Background/Context: Despite the surge in efficacy studies, a recent meta-analysis indicates that the relative effectiveness of any two math interventions is largely unknown (Nelson & McMaster, 2019). Additionally, policy makers rarely choose educational programs based on an assessment of costs and cost-effectiveness (Hollands et al., 2016;…

This educational case, in two parts (A and B), requires students to assume the role of a business consultant and to use Excel to develop a profit-planning or a cost-volume-profit (CVP) model for a package-delivery company opportunity currently being evaluated by a client. The name of the proposed business is Pack-and-Go, which would provide an…

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) and public and private cloud communities continue to flourish in the field of higher education. However, MOOCs have received criticism in recent years and offer little benefit to students already enrolled at an institution. This article advocates for the collaborative creation and use of institutional, program…

We describe our experiences teaching MapReduce in a large undergraduate lecture course using public cloud services and the standard Hadoop API. Using the standard API, students directly experienced the quality of industrial big-data tools. Using the cloud, every student could carry out scalability benchmarking assignments on realistic hardware,…

Digital games have the potential to create active and engaging environments for learning, supporting problem-solving, communication and group activities, as well as providing a forum for practice and learning through failure. The use of game techniques such as gradually increasing levels of difficulty and contextual feedback support learning, and…

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) that employ a model-tracing methodology have consistently shown their effectiveness. However, what evidently makes these tutors effective, the cognitive model embedded within them, has traditionally been difficult to create, requiring great expertise and time, both of which come at a cost. Furthermore, an…

In printing, scanning, copying, and publishing, the new buzzword is combo: combination systems that take the strengths of several pieces of hardware--and sometimes software--and combine them into one. Advances in these technologies can save districts money by cutting the use of staff time, paper, and accessories such as print cartridges. Also,…

Podcasting is becoming more and more common as a method of delivery at universities and for training purposes. The concept to set up podcasting is simple, and the costs vary. The advantages of podcasting are enormous. Podcasting is especially effective for adult education programs. (Contains 17 online resources.)

Discusses use of the computer to solve the specific scheduling problems in assigning umpires to American League baseball games and assigning crews of officials to Atlantic Coast Conference football and basketball games. Scheduling variables that complicate the process and make manual scheduling almost impossible are described. (MBR)

Describes three different pricing models for software. Findings of this case study support the proposition that software pricing is a complex and subjective process. The key determinant of alignment between vendor and user is the nature of value in the software to the buyer. This value proposition may range from increased cost reduction to…

Arguing that the seller of creative works--including audio and video productions and computer software--will be affected by the ability of consumers to make high quality copies of these works, this paper examines the theoretical effects of copying on the sellers of originals and speculates about ways to estimate these effects empirically. The…

Lists 27 suggestions for making cost-effective decisions when buying personal computers. Topics covered include physical comfort; modem speed; color graphics; institutional discounts; direct-order firms; brand names; replacing versus upgrading; expanding hard disk capacity; printers; software; wants versus needs; and RLIN (Research Libraries…

A nontechnical overview of electronic data interchange (EDI) and of the SPEEDE/ExPRESS Project, which uses EDI to transmit transcripts between schools and colleges, is presented. It explores the fundamental value of the technology, specific costs and benefits, and its potential to transform the delivery of academic support services. (Author/MSE)

Describes desktop publishing (DTP) that may be suitable for community, activist, and nonprofit groups and discusses how it is changing written communication. Topics discussed include costs; laser printers; time savings; hardware and software selection; and guidelines to consider when establishing DTP capability. (LRW)

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)