The unexpectedly rapid expansion of the Internet in Eastern and Central Europe is having a significant effect on institutions of higher education, still suffering from decades of isolation. The benefits include global access to information and cost-effective communications. A number of international efforts are under way to expand Internet access,…

Documents a graduate-level teacher-education program's initial effort to introduce telecommunications to inservice educators, to determine support and technological needs, and to inform policy for future practice. The major obstacles were lack of time, access to equipment, and resources for implementation. (AEF)

Explains the need for quality educational technology in elementary and secondary schools, describes the potential that telecommunications network technology holds for revitalizing American education, and outlines major federal programs that provide policy guidance and funding assistance relating to the National Information Infrastructure. A list…

The universities of the world bear profound moral responsibilities to increase understanding of nuclear-age risks and the need to reduce them. Global classrooms are needed. If universities design and set up an international information center and communications consortium, these facilities will support information exchange and provide…

Testimony to a congressional subcommittee stresses the importance of national broadband communications networks such as NREN and NSFNet to the educational community. Approval for a proposed private sector competition for a cooperative agreement with NSFNet is expressed, and the necessity for a common infrastructure for the NREN is discussed. (LAE)

Examines developments in networking for K-12 education, including the High Performance Computing Act of 1991, national telecommunications proposals, growing participation in the National Research and Education Network (NREN), state networks, technical issues, and the Consortium for School Networking. Stages toward the goal of developing…

This address by the chairman of the House of Representatives Science Subcommittee focuses on approaches to improving access to national networks, including legislation that would allow telephone companies to offer cable service. A hearing on the establishment of the National Research and Education Network (NREN) is summarized, and guiding…

Discusses the legal concerns of free access to information, tort liability, and free speech in a commercial electronic networking environment. Recommends that legal questions be addressed through case law, Congressional hearings, and agency solicitations, and that network service providers protect themselves by posting notice of equal access…

Development of the newly federally authorized National Research and Education Network should offer administrative computing and communications organizations at institutions of higher education new levels of network capacity, connectivity, and reliability. Administrative applications will include improved professional communications, sharing of…

Discusses management issues that librarians face in offering public access to library resources through internetworking services, e.g., local area networks, campus networks, or the INTERNET. It is concluded that interface problems and lack of an effective technical support structure make access to library information on INTERNET more of an…

Because of the schedules, preferences, and varied information needs of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (Texas), a system of computer and telecommunications technologies was developed to facilitate research and project planning. The system integrates cellular phones, voice mail, facsimile publishing, distributed document delivery, and…

Discusses prototype information infrastructure projects in northern California's Silicon Valley. The strategies of the public and private telecommunications carriers vying for backbone services and industries developing end-user infrastructure technologies via office networks, set-top box networks, Internet multimedia, and "smart homes"…

Describes the status of educational telecommunications networks operated and funded by state government agencies to support K-12 programs. Summaries of a 1993 survey and other recent studies are presented together with recommendations for network infrastructure, instruction, transport, funding, and evaluation development. (Contains 12 references.)…

Discussion of telecommunications and distance education focuses on a graduate level course, primarily online, that was designed to help educators become familiar with Internet resources. Topics addressed include computer-mediated communication (CMC); writing and CMC; cooperative learning and participant roles; challenges of online interactions;…

Described are some of the ways in which computers can enter invisibly into people's lives. The social issues that embodied virtuality will engender are discussed. The hardware and software, connected by wires, radio waves, and infrared that will allow this to occur are described. (KR)