9/27/2006

Campus Disaster Planners Study Web, eLearning Responses

Officials from Gulf Coast higher education institutions and leading experts in emergency preparedness in higher education gathered in New Orleans last week to discuss the uses of online education during emergencies like Katrina. One case study being dissected will be the Sloan Semester, a project funded by a $1.1 million grant from the Sloan Foundation that that created a functioning virtual university in 21 days for the Gulf region during the Katrina disaster.
Officials said the Sloan Semester made available more than 1,350 courses from over 150 institutions nationwide to more than 1,750 students. Nearly 3,000 course enrollments were processed, and more than two out of three Sloan Semester students completed coursework, with 70 percent earning a grade of A or B.
According to Ray Schroeder, director of the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning at the University of Illinois, Springfield, the working session was held to develop a series of online workshops to help colleges and universities across the country prepare for the delivery of their curricula online when emergencies such as hurricanes, earthquakes, terrorist acts, or epidemics close the physical campus.
A second goal is to develop a Sloan Consortium response center to assure that national resources are brought to bear to help colleges and universities in their efforts. Schroeder said both goals are to be accomplished within 60 days after the workshop concludes... | 0 Comments

9/26/2006

The Impact of Technology

A new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project reflects strong disagreement over whether technology is good for humankind. | 0 Comments

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