or not to AI?
While each of these points will be expanded upon in subsequent articles, the 300-lb. gorilla in the room does merit a few observations:
- Nearly half of online students use an AI tool at least once per week
- 50% would likely use an AI-driven research assistant in their studies
- 79% used an AI-driven chatbot during their search for a program
All of this has taken place largely in the absence of any significant endorsement or strategic utilization of the technology by universities. However, while there have been many companies touting AI products to higher ed, the solutions presented thus far have been underwhelming for a few reasons:
- They’re too narrow in scope
- They are often denied access to new and relevant data
- Developers lack industry expertise
- They are glorified chatbots or are prime candidates to be sold direct to consumer without customization
Clearly, AI has a substantial role to play in the evolution of the Learner Journey, but it must be viewed as a part of the solution, not an answer in and of itself.
Conclusion
We will continue to build our Noodling on AI in Higher Ed Series that will explore these ideas in greater detail, but for now, we encourage institutions to recognize that the application of technology and data-driven insights is critical to developing meaningful student engagement strategies and tactics. There has never been a greater opportunity to “know” our prospects and to use that knowledge to have a positive long-term impact on higher education recruitment.
Robyn Hammontree is Noodle’s Senior Managing Director of Partnership Development for Learning, Regina Law is Noodle’s Vice President of Partnership Development for Technology, and Kevin Phang is Noodle’s Vice President of Partnership Development for Marketing & Enrollment.
Noodle is the leading tech-enabled strategy and services partner for higher education. A certified B corporation, Noodle (founded in 2013) has developed infrastructure and online enrollment growth for some of the best academic institutions in the world. Noodle empowers universities to transform the world through life-changing learning. It offers strategic consulting to advise partners as they navigate their futures, provides services tailored to meet their growth aspirations, and deploys technology, tools, and platforms that integrate for scale, making our partners more resilient, responsive, efficient, and interconnected.
“While colleges are increasingly interested in alternative credentials, higher education lacks consistent processes for developing and pricing noncredit, short-term credentials, according to UPCEA. The group’s new playbook for accelerating growth in the space includes case studies on the development of noncredit microcredentials by 10 universities, which represent a wide range of sizes, geographies, and institution types.”
UPCEA is pleased to announce the 2024 cohort of Bethaida “Bea” González Diversity in Leadership Scholars.
Representative and diverse leadership is a cornerstone of UPCEA’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusive Excellence. The goal of the Diversity Scholars program is to equip diverse professionals at any stage of their career with the skills and knowledge needed to move into leadership positions on campus, in the field of online and professional continuing education, and in UPCEA.
“We are inspired by the caliber of this year’s applicants, whose commitment to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence at their institutions is truly commendable. The 2024 González Scholars exemplify the spirit of innovation and leadership in our profession, and we are eager to witness their continued growth and impact as future leaders and change agents,” said Mili Maldonado Agusty, Executive Director, School of Professional Studies at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and co-chair of UPCEA’s Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Committee.
The Diversity in Leadership Scholars program is named for Bethaida “Bea” González, 2014-15 UPCEA President and longtime leader at Syracuse University’s University College.
“We are incredibly proud to recognize this year’s González Scholars,” said UPCEA CEO Bob Hansen. “You represent the future of inclusive leadership, embodying the values of diversity and excellence that Bea championed throughout her career.”
The 2024 Diversity in Leadership Scholars are:
- Lauren Slemenda, Western Nevada College
- Hilen Flores, NC State University
- Tinsley Jones, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Jane Sanchez Swain, Montclair State University
- Amber Anderson, Wichita State University
Each Diversity in Leadership Scholar is receiving a full scholarship for the Professional, Continuing and Online (PCO) Education Professional Certificate or the Professional, Continuing and Online (PCO) Education Leader Certificate (both certificates consist of five courses).
We look forward to these five individuals joining our learning community as they pursue the courses in their certificate program.
The 2024 Gonzalez Scholarship review committee is Cheryl Murphy, University of Arkansas; Fatimah Wirth, Georgia Institute of Technology; Tiffany Townsend, Purdue University Global; and Nilajah Nyausma Sims, Morgan State University.
Learn more about UPCEA’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusive Excellence.
Learn more about UPCEA’s online professional development program.
The COVID-19 Pandemic brought about greater awareness of an even larger epidemic, one of loneliness in America. In higher education, it is incumbent on us to help our learners with overcoming the pain and other ill-effects of this condition.
The World Health Organization has staggering reports on mental health around the world:
In 2019, 1 in every 8 people, or 970 million people around the world were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common (1). In 2020, the number of people living with anxiety and depressive disorders rose significantly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initial estimates show a 26% and 28% increase respectively for anxiety and major depressive disorders in just one year (2). While effective prevention and treatment options exist, most people with mental disorders do not have access to effective care.”
Earlier this summer, the US Surgeon General warned about the dangers of loneliness:
Loneliness is like hunger or thirst. It’s a feeling that we experience when something we’re lacking for survival is missing from our life. And if we respond to it, relatively quickly, it may go away. But just like hunger or thirst, it’s when it persists for a long period of time, when we’re not able to figure out how to address it, that is when we start to worry…. One in two adults in America are living with measurable levels of loneliness, but the numbers are even higher among young people.
The impact of loneliness is deep and far-reaching. It is not limited to brief episodes that lower energy and enthusiasm. Instead, the Surgeon General, in the same June interview with ABC, says, “We know now that when people struggle with things socially disconnected, over time, that it can have an impact on their mental health, increasing their risk for anxiety and depression, but also in their physical health, increasing their risk for heart disease, as well as dementia and premature death.”
The consequences of this affliction are very great. On-campus resources have been available for learners over the past decades. Mental health centers have refined their efforts to establish best policies and practices to assist those confronting such issues. Of students who participated in the U.S. News/Generation Lab poll and indicated they wanted mental health support:
77% were successfully connected to mental health care. Most of them – 70% – said they received resources for help right away or after about a week, while 7% had to wait more than three months. Students sought care for a range of reasons, such as anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, substance abuse and trauma. Among survey respondents who received support, 69% felt it was sufficient.
However, with the growth of distance learning, comes the same problems, yet without the easy ability to meet face-to-face with those facing loneliness and resulting depression.
The University of Michigan Counseling and Psychological Services reports that nationally:
- Suicide is the #2 leading cause of death for college students
- Approximately 1,100 suicides on college campuses per year
- 25% know of someone who has died as a result of suicide
- 40% know of someone who has attempted suicide
The numbers on campuses are staggering, while the mental health data for online students at a distance are sparse. Those at a distance are not as closely monitored by the university as those on the campus. For many of these distant students, however, the pressures can be even greater due to factors such as isolation, family responsibilities, full-time workloads, and other challenges for which campus students have ready-access to support.
As a result, we are seeing an increasing role for rules-based AI chatbots to provide frontline and continuing support. In most cases, these tools utilize a far more restricted set of data than Generative AI (GenAI) bots to ensure that the responses are from highly-vetted, safe sources. They are most useful for those who are not in crisis, but who feel more comfortable interacting with a computer than with a person in seeking advice about very personal mental health topics.
One of the first such apps, Woebot, was initially developed by research psychologist and entrepreneur Alison Darcy in 2017. As CBS News reported earlier this year,
Woebot is a system based on rules that’s been very kind of controlled, so that way it doesn’t say the wrong things. Woebot aims to use AI to bond with users and keep them engaged. Its team of staff psychologists, medical doctors, and computer scientists construct and refine a database of research from medical literature, user experience, and other sources. Then, writers build questions and answers. And revise them in weekly remote video sessions. Woebot’s programmers engineer those conversations into code. Because Woebot is rules-based, it’s mostly predictable. But chatbots using generative AI, that is scraping the internet, are not.
The University of Maine Counseling Center has reviewed nearly two dozen free apps that may provide useful support to students seeking help with supporting their mental health. At the top of their list is “Mind Shift” that the center describes as “A great tool for anxiety available on iPhone and Android, developed by Anxiety BC. It teaches relaxation skills, develops new thinking, and suggests healthy activities. Designed for youth but useful to anyone.” Anxiety Canada is located in Vancouver, Canada, and was established in 1999. Anxiety Canada is a registered charity created to raise awareness about anxiety and support access to proven resources and treatment. The app utilizes “strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you manage your anxiety.”
A series of studies from Harvard Business School are in the working paper titled AI Companions Reduce Loneliness By: Julian De Freitas, Ahmet K Uguralp, Zeliha O Uguralp and Puntoni Stefano that concludes:
From a societal point of view, the promising results found here suggest that AI companions could be a scalable tool for loneliness reduction against the backdrop of a severe loneliness crisis. Whether chatbots can help reduce loneliness has recently been the object of intense debate (Marriott and Pitardi 2024) and rigorous empirical evidence in this area was sorely needed. In a series of tightly controlled and high-powered experimental studies, we find compelling evidence that AI companions can indeed reduce loneliness, at least at the time scales of a day and a week.
It is encouraging that efforts are being made by many such responsible professionals and organizations in the field to develop AI tools that can help the nearly one billion people the WHO reports are affected. This is one of the areas of great potential for AI, but also one in which great caution must be taken. How is your university responding to the mental health needs of your distant, online students? Have you found ways to balance the good that might be done with the health dangers to individuals that may be caused by well-intended but inadequate or inappropriate responses?
This article was originally published in Inside Higher Ed’s Transforming Teaching & Learning blog.
Innovative new resource hub aims to support the adoption and implementation of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) in postsecondary education
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 14, 2024) – The LER Accelerator, in partnership with the Learn & Work Ecosystem Library, is thrilled to announce the development of a new Special Collection dedicated to supporting the adoption and implementation of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) by institutions, educators, and employers.
About the Special Collection
The LER Accelerator Special Collection is a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and effective credentialing ecosystem. The curated resources will include a wide range of materials that address the common challenges higher education institutions face in adopting LERs, such as:
- Guidelines and Implementation Tools: Detailed resources to guide institutions through the development and adoption process.
- Best Practices: Insights and strategies from successful implementations of LERs across various institutions.
- Case Studies: Real-world examples demonstrating the positive impact of LERs on student outcomes, including learning, retention, graduation, and career success.
The collection will also focus on the policies, practices, and systems necessary to track learning outcomes, competencies, and skills.
Partnership with the Learn & Work Ecosystem Library
The Learn & Work Ecosystem Library is increasingly recognized for its innovative approach to collecting, curating, and coordinating resources that bring clarity to the learn-and-work ecosystem. The Library’s digital platform, enhanced by the AI Library Assistant bot, ensures that users can easily access and navigate a wealth of information. This partnership aims to leverage these capabilities to support the LER Accelerator’s mission of advancing the adoption of digital credentials in postsecondary education.
Key Features of the Special Collection:
- AI-Powered Search and Assistance: The AI Library Assistant bot will aid users in finding relevant information quickly through conversational queries.
- Comprehensive Resource Aggregation: The collection brings together resources from a wide range of contributors, ensuring a diverse and rich repository of information.
- Collaborative Platform: The Library will facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, helping to share knowledge and drive innovation in credentialing.
LER Accelerator
The LER Accelerator project is supported by a coalition of leading national associations representing various college stakeholders, ensuring a comprehensive approach to LER adoption:
- Admissions Operations/Enrollment Management/Records & Registration – AACRAO
- Information Technology – EDUCAUSE
- Academic/Curricular/Faculty – AAC&U
- Online and Professional Education – UPCEA
- Career Centers and Employers – NACE
- Institutional Research – AIR
- Institutional Leadership – ACE
- Competency-Based Education and Skills – C-BEN
- Technology Standards and Practices – 1EdTech, Digital Credentials Consortium
- Community Colleges – AACC
- Advising – NACADA
Funded by Walmart, the coalition aims to address key challenges to LER adoption and implementation in higher education, such as unclear market demand for skill recognition, high administrative and technical barriers, disparate enterprise data systems, and outdated business models. The Special Collection will serve as a critical tool in overcoming these obstacles, providing stakeholders with the resources they need to facilitate the transition to digital credentials.
“The LER Accelerator Coalition is excited to partner with the Learn & Work Ecosystem Library. This collaboration is crucial for enhancing our efforts to streamline and support the adoption of learning and employment records across postsecondary education. The Library’s dedication to curating valuable resources and providing open access aligns perfectly with our mission to improve transparency, interoperability, and equity in the learn-and-work ecosystem. Together, we are committed to transforming education and workforce pathways to create an innovative, inclusive environment that empowers learners and enhances their educational and career outcomes.” – Melanie Gottlieb, AACRAO Executive Director, on behalf of the coalition
“The Learn & Work Ecosystem Library is well suited to house these valuable resources from the LER Accelerator Coalition in one easily accessible digital location. We can bring unique value-add to the collection by pulling in other related resources as well, opening the information flow about game changing efforts such as the LER Accelerator to many others working in this area.” – Holly Zanville, Learn & Work Ecosystem Library founder and team lead
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For Media Inquiries:
Molly Nelson, UPCEA Vice President of Communications, [email protected]