When ‘Digital Natives’ Go to the Library

College and university librarians got some unconventional advice Saturday: Play more video games.

At a packed session for academic librarians attending the annual meeting of the American Library Association, in Washington, the topic was how to help students who have learned many of their information gathering and analysis skills from video games apply that knowledge in the library. Speakers said that gaming skills are in many ways representative of a broader cultural divide between today’s college students and the librarians who hope to teach them.

George M. Needham, vice president for member services of the Online Computer Library Center, stressed that he was not suggesting that college libraries “tear up the stacks to put in arcades,” but that they rethink many assumptions.

“The librarian as information priest is as dead as Elvis,” Needham said.

Fortunately, Needham offered thoughtful suggestions on how librarians can meet digital natives on their turf. You can read these, and the entire article (from which all of the information in this post was taken) by clicking...here (Inside Higher Ed, 25 June 2007, written by Scott Jaschik

In rare turnabout, student accuses teacher of plagiarism

This story reads like a soap opera.

Passing off someone's work as your own is a cardinal sin in college research. Students can be expelled. Professional reputations can be wrecked. While student plagiarism grabs headlines, allegations against teachers happen more than people realize, experts say. Because students rarely fight back, most accusations fade in the grumbling over beers after class.
This time, though, the student is suing.

Scheduled for trial this summer in Anoka County (MN), Mary Swenson's lawsuit against Sharon Bender may offer an unvarnished look at who controls ideas in the give-and-take of college research. It also may open a window on the complex ties between teachers and students who need a mentor's help and influence - and who understand they are unlikely to get the benefit of the doubt.

Swenson, 46, didn't expect confrontation in 2000 when she signed up at Capella, a for-profit, online university based in Minneapolis. Already a consultant based in Ham Lake, she liked the flexible scheduling she could have online. Capella offered a doctoral program in organizational psychology; the school said it was seeking accreditation from the American Psychological Association. It all seemed to fit nicely. (Capella has not received the accreditation.)

All the information in this post is taken directly from an article by Paul Tosto at TwinCities.com dated 18 June 2007. Read the entire article by clicking here.

Wanted: Savvy Grads in Math and Science

As this year’s college and university graduates head into the work force, New Jersey’s pharmaceutical and medical technology companies continue to be a leading source of jobs, offering excellent pay and benefits and promising career opportunities. The industry employs 60,000 workers statewide and modest growth is expected in all job categories for 2007-2010. The question is, will New Jersey’s graduates have the right educational preparation, especially in math and the sciences, to compete for jobs in this important sector?

A new report issued by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ) warns that there may not be enough qualified workers to fill projected job openings during the next several years.

Five of the six high-demand occupations identified in the report, titled “The Workforce Needs of New Jersey’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology Industry,” require a solid grounding in both math and science. However, relatively low numbers of New Jersey college graduates earn bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry, chemistry, animal science and marketing.

Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration and HINJ member companies are committed to developing a far-reaching work force development strategy to address these concerns. The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education is also supporting an Innovation Partnership Institute in the Life Sciences, housed at Rutgers University, whose purpose is to increase the number of graduates in critical fields of study.

The information contained in this post is taken directly from an article at NJBIZ.com dated 11 June 2007. The entire can be found here.

As stays in college get longer, costs grow

Only one in three college students in America gets a bachelor's degree in four years. In fact, the federal government uses a six-year rate to measure graduation success, but still only 56 percent ever graduate from the college they entered as freshmen.

"We need to ask ourselves: Why has six years become the norm?" said Danette Gerald of the Education Trust, a Washington, D.C. think tank. "We have a good deal of success in getting students into college, but not in getting them out."

Overall, New Jersey's state colleges have rates that are closely aligned with how selective they are in the first place. The College of New Jersey in Ewing Township, the most selective, has a four-year graduation rate of 66.2 percent, while New Jersey City University, one of the least selective, has a four-year rate of just 7 percent.

The state's private schools also have rates that closely reflect how selective they are. Princeton University, one of the most selective in the country, tops the list in New Jersey with a four-year graduation rate of 89 percent and a six-year rate of 96.4 percent. Bloomfield College has the lowest four-year rate of 5.5 percent and a six-year rate of 33.5 percent.

All of the information in this post has been taken directly from an article in NorthJersey.com dated 27 May 2007. The entire article is available here. The article includes some tips on graduating in four years.

Stanley Measure Creating Task Force on School-University Partnerships Released

The Assembly Education Committee today released legislation Assemblyman Craig Stanley sponsored to establish a task force to study and promote best practices for school-university partnerships that seek to improve the education of public school students in low-income communities.

"In some urban neighborhoods, partnerships among universities and local public schools are bridging gaps for young students," said Stanley (D-Essex), who chairs the education panel. "Whether they provide after-school, tutoring, or mentoring programs, these partnerships need to effectively meet the needs of the community."

"Some of the country's finest institutions of higher education sit within a stone's throw of some of New Jersey's neediest schools," Stanley continued. "The resources and people available at our colleges and universities must be utilized to effect real, positive changes in our elementary schools students."

The bill (A-2082) was released by a vote of 10-0. It now goes to the Assembly Speaker, who decides if and when to post it for a floor vote.

The information in this post was taken directly from PoliticsNJ.com dated 21 May 2007. The entire article is available here.

Presidential Candidates' Positions on Higher Education

Let me begin by offering this disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the John Edwards for President Campaign nor do I endorse Edwards for President. I am putting this upfront because over the next few months I would like to explore the positions of the major candidates for president regarding higher education. The issue of education is of the utmost importance for the United States in the 21st century.

Wehave seen that many of the things that candidates say before they are elected is often disconnected from what actually happens after they are elected. However, we can use their public position statements as indicators to what may happen in the future.

As part of the 2008 campaign, John Edwards has announced his College Opportunity Agenda. Details about the agenda can be found on Edwards's website. I would just like to take a second to summarize.

Edwards hopes to make college more affordable for everyone. His "College for Everyone" initiative would pay for one year of college tuition, fees, and books for any student who is willing to work hard and stay out of trouble. The initiative is based on the College for Everyone initiative in Greene County, North Carolina. Edwards first discussed the idea in his 2004 campaign. Edwards is also proposed a number of other initiatives to help students prepare for college. These include: simplifying the application process for student aid, and the assigning of counselors to help students choose the correct track further college experience; and, require all students to borrow directly from the Department of Education, which would eliminate bank subsidies on student loans and free up almost $6 billion a year to make college more affordable.

"The chance to go to college meant everything in my life, and I want every young person to have the same chance," said Edwards. "Unfortunately, for too many families, this chance is out of reach. College for Everyone will open the door to a higher education for millions of young people, so they have the opportunity to realize the American Dream. Every young person who is willing to work hard should have the chance to get an education and get ahead."

Details about the plan are available as a fact sheet on Edwards's website.

Additional items:

College for Everyone in the USA (News & Observer, NC)
Higher Ed and 2008 (Inside Higher Ed)