Discusses portal technology in higher education, including planning, design, technical, and financial issues. Highlights include determining the customers; marketing possibilities for the university; ownership issues; data design; effective cost structuring; security issues; adaptability; content; and customer input and feedback. (LRW)

As higher education institutions move into forms of distance learning enabled by technologies such as video conferencing and the Internet, the ownership of course materials becomes an issue. Who owns these materials, the school or the individual? This paper describes the issue, covers two different views on ownership (i.e., comparing online course…

No college or university last year joined the 14 institutions that already require students to buy computers. The reasons include: greater than expected costs of supporting required computers, lack of educational software, and adequency of computer laboratories are sufficient for the needs of most students. (MLW)

Discusses Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), a method through which technology administrators may understand and manage all costs of technology-related purchases. Describes six categories of costs to consider during the planning process: professional development; support; software; replacement costs; retrofitting; and connectivity. (AEF)

Increasingly, colleges are debating whether or not to require students to own computers. Issues include whether computers are the best use of student resources, how to pay for the cost of both computers and campus networks, faculty perceptions of the need for computers, and computer access versus computer ownership. (MSE)

Discusses results of a 1997 "CMC News" readers' survey of the top 10 CD-ROM titles used by schools. Compares results of previous surveys (1993 and 1995). Four tables and figures show number of users for each of the 10 CD-ROMs, top-10 rankings for year 1993, 1995, and 1997, increase in ownership of 7 of the 10 titles, and total respondents owning…

This paper presents models of faculty compensation for teaching and development of asynchronous learning (ALN) courses. Faculty members' concerns include teaching workload, course development effort, and ownership of intellectual property associated with ALN teaching. The models presented show that the system for adjusting faculty compensation for…

Discusses the allocation of copyright ownership of electronic course materials between faculty member and the sponsoring institution. Reviews relevant copyright basics, the work-made-for-hire doctrine, and options for contractual allocations of copyrights. Outlines a series of criteria that should be considered in formulating an institution's…

The electronic environment is currently forcing educators at all levels to revisit issues concerning intellectual property. Quick availability of information and data through the Internet has changed the way the general public views information since it seems to be in endless supply from any computer on any individual desktop. This paper presents…