January 2, 2013

National News

Education Week
K-12 aid faces uncertain future, despite ‘fiscal cliff’ deal
Education programs would be spared the prospect of the largest across-the-board cuts in history, but only temporarily, under a bill to avert much of the so-called “fiscal cliff,” overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. Senate early Tuesday morning. The measure, which passed the Senate 89-8, would delay the trigger cuts known as “sequestration,” which have been set to hit just about every government agency—including the U.S. Department of Education—on Jan. 2. Under the deal, the cuts would be postponed until March, giving federal lawmakers time to craft a broader budget agreement.

Despite bad news, progress is possible
The media is biased toward negative and extreme events. That’s certainly the case in education, even quality trade pubs don’t adequately report on incremental progress and underlying trends. Horrible events monopolize media coverage. However, there is much to be optimistic about for 2013.

Wall Street Journal
Online courses look for a business model
MOOCs are “an innovation looking for a business model,” says Kevin Kinser, an associate professor of higher education policy at the State University of New York at Albany. Online courses may be valuable supplements to regular classes, but Mr. Kinser, whose research focuses on nontraditional higher education models, says it’s hard to see how they can be more than altruistic endeavors. Venture investors seem undaunted. New Enterprise Associates Inc. put $8 million into Coursera just weeks after NEA general partner Scott Sandell learned that the company’s founders were still debating whether to proceed as a nonprofit or for-profit venture.

Related Topics: Education Technology, next generation learning, Online Learning