Upskilling while staring down student loan repayment

Ready for the latest edTech news? At edCircle we love combing through the latest industry news to provide you with the best insights.

Student loan repayment and the pressure to keep learning (without adding to your debt)

It’s a core strategy to my lifelong learning journey. Do not put your next online course enrollment on a credit card.

If you’re like millions of other Americans with federal student loans this month, repayment is back with a vengeance. It appears at a time when folks are still making career transitions, going back to school or taking continuing ed certificates to upskill on digital transformation, team building and business resilience.

• Learning is great, but first see if your employer can cover the cost or offers benefits like access to LinkedIn Learning.
• Check to see if industry conferences/events offer classes or workshops
• If your employer won’t pay for your educational pursuits, remember there are free ways to access the information you’re looking for. (And still obtain a digital certificate)

In no particular order you can check out free courses from: edX, Coursera, Khan Academy, Udacity, FutureLearn and more. Want to keep it regional? See if your local university has published free courses on these platforms. ?

Further reading:

• Forbes: By the numbers, the rise of online learning in the U.S.
• ICF Monitor: Are employers recognizing alt credentials in hiring decisions?

Keep scrolling down for edTech job postings

Industry travels

A few weeks ago I traveled to Paris, France and attended some of the Digital Learning Week events hosted by?UNESCO. I enjoyed some really insightful conversations on the global future of mobile learning, digital inclusion/accessibility research and new trends in learning platforms for national and multinational initiatives.

Did you know? 95% of the world’s population is now covered by mobile broadband networks, but 40% of the population covered by these networks face other barriers that prevent them getting access to digital devices like cell phones. Source

The growth potential for the information and commerce possible if this access gap is closed stretches across industries on an international scale.

Other stories we’re watching...

?? edTech continues to attract investors like Shaquille O’Neal who recently invested into Edsoma. ?Edsoma is an app that uses an AI reading assistant to help people learn or improve their reading and communication.

?? IBM's Teacher Advisor?is an excellent example of an AI tool that provides personalized recommendations for lesson plans and resources tailored to the specific needs of the students. Read more in What leaders in edTech should know about AI

?????? Spelman’s experiment with in-house certificate programs earned nearly $2?million in its first year, exceeding its expectations.

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"The global edtech market size reached US$ 194.6 Billion in 2022. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach?US$ 452.4 Billion by 2028, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% during 2023-2028."

Source: IMARC

?? Looking for instructional design services for your new project? Schedule a call at [email protected] to get started.

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?? edTech Job Openings

• VP of Learning & Performance at Equinox
• edTech Enablement Lead at Amazon
• Dir. of Instructional Design at KPMG
• LMS Business Management & Product Performance at Citi Bank
• Dir. of Education Community at Adobe

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