Recent posts

While Ohio works to create apprenticeship programs through its community colleges, other K12 schools work to find $15 million to reduce cuts planned for the next school year. An update on Columbus Library's reading efforts with third-graders and a move of 1,400 office jobs to Ohio with GE's presence in the Cincinnati Region. Also included is information on a budget proposal that may eliminate the Institute of Muesum and Library Services. 

Earlier this week I had the great pleasure of attending the 2014 Internet2 Global Summit in Denver.

With the theme of “Welcome to the New Era,” the well-attended conference reflected the international nature of our community’s work and the challenges we all are facing.

An OARnet colleague asked me what my top three takeaways were; I thought you might be interested as well. They are:

Obama promotes his new $100 million grant funding efforts to train people for in-demand jobs, while elite colleges are turning away up to 95% of applicants. Ohio business owners are surveyed to show the state of Ohio's economy and Toledo Public Schools wins nearly $4 million in grant funding. Also included is an update on financial literacy education efforts and its assistance with student loan debt. 

Daily Digest

Today, we highlight the controversies that accompany big-name commencement speakers, a recent study that underscores the ongoing important role libraries play in America, a new approach to competency-based degree programs at the University of Wisconsin and news about how MOOCs may be losing steam, even as online enrollment continues to rise at community colleges. Enjoy!

Draw A Bird Day artwork.

Every year since 1943, people around the world have celebrated Draw A Bird Day (DABD) on April 8. Not an official government holiday, DABD began when a young girl visited her uncle, who was a wounded British soldier recovering in a hospital. When she visited, she asked him to draw a bird for her, which he did to her delight. The happy little girl, Dorie Cooper, visited her uncle and the other soldiers in his ward several times during his recovery, and many of the soldiers began drawing bird pictures for her and hanging them on the hospital walls.

Today we have double the information due to missing out on yesterday's Digest. We highlight Kasich's new high school dropout recovery plan winning support to provide job training, while a new factory in Ohio struggles to match to job-seekers. Also included is information on the misconceptions of the Common Core and a study documenting the impact of federal research spending at universities. We also share information on low-income students being brought into STEM education fields, and reasons technology needs more "geek" girls. 

As investments in Maryland ed-tech startups increase, Ohio Race to the Top applicants seek extensions as new programs prove harder to implement as anticipated. Learn more about trending degrees in higher education, along with an increase in STEM funding for students in undergraduate and graduate research. 

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