Ed Tech News Roundup – Predictive Learning Analytics and High Hopes for 2011

December 31st, 2010

Ed tech experts predict an even bigger and far-reaching year for the industry in 2011, based on the past year’s developments.  This week’s roundup includes news on progress in the field and what to expect from key technology players entering the education arena.

1. Can Software that Predicts Performance Help Students Learn?

Predictive analytics in the classroom appears to be on the rise, especially with News Corporation’s recent acquisition of Wireless Generation.  But will widespread school adoption of predictive learning technology be limited by money or mindset?  Find out more in this Technology Review post.

2. Google Pushes Education Software Through App Store

Google hopes to grow their marketplace for online educational software and programs and take a chunk of the $5 billion industry.  This Businessweek article has more details on what educational resources are already available in Google’s app store and how these programs are being used at various schools.

3. 11 Tech Ideas for 2011

Inside Higher Ed has some thoughts for what it wants to see happen in the ed tech arena in the next year, from more transparency in for-profit universities to the first “University in an App.” Do you agree with these goals and ideas?

4. Incorporating Technology in Education

Intel and the Pakistani government have been working to train teachers in the country to incorporate more technology in the classroom.  This article in the Tribune discusses the effects of this training and what these developments mean for teachers and students.

5. 5 Higher Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2011

Three higher ed tech gurus weigh in on their predictions in the industry for the new year, from increases in cloud computing and online learning to retreats from “technology overload.”  Find out more in this Campus Technology post.

Remember to follow Knewton on Twitter for more ed tech updates!

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Top 10 GMAT Tips of 2010

December 31st, 2010

We’ve posted a whole lot of GMAT-related articles on the Knewton blog this year – more than 170 in total. If you just started studying for the test (and have all the time in the world), we’d certainly recommend going back through the archives to read all our GMAT experts’ tips and tricks from the past year. But if you’re pressed for time, don’t despair! We’ve compiled a list of our Top 10 GMAT Posts of 2010 for your reading pleasure.

If your New Year’s resolution is to ace the GMAT, be sure to check out this list! Oh, and once you’ve finally taken the test, don’t forget to a) take a deep breath, b) pat yourself on the back, and c) read our post on 5 things to do after you’ve taken the GMAT.

Without further ado, 10 great GMAT posts of ’10:

1. How to Stay Focused on Your Reading Comprehension

One of Knewton’s master GMAT teachers reveals strategies for mastering one of the most dreaded sections of the test: Reading Comprehension. Learn how to stay alert in the midst of even the most boring RC passages.

2. ­B-School Personal Statements: Do’s and Don’ts

Freaking out about your b-school personal statement? We don’t blame you—writing about yourself can be tough. Learn what to focus on—and what to cut—with this helpful article.

3. Common Sense on GMAT Data Sufficiency

GMAT Data Sufficiency can be a particularly tough section of the test, since the question format is unique to the GMAT. Learn how to use your common sense to increase your score on this tricky section.

4. Top 10 Time Savers for the GMAT

Time management is one of the most important skills to master in preparation of the GMAT. Get even closer to that perfect 800 with these expert time-saving tips for every section of the test.

5. What’s your GMAT prep personality?

This fun quiz will give you a sense of what kind of GMAT studier you are—and help you plan your prep work accordingly. Whether you’re an overachiever, underachiever, or somewhere in between, learn how to harness your strengths and improve on your weaknesses to achieve your target score!

6. Top 10 GMAT [Insert Section] Tips

We’re cheating a little here; this is actually a series of posts with the tips for every section of the test. Use these posts as a starting point for your studying, or to brush up on your skills right before the test. Check out all the posts in the series:

7. Top 5 GMAT Anxieties, and How to Avoid Them

Is your fear of the GMAT getting in the way of the score you deserve? Check out this article to learn how to put your anxiety to rest once and for all!

8. How to Study for the GMAT in…

Do you have a limited amount of time to study for the GMAT? We’ve put together detailed, day-by-day, week-by-week plans to help you manage your time. Check out:

9. Should I Study Quant and Verbal at the Same Time?

We get this question from Knewton students all the time. The quick answer? Yes. Check out this post for why.

10. GMAT Choose Your Own Adventure

Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure chapter books from grade school? Well, this interactive GMAT challenge video is like those books—except cooler (and more educational!) Don’t stop watching until you’ve found all three surprises!

Happy New Year… and happy studying!

Posted in Featured, GMAT, GMAT Tips | No Comments »

Countdown to Davos: Medicine in Need (MEND)

December 31st, 2010

As a countdown to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos, we’re profiling all 30 of our fellow 2011 Tech Pioneer award winners. Check our full profile series to learn more.

Medicine in Need (MEND)


What they do:

Every year, millions of people in developing countries die from preventable diseases. MEND works to provide drugs and vaccines to people in these underserved countries, as well as reformulate existing products for the developing world. They work with academics and NGOs to get the technology, and with pharmaceutical companies for the product development. Together, they create vaccines and drugs that are suitable for the developing world, with no need for sterile water, refrigeration, multiple injections, or other cost-intensive conditions. And the private companies still make a profit–giving them an impetus to continue to help MEND’s cause.

Why it’s cool:

MEND is working to prevent tragic and unnecessary deaths in a sustainable, collaborative way. What could be cooler?

Learn more:

Website

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Top 10 Business TV Shows

December 30th, 2010

If you’re preparing yourself for an MBA program and a career in business, you’ll need to get acquainted with the media’s representative of the business world (like it or not). To give you a head start on your “research,” we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 business TV shows.

Is your favorite business show on the list? Let us know in the comments!

1. Suze Orman (CNBC)

Orman is a great source of practical personal finance information. Her straightforward no-frills approach to money advice is a breath of fresh air in a cable news world full of blowhards and attention whores. While some might take issue with her tone or sexuality (she is openly gay) financial novices have benefited from her counsel for years.

2. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC)

This is probably the best show to catch around lunch time if you need to get a glimpse of the day’s business happenings. It’s a half-hour of unbiased and informative headlines served up by host Melissa Lee.

3. The Office (NBC)

This one is a no-brainer (much like its lead character). Steve Carell has created a cultural icon in Michael Scott, the socially inept manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Supplies. While The Office won’t contribute much to your b-school studies, it will help you appreciate the foibles of office life. Go for the original British version if you take your comedy extra dry.

4. Stossel / Freedom Watch (FBN)

For those who enjoy a good dose of politics with their business news. Both Stossel and Freedom Watch do a great job of showcasing the libertarian viewpoint on the day’s issues. Among Fox News’ mass inventory of right-wing pundits, these two are the most probing and intellectual.

5. Closing Bell (CNBC)

Analogous to Fast Money, Closing Bell is a great end of the day report on the day’s market news and headlines. It is definitely the best straight business news program in early evening.

6. The Wire (HBO / DVD)

I recommended The Wire for prospective law school students in an earlier post, but the show is so well done that it has lessons for b-school students as well. Unlike typical cop shows, The Wire actually probes the business and cultural landscape of the urban drug trade. The stark portrayal of the corruption, violence, and civil decay caused by the war on drugs will challenge your notions about the arguments for drug legalization. The ruthless Stringer Bell alone makes for a great case study.

7. Fox News Saturday 10 – 12 (Fox News)

Fox’s two hour business block every Saturday includes four entertaining business shows, namely, Bulls & Bears, Cavuto on Business, Forbes on Fox, and Cashin’ In. Of the four, the first and the last are the best, as they focus on a group of pundits yelling at each other about various stocks and market news. Depending on which pundits show up, you may get a spirited but enlightening discussion of the week’s political and economic news, or a shouting match about Obamacare. Kind of hit or miss, this one.

8. Bloomberg Network (Bloomberg Network)

There are a number of serviceable shows on Bloomberg TV; for this list, however, I just want to highlight the network as a whole. Unlike Fox Business or even CNBC, you can have Bloomberg on at any time of day and expect dedicated market and business headlines. Of note is their Game Changers documentary series and their daily Fast Forward and Rewind market analysis programs.

9. Outsourced (NBC)

Based on the 2006 movie of the same name, this new NBC comedy depicts life at an Indian call center from the point of view of an American transplant. The show humanizes the tough issue of jobs going abroad by showing that office workers everywhere share the same basic concerns. Not the funniest thing on TV, but fairly well written and occasionally thought-provoking. Plus, it’s also not nearly as offensive as it could have been (according to my Indian friends).

10. Mad Money (Fox News)

This show is just a good time for people looking for stock tips. Who doesn’t enjoy listening to Jim Cramer yell at the top of his lungs for an hour about how Bear Stearns is “fine!”? That’s not to say that the guy never offers useful stock advice. Cramer brings an insider’s perspective to the stock game, and does his best to devote a lot of time to individual callers and their specific problems. Enjoy the theatrics and be sure to diversify.

Honorable Mentions:

Cake Boss, Weeds, The Apprentice, The Kudlow Report, BBC’s business programmes

Posted in B-School Life, Featured, GMAT | 2 Comments »

Countdown to Davos: Molecular Partners

December 30th, 2010

As a countdown to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos, we’re profiling all 30 of our fellow 2011 Tech Pioneer award winners. Check our full profile series to learn more.

Molecular Partners


What they do:

Molecular Partners is developing new medicines using proteins known as DARPins. DARPins appear in nature as binders or blockers; for example, they might target and block a tumor cell in the human body. DARPins offer advantages over antibodies, the most common kind of proteins used in medicine today. DARPins are smaller, more potent, and more selective, and can reach areas in the body that antibodies can’t, allowing for more effective treatment. Plus, DARPins are cheaper and faster to manufacture than antibodies.

Why it’s cool:

Molecular Partners’ work will create treatments for untreatable diseases–and make existing treatments more effective. The company is developing drugs for ophthamalogy, inflammation, and oncology right now, and will soon move on to other fields. Three cheers for health!

Learn more:

Website

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Video: Walkthrough of our new GMAT course content

December 29th, 2010

A while back our Tech and Academic teams released a big upgrade to our GMAT course content. Check out this video as Sean, one of our GMAT Content Developers, walks through some of the new features — and some of the old ones that got a boost. The highlights:

  • An “On the GMAT” section so you can see how each concept will appear on test day
  • “700+ Tips” for applying concepts on the toughest GMAT questions
  • A handy search bar on every page, bigger lists of related concepts, and more…

This video also marks a journey into a wild, weird world of Knewton you may not have seen before. Get ready to enter… The Content Lab.

Posted in Inside Knewton, Knewton, Product Updates | No Comments »

MBA Admissions Tip: Round Two Recap and Advice

December 29th, 2010

Here’s another weekly MBA admissions tip from our friends at Clear Admit. For more advice about the b-school application process, check out their blog.

As we prepare to bid goodbye to 2010 and greet the deadline-packed first month of 2011, we would like to take the opportunity to recap the upcoming Round Two deadlines and offer some advice for hardworking applicants.

First, a summary of this month’s deadlines along with the exact time each application is due:

Monday, January 3rd
Tuck, 5:00 p.m. EST

Tuesday, January 4th
MIT, 3:00 p.m. EST
Wharton, 5:00 p.m. EST
Duke, 11:59 p.m. EST
Cornell, 11:59 p.m. EST

Wednesday, January 5th
Chicago, 5:00 p.m. CST
UCLA, 9:00 p.m. PST
Ross, 11:59 p.m. EST
Darden, 11:59 p.m. EST

Thursday, January 6th
Stanford, 5:00 p.m. PST
Yale, 5:00 p.m. EST

Tuesday, January 11th
Kellogg, 11:59 CT
Harvard, 12:00 p.m. EST

Saturday, January 15th
NYU, 11:59 EST*

Thursday, January 20th
Haas, 11:59 PST

For those candidates who have already submitted their Round Two applications, we wish you a hearty congratulations and an exciting New Year’s Eve. However, for the many applicants still working feverishly to finish, we offer a few pieces of last minute advice:

1) Prioritize. The difference between a January 4th and 11th deadline didn’t matter much when you started working on your applications in the fall. However, with just a few days remaining, make sure you are taking deadlines into account as you prioritize your work. Though your Kellogg essays may need the most revising, save that polishing until after you turn in the Wharton application on the 4th.  Similarly, for those of you really facing the crunch, you may need to take a step back and pare down your list of target schools, as it’s better to submit three or four solid applications than it is to turn in six half-baked efforts.

2) Proof. Tired of reading the same essay for the 19th time? Ask a friend, family member or Clear Admit consultant to provide a final read through, checking for grammar, punctuation, typos, and other easy to miss mistakes. Don’t let a careless error be what the admissions committee first notices about your application.

3) Get a good night’s sleep! While New Year’s celebrations will offer a tempting distraction, remember that clear writing comes from clear thinking, and clear thinking is helped by a good night’s sleep. Ring in the new year, but save the real partying for after the application deadlines!

4) Avoid Loose Ends. While focusing frantically on essays is likely a high priority, do not overlook the fact that there are other components to your application package.  Have you checked with your recommenders to ensure that they’ve done their part?  Have you gathered any needed information for transcript reports?  Have you worked on the application forms (employment history, activities listings, etc)?  In the rush to submit many applicants overlook these critical areas, resulting in an inconsistent application.

As always, you can contact Clear Admit to learn more about our admissions consulting services by emailing your resume to info@clearadmit.com.

* The NYU Admissions Office gave the following information to Clear Admit: “The online application will be open January 15, and mailed items may be postmarked January 15. However, if an applicant is delivering something to the office (such as Essay 3), it must arrive by the Friday prior to the deadline, January 14.”: R

Posted in GMAT, MBA Admissions | No Comments »

GMAT Study Motivator: Betting On Your Practice Plan

December 29th, 2010

Growing up in China, I heard many strange stories of the ways in which students motivated themselves to study hard in order to bring honor to their families. A famous story involved a student tying a rope from the ceiling to his hair. If he got sleepy and nodded off, the rope would jerk his head back up and keep him awake so he could study more.

While this method might be just a tad extreme, extrinsic motivational techniques can be valuable–especially when the last thing you want to do is take yet another GMAT practice quiz. Luckily, the internet has made available much better tools than a rope tied to the ceiling (but you are always free to experiment with that if you wish).

One tool I have started to use is StickK.com. The site bills itself as “the smartest way to set and achieve your goals,” and it just may be right. StickK stands for “stick contract”; the site was founded by a Yale economics professor who wrote a book called “Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done“.

StickK is based on the principle that incentives and accountability are the two most important components in achieving a goal. Besides giving you the tools to write down your goals and check your own progress, StickK allows you to make a wager on yourself. So instead of asking yourself “Can I accomplish this goal?”, the question becomes “Would I bet on myself to accomplish this goal?”

To set a goal on StickK.com, there are 4 simple steps:

1. Choose a goal

Write down your goal and the time frame within which it will be accomplished.

2. Choose a wager

Pick a place for your money to go if you fail to reach the goal (optional). The data from StickK.com shows that people who choose a wager are 3 times as successful at hitting their goals as people who put no money on the line.

3. Choose a referee

Find someone to keep you honest. If at reporting time you are unsuccessful for the week, the referee has the power to “fail” you and make you lose your wager. StickK data suggests that people who choose a referee are twice as successful as people who do not.

4. Recruit supporters

Get friends to support you by reaching out to your friends on Facebook and Twitter. In this socially networked world, why do anything alone when you can do it with your friends? Compete against your friends and see who can hit the highest goals.

Once you have chosen your goal–for example, to study at least 2 hours per day for the GMAT for 10 weeks–you can choose 3 places for your money to go when you do not meet your weekly goal.

1. Anti-Charity

Your money will go towards a cause you do not support. So, for example, if you are pro-life, your money might go to a pro-choice charity. StickK data shows that this option is the most successful at keeping people on track.

2. Charity

Your money goes to a randomly selected charity.

3. Friend or Foe

Your money will either go to a friend or a foe that is making the opposite wager on you.

If your friends aren’t interested in competing with you, well, then you can compete against me.

Since I’m not taking the GMAT any time soon, I will be using StickK to stick to my health goals. My goal is to lose 18lbs in the next 18 weeks. Why don’t you start your GMAT goal today and we’ll see which one of us actually completes the goal.

… And yes, that’s a challenge. I’m not afraid of betting on myself. How about you?

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Posted in GMAT Tips | No Comments »

Countdown to Davos: Neuronetics

December 29th, 2010

As a countdown to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos, we’re profiling all 30 of our fellow 2011 Tech Pioneer award winners. Check our full profile series to learn more.

Neuronetics

What they do:

Neuronetics has created a new treatment for depression, called the NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy System. TMS is not a drug treatment and is non-invasive; it uses magnetic field pulses to increase brain activity and release mood-elevating chemicals in areas of the brain linked to depression. The treatment is a 37 minute outpatient produce, has no systemic side effects, and doesn’t require anesthesia or sedation. TMS has been around for a while, but Neuronetics is the first company to get FDA approval and provide reproducible results.

Why it’s cool:

It’s true that depression treatment has made leaps and bounds in the past half-century. However, drug treatment doesn’t work for almost 30% of patients. More than 50% of patients are loath to take their medication because of its side effects–weight gain, loss of sex drive, and sleep disorders, among others. TMS gives many of these sufferers another chance at health.

Learn more:

Website
Twitter
Facebook

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Posted in EdTech, Education & Technology, Knewton, Technology | No Comments »

MBA News Roundup – Highest Paid MBAs, HBS Entrepreneurs, and Work Experience

December 28th, 2010

Start the new year off right by being proactive about your business school application process!  This week’s MBA news roundup includes answers to common MBA admissions questions regarding work experience, statistics on the highest paid MBA grads, and an article on how Harvard Business School is promoting entrepreneurship among its students.

1. When the Sky is Nearly the Limit: Highest Paid MBAs of 2010

Although some Wharton, Harvard, and Stanford grads make well above $100,000 after graduating, schools warn prospective students to take these salary statistics with a grain of salt.  Find out more about these figures in this Poets and Quants article.

2. Harvard Fund to Bank-Roll MBA-Student Entrepreneurs

Now that HBS students’ entrepreneurship dreams have monetary backing with the new Minimum Viable Product, or MVP Fund, it will be easier for these MBA candidates to explore and test their ideas to supplement their education with a lot of hands-on experience.

3. Get Into Business School: Work Experience

Have questions about whether or not your work experience is sufficient before applying to b-school? U.S. News and World Report features this Q&A to help you understand the type of background that admissions committees are looking for and the importance of showing leadership skills.

4. Slowly, Top B-Schools Gain in Diversity

Have schools made improvements in diversity in their student profile?  Nancy Sims from the Toigo Foundation explains how universities can do much more to increase the number of underrepresented students on campus.

5. For Business Schools, Culture Matters

A dean at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley provides his perspective on how business schools should revamp their culture to mold a different kind of MBA grad.

Remember to follow KnewtonGMAT on Twitter for more b-school updates!

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Posted in B-School Life, GMAT, MBA Admissions | No Comments »

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