Describes KIDSPHERE, an Internet-based mailing list that was created to further the development of school computer networks. Its role in building a community of educators on the Internet and in furthering the goals of educational reform is discussed; other topics include the value it provides, distribution, and funding. (Author/LRW)

In this article, the author looks to the past for trends in hardware, software, networking, and education and attempt to extrapolate where they are going and what their broad implications might be. However, there are many different ways that trends can be interpreted, and it is easy to pick trends that support one's thesis and ignore ones that…

Discussion of the use of wide area computer networks to facilitate community-building and educational reform in elementary-secondary education focuses on a project in Pittsburgh called Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh that is seeking to develop new environments for teaching and learning. Guidelines for other school districts are presented. (LRW)

Discusses changes in information technology in higher education. Three basic model shifts are explained: (1) from personal to work group computing and communicating; (2) from system islands to integrated systems; and (3) from internal to interenterprise computing and communicating. Strategic planning for information technology and keys to planning…

Discusses ways in which computers can be used to help school reform by shifting the emphasis from information transmission to information processing. Highlights include creating learning communities that extend beyond the classroom; educationally oriented computer networks; Professional Development Schools for curriculum development; and new…

In order to meet the challenge of institutionalizing technology, community college educators must first define their needs; second, delineate the physical, social, and cultural conditions that affect the environment; and third, examine the knowledge made available through the computer and its paraphernalia. Institutionalizing technology requires:…

Describes tools for technological forecasting, including expert opinion, leading indicators, and trend analysis. Discussion includes process of technology diffusion and the changes it creates, and draws implications for instruction and school administration as well as emerging computer and telecommunications applications in business. Estimates are…

Discussion of information technology in Japan includes historical background, government-initiated movements for school reform backed by computer networks, and the introduction of an information technology course in senior high schools. Describes a nationwide open education project in Korea and the state of cyber universities supported by the…

A teacher at a Beijing international school describes some exciting, unexpected benefits of providing all 10 eighth graders in the school with laptop computers. During a three-month pilot program, students quickly became proficient at using, caring for, and managing their personal laptops. Teachers learned that some subject areas were more…

Discusses the use of electronic communication networks in education to foster literacy development and considers how innovations are introduced and accepted. Describes electronic communication networks in a college classroom used on a local area network to improve students' abilities to write, read, and engage in collaborative problem solving…

This discussion of the increasing use of computers in colleges and universities focuses on changes that are occurring as a result of such use. Highlights include library automation, the effects of microcomputers, the growth of networks, changes in software, budget considerations, administrative staffing patterns, and outlooks for the future. (LRW)

Describes the growth and evolution of educational networking including the growth in the number of users; networking tools such as Gopher; Internet information resources; problems; evaluations of network use in education; the evolution of educational communities on the Internet; integrating networks into the process of educational change; and the…

Describes characteristics of higher education students in the 21st century, focusing on the nontraditional aspects compared to the majority of today's students; discusses lifelong learning, distance learning, and learning processes; describes collaborative learning networks; and considers elementary and secondary education changes. (LRW)

Describes efforts in the United Kingdom to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) into schools and the government's aim to have teachers acquire network literacy. Discusses innovation and change in education; results of a study that investigated teachers' attitudes about the impact of ICT; and the need for teacher's professional…

Describes the products and services available from the National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP), which exists to promote change within schools and local districts to increase the use of educational technology with students with disabilities. NCIP's awareness materials, telecommunications network, video conferences, technical assistance services…