Current technology enables schools to provide remote or virtual computing labs that can be implemented in multiple ways ranging from remote access to banks of dedicated workstations to sophisticated access to large-scale servers hosting virtualized workstations. This paper reports on the implementation of a specific lab using remote access to…

Provides an overview of databases that include the best information about Latin America. Highlights include problems with using "Latin America" as a search concept; Latin American information on DIALOG; the dominance of TEXTLINE among the major newswires; comparisons between DIALOG and other online services; specialized Latin American…

Pricing strategies for subscriptions and licenses for CD-ROMs are different for single users and networks. The basic components of pricing strategies are charges for subscription, connect line, display/print, telecommunication, session rate, special commands, and special services. Highlights selected supplier pricing strategies for single users…

Describes the organization, operation, and evaluation of an experimental online electronic conference for 450 chemistry educators from 33 countries that was conducted on the Internet. Advantages and disadvantages of online conferencing compared to traditional methods of scholarly discourse are discussed, and future plans are described. (Author/LRW)

Examines influences on the use of electronic information resources, including the Internet. Highlights include information quality and accessibility; the Technology Assessment Model; the Fitness for Purpose model; the Theory of Planned Behavior; and a study in Australia that compared the ability of these models to explain electronic information…

Discussion of CD-ROM as an alternative to online searching for academic libraries focuses on a comparison between online and CD-ROM costs at the University of Natal (South Africa) library. Other factors examined include funding methods; user fees; staff involvement; user training; user access, including search intermediaries and networking; and…

Describes computer-based software and network systems for application to serials and government publications. General and specific functional requirements (hardware, software, file structure) are discussed, and descriptive information about commercially available serials control systems and a list of distributors are provided. (CLB)

This first volume of a two-volume report describes a project at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) which assessed the effectiveness of a Virtual Classroom (VC) in which students and teachers communicate through a computer-mediated system called the Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES). Chapter 1 provides background on project…

Describes levels of Internet connectivity, physical connections, and connection speeds. Compares options for connecting to the Internet, including terminal accounts, dial-up terminal accounts, direct connections through a local area network, and direct connections using SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) or PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol). (eight…

A study was conducted to provide the data necessary to make informed policy and leadership decisions about the future operations of the Texas Education Network (TENET), a telecomputing network for education. Section 1, "Teaching and Learning with TENET" (Jane L. David), addresses issues of teaching and learning through the use of…

Examines factors relating to selecting machine-readable information sources from the perspective of the library manager concerned with serving user needs. Professional and novice searchers are considered; remote time sharing, CD-ROM workstations, and local tapes are described and compared; network choices are discussed; and impacts on the…

This study examined interaction and communication patterns among students (n=9) and with the instructor in a graduate course offered at a distance using the FirstClass computer conferencing (CC) software. Specifically, the following questions were addressed: (1) What are similarities and differences in interaction and collaboration between CC and…