The Times Will Work with Epsilen(TM), a Web-based System that Provides Tools and Services to Students and Faculty
NEW YORK, Sep 06, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The New York Times introduced today a new online initiative that
pairs Times content with faculty course material for both
credit-bearing and continuing education courses. Educators will now
have the opportunity to select Times articles, archival content,
graphics and multimedia content, including videos and Webcasts,
gathered around specific subjects, and make them available to students
online, along with other course materials. Students will benefit from
access to thematic content that is drawn from the vast array of Times
reporting on a countless number of issues.
This innovation is a significant expansion of The New York Times
Knowledge Network, a program that has provided copies of the paper,
accompanied by curriculum guides, to faculty at colleges and
universities for several years, bringing the resources of The Times
into classrooms as part of the learning experience. Now, with this new
component of the Knowledge Network, Times content will be readily
available to students online, whether they're enrolled in an on-campus
course or continuing their education through a distance learning
program.
In addition to enhanced course offerings for college students and
lifelong learners, the Knowledge Network will serve as a global
networking and professional and academic development resource for
faculty, students and alumnae. Users will be able to share work with
colleagues, create their own academic or professional ePortfolios
(digital repositories of a person's work), invite peer review and
establish professional contact with people around the globe based on
common academic pursuits and research.
This new component of Knowledge Network is available via the
Epsilen(TM) Environment (www.epsilen.com), a newly developed Web-based
software package that provides a wide range of tools and services for
faculty members and students, including ePortfolios, Global Learning
System (courseware), group collaboration, object sharing, blogs,
messaging, and social and professional networking. Users receive a
lifelong identity on the Epsilen(TM) system, enabling them to maintain
their academic and professional ePortfolios throughout their careers,
regardless of their affiliation with individual institutions. The New
York Times Company is an equity investor in BehNeem, LLC, a company
that has secured a long-term exclusive license to the Epsilen(TM)
Environment from the Indiana University Research and Technology
Corporation.
"We're very excited about this initiative, which builds on the
strong, productive relationships The Times already has with so many
colleges and universities across the country," said Felice Nudelman,
director of education, The New York Times. "This expansion of The
Times Knowledge Network allows faculty the opportunity to supplement
their students' education with real-world reporting that deepens their
understanding of almost any subject and brings a whole new dimension
to the faculty/student dialogue, whether it's happening in a classroom
or exclusively online."
The Times has collaborated in the development of this online
education initiative with Dr. Ali Jafari, director of Cyberlab, a
research and development laboratory within the Purdue School of
Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University
Indianapolis (www.iupui.edu). In his capacity at Cyberlab, Dr. Jafari
was the architect of the Epsilen(TM) Environment, which is the result
of more than six years of research.
"The Epsilen(TM) Environment is a new concept and technology
framework allowing faculty and students continued access to their work
after switching schools, entering the job market or retiring," said
Dr. Jafari. "It is a prototype of the Web 2.0 concept built on the
ePortfolio foundation and the power of social networking. The
Epsilen(TM) concept suggests that every student and professional
should own a lifelong ePortfolio enabling them to collaborate and
exchange intellect in a global community."
Students will register for Knowledge Network courses through their
universities. Access will be available through NYTimes.com/knowledge
or their university portals. Fees will be determined by the
participating universities. Creation of basic ePortfolio accounts is
free for all registered students and faculty of U.S. colleges and
universities (visit epsilen.com).
About The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company
with 2006 revenues of $3.3 billion, includes The New York Times, the
International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily
newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 30 Web sites, including NYTimes.com,
Boston.com and About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance
society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news,
information and entertainment.
About BehNeem LLC
BehNeem, LLC was created in Indiana to commercialize, market and
further develop Epsilen(TM) Environment.
About Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and
Cyberlab
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is an
urban research and academic health sciences campus, with over 29,000
students. It was created as a partnership between Indiana and Purdue
Universities. It grants degrees from both universities. Cyberlab, a
research and development laboratory at IUPUI, has initiated and
developed several high-profile software environments, including
Oncourse and ANGEL course management systems. Oncourse is used by all
eight Indiana University campuses for course management, and ANGEL is
a commercial course management product. Both ANGEL Learning Inc. and
BehNeem, LLC are spin-off companies of the Indiana University Research
and Technology Corporation (IURTC).
This press release can be downloaded from www.nytco.com.
SOURCE: The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company
Diane McNulty, 212-556-5244
mcnuldc@nytimes.com
or
Jennifer Pauly, 212-556-1718
paulyj@nytimes.com
