Do you think education is a public or private good? That is an ongoing debate and the dire economic times are shining a more focused light on the topic. There is a good article on the concept of public goods including the economic analysis arguments and the role of government in the allocation of resources. Have you been looking for an innovative approach to building the skills of decision–making and conflict resolution, leadership and clarity in goal setting and communication? McLoughlin and Luca present an interesting approach in their article "A learner–centred approach to developing team skills through web–based learning and assessment." Many faculty consider good mentoring to be part of the normal teaching experience. "The process, when done effectively, entails asking questions of students instead of supplying answers, entering into a dialogue instead of a monologue, and giving students some control rather than trying to exert it oneself," says Steven Volk, a professor at Oberlin College. There is still time to register for the teleseminar being offered on stopping plagiarism. You need to register for the free web-based presentation that takes place on February 1 at noon.