PARTNERSHIPS FOR THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT - Course Management
System provider Blackboard Inc., has teamed with two international education services
companies to help the development of teachers in rural schools throughout Africa, Asia,
Latin America, and the Middle East. Under the partnership, training firm World Links
Inc. will offer teacher training in the use of technology and the Internet to improve
teaching and learning via the Blackboard Learning System ML, the multi-language
edition of the company's market-leading course management system. In addition,
LearningMate, Inc. a Mumbai, India-based eLearning company, will use
Blackboard's Building Blocks technology to develop a tool that provides offline
access to Blackboard course content. (Syllabus News, Resources, Trends, 17
Dec 02)

WI-FI AS URBAN RENEWAL - Some US cities are setting up Wi-Fi networks as
part of urban renewal programs designed to attract businesses and visitors. Long Beach,
California, has announced that it plans to deploy a wireless network in its downtown area.
The network will eventually include the city's airport and marina. The city will pay the
$2,500 annual cost for the Internet connection, and the network is funded in part by
equipment donations from several local companies. Similar networks are being
considered by cities including San Francisco, Seattle, and Jacksonville, Florida.
Proponents of such wireless networks argue that Wi-Fi availability in a business district
sends a clear and attractive message to potential businesses. C. Brian Grimm of the
Wi-Fi Alliance said, "It's high visibility and high value, and it permits a municipality to
easily serve its residents." (New York Times, 5 Jan 03)
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/06/technology/06WIFI.hml

FIRST VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT FOR NAVY - the first Navy nuclear
officer graduates of Old Dominion University's unique Master's of Engineering
Management (MEM) degree program graduated virtually on Dec. 15, 2002.
Connecting the university's "TELETECHNET" and the Navy's "USN-USMC VTT"
distance learning networks with two-way audio and video broadcast via satellite,
Old Dominion conferred degrees upon 10 Navy officers present in the university's
television studio and 14 other officers located from San Diego CA and Kings Bay,
GA; to Bangor, WA; Newport, RI; and points in between. The virtual graduation
was the first of its kind within Navy education. (MEM Virtual Commencement Press
Release, Jan 03)