In this day and age, media play a crucial role in our lives, it is present in almost every aspect, both from what we knowingly divulge on social media to other bits of information we don’t, such as our location through GPS on phones. Colleges have started to use data and information to completely transform higher education, to allow for higher retention rates and produce higher graduation rates than recorded in history. There are also many downsides to this new technology as it invades many student’s privacy without their knowledge as it goes beyond tracking students’ performance in schools. Many oppose this new method, but there are a great many who welcome it with open arms and embrace the practice. These new technologies can improve, help,
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The authors concentrate on issues that raise queries, and questions if the end goal is worth in perusing. Although the article has a more cautionary and negative tone to the idea of these programs, it does acknowledge the improvement in retention in and graduation. In Purdue University “the four-year retention rate for Purdue students in the 2007 cohort without a Signals course was 69.40 percent (n = 5,134 students); students in the same cohort with at least one Signals course had a retention rate of 87.42 percent (n = 1,518 students). Even more encouragingly, students with two or more Signals courses had a retention rate of 93.24 percent (n = 207 students).” It is expected the rates will go higher as more and more courses latch on to this method. The Educause article does not dispute the fact that there are individual elements of the program are very beneficial to students. There are ethical problems as it provides vital information to faculty and leaves the responsibility to the institution to use responsibly. The authors raise up the question of if the data collected by the university is known to the students, the amount of information is given to the faculty, and how the faculty should use the data. The authors use different techniques and ideas such as The Potter Box, Aristotle 's Golden Mean, Immanuel Kant 's Categorical Imperative, John Stuart Mill 's Principle of Utility, and other …show more content…
Rather the New York Times article seemed to focus primarily on the positive aspects of the program. The article included individuals who were involved in the program in some way or another. These people reigned from students to faculty, to even programmers and developers who created these algorithms. The student 's point of view was the most drastic in the light as it differed from the those of the administrators, professors, and developers. Negative views on the topic were very minimal. The Educause article seemed to focus on the issue of privacy mainly, but also acknowledges the possible benefits of big data. The aspect of big data has a place on campuses across America, but there should be restrictions as it can invade the privacy of millions of students. The fact that this technology can be used to track students in their day to day lives should not be an aspect used, while the technology used to help students in their education should. Software’s such as the “Stop Light” method and the “Degree/Course Tracker,” are aspects that should be used as the data seems to benefit the students. The students should know of any research being conducted with this technology and likewise, know that these software’s are being used. This clarity helps protect the privacy of the students and make the institution accountable for the information and data they
The authors concentrate on issues that raise queries, and questions if the end goal is worth in perusing. Although the article has a more cautionary and negative tone to the idea of these programs, it does acknowledge the improvement in retention in and graduation. In Purdue University “the four-year retention rate for Purdue students in the 2007 cohort without a Signals course was 69.40 percent (n = 5,134 students); students in the same cohort with at least one Signals course had a retention rate of 87.42 percent (n = 1,518 students). Even more encouragingly, students with two or more Signals courses had a retention rate of 93.24 percent (n = 207 students).” It is expected the rates will go higher as more and more courses latch on to this method. The Educause article does not dispute the fact that there are individual elements of the program are very beneficial to students. There are ethical problems as it provides vital information to faculty and leaves the responsibility to the institution to use responsibly. The authors raise up the question of if the data collected by the university is known to the students, the amount of information is given to the faculty, and how the faculty should use the data. The authors use different techniques and ideas such as The Potter Box, Aristotle 's Golden Mean, Immanuel Kant 's Categorical Imperative, John Stuart Mill 's Principle of Utility, and other …show more content…
Rather the New York Times article seemed to focus primarily on the positive aspects of the program. The article included individuals who were involved in the program in some way or another. These people reigned from students to faculty, to even programmers and developers who created these algorithms. The student 's point of view was the most drastic in the light as it differed from the those of the administrators, professors, and developers. Negative views on the topic were very minimal. The Educause article seemed to focus on the issue of privacy mainly, but also acknowledges the possible benefits of big data. The aspect of big data has a place on campuses across America, but there should be restrictions as it can invade the privacy of millions of students. The fact that this technology can be used to track students in their day to day lives should not be an aspect used, while the technology used to help students in their education should. Software’s such as the “Stop Light” method and the “Degree/Course Tracker,” are aspects that should be used as the data seems to benefit the students. The students should know of any research being conducted with this technology and likewise, know that these software’s are being used. This clarity helps protect the privacy of the students and make the institution accountable for the information and data they