News 02-14-2003
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EDUCAUSE Extends .edu Domain to Specialized Institutions
EDUCAUSE, which manages .edu Internet domain registrations, and the Department
of Commerce said last week that they would extend eligibility for a .edu domain
name to nationally accredited post-secondary institutions that provide specialized
training in health services, education, technology, and other professions. The
change, which takes place in mid-April, "will allow a broad segment of post-secondary
education providers to benefit from the immediate recognition of the '.edu'
tag on an Internet address," said EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker. For more
information on the policy change and links to eligible accrediting agencies,
visit: www.educause.edu/edudomain/eligibility.asp.
William Taylor Interviewed on Syllabus Radio
www.syllabus.com/radio/index.asp
Syllabus Radio offers topical interviews with leading educators and creative
thinkers in higher education on the hot issues of the day. This week, log on
to www.syllabus.com/radio/index.asp and listen to host Judith Boettcher and
William "Punch" Taylor, consultant to the Internet2 PKI Laboratory at Dartmouth
College, as they discuss the implementation of wireless technology on campus.
Red Hat Offers Universities Linux Teaching Program
Red Hat Inc., the open source Linux provider, last week offered schools and
colleges an academic version of its Red Hat Certified Engineer training and
certification program. Under a program called the Red Hat Academy, Red Hat will
deliver an IT curriculum based on Linux and will allow schools to administer
the Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT) exam. The company is positioning the
open source program in part as a way for schools to meet their budget crunch
by avoiding the high costs of proprietary software.
Computerized CPA Exam to Launch in April 2004
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which administers
the national CPA exam, said it would administer the exam in a computer-based
format starting in April 2004. The new format will make it possible to give
the exam up to six days a week, giving candidates more flexibility. The current
exam is only offered twice a year. The new test will also incorporate the assessment
of critical skills, such as research and communication, and will increase emphasis
on general business knowledge and information technology. Prometric, a technology-based
testing company, will deliver the exam in 300 testing centers in the United
States. David Costello, President and CEO of the National Association of State
Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), said the new exam "will provide the states with
a tool to ensure that new licensees possess the abilities our economy demands."
Resources Web Site for University Lisp Fans Launched
Franz Inc., a provider of development tools for the Lisp programming language,
launched a Web site as a free Lisp resource aimed at university professors and
their students. Lisp, the original object-oriented programming language, is
designed for knowledge representation, knowledge-based programming, and artificial
intelligence and automated reasoning. The site, called the Dynamic Learning
Center, contains sample code and learning tools for professors to incorporate
into their curriculum, as well as a Tester Application that makes it easier
for them to grade assignments. "University professors have a tremendous workload,"
said Fritz Kunze, CEO of Franz Inc. "We wanted to provide a forum for the academic
community to share materials and information, so that it's easier for them to
organize and teach a Lisp class."
For more information visit: www.dynamiclearningcenter.com
Kyoto Digital Archives Honors MIT OpenCourseWare
The Kyoto (Japan) Digital Archives Project honored the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology with an award for its OpenCourseWare project, citing its use of
the World Wide Web for education and archiving of information. "OpenCourseWare
is definitely the epoch-making trial of digital archives in the field of academy,
also education," said Makoto Suganuma of the Kyoto Digital Archives Research
Center. The Digital Archives Awards are presented by Kyoto University, the city
of Kyoto, Japan, and the Kyoto Digital Archive Project. The MIT OpenCourseWare
project is making course materials that are used in the teaching of almost all
MIT undergraduate and graduate subjects available on the Web, free of charge,
to any user anywhere in the world.