News 10-25-2002
Sponsor: Syllabus fall2002 Offers Networking, Interactive Discussions
Time is running out to register for the Syllabus fall2002 Education Technology Conference November 3-5 at the Boston Marriott Newton Hotel in Newton, Mass. Highlighted by pre-conference seminars, keynote speakers and breakout sessions, the conference provides a multitude of networking opportunities and interactive discussions to stimulate your thinking about technology on campus. Birds of a Feather discussion groups are also scheduled for attendees to share information and explore key areas of implementation on campus. For more details and to register, go to www.syllabus.com/fall2002.
Survey: Internet Trumps Library in Student Success
A survey by McGraw-Hill Ryerson found that Web technology is considered by
higher-ed faculty to be the most effective resource in encouraging student success,
outweighing traditional resources such as the library and tutoring. The survey,
which followed three years of data collection at U.S. and Canadian universities,
found that 83 percent of higher-ed faculty believe Web technology is a key contributor
to student success. The survey said that 62 percent of faculty now use Web content
for course preparation, 56 percent use the Internet to supplement textbooks
and 51 percent use the Web to ensure up-to-date course content. The use of the
Internet in course preparation jumped to first place in terms of importance,
with 91 percent of faculty ranking it extremely important. McGraw-Hill said
this reflects the increasing amount of current Web-based information available
and students' expectations about it being used in their courses.
To order copies of the survey, contact Marlene Luscombe, (905) 430-5130 or
[email protected].
States Tap Universities to Stimulate Network Demand
A survey by a utility think tank found states are using innovative ways to
stimulate demand for rural broadband services. The survey by the National Regulatory
Research Institute found that 14 states make state-owned networks available
to local governments, universities and schools. One state leases state networks
to private providers, while 11 states use anchor tenancy to leverage their demand
as a big customer in a group of small ones, to encourage providers to invest
in underserved areas. Demand aggregation, in which small communities pool demand,
is being used in seven states. In addition to demand-side programs, many states
use supply-side incentives: Seven states make grants available to service providers,
eight states have programs of grants or loans; four use tax incentives, and
seven offer discounts.
For more information, visit: www.nrri.ohio-state.edu
and select Complimentary Briefings.
Howard U. Launches High-Tech, Converged Media Lab
Howard University's Department of Journalism, together with the National Newspaper
Publishers Association, and Microsoft Corp., have launched a media lab that
will combine broadcast, print, advertising, and public relations studies under
one converged journalism curricula.
Microsoft provided software and $70,000
for hardware, technical assistance, and furniture to support the Converged Media
Lab. The multimedia facility contains broadcast monitors and 10 workstations
with computers, printers, scanners, and digital graphic-design equipment. "We
know that the convergence is occurring," said Dr. Jannette Dates, dean of Howard
University's School of Communications. "To help shape change, you need to embrace
it and try to understand and work with it."
Kurzweil Program to Integrate Classroom Readers
Reading-technology developer Kurzweil Educational Systems said it will offer
a program to train educators to integrate Kurzweil 3000—its comprehensive
reading, writing, and learning software for struggling students—into the
classroom and to adapt its use to students' learning styles and boost their
performance. The professional development program (PDP) is designed to assist
teachers who are struggling to learn and incorporate new technologies and incorporate
them into the classroom. The Kurzweil PDP involves four workshop modules to
accommodate teacher technology expertise and tight work schedules.
Firm Unveils Web-Storage Back-Up for Higher Ed
Data-storage system developer DataPeer Inc. last week launched VirtU, a system
offering higher-ed institutions mobile, Web-based, remote backup, storage, and
synchronization of data. The system will provide secure access to content, including
course materials, research documents, and images, so that space on individual
desktop hard drives and institution servers can remain available for other data
storage and processing purposes. The company said the system can transfer, store,
retrieve, and synchronize data between multiple devices, from desktops and laptops
to handhelds and PDAs regardless of location.
Awards, Deals, Contracts in Higher Education
Wireless—The University of Notre Dame picked a wireless access-point system
from American Access Technologies Inc. in designing its next-generation telecommunications
network. The company makes zone cabling units that mount in ceilings, raised
floors, and in custom furniture, routing traditional cabling, wireless, and
fiber optics to the office desktop. Notre Dame's Network Design Engineer Ric
Mauch said the solution helped the school solve the problems of "security and
aesthetics."
Video Distance Learning—Texas Tech University is using interactive video
conferencing technology to help manage its distance-learning program. The system,
Polycom Inc.'s ClassStation, integrates the software and hardware for enabling
classroom video communications in one package. With the system, the university's
Hill County Initiative is providing students who are not located near a Texas
Tech campus access to the school's faculty. The university also uses video extensively
in its College of Education, allowing students working on teaching credentials
to observe K-12 classroom behavior before they begin student teaching.
Teacher Training Systems—La Sierra University, in Westlake Village, Calif.,
is using teacher training and "credentials management" software from Novantus
Corp. to support the school's Career Ladder Teacher Training and APPLES (Advancement
of Para-Professionals through Leadership, Education and Support) programs. The
company's Online Registration and Administrative Processing System and Credential
Management System are solutions "capable of connecting different clients and
users in a highly scalable platform," according to John Thomas, Dean of the
La Sierra University School of Business.