Organizing to solve the big problem...interesting notes from Fast Company Online

9 Ways Great Companies Organize Their Teams For Success | Fast Company

Businesses exist for one simple reason: to solve a big problem. At the core of every great product or service is an unfulfilled need that reaches a big enough market. But it’s not enough to have a great idea that solves a big problem; behind each successful company stands a flexible team that can efficiently turn a vision into a growing business.

Classroom discussion forums - are they worth it?

Of note...relatively interesting, and possibly significant work related to the use of discussion in online classes.  It's always puzzled me to determine the value of discussion and this work pokes at the issue.  From Jeffrey R. Young in the Chronicle of Higher Education.  Worth a read.

What a Tech Start-Up's Data Say About What Works in Classroom Forums - Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Professors may want to think carefully before giving formal grades for participation in online discussions, the data suggest. When professors required a set number of discussion posts, the number of submissions was higher than in courses where professors left participation up to students. But instructors reported the highest gains in student understanding when discussion was less strictly marked.

Wondering...pay to perform...hmmmm

Not sure yet what I think about this unique agreement between and institution and an educational vendor except that as long as we all continue to rely upon grades as the indicator of success, we will continue to chase our own tails.  Luckily, McGraw Hill's product does tie LearnSmart to learning goals and objectives so with some good work, the instructor could truly measure attainment of student learning outcomes tied to grades.  Next step: MH needs to allow customization of learning objectives within their materials.  Will watch with interest.

Western Governors U Signs Textbook Pay-for-Performance Deal -- Campus Technology

In this project, McGraw-Hill will provide e-books and access to software, such as McGraw-Hill's adaptive learning system, LearnSmart, and the university will pay a "significantly discounted flat fee" for the materials. In addition, Western Governors will also pay the company a premium for each student who uses the materials and receives a B or better grade in the course.

Education badges - not like the one Barney Fife wore

Jeffrey Young writes a good summary of the badge concept - competency based learning - which seems to be taking hold (at least in publication and discussion if not in practice).  Comments from Belle Whelan and Kathy Davidson below provide a nice summary of where this issue rests in the higher education community.

'Badges' Earned Online Pose Challenge to Traditional College Diplomas - College 2.0 - The Chronicle of Higher Education

"The idea of badges hasn't risen to our radar as a concept, but I think we can't ignore it," says Belle S. Wheelan, president of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. "The whole idea of learning beyond high school has changed," she adds. "College used to indicate that not only did you have a skill set in a particular area, but that you gained a body of knowledge that made you a well-rounded person. People don't care about being well-rounded anymore, they just want to get a job."

Fundamentally, badges are all about perception, so it's difficult to predict whether the key players—employers and job applicants—will click the like button on the concept.

"The biggest hurdle is the one I had, which is prejudice," says Cathy Davidson, a professor of interdisciplinary studies at Duke University and author of Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn. She says she initially viewed educational badges as frivolous, but is now a leading proponent as a co-founder of Hastac.

"People seem to think they know what school is and they know what work is," she says. "We live in a world where anyone can learn anything, anytime, anywhere, but we haven't remotely reorganized our workplace or school for this age."

Creating Jobs in America! (Or, the changing nature of the instructional workforce)

Social media and job titles: A pixelated portrait of labour | The Economist

LinkedIn, however, says it knows that, and much else gleaned from the profiles of its millions of members. The social-media website for professionals can tell you that one of the fastest-growing job titles in America is “adjunct professor” (an ill-paid, overworked species of academic). One of the fastest-shrinking is “sales associate". 

My thoughts: Two items of note - the mining of social media data from sources like Linked-In and Twitter as reflections of trends + the changing nature of the instructional workforce.