AP - A high school that canceled an upcoming performance of a play over complaints that the original title of the Agatha Christie novel on which it is based is racially offensive has decided the show will go on, with some changes.

New Networking Protocols Course

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Online computer training course in Networking Protocols.

Topics Covered

• After completing the course in Networking: Protocols you will have a more in-depth knowlege of network protocols, different protocols, and also the most common network protocol: the Internet Protocol.
• Understand protocols.
• Understand the different between a routing protocol and a routed protocol.
• Understand IP address and Subnets

Check out the course here Online Training Course - Networking Protocols. (Topics: Protocol Fundamentals, IP and IPX routed protocol, Routing Protocols and Routed Protocol.)

 

Some interesting things are happening down at Massey University in New Zealand.  The e-learning and computer worlds are abuzz with the news of a decidedly hip and unexpectedly caring teacher named Eve.

Massey scientists, led by Dr Hossein Sarrafzadeh at the Auckland-based Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences, have created Eve, a computer-generated teacher that can actually adapt its responses to the emotional state of students by interaction through a computer.  

Referred to as an intelligent or affective tutoring system, the "Easy With Eve" system is the first of its kind.

Dr Sarrafzadeh says the researchers wanted to create a virtual teacher that could pick up body language and facial expressions – like a real teacher – to interact and to ensure they are holding the attention of students.

Though Eve was developed to teach math to eight-year-olds, there are exciting possibilities for all levels and fields of online learning.  

Linked to a child via computer, the animated character or virtual tutor can tell if the child is frustrated, angry or confused by the on-screen teaching session and can adapt the tutoring session appropriately.

The animated Eve (with a human-sounding and very New Zealand voice) can ask questions, give feedback, discuss questions and solutions and show emotion. To develop the software for this system, the Massey team observed children and their interactions with teachers and captured them on thousands of images.

Interesting.  I think there was a bit of computer-geek fantasy going on with her design (see above).  I mean, does her hair have to be so, well, sexy?  And that title--"Easy With Eve"--well, perhaps it's just me, but I think she's geared for the 25-year-old male, not eight-year-olds.

Then again, maybe she is the cool tutor every eight year old dreams of. 

What matters most, of course, is if Eve inspires kids to learn and helps them when they are struggling.  It sounds like she has been designed to do precisely that.

Hmmm.  Could this be the solution to the teacher shortage?

See the intro video here

Reuters - A senior lawmaker said on Wednesday that he planned to introduce a bankruptcy reform bill that would give new relief to individuals overwhelmed by mortgage, medical and student loan debt.

I previously posted on a seminar on persistent social learning.

An archive of the session is available here.

It's not that I think online learning is going to replace face-to-face class time in all cases.  It's just that it is becoming an accepted part of a relevant education. 

You get to choose how much of your education you get online.  For some, it will be a large percentage.  For others, just a class or two.  The point is that it's a viable option that is growing rapidly, and ALL students need to be familiar with what's available at the education smorgasbord so that they can create the best combo platter for themselves. 

According to the fifth annual study conducted by the Sloan Consortium, a group of institutions and organizations dedicated to improving the quality, scale and breadth of online programs, we can expect a continued focus on the development of e-learning options. 

Their report, based on responses from more than 2,500 colleges and universities, revealed the following nuggets:

**Almost 3.5 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006 term; a nearly 10 percent increase over the number reported the previous year.

**Much of the past growth in online enrollments has been fueled by new institutions entering the online learning arena.  This transition is now nearing its end; most institutions that plan to offer online education are already doing so.

**Institutions that are the most engaged in online education cite increasing the rate of degree completion as a very important objective; this is not as important for institutions that are not as engaged in online learning.  [Note:  most four-year institutions--including the most expensive ones--are in no hurry to help you graduate early.]

**Virtually all (83 percent) institutions with online offerings expect their online enrollments to increase over the coming year.

I found it interesting that most academics believe the biggest barrier to online learning is a lack of discipline on the part of online students.  This was the same response that showed up in last year's survey. 

Students love the idea of studying online, but not all of them have the motivation to check in regularly, keep up to date with readings and assignments, and get their work turned in on time.

Apparently, some students need a bit of nagging.  Perhaps someone will develop a virtual Eve  (see below) that will cajole students who need an extra (virtual) kick in the pants.

Read the full Sloan report here.

a virtual teacher named eve, developed by researchers and scientists in auckland's massey university, could be the future of e-learning. those designed for 8yr olds for now, the impact of this new technology could make leaps and bounds particularly for those with learning or intellectual disabilities of any age.

“With rising demand for long-distance learning and online tutoring, a computer programe capable of detecting human emotions may become a critical teaching tool.”Although Eve was developed for one-to-one maths teaching with eight-year-olds, she is a significant new character in the future of human computer interaction and could be a personalised virtual tutor by any name.

Linked to a child via computer, the animated character or virtual tutor can tell if the child is frustrated, angry or confused by the on-screen teaching session and can adapt the tutoring session appropriately.

[ the full article here ]

Here's a call for authors that cites distance ed as a recent topic for this column. Have a new perspective you could provide?  Particularly good for those who work with health/medical libraries and distance learners/services.

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Write an article for the MLA News Technology column in 2008! Writing provides a great opportunity to either share expertise you already have or delve into a topic you've been wanting to learn about.

Your column can be a topic review, a case study, or a report on the state of a technology. Recent topics: distance education applications, data mining, Web-based reference management tools, and library podcasts.

Some of the topics we're interested in for 2008:

- GIS for health information
- Responsible disposal or reuse of equipment
- The InfoButton
- Anatomy of a query URL: If I run it again tomorrow, will it still work?
- Productivity software: alternatives to Office

Your own topic suggestions are, of course, welcome as well. Maximum length: 700 words.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Pat Weiss
Lynne Fox
Technology Co-Editors, MLA News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Patricia M. Weiss, MLIS
Reference & Information Technology Librarian
Technology Editor, MLA News

Falk Library - Health Sciences Library System - 200 Scaife Hall - University of Pittsburgh
3550 Terrace Street - Pittsburgh, PA 15261
pwf@pitt.edu - Phone 412.648.2040 - Fax 412.648.8819

Health Sciences Library System: www.hsls.pitt.edu
HSLS on del.icio.us: del.icio.us/hsls
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AP - They stayed together for their child's sake, but the arrangement between the Ivy League economics professor and his wife was unraveling.

Though Engineering is a discipline that requires hands-on training and practice, using expensive equipment and facilities. An Engineering degree via correspondence is  essentially not worth the piece of the paper it is written on - If you Just want a Degree, then go for it.....

There are very few Universities provide distance education for Engineering Under Graduate Courses

The Institution of Engineers (India), IGNOU and SRM University?institutes offering Engineering Courses in Distance Education Mode - Click here for details
.