Question dimensions, construction, and response formats of 50 reactionnaire forms completed by participants in medical school programs were analyzed. Numerous problems in 30 forms and shortcomings in 20 others were identified. Ways to improve layout, appearance, anonymity protection, and questions were suggested. (Contains 53 references.) (SK)

Ethical issues involved in using journals in education include balancing the personal and professional and assessing journal writing. Principles adult educators can apply include respect, justice, beneficence, self-awareness, and caring. (Contains 26 references.) (SK)

Discusses potential liability concerns for public and private colleges and universities regarding public disclosure of faculty teaching evaluations. Guidelines for dealing with these records are given. (SK)

Advocates embrace high-tech security measures as necessary to avoid Columbine-style massacres. Critics contend that school systems can go overboard, making students feel less safe and too closely scrutinized. Current electronic, biometric, and computer-mapping devices and school applications are discussed. Vendors are listed. (MLH)

Describes an electronic mail project that was designed to create an electronic mailing list of parents so the high school's administrators could communicate with parents on a regular basis and keep them informed of school-related news. Issues of privacy and confidentiality are discussed, and Web sites are considered. (LRW)

The Internet was designed as an open system that promoted the two-way flow of information. In other words, everything that is sent has a return address called an IP or Internet Protocol address of the form: 000.11.222.33. Whenever you connect to a website, the site learns your IP address. It also learns the type of computer you are using, the…

School nurses access an enormous amount of information through the Internet. Although most avid computer users are savvy to the threat of viruses to the integrity of data, many who surf the Web do not know that their data and the functioning of their computer is at risk to another hidden threat--spyware. This article will describe spyware, why it…

The number Pi has a rich and colorful history. The origin of Pi dates back to when Greek mathematicians realized that the ratio of the circumference to the diameter is the same for all circles. One is most familiar with many of its applications to geometry, analysis, probability, and number theory. This paper demonstrates several examples of how…

The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution provides protection of all citizens against unreasonable search and seizure. The US Supreme Court has affirmed that the basic purpose of the Fourth Amendment is to safeguard the privacy and security of individuals against unreasonable intrusive searches by governmental officials. Since students possess…

This article reports that several colleges and universities like Purdue University are mining data they have about students to try to improve retention. The institutions analyze years' worth of data on which students did well and which did poorly, and what variables--whether they be SAT scores, financial-aid status, or attendance at the dining…

This chapter describes the relationship between federal student privacy laws and state privacy laws, and identifies the changes in the federal law over the last ten years affecting disclosure to parents of college students. Recent litigation on health emergencies is outlined and the limited rights of college students not yet eighteen years of age…

This article describes a forensic DNA science laboratory exercise for advanced high school and introductory college level biology courses. Students use a commercial genotyping kit and genetic analyzer or gene sequencer to analyze DNA recovered from a fictitious crime scene. DNA profiling and STR genotyping are outlined. DNA extraction, PCR, and…

By providing the public with online computing facilities, librarians make available a world of information resources beyond their traditional print materials. Internet-connected computers in libraries greatly enhance the opportunity for patrons to enjoy the benefits of the digital age. Unfortunately, as hackers become more sophisticated and…

Videos of teachers that students taped in secrecy are all over online sites like YouTube and MySpace. Angry teachers, enthusiastic teachers, teachers clowning around, singing, and even dancing are captured, usually with camera phones, for the whole world to see. Some students go so far as to create elaborately edited videos, shot over several…

The concept of "publishing" has changed again, just in the last few years, due to YouTube, Blogger, Second Life, Flickr, and other new social networking tools (John Marshall Law School, 2005). Whether they are making it possible for everyone to view a video on YouTube on how to install a hard drive on a Mac, add a collaborative student writing…