This paper identifies a paradigm shift that must take place in school networking. The ultimate goal is to retool the schools with a local technical infrastructure that gives teachers and students immediate access to communication systems and information resources, thereby supporting the implementation of advances in pedagogy and educational…

Discussion of the potential effects of fiber optic-based communication technology on information networks and systems design highlights library automation. Topics discussed include computers and telecommunications systems, the importance of information in national economies, microcomputers, local area networks (LANs), national computer networks,…

Discussion of the process of integrating new technologies into schools considers the evolution of technology, including personal computers, CD-ROMs, hypermedia, and networking/communications; the transition from Industrial-Age to Information-Age schools; and the logical steps of transition. Sidebars discuss a networked multimedia pilot project and…

Discusses computer networking and the cost effectiveness of decentralization, including local area networks. A planned experiment with a centralized approach to the operation and management of file servers at the University of South Carolina is described that hopes to realize cost savings and the avoidance of staffing problems. (Contains four…

Describes present and future plans for the campuswide communications network at Case Western Reserve University (Ohio). Highlights include upgrading from baseband to broadband technologies; ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)-based networks that allow simultaneous voice, video, and data transmission; strategic planning goals; implications for…

An online system designed to help global environmental research, the electronic research system called Eco-Link draws data from various electronic sources including online catalogs and databases, CD-ROMs, electronic news sources, and electronic data subscription services to produce briefing booklets on environmental issues. It can be accessed by…

Explains light-wave communication and optical fibers. The impact of fiber optics on communication is discussed; uses of fiber optic technology in elementary, secondary, and higher education are described; and possible futures of light-wave communication are considered, including Integrated Services Digital Networks and the National Research and…

Examines the potential application of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Z39.50 library networking protocol as a client/server environment for a scholar's workstation. Computer networking models are described, and linking the workstation to an online public access catalog (OPAC) is…

Examines the rationale for the development of educational computer networks and the potential consequences of the microcomputer revolution. Suggests that rather than being competitive, microcomputers and mainframes are complementary computing environments. (Author/IRT)

Technologies can play a role in restructuring schools, but they can also effectively support existing school structures depending on how they are designed and used. This paper contrasts the organizational impact of two technology systems in terms of the physical location in the school, the curriculum, how time is scheduled, and the opportunities…

Discussed are the factors to be considered when establishing a computer network. Considered are telecommunications, in general, along with channels, switching, packet switching, transmission, multiplexing, and local area networks (LANS). (TW)

Argues that dissatisfaction with the organizational structure of library networks, combined with advances in electronic information formats and microcomputing, may drive libraries to decentralization and a return to local systems. Changes that networks might adopt to provide an effective network governance structure are discussed. (five…

Reviews the main points of computer teleconferencing for both public and private conferences. A directory of teleconferencing resources for mainframe computers and microcomputers is included. (MES)

Discusses the use of microcomputers in creating national information systems in less developed countries; considers the structure and constraints of national systems; discusses bibliographic formats; and describes BABINAT, a reference format for national bibliographic databases that was developed in France for use in less developed countries. (20…

Discusses the rationale, methodology, capabilities and problems of a local area network created for the Library Consortium of Health Institutions in Buffalo, using a multi-user microcomputer. The rationale and design of a new network, designed to better meet information and compatibility requirements, are described and suggestions to network…