News Update 05-23-2003

SPONSOR: Capture Your Ideas with Camfire Whiteboard Camera

Capture every note, diagram and formula from your dry-erase whiteboard with the Camfire whiteboard camera. See how the Camfire system can work for you by ordering your free video CD-ROM. Reply before June 13 , 2003 and receive a FREE 12-disc CD case.

Visit www.smarttech.com/case

Save whiteboard notes to your computer or network effortlessly. A camera boom installs quickly and easily above your dry-erase whiteboard. In one step, you’ll instantly capture a high-resolution, color image of the entire surface of the board, up to 4' X 8'. Print, e-mail or publish notes to the Web for your students.

www.smarttech.com/case

EDUCAUSE Study Explores Faculty Use of CMS

EDUCAUSE's Center for Applied Research has published a study on faculty and instructional staff use of course management systems (CMSes). The research, by Glenda Morgan, a learning technology analyst in the Office of Learning and Information Technology at the University of Wisconsin (UW) system, looks at how faculty members use course management systems in their teaching. It is based on a quantitative survey of 730 faculty and staff, 140 qualitative interviews, as well as usage logs of the CMSes in the UW system. The study focuses specifically on faculty use of CMSes: the extent to which they use them, which features they use, in which learning environments they use them, and what motivates them to increase or decrease their use.

To download a summary, visit: www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ecar_so/ers/ers0302/ekf0302.pdf

SPONSOR: Sloppiness, Serendipity, and Openness in Educational Materials

www.syllabus.com/summer2003

James Boyle, Duke University Law School, Featured Keynote at Syllabus2003

Heated debates have taken place on campus about the role and extent of intellectual property in education. Law Professor James Boyle of Duke University weighs in with his thoughts in a keynote address at Syllabus2003, July 27-31 in San Jose, Calif. Boyle argues that we are on the tipping point between two different economic and technical systems for delivery of intellectual content, and two different communications architectures. Don't miss out on five days of outstanding keynotes, breakout sessions, panel discussions, and networking, as well as a special day of activities at Stanford University. Register by June 27 and save up to $200. For complete conference details or to register, go to www.syllabus.com/summer2003.

Survey: Social Work "In," Computer Science "Out"

The program interests of grad school-bound students has shifted recently, with social work fields such as clinical psychology and mental health therapy gaining interest and computer science losing popularity, according to gradschools. com, an Internet research site. The popularity of the fields was measured by how often they were searched by prospective students from January through March 2003 on the site. Social work climbed from seventh on the site's Top 20 list in the last quarter of 2002 to third in the current standings. At the same time, computer science fell from second to thirteenth place. On the other hand, interest in graduate business school has returned to first place on the list after falling to seventh in the third quarter of 2002 as the wave of corporate scandals hit the business world.

For more information, visit: www.gradschools.com

Philly Universities Join Team to Hike Area Tech Skills

LaSalle University and the Community College of Philadelphia have joined IBM and a mix of area civic groups developing a computer skills certification program called the International Computer Driving License (ICDL). The program, which is recognized in more than 100 countries as the standard for basic computer skills certification, aims to increase workforce productivity and spur business growth. The Greater Philadelphia Computer Skills Collaborative (GPCSC), formed to oversee the project, said it will establish test centers throughout Philadelphia to certify thousands of candidates.

For more information, visit: www.icdlus.com

Deals, Contracts, Awards, in Higher Education

WIRELESS—Oakland University selected Modis Inc. to provide a plan for a campuswide wireless network that will facilitate unlimited connectivity for students, faculty, and administration. With more than 16,000 students, the school is preparing for the future. Modis provided consulting services along with a detailed service requirements definition and site plan. Services included compatibility with pre-existing wireless technology and a full wiring and hardware plan for each floor of every building on the campus.

NETWORK PERFORMANCE—UCAS, the UK central organization that processes applications for universities and colleges, has selected Radware's LinkProof, CertainT 100 and Web Server Director application switches to ensure the availability and performance of its main student applications web site. The Radware solution is being used in the network infrastructure that supports the Web site, as part of a series of network enhancements designed and managed by secure network integration specialist Peapod. UCAS, based in Cheltenham, UK, has been taking student applications online since 2002 and has been successful in achieving multiple operational efficiencies by doing so. To date, more than 45 percent of applicants for the 2003 school year have used Apply, the new Web-based system, or the Electronic Application System (EAS).

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