For equitable learning, conferencing technology must be professional yet easy to set up and use." --Vanessa Jensen, Manager of Market Development at Shure

The College Board has shut down its Landscape tool, which provided colleges with data on students' neighborhoods and schools to help identify talented applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds. The decision follows heightened political and legal pressure, raising concerns that selective colleges will enroll fewer low-income and underrepresented students without race-neutral supports.

Polk State College instructional designer Katie Ragsdale explains in this podcast why the thoughtful integration of gamification into online classes has become so important. Game-inspired elements from syllabus quizzes, badges and leaderboards can boost student motivation, engagement and course retention, she says.

The Education Design Lab's Community College Growth Engine has partnered with more than 100 colleges to create stackable microcredential programs that focus on workforce-ready curricula for locally in-demand fields such as information technology and manufacturing. Using the Growth Engine's design mentors, funding and employer engagement strategies, the colleges have developed nearly 300 micropathways.