So 2015 will be the year of the podcast? Ok by me.
“I will say we’re working on a number of different ideas,†he says. “Our hope is to really embrace the opportunity we see in front of us in podcasting. This is a great, golden moment. The popularity of Serial has shown this is not just a niche platform: This is a mainstream platform, and we should be treating it like that.â€
via How NPR Is Preparing for “The Year of the Podcast” | Media | Washingtonian.
The past few years have brought mounting evidence that higher education stands at a crossroads. As with any disruptive technology, MOOCs have been viewed with enthusiasm in many quarters and skepticism in some. However, the underlying facts are inarguable: that the rising cost of education, combined with the transformative potential of online teaching and learning technologies, presents a long-term challenge that no university can afford to ignore.
But, warns Koh, “Digital humanists shouldn’t try to be computer scientists†just to seem relevant in today’s tech-obsessed academy. And indeed, it would be tragic — and probably not actually effective — if every English department in the country forsook the classics for coding.
via Digital humanities and the future of technology in higher ed..
Into this ominous picture has come some light. Indeed, much has been made of and reported recently about the enormous sums being invested by philanthropists into science, medical and technological research. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has contributed $500 million to establish a brain science institute in Seattle. Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, and his wife Wendy have allocated some $100 million of their fortune to fund the Schmidt Ocean Institute for the marine sciences. Philanthropist and entrepreneur Eli Broad donated $700 million for a joint venture between Harvard and the MIT to explore the genetic basis of disease. These and many other entrepreneurial donors are taking the risks on basic research that were the hallmark of government for decades.
via Federal Investment in Research Still Essential | Dr. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr..
Due to our current understanding of the Heartbleed Bug that has impacted the majority of the Internet, I wanted to provide you with a brief update on our progress and immediate next steps. We have no evidence that any Stony Brook University system or user credentials have been exploited by the Heartbleed Bug. However, we feel in order to protect your data and the institution’s data and out of an abundance of caution, you should change your Stony Brook NetID password.
Stony Brook University’s SOLAR system, PeopleSoft system, Google Apps for Education, and Blackboard systems are not affected by this vulnerability. Services accessed using your Stony Brook NetID and password are not affected by this vulnerability. In addition, SUNY Research Foundation (RF) systems are not affected.
Vine has launched its own video messaging system today, which offers users a way to communicate beyond the comments that appear beneath videos. Employee Jason Mante teased the feature in a Vine earlier today, and now the update for Vines mobile apps has arrived. Vine says its the most significant update since the app launched early last year. Vine messages, or VMs as Vine calls them, can be sent to anyone — theyre not just limited to existing Vine members.
via Vine adds messaging in biggest update since launch | The Verge.
Some really interesting questions here for education to consider. One thing is certain — computer science as a major is as a dynamic and diverse field today as it ever was. My overwhelming thought now is just how cool it has become to be part of this emerging culture. How we react to it is very important and something we should pay attention to here at Stony Brook and at other institutions. Looks to me like University of Michigan is embracing it.
Hackathons, though, are just one part of the coming transformation of computer science education. Once a theoretical subject to the chagrin of many undergraduates, computer science students are increasingly finding outlets like hackathons, open source projects, and startups to learn the applied skill sets desired by industry – and are getting the job offers to prove it.Yet, this rebuilding of the pipeline for new engineers poses deep questions about the future of educating software developers. What is the proper role of universities and degree programs? How should the maker culture, which exists at the heart of these projects, connect with the traditional education mores of research universities? And at a time when access, particularly for females and underrepresented minorities, remains a deeply salient issue, how can organizers ensure that programs lower rather than raise any barriers to new entrants?