4 January 2002
Copyright © 2002 World Expertise LLC – All rights
reserved
A periodic electronic newsletter for engineering education leaders,
edited by Russel C. Jones, PhD., P.E.
After a five-year ban, female students are again allowed to
register at Kabul University, according to an article in the Chronicle of
Higher Education by Martha Overland. Female students had been barred from
going to college by the Taliban regime, which came to power in 1996. Most of the
females who appeared for interviews still wore the all-encompassing burqa and
were escorted by their fathers or other male relatives. While there is great
symbolic value in the fact that women are being allowed back into the
university, the campus itself is in shambles resulting from battles there in the
1990’s. See: http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001120603n.htm
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) plans to set up an international quality assurance effort
for higher education, according to an article in the Chronicle by Jen
Lin-Liu. The Global Forum on Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher
Education will keep a watch on private and transnational higher-education
providers. A panel that will include intergovernmental partners like the World
Trade Organization, the World Bank, the European Commission, and national
accrediting bodies will meet in the spring to organize the start of an annual
forum. The global effort may set up a general code of conduct for institutions
of higher learning, both public and private, to follow. See http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001122109n.htm
Science departments at 33 Chinese universities will set up
computer software institutes to train students to become software programmers,
according to an article by Jen Lin-Liu in the Chronicle. The institutes
are expected to graduate some 10,000 students each year. The institutes will be
encouraged to jointly set up schools with foreign counterparts, recruit more
foreign teachers, and work with multinational computer companies. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/11/2001112602t.htm
Microsoft is opening a new $20-million lab next to
Cambridge University’s computer department, according to an article by Tim
Burnhill in the 30 November 2001 issue of Science. The new building will
house 65 researchers, comprising a branch of the Microsoft Research operation
based in Redmond, Washington. Started four years ago, the Cambridge operation
bills itself as a scientific fantasy, where curiosity and enthusiasm – not
corporate strategy – give the marching orders. It interacts heavily with
Cambridge faculty and students, providing support for graduate students and
exchanging seminars. See http://www.sciencemag.org
Russian Universities have enjoyed a decade of more freedom,
but less money, according to an article in the Chronicle by Bryon
MacWilliams. Financial support from the government has dropped severely over the
decade, but the 2002 draft budget allocates more resources for education that
for the military – a first in the nation’s history. Many changes have swept
through Russian Universities since the fall of Communism: curriculums have been
purged of their former ideological mandate; universities no longer offer courses
in Marxism-Leninism or Scientific Communism; the humanities have progressed
rapidly; international exchange and cooperation has flourished; the sciences
have remained exceptionally strong; and the spread of private universities has
given public universities healthy competition. See http://chronicle.com/weekly/v48/i16/16a04201.htm
The number of black students graduating from college or
technical institutes each year in South Africa has doubled over the past decade,
according to an article in the Chronicle by Henk Rossouw. The number of
black students graduating increased to 40,333 in 1998 from 14,798 in 1991. There
also has been a shift in enrollments away from historically black universities
to historically white universities since the end of apartheid in 1994. Too few
of the black graduates are in professional fields such as engineering,
architecture, and medicine, however. See http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001121806n.htm
A new web site aims to bridge the North-South digital
divide, according to an article in Science
by Ben Shouse. The site, launched
in London last month, aims to bridge the gap with scientific news and
information relevant to developing nations. The plans for SciDev.Net (www.scidev.net)
were drawn up three years ago, and major funding has been obtained from
international bodies. A staff of six journalists and several foreign
correspondents will provide daily news, in-depth features by scientists and
officials, and a selection of articles from Science
and Nature. The site’s
success will depend on access, which is still severely lacking in some
developing countries. See http://www.sciencemag.org
Sylvan Learning
Systems is extending its reach in international higher education to India,
according to a note in the Chronicle
by Goldie Blumenstyk. The company
has made a down payment on a 250 acre site near Hyderabad, in south-central
India, where it hopes to develop a university that would eventually enroll about
10,000 students in career-oriented programs. Sylvan currently has international
campuses in Latin America and Europe. See http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001121805n.htm
Taiwan is planning
major reforms in higher education, according to a note in the Chronicle
by Jiang Xueqin. A recent conference of influential government officials
and educators developed a rough plan for governing universities for the next
decade. Three major changes are included: the faculty reward system will be
based on merit and evaluation rather than seniority; Taiwan will allocate more
power to university presidents; and the current 143 universities will be
consolidated through mergers, particularly of smaller universities with fewer
that 3000 students. See http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001121910n.htm
British
researchers have won praise for their talent in a major review, according to an
article by Andrew Watson in the 21 December 2001 issue of Science. The review by the
Higher Education Funding Council for England, conducted every 5 years to
allocate funding for research infrastructure, said that the UK’s researchers
are “performing better than any [country’s] in the world at the present
time. Unfortunately, these hard working researchers have raised the level of
their activity so high that they have stripped bare the government fund designed
to support them. The HEFCE Board has decided that with less than sufficient
funds to meet all needs, it will skew resource allocation toward top-rated
institutions – angering middle-ranking institutions which were counting on
improved performance to justify funding for their efforts. See http://www.sciencemag.org
China’s top two
universities are striving for ‘world class’ status, according to an article
in the Chronicle by
Jiang Xueqin. Peking and Tsinghua Universities have received special support
from the Ministry of Education, as well as private donations, in an effort to
catch up with the world’s top universities. They have embarked on a spending
spree to spruce up their campuses, improve faculty salaries and benefits, and
attract new blood – often from abroad. See http://chronicle.com/weekly/v48/i17/17a03301.htm
Many of the
foreign students who left the United States shortly after the September 11
terrorist attacks plan to return to college there next semester, according to an
article by Beth McMurtrie in the Chronicle.
Mostly from the Middle East, such
students were pressured to go home by their families. Most withdrew only for the
fall semester, so returning to studies in the US will not be difficult to
arrange. Many US universities stayed in close contact with these students,
encouraging their early return. See http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001121908n.htm
President Bush has
named an advisory council on science and technology, according to an article by
Jeffrey Brainard in the Chronicle. Most
of the 24 members come from information technology businesses, with only seven
from academe – a shift from previous councils, where academics were better
represented. In past administrations the President’s Council of Advisors on
Science and Technology has had only a modest impact, but university officials
see it as an important conduit for academe to have some influence on federal
policy. Most of the council’s academic representatives are administrators. See
http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001121301n.htm
U.S. spending on
bioterrorism studies and computer security is set to soar, according to an
article in the Chronicle by
Ron Southwick. While the U.S. has plenty of experts on infectious diseases,
federal agencies have only recently financed bioterrorism research. Cyberattacks
have received less attention than bioterrorism in recent months, but could also
pose serious problems. Hackers or terrorists could disrupt computer networks
that run the country’s electric-power grid, telecommunications systems, and
financial institutions. No agency has yet devoted much money to long-term basic
research on computer security. See http://chronicle.com/weekly/v48/i14/14a01901.htm
The National
Research Council has issued a 340 page report on gender differences in the
careers of U.S. scientists and engineers, according to an article by Jeffrey
Mervis in the 7 December 2001 issue of Science. The report
concludes that men retain an edge that cannot be explained by any objective
criteria, indicating that there is clear evidence that women have been treated
unfairly. Among the findings: tenure is becoming more elusive for women than for
men; male graduate students are more likely than women to get jobs as research
assistants; and the salary gender gap is widening among more senior academics.
The report calls on top research universities to revise graduate school
admissions to attract and retain more women. See http://www.sciencemag.org
The U.S. Congress
is seeking to raise spending for information technology research and for Defense
Department research, according to articles in the Chronicle
by Andrea Foster and Ron Southwick. The
thrust of efforts to increase IT research is guarding the nation’s computer
infrastructure from terrorist attacks. Increased funding for the Defense
Department would go for basic research, and for civilian research efforts
related to bioterrorism. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001120501t.htm
and http://chronicle.com/daily/2001/12/2001122101n.htm
An article by Greg
Brouwer in the January 2002 issue of Civil
Engineering asks “What is the
future of the skyscraper?” Findings that are emerging as to how and why the
World Trade Center’s twin towers collapsed suggest that while there are
lessons to be learned and absorbed from this catastrophe, the skyscraper will
remain viable well into the foreseeable future. This article reviews the history
of skyscraper development, and reports on recent discussions analyzing the
technical aspects of such construction. See http://www.pubs.asce.org
Researchers at the
Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center are studying ways of using small-dish
satellite technology to provide cheap and fast Internet connections for distance
education, according to an article by Florence Olsen in the Chronicle.
Many poor and remote areas in the U.S. that might benefit from distance
education either have no Internet access or have access that is both costly and
slow. Among the technical challenges facing the researchers will be trying to
make broadband Internet2 technologies such as multicast videoconferencing work
within the bandwidth constraints and signal delays of small-dish satellite
technology. If successful, the use of such technology would expand distance
education opportunities for students attending colleges in rural and remote
areas, as well as tribal, historically black, and Hispanic colleges, and the
communities those institutions serve. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001121701u.htm
Stanford
University has announced that it has begun a campuswide discussion to develop
formal guidelines for distance education projects, according to an article by
Jeffrey Young in the Chronicle. The
university has a long history of providing distance education programs, and has
already joined at least six different online education projects. Some faculty
are concerned, however, that distance education projects can distract professors
and administrators from their primary commitment to colleagues and students at
Stanford. The university feels that this is a good time to step back and review
its overall distance education strategy. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001120701u.htm
The U.S. Army’s
distance education endeavor is looking for more colleges to provide online
courses and degrees to enlisted personnel, according to an article in the Chronicle
by Michael Arnone. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the consulting firm
coordinating eArmyU, is accepting proposals from accredited institutions
interested in providing academic content. Based on the first year of experience,
some changes are being made – for example eArmyU will now require all
institutions to offer online examinations. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001121002u.htm
As American
households turn more to the Internet for information, they may be turning away
from television, according to an article in the Chronicle by Brock Read. A
study done at UCLA indicates that the Internet is a medium whose impact and
popularity are still on the upswing. More than 72% of Americans have some form
of Internet access, and almost half of non-users expect to be online within a
year. Internet users spend four-and-a-half fewer hours a week watching
television than Americans who are not online, according to the study. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/11/2001112903t.htm
The U.S. Navy is
rewriting its course-writing software to enhance distance education, according
to an article by Michael Arnone in the Chronicle. The Navy
currently trains thousands of sailors and officers each year in courses designed
through its Authoring Instructional Materials system. It is now moving to a new
software platform, to be common across several government agencies, which will
facilitate distance learning programs. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001122050u.htm
Professors at the
U.S. Naval Academy are modifying an ethics course required for all midshipman to
make it the institution’s first online course, according to an article in the Chronicle
by Michael Arnone. The course,
taken by more than 1000 second year midshipmen each year, already has made the
first steps toward distance education with a web site from which students can
download a syllabus, class notes and readings, and video clips illustrating
ethical quandaries that students might face. The challenge is to create online
discussions as rich as those that occur in the classroom. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2110121901u.htm
Several companies
have created “electronic whiteboards” that bring computing power to one of
the oldest teaching tools, the classroom chalkboard, according to an article in
the Chronicle by Jeffrey Young. Electronic whiteboards typically
offer display spaces about five feet wide that function like oversize
touch-screen computer monitors. Every mark made on the board can be saved on a
computer, then easily uploaded to a web site or broadcast to students at a
distance. Professors can for example call up PowerPoint slides on the board,
then scribble notes over them as they lecture.
One obstacle has been high cost – about $20,000 per unit. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001121801t.htm
Paper mail is being eliminated at the University of
Colorado at Boulder, giving way to e-mail as the official form of communication
on campus, according to a note by Scott Carlson in the Chronicle. Students
will be responsible for checking the mail that comes to their university
accounts. The policy will also streamline communications between faculty and
students. Legally sensitive material,
such as grades, personal identification numbers, and Social Security numbers,
will still be sent via paper mail. See http://chronicle.com/free/2001/12/2001121702t.htm
Despite the
dot-com bust and the tragic events of September 11, entrepreneurship programs
are alive and well at engineering schools across the country. Writing in the
January 2002 issue of ASEE Prism, Bruce
Auster points out that the bottom line for the economy seems to be
that innovative companies – such as those that emerge from the business plans
of entrepreneurial engineering students – create jobs. The author describes
such programs at several universities, and analyzes the type of students
attracted to them. See http://www.asee.org/prism
A new generation
of course management systems is on the horizon, according to an article in the Chronicle
by Florence Olsen. Course management systems are web-based software
programs that provide online versions of class rosters, course outlines,
assignments, discussions, quizzes and grade books. The systems spare faculty
members from having to photocopy and distribute course packs. Systems now being
developed will make the software more flexible, more capable of handling
multimedia materials for online learning and research. See http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i17/17a02501.htm
The December 2001
issue of the European Journal of
Engineering Education has two
themes with several papers in each, plus several miscellaneous papers. The
section on ‘Staff Development in Higher Engineering Education’ has papers on
strategies for staff development, teacher training, and the impact of ICT on
staff development. The section on ‘Information and Communications Technologies
in Engineering Education’ has papers on software for teaching
telecommunications, project based learning, and virtual enterprises. See http://www/tandf.co.uk
The October 2001
ASEE Journal of Engineering Education contains several of the top
papers from the 2000 Frontiers in Education Conference. Topics covered include
gender and ethnicity differences in student attitudes, strategies for improving
the classroom environment, a virtual laboratory, technology enhanced learning
environment, virtual reality in design, and interactive multimedia intelligent
tutoring system. Also contained in the same issue are several papers from the
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance meeting in 2001. These
papers deal with teaching entrepreneurship, and with cross-disciplinary
education. See http://www.asee.org/publications
The January/February 2002 issue of Foreign Affairs focuses
on ‘Long War in the Making’, with major papers on understanding the enemy,
reforming the Middle East, fixing intelligence, protecting the homeland,
preserving Pakistan, and managing the emergency. It also has two papers on
globalization and its discontents, covering the inequality myth and the
antiglobalists. See http://www.foreignaffairs.org
From the Chronicle of Higher Education:
Ø University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Dean, Engineering and Applied Science, 12/7/01
Ø Western Kentucky University, Dean, Science and Engineering, 11/30/01
Ø University of Bath, UK, Dean of Engineering and Design
Ø University of California at Riverside, Chancellor, 12/7/01
Ø University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Chancellor, 12/4/01
Ø University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Chancellor and Vice President, 12/4/01
Ø University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, 12/11/01
Ø The State University of New York Institute of Technology, President, 12/7/01
Ø University of Nevada at Reno, Executive Vice President and Provost, 12/26/01
Ø
Gannon University, Provost and VPAA, 12/4/01
From the January 2002 issue of ASEE Prism:
Ø Utah State University, Dean, College of Engineering
Ø University of Kansas, Dean, School of Engineering
Ø University of Texas at Tyler, Chair, Electrical Engineering
Ø University of South Florida, Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Ø California State University at Long Beach, Dean, College of Engineering
Ø University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth, Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Ø Virginia Tech, Head, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
Ø Northern Illinois University, Chair, Electrical Engineering
Ø SUNY Maritime College, Chair, Electrical Engineering
Ø Oregon State University, Head, Mechanical Engineering
Ø Morgan State University, Chair, Industrial, Manufacturing and information Engineering
Ø Milwaukee School of Engineering, Vice President of Academics
Ø Petroleum Institute of Abu Dhabi, Program Heads in Chemical Engineering, Petroleum/Geosciences Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering
Ø Wayne State University, Dean, College of Engineering
Ø
North Carolina A&T, Chair, Chemical Engineering, and Chair,
Mechanical Engineering
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