In 2012, the buzz around education technology reached new heights and, with the new year now underway, the hype surrounding the potential transformative impact of technology on both higher and K-12 education continues, thanks to initiatives like the one Udacity is piloting with largest university system in the world, which aims to bring affordable, lower-division and remedial online courses to the California State University system.

Of late, we’ve seen growing interest in education technology across the board, from venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to state and federal governments. Some of the country’s most influential players in business and politics have taken an interest in the conversation. Last week, Jeb Bush — the younger brother of former President George W. Bush, former Governor of Florida — penned an Op-Ed for CNN in which he discusses the importance of digital education — particularly its ability to unify through the “ubiquity of its tools” … and … “maximize students’ potential to succeed by opening their eyes to a more diverse, customized array of learning techniques” — more so “than ever before.”