HigherEd

What Higher Education Will Look Like in 2020 [STUDY] In 2020, students may be able to travel to faraway continents, and attend a school halfway around the world.

Experts predict technology will facilitate distance learning outside of traditional classrooms, according to a survey published by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. In the study, 1,021 education experts and stakeholders including technology researchers, university directors, venture capitalists and Ivy League university professors, relayed their predictions about the future of higher education. About 60% of respondents believe higher education will look completely different from the way it is today. While, 39% of participants think the traditional college structure will not change drastically aside from a deeper integration of in-classroom technology. For now, class attendance, in-person participation and on-campus commitment are key factors of college success.

Teleconferencing, online universities and distance learning will lead to hybrid campuses, experts said. A Conversation With Bill Gates - Technology. By Jeffrey R.

Young Bill Gates never finished college, but he is one of the single most powerful figures shaping higher education today. That influence comes through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, perhaps the world's richest philanthropy, which he co-chairs and which has made education one of its key missions. The Chronicle sat down with Mr. Gates in an exclusive interview Monday to talk about his vision for how colleges can be transformed through technology. The Microsoft founder doesn't claim to have all the answers. The interview comes on the eve of Mr. Below: A complete transcript of the conversation. On Business's Role in Higher Education "If you're engaged in some inefficient practice, maybe that's a bad thing.

" On Tablets in the Classroom "Just giving people devices ... has a really horrible track record. " On the Meaning of MOOC's "Even though I only have a high-school degree, I'm a professional student. " Q. A. Q. A. Q. From Graduate School to Welfare - Graduate Students. By Stacey Patton "I am not a welfare queen," says Melissa Bruninga-Matteau.

That's how she feels compelled to start a conversation about how she, a white woman with a Ph.D. in medieval history and an adjunct professor, came to rely on food stamps and Medicaid. Ms. Bruninga-Matteau, a 43-year-old single mother who teaches two humanities courses at Yavapai College, in Prescott, Ariz., says the stereotype of the people receiving such aid does not reflect reality. Recipients include growing numbers of people like her, the highly educated, whose advanced degrees have not insulated them from financial hardship. "I find it horrifying that someone who stands in front of college classes and teaches is on welfare," she says. Video Watch: Tony Yang, a history lecturer, describes the toll of having no steady source of income. | Link Photos Jeff Haller for The Chronicle Elliott Stegall, 51, who teaches English courses, picks up food assistance at the WIC office in DeFuniak Springs, Fla.

Profiles Graphic. Northeastern University to open graduate school this fall, names Seattle attorney as dean. Tayloe Washburn is new dean of Northeastern University's Seattle branch.

Photo: Northeastern University. Northeastern University is continuing to push forward with its graduate school in Seattle, announcing today that it plans to open this fall. The Boston-based university, which opened a similar branch in Charlotte, North Carolina last year, also tapped Seattle attorney Tayloe Washburn as CEO and dean of the new campus. Washburn most recently served as senior adviser to Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on the successful effort to secure the Boeing 737 MAX production in the state. Northeastern announced its plans to open in Seattle last fall, saying at the time that it picked the region because of its strong technology community. In today’s announcement, that message was echoed. “Northeastern University will be the perfect complement to the Pacific Northwest’s existing higher education system,” Washburn said.

Top 10 Social Media-Savvy Universities [STUDY] Harvard University is at the head of the class when it comes to using social media to connect with students, potential applicants and the community, beating out University of Pennsylvania and MIT for the top spot.

Social media consulting company Sociagility revealed a list of which of the 25 highest-ranked universities in both the U.S. and UK are best at using social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Sociagility selected which schools to analyze based on the 2011 - 2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The results are determined by how each school attracted attention to its social media pages — based on site traffic, followers, views and engagement — as well as receptiveness to listening to comments, interaction, network reach and trust.

Here are the top 10: SEE ALSO: 9 Ways Students Can Use Social Media to Boost Their Careers Although U.S. Do you think it's important for universities to connect with students and the community via social media? What Is the Biggest Threat to Traditional Universities? 5 Expert Tips: A Winning College Admissions Plan For Your Child. Why You Shouldn't Go To Grad School.