Public discourse on the pedagogical uses of information technology runs the gamut from utopian to apocalyptic. Two ideologies in particular have received much attention. The first, restructuralism, calls for radically restructuring postsecondary institutions from the ground up to respond effectively to social, demographic, and economic changes in…

This digest provides background information and sources that help in understanding the concept of educational technology. Specific answers are provided to the following 12 questions: (1) What is educational technology? (2) What are the roots of educational technology? (3) What is a good source of research findings? (4) What do educational…

This digest provides background information and sources that help in understanding the concept of educational technology. Specific answers are provided to the following 12 questions: (1) What is educational technology? (2) What are the roots of educational technology? (3) What is a good source of research findings? (4) What do educational…

Students today face a daily explosion of information resources and the challenge of using these resources effectively and responsibly. Information literacy instruction (ILI) requires a shift in focus from teaching specific information resources to a set of critical thinking skills involving the use of information. ILI in an academic setting…

This digest provides background information and sources that help in understanding the concept of educational technology. Specific answers are provided to the following 12 questions: (1) What is educational technology? (2) What are the roots of educational technology? (3) What is a good source of research findings? (4) What do educational…

Electronic technologies and collection development are two of the top concerns in library and information science today. The challenges of integrating electronic resources and technologies into the process of collection development are many, and many-faceted. Beyond task-oriented considerations, such as the selection process itself, there are…

This digest contains four sections that discuss the following broad principles that offer a framework to teachers for thinking about how technology can support their instruction: (1) learning occurs in context, including ways that technology can facilitate learning by providing real world contexts that engage learners in solving complex problems,…

Living in an "information society" implies dealing with a barrage of information on a daily basis, with success and survival dependent on the ability to locate, analyze, and use information skillfully and appropriately. Information literacy, which has been defined as the ability to effectively access and evaluate information for a…

The print-based model of distance education through correspondence continues to be used, but is being supplemented and, in some cases, replaced, by other media. A second generation of distance education in the 1960s and 1970s was characterized by reliance on open broadcasting, supported by correspondence instruction and print materials. A third…

This digest is designed to aid those wishing to learn more about how to use information technology to access electronic education resources. Starting points for locating magazines and journals online are summarized; suggested strategies include visiting the World Wide Web sites of journal publishers, using search engines, and accessing virtual…

This digest discusses some of the major trends and issues found in a systematic content review of the professional literature of library and information science. Two "megatrends" are identified and discussed: (1) the concern for the impact of technology upon every facet of library work, in academic, school, public, and special libraries;…

The Internet is an international computer network encompassing thousands of smaller interconnected networks. This digest describes various uses of the Internet and its impact on libraries, as well as Internet-related library issues. The Internet applications of electronic mail (E-mail), telnet, and file transfer protocol (FTP) are briefly…

The gold-collar worker has problem-solving abilities, creativity, talent, and intelligence; performs non-repetitive and complex work difficult to evaluate; and prefers self management. Gold-collar information technology workers learn continually from experience; recognize the synergy of teams; can demonstrate leadership; and are strategic thinkers…