Home > Resources > Articles > Hybrid Education Plans Take Shape in the US

Hybrid Education Plans Take Shape in the US

Although school has resumed in countries such as Norway and China, restarting K-12 education during a global pandemic is proving difficult in the United States. Amid questions about if, how, and when to do so, a host of ideas have emerged.

Spotlight

Utah State University

Utah State offers top-notch academics, nationally-recognized research, Division I athletics and more than 200 student clubs and organizations, all on the oldest residential campus in the state. Located in Logan, Utah, USU is only minutes away from two mountain ranges, within a two-hour drive of 10 major ski resorts, and a half-day's drive of six national parks, including Arches and Yellowstone. To date, Utah State has seen year after year increases in total research funding, with research grants from the U.S. Department of Defense, National Science Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services.

OTHER ARTICLES
Education Technology, Continuing Education

Finding a New Passion Through Online Teaching

Article | August 8, 2022

Salsa steps to the side. Quick hip turns. Smile through the sweat. That’s Teacher Dashia’s routine as she leads another one of her high energy Zumba classes in Las Vegas. Naturally, Latin dance-inspired fitness was a great fit for Dashia as it tapped into her passion for health, dance, and her Dominican heritage. Being a mother of two young kids requires a lot of attention and many trips to the park. Helping others shake it up and slim down gave Teacher Dashia the creative outlet she needed for 8 years.

Read More
Education Technology

2Do Top Tips

Article | July 14, 2022

In this blog post, Alban Squires, Educational Consultant at 2Simple shares his top tips for utilising 2Dos. The powerful 2Dos feature within Purple Mash allows teachers to assign tasks and content with just a few clicks of a mouse to any classes, groups or individual pupils…Teachers set the 2do which appears in the 2Do section on each pupil’s Purple Mash homepage. It’s not only purple Mash applications that can be set as a 2Do. You might want children to view a video or a piece of writing you have created that was made with an external file.

Read More
Online Education

A rural college launches a free in-home connectivity program

Article | July 19, 2022

Even before the pandemic, Dr. Kyle Wagner, Northeastern Technical College (NETC) president, was a strong proponent of distance learning. Many of the residents in the rural South Carolina communities the school serves, where incomes fall below the national poverty level, don’t pursue a college education due to factors including lack of access to transportation and childcare. He firmly believed that enabling off-campus learning could overcome these barriers, and was working to expand the school’s remote learning program when the pandemic hit.

Read More
Online Education

The Art and Science of Balancing Screen Time for Online Learners

Article | May 31, 2022

In 2021, Class, a virtual classroom app that combines with Zoom, neared unicorn status after receiving funding from SoftBank Vision Fund II. But, with just 10 months and a string of top edtech U.S. investors to back it up, the app’s spectacular rise only speaks to the boom in online education in the past two years. Online learning has changed. It went from centering around accessibility to becoming the primary delivery method almost overnight. So when it comes to screen time, this newest addition to our already screen-filled lives is uninvited. Especially for children, it only meant that screen time was highly monitored during lockdown. And that change came with struggles. Between configuring the technicalities of accessing online classrooms and figuring out how to engage students, teachers have faced an uphill battle all along. There is plenty of research to suggest that too much screen time has negative health implications, but education has to continue at all costs. 2021 was full of stories of students finding creative ways of avoiding classes or not attending them. One 8-year-old found a loophole in Zoom’s app last year that locked her out of her Zoom class. Even Zoom’s technical team failed to find the issue. It led to a goose chase into discovering that the child was locking herself out by inputting the wrong password over 20 times. Screen Time Vs Screen-Tied Screen time has five types: television, video games, social media, music, and reading. The key is not just to regulate screen time but also the content that is being consumed. Technology may have evolved, but our ability to use it for long durations and to conduct sensory tasks like learning over the internet hasn’t. Between education, video-games, social media and TV, distribution meant calibrating what type of content should be consumed in order to reduce the negative impact. Approximately 75% of all teenagers own a smartphone today. In addition, a majority of young adults report video games as their go-to activity in their free time. While research on the use of video games may be inconclusive, prolonged exposure is nevertheless known to rewire developing brains. There’s also a high risk to susceptible minds with regards to unfiltered and harmful messages from social media, which is a massive source of increased screen time for children and teenagers. All these issues call for a meaningful control of screen time. But in a sea of endless information and uninterrupted content, how do you identify the right balance? Culling Unnecessary Content For educators, the aim is clear: to balance screen time so precariously that children do not lose their will to learn or play. Parents and educational institutions must identify the following objectives through the content they are letting their families consume: Developing digital skills to prepare children for higher education and digital careers Raising digital citizens that use online mediums to contribute to their communities Exposing learners to new ideas and concepts in a safe context Acquiring creative skills, interpersonal expression, and etiquette for engagement online There is no dearth of educational content online, but it is important to achieve a balance between the educational and the entertainment consumption of learners. On occasion, both can be combined through interactive shows and programs that do not expose learners to addictive behaviors. Designating screen-free times, activities, and even locations like meals, traveling, or bedrooms can help learners build a habit of controlling their screen time. To Wrap It Up There is no doubt that the pandemic provided online learning with a much-needed shot in the arm. This also means that screen time has exponentially increased. Thanks to both virtual schools and a complete lockdown on going outside, young learners were left with no option but to turn to their screens. Whether to connect to their peers, attend classes, or spend their free time, learners are faced with a barrage of screen time that can affect their ability to navigate a post-pandemic world. Parents and educators must take it upon themselves to lay down the guidelines that drive the harmonious use of electronics without encouraging total dependence on them.

Read More
Education Technology, Continuing Education

3 Ways K-12 Can Benefit from Classroom Management Software

Article | August 8, 2022

Salsa steps to the side. Quick hip turns. Smile through the sweat. That’s Teacher Dashia’s routine as she leads another one of her high energy Zumba classes in Las Vegas. Naturally, Latin dance-inspired fitness was a great fit for Dashia as it tapped into her passion for health, dance, and her Dominican heritage. Being a mother of two young kids requires a lot of attention and many trips to the park. Helping others shake it up and slim down gave Teacher Dashia the creative outlet she needed for 8 years.

Read More
Education Technology

3 Ways to Recession-Proof the Education Technology Department

Article | July 14, 2022

In this blog post, Alban Squires, Educational Consultant at 2Simple shares his top tips for utilising 2Dos. The powerful 2Dos feature within Purple Mash allows teachers to assign tasks and content with just a few clicks of a mouse to any classes, groups or individual pupils…Teachers set the 2do which appears in the 2Do section on each pupil’s Purple Mash homepage. It’s not only purple Mash applications that can be set as a 2Do. You might want children to view a video or a piece of writing you have created that was made with an external file.

Read More
Online Education

Creating SEL Awareness Among Parents

Article | July 19, 2022

Even before the pandemic, Dr. Kyle Wagner, Northeastern Technical College (NETC) president, was a strong proponent of distance learning. Many of the residents in the rural South Carolina communities the school serves, where incomes fall below the national poverty level, don’t pursue a college education due to factors including lack of access to transportation and childcare. He firmly believed that enabling off-campus learning could overcome these barriers, and was working to expand the school’s remote learning program when the pandemic hit.

Read More
Online Education

The Art and Science of Balancing Screen Time for Online Learners

Article | May 31, 2022

In 2021, Class, a virtual classroom app that combines with Zoom, neared unicorn status after receiving funding from SoftBank Vision Fund II. But, with just 10 months and a string of top edtech U.S. investors to back it up, the app’s spectacular rise only speaks to the boom in online education in the past two years. Online learning has changed. It went from centering around accessibility to becoming the primary delivery method almost overnight. So when it comes to screen time, this newest addition to our already screen-filled lives is uninvited. Especially for children, it only meant that screen time was highly monitored during lockdown. And that change came with struggles. Between configuring the technicalities of accessing online classrooms and figuring out how to engage students, teachers have faced an uphill battle all along. There is plenty of research to suggest that too much screen time has negative health implications, but education has to continue at all costs. 2021 was full of stories of students finding creative ways of avoiding classes or not attending them. One 8-year-old found a loophole in Zoom’s app last year that locked her out of her Zoom class. Even Zoom’s technical team failed to find the issue. It led to a goose chase into discovering that the child was locking herself out by inputting the wrong password over 20 times. Screen Time Vs Screen-Tied Screen time has five types: television, video games, social media, music, and reading. The key is not just to regulate screen time but also the content that is being consumed. Technology may have evolved, but our ability to use it for long durations and to conduct sensory tasks like learning over the internet hasn’t. Between education, video-games, social media and TV, distribution meant calibrating what type of content should be consumed in order to reduce the negative impact. Approximately 75% of all teenagers own a smartphone today. In addition, a majority of young adults report video games as their go-to activity in their free time. While research on the use of video games may be inconclusive, prolonged exposure is nevertheless known to rewire developing brains. There’s also a high risk to susceptible minds with regards to unfiltered and harmful messages from social media, which is a massive source of increased screen time for children and teenagers. All these issues call for a meaningful control of screen time. But in a sea of endless information and uninterrupted content, how do you identify the right balance? Culling Unnecessary Content For educators, the aim is clear: to balance screen time so precariously that children do not lose their will to learn or play. Parents and educational institutions must identify the following objectives through the content they are letting their families consume: Developing digital skills to prepare children for higher education and digital careers Raising digital citizens that use online mediums to contribute to their communities Exposing learners to new ideas and concepts in a safe context Acquiring creative skills, interpersonal expression, and etiquette for engagement online There is no dearth of educational content online, but it is important to achieve a balance between the educational and the entertainment consumption of learners. On occasion, both can be combined through interactive shows and programs that do not expose learners to addictive behaviors. Designating screen-free times, activities, and even locations like meals, traveling, or bedrooms can help learners build a habit of controlling their screen time. To Wrap It Up There is no doubt that the pandemic provided online learning with a much-needed shot in the arm. This also means that screen time has exponentially increased. Thanks to both virtual schools and a complete lockdown on going outside, young learners were left with no option but to turn to their screens. Whether to connect to their peers, attend classes, or spend their free time, learners are faced with a barrage of screen time that can affect their ability to navigate a post-pandemic world. Parents and educators must take it upon themselves to lay down the guidelines that drive the harmonious use of electronics without encouraging total dependence on them.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Utah State University

Utah State offers top-notch academics, nationally-recognized research, Division I athletics and more than 200 student clubs and organizations, all on the oldest residential campus in the state. Located in Logan, Utah, USU is only minutes away from two mountain ranges, within a two-hour drive of 10 major ski resorts, and a half-day's drive of six national parks, including Arches and Yellowstone. To date, Utah State has seen year after year increases in total research funding, with research grants from the U.S. Department of Defense, National Science Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Related News

Education Technology, Online Education

Ellucian Achieves Cloud Awards for Its Hybrid Cloud Solution

Ellucian | February 24, 2023

On February 23, 2023, Ellucian, an education technology solutions provider, announced being awarded The Cloud Awards in the Best Hybrid Cloud Solution category, recognizing it for innovation and transformation in the education sector through cloud computing solutions. Ellucian platform supports higher education institutes with innovation and support for resilience. Its integrated solutions assist faculty members and education staff in successful outcomes for students through data-driven insights. It offers in-house experts, a partner network, advanced cloud-based solutions, and capabilities. The Cloud Awards is an international program honoring innovators for organizational transformation through cloud computing. It considers small, large, start-up and established organizations worldwide for the awards. Its categories are Best SaaS, Most Promising Start-Up and "Best in Mobile" Cloud Solution. It is part of three programs: The Cloud Awards, The Cloud Security Awards and The Software-as-a-Service Awards. CTO of Ellucian, Mike Wulff, said, "Making the transition to the cloud can be daunting, requiring confidence in the technology, time, and resources." He added, "Our customers understand the advantages that come with making the change, and we are committed to working closely with higher education institutions -- offering a tailored approach that suits their specific needs. It is an honor to be awarded a 2023 Cloud Award, recognizing our efforts to provide efficient and customized hybrid cloud solutions." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) Head of Operations for The Cloud Awards, James Williams, said, "Ellucian is an admirable winner of The Cloud Awards as their solution takes the industry a step forward." He added, "There were many innovative solutions among the finalists, but Ellucian's solution stood out to the judging panel as the ultimate category winner for Best Hybrid Cloud Solution." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Ellucian Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Ellucian, a higher education services provider, offers solutions for SaaS, digital transformation, workflow software, document management software, talent management system, cloud services, student retention, recruitment and enrollment management software, mobile campus, higher education ERP, student information system, higher education software and services. It has been empowering colleges and universities with its cloud-based solutions since 1968. In addition, it offers professional services like management consulting, education, training, and application software implementation. It helps customers with remarkable digital transformation for a successful institution and student development.

Read More

Education Technology

Milwaukee School of Engineering Partners with Everspring to Expand Online

Everspring | March 02, 2022

Everspring, a leading provider of higher education technology solutions and services, announces a new partnership with the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) to support the strategic expansion of its online educational offerings. Everspring will support MSOE university-wide with market research, supplemental course development, and marketing services to grow program enrollments while preserving the university's unique applied learning methodology. MSOE offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificate programs, primarily in engineering, business and nursing. The university is known for its hands-on, experiential learning methodology that emphasizes practical application. Courses are highly collaborative, and students receive strong personal attention from faculty. In developing its online courses and programs, the university sought a partner who could preserve this highly interactive academic approach. "We are excited to launch our partnership with Everspring and grow a suite of online programs that align with our institutional mission to provide students engaging, experiential learning. We are building on our foundation of strong enrollment. And with this partnership, we can expand and translate our academic approach into online and hybrid modalities, enabling us to educate in innovative ways." Eric Baumgartner, executive vice president of academics at MSOE Everspring's market research will identify the best opportunities for online growth based on workforce trends and other data, helping the university prioritize which online programs to grow and where to focus for new initiatives. With Everspring's marketing support, MSOE will expand its reach and grow online enrollments with highly qualified students. "MSOE has a great set of high-quality programs and numerous opportunities for growth," said Beth Hollenberg, president and co-founder of Everspring. "Everspring is excited to partner with MSOE to help them set a roadmap for their future growth and thereafter support them to build and scale exceptional online and hybrid programs that embody and reflect the university's academic ethos," said Beth Hollenberg, president and co-founder of Everspring. About Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee School of Engineering is the university of choice for those seeking an inclusive community of experiential learners driven to solve the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. The independent, non-profit university has about 2,800 students and was founded in 1903. MSOE offers bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering, business and nursing. Faculty are student-focused experts who bring real-world experience into the classroom. This approach to learning makes students ready now, as well as prepared for the future. Longstanding partnerships with business and industry leaders enable students to learn alongside professional mentors and challenge them to go beyond what's possible. MSOE graduates are leaders of character, responsible professionals, passionate learners and value creators. About Everspring Everspring is a leading provider of education technology and services solutions for higher education. Our advanced technology, proven marketing approach, and robust faculty support and instructional design services deliver outstanding outcomes for our university partners, powering their success online. Everspring offers a range of full-service turnkey solutions, as well as standalone fee-for-service offerings, and innovative self-service products that enable universities to establish themselves as leaders in the digital delivery of higher education. Based in Chicago, Everspring serves a growing number of colleges and universities, nationwide.

Read More

Online Education

Stride, Inc. Launches Pandemic-Proof Professional Development

Stride, Inc. | February 18, 2022

The ongoing pandemic has taught educators everywhere a powerful lesson – the need for flexibility and adaptability to include online or hybrid learning. With more than 20 years of experience in the virtual learning space, Stride, Inc. has much insight to offer during their Promising Practices Conference Series, six online events designed to provide budget-friendly, student-centered professional development for any present and future educator across the globe. According to MDR Education’s EdNET Insights, it is estimated that 74% of teachers in the United States spend about $250 per year, out-of-pocket, for their own professional development. With traditional teaching workshops and conferences ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, Stride’s Promising Practices Conference Series is filling a need for affordable and convenient professional development options at no cost for the first event and $1.99 per person for each of the following five events. “As students become more digitally fluent there is a tremendous opportunity for schools to invest in their teachers’ ability to meet them where they are in order to ensure learning gains. We are excited to extend our decades of expertise in online teaching and learning to educators around the world for the benefit of every student, in a way that is highly accessible and welcoming to educators of all backgrounds.” Niyoka McCoy, Chief Academic Officer at Stride Since 2000, Stride has transformed teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs, training thousands of educators to bring quality hands-on and online curriculum to more than two million students worldwide. About Stride, Inc. At Stride, Inc., we are reimagining learning—where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed millions of people’s teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and postsecondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.

Read More

Education Technology, Online Education

Ellucian Achieves Cloud Awards for Its Hybrid Cloud Solution

Ellucian | February 24, 2023

On February 23, 2023, Ellucian, an education technology solutions provider, announced being awarded The Cloud Awards in the Best Hybrid Cloud Solution category, recognizing it for innovation and transformation in the education sector through cloud computing solutions. Ellucian platform supports higher education institutes with innovation and support for resilience. Its integrated solutions assist faculty members and education staff in successful outcomes for students through data-driven insights. It offers in-house experts, a partner network, advanced cloud-based solutions, and capabilities. The Cloud Awards is an international program honoring innovators for organizational transformation through cloud computing. It considers small, large, start-up and established organizations worldwide for the awards. Its categories are Best SaaS, Most Promising Start-Up and "Best in Mobile" Cloud Solution. It is part of three programs: The Cloud Awards, The Cloud Security Awards and The Software-as-a-Service Awards. CTO of Ellucian, Mike Wulff, said, "Making the transition to the cloud can be daunting, requiring confidence in the technology, time, and resources." He added, "Our customers understand the advantages that come with making the change, and we are committed to working closely with higher education institutions -- offering a tailored approach that suits their specific needs. It is an honor to be awarded a 2023 Cloud Award, recognizing our efforts to provide efficient and customized hybrid cloud solutions." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) Head of Operations for The Cloud Awards, James Williams, said, "Ellucian is an admirable winner of The Cloud Awards as their solution takes the industry a step forward." He added, "There were many innovative solutions among the finalists, but Ellucian's solution stood out to the judging panel as the ultimate category winner for Best Hybrid Cloud Solution." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Ellucian Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Ellucian, a higher education services provider, offers solutions for SaaS, digital transformation, workflow software, document management software, talent management system, cloud services, student retention, recruitment and enrollment management software, mobile campus, higher education ERP, student information system, higher education software and services. It has been empowering colleges and universities with its cloud-based solutions since 1968. In addition, it offers professional services like management consulting, education, training, and application software implementation. It helps customers with remarkable digital transformation for a successful institution and student development.

Read More

Education Technology

Milwaukee School of Engineering Partners with Everspring to Expand Online

Everspring | March 02, 2022

Everspring, a leading provider of higher education technology solutions and services, announces a new partnership with the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) to support the strategic expansion of its online educational offerings. Everspring will support MSOE university-wide with market research, supplemental course development, and marketing services to grow program enrollments while preserving the university's unique applied learning methodology. MSOE offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificate programs, primarily in engineering, business and nursing. The university is known for its hands-on, experiential learning methodology that emphasizes practical application. Courses are highly collaborative, and students receive strong personal attention from faculty. In developing its online courses and programs, the university sought a partner who could preserve this highly interactive academic approach. "We are excited to launch our partnership with Everspring and grow a suite of online programs that align with our institutional mission to provide students engaging, experiential learning. We are building on our foundation of strong enrollment. And with this partnership, we can expand and translate our academic approach into online and hybrid modalities, enabling us to educate in innovative ways." Eric Baumgartner, executive vice president of academics at MSOE Everspring's market research will identify the best opportunities for online growth based on workforce trends and other data, helping the university prioritize which online programs to grow and where to focus for new initiatives. With Everspring's marketing support, MSOE will expand its reach and grow online enrollments with highly qualified students. "MSOE has a great set of high-quality programs and numerous opportunities for growth," said Beth Hollenberg, president and co-founder of Everspring. "Everspring is excited to partner with MSOE to help them set a roadmap for their future growth and thereafter support them to build and scale exceptional online and hybrid programs that embody and reflect the university's academic ethos," said Beth Hollenberg, president and co-founder of Everspring. About Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee School of Engineering is the university of choice for those seeking an inclusive community of experiential learners driven to solve the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. The independent, non-profit university has about 2,800 students and was founded in 1903. MSOE offers bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering, business and nursing. Faculty are student-focused experts who bring real-world experience into the classroom. This approach to learning makes students ready now, as well as prepared for the future. Longstanding partnerships with business and industry leaders enable students to learn alongside professional mentors and challenge them to go beyond what's possible. MSOE graduates are leaders of character, responsible professionals, passionate learners and value creators. About Everspring Everspring is a leading provider of education technology and services solutions for higher education. Our advanced technology, proven marketing approach, and robust faculty support and instructional design services deliver outstanding outcomes for our university partners, powering their success online. Everspring offers a range of full-service turnkey solutions, as well as standalone fee-for-service offerings, and innovative self-service products that enable universities to establish themselves as leaders in the digital delivery of higher education. Based in Chicago, Everspring serves a growing number of colleges and universities, nationwide.

Read More

Online Education

Stride, Inc. Launches Pandemic-Proof Professional Development

Stride, Inc. | February 18, 2022

The ongoing pandemic has taught educators everywhere a powerful lesson – the need for flexibility and adaptability to include online or hybrid learning. With more than 20 years of experience in the virtual learning space, Stride, Inc. has much insight to offer during their Promising Practices Conference Series, six online events designed to provide budget-friendly, student-centered professional development for any present and future educator across the globe. According to MDR Education’s EdNET Insights, it is estimated that 74% of teachers in the United States spend about $250 per year, out-of-pocket, for their own professional development. With traditional teaching workshops and conferences ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, Stride’s Promising Practices Conference Series is filling a need for affordable and convenient professional development options at no cost for the first event and $1.99 per person for each of the following five events. “As students become more digitally fluent there is a tremendous opportunity for schools to invest in their teachers’ ability to meet them where they are in order to ensure learning gains. We are excited to extend our decades of expertise in online teaching and learning to educators around the world for the benefit of every student, in a way that is highly accessible and welcoming to educators of all backgrounds.” Niyoka McCoy, Chief Academic Officer at Stride Since 2000, Stride has transformed teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs, training thousands of educators to bring quality hands-on and online curriculum to more than two million students worldwide. About Stride, Inc. At Stride, Inc., we are reimagining learning—where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed millions of people’s teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and postsecondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.

Read More

Events