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Thought Leadership

Insights for Educational Leaders

Dive into the future of higher education with Apollidon's thought leadership articles. Our expert insights cover the latest trends in online learning, program management, and educational technology. Explore these valuable resources to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education.

Strategy

Ways to Embrace AI Tools in Online Education

Artificial intelligence has arrived in the education space, and while concerns over plagiarism, bias, and privacy are still being ironed out, the technology is likely here to stay. While some may push back against these new tools, higher education institutions would be wise to seek a fuller understanding of the benefits of AI. Rather than replacing educators, AI has the potential to make their jobs more efficient and their students’ learning experience more rewarding. Here are some of the ways that AI can help institutions that embrace this technology: Tailor the Online Learning Process AI-powered online learning platforms leverage student-specific data to customize experiences according to unique learning patterns, preferences, and strengths. This personalized method ensures that students access content tailored to their learning speed and preferences, resulting in increased engagement, understanding, and retention. Assess Students Adaptively AI-driven assessments dynamically modify question difficulty and types based on students’ performance, guaranteeing precise measurement of their comprehension

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Strategy

Diversity in Online Education: Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments

Online education is, by its nature, an ideal place to foster an inclusive learning environment. It opens up opportunities for students representing diverse backgrounds and from all corners of the globe to join in. A university in Kansas can welcome students in Kathmandu seeking a credential from their internationally renowned institution. Students with severe mobility issues may have no other choice but to learn from home, and online learning can accommodate their needs. In general, students knowing that people of all kinds are welcome can stimulate higher enrollments, increased class participation, and better educational outcomes

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Ask Apollidon

Ask Apollidon: What Workforce Trends Do You Anticipate, and How Can Online Programs Address Them?

Students of the University of Bologna, founded in 1088, studied canon and civil law. Earning a credential for gainful employment wasn’t a primary consideration. Nor did anyone envision working in aerospace, cyber security, biomechanics, radiology, or health informatics. But throughout history, as new fields emerged, higher education institutions have evolved to provide relevant expertise. Today’s workplace is changing rapidly, and universities will need to adapt their offerings to continue meeting the needs of professionals and their employers. We asked Apollidon’s top leadership, Chief Operating Officer Ann-Louise Everett and Chief Executive Officer John Everett, to share their thoughts on workforce trends and what institutions must do to stay ahead. Change as an Academic Subject If the workplace is in flux, and a core aim of higher education is to prepare people to succeed professionally, then change itself must be a core part of the curriculum. Ann-Louise: We have to help educate people to deal with change

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Strategy

The Future of Work: How College Programs Can Align with Evolving Career Trends

While there are many motivations for attending college—personal growth, pride, desire for a broader perspective, socialization—the primary reasons for most people remain career-related. Earning a degree helps students gain the skills and credentials required to work in a specific field, increase their earning and advancement potential, and avail themselves of networking opportunities. With career advancement being the core incentive for students, higher education institutions must consider the current and future working world and adapt their program offerings accordingly. It’s crucial to closely monitor trends that impact the workplace and get out in front of them when possible. Is your institution adhering to this strategy? Here we’ll discuss some ways you can align with evolving career trends to simultaneously boost enrollments and prepare your students for professional success through online programs. Offer Programs for Where the World Is Going Several fields have risen to prominence in recent years and will continue to dominate for the foreseeable future. It’s imperative that your institution provides programs centered on the current skills and principles of these fields: Energy Challenges for our overtaxed power grid must be overcome, including a continuing uptick in electric car usage

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Strategy

7 Ways to Maximize Accessibility and Increase Enrollments

Is your institution doing everything possible to make your programs accessible to students? If not, you might be missing out on opportunities to increase enrollments. Here we’ll illuminate some of the most important implications of accessibility from an education perspective. Expanding accessibility benefits your institution and aspiring degree-seekers alike. These students can be a valuable source of additional enrollments for your institution, but you must proactively address their needs and concerns. Make accessibility—both through your application process and throughout your programs—a priority. Here’s how: How to Maximize Accessibility and Increase Enrollments #1: Offer Your Programs Online Commuting to campus or moving to your town aren’t feasible for all your prospective students

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Trends

Distance Learning in Higher Education 2023: The Year in Review

In 2023, distance learning in higher education saw some major trends, advancements, announcements, and notable reversals. 2024 is shaping up to be truly revolutionary, with remote classrooms looking more like the futuristic visions promised to us in decades past. Here we offer a summary of the year just ending as well as a preview of the year to come to keep your institution up to date. 2023: Noteworthy Distance Learning News The stories that caught our interest this year speak to the limitless potential of distance learning and possible but surmountable speedbumps in the education space. Distance Learning Continued to Grow as Campus-Based Enrollments Dwindled According to “Changing Landscape of Online Education,” a report reviewed by Inside Higher Ed in August, while overall higher education enrollments have decreased in recent times, online and hybrid program enrollments have increased. A senior official connected with the report cautioned: “For many institutions struggling with enrollment and revenue levels, success in building online capacity may spell the difference between viability and crisis in the next decade.” Institutions Implemented (Then Abandoned) AI-Detecting Software In late 2022, ChatGPT was released to both great anticipation and trepidation. In the academic realm, colleges and universities were alarmed that the readily available artificial intelligence chatbot could “write” papers in seconds, enabling students to turn in work that wasn’t theirs

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Strategy

How Universities Can Keep Online Students Engaged

Your students have been working hard for months, and that mid-to-late semester inertia is setting in. With the holidays approaching, their minds start drifting toward what they’re going to do with their time off from school, and they’re starting to lose their focus on their studies. While student engagement is a concern on campus, with remote learning it can be an even bigger challenge. “Fall fatigue,” or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), can further compound the issue. At this time of year, it’s as crucial as ever to keep online students engaged. Here we’ll suggest some ways your institution can keep students focused throughout the school year. How Universities Can Keep Online Students Engaged Mix and Mingle To keep online students engaged, it’s important to vary your strategies and make an even greater effort to encourage (virtual) interaction

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Trends

Cyber Security Considerations for Your Online Programs

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. As an online program manager and partner to universities that offer online degree and certificate programs, we’d be remiss if we didn’t offer some important cyber security guidance and reiterate our commitment to maintaining the security of our partners’ data. Here are some essential ways to ensure the safety and security of your online students, faculty, and the endless amounts of data associated with an online program. Cyber Security Considerations for Your Online Programs Have Robust IT Security Tools and Qualified Personnel When entrusted with the private data of thousands of students, your institution must have its networks safeguarded by the latest tools and a highly trained information technology services team. Cyberattackers use sophisticated tools and methods and frequently change their tactics to compromise, damage, hijack, or steal data from university networks

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Industry

Why Established Universities Should Offer Their Programs Online

Still unsure about offering your programs online? Perhaps you haven’t considered some of the distinct advantages you’ll be able to provide to current and prospective students as an established university. Below we’ll outline a few of the substantial benefits that your online students can enjoy and the corresponding advantages to your institution. Why Established Universities Should Offer Their Programs Online The 24/7, Anywhere Classroom The convenience and flexibility of online learning are unequalled. Students appreciate the ability to complete their program from virtually any location at any hour of the day, and some may even opt out of returning to the traditional campus-based classroom after completing an online program. Anyone with professional or personal commitments—and that certainly describes most students—can benefit from the self-paced study opportunities that online learning alone offers

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Strategy

Not All Online Programs Are Created Equal: Why a One-Size-Fits-All Approach Doesn’t Work

Apollidon Learning specializes in online program management (OPM) and related services, but we don’t offer off-the-shelf solutions. There are many good reasons for this, a few of which we will discuss in more detail below. Listening to the individual needs of an institution and tailoring a solution that matches those needs is what Apollidon does best. We provide program branding, education consulting, custom web development, online program management, market research, lead management, public relations, video production, and more. Alternatively, we can provide just one or select services from among these

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