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Local and online events of particular interest to FCN members (see
also upcoming conferences
below):![[new!]](newyahoo1.gif){kind=small}
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The fall IT Curriculum is now available on line. <http://libweb.uoregon.edu/it/>. Encourage your students to attend the introductory classes in computer software, information access, and web publishing. Among the workshops in the next month of particular interest to FCN faculty are:
Beyond Just Surfing
Mon Oct 5 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM EC Stirling
Introduction to Web Publishing
Mon Oct 12 3:00 PM - 4:50 PM EC Bell
Intermediate Windows 95
Wed Oct 14 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM EC Albrich, Allen
Managing a Majordomo List
Wed Oct 14 3:00 PM - 3:50 PM EC Lynch
High speed modem access to UO: Microcomputer Services recommends that anyone using a pre-standard 56K modem (X2 or K56flex) upgrade to V.90 to guarrantee that they can connnect at full speed to all our modem pools in the future. They report that 346-6520 currently supports V.90 and X2 modems (56K b/s). If you have a 56Kflex modem (the other "standard" for high speed modems), you can't currently get a high speed connection at UO. However, 346-3565 (which supports 33.6K b/s currently) is expected to be upgraded to support V.90/K56flex modems in the near future.
PC Software. In addition to producing the 1998 DuckWare CD-ROM, Microcomputer Services has made very extensive updates to its online PC software archive, the "Public" fileserver. To connect to Public from Windows 95/98/NT go to your Network Neighborhood, double click on Entire Network and under Netware servers double click on the icon named Public. If asked for a username and password choose "Guest" (no password). Of particular interestare the latest versions of the Network Application Installer and the Norton AntiVirus software, now at version 5.
DISTANCE ED AT OSU. Earlier this month, OSU offered its annual course for distance ed instructors. Several faculty from UO attended. If you're interested in tracking what our Covallis cousins are doing in distance ed, take a look at <http://iq.orst.edu/courses.html>, which contains a selected list of distance courses (web-based, chosen as examples of how the web can be most effective as aneducation medium ) at OSU.
COPYRIGHT AND SCHOLARSHIP. The provost of the California Institute of Technology has proposed a simple plan to give universities and their members more control over scholarship produced on their campuses -- routinely retain copyright in scholarly articles rather than giving it away by assigning it to the journal. <http://www.chronicle.com/free/v45/i04/04a02901.htm>. A similar proposal appears in the Sept 4 issue of Science Magazine <http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/281/5382/1459>. Perhaps not surprisingly, academic publishers such as the editors of Science are already editorializing fiercely against such plans. For comparison, see <http://www.amsci.org/amsci/articles/98articles/walker.html>, an article in American Scientist describing a successful model for free Internet access to traditional journals.
TEXTBOOK COMPARISONS ONLINE. What's the best selling textbook in your field? A new site, M.I.R. Faculty Online, tries to serve professors -- and make some money from publishers -- by offering faculty members free information about textbook sales. <http://www.facultyonline.com/>
THE INTELLIGENT ESSAY ASSESSOR A psychology professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder is spearheading the creation of an Intelligent Essay Assessor, a computerized tool to assist professors in grading students' written essays. (Edupage, 6 Sept 1998). <http://lsa.colorado.edu>
CHANGING ROLES OF TEACHERS AND LEARNERS. Zane Berge published a very thoughtful article on the evolution of distance education in the 30 Aug issue of ONLINE ED. Read it on the web: <http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/online-ed/mailouts/1998/aug30.html>
PC PRICES PLUMMET. The price for a home PC, which broke the $1,000 mark just 18 months ago, is now tumbling below $400 -- well within the reach of the average U.S. family. Micro Center, an Ohio-based chain of 13 stores, began selling a $399 PC under the Power Spec label earlier this month, and PrecisionTec LLC, a PC maker based in California, has introduced its Gazelle machine for the same price. The low prices don't include computer monitors, which usually start at about $150. Analysts at ZD Market Intelligence are saying the low prices will spark a surge of PC-buying among households with incomes of less than $30,000 -- a segment that so far has been difficult to reach -- and that PC penetration should reach close to 50% of U.S. households by the end of the year. (Edupage, 23 Aug 1998, from AP 21 Aug 98).
IOWA ONLINE. Comparable to the UO's own "Get Ready!" project with elements of the campus tour added, the University of Iowa's "Online at Iowa" introduces entering students to the World Wide Web and other communications technology in a multimedia orientation course. It's part of an effort by the university to help students get acquainted with campus while beefing up their computer skills. <http://www.uiowa.edu/~online>
ALCOHOL EDUCATION CD-ROM. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has introduced Alcohol 101, a new CD-ROM that is designed to combat campus alcohol abuse. The program uses interactive, user-friendly technology, high-end graphics, music, and virtual scenarios to help students make sensible decisions about drinking or not drinking. It will be distributed free to colleges and universities nationwide. <http://www.centurycouncil.org>.
ED TECH CERTIFICATE. Penn State University is offering an Educational Technology Certificate program designed to provide teachers nationwide with technology skills that can be applied directly to the classroom. The post baccalaureate credit certificate consists of six 3-credit courses taught using CD-ROM, Web-based technologies, and other media. psuwd@psu.edu.
WESTERN GOVERNOR'S UNIVERSITY OPEN FOR BUSINESS. The WGU is now officially open for full fall enrollment. Students can begin signing up for classes immediately through the WGU web site. WGU is offering more than 180 college-level distance learning courses, along with 140 individual classes. <http://www.wgu.edu>.
ASSESSMENT. Two political scientists are calling on their colleagues to join them in a nationwide survey to assess the value of using technology in the classroom. <http://www.chronicle.com/daily/98/09/98090802t.htm>
INTERNET OUTRANKS BEER-DRINKING IN WHAT'S COOL ON CAMPUS. A survey of 1,200 students at 100 colleges and universities nationwide, conducted by research firm Student Monitor LLC, shows that when asked what was "in" on campus, 72.5% of the respondents answered "the Internet," whereas only 70.8% named "drinking beer." Up until now, beer-drinking has held the top spot since the biannual surveys began in 1988. (Information Week 31 Aug 98; from Edupage, 6 Sept 1998).
If you are planning to use a majordomo list in a fall term course, now is the time to set it up. You can easily set up such a mailing list using the Computing Center's web-based request form, at <http://cc.uoregon.edu/mailinglists/newap.html>. Enter the preferred name of the list (e.g., "paleo327"), a brief description (e.g. , "Paleontology of the Cenozoic class discussion"), your name and address, and a list management password that only you will know (e.g., "zoic"). Submit the form, and within a day or two you'll receive e-mail confirming the creation of your list. Then put instructions in your syllabus telling your students to subscribe to it.
An idiosyncratic list of upcoming conferences relevant to educational tech., both "virtual" (online) and traditional. For conferences that require physical travel, my emphasis is on conferences in the Northwest and on those I find personally interesting. The EDUCAUSE calendar, <http://www.educause.edu/ir/events.html> contains a more extensive list of mainstream conferences and events. Virtual conferences and tutorials:
Traditional conferences and workshops:
Cyberfraud -- illegal or questionable business practices on the web -- is becoming a major problem, one being addressed by the FTC. But sometimes the schemers take care of themselves. Here are ten ideas that never got off the ground:
The UO Faculty Consultants Network Newsletter is published
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This newsletter (as well as other FCN-related material) is available
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