Montana State chooses K-12 CIO as new IT vice president

(Montana State University)

Share

Montana State University on Monday announced it’s selected Ryan Knutson, who currently serves as chief information officer for Sioux Falls Public Schools, as its new CIO and vice president for information technology.

Knutson, who’s set to join the university on July 1, manages technology supporting 25,000 students across 32 locations, according to the university’s announcement.

Ryan Knutson
Ryan Knutson

As university CIO, Knutson will be responsible for developing an IT strategy and supporting classroom technology, administrative software, data networking and other technology infrastructure at the Bozeman-based campus, which has a student population of about 17,000.

In the announcement, MSU President Waded Cruzado said Knutson was selected in part because he “understands that now, more than ever, technology plays a critical role in our ability to educate our students as well as conduct research.”

Before his current role, Knutson was assistant vice president for technology at South Dakota State University and manager of web services for Southwest Minnesota State University. 

Knutson said in the university’s announcement he looks forward to the position because of Montana State’s “excellent reputation for teaching, research and outreach.”

He holds a doctorate in educational administration from the University of South Dakota.

Notes platform StuDocu raises $50 million in funding round

(Getty Images)

Share

Written by

StuDocu, a platform where users upload their college notes and study guides, raised $50 million in its latest round of funding from the venture capital firm Partech, the company announced Monday.

Its users include 15 million students from 2,000 universities internationally, according to a press release. The platform is accessible on mobile and desktop and includes a rating system. Documents are also grouped by course, and there’s a search function within each university. Customers, according to the company’s website, include Arizona State University, New York University and Cornell. 

Student-created StuDocu’s tools grew in popularity over the pandemic, doubling monthly active users during 2020, and will use the money to continue expanding its global reach, according to the press release. The platform also expanded into high schools during the pandemic.

CEO Marnix Broer told EdScoop the company is exploring on how to build community among students in addition to allowing them to share notes and study guides. That could mean adding in new features like one-on-one tutoring or group study.

Broer said students often form study groups through Facebook and WhatsApp, and studying together can benefit both those who don’t understand a concept and those who might have a better grasp.

“Even though you already understood it, while explaining it you even start understanding it better,” he said. “And of course, you’re helping your friend out.”

Collaborating on understanding college coursework can set students on the right path for the workforce, Broer said.

The pandemic sparked interest in how students can collaborate and connect online, but open educational resources are also gaining popularity among universities, instead of traditional textbooks. A study by Bay View Analytics found that faculty awareness of open educational resources grew from 27% to 44%, responding that they are at least “somewhat aware” of OER.

StudySmart, another collaborative learning platform, which launched in 2018, announced a $15 million Series A funding this week, according to TechCrunch.

This story has been edited to include comments from CEO Marnix Broer. 

-In this Story-

online education, Open Educational Resources, ParTech, StuDocu
We use cookies to provide you with the best experience across all Scoop News Group websites. By using Scoop News Group websites, you consent to the use of cookies. Learn more
TwitterFacebookLinkedInRedditGmail