Why is the implementation of learning outcomes assessment in higher education proceeding so grudgingly? When assessment results are obtained, why are they so rarely integrated into the strategic planning process? These questions remain prominent in spite of over a decade of intensive effort on the part of educational accrediting agencies to…

Discussions with a central IT organization about integration with existing systems on campus, support costs for the new implementation, and total cost of ownership frequently become adversarial. Simmons College, a small college in Boston with an enrollment of approximately 1,900 undergraduate and 2,800 graduate students, reframed these issues in…

The strengths and weaknesses of current energy planning can be attributed to the limited economic, social, and environmental contexts taken into account as a result of the current intellectual and professional division of labor. A preventive approach is developed by which the ratio of desired to undesired effects can be substantially improved. It…

Purpose: The purpose is to ascertain the state of sustainability in higher education (SHE) in Atlantic Canada (sustainability education/curriculum; research and scholarship; operations; faculty/staff development and rewards; community outreach and service; student opportunities; and institutional mission, structure and planning).…

Web 2.0 tools and technologies, or second generation tools, help districts to save time and money, and eliminate the need to transfer or move files back and forth across computers. Many Web 2.0 tools help students think critically and solve problems, which falls under the 21st-century skills. The second-generation tools are growing in popularity…

Strategic planning is a way to evaluate a present situation and set a course for the future. While there is no dearth of literature on Strategic Planning, there appears to be reluctance on the part of K-12 educators to engage in strategic planning. Besides the cynicism about change, another roadblock to strategic planning is the time it takes.…

The Spanish university is well into its nth reform process, this time for the purpose of improving its legibility for members of the European Union under the extended Bologna Process. The reform involves a structural change in plans of study, as well as a cultural change to the Europeanist discourse, which mixes mercantilist values and defence of…

Planning comes first, but once a district determines what technologies and programs to implement, the most important task is finding the funds to pay for everything. In an era when funds for education in general are limited, technology-related purchases and related expenditures must be cost-effective. In addition, when budgets are tight, there is…

Promoting social interaction among students with severe disabilities and their general education peers has long been a prominent focus of research and policy efforts. We asked 81 educators to evaluate the effectiveness, feasibility, and actual use of 12 intervention strategies for increasing social interaction among high school students with and…

In this article, the authors present the framework of a model that integrates strategic product development decisions with the product's impact on future conditions of resources and the environment. The impact of a product on stocks of nonrenewable sources and sinks is linked in a feedback loop to the cost of manufacturing and using the product…

Assessing campus needs for educational technologies and support is no small undertaking, so ensuring that one collects information that truly will help decision making requires careful planning. Data collection can be time-consuming and expensive. A well-organized educational technology needs assessment should add value to campus IT resources, not…

In its most basic form, strategic planning is a process of anticipating change, identifying new opportunities, and executing strategy. The use of mixed methods, blending quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques and data, in the process of assembling a strategic plan can help to ensure a successful outcome. In this article, the author…

Although it took longer than anyone anticipated, five years after the Two-Year College English Association (TYCA) was first proposed at the 1992 meeting in Hinds, Mississippi, two-year college English faculty around the nation finally had a professional organization of their own, and, with it, the beginning of a national identity. This article…

The economic and social future of the United States depends on answering the growing demand for very high-speed broadband connectivity, a capability termed "big broadband." Failure to take on the challenge could lead to a decline in global competitiveness and an inability to educate students. (Contains 20 notes.)

Achieve and the U.S. Education Delivery Institute have developed a practical Common Core Implementation Workbook for all states in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). This workbook uses a proven performance management methodology known as "delivery" to lay out clear action steps for states and…