EDUCAUSE | higher education

In a wired world, the physical campus persists

catherine — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:55:10 -0500

Educause's Matt Pasiewicz has created a great visualisation of text from university home pages, using the popular webapp Wordle. What can we learn from it about the nature of the modern university? For me, one thing stands out: the single word 'Campus'. It's huge! (In descending size, the most visually prominent words in the visualisation appear to be: Students, University, College, Campus). At a time when virtual worlds are widely promoted and discussed within the educational technology community and more widely, I think the persistence of the physical and tangible within social experience is worth acknowledging. Even if we interpret university websites as propagating a particular type of 'marketing-speak' -- as telling a particular (and partial) story about the nature of the university experience, aimed at potential educational 'consumers' -- is it worth asking, what do we understand by the term 'campus', whether physical or virtual, and how does that understanding sit in relation to our concepts of 'community' and 'culture'? How are these concepts incorporated into our institutional mission and sense of identity, how are they debated and transmitted in relation to our teaching and learning?

Some may object that Wordle was not designed to enable data analysis, and therefore, that we should not infer anything significant from the pretty textual 'pictures' it creates. There's some justice in this view. Certainly, in their blog post announcing Wordle's addition to the ManyEyes visualisation toolkit, the team behind ManyEyes acknowledged that some will view Wordle as "a toy", not a serious tool for information visualisation or content analysis. Nevertheless, they maintained that many people "have reported finding value beyond entertainment in creating these word clouds": as "conversation catalysts", expressions of identity, and for scholarly textual exploration. I agree particularly that Wordle has potential to stimulate great discussions, and will be using it for these purposes this fall, in ICT masterclasses with graduate students.

NB: ManyEyes is a community site for information visualisation, developed at IBM's Watson Research Center's Visual Communication Lab). Well worth visiting.

High-Tech Teaching Center Authorized by HEA Not a Done Deal

agould — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:19:10 -0500

President Bush signed the Higher Education Act (HEA) Reauthorization into law on August 14. The legislation authorizes the creation of a National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies. The center would distribute grants to corporations, universities, and other groups that are developing technology solutions for classroom learning. However, though the Center was approved in an authorization bill, this does not mean it has received appropriations or funding.

A little background on the congressional process: Authorization bills are designed to set funding levels for particular programs or projects. Oftentimes, those funding levels are not met when appropriators in Congress come together and carefully distribute appropriations. So, even though an authorization bill might give a favorable $50 million to a program, the appropriations committee and later the full Congress may decide that number is not practical or feasible with the money they have to spend (or conversely, they may allocate even more funding). The mistaken notion that authorization equals appropriations has led many to say certain programs are "underfunded," when in fact the authorization level should never be viewed as a promise or a done deal.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education today, the Center was originally slated to receive $20 billion. The final HEA bill, though, had it marked down to $50 million. Because the appropriations bills will most likely not be taken up until after the presidential election, it could be months before a final funding figure is determined.

Not everyone is convinced the Center's vision for transforming education through technology is practical. Susan B. Millar, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, conducted research on this subject, reporting that "university scholars have already developed a wealth of better teaching methods, including ones using technology solutions, but academic institutions ... have failed to adopt many of them because of institutional and cultural roadblocks." (Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/20/2008).

August 22--Free Web Seminar on Ithaka's Research Program: How New Technologies Affect Higher Ed

pkurkowski — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:08:16 -0500

Ithaka's research group studies how new technologies are affecting higher education and how colleges and universities can best manage these changes in four discrete program areas: providing academia with the policy basis needed to transition effectively and responsibly away from print collections and toward increasingly electronic-only collections; helping information-services organizations meet the needs of scholars by understanding their changing attitudes and practices; improving the community's understanding of how new information resources drive teaching and learning practices; and analyzing strategies for the most effective possible dissemination of knowledge from colleges and universities to researchers, students, and other learners.

In this free August 22 EDUCAUSE Live! web seminar, The Strategic Impacts of New Technologies on Higher Education: Ithaka's Research Program, presenter Roger Schonfeld, manager of research, Ithaka, will review these areas of work and highlight some key findings, encouraging discussion about these and other key strategic issues facing higher education.

Those unable to attend may wish to visit the archives after the event or browse related EDUCAUSE resources on Digital Collections, Electronic Content Delivery, Electronic Resources, Library Planning, and Scholarly Communication.

Higher Education Act Reauthorization Steps Closer to Floor Consideration

agould — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:49:21 -0500

EDUCAUSE is closely following developments in Congress as it continues its work on the Higher Education Act (HEA). Yesterday, a Conference Committee composed of House and Senate Members passed the latest overhaul in higher education law by a vote of 40-4. It is expected that the HEA, which will govern education policy for at least five years, will pass the full Congress on Thursday.

If the House and Senate pass the legislation this week, the Department of Education will then hold regional meetings, asking the public for feedback on how the new regulations should be implemented. EDUCAUSE will track this process and call on interested member institutions to provide feedback and play a role in this important matter.

HEA and Peer-to-Peer File Sharing (P2P).

Based on current report language, some in the higher education community are saying language concerning P2P is a 'mixed bag.' The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that conferees kept a controversial requirement that says universities must provide music and videos through subscription services "to the extent practicable." It would also require institutions to examine technology solutions for limiting copyright infringement. More on P2P in the HEA tomorrow! Stay tuned.

New Research Study--Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship

cluckett — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:24:54 -0500

EDUCAUSE announces a new ECAR research study analyzing a timely and complex IT issue facing higher education today. Because of the critical importance of this topic, the study report is available without charge.

This study, Higher Education IT and Cyberinfrastructure: Integrating Technologies for Scholarship, written by Mark C. Sheehan, explores higher education's involvement in five areas of research-related information technologies: high-performance computing resources, cyberinfrastructure applications and tools, data storage and management resources, advanced network infrastructure resources, and resources for collaboration within virtual communities. The study survey, developed in conjunction with Net@EDU, was completed by 369 North American colleges and universities and is supplemented by a dozen interviews with IT leaders.

ECAR roadmaps synthesize important information technology issues and provide recommendations for action in higher education. Download the roadmap for this study.Visit ECAR on the web.

Tune In June 11: Free Web Seminar on How Today's Registrar Demands More from IdM Policy and Infrastructure

pkurkowski — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:42:38 -0500

The EDUCAUSE Live! Spotlight on Identity Management series is a six-month series that feature one or two speakers from a campus that have analyzed or solved a problem in a way that many people will find instructive.

Stanford University's registrar and IT strategist discuss their vision of the future of identity management in higher education. In this free seminar on June 11, How Today's Registrar Demands More from Identity Management Policy and Infrastructure, Thomas Black and Bruce Vincent will give some progressive perspectives on how their roles complement each other in supporting not only admissions processes but a life-long relationship between students and universities.

The event is free, but registration is required and virtual seating is limited. Register now.

June 5: Free Web Seminar on the 2008 Horizon Report's Emerging Technologies

pkurkowski — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:25:48 -0500

Planning for emerging technologies is an important part of much of the work people do supporting IT in higher education. The Horizon Report can assist with this effort, as it identifies "emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative expression within learning-focused institutions."

In this free June 5 EDUCAUSE Live! web seminar, The Horizon Report, Inside and Out, presenters Malcolm Brown, director of academic computing, Dartmouth College, and Julie Little, interim director, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, will explore how this annual publication, a joint undertaking of the New Media Consortium and ELI, is produced and structured. They will also examine the community resources available through the Horizon Project and share ways in which people can put the report to work at their institutions.

Access the 2008 Horizon Report.

Those unable to attend may wish to visit the archives after the event.

Tune In May 29 for a Free Web Seminar on Patents in Higher Education and Issues Arising from the Blackboard Case

pkurkowski — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:56:57 -0500

The dispute between Blackboard and Desire2Learn over patenting course management software has highlighted a variety of questions about patents and patent enforcement in higher education. What role should patents play in academia's highly collaborative, not-for-profit, revenue-strapped environment? As both producers and consumers of patented inventions, higher education has interests both diverse and deep.

In this free May 29 EDUCAUSE Live! web seminar, Patents in Higher Education: Issues Arising from the Blackboard Case, presenters James Hilton, Vice President and CIO, University of Virginia, and Bruce Wieder, Partner, Dow Lohnes PLLC, will explore key areas of patent law and discuss higher education's options and opportunities.

Those unable to attend may wish to visit the archives after the event or browse related EDUCAUSE resources on Patents and CMS.

Tune In May 12 for a Free Web Seminar on IT and Enterprise Architecture

pkurkowski — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:20:28 -0500

In a recent survey, one-third of CIOs polled had a high-level architecture group. Of the remaining CIOs, one-third were planning to establish an architecture group in the next year or two. What role does architecture play in projects and strategic planning? Hear the perspective of an IT/enterprise architect as he talks about the practice and value of architecture. Learn about ITANA, a peer group where you can engage and learn more about architect as practiced in higher education.

In this free May 12 EDUCAUSE Live! web seminar, IT/Enterprise Architecture: What Is It, and What Value Does Leadership Find in Having an Architect at Hand?, presenter Jim Phelps, Senior IT Architect, University of Wisconsin–Madison, will share his thoughts about the practice and value of architecture.

Those unable to attend may wish to visit the archives after the event or browse related EDUCAUSE resources on Enterprise Architecture, Security Architecture, Service-Oriented Architecture, and Strategic Planning.

EDUCAUSE Now Premier Episode Launched

cluckett — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:42:13 -0500

EDUCAUSE Now is a new monthly audio podcast that covers news, resources, people, and events related to IT in higher education. The premier episode, launched last week, focuses on topics such as future learning, peer-to-peer file sharing and big broad band, the help desk in higher education IT, and more. Listen now or subscribe to the EDUCAUSE Now RSS feed.