Sometimes technology doesn’t work as well as expected.
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, U. of Michigan's Online Teaching-Evaluation System Fails, the University of Michigan’s highly-touted online course-evaluation system, crashed on April 20, at the end of the school's winter term, and has been down since.
Last year, the new system was promoted as a major advance. It would save paper, allow for more customized surveys, and speed up results.
After four days, a University e-mail message apologized for the “immense disappointment” to the community. Just under 40% of possible responses had been received by the time the system failed, the message said, and further collection for this term was impossible.
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Tampilkan postingan dengan label University of Michigan. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label University of Michigan. Tampilkan semua postingan
New Social Networking Site for Unemployed
Selasa, 14 April 2009
Label:
Government,
Michigan,
Social Networking Sites,
Unemployment,
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan’s School of Information and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan have teamed up to create Neighbors4Neighbors, an interactive website that uses social networking technology to connect unemployed workers with each other.
Visitors to the site can get and give advice on the things that matter when someone loses a job. The site has two components, an online discussion forum that lets people share advice with each other, and a “widget,” or online program that can be put on partnering websites that have information for the unemployed. Questions and comments that are created via the widgets on partnering sites will be mirrored on the Neighbors4Neighbors discussion forums.
“This site demonstrates an efficient, low-cost application of social computing,” Professor Paul Resnick, the primary architect of the site, explains. “Many sites already aim to help unemployed workers find information or job leads, but they don’t have a way to connect everyone who is visiting the page. Neighbors4Neighbors pulls people and information together to create a community.”
Neighbors4Neighbors is a project of Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm’s Keep Michigan Working Task Force.
Visitors to the site can get and give advice on the things that matter when someone loses a job. The site has two components, an online discussion forum that lets people share advice with each other, and a “widget,” or online program that can be put on partnering websites that have information for the unemployed. Questions and comments that are created via the widgets on partnering sites will be mirrored on the Neighbors4Neighbors discussion forums.
“This site demonstrates an efficient, low-cost application of social computing,” Professor Paul Resnick, the primary architect of the site, explains. “Many sites already aim to help unemployed workers find information or job leads, but they don’t have a way to connect everyone who is visiting the page. Neighbors4Neighbors pulls people and information together to create a community.”
Neighbors4Neighbors is a project of Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm’s Keep Michigan Working Task Force.
Blogging and Social Connections
Interesting interview with University of Michigan School of Information Professor Paul Resnick, about the past, present and future of blogging.
U-M prof talks about blogging, social connections (via Ann Arbor News)
U-M prof talks about blogging, social connections (via Ann Arbor News)
Millions of Titles from U-M Library Now Available On Demand
Here’s a way cool example of how libraries have used technology to bring information to readers where and when they need it.
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (my alma mater) has become the first university in the country to install The Espresso Book Machine. The machine – located in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library – allows a user to print one of the University’s over 2 million digitized books, as well as thousands of books from the Open Content Alliance, on demand. Many of these titles are rare or out-of-print.
Since 1996, the University has been digitizing books printed prior to the early 1920s, most recently as part of the Google Book Search program. Most books printed before 1923 are in the public domain. That is, they can be reprinted without seeking permission from the copyright holder.
Here’s how it works. The user selects a digitized book from U-M's collection or from another online source. The file is then downloaded to the machine, where it is formatted, printed and perfect bound with a four-color cover.
A finished printed book takes 5-7 minutes, depending on the number of pages, and costs about $10. The service is available to researchers, students, and the public.
In the next several years, On Demand Books – the maker of the Espresso Book Machine – plans to install machines in libraries and bookshops around the world. All the machines will be connected by a network, allowing users fast, cheap access to tens of millions of titles on demand.
For more information, and to see a video on the project, click here.
Go Blue!
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (my alma mater) has become the first university in the country to install The Espresso Book Machine. The machine – located in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library – allows a user to print one of the University’s over 2 million digitized books, as well as thousands of books from the Open Content Alliance, on demand. Many of these titles are rare or out-of-print.
Since 1996, the University has been digitizing books printed prior to the early 1920s, most recently as part of the Google Book Search program. Most books printed before 1923 are in the public domain. That is, they can be reprinted without seeking permission from the copyright holder.
Here’s how it works. The user selects a digitized book from U-M's collection or from another online source. The file is then downloaded to the machine, where it is formatted, printed and perfect bound with a four-color cover.
A finished printed book takes 5-7 minutes, depending on the number of pages, and costs about $10. The service is available to researchers, students, and the public.
In the next several years, On Demand Books – the maker of the Espresso Book Machine – plans to install machines in libraries and bookshops around the world. All the machines will be connected by a network, allowing users fast, cheap access to tens of millions of titles on demand.
For more information, and to see a video on the project, click here.
Go Blue!
