Cloud computing is definitely a thing now, but it's not new and it's not even novel. Back when people were first learning about the Internet in the 1990s, every diagram that one saw showing how the Internet worked had a big cloud in the middle. That cloud represented the diverse links, routers, gateways, and protocols that passed traffic around in…

Distance education in social work has grown significantly due to the use of interactive television and computer networks. Given the recent developments in delivering distance education utilizing Web-based technology, this article presents a literature review focused on identifying generational trends in the development of Web-based learning…

In this article, the author looks to the past for trends in hardware, software, networking, and education and attempt to extrapolate where they are going and what their broad implications might be. However, there are many different ways that trends can be interpreted, and it is easy to pick trends that support one's thesis and ignore ones that…

Online users leave traces that others can find and use. Provides an overview of where and how users leave traces and what users can do to protect their privacy. Discusses Internet accounts; special files ("signature,""plan,""project,""file,""finger,""whois," and "vacation");…

In the past three years, higher education institutions have made a number of moves to secure their critical systems and protect their users, resulting in a marked change in the techniques used to combat security threats. Today, continued progress may depend on the development of an enterprise IT security program. (Contains 10 notes.)

Internet is not the panacea for every problem in education but we must realize that this is a great tool that can help us empower every student and elevate each individual to new levels of intellectual capacity and skills. Combined with specifics learning objectives, it will definitely change the face of education. Technology is becoming an…

Discusses the declining performance of the Internet in light of the rapid growth of commercial enterprises on the Internet and World Wide Web, along with plans by the National Science Foundation, the Federation of American Research Networks, and research universities to develop a new, high-performance Internet (or Internet II) for educational and…

This report analyzes data gathered from 29 automated library system vendors who responded to a 1996 survey. The survey also requested their perceptions of Java (an object-oriented programming language) and network computers, and issues and trends to be considered by library administrators. Contact information about the vendors is provided. (Four…

The shift from limited-capacity personal computers to powerful workstation technology offers an environment for writing instruction that allows networking, simultaneous performance of many tasks, and tools for designing custom lessons and individual applications. At Allegheny College (Pennsylvania), a first-year writing course is supported…

The unexpectedly rapid expansion of the Internet in Eastern and Central Europe is having a significant effect on institutions of higher education, still suffering from decades of isolation. The benefits include global access to information and cost-effective communications. A number of international efforts are under way to expand Internet access,…

Objective: This article highlights the importance of distributed broadband networks as part of the core infrastructure necessary to deliver academic research and education programs. Method: The authors review recent developments in the field and present the University of California, Davis, environment as a case study of a future virtual regional…

Strategies at several private and public colleges and universities to support advancing information technology are described. Trends include distributed computing, database connectivity, and increased computer use in teaching. Common instructional concerns include facilitating use of technology and developing "supertech" classrooms.…

Describes tools for technological forecasting, including expert opinion, leading indicators, and trend analysis. Discussion includes process of technology diffusion and the changes it creates, and draws implications for instruction and school administration as well as emerging computer and telecommunications applications in business. Estimates are…

Discusses some emerging issues for information resources and use in higher education, including challenges in advanced networking; distributed-information technology (IT); authentication, authorization, and access management; distance learning; intellectual property in a networked environment; and campus-business continuity planning. Funding,…

This paper examines the role of academic systems librarians, focusing on the effect of networking technologies. Outlines stages in the evolution of the field derived from the literature and surveys, discusses new administrative and professional tasks and trends resulting from technological change, and speculates about the future of academic…