Learning Environments news

Bringing composers into classrooms through Skype

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:03:58 +1000

Two Pennsylvania teaching colleagues with an interest in music and technology are bringing remote experts into classrooms at almost no cost, using free video conferencing technology.

Few lives left for Second Life

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:39:13 +1000

The companies that rushed to set up bases within the cult virtual world of Second Life appear to have wasted their time as many have shut down and others are "ghost towns", an Australian researcher has found.

Universities turn to web to recruit students

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:05:14 +1000

Looking to gain an edge in the college admissions game, a growing number of universities are using interactive online social media in their quest for top applicants.

Campuses use digital signage to deliver emergency information and more

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 11:16:54 +1000

Billboards are getting a makeover, and not just at the mall or the local bank: on university campuses from coast to coast, administrators are realizing that digital signage can enhance communication and maybe help save lives.

Facebook profile meets Catholic values (and the campaign)

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 11:16:09 +1000

U. of Dayton is considering disciplinary action against the son of a U.S. Senate candidate in Colorado whose Facebook profile was found to contain offensive material.

Faster wi-fi predicted for colleges

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 11:15:31 +1000

Higher education may be the number one customer for fast wi-fi networks in the coming decade, according to a new business analysis.

For leaders, colleges turn to business

Sun, 3 Aug 2008 11:14:34 +1000

More universities are hiring experienced corporate managers to cope with the schools' growing size, complexity, and funding difficulties.

Spatial change

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:51:31 +1000

To facilitate more interactive teaching, one college considers a different type of classroom. The barriers to building it are instructive of sometimes conflicting trends in college planning.

At libraries, taking the (really) long view

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:43:21 +1000

Storing digital data is becoming more essential to the work of librarians, who are trying to think in terms of the next 100 years - a virtual eternity in computer time.

Keeping clickers in the classroom

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:49:50 +1000

Last day of Blackboard conference features educational bells and whistles galore. As for those handheld input devices: They might be more than just hype.

Blackboard partners with Syracuse University to develop Sakai integration

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:49:07 +1000

Blackboard announced that it has partnered with Syracuse University to develop software that will allow institutions to connect their Blackboard learning environment with the open source Sakai course management system.

1 in 5 graduates regret degree course choice

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 16:58:16 +1000

More than 1 in 5 of today's university graduates regret their choice of degree course, according to the Guardian's Grad Facts 2008 survey.

New technology could help educators know when students are frustrated

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:21:49 +1000

Student comprehension is tough to judge for teachers at the helm of a packed classroom, so researchers at the University of Massachusetts are developing a program that can gauge whether students are bored, frustrated, or motivated during computer-based exercises.

Lyon College implements new laptop program

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:22:56 +1000

This Autumn, Lyon College will implement a 1:1 laptop program, joining the ranks of universities that offer laptops to all entering freshmen, as part of a larger initiative to improve the student learning experience.

Caught off guard - but why?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:21:02 +1000

Economic downturns are part of a painful and predictable reality for universities, but - perhaps purposely - few have long-term strategic plans to deal with budget cuts.

Universities face up to double threat

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:20:21 +1000

An ageing university workforce and fierce global competition for top academics pose some of the biggest threats to the prosperity of Australia's higher-education sector, according to a national discussion paper.

Podcasting in instruction: moving beyond the obvious

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:17:49 +1000

As experts consider how podcasting can be used in the context of student authorship and academic collaboration, this feature considers both the opportunities and the challenges in pushing forward the use of podcasting in instruction.

University of Melbourne gets $100 million supercomputer

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:45:58 +1000

A $100 million dollar supercomputer will be built at the University of Melbourne for biomedical research.

Blackboard accuses Desire2learn of contempt

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:05:16 +1000

Asserting the competitor made only "cosmetic" changes to learning software found to infringe on dozens of patents, company says the new version violates court order.

Short and sweet: technology shrinks the lecture

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:46:11 +1000

Professors venturing into online education are discovering that shorter lectures work better outside the lecture hall, and some professors are taking that lesson back and applying it to traditional classroom teaching.

Research methods 'beyond Google'

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:45:31 +1000

Modelled after program at Berkeley, Cornell U. initiative aims to improve students' research competencies by bringing together faculty members, librarians and technicians.

Students are watching their privacy on social networks

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:53:14 +1000

A new survey of more than 27,000 students nationwide indicates that most students are taking steps to limit access to their profiles on social networks.

Graduate education is linked to social prosperity

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 10:34:52 +1000

There is a strong link between US graduate education, the production of knowledge, and economic and social prosperity according to a new report by the Council on Graduate Schools' Advisory Committee on Graduate Education and the Public Good.

Universities tempt students with radical architecture

Fri, 30 May 2008 12:58:15 +1000

This feature, which includes a photo gallery, considers new buildings at British universities that serve a dual function: both to accommodate the varied needs of students and staff and to project the right image for the university

YouTube lawsuit tests copyright law

Fri, 30 May 2008 12:53:58 +1000

Educators are watching a $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit challenging YouTube's ability to keep copyrighted material off its popular video-sharing website, a lawsuit that could have important implications for the future of Web 2.0 applications.

Post-Microsoft, libraries mull digitisation

Fri, 30 May 2008 12:53:09 +1000

After software giant announces end to book-scanning program, partner institutions consider the landscape, now dominated by Google and nonprofit efforts.

Microsoft shuts down book-digitizing project

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:52:00 +1000

Microsoft has announced that it will shut down its Live Search Books and Live Search Academic programs, which have digitized 750,000 books and indexed 80 million journal articles.

Research funds for technophiles

Tue, 20 May 2008 12:51:03 +1000

Mark Bauerlein wonders if the new programs to study the impact of digital culture on students and learning are really open-minded.

Crossing the (digital) line

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:24:50 +1000

As technologies and generations change, academics must consider new ways of building bridges with their students.

BSU alumni tour the university's Second Life

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:24:16 +1000

Ball State University (Muncie, IN) is giving a day-long online tour of its virtual campus on Second Life, giving alumni a detailed look at old and newly constructed campus buildings.

Facebook, meet Blackboard

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:13:05 +1000

Blackboard has just released a Facebook application, hoping that importing their services into a Facebook interface will help them reach students who regularly spend more time social networking than studying.

Hewlett-Packard labs seeks help with research from academia

Fri, 9 May 2008 12:09:19 +1000

Hewlett-Packard has launched a new research program that invites colleges, universities, and research institutes to participate in joint research with HP Labs, the company's central research facility.

Facebook and State Governments set online safeguards

Fri, 9 May 2008 12:08:24 +1000

After signing agreements with Washington DC and 49 states, Facebook, the social networking website, has announced 40 new safeguards to protect students and other users from sexual predators and cyber bullies.

Using mobile phones in the classroom (constructively)

Wed, 7 May 2008 12:11:06 +1000

Amid concerns that mobile phones in class distract from the educational experience, this brief article offers a checklist of ways mobile phones can assist learning in the classroom, with links to the new technologies that make such assistance possible.

Blogs and wikis and 3D, oh my!

Mon, 5 May 2008 12:11:54 +1000

At Web 2.0 conference, participants delve into academic blogs (are they worthwhile or a waste of time?) and Second Life (is it worthwhile or a waste of bandwidth?).

Buying its way onto the program?

Fri, 2 May 2008 12:06:52 +1000

Turnitin.com wants to pay for instructors to apply to present at scholarly meetings -- and talk about how successful its services are.

Idaho State Uni simulates emergency response in Second Life

Thu, 1 May 2008 12:07:50 +1000

Due to cost savings and the ability to involve more responders, Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID) is using Second Life and similar platforms for emergency response simulations.

Firms to fund university places

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:06:11 +1000

Businesses are to contribute funds for 20,000 new university places in plans to promote stronger links between higher education and industry.

Faculty members fight high cost of textbook

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:03:47 +1000

Hundreds of faculty members have signed a statement of intent to use free, online, open-source textbooks whenever academically appropriate.

Winning hearts and minds in war on plagiarism

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 12:03:07 +1000

To many writing instructors, going nuclear (expulsion threats) or high tech (detection software) have failed to stop cheating. So they aim for small victories, through new approaches to teaching about academic integrity.

First university YouTube channel

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:13:04 +1000

The University of New South Wales in Sydney became the first Australian university to officially launch a channel on YouTube last week.

Chicago Uni law school blocks internet access in classrooms

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:10:46 +1000

The University of Chicago's law school has blocked internet access in classrooms - and many students are outraged.

Students prefer intensive courses

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:54:53 +1100

Study compares their views on the same courses, taught with regular semester schedule and longer sessions over shorter time period. Students prefer latter.

Cloudy Vista ahead?

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:14:09 +1100

Colleges across the country are slow to upgrade to new Windows operating system for a variety of reasons, including compatibility and value.

The professor as open book

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:34:03 +1100

While many professors have rushed to meet the age of social networking, there are some who think it is symptomatic of an unfortunate trend, that a professor’s job today is not just to impart knowledge, but to be an entertainer.

Student numbers set to fall

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:33:22 +1100

Numbers of UK undergraduates are expected to fall over the next decade, a study suggests.

For many college students, stress hurts motivation, attention

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:32:38 +1100

Most students in US colleges are just plain stressed out, from everyday worries about grades and relationships to darker thoughts of suicide, according to a poll of undergraduates from coast to coast.

Copy US system, says uni chief

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:43:57 +1100

A confidant of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has urged the Federal Government to emulate America's higher education system if it wants Australian universities to flourish.

Harsh realities about virtual ones

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:43:25 +1100

Colleges need to question their rush to the latest technological wonders and focus more on students.

Fun and learning - Walter Lewin's approach to teaching

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:02:16 +1000

This article interviews MIT professor Walter Lewin, whose unorthodox but successful instructional methods include swinging from a pendulum or facing down a wrecking ball in order to demonstrate the laws of physics to his class.

'Academic freedom in the wired world'

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 11:35:31 +1100

Author of new book discusses developments and strategies for an era when threats to professors' rights can come from any variety of sources.

Apples for all

Wed, 5 Mar 2008 10:28:27 +1100

As several universities start new MacBook or iPhone giveaways to students, educational and marketing strategies are both in play.

Lyon College program to give new students laptop computers

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 10:27:37 +1100

Lyon College of Batesville on Monday announced a new initiative called "The Lyon Experience" that will, among other things, provide all new students with a laptop computer.

Tomorrow's doctors: less empathetic tomorrow than today

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:51:14 +1100

New study finds that emotional empathy declines during the course of medical school.

Students slow to embrace text alerts

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:55:01 +1100

While hundreds of campuses have adopted text alerts, most students are not embracing the system.

Abandoning print, not peer review

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:02:22 +1100

Editor of journal with traditional publishing model joins forces with Indiana U. library to start free online alternative, replicating quality control and seeing surge in readers.

Abilene Christian Uni gives iPhones to incoming freshmen

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:01:19 +1100

Abilene Christian University announced yesterday that they would be issuing iPhones or iPod Touches to incoming freshman for use in their college courses and day to day lives.

Fulfilling the promise of open content

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:45:53 +1100

Higher education has progressed in making educational materials and, perhaps more stubbornly, cultural resistance -- must still be overcome.

Jury sides with Blackboard in patent case

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:25:45 +1100

Desire2Learn ordered to pay $3.1 million to learning software giant in infringement lawsuit that is hugely unpopular with college technology officials.

New tool for online collections

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:12:28 +1100

Open source software package allows libraries, museums and collectors to more easily archive, display and manage their online holdings.

U of Missouri expands laptop loan program

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 11:11:44 +1100

The University of Missouri is expanding its laptop checkout program, making more than 50 laptops available at 5 campus locations.

Keeping citations straight, and finding new ones

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:11:01 +1100

CiteULike, a social bookmarking tool, gains ground among scholars looking to share journal articles, trade citations and collaborate online.

U of Calgary gets $97.1 million for digital library, infrastructure

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:10:23 +1100

Alberta is investing $97.1 million to complete a digital library and upgrade buildings at the University of Calgary.

IBM and Mac on the same machine?

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:08:46 +1100

The possibility of running both Mac and PC software on a single Apple computer has inspired some IT managers to think about ways to save costs and avoid purchasing different types of computers for different software needs.

International call for open resources

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:09:41 +1100

Key educators and foundation officials issue manifesto calling for more course material to be free and easily available online.

Podcasting and education

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:23:07 +1100

Jeffrey Daniel Frey, web services manager for enterprise applications at Rice University, discusses some of the misconceptions about podcasting, as well as how he sees podcasting as a way to boost recruiting efforts in this interview.

Ultrafast data link thrills researchers

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:38:55 +1100

World-best collaborative research between Australian and United States universities has taken a giant leap forward with the successful launch today of a 1Gigabit per second data connection between the two countries.

Melbourne Uni hails move to US-style system

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:38:19 +1100

Melbourne University has hailed its radical move to a US-style tertiary institution as a success, as students rush to study its new generalist arts degree. (The Australian, 15 January 2008)

Is Blackboard on your Blackberry far behind?

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:37:16 +1100

Higher ed's largest maker of course management systems acquires NTI Group, one of the top mass messaging providers.

Blackboard to acquire text-messaging firm

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:36:30 +1100

Blackboard Inc. has agreed to buy text-messaging company NTI Group Inc. for $182 million.

Creating life-size molecules in Second Life

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 11:35:35 +1100

This feature is a conversation with Jean-Claude Bradley, Drexel University's e-learning coordinator about the use of Second Life in the classroom.

Professors help students virtually

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 11:34:35 +1100

A growing number of professors nationwide turning to internet technology to enhance course communication and connect with students. (USA Today, 8 January 2008)

Attacking the GMAT monopoly

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 11:33:32 +1100

The GMAT, which has been required for decades by MBA programs, is getting some competition at Stanford and MIT - raising questions about standardized testing and admissions.

Controversial reform in New Zealand

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 11:32:41 +1100

New Zealand's leading research university and academic trend-setter has said it will move this year to restrict admissions to its undergraduate programs.

Saving money (& going green) by going virtual

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 11:31:45 +1100

Colleges are starting to embrace "server virtualization," a strategy that runs multiple systems on a single physical machine, saving money and energy.

The pedagogy of place

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 11:30:35 +1100

Historians discuss ways to teach students - and themselves - more about the cities where they work and live.

Meditation room or mosque?

Thu, 3 Jan 2008 11:29:35 +1100

Minnesota community college attracts controversy for tailoring its meditation space to Muslim students' needs.

E-textbooks - for real this time?

Thu, 3 Jan 2008 11:28:48 +1100

For years, some have predicted a shift -- and then not seen it take place. But changes in technology, ventures by publishers and worries over textbook prices might make this the time.

U of Wisconsin eyes outsourcing student email system

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 11:26:35 +1100

The University of Wisconsin-Madison and a host of other colleges are considering saving money by switching student email service to free, professional services like Google, Microsoft, or Yahoo.

Upgrading to philosophy 2.0

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:25:29 +1100

Philosophers discuss how to adopt technologies that could improve individualized instruction and upend the way scholars publish their work.

How to cut Ph.D. time to degree

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:24:45 +1100

The key may be changing faculty behavior, not just grad student behavior. An unusual policy at Harvard yields dramatic success.

Meditative spaces

Mon, 3 Dec 2007 11:23:16 +1100

Colleges carve out sites for contemplation on their campuses.

Downloading cultures

Mon, 3 Dec 2007 11:22:19 +1100

While new media can foster participatory ethnography, enhance access, and provide rich source material, it also raises new problems.

When email is outsourced

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:50:54 +1100

As more colleges move to Google or Microsoft, institutions start to consider the educational implications of the shift.

Are museums academic units?

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:02:33 +1100

U. of Oregon faculty oppose the transfer of authority over art museum from the provost to the advancement office -- raising questions about a university museum's mission.

Learning 2.0

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:20:59 +1100

Authors of new book explain how "blended learning" can improve traditional education, when online interactions can be better than lectures and more.

Professors of the year

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:53:15 +1100

In podcast interviews, winners of annual national contest describe their pedagogical approaches.

Scholarship in the digital age

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:51:45 +1100

Author of new book explains her views on changes in research and dissemination in the Internet era.

Microsoft contracted to digitise Yale Library in 2008

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:50:03 +1100

Yale announced last week that it has joined forces with Microsoft to digitize thousands of books from the school's library system.

Reaching students with chronic illness

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:48:25 +1100

This feature explores how schools accommodate students with chronic illnesses or disabilities.

New study gives hovering college parents extra credit

Thu, 8 Nov 2007 13:57:38 +1100

Despite the negative reputation of "helicopter parents", moms and dads who hover over children in college and swoop into their academic affairs appear to be doing plenty of good.

A friendly reminder on peer-to-peer file sharing

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 13:51:24 +1100

The University of Michigan launched a service last week that automatically notifies students if they're uploading material to peer-to-peer networks.

A skeptic's take on academic blogs

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 11:02:46 +1100

Adam Kotsko has seen their benefits, but also how difficult they are to sustain in productive ways.

An enthusiast's take on academic blogs

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 11:01:18 +1100

Scott Eric Kaufman writes that blogging gives him two invaluable things: community and an audience.

Online education: tailoring, measuring and 'bridging'

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:24:16 +1100

An announcement from Blackboard, a collection of studies and new techniques all attempt to improve, and assess, what students are learning online.

College admissions websites found lacking

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:23:23 +1100

A new report from the National Research Center for College and University Admissions finds the vast majority of college admissions web sites are lacking key features needed to attract prospective students of the internet generation.

Carlyle & Apollo Group partner on $1 billion education joint venture

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:22:51 +1100

The Carlyle Group has formed a $1 billion joint venture with education company Apollo Group Inc. The venture, called Apollo Global Inc., intends to make investments in international education services.

Can classroom capture boost retention rates?

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:22:11 +1100

Results from an initial study by a professor at Coppin State University in Baltimore indicate that class capture technology that allows students to view lectures online after the fact can improve course retention rates and grades.

Change to student grading planned

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:21:28 +1100

Students will no longer be awarded traditional university degrees divided into first, second, and third-class honours under newly published plans. Instead, universities will issue graduates with a detailed transcript, breaking down marks for each unit and listing the wider skills that students have mastered.

R TXT MSGS THE BEST WAY 2 ALERT U?

Mon, 8 Oct 2007 17:20:40 +1100

Students aren't signing up for text systems -- quickly installed by many campuses after the Virginia Tech killings -- as widely as some expected.

U of California, Berkeley expands online content

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 17:19:56 +1100

UC Berkeley on Tuesday announced an agreement started in 2006 with YouTube's parent company Google Inc.

On YouTube, no enrollment caps

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 17:19:28 +1100

University of California at Berkeley expands the public reach of its courses in a new video portal with complete lectures, ready to be streamed.

Riverside expansion for Bodleian Library approved

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:09:53 +1100

Oxford University has been granted permission to build a £29 million extension to the world famous Bodleian Library on the banks of the Thames.

OpenCourseware goes statewide

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:09:29 +1100

Utah's state-funded "OpenCourseWare Alliance" features free, online course materials from seven colleges.

Legal downloads expanded for NJ College students

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:09:13 +1100

An agreement with an internet company making it possible for students to legally download recorded music without charge has been expanded to include nearly all colleges and universities across New Jersey.

UK and China sign e-learning deal

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:08:49 +1100

An online education initiative between the UK and China is being launched - with plans to provide e-learning for 20 million Chinese students.

To save money, U of Michigan cuts journals

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:08:25 +1100

The University of Michigan's libraries are canceling some of their journal subscriptions because of budget cuts and the increasing costs of the subscriptions.

Breathing life into the lecture theatre

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:08:03 +1100

Once, professors spent entire classes talking nearly nonstop while students furiously scribbled notes. Today, a growing number of professors are abandoning that tradition, saying there are better ways to keep students focused and learning.

Online 'soapie' game to help troubled youth

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:07:39 +1100

A youth welfare group has come up with a novel way to improve mental health in young people: an online video game.

Students' 'evolving' use of technology

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:07:19 +1100

"Digital natives"' technology habits have infiltrated the classroom. What does that mean for professors and their teaching methods?

California college offers class about YouTube

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:06:54 +1100

Pitzer College this Autumn began offering what may be the first course YouTube. About 35 students meet in a classroom but work mostly online, where they view YouTube content and post their comments.

Facelifts for the Facebook generation

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:06:32 +1100

Universities are starting to boost their online presence with Web 2.0 approaches, from blogs to more video - and soon, maybe even social networking.

New York Times enters distance learning market

Fri, 7 Sep 2007 10:05:57 +1100

The New York Times on Thursday announced new efforts to provide distance education, course content, and social networking. A number of colleges are already either committed to using the Times' technologies or are in negotiations to start.

Forget Friending - roommate me

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:27:26 +1100

For the first time, incoming students at San Francisco State University can select who they want to live with by searching online profiles.

Colleges outsource email to big players

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:32:44 +1100

Maintaining internal email systems has long been the bane of the university information-technology director. For many schools, the solution has been to outsource email hosting to companies like Microsoft or Google.

Blackboard, competitor reach agreement to end court fight

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:25:52 +1100

iParadigms LLC has agreed not to sue educational software company Blackboard Inc. to settle a lawsuit over new plagiarism detection software.

Facebook labelled a $5b waste of time

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:03:21 +1100

SurfControl, an internet filtering company, estimates the site may be costing Australian businesses $5 billion a year.

In Second Life, there's no fallout

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 10:01:25 +1100

Professors at the University of Denver score a federal grant to do nuclear experiments - in a virtual 3-D world on the Internet.

Business school applications rising

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:04:44 +1100

Applications for graduate business programs around the world are rising fast, with higher rates among women and minorities, a new survey shows.

Art holds key to stress relief

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:23:29 +1100

Taking a wander through a museum or art gallery not only expands cultural horizons - it could be beneficial to mental health.

Berkeley threatens students who download illegally

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:44:29 +1100

University of California, Berkeley students who download music illegally over campus computer networks will face the higher education version of a "time out" - a week or more with no in-room internet link.

Wikiversity gains momentum

Sat, 4 Aug 2007 11:54:57 +1100

The online collaboration that has made Wikipedia one of the most used sources of information on the internet is also being used to build a school and offer classes across the online world, and the project is taking off.

Case study: University of Delaware responds to classroom clickers

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:53:09 +1100

Last Fall, the University of Delaware introduced clickers, small wireless keypads that allow students to respond electronically to instructor questions at various points during class. The devices are being used heavily in introductory sciences and are starting to show up in social sciences classes such as political science.

Google makes two new services available to higher education community

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 11:52:21 +1100

As part of a new University Research Programs effort, Google Inc. announced it would make two new services available to the higher education research community - access to web search and machine translations.

Open library

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 11:53:53 +1100

Imagine if world's most complete card catalog were just a mouse-click away. Scott McLemee chats with a young programmer who is making it happen.

US universities expand overseas efforts to keep global edge

Sun, 5 Aug 2007 11:51:47 +1100

An increasing number of US universities has opened branch campuses overseas to tap new markets, enhance their reputations, and collaborate on research.

Small group learning for 14,000 undergrads

Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:51:10 +1100

Clemson program tries to involve students in the research process and link them with the same professor for several semesters.

Teachers, college students lead a Second Life

Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:50:39 +1100

More than 300 universities, including Harvard and Duke, use Second Life as an educational tool. Some educators conduct entire distance-learning courses there; others supplement classes.

India: government to digitise expensive higher education books

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:49:57 +1100

The India government is planning to make expensive textbooks available to students in a free digital format. The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has indicated that it is willing to share the cost with publishers of digitizing study material for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Uni of Illinois considers virtual campus

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:41:16 +1100

The University of Illinois will take up a budget for a new online university at its board meeting this week The virtual university is called Global Campus. If trustees approves its $6.5 million budget, the online school could be up and running in January.

Off the quad

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:41:58 +1100

Seeking more room for research and teaching, universities move some non-academic staff away from campus.

Ideas to shake up publishing

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:42:29 +1100

Unusual study leads to proposals for university presses to collaborate, to broaden definition of "academic publishing," and to build online capabilities.

Kansas Uni increases penalty for illegal downloading on campus

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:43:08 +1100

The University of Kansas is starting a zero-tolerance policy on illegal downloads of music or movies.

Is the iPhone too popular at Duke?

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:44:07 +1100

The wireless network at the North Carolina university may have problems handling Apple's latest.

More than coffee and wireless

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:40:26 +1100

College planners discuss ways to bring other academic offices into library buildings.

Worry over girls' dominance at university

Sat, 7 Jul 2007 11:45:40 +1100

The shortage of male undergraduates and the growing dominance of female students in British universities is one of the biggest problems facing higher education, according to a new survey of academics involved in recruitment.

Competing to catch plagiarisers

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:39:45 +1100

Blackboard incorporates a plagiarism detection service into its software, posing potential challenge to Turnitin.

Crumbling French universities look for help

Wed, 4 Jul 2007 11:46:55 +1100

In response to university overcrowding, lack of funding and facilities, and losing their best staff to the United States or elsewhere, French President Sarcozy wants to push through a reform this summer that will give universities greater independence to make them more competitive.

Warning over UK university status

Wed, 4 Jul 2007 11:48:07 +1100

The UK could lose its place at the top of world university rankings within 10 years, the vice-chancellor of Cambridge University has warned.

Government defends Bologna University initiative

Tue, 3 Jul 2007 11:49:07 +1100

The government has admitted that it must do more to address confusion about the Bologna university initiative and to allay fears that the process is intended to "harmonize" European education systems.

A provost and librarian walk into a meeting...

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:10:19 +1100

Panel of chief academic officers advises college library leaders how to present their case for funding and get what they want.

When 'digital natives' go to the library

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:09:23 +1100

Colleges urged to teach information literacy by embracing the learning styles of video games.

Life on the web invites a walk on the wild side

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 16:59:12 +1100

Growing options for expression in digital media have brought competing notions of identity.

An alternative to Google

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:58:20 +1100

Coalition involving Amazon.com seeks university libraries looking for a different way to digitise collections.

Amazon to digitise books in rare book project

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:56:59 +1100

Amazon.com's BookSurge subsidiary announced Thursday that it has partnered with a book digitisation company on a project to archive and distribute hard-to-find books. This new initiative involves collaboration with public and university libraries to provide their collections of "rare and inaccessible" books.

As Japan ages, universities struggle to fill classrooms

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:54:31 +1100

Japan has one of the oldest and most established systems of higher education in Asia, but today its universities are scrambling to find new ways to attract students.

Mass culture 2.0

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:39:35 +1100

A prominent librarian utters dire warnings about new media.
(Inside Higher Education, 20 June 2007)

Schools to install digital whiteboards

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:38:47 +1100

The State Government will install 200 high-tech digital whiteboards in NSW public schools over the next year.

Emerging technologies impact corporate training

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:37:06 +1100

As well as having a significant impact on the delivery of classroom education, e-learning technologies are changing the way corporate learning is delivered in the workplace.

The perpetuation of privilege

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:36:01 +1100

When enormously wealthy individuals give millions to enormously wealthy universities, it's time to stop calling it philanthropy

Google's email for universities

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:35:06 +1100

With its search engine already integrated into many internet browsers, Google is reaching out to integrate its services into university life. Entire campus email networks have switched over to using Google's email service.

Some shocking news about wireless electricity

Fri, 8 Jun 2007 10:34:12 +1100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers said they have developed a wireless energy transfer technology that could ensure wireless devices are always charged up and ready to go.

Two models for digitising collections

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 10:33:08 +1100

Google announces major expansion of its library project, bringing on 12 universities; Emory takes another approach.

Economics education 101

Fri, 1 Jun 2007 10:31:49 +1100

Robert Frank, a professor economics at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, discusses his esearch into a better way of introducing students to economics concepts like supply and demand and opportunity cost.

Broader vision for languages

Thu, 24 May 2007 16:32:44 +1100

Declaring the traditional model for undergraduate foreign language instruction to be "rigid and hierarchical," not to mention outdated and narrow, the Modern Language Association has issued a call for major reforms.

Can we live without digital technology?

Mon, 21 May 2007 16:30:49 +1100

Is it possible to exist without digital technology?

Africa's storied colleges, jammed and crumbling

Sat, 19 May 2007 16:29:50 +1100

Africa's best universities are collapsing. It is partly a self-inflicted crisis of mismanagement and neglect, but it is also a result of international development policies that for decades have favored basic education over higher learning.

U of Rochester library getting $5 million renovation

Sat, 19 May 2007 16:28:13 +1100

Work started earlier this month on $5 million in renovations that will extensively revamp 20,000 square feet of space in the Rush Rhees Library University of Rochester's River Campus.

Shaking up the market - competition for Blackboard?

Tue, 15 May 2007 11:31:56 +1100

Pearson plans to buy eCollege, possibly upping competition for Blackboard and shifting direction of course management industry.

It's web take 2.0

Tue, 15 May 2007 11:30:17 +1100

Australian companies are starting to twig that Web 2.0 isn't just the latest trend for designing web pages - it can be a vital business tool.

Harvard approves biggest curriculum change in 30 years

Tue, 15 May 2007 11:24:41 +1100

Harvard University on Tuesday approved its biggest curriculum overhaul in three decades, putting new emphasis on sensitive religious and cultural issues, the sciences, and overcoming US "parochialism."

Colleges use blogs to recruit new generation

Mon, 14 May 2007 11:23:16 +1100

Colleges seeking a competitive edge are increasingly enlisting and sometimes paying student bloggers to chronicle their lives online.

Europe: point of no return to Bologna

Mon, 14 May 2007 11:21:49 +1100

With deadline approaching for unifying higher ed system, European universities are picking up the pace on aligning degrees.

Second life

Wed, 9 May 2007 15:12:08 +1100

Not content with inhabiting just one world, a group of Victoria University of Wellington architecture students and recent graduates are taking on the biggest-ever virtual land grab, using the Second Life platform

Online-only business foundation degree to launch at Essex Uni

Wed, 9 May 2007 17:08:44 +1100

The University of Essex and education and training provider Kaplan are going to launch an entirely online business studies foundation degree this Summer.

Australian unis win $5 billion in budget

Tue, 8 May 2007 17:10:25 +1100

A $5 billion fund to secure the financial future of the nation's universities, bait to lure young people into areas of skills shortage, and measures to improve literacy and numeracy in schools are among the most significant education measures in this year's budget.

Massachusetts Uni calls for $830 million in building projects

Tue, 8 May 2007 17:11:31 +1100

The University of Massachusetts Amherst needs to spend $830 million in addition to $790 million already set aside to renovate buildings, classrooms, and laboratories during the next five years, according to a report released Tuesday.

Europeans accuse British Members of Parliament of arrogance over higher education reform

Tue, 8 May 2007 17:07:00 +1100

The UK has been branded "insolent and arrogant" over its stance towards plans to make degrees more comparable across Europe.

Elephant not in the room

Tue, 1 May 2007 12:08:00 +1100

Be more interactive. Give pop quizzes. Make class mandatory. Don't bother. Professors respond to sluggish class attendance.

Uni of Wisconsin-Madison launches new high-speed research network

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 17:16:18 +1100

The University of Wisconsin has launched a new research network that has one million times the capacity of a typical home broadband connection. The network is the result of demands by federal granting agencies.

Cut costs of books at Harvard, Deans urge

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:50:00 +1100

Two top deans have asked Harvard University professors to reduce student expenditures on textbooks and other course material by putting those items online or by deciding earlier if they plan to use the same textbook in subsequent semesters.

40 years of changes in the student body

Mon, 9 Apr 2007 15:48:37 +1100

UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute has released a report analyzing results of 40 years of data gleaned from its Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshmen Survey. The report highlights some striking changes in the makeup of college freshman classes.

Research points the finger at PowerPoint

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 14:13:47 +1100

Australian researchers may have pronounced the death of the PowerPoint presentation.

Libraries at the cutting edge

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:48:47 +1100

Far from disappearing in the Age of Google, academic and research libraries remain an integral part of students college educations.

Park University to provide mobile phones to all students

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:47:20 +1100

Beginning this autumn, students at Park University (Parkville, MO) will receive mobile phones in an effort to improve on- and off-campus communication.

Emory Uni to unify email systems across schools

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:45:46 +1100

Emory is implementing a plan to reduce the university's number of employee email and calendaring systems with a migration to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

Transition and Orientation Programs online journals of the 2007 student experience

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:17:46 +1100

There is a new team of first year bloggers posting regular updates to tell the University community and prospective students about the day-to- day reality of life as a new university student.

Make new friends online, and you won't start college friendless

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 15:17:05 +1100

Social networks like Facebook have transformed the social lives of teenagers in many ways, and that includes how they make the transition from high school to college.

US study: Are today's college students too self-centred?

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:52:21 +1100

Today's college students are more narcissistic and self-centered than their predecessors, according to a comprehensive new study by five psychologists who worry that the trend could be harmful to personal relationships and American society.

Wilkes Uni drops PCs, goes all Mac

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:47:42 +1100

Wilkes University (Wilkes-Barre, PA) recently became one of the first college campuses in the country to institute a university-wide switch from Windows-based PCs to Apple's new Intel-based Macs.

Old boy networked

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 11:21:06 +1100

Alex Golub considers the transitions - some not so welcome - away from a graduate student identity, and holds on when he can.

The disappointment of portfolio-based teaching

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:08:47 +1100

Some ideas are better in theory than practice, writes Shari Wilson, who found the much-praised approach gave students needless fears and the wrong motivations.

Kansas Uni to spend $2.6 million to expand Wi-Fi access

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:37:55 +1100

Kansas University will spend $2.6 million in the next two years to expand the areas covered by wireless internet access from 20 percent of KU classrooms, labs, and other academic spaces to 100 percent by December
2008.

Harvard proposes curriculum overhaul

Thu, 8 Feb 2007 09:48:04 +1100

After years of internal debate over what courses should be required of all of its students, Harvard University on Wednesday proposed a curriculum overhaul to emphasize sciences, religious beliefs, and world cultures.

Moving out of classroom, more undergraduates turn to research

Mon, 5 Feb 2007 15:25:06 +1100

Traditionally, graduate students and faculty conduct research while undergraduates learn in the classroom. But colleges and universities are pushing hard to get many more undergraduates involved in research.

Blackboard makes patent pledge

Thu, 1 Feb 2007 15:16:43 +1100

Facing sharp criticism from academic computing experts, Blackboard Inc.announced Thursday what it calls a legally binding promise that it won't pursue patent lawsuits against users of open-source online classroom technology.

A stand against Wikipedia

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 15:15:22 +1100

Middlebury's history professors, as a department, tell students they can't cite the popular (and not always accurate) Web encyclopedia.

Acadia Uni students can use own laptops in 2008

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:14:00 +1100

In 2008, Acadia University (Wolfville, NS) will give students the opportunity to choose their own laptops rather than leasing them through the university. The changes are the result of a recent campus-wide consultation.

Why aren't e-textbooks selling?

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:11:31 +1100

A year after most US campus bookstores began offering downloadable versions of some textbooks, the cheaper e-books are not selling well. Industry insiders point to several reasons: lack of knowledge, poor marketing, and few choices.

Penn State Trustees approve Harrisburg campus master plan

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:34:42 +1100

A campus master plan for Penn State Harrisburg received approval from the University's Board of Trustees on Friday.

Harvard alters its approach to scientific study

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:33:01 +1100

The Harvard University corporation will devote $50 million to begin an ambitious effort to encourage interdisciplinary science research.

Toward integrative learning

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:31:43 +1100

The Association of American Colleges and Universities argues that students need exposure to multidisciplinary approaches to learning that promote "integrative" education.

Blackboard to offer assessment product line

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:30:13 +1100

Blackboard on Tuesday announced officially that it was offering products in a new line - assessment - from individual courses to entire institutions, citing interest in assessment as evidence of increased pressure on colleges to document learning.

Harvard unveils big campus expansion

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:21:59 +1100

Harvard University unveiled plans on Thursday for a multi billion-dollar campus expansion that aims to turn America's oldest university into one of the world's top hubs for stem-cell research and other life sciences.

How to go to MIT for free

Thu, 4 Jan 2007 10:23:53 +1100

By the end of this year, the contents of all 1,800 courses taught at the Massachusetts Insititute of Technology will be available online for free.

Facebook: a campus fad becomes a campus fact

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:02:26 +1100

Soon to enter its fourth year, Facebook has matured into a warehouse of school information, a big-time player in campus activism, and a mirror of university life - good and bad.

iPhone could be put on hold

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:50:45 +1100

A message for gadget fans expecting the launch of Apple's hybrid iPhone at January's MacWorld Expo : brace yourself for disappointment.