海外ニュース

米国のEDUCAUSEから、例年開催されているEducom Medal Awards Programでの受賞者決定のニュースが届きました。EDUCAUSEは、高等教育における情報教育、情報技術に関する２つの団体が1998年7月に合併し設立した団体です。今年は土木工学、言語学、気象学、宗教学、統計学の5分野から受賞者が決まりました。

August 24, 1998; Washington, D.C.. . . At a time when higher education is facing new challenges brought about by shifting student demographics, budgetary constraints, and increased competition from the private sector, five talented educators are being recognized for their efforts to improve teaching and Beaming through the effective application of information and communications technologies. EDUCAUSE, the premier organization for the advancement of information resources and technology in higher education formed through the consolidation in July 1998 of Educom and CAUSE, is honoring those individuals as part of the fourth annual Educom Medal Awards Program.
　　　The winners of the 1998 Educom Medal represent five academic disciplines: civil engineering, linguistics, meteorology, religion, and statistics. Winners are selected by professional disciplinary societies based on criteria developed by Educom when the program was launched in 1995. This year's partner societies include the American Academy of Religion (AAR), the American Meteorology Society (AMS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Statistical Association (ASA), and the Linguistic Society of America (LSA).
　　　The winners of the 1998 Educom Medal Awards program have successfully demonstrated to their peers that their innovative uses of technology -- and their efforts to disseminate their findings -- have benefited the educational process within their respective disciplines. Diana Eck of Harvard University was selected by the AAR for her pioneering work linking CD-ROM and World Wide Web resources in the teaching of the history of religions in America. David Fulker of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research was named by the AMS for programs that have enabled universities to acquire and use atmospheric and related data. Stephen Ressler of the United States Military Academy was selected by ASCE for having successfully addressed pedagogical problems that are fundamental to civil engineering and engineering mechanics instruction. Paul Velleman of Cornell University was named by the ASA for having developed multimedia-based, individualized instruction environments for teaching and learning statistics. Richard Larson of the State University of New York at Stony Brook was selected by the LSA for his development of software tools for the study of syntax and semantics.
　　　Winners receive a silver medal, a bronze desk statue, and a cash award. They will be honored at a special awards presentation on October 15, 1998 at the EDUCOM'98 annual conference in Orlando, Florida.
"EDUCAUSE strongly believes that emerging technologies will continue to have a substantial impact on teaching and learning," said EDUCAUSE president Brian L. Hawkins. "The work of the winners of this year's Educom Medal offers tangible evidence that information technology can indeed help improve undergraduate education."
　　　The Educom Medal Awards Program was conceived in 1994 to honor those individuals whose professional achievements contribute to the improvement of the undergraduate Beaming experience and to the advancement of information technology ht higher education. The program seeks to (1) recognize and reward educators and developers whose applications exemplify the best in instructional effectiveness; (2) identify applications of information technology that improve access, quality, and cost effectiveness in higher education; and (3) disseminate information about exemplary applications of technology in the teaching and learning process.
　　　EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit consortium of colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and corporations. It has offices in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado. For more information about the Educom Medal Awards Program and other EDUCAUSE programs and projects, see http://www.educause.edu, call 202-872-4200, or send electronic mail to medals@educause.edu.