TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Businesswire | May 17, 2023
Watermark, a leading provider of software solutions for higher education, announced today a strategic partnership with Lightcast, a global leader in labor market data, analytics, and expert guidance. This collaboration will empower higher education institutions to make better-informed strategic planning and program review decisions by seamlessly integrating labor market data directly into Watermark's Planning & Self-Study software.
The partnership's goal is to bring the valuable labor market data already available in Lightcast Analyst directly to those charged with making critical decisions on the viability of program offerings.
With the partnership, Watermark will begin offering the Market Landscape Data Pack as an add-on to Watermark's Planning & Self-Study software, an award-winning solution which facilitates continuous improvement processes such as strategic and assessment planning, program review, and accreditation reporting. The data pack will provide institutions with the ability to understand their market landscape and ensure program relevance by providing curated labor market data points to the right people involved in the program review process at the right time.
Furthermore, institutions using both Watermark and Lightcast products gain significant advantages with a more efficient program review process and abilities to deep dive into opportunity areas using Lightcast Analyst or other Lightcast offerings such as Skillabi and Alumni Pathways.
"We are thrilled to partner with Lightcast to equip higher education institutions with the crucial data they need to make informed decisions benefiting their students and programs,” said Erin Shy, CEO of Watermark. “As labor market data becomes increasingly important in higher education, our partnership with Lightcast will enable institutions to integrate this crucial information into their planning and program review processes, ultimately leading to more successful outcomes for their students."
Formed in 2021 after the merger of Emsi and Burning Glass, Lightcast is a global pioneer in labor market data and analysis committed to connecting individuals with the right skills and jobs in the right places. With over two decades of experience and a client base of 1,500 organizations worldwide that serve learners and institutions (including colleges, universities, associations, ed tech firms, and more), Lightcast collects real-time data from over 50,000 sources daily. Combining this data with curated input from various statistical sources offers comprehensive insights into occupations, skills in demand, and career pathways. Lightcast helps businesses, communities, and educational institutions make informed decisions in the fast-changing world of work.
"Our partnership with Watermark is an exciting opportunity to further our mission of providing higher education institutions with the data they need to serve their students better,” said Chris Kibarian, CEO of Lightcast. “By integrating our labor market data directly into Watermark's software, we can help institutions save time, increase consistency and trust, and make more informed decisions about their programs and strategic planning."
Watermark and Lightcast are committed to helping higher education institutions navigate the ever-changing labor market landscape and adapt their programs and strategies accordingly. This initial offering marks the beginning of a strong collaboration focused on solving the critical challenge of delivering the right data to the right people for better decision-making in higher education.
About Watermark
Watermark advances educational impact by developing innovative technology that educators and institutional leaders can trust. Supporting over 1,700 higher education institutions worldwide, Watermark launched in 2018 following the merger of Taskstream, Tk20, and LiveText — three of the leading providers of assessment management technology in the industry – with Digital Measures, EvaluationKIT, and SmartCatalog. Aviso Retention joined the Watermark family in 2020. With solutions in the areas of assessment and accreditation management, faculty activity reporting, course evaluations and surveys, curriculum and catalog management, and student success and retention, Watermark’s more than 400 team members are committed to helping colleges and universities operate more strategically and effectively to maximize the impact they have on their students and communities.
About Lightcast
Lightcast provides trusted global labor market data, analytics, and expert guidance that empowers communities, corporations, and learning providers to make informed decisions and navigate the increasingly complex world of work. With a database of more than one billion job postings and career profiles, Lightcast delivers best-in-class customer service with robust data, clear analysis, and expert guidance on skills, jobs, and opportunities.
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
Businesswire | April 17, 2023
HiLink, the education software provider transforming virtual learning, today unveiled AI Lesson Planner, its new edtech product purpose-built to revolutionize the way remote educators design and deliver lessons to students across the world.
As the majority of instructors today still require multiple tools to effectively manage their lesson planning (i.e., through designated planning software, digital content creation tools, and Learning Management Systems), HiLink's AI Lesson Planner unites all of these capabilities into one intuitive platform. Powered by the rich and instantaneous intelligence of ChatGPT, instructors can input topics, audiences, and keywords into the interface, and with a single click, curate an unlimited number of comprehensive lesson plans and high-quality virtual learning experiences that directly cater to and advance students forward.
HiLink’s AI Lesson planner goes beyond static content and instead incorporates engaging activities proven to enrich the learning experience - including video, dynamic material, and other captivating multimedia. Through its integration into HiLink’s premier digital learning hub, Virtual Classroom, teachers now have a robust set of features at their fingertips built to enable student collaboration and engagement, including whiteboards, media players, and more. In turn, this drives:
• Efficient workflows: Embedding classroom functionality directly within the lesson plan creates more engaging lessons and eliminates friction during the ideation, planning, and teaching stages
• Impactful personalization: Every student is unique, and HiLink’s AI Lesson Planner crafts personalized lesson plans to address individual needs, ensuring every student receives the support and attention required for their academic success
• Productive learning environments: For educators, AI reduces time and costs. The ability to reference lesson plans during class helps instructors stay on track without disruption. In addition, the tool collects all student data to easily measure individual and collective performance metrics. For students, this establishes clearer learning objectives for each session, engaging content, and ultimately improves learning outcomes
"Our goal is to provide innovative solutions that unlock the highest potential for educators while creating delightful learning experiences for students,” said Kelvin Wu, founder & CEO of HiLink. “We believe that the future of AI in the education industry is not only inevitable, but when used effectively will successfully supercharge the way instructors - including traditional teachers and tutors alike - are able to inform and inspire young minds in a virtual setting. We’re committed to transforming education by helping people teach and learn better online, and this groundbreaking AI Lesson Planner is just the beginning of what we have planned for our customers and the industry regarding artificial intelligence moving forward.”
About HiLink
HiLink is building a better way to teach and learn online through the power of technology. Its all-in-one video conferencing, collaboration software, and AI-enabled solutions empower educators to create the most engaging and impactful learning experiences for students across the globe.
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ENTREPRENEURS AND LEADERS
PRnewswire | April 25, 2023
edX, a leading global online learning platform from 2U, Inc. today announced the launch of Try It courses: 1-2 hour free online introductory courses designed to give learners exposure to foundational skills in a variety of high-demand topics, such as Python, UI/UX Design Thinking, HTML, GitHub, and more. Now, learners can preview these skill areas for free before making the decision to enroll in a full-length program on the topic, such as a technical boot camp, offered by one of edX's partner institutions.
"edX is committed to creating meaningful, accessible on-ramps to online education opportunities offered by hundreds of the world's top universities and leading companies on edX.org," said Anant Agarwal, Founder of edX and 2U's Chief Platform Officer. "These courses are a low-risk way for millions of edX learners to explore new, in-demand professional skills and be connected to one of our partner's full-length programs if they wish to continue their learning journey."
According to the World Economic Forum, over half of all employees worldwide will need to reskill or upskill by 2025. In a recent study by IBM, 40% of respondents said the greatest barrier to professional skill development is knowing where to start. edX's Try It courses create opportunities for learners to gain familiarity with technical subjects and help ensure they are pursuing a journey that aligns with their individual goals before investing additional time and resources in full-length programs. Each course includes one hour of instruction and one hour of practical exercise, followed by a brief assessment.
Currently, Try It courses are designed as easy entry points into full boot camps offered with edX and in partnership with over 50 non-profit colleges and universities around the world. edX plans to launch additional Try It courses that connect learners with a variety of content across edX's free to degree portfolio edX.org, including executive education courses. edX partner institutions, including The Ohio State University College of Engineering and University of Kansas Jayhawk Global, plan to launch Try It courses in the coming months.
About edX
edX is the global online learning platform that exists to help learners everywhere unlock their potential. edX was founded by Harvard and MIT in 2012 to make the world's best education available to everyone. Today, as a 2U, Inc. company (Nasdaq: TWOU), edX connects 48 million ambitious learners with the skills, knowledge, and support to achieve their goals. Together with the world's leading universities and companies, edX offers thousands of free and open courses, professional certificates, boot camps, credit-bearing micro credentials, and undergraduate and graduate degrees.
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