🗓️ Welcome to the April edition of the EdTech Connect

AI’s influence on campus life is no longer theoretical—it’s becoming personal. Inspired by a recent AI 2027 article, Jeff Dillon’s short fiction "Digital Destiny: How Zoe Hacked The Algorithm" explores how AI might soon guide everything from course planning to career prep. Spoiler: even the most skeptical students might click “yes” on a custom path forward.

Meanwhile, higher ed marketers are rethinking everything. Hannon Hill's newest white paper unpacks how institutions can navigate the enrollment cliff by shifting focus to non-traditional students—offering flexible, personalized, and career-relevant experiences that speak to today's evolving learners.

This month’s podcast episodes spotlight the shift from PDFs to personalized content and how digital strategy leaders are redefining engagement.

Also in this issue:

Chronicle Studio Webinar: The State of Higher Ed Websites
A 1-minute survey on your team’s biggest challenge right now
EdTech Connect’s top trending tools—from StatusHub to Pantheon
Fresh higher ed headlines, including Claude for Education and the new SIS Magic Quadrant

Become a member of EdTech Connect—Membership is always free! Streamline your EdTech decisions with insights from 4,000+ colleges worldwide. Join Free

Digital Destiny: How Zoe Hacked The Algorithm by Jeff Dillon

Inspired by AI 2027, this short fiction imagines how AI could reshape college life in the very near future. Every company and character is fictional, yet their experiences draw on real possibilities.

Zoe Morales first heard about Campus Compass while perfecting latte art at Perks & Brews. Her best friend Sam insisted it was revolutionizing college planning, but Zoe was skeptical. An AI that understands students better than academic advisors? Please.

But curiosity won when a personalized email arrived: "Zoe, let Campus Compass navigate your perfect future." As a straight-A student who also posted cat memes at 2 AM, she wondered what this algorithm could possibly know about her complex life.

Read the Full Story

Want to market to Non-Traditional Students? You Need This Guide

As the enrollment cliff reshapes higher ed, traditional tactics aren't cutting it anymore.

Institutions that thrive will be the ones that shift their focus fast.

Our white paper, "Navigating the Demographic Enrollment Cliff: A Shift Toward Non-Traditional Students," breaks down how colleges and universities can reimagine their marketing strategies to attract and support adult learners, career changers, first-gen students, and more.

You'll learn how to:

Create flexible, personalized digital experiences
Build partnerships with industry to boost relevancy
Tailor messaging that speaks to real-life needs and motivations
Support students with schedules, services, and storytelling that truly resonate

Whether you're in admissions, marketing, or leadership, this guide will help you meet the moment with strategies built for the students driving today’s enrollment growth.

Reach students redefining higher-ed. Start here.

Download the white paper now

Revolutionize Technical Training in Higher Ed

CyberLabHero is a virtual lab platform that lets your students launch dedicated, pre-configured virtual machines—directly in their browser and on demand. No complex setup required. It's built to simplify hands-on learning for instructors and make technical training more accessible for students.

Browser-Based Simplicity: Students can access your pre-configured virtual VMs instantly through their browser. No downloads. No installations. No barriers to learning.

Effortless Lab Management: Easily create, update, and deploy labs. Make changes available to your students in real time—without relying on IT.

Flexible and Scalable: Whether you're managing a single course or an entire program, CyberLabHero scales to meet your needs. Control access with features like persistent VMs, time limits, and seamless LMS integration.

Insights That Drive Success: Track student progress and engagement through built-in metrics and analytics. Use real data to enhance instruction and improve learning outcomes.

Join the institutions transforming technical education with a smarter, more streamlined approach to hands-on learning. Ready to elevate your programs? See how it works at CyberLabHero.com and book a personalized demo with the founder.

See How It Works

EdTech Connect Podcast: Listen & Subscribe

The EdTech Connect Podcast keeps higher ed professionals like you informed on the latest technologies reshaping teaching and learning.

Your host Jeff Dillon explores emerging trends and innovative applications that are redefining education.

🔊 Catch Latest Episodes:

AI, Black Holes, and the Future of Learning with Saugata Chatterjee

4/11/25 | Listen Now

From PDFs to Personalization: Higher Ed's Content Shift with Will Noble

4/4/25 | Listen Now

Newsrooms to Universities: Digital Strategy Evolution with Georgy Cohen

3/28/25 | Listen Now

The Evolution of EdTech and the LMS with Phil Hill

3/21/25 | Listen Now

Subscribe & Stay Ahead

Webinar: The State of Higher Education Websites Key Challenges, AI's Role & Content Discovery Solutions

With uncertainty of the macroeconomic landscape affecting higher education, one asset that remains in the institution's control is their own website experience. The website is key to increasing admissions, responding to student needs, and contributing to improved rate of student retention.

Ninety-three percent of higher-ed employees involved with their institution's website believe improvements can drive overall student success. The data comes from recent research conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education Brand Studio in partnership with SearchStax.

Speakers include:

Corey Reed, Director of Web Management at Texas Christian University, who focuses on usability and cloud-based solutions to improve student engagement and information discovery.
Ronald Barba, Senior Manager of Branded Editorial at The Chronicle, who brings deep experience in tech journalism and creative strategy, leading branded content initiatives that inform and inspire.
Jeff Dillon, Founder of EdTech Connect and Digital Strategist, bringing over two decades of expertise in AI, search, and digital personalization in higher ed.

This event is ideal for web leaders, digital strategists, and marketing professionals looking to stay ahead of trends and build more accessible, impactful online experiences.

April 23rd | 2pm E.T.

April Survey: What’s Your Team’s Most Pressing Challenge Right Now?

As higher education continues to evolve, teams across campuses are tackling big challenges—from enrollment shifts and fundraising pressures to brand positioning and internal leadership dynamics.

We’d love your insight: where could outside expertise make the biggest difference for you and your team right now?

Your response will help surface key priorities where targeted support could drive meaningful impact across the sector.

Take the 1-minute survey!

March Survey Results: Top AI Topics in Higher Ed Revealed

In our March survey, we asked higher ed professionals which AI topics they’re most eager to explore. The responses point to a strong appetite for practical guidance—focusing less on hype and more on hands-on application. From foundational understanding to effective prompting and tool selection, here’s where the interest is heading:

Top EdTech News

📊 New Gartner SIS Quadrant: Who’s In and Who’s Not?

What’s the latest shakeup in student information systems? Gartner’s newly released Magic Quadrant outlines the rising stars, steady players, and surprising absences in the SIS market. Source: ListEdTech.edu | Full article

🏛️ Linda McMahon Defends Massive Cuts to the Education Department

Tensions flared on Capitol Hill as Linda McMahon justified sweeping budget reductions that would slash funding across multiple higher ed programs.

Source: HigherEdDive.edu | Full article

💰 Private Equity Makes a Power Play in Higher Ed Marketing

PE firms aren’t just investing in edtech—they’re targeting the agencies and platforms that shape how schools recruit, retain, and grow. From SEO to enrollment funnels, marketing is now a battleground for profit and influence. Source: Volt.edu | Full article

🤖 Claude for Education: Anthropic’s AI Tailored for Universities

Anthropic has launched Claude for Education, a version of its AI assistant designed specifically for higher ed. Source: Anthropic.com | Full article

🎓 3 takeaways on higher education innovation from the ASU+GSV Summit

Ongoing challenges could spur the sector to build new kinds of institutions and adopt disruptive practices, higher education experts said. Source: HigherEdDive.edu | Full article