This article features an interview with Pierre A. Lévy, Professor in the Department of Communication, University of Ottawa, Canada. He occupies the Canada Research Chair in Collective Intelligence where he is engaged in research on the design of a universal system for semantic addressing of digital documents. He completed his MA at the Sorbonne…

In "The School and Society" John Dewey noted new tendencies in education, e.g., manual training and nature study. He raised two related questions: (1) how are we to "understand the" new educational trends as reflections of the "social context"--as an "inevitable" effort to bring education into line with the broader pattern of change in industrial…

Interactive digital media, or video games, are a powerful new medium. They offer immersive experiences in which players solve problems. Players learn more than just facts--ways of seeing and understanding problems so that they "become" different kinds of people. "Serious games" coming from business strategy, advergaming, and entertainment gaming…

As the focus shifts to learning in the workplace, emphasis is being placed on "infonuggets," chunking, or granularization: delivery of bits of training and information as needed on the job. Some delivery methods include electronic performance support systems, the Internet, and computer simulation. (SK)

Describes a new direction for conservation efforts influenced by the advance of the information age and the introduction of many technologically sophisticated information collecting devices. Devices include microscopic computer chips, miniature electronic components, and Earth-observation satellite. (MCO)

The concept of bridging the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the world draws symbolically on nineteenth century diffusion theories of linear progress and twentieth-century theories of modernization and development. This paper examines information and communication technology (ICT) policies and public-access postings on…

Discussed is the history and elements of the personal computer. Its uses as a laboratory assistant and generic toolkit for mathematical analysis and modeling are included. The future of the personal computer in research is addressed. (KR)

This report summarizes the roundtable on information technology which brought together leaders from business, government, the non-profit sector, and academia to explore the use of complex adaptive systems as a model for determining information technology's role in both the workplace and diverse societal settings. Topics covered in this document…

Will video games change the way we learn? We argue here for a particular view of games--and of learning--as activities that are most powerful when they are personally meaningful, experiential, social, and epistemological all at the same time. From this perspective, we describe an approach to the design of learning environments that builds on the…

Discussion of virtual reality and cyberspace focuses on applications in school media programs. Examples of fiction for adults and children dealing with these concepts, as well as related materials for educators, are suggested. The vast range of resources available to library media specialists through the Internet is also considered. (MES)

Discusses the nature and function of mental models, explains tools for exploratory and expressive learning, and describes a research program to be conducted in the United Kingdom for 10- to 16-year-olds that is designed to explore characteristics of students' mental models. Highlights include knowledge domains; software, including simulations; and…

Presents a position paper of the Vermont State Technology Council regarding the development of information technology skills and knowledge. Essential skills are identified and linked to the Vermont Education Goals, including skills in word processing, databases, spreadsheets, telecommunications, visual-audio-output, computer simulations, desktop…

Discusses the current state of the art in virtual reality (VR), its historical background, and future possibilities. Highlights include applications in medicine, art and entertainment, science, business, and telerobotics; and VR for information science, including graphical display of bibliographic data, libraries and books, and cyberspace.…

Describes methods of using technology in a preservice social studies methods course that show how technology can support teacher planning and how technology can increase teacher effectiveness. Knowledge of instructional materials is discussed, and how to demonstrate the integration of technology into the curriculum through simulations for decision…

This paper examines the use of computers and communication technology for the storage, retrieval, dissemination, creation, analysis, and transformation of information. Examples are provided of the use of compact disks for the storage and retrieval of counselling and research information. To demonstrate the role of information technology in…