This first in a series of articles on organizing electronic network-based instructional interactions describes and compares macro-organizational elements, strategies, and tactics of three popular electronic networks: the FrEdMail Network, the National Geographic Kids' Network, and the AT&T Learning Network. (Contains five references.) (LRW)

Provides brief descriptions of Gopher, Veronica, Jughead, and Archie, four free tools designed to locate electronic information resources on the Internet. Basic directions for using each of the four tools are provided. (KRN)

Describes Project Orillas, a telecommunications network designed to improve the writing skills of bilingual and foreign language students studying English and Spanish in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States. The electronic bulletin board system used for communication is explained and guidelines for joining the network are included. (LRW)

Describes the participation of a small Catholic school near Philadelphia in the AT&T Learning Circles Project, which involved networking with schools in several states. The integration of the telecommunications project with the language arts curriculum is discussed, including creative writing about local food and historic places to share with…

Discusses the growing use of telecommunications in the classroom and lists 30 projects and networks currently available to educators. Highlights include general online services; databases; news services; local area projects; worldwide projects; electronic mail projects, including AT&T's Long Distance Learning Network (LDLN); and networks for…

Describes audiographics teleteaching, a microcomputer-based system incorporating computer graphics for distance education. Topics covered include use of audiographics for inservice courses to teachers in Hawaii; appropriate telecommunications software; a model for audiographics teleteaching; strengths and weaknesses of audiographics; and…

Discusses school librarians' use of telecommunications to provide access to electronic resources and information databases outside the school library. Examples are given of services provided through the Internet, including electronic mail, file transfer protocol, Gopher, Wide Area Information Server, and World Wide Web. (five references) (LRW)

Local area networks (LANs) are systems of computers and peripherals connected together for the purposes of electronic mail and the convenience of sharing information and expensive resources. In planning the design of such a system, the components to consider are hardware, software, transmission media, topology, operating systems, and protocols.…

Describes the development of strategies and software to help people work collaboratively while at a distance from one another. The importance of collaborative activities, the shared spaces concept behind groupware, examples of software that support synchronous and asynchronous group activities, and design issues for educational groupware are…

Provides illustrated examples of Mosaic pages of Internet-based information developed by elementary school students and teachers. Descriptions include how hypertext mark-up language (HTML) is used to create the pages and link them with Internet resources, and directions for using Mosaic to access other examples and additional information are…

Describes a project designed to help high school language students learn about French-speaking countries that uses HyperCard and telecommunications capabilities and can be adapted to other related curriculum areas. Highlights include cooperative group work using the Internet and creating HyperCard stacks. (three references.) (LRW)

Describes Telecommunications Opportunities for Gifted Learners (TOGL), a state-funded project in Florida that links gifted programs in rural districts. The use of electronic mail and computer conferences is described; teacher education and training needs are discussed; and an example of a lesson plan that integrates online activities is given.…

Discussion of the use of technology for teaching and learning science focuses on studies that explored trends in teaching science with technology. Highlights include projects using telecommunications through computer networks; constructivist theory and the use of hypermedia; and computer-supported collaborative learning. Implications for teachers…

Describes a program developed in Chino Valley (Arizona) schools that integrates computer technology into the curriculum to support heterogeneous grouping of students while providing special assistance for at-risk students. Highlights include the instructional management system, the role of teachers and support staff, and the role of the computer…

Discussion of the use of electronic networks for learning activities highlights the Noon Observation Project in which students in various locations measured the length of a noontime shadow to determine the earth's circumference. Electronic pen pals are discussed, and the roles of the network and of the class are described. (LRW)