This paper focuses on aspects of e-government with emphasis on how local authorities are coping with the transition into the Information Society. E-government is reviewed in the flight of such topics as a social inclusion, security and e-democracy. The challenge has been set in the United Kingdom for local authorities to deliver 100% of services…

The Center for Distance Learning of Empire State College (New York) is piloting online study by offering a course in contemporary American diplomacy entirely through the use of computer conferencing and electronic mail. The computer is used to create a learning environment where course participants can interact with each other and with the…

The Education Network of Ontario (ENO) is a telecommunications corporation creating an access and applications network for and by Ontario's 130,000-member education community. When educators register with ENO, they receive full industry-standard Internet and Intranet services in English and French. ENO/REO works from school or home. Statistics…

Logical communication structures organize basic telecommunications services to meet the aims and requirements of groups working on the Internet. This article clarifies logical communication structures within an educational context and illustrates how the communication requirements of work or study groups correspond to a variety of…

Examines the matter of authenticating distant student identities, and discusses several strategies including: proctored exams; digital signatures; getting to know the online student; and databases and online forums that yield student background information. (AEF)

The research presented in this paper examines the effect of hypertext and animation in the context of online learning. With an increasing number of online courses and degrees offered through the Internet and a rapidly increasing enrollment in such courses, it is important to assess and understand how these online features can affect or contribute…

Reports on a survey of 42 post-secondary teachers about online instructional methods and strategies. The results are discussed in terms of Yelon's instructional principles: meaningfulness, prerequisites, open communication, organized essential ideas, learning aids, novelty, modeling, active appropriate practice, pleasant conditions and…

Presents suggestions for how to promote a learning community in a distance education environment. These include: promote initial bonding; synchronous activity helps more than asynchronous; monitor and support continued interaction and participation; provide multiple means of communication; and encourage both work and social interaction, publicly…

In 2 years, RMIT University (Melbourne, Australia) set up an online learning system for 50,000 students. The development of the RMIT Distributed Learning System has taken the University from a cottage industry model to a fully fledged enterprise system for flexible online learning, integrated with the University's student administration system and…

Online computer conferences used to assist distance learning courses often fail because the moderator-usually the instructor responsible for the conference-is not properly trained in techniques that build a community of learners. It has often been assumed that the skills required to create a vibrant classroom discussion translate easily to an…

Undergraduate education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been transformed by the campus-wide use of interactive learning and studio teaching. Rensselaer's 80/20 Model for interactive distance learning is a natural extension of its on-campus educational environment and will form the foundation for the future development of professional and…

Reports on inservice opportunities provided by the Canadian company Odyssey Learning Systems Inc. (Odyssey) and critically assesses how that training mirrored the learning environment created through use of its product in educational settings with students. Suggests that changes to a learning environment provided through technology will not occur…

Describes the cognitive processes required to troubleshoot faults and describes an architecture based on that cognitive model for designing learning environments that engage novices in troubleshooting while supporting their construction of requisite knowledge. This model can be applied to different kinds of troubleshooting problems, enhancing the…

Discusses the use of online networks for distance education based on a workshop sponsored by the Australian Open Learning Information Network. Topics addressed include Pegasus, an Australian electronic network; the perspectives of teachers and students who were involved with online distance education courses; and services provided by ILANET…

Presents 4 guiding concepts--organization, communication, collaboration, and enculturation--and 10 related principles for supporting instructors as they develop online courses. The principles are described using examples from the authors' experience as faculty development specialists. Principles focus on technical, pedagogical, and production…