Contributed by Organizations or Campuses; Articles, Papers, and Reports; and Learning

Colleges have proven techniques to improve student learning, but too few students — especially from at-risk populations — have access to them, study finds.

The History Engine site is an online resource for students to search and browse written tidbits — what historians behind the project call “episodes” — and to contribute their own entries to a growing online ecosystem that is connected via semantic links, time stamps and geographic tags (with mapping functionality on the way).

Diana Oblinger explores the 'net generation' who can seamlessly move between their real and digital lives. Their behaviours, preferences and expectations may be very different from those of their teachers. Diana examines the characteristics of these learners, the possibilities offered by new technologies and the skills that an education system needs to provide for the 21st century. She also argues that we need to adapt to this rapidly evolving context and goes on to explore the implications for learning space design, assessment and learning and teaching.

This report examines The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s past investments in Open Educational Resources, the emerging impact and explores future opportunities.  Central to the report is the idea of “The Brewing Perfect Storm” and the creation of an Open Participatory Learning Infrastructure.

"As college associations unveil new ways for colleges to report on what they do, and Congress debates how much accreditors should ask of colleges, an effort has been going on for months to craft a national statement on student learning and assessment. "

"As online tools become more ubiquitous inside and outside the classroom, and the growth of distance learning continues, education researchers have begun to focus on how best to harness new technologies. Advocates for the classical lecture experience still exist, of course, but the general trend has been toward incorporating various technologies into the classroom, from course management software to digital photography. One approach, called “blended learning,” mixes traditional “face to face” techniques with cutting-edge developments in theory and technology."

Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning represents the fifth annual report on the state of online learning in U.S. higher education.  This year’s study, like those for the previous four years, is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education.  Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and based on responses from more than 2,500 colleges and universities, the study addresses the following key questions:

• How Many Students are Learning Online?
• Where has the Growth in Online Learning Occurred?
• Why do Institutions Provide Online Offerings?
• What are the Prospects for Future Online Enrollment Growth?
• What are the Barriers to Widespread Adoption of Online Education?

There has been a remarkable improvement in access and rate of adoption of technology in higher
education. Even so, reports indicate that faculty members are not integrating technology into instruction
in ways that make a difference in student learning (Cuban, 2001; McCannon & Crews,
2000). To help faculty make informed decisions on student learning, there is need for current
knowledge of faculty integration practices. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine
the nature of the relationship between faculty integration of technology into classroom instruction
and students' perceptions of the effect of computer technology to improve their learning.
A sample of at least 800 undergraduate students at a participating medium-sized midwest public
university was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. The researcher delivered
and administered the surveys to the participating students and collected them after completion.
98% of the questionnaires were complete and retained for analysis. Two major statistical techniques

"With federal backing, 3 higher ed groups will undertake project to develop multiple ways of measuring student learning — answering call for accountability, but with colleges in the driver’s seat."