News Roundup – 4/26

Our weekly roundup of education technology, workforce technology, and venture capital news.

Report: Cost of College, Stress Pushes Students to Consider Stopping Out – The study “How America Completes College 2024” by Sallie Mae highlights that a significant number of students are at risk of dropping out or being dismissed from college, with cost being a major concern. First-generation students are particularly vulnerable, requiring additional support. The primary reason for students considering leaving school is financial challenges, including tuition costs. Additionally, first-generation students face difficulties in mental health and living away from home. Strategies that could be used to help students stay in college include additional financial resources, flexible class schedules, and enhanced mental health support.

Can The ‘Hidden Workforce’ Fill The Skills Gap In The Age Of GenAI? – In the current employment landscape, HR executives face challenges in finding qualified candidates, due to a widening skills gap, especially with the emergence of complex AI use cases. The hidden workforce includes retirees, caregivers, and individuals without traditional qualifications. This group presents an undervalued talent pool that could reshape hiring practices. With strategies like impact sourcing and leveraging technologies such as generative AI (GenAI) for talent engagement and upskilling, organizations can help bridge the skills gap, foster inclusivity, and drive innovation.

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Lessons for Ed-Tech Companies in LAUSD’s Far-Reaching AI Experiment – The Los Angeles Unified School District recently announced the adoption of an AI-powered learning tool called “Ed,” developed in collaboration with AllHere, a Harvard Innovation Labs venture. This tool will serve as a 24/7 learning assistant providing students with access to grades, attendance, bus schedules, and external learning resources. In an interview with EdWeek Market Brief, Joann Smith-Griffin, CEO and Founder of AllHere, she discusses the project’s emphasis on collaboration with the community, including parents and students, and highlights the importance of user feedback in shaping educational tools. Smith-Griffin reiterates the opportunities AI offers in areas such as personalized learning, tool orchestration, continuous measurement, and hyper-targeted interventions, but also points out the concerns such as data governance, human oversight, and content filters need to be addressed for successful implementation in schools.

The Mixed State Of Startup Funding In 2024, In 11 Charts – Some visual representation of the state of startup funding this year so far. In the first quarter of 2024, startup investors globally, including in North America, remained cautious, with the second-worst quarter since 2018. However, there were significant investments in sectors like AI, healthcare, energy, and robotics. While overall funding was subdued, early-stage funding increased, with AI and healthcare startups leading in global investment totals. Additionally, cybersecurity funding remained resilient, and while Asia saw a decline in venture funding, Chinese startups experienced an increase in investments.

Many in Gen Z ditch colleges for trade schools. Meet the ‘toolbelt generation’ – Using a real-world example of a young person who opted for trade school instead of a college education, this article discusses a growing trend among young people opting for vocational schools and skilled trades over traditional four-year college degrees due to the rising cost of higher education. This shift reflects a changing perspective on career paths, with many seeing skilled trades as lucrative and stable options. It highlights the appeal of manual labor jobs in fields like construction, welding, plumbing, and machine tooling, which offer well-paying opportunities and are perceived as less vulnerable to automation.

Student challenges outside the classroom pose biggest obstacle for educators worldwide – Morning Consult and McGraw Hill recently released a survey of 1,000 educators worldwide. The results revealed that challenges outside the classroom, behavioral and mental health issues, and insufficient prerequisite skills are key barriers to student success, with half of educators reporting they struggle with these issues and 57% of educators indicating they aren’t receiving the proper support to address these concerns. While 41% of educators view artificial intelligence positively in education, about 1 in 5 see it as mostly negative. Educators emphasize the importance of supporting teachers to address these obstacles and suggest priorities like increased pay and more funding for education to enhance student success.

‘A’ and ‘I’ the mantra at this year’s ASU+GSV edtech summit – The ASU+GSV Summit, a gathering of 10,000 individuals in southern California, focused on the transformative potential of AI in education with a specific event dedicated to the technology, the AIR (AI Revolution) show. While AI like ChatGPT offers remarkable capabilities, including rapid content generation, concerns exist regarding issues like plagiarism, “hallucinations” and misinformation. Discussions at the event emphasized the importance of critical thinking in harnessing AI’s power for positive educational outcomes, highlighting the need for thoughtful consideration, dialogue, and the development of critical thinking skills to ensure technology serves students effectively, responsibly, and safely in the future.

Were you at ASU+GSV? Let us know your thoughts about what was covered at the event!

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