| 1 | | TIME WAS, WAY BACK IN | | | | statements on banning flag- | | 5 | | Cutting-edge technology |
| | the late 1990s, when a decent | | | | burning. Though Northwestern | | | | can have a downside. One |
| | college could make news just | | | | will be first with video, | | | | reason that distance learning is |
| | by wiring dorm rooms, putting | | | | Internet2 is already up at 175 | | | | so popular these days is that |
| | registration online or setting | | | | institutions. | | | | schools can cut costs (on extra |
| | up classes that could be taken | | 3 | | Some schools choose to | | | | classrooms and other overhead) |
| | through the Internet. That's so | | | | concentrate on technological | | | | and increase income (from more |
| | yesterday. Now, according to one | | | | basics. The University of | | | | students at higher tuitions). This |
| | survey, 40 percent of higher- | | | | Georgia system and a coalition | | | | may explain why nearly 70 |
| | education courses use the Web; | | | | of 16 other Southern colleges | | | | percent of public colleges and |
| | 75 percent of colleges have put | | | | are creating one online domain | | | | universities have online classes |
| | applications online, and almost | | | | for all their registrations, library | | | | - more than quadruple the rate |
| | half say they're teaching one | | | | resources and career-placement | | | | of their wealthier private-school |
| | or more classes entirely online. | | | | services. Duke's business school | | | | peers. But the online bet is |
| | Clemson is one of more than 100 | | | | is experimenting with wireless | | | | shaky. Surveys of professors |
| | schools where computers are now | | | | tablets reminiscent of the old | | | | and students suggest that online |
| | required gear for students; the | | | | Etch A Sketch. Students simply | | | | courses actually require more |
| | military academies have put a | | | | use a pencil-like stylus to access | | | | time and work. And, because of |
| | PC in every cadet's room since | | | | files, or to reach the Internet | | | | students' isolation, participation |
| | 1983. | | | | through infrared beams. | | | | is spotty and dropout rates are |
| 2 | | All of which raises a tough | | 4 | | Some students look at | | | | high. |
| | question for high-school seniors | | | | formalized rankings of schools. | | 6 | | At some high-tech colleges, |
| | searching for a technologically | | | | Yahoo! Internet Life does an | | | | students pay a hidden price for |
| | hip college experience: what do | | | | annual ranking to determine the | | | | goodies. Arizona State, |
| | you look for? The answer | | | | high-tech savvy of colleges. | | | | Appalachian State, Oregon and |
| | depends on what you want. If | | | | Among those listed in 2000 was | | | | St. Bonaventure all sport elab- |
| | you want to see the first live, | | | | Indiana University, which paid | | | | orate Web sites; what they don't |
| | high-resolution video streaming | | | | Microsoft $6 million to give | | | | tell you is the sites were built |
| | through campus computers, you | | | | everyone on campus free or | | | | free of charge by commercial |
| | might consider Northwestern. | | | | discounted software. Some | | | | ventures, which then get to |
| | As part of the national | | | | Indiana students boast that they | | | | track students' Internet travels. |
| | development of Internet2 - a | | | | no longer bother with the | | 7 | | The lesson is not to judge a |
| | commercial-free, high-band- | | | | library. But Yahoo offers only a | | | | campus by digital glitz. Poke |
| | width network for academe - | | | | partial guide. A dozen leading | | | | around. See how well wired the |
| | Northwestern is blazing the | | | | universities, including high-tech | | | | dorms are. Check the breadth of |
| | trail. Once in place, North- | | | | heavies like Berkeley and | | | | online library resources. (Ideas |
| | western's system will let, say, | | | | Stanford, found Yahoo's criteria | | | | for other questions are at |
| | political-science students type | | | | so questionable (one measure is | | | | educause.edu/consumerguide.) |
| | in "flag" and "Trent Lott" to | | | | the prevalence of cybercafés) | | | | And beware the law of |
| | retrieve clips of the senator's | | | | that they boycotted the survey. | | | | unintended consequences. At |
 | | | | laptop-laden Wake Forest, after |
| | | an astronomy professor put his |
| | | lectures on the Web, he found |
| | | students stopped showing up for |
| | | class. Ironically, it seems, the |
| | | age of hypercommunication can |
| | | wind up making everybody |
| | | more isolated. |
| | | |
| | | 'Kaplan Newsweek 2001 |
| | | edition' |
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