For this instalment in our occasional “Five for Friday” column, we have gathered below some of the more eye-catching and varied items that we’ve been reading lately. We present them here for your end-of-week reading pleasure.
Survey of international students in South Africa
A survey of nearly 1,700 international students in South Africa, the first-ever study of this scale, has found that major factors driving inbound student mobility include affordability (both tuition and cost of living), government subsidies for students from neighbouring countries, proximity to home, and reputation of South African higher education. (Bonus item: see also our recent report on inbound language students in South Africa.)
When connecting with students, start with the answer
This blog post from the European Association for International Education (EAIE) offers a cure for information overload on the part of prospective students: personal, highly relevant communications and strategic use of infographics.
Some good questions about website carousels
The feature carousel, that familiar, rotating panel of images, stories, and links, is a prominent feature on most institution or school websites. But what does some of the data say about actual usage by prospective students? And what are some important ideas to keep in mind when designing or improving your website carousel?
Economic recovery in the US putting pressure on community college enrolment
Commmunity college enrolment swelled in the US after the global economic crisis in 2008, and more students still study in two-year colleges in America than was the case before the economic downturn. However, as the economy continues to recover in recent years, enrolment at two-year public institutions fell 3.6% between 2012 and 2013, and then by another 2.7% from spring 2013 to spring 2014.
South Koreans place little value on educational software
South Koreans, it turns out, are not terribly moved by instructional design in education software, nor adaptive learning, gamification, or learning simulations. Korean students, Forbes tells us, very much prefer their online learning to be teacher-directed.
