monthly round-up: october 2011

A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute
“The chief technology officer of eBay sends his children to a nine-classroom school here. So do employees of Silicon Valley giants like Google, Apple, Yahoo and Hewlett-Packard. But the school’s chief teaching tools are anything but high-tech: pens and paper, knitting needles and, occasionally, mud. Not a computer to be found. No screens at all. They are not allowed in the classroom, and the school even frowns on their use at home.”

Search as Navigation? One Bold School Says “Yes”
“When it comes to design and site navigation, Groton School blazes its own trail. Aiming to leverage the search feature in today’s online culture, the school’s redesigned homepage forgoes a traditional navigation. Instead, Groton’s homepage relies on the capabilities of the Podium Search tool, inviting visitors to enter keywords and ‘open’ the school’s site for answers.” [read more]

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monthly round-up: september 2011

The Bucky Challenge: Case Study in Social Media Fundraising
“The University of Wisconsin-Madison is using social media interaction to generate incremental fundraising for student scholarships. For a limited period, an alumni donor will contribute $1 per click for each of the following four actions: a new ‘Like’ on the University Facebook Page; a new ‘Like’ on the Alumni Association Facebook Page; a new follower of the University Twitter feed; a new follower of the Alumni Association Twitter feed.”

Viewbook in Print… Gone at Washington State University
“Cheryl Reed-Dudley, communications coordinator in marketing and creative services at Washington State University sent an email with a link to a new, interactive online viewbook that was replacing a print version. Print isn’t disappearing completely. There is still, for instance, a table piece for use at college fairs. But what has traditionally been the premier piece in recruitment communications in the U.S. is gone.” [read more]

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monthly round-up: August 2011

In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores
“But to many education experts, something is not adding up ... In a nutshell: schools are spending billions on technology, even as they cut budgets and lay off teachers, with little proof that this approach is improving basic learning. This conundrum calls into question one of the most significant contemporary educational movements.”

Modest Gains on ACT
“The ACT is today announcing very small gains on the total composite score and on the percentage of test-takers whose scores suggest they are ‘college ready.’ But the new data suggest that large gaps remain when looking at test scores by racial and ethnic groups.” [read more]

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monthly round-up: july 2011

Admissions Marketing: Out with the Old in with the New
“An overview of some of the most and least effective practices (both digital and non), according to the modern admissions professional.” View the report.

Campus Tours Distressingly Alike
“The presentations are more polished, the lobbies more high tech and the reservations process more automated. But, the result is a dulling sameness. After seeing nine schools in six cities, we are questioning the need for more. They all sound alike … Here’s my advice to colleges as a parent who is quickly wearying of the sameness and a marketer: Don’t be afraid to show your quirky side. It’s what will be remembered.” [read more]

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weekly round-up 6.24.11

Saying More With Less
“Mission statements, despite being referenced as the philosophical essences of their respective institutions, don’t get much respect on college campuses. Often wordy and cumbersome, they don’t get the airtime or T-shirt placement enjoyed by new advertising slogans or the classic Latin motto … But University of Rochester Provost Ralph W. Kuncl wanted something else in 2009 when he began the process of creating the first university-wide mission statement in Rochester’s almost 160-year history. He wanted something creative that would stick in people’s minds.”

Brand Transformation and Fear
“Brand transformation (like personal transformation) requires a passion driven decision to add to the growth of the world. It requires creating opportunity by first bringing new value to people, rather than competing for the value already created by others.” [read more]

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