Online and Professional Continuing Education News
See below for a listing of curated news articles of the day brought to you by Ray Schroeder, Senior Fellow at UPCEA.
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- How AI Impacts Academic Thinking, Writing and Learning - Does AI make for better grades or better thinkers? - Michael Hogan, et al; Psychology TodayOver-reliance on AI risks eroding students’ knowledge and skill development through reduced cognitive effort. In writing tasks, findings suggest that students primarily prompt ChatGPT for data, facts, and information. Educators need activity designs that encourage questioning and verification rather than blind AI acceptance.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-one-lifespan/202509/how-ai-impacts-academic-thinking-writing-and-learning
- OPINION: AI can be a great equalizer, but it remains out of reach for millions of Americans; we cannot let that continue - Erin Mote, Hechinger ReportThis digital divide is a persistent crisis that deepens societal inequities, and we must rally around one of the most effective tools we have to combat it: the Universal Service Fund. The USF is a long-standing national commitment built on a foundation of bipartisan support and born from the principle that every American, regardless of […]
- Extension uses online learning to assist Iowans for a lifetime - Jeff Budlong, Inside Iowa State Univesrsity"We serve citizens of the state with educational programs that are really meant to enhance their lives," the School of Education associate professor said. "We wanted to focus on employed individuals who had the ability to pay for skill development." With help from two rounds of funding through the strategic plan, a two-year effort is […]
- OPINION: Schools cannot teach AI literacy without a way to measure it - Amit Sevak, Hechinger ReportEverywhere you look, someone is telling students and workers to “learn AI.” It’s become the go-to advice for staying employable, relevant and prepared for the future. But here’s the problem: While definitions of artificial intelligence literacy are starting to emerge, we still lack a consistent, measurable framework to know whether someone is truly ready to […]
- More Than a Name: How Assignment Labels Influence Student Learning and Performance - Salina Randall, Faculty FocusApplying adult learning theory, we redesigned assignments to emphasize process-based learning and offer scaffolded opportunities for students to engage with authentic tasks. This approach clarified expectations, enhanced performance, and fostered a more collaborative relationship between faculty and instructional designers. We grounded our redesign in adult learning theory (andragogy) because our student population skews older, with […]
- Accreditors’ New Frontier - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher EdNow, two accrediting agencies are stepping into that murky terrain, hoping to bring some order—and branch out into a new market. Both the New England Commission of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission, which has been researching short-term programs for eight years, are gearing up to assess whether providers of these programs meet their […]
- Artificial intelligence, rising tuition discussed by educational leaders at UMD - Ella Schoeberl, UMNA panel gathered at UMD’s Weber Music Hall Friday to discuss the future of higher education. The conversation touched on heavy topics like artificial intelligence, rising tuition costs, and how to provide the best education possible for students. As students graduate, if they are not AI fluent, they are not competitive for jobs,” said panelist […]
- Duke University pilot project examining pros and cons of using artificial intelligence in college - APAs part of a new pilot with OpenAI, all Duke undergraduate students, as well as staff, faculty and students across the University’s professional schools, gained free, unlimited access to ChatGPT-4o beginning June 2. The University also announced DukeGPT, a University-managed AI interface that connects users to resources for learning and research and ensures “maximum privacy […]
- How to align what you do with what matters most - McKinseyAmid rapid changes on both a personal and global level, it’s easy to lose sight of what it means to lead with authenticity. But leadership—as expansive a concept as it may seem—takes on deeper meaning when the focus shifts from leading to genuinely connecting. In their recently published book, McKinsey Senior Partners Dana Maor, Kurt […]
- Should AI Get Legal Rights? - Kylie Robeson, WiredIn the often strange world of AI research, some people are exploring whether the machines should be able to unionize. I’m joking, sort of. In Silicon Valley, there’s a small but growing field called model welfare, which is working to figure out whether AI models are conscious and deserving of moral considerations, such as legal […]
- Worst to first: What it takes to build or remake a world-class team - Kevin Carmody, Mark Hojnacki, and Rick Gold with Shayne Skov; McKinseyWorst to first: What it takes to build or remake a world-class team - Kevin Carmody, Mark Hojnacki, and Rick Gold with Shayne Skov; McKinseyBuilding a team is hard; building a winning team is even harder. For every organization that manages to achieve the right mix of talent, culture, and performance expectations, many more find […]
- From Policing to Pedagogy: Navigating AI's Transformative Power - Jim Wentworth, Faculty FocusThe rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into higher education has reignited a familiar moral panic around academic dishonesty. While much of the immediate institutional response has centered on detection and enforcement, this reaction echoes a familiar pattern—one that treats academic dishonesty as an individual moral failure rather than a symptom of broader systemic […]
- Responsible AI in higher education: Building skills, trust and integrity - Alexander Shevchenko, World Economic ForumMany institutions are moving from policing AI use to partnering with students. This transition emphasizes trust, transparency and ongoing skill development, mirroring the realities of modern careers where AI is ubiquitous. It also highlights the crucial role of faculty in guiding responsible and meaningful AI use. One practical example of this approach is Grammarly for […]
- Why liberal arts schools are now hopping on skills-based microcredentials - Alcino Donadel, University BusinessNew market demands are pushing small, four-year liberal arts colleges to offer microcredentials, indicating growing momentum across sectors of higher education to elevate workforce readiness within their academic offerings. Chief learning officers at community colleges are leading the charge in expanding non-degree offerings, reporting the highest levels of institutional investment in this area. Meanwhile, large […]
- Team building for a new era - McKinseyIn the new world of work, teams operate with more autonomy, speed, and complexity than ever before. Research by Aaron De Smet, Gemma D’Auria, Maitham Albaharna, and coauthors challenges common myths about teamwork and introduces data-driven models to help teams thrive. Their analysis highlights three archetypes—cycling, relay, and rowing—each requiring a distinct approach to drive […]
- Design Smarter, Teach Better: How Thoughtful Course Webpages Can Improve Online Learning - Kelly M. Babchishin, Emma J. Holmes, and Alexis G. Hinkson, Faculty FocusEven as in-person classes return post-pandemic, online courses haven’t gone away. In fact, many students still opt for online learning because of the flexibility it offers. But one thing is clear: not all online courses are created equal, and one of the biggest differences lies in something many instructors overlook: the course webpage. Whether you’re […]
- Key factors influencing intention to use ChatGPT: An empirical study of U.S. students - Long Pham, et al; Acta Psychologica via Science DirectChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot, has seen unprecedented adoption, yet the factors driving its acceptance among students remain underexplored. This study investigates key determinants of U.S. university students' intention to use ChatGPT in higher education. Drawing on the technology acceptance model, theory of reasoned action, and diffusion of innovation theory, survey data from 411 students […]
- Academics must be open to changing their minds on acceptable AI use - Ava Doherty, Times Higher EducationHonest and open-ended conversations over how AI can be productively used in the learning journey are needed, not ChatGPT bans, says Ava Doherty. Students today face a striking paradox: they are among the most technologically literate generations in history, yet they are deeply anxious about their career prospects in an artificial intelligence-driven future. Since the […]
- Navigating the AI Revolution in Higher Education - Alyse Jordan, Frontiers in EducationA systematic review conducted in the first nine months following ChatGPT's release provides valuable early insights into how AI has affected teaching, curriculum design, and assessment practices in higher education. The review identified both benefits and threats of AI integration, offering preliminary evidence to inform institutional policies and faculty practices (Liang et al., 2025). As […]
- Trump administration plans to limit how long foreign students can study in the U.S. - PoliticoThe Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday it intends to publish a proposed rule that would limit the length of time foreign students are allowed to stay in the United States. Since 1978, foreign students, or F visa holders, could stay in the U.S. for their “duration of status,” meaning as long as they were […]
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