Interactive whiteboards have made quite a splash in classrooms in recent years. When a computer image is projected on the whiteboard using an LCD projector, users can directly control the computer from the whiteboard. In some systems such as Smart and Mimio, the finger is used in place of a mouse to open and run programs or move windows around. In…

The personal computer--with its ability to store, sort, and retrieve large amounts of data, generate reports, and graphically present statistical information--is becoming an integral tool in the administration of the modern media center. The need to share and retrieve information beyond the immediate environment of the media center has always been…

For more than 150 years, printers have been faithfully reproducing continuous tone originals using halftoning techniques. For about 120 years, printers could only use the AM halftoning technique invented by Henry Talbot. In recent years, the advent of powerful raster image processors and high-resolution output devices has increased the variety of…

Discusses using high-speed modems to access the Internet. Examines internal and external modems, data speeds, compression and error reduction, faxing and voice capabilities, and software features. Considers ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) as the future replacement of high-speed modems. Sidebars present high-speed modem product…

Discusses the process and demonstrates the utility of repackaging lantern slides (i.e., photographs printed on glass or film sandwiched between glass) as digital images. A prototype community memory interface for access to the images is described, and photographs of the visual index to stored images are included. (seven references) (KRN)

Discusses the use of portable keyboards that can download their information into a computer and describes how they can be used effectively in elementary school classrooms. Highlights include uses in various subject areas, including writing improvement; student motivation; taking keyboards home; and uses outside the classroom, including field…

Suggests school leaders must understand the total cost of ownership (TOC)-all of the costs involved with installing, operating, and maintaining computers-if they are going to use them to full advantage and cost-effectively. Discusses the major components of TCO after initial hardware investment (professional development, software, support, and…

OsmoBeaker is a CD-ROM designed to enhance the learning of diffusion and osmosis by presenting interactive experimentation to the student. The software provides several computer simulations that take the student through different scenarios with cells, having different concentrations of solutes in them.

Beloved by students worldwide, iPod is becoming a presence in the classroom as teachers discover its many educational uses. At heart, the iPod's appeal is about its easily accessible audio and visual content in an attractive and conveniently sized package. Mechanically, the product is mostly a hard disk drive (although some models use only flash…

Virtual Reality (VR) offers benefits to engineering education. This article defines VR and describes types; outlines reasons for using VR in engineering education; provides guidelines for using VR; presents a model for determining when to use VR; discusses VR applications; and describes hardware and software needed for a low-budget VR and…

Discussion of assistive, or adaptive, technology highlights major technologies that help physically impaired individuals at home, work, and school. Technologies described include voice recognition, microswitches, communication boards, headsticks and mouthsticks, vision control, adaptive keyboards, word prediction software, electronic readers,…

Provides an introduction to CD-ROM networking. Highlights include LAN (local area network) architectures for CD-ROM networks, peer-to-peer networks, shared file and dedicated file servers, commercial software/vendor solutions, problems, multiple hardware platforms, and multimedia. Six figures illustrate network architectures and a sidebar contains…

Discusses modem speed, factors affecting performance; phone-line limitations; new options: Interactive Services Digital Network (ISDN) and Digital Subscriber Link (DSL); satellite delivery; cable modems; and choosing the right solution. (PEN)

Good primary science is about children being engaged in questioning, exploring and interpreting--and enjoying the experience. Good ICT is where appropriate software, hardware and activities complement and support science activities. It is all too easy to see only the whizzes and bangs of the latest technology and forget about the learning…

Look no further than to the popularity of C-SPAN's annual video documentary competition for middle and high schoolers, and it's obvious that video editing, and the technology that comes with it, is important to today's students. In the past it was a complex, involved, and expensive process. Video editing is now within the reach of anybody with a…