The RP’s Weekly Web Gems: The Politics of College

How has technology changed college today? This is an extensive topics that includes countless new developments which have found their way into the lives of college students inside and outside of the classroom. See here for an overview of rapid changes seen in the past 20 years. [VatorNews]

The most recent explosion from Apple has been the iPad. Since its release, there has been much speculation on the extensive possibilities tablets could provide not just for college classrooms, but in all areas of education. [Online Colleges]

Could the end of the printed textbook be approaching? Between 1986 and 2005, the average price of textbooks rose 186 percent. As the technological age takes us over, it seems clear a major aim of new businesses would be to eliminate these bulky, expensive books from college life. See here for some projects currently underway. [The Chronicle]

A new study has concluded that access to search engines like Google has actually hindered students’ ability to effectively research, rather than furthered it. The study attempted to understand the dramatic changes in how college students conduct research and to determine the effects on the students. [The Conversation]

Not only are the students utilizing new technologies, but the universities as a whole have begun using the opportunities provided to further their messages as well. In particular, social media has become a focal point for many institutions, including usage of Facebook, Twitter, iTunesU, and YouTube. See here for twenty schools that have put a particularly large emphases on these technological outlets. [Best Colleges Online]