Business

Investments in educational training, media and services, also known as edtech, grew to $367.4 million across 24 deals in the second quarter of 2015, a record for venture dollars flowing to the sector in a single quarter, according to Dow Jones VentureSource data, Lora Kolodny reports for VentureWire. Tory Patterson, an investor and board member of edtech companies, including LearnZillion,Newsela and MasteryConnect, says that startups in this field have a chance to unseat incumbents in a massive, for-profit business because of the introduction of broadband Internet, mobile and social technology in schools.Read the rest of the story at The Wall Street Journal Venture Capital Dispatch.

Photo credit: Agência Brasilby Julie RuvoloBrazilian startup Descomplica (“Uncomplicate”) has raised an $8 million Series B to build an education entertainment company that the company hopes could actually change the future of education in Brazil. Read the rest of the story at Tech Crunch.

Photo Credit: Milei.vencelWASHINGTON, June 30, 2015—The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved $315 million in two credits for Vietnam to support the government’s agriculture restructuring plan and help with the revision of a new education curriculum.Read the rest of the story at the World Bank website.

Photo credit Gennaro Viscianoby Tim JonesCollege is a funny thing. It’s full of scholarly pursuits in the halls of academe, centuries-old institutions with cherished seals, histories of tradition, prestigious alumni, trustees, chancellors, regalia, committees on committees, formal ceremonies, and countless other idiosyncrasies.Read the rest of the story at Inside Higher Ed.

When it comes to education in South Korea, the demand is so strong it accounts for 12% of all consumer spending.BBC reporter Steve Evans met with one South Korean teacher who is earning a high salary to teach English.  You can watch the story at BBC News. 

Student access to relevant information and news continues to expand with technology advancements. I had the opportunity to interview Matthew Gross, CEO and co-founder, of Newsela. The Newsela team brings students current events and news aligning with current standards expected in today’s classroom.

Discover expert insights on modern school security as Mike Richez discusses proactive social media threat monitoring and digital safety solutions for schools.

by M. Alex Johnson I n what’s believed to be the biggest shutdown in the history of higher education in the United States, Corinthian Colleges said Sunday it’s closing its remaining 28 for-profit schools effective immediately, kicking about 16,000 students out of school.Corinthian, based in Santa Ana, California, said in a statement and an email to students that it would lean on government agencies and other institutions to place the students, who were enrolled at Heald College locations in California, Hawaii and Oregon and at Everest and WyoTech locations in California, Arizona and New York.Read the rest of the story at NBC News.

N o living person is more closely linked with the concept of business leadership than Jack Welch. Even for those who have never put a foot on the corporate ladder, who couldn’t tell Six Sigma from Six Flags, Welch’s name is instantly recognizable. During his time as CEO of GE — a two-decade span that started in 1981 — he took it from a $14 billion company that was thought of mostly as fine but lumbering to a $500 billion one that was fast, full of talent and willing to take risks (though GE is now unwinding some of those big bets).