The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 20th issue, highlights the teaching experiment of Indiana University professors at Bloomington to teach cores skills in history: assembling evidence and interpreting it. Their work has attracted attention from educators worldwide.
An article by Joan Middendorf and David Pace about the Indiana experiment is on reserve in the library:
"Decoding the Disciplines: A Model for Helping Students Learn Disciplinary Ways of Thinking" from New Directons for Teachers and Learning, no. 98, Summer 2004.
Monday, November 23, 2009
National Book Award Winners
Last Wednesday winners of the National Book Awards:
Fiction Winner
Colum McCann Let the Great World Spin about daring, luck and mortality in the world of 1970s New York. AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY
Nonfiction
T. J. Stiles The First Tycoon, a biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt. AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY
Young People's Literature
Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice,story of a teenager arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus months before Rosa Parks.
Poetry
Keith Waldrop Transcendtal Studies: A Trilogy
A special prize, voted on by the public, was given to "The Complete Stories" of Flannery O'Connor as the best of all fiction winners in the awards' history.
Gore Vidal and Dave Eggars received lifetime achievement awards.
Fiction Winner
Colum McCann Let the Great World Spin about daring, luck and mortality in the world of 1970s New York. AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY
Nonfiction
T. J. Stiles The First Tycoon, a biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt. AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY
Young People's Literature
Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice,story of a teenager arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus months before Rosa Parks.
Poetry
Keith Waldrop Transcendtal Studies: A Trilogy
A special prize, voted on by the public, was given to "The Complete Stories" of Flannery O'Connor as the best of all fiction winners in the awards' history.
Gore Vidal and Dave Eggars received lifetime achievement awards.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
National Book Awards Announced Tonight
The winners of the National Book Awards for 2009 will be announced tonight. This seems like good time to give some statistics. In 2009, 193 publishers submitted 1,129 books for the 2009 National Book Awards. The total number by genre:
236 fiction
481 nonfiction
161 poetry
251 young people's literature
I will announce the winners here tomorrow.
2008 winners included:
Fiction--Peter Matthiessen, Shadow Country
Nonfiction--Annette Gordon-Reed, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
Poetry--Mark Doty, Fire to Fire: New and Collected Poems
Young People's Lit--Judy Blundell, What I Saw and How I Lied
236 fiction
481 nonfiction
161 poetry
251 young people's literature
I will announce the winners here tomorrow.
2008 winners included:
Fiction--Peter Matthiessen, Shadow Country
Nonfiction--Annette Gordon-Reed, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
Poetry--Mark Doty, Fire to Fire: New and Collected Poems
Young People's Lit--Judy Blundell, What I Saw and How I Lied
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
ECAR Report: Undergraduates and the Mobile Revolution
Among students, desktop computer ownership is down, laptop ownership is way up.
Most students have new computers (79% of freshmen own a laptop one year old or less, two-thirds own a laptop or desktop 2 years old. 18% say their computer is four years old or older).
51% own an internet-capable handheld device, with 12% more planning to purchase one within a year. Among those who own one, 35% say they never access the internet on it. Cost and other ways to access Net were the most cited reasons.
Cell phone ownership is nearly ubiquitous. One-third say that they use their cell phones in class for non-class activities.
SNS’s (Social Networking Sites) and texting are up (nearing saturation), while Instant Messenging is declining. SNS’s were used by 90% of students outside class, and wikis by 42%, but only around a quarter of students used SNS’s or wikis in a course. One-third of students used podcasts personally but only 6% in courses.
Students generally like Course Management Systems! Students don’t think instructors use IT well. The percent that say their instructors effectively use IT or have adequate IT skills– 45%. Only one-third say instructors adequately train them for the IT used in their courses.
Students who say the greatest benefit of IT in education is convenience – 70%. Only 49% agree or strongly agree that IT improves learning. One possible reason for this low number is that only 53% of students agree or strongly agree with the statement “My institution’s IT services are always available when I need them for my coursework.”
Source: Mobile Libraries Blog and [http://purdueetech.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/ecar-study-of-undergrads-and-it/]
Most students have new computers (79% of freshmen own a laptop one year old or less, two-thirds own a laptop or desktop 2 years old. 18% say their computer is four years old or older).
51% own an internet-capable handheld device, with 12% more planning to purchase one within a year. Among those who own one, 35% say they never access the internet on it. Cost and other ways to access Net were the most cited reasons.
Cell phone ownership is nearly ubiquitous. One-third say that they use their cell phones in class for non-class activities.
SNS’s (Social Networking Sites) and texting are up (nearing saturation), while Instant Messenging is declining. SNS’s were used by 90% of students outside class, and wikis by 42%, but only around a quarter of students used SNS’s or wikis in a course. One-third of students used podcasts personally but only 6% in courses.
Students generally like Course Management Systems! Students don’t think instructors use IT well. The percent that say their instructors effectively use IT or have adequate IT skills– 45%. Only one-third say instructors adequately train them for the IT used in their courses.
Students who say the greatest benefit of IT in education is convenience – 70%. Only 49% agree or strongly agree that IT improves learning. One possible reason for this low number is that only 53% of students agree or strongly agree with the statement “My institution’s IT services are always available when I need them for my coursework.”
Source: Mobile Libraries Blog and [http://purdueetech.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/ecar-study-of-undergrads-and-it/]
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
New ICONN LOOK
Based on substantial feedback from users, ICONN staff members have made a number of changes to improve the usability of iCONN. You will see a new start page that provides two search boxes:
Use the top box to get articles from magazines and newspapers.
Use the bottom box to find books, DVDs, CDs, etc. in Connecticut libraries.
One glitch is that the Magazines/Journals tab in the Find Books search box does not produce any search results, and the search results screen is confusing. To produce any search results, you need to select "Statewide Magazine Catalog" on the search results page and redo the search.
Another glitch is that the “Request Tracking” link may not appear on the Find Books search box.
Lastly, the "Search Individual Resources" link on the new start page "may" require the user to login again before being taken to the classic menu page. The latter problem seems to exist only when using iCONN outside the library. These problems have been reported and should be corrected later today.
Use the top box to get articles from magazines and newspapers.
Use the bottom box to find books, DVDs, CDs, etc. in Connecticut libraries.
One glitch is that the Magazines/Journals tab in the Find Books search box does not produce any search results, and the search results screen is confusing. To produce any search results, you need to select "Statewide Magazine Catalog" on the search results page and redo the search.
Another glitch is that the “Request Tracking” link may not appear on the Find Books search box.
Lastly, the "Search Individual Resources" link on the new start page "may" require the user to login again before being taken to the classic menu page. The latter problem seems to exist only when using iCONN outside the library. These problems have been reported and should be corrected later today.
Credo Reference: Top Ten Entries Viewed in September
Theses were the top ten entries in the Credo Reference database viewed by members of the Goodwin community in the month of September:
Nutrition—New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health
Rabies Virus—Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology
Metabolism—Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary
Black Pepper-Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs & Natural Supplements
Why Study Youth Culture—Contemporary Youth Culture: An International Encyclopedia
Metabolism—Encyclopedia of Insects
Man with his Head in his Hands--Bridgeman Art Library Archive
Sorrow, 1882—Bridgeman Art Library ArchiveFishing in the Spring, Pont de Clichy, 1887--Bridgeman Art Library Archive
Wheatfields Under Thunderclouds, 1890—Bridgeman Art Library Archive
And the winning reference book for the month is Bridgeman Art Library Archive.
Source: Credo Reference Administrator's Statistics
Nutrition—New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health
Rabies Virus—Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology
Metabolism—Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary
Black Pepper-Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs & Natural Supplements
Why Study Youth Culture—Contemporary Youth Culture: An International Encyclopedia
Metabolism—Encyclopedia of Insects
Man with his Head in his Hands--Bridgeman Art Library Archive
Sorrow, 1882—Bridgeman Art Library ArchiveFishing in the Spring, Pont de Clichy, 1887--Bridgeman Art Library Archive
Wheatfields Under Thunderclouds, 1890—Bridgeman Art Library Archive
And the winning reference book for the month is Bridgeman Art Library Archive.
Source: Credo Reference Administrator's Statistics
Credo Reference Highlight of the Week
Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition in the Transatlantic World from M.E. Sharpe
The struggle to abolish slavery is one of the grandest quests--and central themes--of modern history. These movements for freedom have taken many forms, from individual escapes, violent rebellions, and official proclamations to mass organizations, decisive social actions, and major wars. Every emancipation has profoundly transformed the country and society in which it existed.
This unique A-Z encyclopedia in the Credo Reference database examines every effort to end slavery in the United States and the transatlantic world. It focuses on massive, broad-based movements, as well as specific incidents, events, and developments, and pulls together in one place information previously available only in a wide variety of sources. It centers on the United States.
The Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition features primary source documents, a map of the transatlantic slave trade, illustrations, cross-references, a comprehensive chronology and bibliography, and covers a wide range of individuals and the major themes and ideas that motivated them to confront and abolish slavery.
Read a few of the interesting entries:
"Forty Acres and a Mule"
Sojourner Truth (ca. 1797-1883): former slave and inspirational leader of the abolitionist movement
Credo Reference is a database of more than 400 full-text reference books that can be accessed from the Goodwin Library page under "Find Articles".
Source: Credo Reference
The struggle to abolish slavery is one of the grandest quests--and central themes--of modern history. These movements for freedom have taken many forms, from individual escapes, violent rebellions, and official proclamations to mass organizations, decisive social actions, and major wars. Every emancipation has profoundly transformed the country and society in which it existed.
This unique A-Z encyclopedia in the Credo Reference database examines every effort to end slavery in the United States and the transatlantic world. It focuses on massive, broad-based movements, as well as specific incidents, events, and developments, and pulls together in one place information previously available only in a wide variety of sources. It centers on the United States.
The Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition features primary source documents, a map of the transatlantic slave trade, illustrations, cross-references, a comprehensive chronology and bibliography, and covers a wide range of individuals and the major themes and ideas that motivated them to confront and abolish slavery.
Read a few of the interesting entries:
"Forty Acres and a Mule"
Sojourner Truth (ca. 1797-1883): former slave and inspirational leader of the abolitionist movement
Credo Reference is a database of more than 400 full-text reference books that can be accessed from the Goodwin Library page under "Find Articles".
Source: Credo Reference
Friday, October 23, 2009
Conforts of Home: Flannery O'Connor Repository
Comforts of Home was constructed as a Web portal leading to reasonably reliable information about O'Connor and her work. In selecting the information and links, it set up criteria for content and accessibility to cull out spurious information and sites that are permanently "under construction".
The site hosts articles on O'Connor--her works, her life, her influences--whether critical analysis, or personal reviews. This is not designed to be a storehouse of board review and advanced scholarship, so you will find opinion pieces with a definite slant. Keep this in mind if you plan to use material from Comforts in your own research.
Internet Public Library also has resources on Flannery O'Connor.
The site hosts articles on O'Connor--her works, her life, her influences--whether critical analysis, or personal reviews. This is not designed to be a storehouse of board review and advanced scholarship, so you will find opinion pieces with a definite slant. Keep this in mind if you plan to use material from Comforts in your own research.
Internet Public Library also has resources on Flannery O'Connor.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Panihari: Water Women of India: New DVD
Arriving today in the Goodwin Library is the DVD "Panihar: Water Women of India." The filmmakers document life in the desert communities of Rajasthan. Their journey leads them to the Panihari (women who fetch water). The film centers around one of these women, Paru, a shoemaker's wife, as she struggles against nature and society to attain self-relaince for her family and herself. Vibran imagery, music, and folklore combine to paint a vivid picture of life as a Panihari.
Source: Recommendation from Bruce Morton; information from the DVD;
Image from Arts & Culture jhalawar.nic.in/arts.htm
How Good is Windows 7 for Colleges?
With the new Microsoft operating system, Windows 7, hitting the shelves today, there has been a lot of hoopla surrounding the product. But will it help colleges? Microsoft representatives demonstrated the new operating system at The Chronicle of Higher Education offices to bolster a claim that the new Windows — unlike a previous effort, the much-reviled Vista -- will be a major boon for higher education.
To find out if the product lives up to the hype, The Chronicle spoke with a number of college CIO's and IT project managers who have already tested and, to various degrees, deployed Windows 7. Their conclusion: Microsoft has taken a solid step forward, creating something that could save institutions some money and improve security, and is decidedly not Vista.
Source: Quoted from "How Good Is Windows 7 for Colleges?" by Ben Terris in Wired Campus
To find out if the product lives up to the hype, The Chronicle spoke with a number of college CIO's and IT project managers who have already tested and, to various degrees, deployed Windows 7. Their conclusion: Microsoft has taken a solid step forward, creating something that could save institutions some money and improve security, and is decidedly not Vista.
Source: Quoted from "How Good Is Windows 7 for Colleges?" by Ben Terris in Wired Campus
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Educators and APA Style and a Rubric--Oh My!
Nurse Educators and all APA users, this is for you! Authors of a recent article in the Journal of Nursing Education sought to gain a better understanding of faculty application and evaluation of APA style. It is an evidence-based, scientific article: abstract, literature review, method, results, discussion and recommendations.
The article includes eight tables and a bibliography. Table 8 is an example of the APA Style Rubric covering organization and format. Actually, this rubric could be used for MLA Style as well.
Highly recommended!
Source: "Faculty Applicationof the American Psychological Association Style"
Journal of Nursing Education Volume 48, Number 10
The article includes eight tables and a bibliography. Table 8 is an example of the APA Style Rubric covering organization and format. Actually, this rubric could be used for MLA Style as well.
Highly recommended!
Source: "Faculty Applicationof the American Psychological Association Style"
Journal of Nursing Education Volume 48, Number 10
Monday, October 19, 2009
It's Happening in Hartford
The 46 annual New England Library Association Conference is meeting this week for the first time ever in Hartford. More than 500 regional librarians and close to 200 exhibitors will spend most of 3 days attending workshops, networking, banquets, and more. Christina Deptulski and I are among those 500.
At the banquet last night, the 2009 Emerson Greenaway Award for distinguished service to the library community in New England was presented to the Connecticut State Librarian, Mr. Kendall F. Wiggin.
Ken Wiggin is an outstanding library leader in Connecticut, across the region, and across the nation. His leadership has brought several important initiatives to the State Library and the entire Connecticut library community including iCONN, the Connecticut Education Network, the Historical Documents Preservation program and Connecticut History Online.
The workshop I attended was the "Operating Systems (OS) Smackdown." Linux landed a hit with the latest Ubuntu OS distribution. Apple has a new OS X update (Snow Leopard). Windows 7 OS will soon be out. The Information Technology panelists demonstrated and discussed the latest and greatest offerings in these operating systems--some very cool applications.
At the banquet last night, the 2009 Emerson Greenaway Award for distinguished service to the library community in New England was presented to the Connecticut State Librarian, Mr. Kendall F. Wiggin.
Ken Wiggin is an outstanding library leader in Connecticut, across the region, and across the nation. His leadership has brought several important initiatives to the State Library and the entire Connecticut library community including iCONN, the Connecticut Education Network, the Historical Documents Preservation program and Connecticut History Online.
The workshop I attended was the "Operating Systems (OS) Smackdown." Linux landed a hit with the latest Ubuntu OS distribution. Apple has a new OS X update (Snow Leopard). Windows 7 OS will soon be out. The Information Technology panelists demonstrated and discussed the latest and greatest offerings in these operating systems--some very cool applications.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
National Book Award Finalists
This week the National Book Award Finalists were announced. Have you read any of these?
Fiction
American Salvage by Bonnie Campbell
Let the Great World Spin by colum McCann
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips
Far North by Marcel Theroux
Nonfiction
Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook by David Carroll
Remarkable Creatures by Sean Carroll
Fordlandia: Rise & Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City by G. Grandin
Poison KIng: Life & Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy by A. Mayor
First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbility by T. J. Stiles
Poetry
Versed by R. Armantrout
Or to Begin Again by A. Lauterbach
Speak Low by C. Phillips
Open Interval by L. Van Clief-Stefanon
Transcendental Studies by K. Waldrop
Young People's Literature
Charles and Emma by D. Heiligman
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by P. Hoose
Stitiches by D. Small
Jumped by R. Williams-Garcia
Lips Touch: Three Times by L. Taylor
Winners will be announced on November 18.
Fiction
American Salvage by Bonnie Campbell
Let the Great World Spin by colum McCann
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips
Far North by Marcel Theroux
Nonfiction
Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook by David Carroll
Remarkable Creatures by Sean Carroll
Fordlandia: Rise & Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City by G. Grandin
Poison KIng: Life & Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy by A. Mayor
First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbility by T. J. Stiles
Poetry
Versed by R. Armantrout
Or to Begin Again by A. Lauterbach
Speak Low by C. Phillips
Open Interval by L. Van Clief-Stefanon
Transcendental Studies by K. Waldrop
Young People's Literature
Charles and Emma by D. Heiligman
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by P. Hoose
Stitiches by D. Small
Jumped by R. Williams-Garcia
Lips Touch: Three Times by L. Taylor
Winners will be announced on November 18.
YOU CAN ACCESS DATABASES OFF-CAMPUS
You can access databases off-campus now. The Virtual Private Network (VPN) is working again.NO PASSWORDS FROM EBSCO OR OTHER VENDORS ARE NECESSARY NOW.
Follow the instructions on the library page for setting up the computer with the VPN. Then they can go to the library page, choose a database, and start searching.
Thank you IT Department and Sandy Pearce!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Book Recommendation: Paula Dowd
Paula Dowd, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, strongly--very strongly--recommends Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III. She says "it is the best book I have read in recent times. Difficult to put down. Impossible to forget."
In similar fashion to his previous bestseller,House of Sand and Fog, Dubus shows profound empathy as he gets inside the heads of a number of characters, with coincidence, chance and a clash of cultures building to a shattering climax. Through quick-cutting chapters (few longer than ten pages, many as short as one or two), he propels the action while providing the back stories that have brought these characters together for a night that will change their lives.
If Paula's recommendation is not enough, here's what Stephen King says about this book. "As soon as you close the book, you want to grab someone and tell them to read it — don't wait for the movie, read it now. Or you want to write about it, partly so people will know there's something really good in the pipeline, really alive, but also for a baser reason: You want to be able to say later on, ''I was there first. I knew.'' Paula was there first for us.
You, too, may tell us about a book or books that you are reading. Many readers of the blog are "book" people and love to hear about good reads.
There's an App for that!
You can tell a lot about people by their apps. Here, randomly selected New Yorkers— some recognizable names, some not— reveal their current and free smartphone obsessions.
Salman Rushdie, writer
Favorite app: Bump (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“It’s the one where, if you and I both had iPhones, you bump yours against mine and it exchanges our information.”
Katie Couric, anchor, CBS Evening News
Favorite app: TwitterBerry (Blackberry), free
“Makes tweeting really easy, like sending a text message.”
Will Swenson ,actor, Hair
Favorite app: Sheep Launcher (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“You have to launch a sheep into space. If you’re good, he goes to the planets. I’ve gotten to Jupiter, but my 8-year-old son has sent him all the way to Uranus.”
Jason Chen, editor, Gizmodo
Favorite app: Kindle (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“It’s basically the equivalent of a Kindle e-reader you can have with you anywhere.”
Nick Miscione, sales clerk, Metro Bikes
Favorite app: Big Oven (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“You get 160,000 recipes. I punch in ‘lasagne’ or ‘chili’ while I’m walking into the grocery store.”
I personally like the Sheep Launcher.
Source: New York Magazine
Salman Rushdie, writer
Favorite app: Bump (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“It’s the one where, if you and I both had iPhones, you bump yours against mine and it exchanges our information.”
Katie Couric, anchor, CBS Evening News
Favorite app: TwitterBerry (Blackberry), free
“Makes tweeting really easy, like sending a text message.”
Will Swenson ,actor, Hair
Favorite app: Sheep Launcher (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“You have to launch a sheep into space. If you’re good, he goes to the planets. I’ve gotten to Jupiter, but my 8-year-old son has sent him all the way to Uranus.”
Jason Chen, editor, Gizmodo
Favorite app: Kindle (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“It’s basically the equivalent of a Kindle e-reader you can have with you anywhere.”
Nick Miscione, sales clerk, Metro Bikes
Favorite app: Big Oven (iPhone/iPod Touch), free
“You get 160,000 recipes. I punch in ‘lasagne’ or ‘chili’ while I’m walking into the grocery store.”
I personally like the Sheep Launcher.
Source: New York Magazine
Researchers Unite!
"Researchers today"--that's all of us--"are blessed with increasingly accessible and abundant information, but this proliferation brings challenges. Researchers can now access a wider range of resources, but must spend more time finding the right information. The volume of available information is also growing researchers’ responsibility for information management. To stay effective, researchers must keep track of current research, spot interesting articles not only inside but also outside their fields, and organize data to share with research groups.
Search methods haven’t changed fundamentally in recent years, but are starting to. New display technologies and mobile devices, as well as the ability to combine information across resources (e.g., mash-ups), are changing how researchers find information. Semantic search, data mining and visualization are starting to change how people find, navigate and organize information."
That's why you have a great library staff to help you--just another blessing.
Source: Elsevier LibraryConnect by Frans Heeman, Joy Van Baren from Amsterdam, Netherlands and just a small bit from Marilyn Nowlan
Search methods haven’t changed fundamentally in recent years, but are starting to. New display technologies and mobile devices, as well as the ability to combine information across resources (e.g., mash-ups), are changing how researchers find information. Semantic search, data mining and visualization are starting to change how people find, navigate and organize information."
That's why you have a great library staff to help you--just another blessing.
Source: Elsevier LibraryConnect by Frans Heeman, Joy Van Baren from Amsterdam, Netherlands and just a small bit from Marilyn Nowlan
Engaging the Campus Community
According to Gloucestershire College, in England, Facebook and other social-networking Web sites can do more than provide a platform for vacation photos, favorite quotes, and status updates; they can help reduce dropout rates, the BBC reports.
The media-curriculum manager at the college, Perry Perrott, says that with the advent of social media, students have been better at keeping in touch with faculty members, which has lead to a “significant improvement in retention.”
After seeing how popular social-networking sites were with students, Mr. Perry says the college decided to embrace the technology as a cost-free way to further engage the campus.
The BBC also points out that the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency says sites like Facebook have a “positive effect on motivation.”
Source: Chronicle Today October 14
The media-curriculum manager at the college, Perry Perrott, says that with the advent of social media, students have been better at keeping in touch with faculty members, which has lead to a “significant improvement in retention.”
After seeing how popular social-networking sites were with students, Mr. Perry says the college decided to embrace the technology as a cost-free way to further engage the campus.
The BBC also points out that the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency says sites like Facebook have a “positive effect on motivation.”
Source: Chronicle Today October 14
New CLEP Exams Coming Next Year
On July 1, 2010, CLEP will launch two new exams: College Composition and College Composition Modular. Simultaneously, three CLEP exams will be retired:
English Composition with Essay will be replaced by College Composition
English Composition will be replaced by College Composition Modular.
Freshman College Composition will be replaced by College Composition Modular.
Both of the new examinations will assess writing skills taught in most first-year college composition courses.
College Composition includes multiple-choice items and two mandatory essays scored by CLEP. College English faculty from throughout the country score the essays via an online scoring system.
College Composition Modular includes a multiple-choice section that may be supplemented either with an essay section provided by CLEP and scored by the college, or an essay section provided and scored by the college. This exam is intended for colleges that want a valid, reliable multiple-choice assessment and greater local control over the direct writing assessment.
Source: Inside Higher Education October 14
English Composition with Essay will be replaced by College Composition
English Composition will be replaced by College Composition Modular.
Freshman College Composition will be replaced by College Composition Modular.
Both of the new examinations will assess writing skills taught in most first-year college composition courses.
College Composition includes multiple-choice items and two mandatory essays scored by CLEP. College English faculty from throughout the country score the essays via an online scoring system.
College Composition Modular includes a multiple-choice section that may be supplemented either with an essay section provided by CLEP and scored by the college, or an essay section provided and scored by the college. This exam is intended for colleges that want a valid, reliable multiple-choice assessment and greater local control over the direct writing assessment.
Source: Inside Higher Education October 14
Friday, October 09, 2009
Less Green in the Bank More Green on Campus
New portal allows universal access to sustainability data from 332 schools
Despite budget-breaking investment losses and widely fluctuating energy costs, many schools became greener during the last year, earning higher grades on the College Sustainability Report Card 2010. Released this week on the new GreenReportCard.org website by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the annual publication provides school profiles and grades along with exclusive insights about sustainability in higher education.
To promote shared learning in the down economy, the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s in-depth research on 332 colleges is now available at a new online portal. For the first time, the Institute is offering universal access to 1,100 sustainability survey responses about campus, dining and student initiatives, as well as endowment investment. Access to endowment information is intended to foster constructive dialogue about investment in clean energy and in community development, as well as about sustainability considerations in shareholder voting.
I think this is way cool.
Source: Information quoted from the College Sustainability Report Card
Despite budget-breaking investment losses and widely fluctuating energy costs, many schools became greener during the last year, earning higher grades on the College Sustainability Report Card 2010. Released this week on the new GreenReportCard.org website by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the annual publication provides school profiles and grades along with exclusive insights about sustainability in higher education.
To promote shared learning in the down economy, the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s in-depth research on 332 colleges is now available at a new online portal. For the first time, the Institute is offering universal access to 1,100 sustainability survey responses about campus, dining and student initiatives, as well as endowment investment. Access to endowment information is intended to foster constructive dialogue about investment in clean energy and in community development, as well as about sustainability considerations in shareholder voting.
I think this is way cool.
Source: Information quoted from the College Sustainability Report Card
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