Education professionals agree that video is essential to students' academic experience. Moreover, video has become the preferred teaching method since it engages more than text-based content and increases students' satisfaction and performance. This is the main finding of a global survey done by video platform provider Kaltura across several countries, including the U.S., UK, and Germany. The research, titled The State of Video in Education 2022Â highlights that the pandemic was a major accelerator for online and hybrid modalities. "It's been a paradigm shift for educators," says the research. A total of 94% of these new-to-online educators say that they will continue to use a hybrid learning model even after in-person classes resume. Respondents of the survey say they feel comfortable using video technology. In fact, they would like to see their institution use more video. "Video has clearly become intuitive and easy to use for most educators." The majority of respondents reported using video to support course delivery. Among the top uses of video are: Synchronous remote teaching and learning Supplementary course material Lecture capture Completely asynchronous courses with on-demand video and/or recorded video messages Student assignments Virtual office hours Personal introductions of teachers and/or students Flipped classrooms Student assessment Uses of video outside the classroom include: Internal staff/instructor training Recorded campus events Live campus events Internal staff communication External marketing Library media collections .
The College Board announced this week that the SAT will be delivered digitally — beginning internationally in 2023 and in the U.S. in 2024. However, the assessments will continue to be administered in a school or a test center with a proctor present, not at home. The exam will continue to measure the knowledge and skills the students are learning in high school and that matter most for college. It will still be scored on a 1600 scale. Students will still have access to free practice resources on Khan Academy. Other changes will be implemented: The digital SAT will be shorter—about two hours instead of three for the current SAT, with more time per question. The digital test will feature shorter reading passages with one question tied to each, and passages will reflect a wider range of topics that represent the works students read in college. Calculators will be allowed in the entire Math section. Students and educators will get scores back in days instead of weeks. Score reports will also connect students to information and resources about local two-year colleges, workforce training programs, and career options. Students will be able to use their own device (laptop or tablet) or a school-issued device. If a student loses connectivity or power, it will not lose their work or time while they reconnect. Every student will receive a unique digital test form, so it will be practically impossible to share answers. The College Board did a pilot project of the digital SAT in the U.S. and internationally in November 2021. Eighty percent of students responded that they found it less stressful and 100% of educators reported having a positive experience.
eLearning Brothers, yesterday, announced their second acquisition of 2022 after the purchasing Rehearsal video coaching platform. The purchased firm was a Chennai, India-based learning design and technology called Origin Learning. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed. It's eLearning Brothers' fifth acquisition over the past two years. American Fork, Utah–based eLearning Brothers explained that "its headcount was increased over three-fold." The company now has nearly 500 employees, according to its own data. "Now, with nearly 500 employees, we are uniquely positioned to help organizations of all sizes tackle their learning and development challenges, as well as continue to add features and innovations to their learning technology offerings," explained Andrew Scivally, co-founder and CEO of eLearning Brothers. "Our philosophy aligns perfectly with the eLearning Brothers mission of helping create better learning experiences," said Vasanthi, co-founder and CEO of Origin Learning Inc. Founded in 2008, Origin Learning follows a delivery model mix of onsite/offshore/hybrid customized for client needs.
Toronto-based learning platform Docebo Inc (NASDAQ: DCBO; TSX: DCBO) announced this week its acquisition of Skillslive, an Australian educational consulting agency, for an undisclosed amount. With this purchase, Docebo further expands its presence in the Asia-Pacific ("APAC") region by adding expertise and commercial and professional services capabilities. "It builds from Docebo's strong and growing presence in North America and Europe," said the company. Skillslive was already a reseller with Docebo. The agency offers consultancy services around the idea of aligning pathways with professional development, competencies, compliance, certification, and accreditation. The name of Skillslive will be changed to "Docebo ANZ." In 2021, as part of its expansion in the EMEA region, Docebo opened a new office in Munich, Germany. Skillslive has been acquired by @docebo. We're looking forward to joining a team that has innovation at its core—and like us too, believes in growing and evolving learning experiences for forward-thinking organizations. Follow @docebo for future updates. https://t.co/ckuzUvLg54 — Skillslive (@SkillsliveLMS) January 24, 2022
A survey from Cengage Group regarding The Great Resignation — the phenomenon that depicts why millions of workers are quitting their jobs — reveals that employees aren't just resigning. They are reskilling with the hope they can change their career paths, move to new industries, and improve their lives. In 2021, the number of resigners reached 38 million. Meanwhile, as of January 2022, the number of available jobs in the U.S. hovered around 10.6 million. As they struggle to fill open positions, employers are hiring workers based on skills and potential instead of degrees on a resume. "The pandemic has forced everyone to consider what gives employees purpose, and for many people, work isn’t the be-all-end-all of their lives anymore," concluded Cengage's survey. "Workers have more power and leverage than ever, and they’re wielding that power by leaving their jobs in unprecedented numbers to look for better opportunities." Online training is a stepping stone for resigners’ next opportunities and their sights are set on three industries. Nearly 4 out of 5 resigners (78%) have taken online training courses or certificate programs. Their motivations are clear: most (64%) say that having an online training program on their resume is essential to landing a new job. The majority of those training programs (72%) had a time-to-completion of six months or less. This time frame suggests that resigners prefer short-term courses to help them reskill and get back into the workforce quickly. The report offers three recommendations for organizations to better support people looking to reskill: 1) Academic institutions should offer more short-term, flexible, scalable, and affordable credentialing programs. 2) Employers need to provide more access to reskilling and upskilling opportunities for career growth. 3) U.S. education and workforce systems must modernize by investing in apprenticeships, hybrid learning models, and industry partnerships.
