Mid-Pacific ICT Center

Online Teaching Conference 2012: Register Now

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:57:00 +0000

"Join your community college colleagues in San Jose this June for a conference focused on online education, including delivery of online services such as student, faculty, library and technical support.

Registration is now open for the 2012 Online Teaching Conference (OTC).

"The OTC, now in its 11th year, focuses on community college faculty, staff and administrators engaged (or interested) in online education including delivery of online services. This year’s conference will be held June 13-15, 2012, at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, California. This year's theme is “The Many Faces of Online Teaching” with special emphasis on open content, textbooks and applications, as well as the many faces of individuals involved in online education.

The conference keynote addresses help to illustrate the theme:

Yong Zhao
Keynote, Thursday, June 14: "When Distance Is Dead: The Implications of Global and Open Education," Yong Zhao

Zhao is currently Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education, College of Education at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as the director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE). He is a fellow of the International Academy for Education.

Amelito Enriquez
Keynote, Friday, June 15: "Confessions of a Reluctant Online Instructor," Amelito Enriquez

Enriquez is a Professor of Engineering and Mathematics at CaÃ±ada College, Redwood City, California.

Both in-person and/or online attendance are available. Early bird registration ends April 20th. Online attendance is free, however registration is still required. In-person attendee fees include breakfast and lunch.

$125 early bird (offer ends midnight, April 20, 2012)
$175 regular (April 21, 2011 - June 11, 2012)
$225 onsite...

For more information about the 2012 OTC, please visit the Online Teaching Conference 2012 website.

Explore ePortfolio Technologies For Free

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:54:00 +0000

"An ongoing webinar series has spawned a rich, mulitmedia resource for educators looking to use electronic portfolios for teaching and learning, accreditation, and other student services. The series includes four more webinars through April.

""The Exploring ePortfolio Technologies Webinar Series, a collaborative resource project betweenePortfolio California, EPAC, and AAEEBL, returns this year with seven new electronic portfolio tools to explore. The webinar sessions, which are free to the public, began on January 18 and will run bi-weekly on Wednesdays through April 25.

The goal of this effort is to produce a rich, multimedia resource for educators who are seeking answers to questions about electronic portfolios for teaching and learning, as well as institutions looking to integrate an ePortfolio solution for accreditation and other student services.

http://eportfolioca.org

""The webinars are more than just a sales pitch by developers and service providers on how to use their tool", said Patty Donohue, Program Manager for ePortfolio California. "They are an opportunity to interact with the developers and learn about the philosophy and pedagogy behind their product and how it compares to similar tools offering the similar functionality. Plus, having Trent Batson, Executive Director of AAEEBL organization, interview these developers and keep them on their toes, creates a dynamic that cannot be found in a static set of white papers or a Flash tutorial.”

"The resource also includes technical information, pricing and licensing information, and details about the business operations of the development organization. There is also a handy, side-by-side comparison matrix that can be downloaded or revisited by educators at any time. This matrix will grow as more ePortfolio tools and vendors are added to the resource.

"“It may help educators to know that a particular tool is being used in 59 countries around the world, or another tool is a hosted, "software-as-a-solution", full-service package. These details cannot be found currently in any other resource," Donohue said.

"The resource is housed on the ePortfolio California website and continues to grow with each new webinar session. Based on the response and attendance during last fall’s series (458 people attended the seven sessions and hits to the ePortfolio California resource page has tripled since the beginning of the series) the 2012 series is expected to see similar attendance.

"The 2012 schedule includes PebblePad, TaskStream, iCampus21, Symplicity, 3 Canoes, Chalk & Wire, and RCampus. Click here to pre-register for one or all of the upcoming sessions."

CCC TechEDge

WhyCTE.org and CTE Month

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:19:00 +0000

As you may know, February is Career Technical Education (CTE) month. In honor of the great effort to promote CTE and to raise awareness of the benefits of CTE, the not-for-profit WebProfessionals.org is pleased to announce upgrades to the WhyCTE.org initiative and website.

With over 6,000 subscribers globally the WhyCTE.org website (see

http://whycte.org) is complete with CTE news, videos, interviews with stakeholders and more.

Please visit and show your support for CTE.

GRANT OPPORTUNITY! Engaging Hispanic/Latino(a) Youth mini-grant applications due 3/1

noreply@blogger.com (Olivia Herriford) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:58:00 +0000

The Computer Science Collaboration Project is pleased to announce the availability of mini-grants up to $5,000 for teachers, informal educators, school administrators, community leaders, industry representatives and higher education representatives who are interested in collaborating with one or more organization to complete projects to further computer science opportunities for Hispanic/Latino(a) youth. The Computer Science Collaborative Project is funded in part by the National Science Foundation’s Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) program. The project is focused on outreach to and collaboration with persons with disabilities and African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and women.

Applications are available online until March 1 on the Computer Science Collaboration Project’s Website . Recipients of the mini-grants will be announced by mid-April.
See requirements, rubric, resources, and application here:http://www.cscproject.org/index.php?q=node/152.

If you have any questions regarding the application process I will be attending the ITEST summit and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Jacob Martinez
CSCP Engaging Hispanic/Latino(a) Youth Collaboration Leadership Team Member
Project Director
Watsonville TEC (Tecnología-Educación-Comunidad)
The Center for Youth Success at ETR Associates
4 Carbonero Way
Scotts Valley, CA 95066

831-438-4060 x246
831-439-9651 fax
Facebook: Click here to join our group
www.etr.org

Originally sent to the Bay Area Community College Consortium List Serv on February 22, 2012

Free SQL Server Education Event

noreply@blogger.com (Olivia Herriford) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:44:00 +0000

Hello SQL Server Professional,

Our first Silicon Valley SQLSaturday is coming up soon.

SQLSaturdays are free one day educational events held all over the world, supported by The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS).

You can choose from six tracks:

SQL Server 2012 Launch
DBA
Development
Business Intelligence
Cloud / Azure
Bonus Track

Our speakers are world class, including my co-host Ross Mistry of Microsoft, Denny Cherry, Grant Fritchey of Red Gate, Kevin Kline of Quest, Denise McInerney of Intuit, Rushabh Mehta and Peter Myers of SolidQ, Joy Mundy of Kimball Group, Wendy Pastrick, and Dean Richards of Confio.

If you haven't already, register for the event and let your friends and colleagues know about it too.

See you on March 3rd!

Mark Ginnebaugh
mark@designmind.com
SQL Server MVP and President, DesignMind

See our location

Check out the sessions

SQLSaturday Silicon Valley

CompTIA Training Courseware available for advanced security certification

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:32:00 +0000

Courseware is now available for CompTIA's new mastery-level credential for advanced security skills.

The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certification is designed for information assurance professionals in technical leadership roles in an IT enterprise environment.

The CASP certification is the first in a new series of master-level credentials that CompTIA is developing this year.

Training materials for CASP are available through the CompTIA Marketplace.

California Community Colleges Hit by February Surprise of Unexpected Additional $149 Million Budget Cut

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:03:00 +0000

"Additional cut brings total 2011-12 reductions to $564 million; relief would maintain access

"Already reeling from $313 million in cuts in the 2011-12 enacted budget and $102 million in "triggered cuts" in January, California's 112 community colleges learned late Thursday that they will likely face an additional $149 million cut in the current fiscal year. The latest cuts amount to an additional reduction of $135 per student and threatens more class cuts.

"Before the latest cuts, community college were operating with $996 million (23%) is less funding since 2008-09, and have reduced enrollment by nearly 284,000 students at a time when demographically they should have significantly increased enrollment. Even with the reduced enrollment, funding per student has dropped by $554, or 9.3%.

""It is unconscionable that the state continues to foreclose on educational opportunity at this time of record demand and high unemployment," said Scott Lay, President and CEO of the Community College League of California. "These latest cuts threaten the elimination of even more classes and more faculty and staff layoffs."

"The surprise cut came when districts were provided the first state community college financial update of the year, which showed that revenue from state-determined student enrollment fees were $106 million below projections, and that property tax revenues included in the budget lagged state estimates. This resulted in insufficient resources for the state to meet its promised per-student funding and instead a determination that the funding should be deficited by 3.4%.

""We call on the Legislature to quickly pass legislation to address this unexpected cut," said Theresa Tena, the League’s Director of Fiscal Policy. "By fulfilling this funding commitment by June, we can ensure that students will have access to summer school classes in many parts of the state where access is threatened and avoid further layoffs."

""This latest development brings the one-year cut to California's three segments of public higher education to over $2.1 billion, and demonstrates why it is essential to support the governor's plan to ask taxpayers to support a balanced approach that gets our state's budget back on the right track," said Lay.

"The Community College League of California is a nonprofit association of California’s 72 community college districts, serving the districts in governmental relations, leadership development and district services."

[full release with district cut breakdown]

Truth About the March 8 Internet Doomsday

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:47:00 +0000

"Heard the one about the FBI shutting down the Internet next month?

"...an untold number of people may lose their Internet connection in less than three weeks, if they do they only have nefarious web criminals to blame and certainly not the FBI.

"If people end up in the dark on March 8 it’s because they’re still infected with the malware the FBI started warning people about last November when it shut down a long-standing Estonian Web traffic hijacking operation that controlled people’s computers using a family of DNSChanger viruses. The malware works by replacing the DNS (Domain Name System) servers defined on a victim's computer with fraudulent servers operated by the criminals. As a result, visitors are unknowingly redirected to websites that distributed fraudulent software or displayed ads that put money into the bad guys’ pockets.

"To help protect victims, the FBI replaced the rogue servers with legitimate ones -- a measure the agency said would be in effect for 120 days. Had it not taken that step and simply shut down the bad servers back in November, infected computers would have been immediately blocked from Internet access....The malware also prevents security updates and disables installed security software.

"So the current problem isn’t that the FBI will be shutting down the Internet when the 120 days runs out on March 8, it’s that many people and organizations haven’t removed the malware from their computers. In fact, as many as half of Fortune 500 companies and government agencies are delinquent in updating, according to some reports.

"...The FBI ...does offer a resource paper [PDF] with guidance...

"As another alternative, you can use the free Avira DNS Repair Tool to figure out if a computer is using one of the temporary DNS servers. Unfortunately, the tool only works on Windows and doesn't actually remove the Trojan.

"Indeed, removing the malware is a challenge...

"To get help, network administrators can send a request to one of the members of the DCWG and home users can use the step-by-step instructions at the DCWG Web site to see if they’re infected with the DNSChanger malware...

PCWorld

NIST report: “Recommendations for Establishing an Identity Ecosystem Governance Structure”

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:32:00 +0000

"The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC), signed by the President in April 2011, states, “A secure cyberspace is critical to our prosperity.” This powerful declaration makes clear that securing cyberspace is absolutely essential to increasing the security and privacy of transactions conducted over the Internet. The Identity Ecosystem envisioned in the NSTIC is an online environment that will enable people to validate their identities securely, but with minimized disclosure of personal information when they are conducting transactions. The vibrant marketplace created by the Identity Ecosystem will provide individuals with choices among multiple accredited identity providers, both private and public, and choices among multiple credentials. The added convenience, security, and privacy provided within the Identity Ecosystem will allow additional services to be put online to drive greater economic growth."

NIST

Brit hacker in jail for 'extensive' Facebook breach

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:08:00 +0000

"Invasion was the most serious case of its kind, say prosecutors

"A British student, who hacked into Facebook's internal network risking "disastrous" consequences for the website, was jailed for eight months on Friday in what prosecutors described as the most serious case of its kind they had seen...

"Glenn Mangham, 26, a software development student, admitted infiltrating Facebook from his bedroom at his parents' house in York in northern England last year, sparking fears at the U.S. company that it was dealing with major industrial espionage.

"Mangham said he had previously helped search engine Yahoo Inc improve its security and wanted to do the same for Facebook. However, prosecutors rejected his explanation...

MSNBC

MIT launches free online 'fully automated' course

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:13:00 +0000

"Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world's top-rated universities, has announced its first free course which can be studied and assessed completely online.

"An electronics course, beginning in March, will be the first prototype of an online project, known as MITx.

"The interactive course is designed to be fully automated, with successful students receiving a certificate.

"The US university says it wants MITx to "shatter barriers to education".

"This ground-breaking scheme represents a significant step forward in the use of technology to deliver higher education.

"Automated university

"There are already online degree courses, but the MIT proposal is unusual in that it is inviting students anywhere in the world, without charge or prior entrance requirements, to study for a certificate carrying the MIT brand.

"MIT, along with many other leading universities, makes its course material available online, but the MITx scheme takes this a step further by creating an accredited course specifically for online students.

"Study materials and the awarding of grades are all provided online.

"Before Christmas, the Boston-based university announced its intention to create MITx.

"On Monday it set out how this will be put into practice, with the creation of the course 6.002x: Circuits and Electronics, based on the campus-based course of the same name.

"This is not a "watered down" version of the campus course or "any less intense", says a university spokesman.

"The main difference is that the MITx version has been designed for online students, with a virtual laboratory, e-textbooks, online discussions and videos that are the equivalent of a lecture. It is expected to take 10 hours per week and will run until June.

"Anant Agarwal, director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, who will be one of the course teachers, says it has been "designed to try to keep it engaging".

""There are interactive exercises to see if they've understood," says Prof Agarwal.

"Although there are no formal entry requirements, he says students will need to have a knowledge of maths and science.

"'Honour code'

"In this prototype stage, the online assessment will depend on an "honour code" in which home students will commit to honest behaviour. But in future, the university says, there will be mechanisms for checking identity and verifying work..."

BBC

The Spray On Antenna?

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:08:00 +0000

Lower Energy Consumption, Better Range

"Chamtech Enterprises is hoping to make signal issues a thing of the past with a new form of spray on antennathe company demonstrated this week at Google's Solve for X conference. Chamtech's co-founder Anthony Sutera explains the idea in a video, claiming that the technology -- discovered by accident -- will allow wireless signal transmission at greater distances with a fraction of the energy consumption. It also could eliminate the need for massive and ugly cell towers, given it can be applied to everyday objects like buildings, rocks, and trees (they claim to have sent a VHF signal up to 14 miles via a tree). At the very least, it could be a mean way to pick on any locals claiming to have wirelesselectrosensitivity."

DSLReports

Career Readiness Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Through his California Career Readiness Initiative, SSPI Tom Torlakson has directed the California Department of Education to proceed with 17 key objectives to support, sustain and strengthen Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the State. His Initiative builds upon goals outlined in "A Blueprint For Great Schools."

Objectives

1. Launch Career Readiness Initiative Campaign: On February 14, 2012, State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Tom Torlakson asked practitioners of Career and Technical Education (CTE) throughout California to join him in implementing the Initiative by promoting their local efforts, and advocating for program expansion, resources and support for CTE throughout the State.

2. Adopt and Promote New Statewide CTE Logo and Branding: As part of this campaign, the California Department of Education (CDE) has adopted and will promote new branding developed in partnership with the National Association of State Career Technical Education Directors Consortium: "CTE: Learning that Works for California."

3. Educate Stakeholders: Through this awareness campaign, SSPI Torlakson asks CTE practitioners and CDE staff to educate parents, students, teachers, business and civic leaders and educators on the benefits and successes of CTE programs, and to encourage them to support the further use and development of these various pathways to career readiness.

4. Promote and Increase Use of CTE Programs as a Viable Pathway to Career Readiness: Through his campaign, SSPI Torlakson has asked staff and CTE practitioners to promote and expand use of the State’s 34,000 CTE courses so students have access to career pathways in high tech, computer science, health sciences, construction, the arts, agriculture and other various industries. In addition, CDE will focus on promoting and expanding use of the 11,000 CTE courses that meet the a-g criteria needed for students to enter our state colleges and Universities.

5. Increase CTE Enrollment: CDE staff will develop strategies with educational partners to increase the number of students taking CTE courses in the State to help ensure more students are career ready. Currently, 1 million students are enrolled in such programs statewide.

6. Support and Expand Career Technical Student Organizations: SSPI Torlakson will work with legislative leaders and stakeholders to preserve funding and to expand these organizations to provide students with increased leadership development, and industry-based competitions to demonstrate their career readiness.

7. Increase Use of the University of California Curriculum Integration Institute: CDE will utilize the Senate Bill 70 funding to expand the successful institute process to develop CTE courses that also meet rigorous a-g criteria in designated academic content areas.

8. Implement Linked Learning Pilot Program: CDE will plan and initiate a Linked Learning pilot program to implement the provisions of the newly enacted Assembly Bill 790. The pilots will be designed as district led school re-design initiatives that integrate career-themed pathways into the organization and instructional practices of participating high schools.

9. Revise and disseminate CTE Standards aligned with the Common Core: CDE will work with stakeholders in developing the revised standards and present them to the State Board of Education for adoption. In addition, a series of presentations and professional development opportunities will be conducted to assist schools in incorporating the standards into the curriculum.

10. Promote and Increase Use of Career Exploration: The California Career Resource Network will launch a new career and college Web portal for middle and high school students in the spring to help them explore and plan for post-high school options. CDE staff will promote and increase the use of other career exploration and planning tools within California schools.

11. Encourage Concurrent Enrollment: In collaboration with the higher education segments, CDE will identify successful concurrent enrollment practices among districts and colleges and share these approaches statewide.

12. Increase Industry Certification Programs and Work-Based Learning: CDE will develop strategies to expand industry certification programs and work-based learning opportunities.

13. Advocate for Continued State and Federal Funding for CTE Programs: SSPI Torlakson will work with legislative leaders to continue state funding for California Partnership Academies and other CTE programs through SB 70, and protect federal Perkins funding.

14. Support Local Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCPs): CDE staff will promote successful program practices, and collaborate on strategies to increase their role in improving all CTE programs within their service areas. ROCPs provide the majority of CTE courses in the state and are a major resource to school districts and California business and industry partners in building the career preparedness of students.

15. Advocate for Inclusion of CTE in Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): SSPI Torlakson will work with federal agencies and policy makers to include career academies and career pathway approaches into the reauthorization of ESEA.

16. Promote and Expand Articulation Agreements: CDE staff will highlight the more than 1,400 articulation agreements that exist between our high schools and surrounding middle schools and colleges, and work to expand them into other areas of the state that may benefit from such partnerships.

17. Increase Use of Social Media and the Internet to Promote Career Readiness: CDE staff has created new Facebook and Twitter accounts devoted specifically to communicate with CTE practitioners on campaign and program developments, to solicit feedback, and to promote use of CTE in the State’s schools. To follow us on the Web:

CaliforniaCTE on Twitter (Outside Source) | California-CTE on Facebook (Outside Source)

http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/cr/index.asp

California Career Readiness Initiative

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:50:00 +0000

State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Tom Torlakson Tuesday asked practitioners of Career Technical Education (CTE) throughout California to join him in implementing the California Career Readiness Initiative by promoting their local efforts, and advocating for program expansion, resources and support for CTE throughout the State. SSPI Torlakson unveiled the Initiative at the Educating for Careers Conference in Sacramento.

Details of the Initiative, featuring 17 key objectives to support, sustain, and strengthen Career Technical Education in the State, can be located at the following link: http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr12/yr12rel15.asp

Also, please sign up to follow us on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, and our new campaign Website, to keep apprised of Initiative and CTE program news. We look forward to working with you on this exciting campaign!

Callifornia Career Readiness Initiative Website:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/cr/index.asp

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/CaliforniaCTE

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/California-CTE/350885248257044

DICE report: Industry Certifications matter in ICT hiring

noreply@blogger.com (Pierre Thiry) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:31:00 +0000

According to a recent survey conducted by DICE: "Forty percent of tech consultants said obtaining a certification helped them land a new gig, which is about 10 percentage points higher than their colleagues working in traditional roles.

The top ten most notable certifications according to their online survey of more than 28,000 tech. consultants administered last Fall were in order:

A+
PMP (Project Management Professional)
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
Security+
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)
Network+
MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional)
CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional)

The 10 Most Innovative Colleges in the Country

noreply@blogger.com (Olivia Herriford) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Like any good business, a college must innovate to survive. With rising tuition fees and more competitors entering the market, institutions of higher learning are constantly trying to stay on the cutting edge of education so that they can continue to attract students. These 10 colleges and universities stand out for the trails they continue to blaze in academia.

The University Model: BYU-Idaho

Since 2000, BYU-Idaho has instituted a number of innovations that could save higher education as we know it. The school year is year-round, which allows it to serve 50% more students while saving 20% of costs per student. That operating cost per student has only risen 3% since 2000, compared to 34% for Texas universities. BYU-Idaho also prioritizes student development over faculty and research through a quality-of-learning assessment method it calls the "Learning Model." Couple all that with online education with $65 classes, and this is one school changing the name of the college game.
Engineering: Olin College

The idea behind Olin’s founding was to create a school where students didn’t just learn engineering theory, they learned by doing in the field. President Richard Miller defines the school’s style as "student-centered" and "design-centered." Because of this philosophy, Olin is on the forefront of engineering topics like robotics. Students build things like robotic tractors and learn from faculty who are un-tenured, all at a low tuition cost. Enrollment is small enough that every student receives a scholarship, an innovative feature in its own right.
Robotics: Carnegie Mellon University

CMU regularly makes headlines for its innovations, like becoming the first campus with a wired computer network in the 1980s. In recent times, President Obama has stopped by to tout the school’s robotics program, which is working on advances in areas like military equipment and sewer systems. The school’s innovation lab is well-known as a leader in aerospace and aviation technology, and it works closely with NASA. Carnegie Mellon is also one of a handful of schools allowing students to not only create classes, but teach them.
Aeronautics: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT has had a long and full history of innovation in a number of fields, and it continues to discover fresh ways of doing things. The school continues to innovate research in the field of aeronautics, allowing students to use wind tunnels, design rover robots, and even collaborate with students at Georgia Tech on a Mars satellite. On a different front, MIT is pioneering social media technology on campus with its iSpots program, which can track students anywhere on campus and provide helpful data to administrators about wi-fi usage patterns, heavy traffic physical locations, and more.
Admissions: Milwaukee School of Engineering

The college admissions process is a painful experience for many hopeful students, filled with strict guidelines and often unhelpful officials. But the Milwaukee School of Engineering may have developed the solution. Their Bridge program is an original approach to the process of applying to college. Following the model of social media, the program serves as a way for applicants to create a profile and connect with admissions counselors, other applicants, and students to share advice and information. In the past, this function has been served by third-party websites; but the benefit of MSE’s program is the school can maintain the accuracy of the information on a medium (the internet) where inaccuracy abounds.

Environmental Friendliness: College of the Atlantic

Maintaining a green campus is still a new area for college administrators to focus on, so much of what is being done is innovative. And College of the Atlantic is as green as they come. Consistently rated among the greenest colleges in the country, this school in Maine is in its fifth year of being carbon-neutral. A wind turbine serves the organic farm; every volt of electricity comes from hydropower. This spirit of environmental stewardship obviously influences the students, who spend their time creating new ways to recycle, and designing renewable power systems for use in under-developed countries.
Online Education: National University

NU is an innovator in an increasingly-crowded field of online educators. Taking course flexibility to another level, National’s enrollment is year-round because the courses are one-per-month, meaning you can start when you want and focus the study time you have on one class. The school continues to add online information centers to give students from a wider geographic range a campus to go to. The classes can be interactive, real-time, and cooperative with other students. Low tuition fees and skilled financial advisors are two innovations brick-and-mortar schools would be wise to emulate.
Technology: Seton Hill

Many colleges are experimenting with mobile technology in classrooms, but Seton Hill is jumping in with both feet. Begun in 2010, the school’s Griffin Technology Advantage involved giving every student and faculty member an iPad: "An iPad for Everyone." The idea was to turn every classroom into a potential computer lab, allowing students 24/7 access to "a world of learning." The school had begun training faculty to incorporate new tech in 2008, and two years later the Center for Innovative Teaching opened at the school to keep faculty and students abreast of the latest uses of mobile computing, and to house the InQuiryZone, Seton Hill’s extra-smart classroom.
Business: Harvard University

The words "Harvard" and "business" go together like Orville and Wilbur. The famous institution plans to stay at the top of college innovation with Hi, the Harvard Innovation lab, a place for students and people all over the world to collaborate on ideas and continue its 375-year tradition of entrepreneurship and creativity. The lab has already partnered with innovators like Peter Boyce, a Harvard student and creator of Hack Harvard and Harvard College Venture Partners. Boyce’s idea is to connect entrepreneurial students with alumni "who are building cool stuff" and provide them the tools they need to create successful products and companies.
Community Awareness: Wagner College

Many educators are starting to appreciate the need for student activism in their respective communities. To this end they are creating service learning programs, where students use classroom knowledge to benefit their neighbors. Wagner College is a leader of this movement. The focus here is on "connected learning," and students must take three learning community courses with associated weekly community volunteer work. By graduation students will have completed hundreds of hours of community service. Students are encouraged to take an Alternative Spring Break of serving instead of partying. Wagner’s approach to learning-by-doing is a truly innovative way to produce well-rounded graduates.

Originally posted at OnlineUniversities.com

Free Green IT Workshop 4/26 at Mission College

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are currently attributed to IT operations. That does not include power drains from consumer electronics in homes. "Green IT" efforts to reduce those emissions are increasingly important strategically to all kinds of organizations and efforts.

Additionally, ICT is a key strategic element of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in most industries. "Smart Grid" are efforts to integrate sensors, controls and information systems into electricity distribution systems to make them more efficient and reduce associated greenhouse gases. "Smart Buildings" are efforts to integrate sensors, controls and information systems into building management systems to make them more efficient and reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions. "Smart Transportation" are efforts to integrate sensors, controls and information systems into traffic management and control systems to make them more efficient and reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions...

Green ICT is a set of values, goals and efforts to use ICT to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and Green ICT is increasingly a part of the mindset and jobs of many ICT workers.

Following is information on a free Green IT workshop at Mission College in Santa Clara, CA on April 26th, 2012, from 6 to 9pm.

West Valley College Center for Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy

Wireless Power Transmission on ATETV

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:29:00 +0000

Imagine life without cables, plugs, cords, chargers or batteries? In this day and age of all things mobile, is it possible? We need those tools to power the devices we use daily. Or do we? What if all of our mobile devices could be powered wirelessly? This week on ATETV, we visit WiTricity; a company that is pushing the boundaries of wireless electricity and maybe on the verge of truly changing our world. According to their Web site, www.witricity.com, WiTricity Technology transfers electric energy over distance without wires using a process called resonant magnetic coupling. Want to know more? Tune in today!

ATETV

California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott Praises President Obama’s Call to Provide the Nation’s Community Colleges with $8 billion

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:25:00 +0000

Funding plan will help community colleges and businesses expand partnerships to train two million workers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott today issued a statement on President Obama’s proposed 2012-13 national budget that recommends focusing $8 billion on a three-year program that will expand partnerships between community colleges and the business community in order to train and employ two million workers in technical and skilled manufacturing jobs:
“President Obama continues to see the value of community colleges as the cornerstone in creating a strong and educated workforce to fuel our nation’s economic recovery and train and place millions of workers in middle-skills jobs. An $8 billion investment represents the president’s strong confidence in the ability of our nation’s community colleges to train a workforce that can compete in both the local and global marketplace.

“California’s community colleges will absolutely play an important role in President Obama’s initiative. Our system educates 2.6 million students annually which means twenty-five percent of the nation’s community college students are enrolled in a California community college. This proposal, if enacted, will help grow and strengthen statewide and local business partnerships. We are well positioned to be a key player in working with the federal government to stimulate our nation’s economic recovery by preparing a skilled workforce that meets the needs of a changing job market. I’m pleased that President Obama understands that committing funds to our community colleges is an investment and not a cost.

“I encourage members of Congress to support the president’s community college job training initiative as it will not only prepare students for jobs but ultimately help get millions of Americans back to work.”

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation. It is composed of 72 districts and 112 colleges serving 2.6 million students per year. Community colleges supply workforce training, basic skills courses in English and math, and prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The Chancellor’s Office provides leadership, advocacy and support under the direction of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.

6 key skills new IT grads are lacking

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:23:00 +0000

"New tech graduates are smart, their IT managers say, but they still need coaching in these key areas...

1. Knowledge of Business Basics

2. Experience With Systems Integration

3. Emerging Technologies Expertise

4. The Tech Basics

5. Familiarity With Legacy Systems

6. The Ability to Work on a Team

Learn more at Computerworld

How Much Are Your Social Media Skills Worth?

noreply@blogger.com (Olivia Herriford) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"Employment agency OnWardSearch is kicking off Social Media Week by releasing an infographic that gives a snapshot of the state of salaries in the field.

"The Salary Guide, which gives the top 20 markets as well as salary ranges for top job titles in each metro area, is coupled with a post on career advice from leading marketers. Not surprisingly, the left coast remains one of the better places to head to if you want to make a living blogging, tweeting or managing brands on social networks, but don't rule out the northeast - particularly New York (which tops the list) and Boston (which checks in at number five)."

Continue reading the original post by Dave Copeland for more info about social media job titles and salary ranges.

Employment Rate For Young Adults Lowest In 60 Years, Study Says

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:39:00 +0000

"...Just 54 percent of Americans ages 18 to 24 currently have jobs, according to a study released Thursday by the Pew Research Center. That's the lowest employment rate for this age group since the government began keeping track in 1948. And it's a sharp drop from the 62 percent who had jobs in 2007 -- suggesting the recession is crippling career prospects for a broad swath of young people who were still in high school or college when the downturn began...

"The Pew study arrives just days after the Labor Department's monthly jobs report, which showed the national unemployment rate trending down for a fifth straight month -- a change that many took as a sign that the economy is finally beginning to right itself. Yet joblessness is still high, and financial security remains out of reach for millions more people than just a few years ago.

"Young adults were largely spared the collapse in wealth that many older Americans went through when the housing market imploded. Still, in some ways they have it the worst of any demographic. Besides the historically low employment rate for people in their late-teens and early-20s -- which is, incidentally, about 15 percentage points below the general employment rate for working-age adults, according to Pew -- the recession has eroded young workers' paychecks to a far greater degree than any other age group.

"Among adults ages 18 to 34, more than a third say they have gone back to school in the face of a tough labor market, the Pew study notes. Nearly a quarter have taken an unpaid job or moved back in with parents. One in five have put off having a child or getting married due to economic concerns...

"...a wealth of research suggests that young people who enter the job market during a recession face years of wages that are lower than people who got there slightly sooner and had a chance to establish themselves. People who graduated and kicked off their job search in 2009 or 2010 are likely to experience pay 10 to 15 percent lower than their peers', for as much as a decade after leaving school.

"If all of this seems like grim news for young people, they can at least take comfort knowing that older generations seem to recognize their struggles.

"The Pew study found that among the general population, 41 percent of people think young adults have it tougher than anyone in the current job market, and a growing number of parents say they believe children should aim for economic independence by age 25, rather than a younger age.

"Part of that cross-generational commiseration may come from the fact that huge segments of the national population are struggling financially right now. Shierholz told The Huffington Post that the obstacles faced by young job-seekers reflect the muted health of the overall economy.

""Things were not so great even before the recession hit," she said, citing the growth of the wage gap and the decline of labor unions -- trends that predate the current slump by several decades -- as factors keeping the lower and middle classes from achieving greater economic buoyancy. "If you want to move the dial on what's going on with young workers' unemployment, you need to help the labor market more broadly.""

Huffington Post

America's Next Top Engineer: She Needs Your Role Models

noreply@blogger.com (Olivia Herriford) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:17:00 +0000

"Imagine the world in 2030, more resource-constrained than ever—but then suddenly benefitting from a breakthrough approach to harnessing wind energy. What if the person capable of hatching that innovation is, today, a middle-school girl in a village in Ecuador? Will it happen? Or think closer to home: If the cure for cystic fibrosis is just waiting in the mind of a girl in your community, will it ever see the light of day?

"If we could only put the same level of resources into inspiring girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that we do into discovering America's Next Top Model, the chance wouldn't seem so remote. At the very least, the proportion of STEM professionals who are female—currently, in engineering, a paltry 11 percent—would grow.

"It's no secret that we need more women in STEM. Our economy's major employers compete for the female graduates we do produce. So what's holding back the supply?

"Some people look at the gender composition of graduating classes and conclude that girls just aren't as interested as boys are in engineering. If girls don't want to be computer scientists when they grow up, some ask, isn't that their choice? But I have the proof that they do, under the right circumstances. When the bell rings at the end of the day at schools in Oakland, CA I see a wave of girls heading for after-school programs, eager to stick around and do science.

"Meet the girls participating in Techbridge. They tinker and use tools, and take apart things like lawnmower engines and hairdryers to learn how they work. They build their own green houses and learn about renewable energy. They make solar night lights, and in doing so learn to solder. And while it isn't their intention when they start, they also make mistakes—and learn to appreciate how mistakes are part of the process. They develop the confidence to persevere. As they team up for design challenges, they especially like to learn in the company of other girls.

"Techbridge is a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, CA, whose mission is to promote girls' interest and skills in science, technology, and engineering. We do this through the programs we run, and by developing resources for others—teachers, role models, families, and partners like the Girl Scouts. We know the first step is engagement, letting girls have fun with the projects we introduce. Research shows that an early interest in science or engineering is a better indicator of the likelihood of pursuing a career in these fields than grades. But we can't stop there. For a girl to translate an early interest into a passion for becoming a mechanical engineer or biotech entrepreneur, she also needs early exposure to women who hold such careers. We need to provide girls with role models.

"Techbridge can't do that alone—role models are busy working in places that have recognized and snapped up their talent. We can do it, however, with partners from industry. When major employers not only provide funding for our after-school programs but also support employee outreach, girls gain access to role models like Chevron geologists, Google programmers, and Intel engineers—all of whom have visited our after-school programs and led activities that offer a glimpse into their careers.

"Role models make the difference by connecting with our girls on a personal level and sharing their passion and the personal stories of how they came to be the professionals they are. They help dispel stereotypes about engineering and who can be a computer scientist. Their enthusiasm conveys that these careers are personally and professionally rewarding. The work they describe shows that as a scientist or engineer you can make the world a better place—an aspiration for many girls.

"We have to go out of our way to provide such models because too few girls have made their way into technical fields in the past. We can't count on a girl's having a STEM role model already in the women she knows well—her mother, relatives, and neighbors. When a girl meets a woman succeeding in STEM, it expands the range of careers she considers as she imagines her own future.

"We know it works. Last year's evaluation of Techbridge's impact showed increases in participating girls' skills and confidence. Now, 90 percent of them believe engineering is a good career for women, and 89 percent think teamwork is good for solving problems. And guess how many are more interested than they had been in working in science, technology, and engineering? No fewer than 83 percent.

"Results like this are what keep us working energetically to build corporate partnerships—even when we experience the occasional dispiriting setback. We've seen, for example, a corporate field trip that we had perfected over the years suspended as priorities there changed. In a downturn-related layoff, our liaison to another company lost her job. Some of the best role models we've attracted, and many we've invested to develop (because role modeling is a skill built by training, too) find it difficult in this tough economy to leave their workplaces and volunteer in afternoon programs.

"The companies most likely to stay the course are those who value the payback in the long term. They know that the middle schoolers who come to their site are the next generation of workers, and that among them may be the one whose idea will revolutionize their business.

"If your organization is an employer of science, engineering, and technology talent, please do what you can to reach out and inspire a girl. Do it by supporting programs like Techbridge that offer STEM programming in and out of school. But also do it by encouraging the women on your staff to be role models—to visit a classroom or host a field trip. Show that you value outreach by providing support and training for it, and even better, by mentoring a girl yourself. Not only will you discover how much students learn from role models and field trips, you'll discover how your organization benefits in return. We hear from role models how much their outreach deepens their sense of connection to their job, their staff, and their field. Corporate recruiters tell us that top talent is more attracted to organizations that believe in workers getting involved and giving back to their community.

"Returns like this are hard to quantify, but we never hear from corporate partners that they aren't worth the investment. Girls who go through Techbridge programs have a habit of returning years later and telling us how a role model they met in middle school, or a field trip in high school, turned them on to engineering. When they faced a roadblock—a challenging class, a less than supportive study group —they remembered what a role model taught them. And they didn't give up."

By Linda Kekelis

Posted on the HBR Blog Network February 8, 2012

10 Reasons Internet Access is a Basic Human Right

noreply@blogger.com (Olivia Herriford) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:51:00 +0000

"Because its development began in our lifetimes, many of us who still recall life pre-internet find it difficult to grasp the idea of it rising to the level of a basic human right. After all, we survived just fine before we ever got wired, right?

"Well, that’s just it. Back then there wasn’t a web that interconnected every aspect of our lives, so of course we didn’t need it in order to function. But now? There are some compelling reasons why internet access does fit that description. Here are 10 reasons that internet access is a basic human right:

Communications Medium – From the standpoint that it provides each person a global voice with which to be heard, it is a basic human right.
Accessing Information – There is no other means whereby an individual may access so much information, much of it essential to existing within a society.
Connection to the World – The internet provides a bridge between nations, where freedom can be promoted, and by which those who are denied such freedoms can get their stories heard, and spread across the globe. Witness the case of the Egyptians’ revolt against Mubarak.
It’s the Modern-Day Town Hall – For its ability to inform, lobby, share, mobilize and to warn others of injustices in the world, the internet is a basic human right.
Commerce – Eventually there will be little or no reason for the ‘e’ appendage, as e-commerce will become the primary venue for many consumers. Therefore, internet access is going to be necessary to obtain goods.
Government Information – For most citizens of countries with internet access, obtaining government data or documents, if possible at all, is done so online. Freedom of information is the right of every citizen, and the web is where we find it.
Isolation – We have seen what can happen in a country where denial of internet access was imposed. Cut off from the rest of the world, the result was an inability for the global community to communicate with victims of repression, and other human rights violations.
The Medium is the Message – Those things which have traditionally been regarded as human rights – freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and expression – are so closely linked to and, in many ways, dependent upon internet access to be fully realized, that one must consider it to be in and of itself another basic human right.
Interactive Information – The uniqueness of the internet, in that it allows users to instantly and interactively share information, rather than just passively receiving it, means that people can communicate and respond to ideas and issues instantaneously and inexpensively, across borders.
Protection of Rights – Unless internet access is acknowledged by governing bodies to be a basic human right, there is no guarantee that access to such a vital link to each other and to information will be kept open to all."

MyISPFINDER

The Role of Community College Education in the Employment of Information Technology Workers in Washington State

noreply@blogger.com (James Jones) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:14:00 +0000

"CCRC has completed a three-year study on the role of associate degrees in preparing graduates for information technology (IT) jobs in the Seattle and Detroit labor markets. Interviews with a range of employers in each labor market revealed that hiring managers expected associate degree holders to possess many positive qualities that they sought in IT technicians, particularly technical skills, thinking skills, communication skills, and a strong work ethic. However, they also expected that associate degree holders would be less skilled than bachelor’s degree holders. This expectation was particularly common among Seattle hiring managers, highlighting the importance of the local labor market in understanding employer perceptions of associate degrees. A paper on these findings will soon be available.

"An analysis of students’ employment outcomes in Washington State (see CCRC Working Paper 23) revealed that medium-sized employers, temporary placement firms, and educational organizations employed community college IT graduates more frequently than workers overall. Community college students who earned both an associate degree and a certificate in IT had the most positive employment outcomes (bold added), followed by those with an associate degree only and those with an IT certificate only. Those who earned no credential but completed concentrated coursework in IT had the weakest employment outcomes. These findings suggest that employers prefer students with more credentials, and they highlight the importance of helping students to complete full programs of study.

"This research was conducted in partnership with the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies at Bellevue Community College (Washington State) and Macomb Community College (Michigan). The project was funded by the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program."

Community College Research Center