Welcome to our back-to-school episode of EDUCAUSE Now! EDUCAUSE Now is a monthly podcast, focusing on the intelligent use of information technology in higher education. Each episode features a variety of stories, interviews, and views that relate to IT in higher education. Let us know what you would like to hear at podcast@educause.edu.
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This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features:
- Helicopter Parents and Technology
(01:18–12:32)
The term “helicopter parents” refers to parents that are overly involved in their child’s life, usually at an educational institution. Why do some parents have trouble letting go once their child is ready to leave the home for university? Can technology help parents feel connected? We speak with three professionals that have extensive contact with parents and students: Barrie Smith is the founder of MOFchat dot com, a support website for parents who are having difficulty adjusting to their children being on their own at school.
Terry Winters has been the Director for Academic Technology in the department of Computing & Information Services at the University of New Hampshire since 1996. She has been key in developing a Blackboard portal for parents, allowing them to access to instant bill pay and information on parent's association and student life at the university. Tracy Mitrano is Director of IT Policy and University Computer Policy and Law Program in the Office of Information Technologies at Cornell University and has extensive contact with both parents and students through her office.
- A Commentary from EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger
(12:33–15:33)
Diana considers the various facets of openness in higher education.
- Emergency Notification Systems - Everyone on the Same Page
(16:13–23:30)
Choosing and implementing an emergency notification system is a complex undertaking. We speak with Mark Katsouros, Director of Telecommunication & Network Services at the University of Iowa (which underwent tremendous flooding in June ’08), and Bruce Myers, Business and Technology Analyst at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. They give their thoughts on the multitude of considerations when taking a layered approach to emergency notification.
Music for EDUCAUSE Now:
