A StartUp Brings Together Online Students in a COVID-Safe Campus Resort in Texas

Three Princeton University grads–in the picture below–have created a university-like environment at a resort in Texas. Students will take online classes with the colleges they are enrolled in while staying in a COVID-safe environment. It costs a $10,000 minimum for housing and meal packages. So far, it has received over 1,500 applications, enough to fill the 150 available slots, the startup company said. The U Experience plans to bring students for the spring 2021 semester, from January 28 to April 18 at Tanglewood Resort near Lake Texoma, Texas. It accepts students from traditional four-year universities as well as virtual programs. The resort includes rec sports, weekly "TEDx-style" guest lectures, nightlife, and a private room for each student. "No masks. No social distancing. A real college experience. Spring 2021," advertises the company. However, people chatting on social media are skeptical about keeping the premises virus-free and a possible outbreak. Students will be tested for the coronavirus upon arrival and regularly examined thereafter. They won’t even be allowed out to buy groceries, but they’ll have access to all the resort’s amenities. "We see online learning as the future of higher education. It has the potential to make college cheap and accessible to all," said its CEO and Co-Founder, Lane Rusell. "The impediment is it's not very attractive to think of being stuck at your parents' house taking lessons on a computer and never going outside." The application process will be nontraditional. Students can view each others' online profiles and "like" those of their friends or students they want to meet. The student feedback won't determine admission but will play a role. The founders have almost 150,000 followers on Instagram. College kids at a resort or just a lavish online learning experience? Inside of Higher Ed wrote a critical piece about it, titled "Bursting Their Buble".   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The U Experience (@theexperienceu)  

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NVIDIA Creates a Learning Community Around Its Jetson AI Micro-Computer

NVIDIA introduced its new Jetson Nano 2GB Developer Kit ($59), an AI computer system intended to learn by building Artificial Intelligence and Robotics applications and prototypes. This developer kit is used by professionals to develop and test software for products based on Jetson modules, and by students and enthusiasts for projects and learning. Around Jetson technology, NVIDIA has created a learning community with a collection of video projects, applications, demos, and tutorials. "Modify or try out one of these projects provided by NVIDIA and jumpstart your creativity, find tips and tricks on the Community Resources page and find answers in the Jetson forum," the company says.      

A Financial Education Platform Provides Short Lessons on Practical Topics

PenFed Credit Union, the second-largest federal credit union in the U.S., introduced an interactive, free platform on financial education for members and their families. PenFed Financial Know How, developed in partnership with Everfi, Inc., is designed to provide members with tools, resources, and personalized knowledge, so they can make informed decisions and achieve financial well-being. It includes a library of topics in both English and Spanish on financial topics such as budgeting, investing, homeownership, and retirement planning. The platform, mobile-first designed, offers 3-6 minute modules, along with interactive, practical exercises. "Understanding your finances and making sound financial decisions is key to a strong future, but many people don't know where to turn to get the information they need in a way that is easily digestible and understandable," explained Everfi Co-Founder and President of Financial Education, Ray Martinez. In addition, PenFed announced a financial literacy program for high school students in Puerto Rico, where the bank serves over 222,000 members.

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Cuomo Hires Coursera.org to Provide Unemployed New Yorkers with Access to Training Programs

Coursera Extends Its Annual Subscription Plan Worldwide

Coursera.org extended worldwide its annual access plan to 3,000+ courses. This subscription plan, called Coursera Plus, comes at a price of $399 per year, and it includes over 90% of the course catalog, according to the announcement made by the learning company. The offer is similar to the one offered to corporations when they buy access for employees. "You can master a specific skill in a Specialization, get job-ready for an in-demand career with a Professional Certificate, or quickly learn a new industry tool in a Guided Project," wrote Anubhav Chopra, Lead Product Manager at Coursera. The Mountain View, California-based startup firm states that "Coursera Plus learners have a 35% higher completion rate and they triple the amount of time they’re active in their courses." The fact that learners don't need to rush to finish courses in one month to try to save money is mentioned in the one-time annual payment as one of the success factors. In its promotional announcement, Coursera highlights the following courses to attract more clients: Data Science Python for Everybody Specialization – University of Michigan Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure – Google Cloud Introduction to Relational Database and SQL – Coursera Project Network Computer Science & IT Google IT Professional Certificate – Google Build Your Portfolio Website with HTML and CSS – Coursera Project Network Object-Oriented Programming with Java – Coursera Project Network Business Facebook Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate – Facebook Excel Skills for Business: Essentials – Macquarie University Introduction to Project Management – University of California, Irvine Personal Development The Science of Well-Being – Yale University Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life: Living for What Matters Most – University of Michigan Foundations of Everyday Leadership – University of Illinois Arts and Humanities Fundamentals of Graphic Design – California Institute of the Arts Introduction to Psychology – Yale University Creative Writing Specialization – Wesleyan University  

The COVID Pandemic Causes Devastation to Children's Learning Across the World

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unbearable devastation to schoolchildren in poor countries. A new study by UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank carried out in 150 countries, shows that children in low-and lower-middle-income countries have already lost nearly four months of schooling since the start of the pandemic, compared to six weeks of loss in high-income countries. The problem is magnified in poor countries with limited access to remote learning, budget cuts, and delayed re-opening plans. "Prioritising reopening schools and providing much-needed catch-up classes are critical,” said Robert Jenkins, Chief of Education at UNICEF. "We were worried about learning poverty before the pandemic and also about the inequality in learning opportunities. Now the learning baseline is lower, but the increase in inequality of opportunities could be catastrophic," said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education. Children in low-and lower-middle-income countries have lost nearly four months of schooling since the start of the pandemic. In high-income countries, it's just six weeks.https://t.co/KX3pX8G4La — UNICEF (@UNICEF) October 29, 2020 Secretary-General at the UN, António Guterres, explained at the end of October, that to "successfully avert the crisis, Mr. Guterres upheld the importance of recognizing education as “a common global good”, with teachers, safe schools, digital technologies and those at greatest risk, in need of far greater investment." "Financing and political will are critical", he stressed. Also recently, Special Envoy Angelina Jolie emphasized that the biggest problem in this education crisis is not a lack of awareness or ideas, but instead a lack of will. "We know what should be done and we know the consequences if we do not act," said the famous actress. Since the pandemic broke, at least one-third of the world’s students have been deprived of any form of learning. Today, nearly half a billion students are still affected by school closures. At least 11 million girls are at high risk of never returning to school. For many girls, school isn’t just a key to a better future. It’s a lifeline for a better life. But more than 11 million girls may not go back after #COVID19. We're gathering 64 Ministers from 97 Countries and global change makers to #PowerEducation! https://t.co/YzZ4W7MsL3 pic.twitter.com/Ght9tO3ASc — UNESCO (@UNESCO) October 22, 2020