Taken together, the articles in this special issue contribute to the collective sense of recent progress in research on networked learning in higher education. In combination, they help explain some of the key relationships between teachers' and learners' intentions and experiences, the affordances of text-based communications technologies and…

Describes how some K-12 teachers became moderators of educational telecommunication projects, and presents results of a survey of 100 moderators about their roles. Reviews types of networks that provide online learning environments: electronic bulletin boards, Internet lists, World Wide Web, and networks. Tables list expressions that describe…

Describes projects in schools using innovative educational technology. These programs include an interactive television and computer network; an initiative to use the Internet in rural areas; a telecommunications network to share information throughout Tennessee; and an announcement of the Marlowe Froke National Award for Leadership in Educational…

Describes a beginning Internet course at Mankato State University (Minnesota) designed for preservice and inservice school library media professionals and students. The course addresses the following topics: electronic mail; LISTSERVs; news services; gophering; FTP; and telneting. Other skills such as downloading and locating resources are also…

Describes how innovations in educational technology contribute to motivation and achievement in the Berkshire Union Free School District (New York), a public school for at-risk students. Highlights include classroom presentation stations, examples of student multimedia projects, and state and federal recognition for the school. A list of producers…

Discusses research on the process of introducing telecommunication technology in K-12 classrooms. To ensure parent and teacher involvement in Internet-based collaborative learning projects, a participatory design approach is examined that allows teachers to monitor and influence project design. This approach is selected because of its…

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…

Describes and explores the District Education Agent program, a community-based program proposed by the Subcommittee on Select Education of the U.S. House of Representatives, which is comparable to the agricultural extension service. Ways in which it might incorporate new technological capabilities are suggested. (12 references) (DB)

Uses a range of case studies to provide an international overview of the use of technologies in education and training. Discusses the current context for distance education and training, and identifies principles which contribute to meeting the needs of learners, content, and institution. (Author/AEF)

Describes the development of educational-technology programs at Covington High School (Louisiana) that resulted in students' building computers and computer networks. Explains how this concept of learning real-world skills and meeting student needs has now carried over into other curriculum areas. Discusses staff-development opportunities. (LRW)

Discusses a typology that can be used to guide educators in selection of cyberspace tools to accomplish specific tasks. The typology consists of four main divisions of properties: number of people communicating; real-time communications; permanency of communications; and automatic delivery to audience. These four divisions result in 16 possible…

Addresses the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning in a classroom environment. Discusses classroom setups, including networks and Internet connections; utilizing resources, including lecture notes, software demonstrations, and simulations; the use of laptop computers; and examples of technology use where students don't have access to…

Describes developments in British education in distance learning technologies. Highlights include networking the rural areas; communication, community, and paradigm shifts; digital compression techniques and telematics; Web-based material delivered over the Internet; system flexibility; social support; learning support; videoconferencing; and…

Teachers at Irvington High School in Fremont, California are looking for meaningful and relevant connections between what students are learning in the classroom and the job skills companies are looking for in the years to come. For Irvington, a Bay Area public high school serving about 2,000 students, that pursuit of a "logical link" led…

The introduction of inter-school electronic networks has added a new dimension to education in Canada that has many implications for students who attend schools in rural communities. Collaborative internet-based teaching and learning and the creation of virtual classes within regional intranets now complement traditional on-site instruction in…