UB Buzz

Keeping the Fire Burning

Most of my college days are dim memories, but I still remember one class in particular where the normally dry subject matter came to life in the hands of a talented professor. (For the record, the discussion was on the elusive nature of creativity and genius.) On this day both professor and class operated on a single wavelength. The dialog was truly electric, and by the session's end we felt enlightened on a rather esoteric subject. We actually learned something that day. Sadly, not all my classes offered that same experience, and many were taught by men and women who had simply "lost the spark."
Kim Taylor, who teaches composition at a community college, has written an article called "Talking the Talk, but Not Walking the Walk: A Meditation on Irony," that reflects on how easy it is for instructors to lose sight of their purpose, and why they must continually reassess themselves and how they perform in the classroom. She writes:

We teach students to assess the communication context and adapt their messages to respond to the audience’s needs and desires. But how often do we fail to do that same thing with our teaching? If we are honest with ourselves, I believe the answer must be “far too often.”

Check it out here.

U. Washington Unveils Online Service to Help Blind Use the Web

For the roughly 10 million people in the United States who are blind or visually impaired, using a computer has, so far, required special screen-reading software typically installed only on their own machines. New software, called WebAnywhere, developed at the University of Washington, lets blind and visually impaired people surf the web on the go. The tool turns screen-reading into an internet service that reads aloud web text on any computer with speakers or headphone connections.
Free and commercial screen readers already exist, but all must be installed on a machine before being used. This is the first accessibility tool hosted on the web, meaning it doesn't have to be downloaded onto a computer. It processes the text on an external server and then sends the audio file to play in the user's web browser.
"This is for situations where someone who's blind can't use their own computer but still wants access to the Internet. At a museum, at a library, at a public kiosk, at a friend's house, at the airport," says Richard Ladner, a UW professor of computer science and engineering. Ladner will demonstrate the tool next week in Dallas at the National Federation of the Blind's annual convention. WebAnywhere was developed under Ladner's supervision by Jeffrey Bigham, a UW doctoral student in computer science and engineering. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation. The free program and both audio and video demonstrations are available here.

Project Wonderland Offers Virtual World for Education

Sun Microsystems unveiled its own take on a Second Life-styled virtual world last Friday with the first public demonstration of its Project Wonderland virtual classroom initiative. Over 100 members of the education and IT communities attended the virtual event, seeing real-life applications of the open source, virtual world platform in the education community for the first time. The tour, which began in Second Life and then moved into the Project Wonderland platform, was coordinated by the Media Grid Immersive Education Initiative and the Sun Immersion Special Interest Group, an open community of educators, students, designers and technologists dedicated to exploring applications for Project Wonderland in immersive education and gaming.
Attendees visited virtual learning environments created by Boston College (Mass.), the University of Essex (U.K.), the University of Oregon and Saint Paul College (Minn.).
"We see the application of immersive environments as a next-generation distance learning environment which enhances the learning experience beyond current learning management systems,” says Warren Sheaffer, chairman of the Computer Science Department at Saint Paul College. “Sun's Project Wonderland is our immersive education platform of choice since it is robust, secure, open source and built on a Java platform. The Media Grid is the logical partner for our efforts since it is bringing together the world's premier institutions that are active in the research, development, deployment and operation of immersive learning platforms.”
Jonathon Richter, director of the Center for Learning in Virtual Environments at the University of Oregon, says Project Wonderland signals a "sea change" in human learning potential. "Connecting the 3D learning assets of Project Wonderland to the Media Grid and providing accessibility will now allow MERLOT's Center for Learning in Virtual Environments (CLIVE) vision to sprout in earnest,” he says. “Expert-vetted, safe and accessible 3D learning resources can now--for the first time---be collected and managed."

The List of Summer Reading Lists

Though students may cringe at the words “summer reading,” many colleges have introduced summer reading programs for incoming freshmen, often coinciding with orientation activities and first-year coursework. By way of Elena Douvanis at Dick Jones Communications, we offer this brief compilation of summer reading assignments:
• Bill Tenbrunsel, dean and director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at Roanoke College (Va.), says their summer reading program, established in 2005, enhances the freshman experience in “an effort to make orientation more academic.” “It’s a good introduction to college -- a way of participating in conversation and asking questions,” he says. “(The program) engages them. It’s good for the spirit of inquiry we’re trying to encourage in our curriculum.” Tenbrunsel says Roanoke tries to choose books with page-turning, vivid writing that will capture the attention of first-year students. This year’s book, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, fits the bill.
• Ted Zern, dean of freshmen and transfer students at Western New England College (Mass.), agrees. He says Western New England’s summer reading program “provides opportunities for first-year students to explore issues and ideas that affect their world.” Western New England has chosen  Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
• Karen Palmunen, who works extensively with the First Year Seminar program at Saint Joseph College (Conn.) thinks books like this year’s A Thousand Splendid Suns can spark dialogue. “(Our Common Reading Program) creates a bond both inside and outside of class and helps students learn critical reading and critical thinking skills,” she explains. Messiah College (Pa.) also assigned the book. Last year, Messiah’s reading was The Kite Runner, also written by Hosseini.
• Birmingham-Southern College (Ala.) -- My City Was Gone by Dennis Love. Donald Stewart, one of the principal attorneys represented in the book, will give a convocation address. 
• Green Mountain College (Vt.) -- An Unreasonable Woman: A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters, and the fight for Seadrift, Texas by Diane Wilson, who will speak at GMC in the fall. 
• Hope College (Mich.) – Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder.  The book anticipates Hope’s annual Critical Issues Symposium. This year the symposium will examine “Global Health: From Catastrophe to Cure.” 
• Mansfield University (Pa.) – To go along with this year’s freshman seminar theme, “Dissent: Freedom and Dignity,” Mansfield has assigned 1984 by George Orwell to incoming students. 
• Meredith College (N.C.) – An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore will highlight this year’s environmental theme, capped off with a speech by Greenpeace executive director John Passacantando at convocation. 
• Nova Southeastern University (Fla.) – The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences is launching a voluntary program for undergrads this year. The book is House of Sand of Fog by Andre Dubus, who will speak at convocation. 
• Susquehanna University (Pa.) – “The Art of Memory: An Anthology,” edited by Alissa Packer (assistant professor of biology at Susquehanna) and Sumerly Buccino (junior creative writing major at Susquehanna). This compilation of 13 creative and academic writings related to memory is juxtaposed with Susquehanna’s sesquicentennial. 
• Texas Christian University (Texas)  – “The Fourth Amendment and the Reasonable Expectation of Privacy,” put together by TCU, is a collection of Internet articles, excerpts from law journals, books, poems and plays all highlighting the Fourth Amendment and encompassing current issues like technology and bioethics.
• Wartburg College (Iowa) – The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. 

George Carlin Dies at 71

Comedian George Carlin died last night at age 71 of heart failure. Why is this news on UBbuzz? Because Carlin, who began his career telling jokes in nightclubs, reinvented himself and helped define the genre of observational comedy on college and university campuses in the 1970s. Carlin always held an affinity for these venues and would return often throughout his career. He said he felt an energy there that was missing from clubs. Whether you agreed or disagreed with what he had to say, George Carlin used his comedy to make people think. Here is a clip from a 1984 performance at UCLA`s Wadsworth Theater. (Note: Some language NSFW.)

Gary Kayye's Future Vision

Day two of EduComm 2008 in Las Vegas began with a futuristic view of AV technology in education by Gary Kayye, technology visionary, publisher of the KayyeRave newsletter, and president of Kayye Consulting. Kayye told the audience that by 2011 -- just three years from now -- ubiquitous content delivery will be king. But for that to become reality, there are steps that educators must take to push manufacturers along the path to true AV/IT convergence.
He pointed to Apple's iTunes platform, and Tivo as two examples of how content will ultimately be delivered, accessible at anytime from anywhere.
To get to that point, he said, there are four steps along the path to AV/IT convergence:
1. Get Educated. Explore educational programs from organizations like InfoComm, and others that offer certification in AV/IT technology. Hire the "geeks and freaks," Kayye said. These video game-playing, computer hacking young people will be the tech gurus of the future.
2. Buy Networked Products. The future college professor wont have a laptop, and will show up for class with a simple USB thumb drive that stores presentations. All applications and services will be hosted on networks and be available anywhere at anytime.
3. Simplify and Standardize. There's no reason to have 15 different kinds of projectors just because the price was right when they were purchased, Kayye said.
Standardization will reduce maintenance and support and will enable all devices to work seamlessly. Kayye also told the audience to buy networked devices that will enable content to be maintained and supported remotely. Wireless access will replace wired access very soon, he said. The new wireless standard will be 802.16 or WiMax, which has a range of about 30 miles.
4. Share information Openly. The best way to advance AV/IT convergence is for vendors to work with educators to design these future devices. Don't wait for it to happen -- take the initiative, Kayye said. Educators need to organize and share information about what they want, rather than wait for a manufacturer to tell them what they need.
"We're evolving," Kayye said. "Are you going to evolve with us?"

David Pogue Kicks Off EduComm 2008

New York Times technology columnist David Pogue opened EduComm 2008 in Las Vegas today with a keynote address that was both thought provoking and -- as is his style-- entertaining. Pogue spoke about Web 2.0 technology and social media and how they are quickly changing the way people interact.
Blogging and podcasting, he said, are great ways for institutions to go beyond what they can offer through a traditional website.
"Even if you have only six readers, (blogs) are still worth it," Pogue said. "They have incredible function as a communication tool that is not just a press release. Because they allow for interaction from the readers, they feel like person-to-person communication. It's a great communication channel for an institution."
There are also some dangers involved in blogging, he warned. He gave the example of a company that had developed a no calorie, no cholesterol fat substitute for cooking. A blogger posted an item claiming that the product caused cancer, which in turn caused the company's stock to sink, and severely damaged its reputation. The report turned out to be false and was posted by a blogger who was a "short seller," intent on manipulating the market for his own gain.
Pogue also gave examples of Web 2.0 sites that are at the beginning of a revolution in social interaction.
"I do think that Web 2.0 is the most exciting thing ever," he said. "YouTube is just the beginning; there are numerous sites that connect people with similar interests who don't know each other."
Some examples he used were DoMyStuff (a site that connects people who need help with tasks), Prosper and Kiva (which enable personal loans to individuals), GoLoco (for ride sharing), TripAdvisor (for "user reports" on travel destinations), and WhoIsSick (a site that tracks current and local sickness information).
"The exciting thing is not what we have now, but what is coming," Pogue said.
He ended his keynote by playing the piano and singing tech-themed song parodies set to popular hits.

Fighting Fraud in Higher Education

Sadly, it's not that hard to find examples of fraudulent practices among college and university administrators. A quick internet search turns up a number of cases. For example:
• In Texas, a university president was sentenced to 10 years probation and a hefty fine for “misapplication of fiduciary property” for spending more than a half-million dollars to cover "personal expenses."
• The university's chief financial officer got 10 years in jail for his part in the same case.
• In Alabama, a chancellor pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy.
The board of trustees at colleges and universities need to make fraud prevention a high priority, says Larry Ladd, national director of higher education practice for Grant Thornton, LLP. In addition to damaging morale, fraud can jeopardize an organization’s reputation and raise questions about its fiduciary duties for funds provided by donors, government agencies, and students and parents.
Ladd explains what can be done about it in an article called Protecting your institution from the consequences of fraud. In it he discusses discusses the prevalence of fraud in institutions of higher education, the red flags of fraud detection, the establishment of internal controls, and best practices for handling fraud once it has occurred or been alleged.

Colleges Should Guide Students on Health Insurance

An article in today's Wall Street Journal covers some creative ways that recent grads are finding health coverage. The options range from finding the cheapest high-deductible plans they can find to enrolling in a community college post-graduation just to qualify for their parents' plans. Some states have laws that allow a parent to extend coverage for older dependents, and many alumni associations offer short-term, catastrophic, and major medical insurance plans for grads.

Although ensuring current students are properly insured may well be headache enough for college and university leaders, perhaps career planning offices could be doing more to educate almost-grads about the need for health coverage and their options -- especially in light of the facts that health coverage may not come along with a new job and self-employment is an attractive option for many young adults today.

Empowering a Message

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, but the late senator and activist’s message of social justice will live on at Catholic higher ed institutions. Sacred Heart University (Conn.) hosted a two-day conference, June 10-11, focusing on the relations between Catholic social justice principles and international human rights advocacy. Institutions from the United States, Mexico, and Canada participated.
“This is a very significant event for Catholic education in the United States,” said SHU President Anthony Cernera. Cernera is also president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities, which was a co-sponsor of the event.
Not only a conference host, SHU became the first Catholic university in the nation to present the play, "Speak Truth to Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark," a program through The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial.
"Speak Truth to Power" reflects on the stories of human rights activists around the world and their struggles against threats and torture. The stories are from interviews conducted by Kerry Kennedy, RFK’s daughter and the play’s co-founder. “We immediately saw a connection with what [Cernera] is doing on this campus by giving students a tool kit for action so they can not only have the knowledge but the capacity to create change,” said Kennedy in a press statement.
It is hoped that the performance and its message will be added to the curriculum at other schools.
The cast included actors from Broadway and television, among them, Martin Sheen and Gloria Reuben. Ethel Kennedy, widow of Senator Kennedy, was among the attendees. An accompanying photo exhibit was displayed in Sacred Heart's art gallery.