This is another neat mashup:

http://www.cynergysystems.com/blogs/blogs/andrew.trice/strikeiron/Dashboard.html

Directors of Admissions might find it useful. 

I like alexa, but this site puts a few of these web traffic analysis sites together at one site.

http://attentionmeter.com

Score:

1 for BB

1 for Desire to Learn

http://www.campustechnology.com/articles/60416/

Interesting reaction by Canadian University to the realities of the FaceBook.  I appreciate the issue of academic integrity, but course design needs to reflect the new realities.  Besides, collaboration is a good thing.   Read this: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6235056.html

Just finished reading Mr. Ruch's comparative investigation of for-profits, privates and non-profits.   While it was published in 2001, I still found it informative, particularly the chapter on "Lessons for the For-Profit Side."  His main points are still relevant:

• Responding to market forces
• Adapting the organizational structure
• Redefining shared governance
• Developing a strong customer orientation

One of my favorite moments as a manager is when these two gentleman come to my office, usually at the end of the day, typically a Friday, with the Cheshire Cat look, and tell me about some solution they pulled together below the radar.   This solution described in our weekly institutional newsletter wasn't exactly that scenario, but it was good to see them getting the recognition they deserve for their creative AND pragmatic efforts.  Medals are not given for identifying problems, medals are given to those who provide solutions!

This bus is moving thanks to them and others on the PSU team.

If only we had $ to gain access to Gartner's efforts regrading emerging technologies.

Here's another one for 2007 and Education. 

Course Capturing is clearly one of the most important digital assets an institution has.  Here's a company that is offering some software free for acreditied institutions:  Panopto

The new PLC-X150 is a neat new projector in that it has a very short throw.  The neat part is it can be inverted and hung close to the front wall such that presenters can walk in front of the image andnot be blinded or cast shadows.

If inclined to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday, I thought you might appreciate this article as an example of brilliant  Higher Ed. (for profit)  marketing as covered in article in the Providence Journal

As you watch the game, observe how many times  the name of the Stadium is mentioned or it is framed in a camera shot.   Now keep in mind that a 30 second commercial spot for the game is going at 2.4 million.  That’s 4.8 per minute.   According to the article, UofP paid 150 million for the 20 year naming right for the arena.   To break  even, UofP would need the equivalent of roughly 34 minutes of prime time exposure.

The probably won't make it up the investment in one event, but given how much I have already heard it mentioned and framed in the shots during the pre-week coverage and given that it figured prominently enough to spark the curiosity of a Providence Journal sportswriter to investigate who UofP really is, one has to appreciate the marketing brilliance because  if you put stock in subliminal messaging,  UofP  has probably gone a long way in further establishing  perception of credibility and name recognition as a  Higher Education institution (with one heck of a football team to afford that stadium).

It’s a strange world, next thing you know Microsoft will be buying Yahoo or something.   🙂