Describes distance education programs in Iowa, including the Iowa Distance Education Alliance developed through the Department of Education's Star Schools Program; the use of fiber optic technology; and the Iowa Communications Network that links colleges, universities, and secondary schools with public television. (LRW)

Responses from 102 of 140 Iowa secondary agriculture teachers revealed attitudes toward the interactive communications network (ICN), a two-way fiber optic telecommunications system. Teachers were concerned about such obstacles as scheduling ICN use and managing laboratory and supervised agricultural experience activities. They were undecided…

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the usefulness of an interactive communications network for agricultural education at the secondary level. The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) is a two-way full motion fiber optics telecommunications system capable of linking secondary agricultural departments throughout Iowa. The…

Described is a pilot program designed to develop communication links between local science classrooms. The effects of the use of Sci-Link will be investigated. The proposed Sci-Link projects are described including stream acidity, raindrop size, rocket payloads, gypsy moth populations, and home energy use. (KR)

Discusses the proper planning and upgrading of telecommunications infrastructure in schools that can support state-of-the-art data, voice, and video applications. An example of one school's efforts at installing an integrated telecommunications system for its 17,500 students is highlighted. (GR)

Describes the Canadian Database Promotion Initiative (CDPI), which was created to develop projects that link telecommunications with information technologies for a variety of business and educational organizations. Topics discussed include computer-mediated communications; networks for businesses, research organizations, and universities; and the…

Describes SPINN (School Project in Northern Norway), a collaboration between the University of Trondheim and secondary schools that was designed to develop experiences on pedagogical, technological, and organizational matters using data communication. Highlights include Windows-based software, organization and training, individual school projects,…

Discussion of the National Research and Education Network (NREN) highlights distance education programs that have been developed at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Topics discussed include nontraditional students; an evolving view of knowledge and learning; new communications technologies; computer communications at RIT; hearing-impaired…

Describes a project designed to help high school language students learn about French-speaking countries that uses HyperCard and telecommunications capabilities and can be adapted to other related curriculum areas. Highlights include cooperative group work using the Internet and creating HyperCard stacks. (three references.) (LRW)

This presentation describes the distance education program at Memorial University (Newfoundland), which operates the Telemedicine Centre, including an audiographic, teleconference network that uses a combination of hardware and software to turn an MS DOS computer into an interactive long distance blackboard. Topics covered by the presentation…

Intended to suggest ways of implementing the potential of NovaNet beyond its current applications, this report begins with an overview of current educational applications of telecommunications systems. It is noted that NovaNET is not only a successful computer system for presenting instructional courseware, but that it also supports…

The Collaboratory Notebook, developed as part of the Learning Through Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis), is a networked, multimedia knowledge-building environment which has been designed to help students, teachers and scientists share inquiry over the boundaries of time and space. CoVis is an attempt to change the way that science is…

The computer network Telenex (Teachers of English Language Education Nexus) established at the University of Hong Kong is described. The network was conceived to provide professional support to secondary school English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers in Hong Kong, and is monitored by a team of ESL teachers and teacher educators. Its components…

Describes ways in which instructional media and educational technology can be used to improve the attitudes and interest of at-risk students to help keep them in school. Topics discussed include curriculum development; hardware; software; flexible programs for dropouts; and programs for homebound students that use telecommunications networks. (LRW)

This document, which is designed for classroom teachers at all levels, examines the various electronic communications technologies available today and describes teaching methods and classroom techniques that teachers of business communication and other business education courses can use to introduce students to those technologies. Presented first…