UW NEWS - March Issue Of TTT
LINES - Compiled From News Releases
ED - Colleges Are On An IT Spending Spree
BIZ/ED - Masie Research On Learning Portals
ISSUES - Web Offers Few Riches For The Poor, First 'Digital Divide' Bill Passes Senate
FUNDS - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Commits $350 Million
READS - Strategies For Effective Online Education
RESOURCES - Recipes4Success
NEW TECHS - Enabling Technologies, Video Editing For Everyone
FYI - News, Institutes, Conferences
ENDNOTE - A Quote For Our Times

NEXT DESIEN ISSUE - MARCH 31, 2000 FOCUS CHANGE: - "Intelligent Tutoring Systems" - Symposium Report

This will be followed by the previously announced article:
April 30 - "Interactive Distance Learning That Really Works - Karen Mantyla

The May article will be:
May 31 - "Learning Innovations: Designing For Online Learning" - Martha Mealy

 

UW NEWS
THE MARCH ISSUE OF TTT - Teaching with Technology Today (TTT) is now on the Web at: http://www.uwsa.edu/olit/ttt/. Articles in the issue include:

Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and the Traditional Classroom by April Reed, Ed.D. Drawn from her dissertation research, this piece offers practical suggestions for instructors looking to tailor the form of CMC they use to the kinds of learning and feedback they hope to elicit.

Collaborative Distance Learning for Oral Proficiency in Professional Contexts: French 524: Expression ecrite et orale en situations professionelles, by Jodi Samuels, Asst. Director, Professional French Master's Program at UW-Madison. The course makes use of WebCT, video conferencing, and special software called WinPitch LTL. WinPitch allows students to hear examples of proper speech patterns in French, record their own voices, see their voice patterns compared against those of a native speaker, send their recordings to instructors via e-mail and receive detailed critiques.

Web-Based Audio and Video, by Scott Bradley, Ph.D., Dept. of Communicative Disorders, UW-Whitewater. Scott Bradley, a previous contributor to TTT, comments on the merits of using Quicktime - rather than streaming technology - to deliver Web-based audio and video. Includes links to Professor Bradley's course materials in hearing science and audiology.

 

LINES
Compiled From News Releases

"eduCommerce" may be the next Internet marketing wave. It already exists in the form of: notHarvard.com, Learn2.com, Smart Planet and Hungry Minds. eduCommerce courses allow advertising on introductory pages, but not with the courses themselves. Although this method will most likely never solely take over online courses, it offers another alternative for colleges and universities who face real competition from the new eSchools. (New York Times, 16 Mar 00)

Several recent deals point to the viability of the eBook: Gemstar's acquiring e-book device manufacturers NuvoMedia and SoftBook Press, and the new alliance of book retailer Barnes & Noble with Microsoft. Although e-books will most likely never replace paper books in the near future, there does appear to be a market for digital texts. (Information Today, Mar 00)

While the private sector has been placing computers in schools and community centers, few programs have placed computers in the homes of the have-nots. The Clinton administration is planning to do just this with its new "ClickStart" initiative. ClickStart would use $50 million to help poor families purchase stripped-down computers and Internet access at low prices. (Washington Times, 14 Mar 00)

The Consortium for School Networking is trying to convince school personnel to adopt more accurate assessment methods to determine the value of technology undertakings that incorporate educational outcomes into the formula used to determine potential returns of IT investments. The consortium plans to address the bandwidth shortage problem that an increasing number of school networks are encountering. (Education Week, 1 Mar 00)

Cisco Systems plans to to offer optics-based technologies that will eliminate traffic congestion and facilitate the convergence of telecom and TV. Optics-based technologies will allow traffic to travel between various routes without the need for light to be converted into electricity. With this new technology, bottlenecks could be eliminated and costs reduced. (Red Herring, Feb 00)

 

ED
COLLEGES ARE ON AN IT SPENDING SPREE - U.S. colleges have budgeted $1.2 billion to upgrade academic hardware this year, a 28 percent increase over last year, says a report from Dun & Bradstreet. Public universities will spend more than twice as much on hardware as private institutions, primarily because of their large enrollments. Large institutions are expected to reduce software budgets by an average of 29 percent, the report says. Altogether this academic year, schools will spend $2.7 billion on computer and network hardware and software for academic and administrative support. The report also reveals a surprising increase in the number of schools that provide distance education. This year 72 percent of respondents say they are offering a distance-education program, up from 48 percent last year. In addition, 34 percent of colleges surveyed now provide an accredited distance-learning degree program, compared with 15 percent last year. Thirty-eight percent of schools now provide Internet connections in dormitories, up from 28 percent last year. (Chronicle of Higher Education Online, 17 March 2000 Ð Edupage 17 Mar 00)

 

BIZ ED
MASIE RESEARCH ON LEARNING PORTALS - The recent Learning Decisions Interactive Newsletter survey provides insight into the concept of learning portals. More than 1,900 learning professionals were surveyed on their plans to implement a learning portal. (Portals are public or internal sites that serve as single points of access for learning.) The data indicates that 22% of organizations are in the process of building a learning portal and 32% are investigating the concept. One part of the study asked people to indicate the importance of eight learning portal capabilities, the following ranked Top 3:

#1 Pointing workers to a single site for all learning and training resources.
#2 Creating an on-line community with access to subject matter experts and peers to assist in the learning process.
#3 Increasing the quantity and range of learning offerings by consolidating offers from a wide range of vendors.

The complete results and analysis of the data, is being distributed to all Learning Decisions Interactive Newsletter subscribers. If you would like to subscribe, just go to http://www.learningdecisions.com. (TechLearn Trends 3 Mar 00)

 

ISSUES
WEB OFFERS FEW RICHES FOR POOR - Although low-income and immigrant groups in America are increasingly gaining access to the Internet, little online content is geared to their needs, according to a report released yesterday by the nonprofit Children's Partnership. At least 50 million Americans are underserved by the Internet because it lacks information about jobs, housing, and education for these groups. Out of 1,000 Web sites, the study found only 6 percent containing information that people living at or below the poverty line said would interest them. Low-income Americans expressed an interest in local information about jobs and housing as well as multilingual content. Although 32 million Americans speak primarily a language other than English, about 87 percent of Web pages are in English. In addition, most online content is in text and graphics rather than sound and video, which are easier to understand although they require more bandwidth. The sites that provide accessible and practical information for low-income and non-English-speaking users belong mostly to community organizations, schools, and businesses rather than to the government, the study shows. (Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar 00 Ð Edupage 17 Mar 00)

FIRST 'DIGITAL DIVIDE' BILL PASSES SENATE - The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill that would award tax credits to companies that donate their used computers to schools. The New Millennium Classrooms Act, passed with a 96-2 vote, is seen as a way to help bridge the digital divide in computer usage among Americans. The lead sponsor of the legislation, Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.), says companies have been telling Congress that tax incentives would allow them to provide schools with more computers. The bill will give companies a 50 percent "fair-market value" tax credit for computers donated to schools located in "empowerment zones," poorer areas in need of assistance. The bill will give a 30 percent tax credit for computers donated outside of empowerment zones. A report released last summer by the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration found that the disparity in computer ownership between blacks and whites has increased by 6 percent since 1997. (Newsbytes, 2 Mar 00)

 

FUNDS
BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION COMMITS $350 MILLION - Students across the nation, starting with Washington state, will be the beneficiaries of a new series of education grants beginning March 1, 2000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation is making the three-year, $350 million commitment based on the belief that every child deserves a quality education and the opportunities it provides. The grants aim to help all students achieve at high levels by improving teaching and learning and enhancing access to technology. Four programs have been established for funding:

1. State Challenge Grant for Leadership Development - across the nation
   
2. Teacher Leadership Grants - Washington state
   
3. School Grants - Washington state
   
4. Districts Grants - Washington state and another 20 districts nationally

Complete eligibility requirements and applications are available at the Foundation's web site: http://www.gatesfoundaton.org/learning/education. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of experts consisting of administrators and classroom teachers, as well as Foundation staff.

The Foundation also provides scholarships to academically talented minority students with severe financial need through the Gates Millennium Scholars Program. See: http://www.gmsp.org. For complete information and grant guidelines visit: http://www.gatesfoundation.org.

 

READS
STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE ONLINE EDUCATION, by Gerald Baumgardner, $32.00, Forbes Custom Publishing, 800-242-8786, E-Mail: FCPINFO@FORBES.COM; ISBN 0-8281-1457-9.

A majority of U.S. Colleges support some form of distance learning. Yet many struggle with how, why, and when to expand into the online learning market. Gerald Baumgardner has created an intelligent primer that will go a long way toward helping university administrators and directors understand WHY they might develop Internet learning programs and HOW they can manage and market them once they have been launched. Chapter 1 clearly addresses WHY a university might move into the online learning market. Chapter 2 addresses how university officials can undertake a needs assessment to determine if they SHOULD enter the market. Practical guidelines are given on how to carry out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis in planning for the long-term appropriateness of launching an Internet education project. Subsequent chapters provide concise, intelligent summaries of how to manage online learning programs, develop and execute program and faculty evaluations, and address real and imagined concerns about quality and credibility in online learning. This slim book is essential reading for any university official who wants to learn how they can use online methods to build and maintain a competitive advantage in a new global e-education environment. Required reading as a part of any university's long-term planning process. (Virtual University Gazette, Mar 00)

 

RESOURCES
RECIPES4SUCCESS - If you're interested in gathering information for multimedia projects, here is a "free" resource. It teaches the basics of setting up folders for a multimedia project, copying images off of the Internet (from the copyright-friendly Pics4Learning, of course), how to begin writing a bibliography for information researched on the Internet, and how to print and save files. This Recipe is designed to familiarize you with the format and content of a Recipe as well as provide some basic operating system training and strategies for setting up a multimedia project. You can download this "free" Recipe at: http://www.tech4learnng.com/recipes/index.html.

 

NEW TECH
ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES - Despite strong anti-discrimination laws and a good job market, only a quarter of 54 million disabled adults in the United States have jobs. Many companies, foreseeing an exploding market for the disabled in conjunction with aging baby boomers, one-third of whom will have a disability at some point in their lives, are developing new assistive technology. Such technology enables the disabled to better see computer screens, hear telephone calls, talk when lacking speech, or use a word processor without typing. These technologies are not simply a boon to the developers and the users, but to employers as well, as they find fresh talent among a group of people who would otherwise not be working or by allowing valuable senior employees to remain vital members of the workforce. (Business Week, 20 Mar 00 Ð Edupage 20 Mar 00)

VIDEO EDITING FOR EVERYONE - A new complete video editing package that is easy to install and comes with understandable editing software is available for $269 from Pinnacle Systems. It's called Studio MP10. It attaches to your parallel port - there's a "passthrough" so you can still connect your printer. To capture video, you attach the video-out port of your VCR or camcorder to the video-in port (composite or S-Video) of the MP10. You then click the "capture" button n the MP10 software at the same time you press the "play" button on your camcorder. The software automatically breaks the video into scenes that you can select, trim, delete or move. MP10 also enables you to make transitions between scenes. You then press the "make movie" button to create a new video file based on your edits and then transfer the edited video to a blank VHS tape, connecting the video-in port of your camcorder with the video-out port of the MP10 and pressing "record" at the same time you press "play" in Studio MP10. For a product that handles digital video signals, try Pinnacle's $149 Studio DV. (BOB RYAN - bryan@accessmagazine.com - Access 19 Mar 00)

 

FYI
News, Institutes, Conferences

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is sponsoring a Business Briefing on Malaysian Vocational Education projects. To learn more and to register, see: http://www.infrastructure-trade.com.

This briefing is your opportunity to learn about the development of new technical and vocational training institutions in Malaysia. The Government of Malaysia estimates the procurement value associated with these projects to be $510.9 million. You will have the opportunity to schedule one-on-one meetings with project sponsors in order to discuss their needs and your company's capabilities. The business briefing will be held at Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology on Wednesday, April 12 from 8:15 a.m. Ð 5:00 p.m. The cost is $30 per person.

Designing Classrooms for Technology Integration and Accessibility, a live videoconference is scheduled for Thursday, April 13, 2000, 11:00 am-1:00 pm (CST). In this program, experts will discuss the the basics of classroom design for the new millennium and will visit a number of classrooms to show design solutions. Participants will also learn how to address issues such as technology integration and accessibility and will have opportunities to call in questions and hear responses live and on air. To license a site go to: http://www.pbs.org/als/order. In the Madison area, go to The Pyle Center, Room 235, 702 Langdon St., Madison, WI.

Only six weeks to register for UCEA's 85th Annual Conference, "Strategies for the New Futures of Higher Education: Riding the Waves," April 16-19, 2000 in San Diego. Join UCEA and gain practical ideas to enhance your CE operation, new understandings of the global tends driving lifelong and workforce learning and proven strategies for catching the crest of the waves. Register now by downloading the registration form from UCEA's website: http://www.nucea.edu/Ucep23-2.pdf and faxing it back today. (Requires Adobe Reader)

Download Adobe Reader

Norm Coombs is announcing an important new Web Design Contest to recognize the accomplishments of colleges, universities and academic departments in developing Web sites that are fully accessible to those with disabilities. The application deadline is May 15, 2000. Award presentations will be made at the TLT Group's Annual Summer Institute in July, 2000 in Phoenix. For more information, see http://www.rit.edu/~easi/contest.htm or contact Coombs directly at: nrcgsh@rit.edu.

A Digital Collaboration Conference has been announced for May 22 to 24, 2000, Dallas, Texas. It will be held in Conjunction with ASTD International Conference. The conference will address: 1) Who will "own" the digital meeting capabilities in organizations and how will we create the new customs of meeting electronically? 2) How can organizations guide the use of e-mail to be a tool for productivity and communication rather than a burden to workers? 3) What are the best ways to link far flung offices to share culture and work jointly? Complete details and registration information are located at: http://www.masie.com/digcollab. The size of the group will be limited to 350 attendees and includes attendance at the full ASTD Conference as well.

The TLT Group would like to announce its new "Webcast" series on "Connected Education." It will include 12 Webcast events, each of which includes some prerecorded material and some live presentation accessible via the Web. For more information, or to register contact Amanda Antico at antico@tltgroup.org or see: http://www.tltgroup.org/online/CE.htm.

ED-MEDIA 2000, June 26-July 1 is an international conference sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). This annual conference serves as a multi-disciplinary forum for the discussion and exchange of information on the research, development and applications of all topics related to multimedia/hypermedia and distance education. This conference, which will be held in Montreal, Canada attracts more than 1,000 attendees from over 50 countries. To register go to: http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/submit. All authors MUST complete the Web form.

Online Educa in Berlin 2000 is scheduled for November 29- December 1. Last year the conference attracted close to 1000 people from 47 countries. The first call for proposals has just been announced. The deadline for proposals for workshops, presentations and panel discussion topics is the 15th April. Check the Conference web site for more information: http://www.online-educa.com.

 

ENDNOTE

"We are our own power station...sitting still, we radiate approximately 60 watts from our torsos and heads. When we're animated, this can exceed 100 watts. Think of this as a potential source of power to drive technological gear that is increasingly miniaturized and integrated."
- Peter Cochrane, Tips for Time Travelers: Visionary Insights into New Technology, Life and the Future on the Edge of Technology