US Manufacturers Like What They See -- Especially At Home (Industry Week) – For the fifth straight quarter in a row manufacturing indicators rose as U.S. companies continue to see improved profits, exports, etc. Most firms expressed plans to increase investments both abroad and domestically for 2014, a sign that manufacturing is continuing to grow for the U.S.
Will It Play in Emporia? (Slate.com) – Given that the majority of bachelor’s degrees are earned at smaller regional universities it is vital for these institutions to be included in the discussions on how to include technology in the classroom. For these schools the best method is likely to be incorporating technology in a variety of small ways to expose students to a range of technological uses and solutions.
Why Iterative Innovation is the Only Path to Exascale (HPC Wire) – As the U.S. continues to work towards an exascale supercomputer it appears that no major breakthroughs in HPC’s are on the horizon. Therefore the only way to reach this next level in computing power is going to be through small incremental improvements made to every aspect of the supercomputer systems.
Education Department Proposes Easing Eligibility Criteria for PLUS Loans (The Chronicle of Higher Education) – The Dept. of Education is looking at lower the criteria of its PLUS loans after receiving sharp criticism for the changes it made three years ago which made it much more difficult for parents and students to access these loans.
New Common Core tests may overwhelm some students, seriously challenge others (Cleveland.com) – Research looking at Common Core based test questions has found that the majority of students are struggling with the new complex multi-step questions. Proficiency on a the NAEP exams, which ask questions similar to Common Core tests will, had proficiency ranging from 35 to 42% which is remarkably low.
