News Update 06-17-2003
Study Shows Impact of Web Technology on Higher Ed
The latest results of a four-year study by McGraw-Hill on the impact of
Web technology on higher ed institutions confirmed that Web-based
technology is helping instructors achieve teaching objectives and has a
positive impact on student attitudes and achievement. In 1999, only 22
percent of faculty participants viewed technology as very or extremely
important for achieving success; in 2002, figures rose to 57 percent.
The survey indicates that technology has increased dramatically in
terms of importance, with 68 percent of respondents rating training and
professional development as very or extremely important and 60 percent
assigning a high level of importance to course Web site use in
achieving teaching objectives.
Purchase the 30-page report by visiting www.mcgrawhill.ca/highereducation
SPONSOR: Time is Running Out for Early Bird Savings: Don't Miss the
June 27 Deadline!
This summer's tenth annual Syllabus Conference offers five days of not- to-be-missed
keynotes, general sessions, breakouts, and more for education technology professionals.
Join us July 27-31 at the San Jose Marriott and enjoy five new program tracks
on topics of strategic importance. Plus, a special day on the Stanford University
campus will allow you to experience the latest technology innovations first
hand. All of this, including networking and exhibits, in Syllabus' traditional
collegial atmosphere. Register today and take advantage of up to $200 in Early
Bird discounts. For details and to register, go to http://info.101com.com/default.asp?id=1814
Harvard Med Surgeons Webcast Live Prostate Surgery
Surgeons at Harvard University affiliate Massachusetts General Hospital
will demonstrate to an Internet audience a minimally invasive procedure
to remove the prostate gland. The procedure is done through several
small incisions in the abdomen, rather than a large, open one.
Specially designed surgical instruments and cameras afford the surgeon
precise control and excellent visibility for performing the operation.
Douglas Dahl, MD, FACS, is the urologic surgeon who is performing the
surgery, and his colleague, Shahin Tabatabaei, MD, will be describing
the procedure and answering e-mail questions from viewers. The
procedure will be performed from Mass General's "Operating Room of the
Future," a state-of-the-art operating suite that maximizes use of
recent or new technologies.
For access to the Webcast, which will take place today, June 17, at 4 p.m.
EDT, visit: www.or-live.com/MassGeneral/1100
Students Win Honors in 'Future Truck' Design Competition
Teams of students from Cornell University, Georgia Tech, and the
University of West Virginia took away honors in software modeling in
FutureTruck 2003, a four-year engineering program that brings together
resources of industry, government, and academia to address
environmental and energy-related issues posed by the growing demand for
SUVs. The teams won first, second, and third-place prizes in software
modeling sponsored by MathWorks, technical computing software for
engineers and scientists. The award recognizes student teams who have
created working models of engine, motor, transmission, controllers, and
other subsystems that result in a more energy-efficient vehicle.
WPI Study: Most Fed Web Sites Fail Section 508 Standards
Most federal Web sites do not meet the government's own accessibility
standards for disabled citizens, according to a new study by
researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Researchers found
67 percent of 417 federal government Web sites studied did not provide
full accessibility based on its own Section 508 criteria. The regs call
for all electronic and information technology purchased by the federal
government to be usable by people with disabilities. "... the federal
accessibility numbers were much better than those for the private
sector, but below the levels of institutions of higher education,"
said WPI assistant professor of management Eleanor Loiacono, one of the
co-authors of the study, titled, "Freedom of Access: A Study of Federal
Website Accessibility."
Demographers Identify Where College Graduates Cluster
Many of this year's college graduates are leaving behind their college
towns in pursuit of jobs in a tough economy, according to demographers
from mapping software developer MapInfo Corp. In a study of residents
of cities with bachelor degrees, the company found that California
locales dominated the Top 10 list, while renowned college town Boston
did not make the cut. The top 10 metro areas with the highest
penetration of people with bachelor degrees are clustered in
California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Colorado.
