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Budgetary constraints on the public purse have led Australian Federal and State governments to focus increasingly on the efficiency of public institutions, including Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. In this study, we define efficiency as the relationship between financial and administrative inputs and educational outputs. We employ stochastic frontier analysis in determining the efficiency of Australian TAFE institutes using data sourced from institutional annual reports, the Student Outcomes Survey and administrative databases. We found significant economies of scale effects and conclude that increasing institutional size for very small institutions may result in increased efficiencies.

Recent findings have suggested that adults' and children's approximate number system (ANS) acuity may be malleable through training, but research on ANS acuity has largely been conducted with adults and children who are from middle- to high-income homes. We conducted 2 experiments to test the malleability of ANS acuity in preschool-aged children from low-income homes and to test how non-numerical stimulus features affected performance. In Experiment 1, mixed-effects models indicated that children significantly improved their ratio achieved across training. Children's change in probability of responding correctly across sessions was qualified by an interaction with surface area features of the arrays such that children improved their probability of answering correctly across sessions on trials in which numerosity conflicted with the total surface area of object sets significantly more than on trials in which total surface area positively correlated with numerosity. In Experiment 2, we found that children who completed ANS acuity training performed better on an ANS acuity task compared with children in a control group, but they only did so on ANS acuity trials in which numerosity conflicted with the total surface area of object sets. These findings suggest that training affects ANS acuity in children from low-income homes by fostering an ability to focus on numerosity in the face of conflicting non-numerical stimulus features.

Introduction Aspirin is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide. It is known to present antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic actions, making it extremely useful in a wide range of clinical contexts. Interestingly, homeopathically prepared Aspirin 15cH has been found to have a pro-thrombotic effect in rats, raising the hypothesis that Aspirin 15cH could also modulate the activity of inflammatory cells in different pathological processes. Objective Our objective was to assess what effect Aspirin 15cH has on RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro. Methods The effects of Aspirin 15cH on biochemical and morphological activities of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages were evaluated. These effects were compared with unchallenged macrophages (negative control), untreated LPS-stimulated macrophages, macrophages treated with succussed water (vehicle control), or aspirin 200 µg/mL (pharmacological inhibitor of LPS activity). Cell morphology (adhered cell area and cytoskeleton arrangements), cell viability, toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) expression, and the production of nitric oxide, cytokines and intracellular reactive oxygen species were assessed. ResultsAspirin 15cH reduced the number of cells expressing TLR-4 on the surface (p = 0.03) and induced a "columnar" morphology of macrophage pseudopods, indicating changes in cytoskeleton arrangement. When cells were treated with both Aspirin 15cH and LPS, cell morphology became heterogeneous, suggesting that sub-populations of cells had differing sensitivities to LPS or Aspirin 15cH. Exposure of the cells to LPS alone, succussed water or aspirin 200 µg/mL produced effects consistent with the literature. ConclusionAspirin 15cH, aspirin 200 µg/mL, LPS and succussed water appear to act as independent stimuli able to induce different patterns of macrophage response. Aspirin 15cH induced changes suggestive of M2 polarization of the macrophages (i.e., toward a wound healing or tissue repair, rather than inflammatory, phenotype). These preliminary findings need to be confirmed in further specific studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Emotion appears to have a substantial impact on a wide variety of attentional functions. However, stimuli that elicit affective responses also tend to be meaningful. Here we attempted to disentangle the effects of meaning from the effects of affect on attentional capture by irrelevant distractors. Experiment 1 used a previously unfamiliar distractor stimulus, and manipulated the amount of knowledge provided to observers about the distractor. The results suggested that increases in meaning can reduce attentional capture. Experiments 2 and 3 used both familiar and unfamiliar symbols (baseball logos and flags, respectively) as distractors. Critically, of the two familiar symbols, one was rated as affective-positive and the other was rated as affective-negative. As in Experiment 1, the results showed that unfamiliar distractors can capture attention. In addition, the results also suggested that the two affective distractors captured attention (so long as they were sufficiently intense). This finding suggests that while increased knowledge can reduce capture, affect can restore an item's ability to capture attention. Finally, the results of Experiment 4 showed that observers were slower to disengage from a negative item than from a positive item. This evidence emphasizes the differential roles of semantic knowledge versus affect on attentional capture. (Contains 2 figures, 3 tables, and 1 footnote.)

Colleges and universities have been among the leaders nationwide in adopting green initiatives, partly due to their demographics, but also because they are facing their own budget pressures. Virtualization has become the poster child of many schools' efforts, because it provides significant bang for the buck. However, more and more higher education IT departments are finding other, innovative ways to cut back on energy consumption and waste--and to reduce costs. This article profiles eight institutions that have shifted their efforts into high gear.

"We really need to get the government involved," said one student, holding his graph up to USDA scientist Steve Seefeldt. Dr. Steve studies methods to control "invasive" plants, plants that have been introduced to an area by humans and have potential to spread rapidly and negatively affect ecosystems. The first grader and his classmates had become invasive plant scientists themselves during a yearlong inquiry of invasive plants in Alaska. This article describes how these first graders engaged in real research to help battle the invasive plants. (Contains 3 figures, 2 print resources, and 4 online resources.)

Divorcing one student information system and hooking up with another can cause serious upheaval. With the right plan in place, the transition to a new student information system can go surprisingly smoothly. The author interviewed technologists at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College and the Emily Griffith Opportunity School (CO) who recently have endured these changes. The author also polled some SIS experts for transition tips. The author has even chatted with folks from a division of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where administrators are in the process of implementing a brand-new SIS for the first time. Collectively, the input provides a road map for navigating one of the most difficult undertakings in the world of IT. (Contains 8 online resources.)

If a school is seeking to incorporate more collaborative approaches to teaching and learning, the design of the learning environment--whether it's a classroom or a more informal space--can be a critical factor in making this transformative move. Technology, in particular, can play a pivotal role in enabling students to work effectively in teams and in supporting educators as they make the transition from a lecture-oriented to a more facilitative instructional mode. Some schools have spent millions of dollars creating new buildings designed specifically for collaborative learning. Others have invested far less renovating classrooms in older buildings, with the same objectives in mind. While there are logistical differences between these two types of projects, administrators at these institutions say there are key principles associated with outfitting collaborative learning spaces that apply whether one is retrofitting or starting from scratch. The author presents some important high- and low-tech lessons culled from academic leaders who've been part of the design team for collaborative learning spaces.

With colleges and universities struggling to minimize the effects of the troubled economy, it certainly isn't an easy time to be a CIO. This article presents an interview with a panel of higher education IT leaders about best practices for steering IT through economic crisis. Panelists included Jan Biros, associate VP for instructional technology support and campus outreach at Drexel University (Pennsylvania); Wayne Brown, VP for information technology at Excelsior College (New York); Kamran Khan, vice provost for IT at Rice University (Texas); Rick Peterson, chief technology officer at Washington and Lee University (Virginia); and Adrian Sannier, VP and university technology officer at Arizona State University.

Original research and content creation in the university environment have historically been the domain of faculty and their graduate students. Nowadays, however, undergraduate programs at universities across the country are putting undergrads in the center of the action. This article describes some of these programs--at Duke University (North Carolina), Coastal Carolina University (South Carolina), Arkansas State University, and Harvard University (Massachusetts)--which incorporate interactive technologies to enable undergrads to research local and far-off worlds and create meaningful, original content that furthers the study of their discipline for other students and researchers alike. The content that springs from this research takes the form of high-tech simulations, interactive lesson plans, and history-rich websites for the public. Overall, the technology behind these programs serves to help these students expand the canon, inspiring a new kind of undergraduate education that is immersive, experiential, and contributive at the same time. The new approaches also have transformed the way humanities traditionally are taught. (Contains 3 online resources.)

There's no question that in airports, train stations, and student unions alike, digital signage solutions have become efficient and effective ways of communicating important information directly to broad bases of users. The solutions are affordable; they're eco-friendly; and they're growing in popularity every year. Still, particularly in the world of higher education, the question remains: How can colleges and universities get the most out of the money they spend on this technology? In this article, the author provides five smart tips to maximize that outlay--all best practices from digital signage pros and academic technologist peers at Purdue University-Calumet (Indiana), Northwestern University (Illinois), Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, and The Ohio State University. (Contains 6 online resources.)

The annual Campus Technology Innovators awards recognize higher education institutions that take true initiative--even out-and-out risk--to better serve the campus community via technology. These top-notch university administrators, faculty, and staff demonstrate something more than a "job well done"; their vision and leadership have taken technology investment to new heights, to the unique benefit of teaching, learning, administration, and operations on campus. This article presents the 11 winners of this year's awards for outstanding technology innovation on college and university campuses around the globe. The winners are: (1) Virginia Community College System (Online College Planning); (2) Purdue University (High-Performance Computing); (3) Minnesota State University-Mankato (Curriculum Design); (4) Carnegie Mellon University (Emergency Notification); (5) Fashion Institute of Technology (ePortfolios); (6) Hofstra University (Social Networking); (7) George Mason University (Portals); (8) University of Missouri (IT Funding); (9) Kent State University (Enterprise Resource Planning); (10) Rochester Institute of Technology (Career Services); and (11) The Media Grid Immersive Education Initiative (Immersive Learning).

From wireless connectivity to light processing improvements, digital projectors have incorporated a number of technological advancements in recent years--developments that have made the tools even easier for higher education technologists to use. This article offers some vendor insights about some of those trends, and the ways in which they might make a difference in teaching and learning in higher education classrooms. (Contains 15 online resources.)

Academic technologists at Lynn University (Florida) learned the hard way just how important a disaster recovery plan can be. Back in 2005, when Hurricane Wilma walloped the region with driving rain and 120 mile-per-hour winds, the storm debilitated Lynn's IT department, causing damage and flooding that thwarted the campus network for nearly two weeks. While the campus never lost its internet connection, it did lose its T1 connection, so the school's VoIP telephones went down. For days on end, CIO Chris Boniforti and his colleagues scrambled to get T1 lines onto emergency backups, and AT&T agreed to put a portable generator in place to power the intermediate exchange that connected the school's main campus to the telecommunication provider's hub. Ultimately, the problem was resolved, and systems at Lynn resumed ordinary operations. The experience, however, taught the CIO that some sort of formal disaster recovery plan was necessary to avoid similar dramas down the road. Lynn administrators weren't the only higher education officials to experience such a recent epiphany. In past months, despite slow economic times, a growing number of academic technologists have redoubled their focus on business continuity. This article describes how schools such as Rice University (Texas), Saint Michael's College (Vermont), and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis have invested in disaster recovery strategies and new processes to make sure their own systems don't succumb. And though these solutions aren't as "sexy" as social networking tools or constituent relationship management (CRM) systems, they are vital investments for the long-term survival of a campus network, and should be carefully considered even if the school isn't ostensibly in harm's way.

In this article, the author discusses how several institutions are turning to popular technologies to streamline and facilitate fundraising efforts. These popular solutions include social networking websites and other Web 2.0 tools, e-mail marketing products, and a new look at enterprise-level solutions. At Monmouth College, web professionals created an animated fundraising slideshow that featured nostalgic campus photos and a soundtrack of the college choir singing the college song. Then an e-mail went out to 5,000 alumni with a link to the work. The response was overwhelming. On the first day alone, the e-mail generated 2,100 click-through views to the video and 120 donations of varying amounts.

As the national economic climate worsens, and college and university endowments, coffers, and funding sources shrink, schools are forced to get the most out of every dollar. That means that administrators are bending over backwards to see that all new investments provide maximum return on investment (ROI) over the long term. Campus eCommerce is no exception to this trend. Data from a variety of sources indicate that increasing numbers of postsecondary institutions are turning to hosted eCommerce solutions to handle online transactions. Clearly, hosted eCommerce is poised to be the wave of the future for colleges and universities. But that doesn't mean administrators and technologists should limit their thinking to the traditional campus store items only. This article takes a look at three different themes on the theme.

Protecting one's institution's technology assets and resources is all about maximizing return on those investments--and that means driving users to take full advantage of new technology rollouts, and not sapping or overburdening help desk resources because users are not fully versed in and encouraged to use new tools. That means one will need to consistently push effective technology use to technology users. To achieve one's best return on investment (ROI), the author suggests to let one's help desk "market" technology smarts to users. In this article, the author discusses how some universities and even international institutions are thinking of ways to maximize help desk ROI. It briefly describes Louisiana State University's "Don't be a Tad" campaign which encourages students to use technology wisely and better utilize campus resources--which, in turn, means a higher ROI for the help desk.

Like fine wines, Web 2.0 technologies get better with age. Gone are the days of the pointless chat room; this is the era of social networking juggernauts such as Facebook, MySpace, and Friendster. Services offered by these firms are helpful in facilitating connections among users in every industry and of every age. In higher education, however, a handful of schools are using social networking services to set new benchmarks for communicating with students. Some of the schools on this list include Middlebury College, the University of Arizona, and Tulane University. This article looks at how such institutions have embraced these new applications to keep their most important customers satisfied.

To say the American economy is in a precarious mode would be the understatement of the century. Banks have foundered, American industry is looking for federal bailouts, and belts are tightening everywhere. Not surprisingly, higher education officials at private institutions are wondering which students will be able to afford ever-escalating tuitions. Public school and community college administrators worry about affording the construction of new facilities for burgeoning enrollments as they pick up the runoff from independent institutions and prepare for laid-off workers looking to retool for new careers. Now more than ever, it seems, colleges and universities are desperate to find new revenue streams quickly. In this article, the author discusses how some savvy colleges and universities, including Cornell University (NY), Northwestern University (IL), and Arizona State University, are using digital asset management tools to uncover new revenue streams. According to a principal analyst for CMS Watch, a Maryland-based market research firm that covers content-oriented technologies, while this approach may fly in the face of the traditionally open philosophy of higher education, it has proven to be a successful strategy for bolstering revenue at a time when coffers are running low.

Now more than ever, campus safety is of paramount importance. A reliable emergency mass notification system is one way to ensure the safety of constituents, and Brandeis University (MA) recently invested in a system that does the job. In this article, the author interviews John Turner, the school's director of networks and systems. Turner describes the Brandeis system and highlights a number of steps to consider when building an emergency alert system.

Building access control (BAC)--a catchall phrase to describe the systems that control access to facilities across campus--has traditionally been handled with remarkably low-tech solutions: (1) manual locks; (2) electronic locks; and (3) ID cards with magnetic strips. Recent improvements have included smart cards and keyless solutions that make use of shortwave radio frequencies (RF) to unlock doors when specially programmed key fobs are within 3 to 5 feet of a reader. Sure, some schools are investigating newer systems that incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as biometrics and video recognition software. But for the most part, while just about every other aspect of security technology seems to be advancing at breakneck speed, the technologies behind BAC have progressed at what is comparatively a snail's pace. In this article, the author takes a look at how BAC technology evolved since the radical 1970s.

Today, "lifelong learning" encompasses a wide range of student profiles and curricular designs, but a growing subset of the nation's life-long learning programs are non-credit and designed specifically for students over the age of 50. The good news is that "over 50" does not mean "out of the technology loop." In this article, the author discusses how lifelong learning programs are utilizing videoconferencing and vodcasting to reach out to the 50-plus nontraditional student.

With K-12 students seeming to, at all times, have one foot in the real world and one in the virtual, school districts are starting to acknowledge a new collective responsibility: to teach kids what it means to be a good digital citizen and how to go about being one. The movement to address and characterize digital citizenship originated in the UK, where educators have been working toward establishing protocols for good digital citizenship since the mid-1990s. The effort has been picked up today by Digizen.org, owned and operated by London-based nonprofit Childnet International, which loosely defines the term as the responsibility of all online users to interact with each other with dignity and respect. According to Digizen.org, if educators can help young people see online environments as communities they're helping to shape, they'll act more responsibly. One educator who has taken the step of itemizing the ingredients that combine to create a good digital citizen is Mike Ribble, director of technology at Manhattan-Ogden Unified School District 383 in Manhattan, Kansas. Ribble believes that maintaining privacy is of paramount importance, in light of the amount of time kids spend on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, so it is imperative that schools teach students how to use these sites without putting themselves at risk. Ribble has encapsulated his theories at his website, Digital Citizenship: Using Technology Appropriately. In this article, the author discusses how to build a good digital citizen and presents nine elements which, according to Ribble, when combined, may constitute good digital citizenship. These include: (1) etiquette; (2) communication; (3) literacy; (4) access; (5) commerce; (6) law; (7) rights and responsibilities; (8) health and wellness; and (9) security. Here, the author stresses that educators can develop good digital citizens by teaching their students how the basic rules of responsible behavior translate to the virtual world.

Not that many years back, portals were nothing more than splash pages from which users could click on links to navigate a school's web-based resources. Today, however, they are much more: single sign-on gateways that easily enable users to do everything from pay tuition and view transcripts, to purchase parking permits, and sell used books. Still, engineering portals is not easy. This article presents five tips on how schools can make their portal projects more powerful.