Explores situated cognition, arguing that the construct of "community of practice" is useful as an analytical lens in which to examine the domain of educational technology. Traces the history of educational technology, and how it is embedded in a larger social and political environment that excludes those who exist on the margins from…

Offers points to consider when deciding whether to begin a full-scale campus portal project. Discusses approaches for creating campus portals; implementation strategies; barriers to implementation; and the potential ability of portals to extend the academic experience beyond the classroom to create 21st century learning communities. (AEF)

In the fall of 2000, the University of the Incarnate Word, a small, Catholic, liberal arts university located in San Antonio, Texas became the largest IBM ThinkPad University in the South. At present, 2,000 laptops have been distributed to students and faculty. This paper explains the implementation process and the components that made this a…

The Virtual U Project is a simulation product created to help improve the management of the nation's university systems. Virtual U simulates running a university or college and assists management in allocating resources within the university. It is a powerful and user-friendly software tool that models the attitudes and behaviors of an academic…

Examines the state of teacher education and new initiatives for preparing technology-proficient teachers. Three sidebars present new teachers' words on the role of technology in teacher training; a description of three colleges of education that are leading the way; and results of "Technology & Learning" survey of schools of teacher…

Examines benefits and drawbacks of laptop programs in higher education, and gives examples of universities that have implemented laptop programs. One such university, in the United Arab Emirates, is considered a pioneer in the Middle East. The university's approach to implementing laptops in teaching and learning and the reactions of its faculty…

There is an urgent need for quality software and digital materials for use in schools. Teachers and students must become discerning and knowledgeable information and communication technology (ICT) users. The school environment has to be fully supportive of ICT, making available expert assistance and advice to the teacher in this rapidly changing…

Examines past trends in hardware, software, networking, and education, in an attempt to determine where they are going and what their broad implications might be. Speculates on what will replace the World Wide Web. Describes new applications and telematons along with a new paradigm for education called SMILE (Software-Managed Instruction,…

Since the start of the early 1990s, an increasing number of people are interest in supporting the complex tasks of the curriculum development process with computer-based tools. "Curriculum development" refers to an intentional process or activity directed at (re)designing, developing, and implementing curricular interventions in schools, colleges,…

Defines the six key pressures that have given rise to the emerging enterprise academic-computing imperative. These include the pressure to (1) improve instructional quality; (2) unify disparate academic-computing resources; (3) demonstrate return on network investment; (4) reach more students; (5) lower costs in delivery of instruction; and (6)…

This second of a two-part article introducing the steps in a school district's teacher professional development model discusses steps three through six: Web page or project; Internet Discovery (with its five phases-question, search, interpretation, composition, sharing); Cyberinquiry; and WebQuests. Three examples are included: Web Page…

This first of a two-part article addressing the need to provide teachers with the skills and the instructional techniques to engage and challenge students by providing relevant technology instruction directly with a clearly delineated scope and sequence that scaffolds the adult learning from simple to more complex learning. Includes a model for…

Museums have long been the repository of important cultural items. They make these items available to public view in exhibitions in specially designed architectural spaces, and more recently, in the virtual spaces provided on the World Wide Web and on CD-ROM. By making their collections accessible to the public in carefully crafted and coherent…

Explores the power of Digital Video Interaction (DVI) technology, specifically its ability to combine multimedia tools to form a single communication engine. Looks at what DVI is, its historical origins, its importance, how it works, and where its impact might be felt in the next century. Examines the potential of DVI in developing countries for…