Every year, more and more reference sources go from print to online, from the stacks to the library's homepage. The librarians at Quinnipiac University's Arnold Bernhard Library in Hamden, Connecticut, realized that these subscriptions are more than the occasional web offering to supplement the library's mission. They have become an important…

This paper proposes a theoretical framework as a foundation for building online communities of practice when a suite of social networking applications referred to as collective intelligence tools are utilized to develop a product or solutions to a problem. Drawing on recent developments in Web 2.0 tools, research on communities of practice and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the issues surrounding the implementation of an online reading list system at the University of Glamorgan. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reports on an implementation project, using Talis List, which took place between November 2005 and March 2006. Findings: The project itself was a…

"Learning Theory and Online Technologies" offers a powerful overview of the current state of elearning, a foundation of its historical roots and growth, and a framework for distinguishing among the major approaches to elearning. It effectively addresses pedagogy (how to design an effective online environment for learning), evaluation (how to know…

This article summarises the key findings from a UK survey of higher education institutions, focusing on the development of technology enhanced learning (TEL). TEL is defined as any online facility or system that directly supports learning and teaching. The 2008 survey builds upon previous UCISA surveys conducted in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and for…

Self-directed learning on open online networks is now a possibility as communication and resources can be combined to create learning environments. But is it really? There are some challenges that might prevent learners from having a quality learning experience. This paper raises questions on levels of learner autonomy, presence, and critical…

Background: In Europe, Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) open a world of possibilities for children, and expose them to various risks as well. The Safer Internet Programme promoted by the European Commission aims to protect young people online. Goal: The study seeks to identify how European national education systems…

Both the digital library and the digital reference service were invented and have been developed under the networked environment. Among their intersections, the fundamental thing is their symbiotic interest--serving the user in a more efficient way. The article starts by discussing the digital library and its service and the digital reference…

In Texas, the accountability movement was initiated by Governor Rick Perry, who issued an executive order in 2004 requiring all public institutions of higher education to work with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to create a comprehensive system of accountability. Its purpose was one of public accountability: to the citizens of…

This research explores how cues deposited by social partners onto one's online networking profile affect observers' impressions of the profile owner. An experiment tested the relationships between both (a) what one's associates say about a person on a social network site via "wall postings," where friends leave public messages, and (b) the…

Multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs) like Second Life present unparalleled opportunities to help students connect knowledge by description to knowledge by experience; in a MUVE, students can experience phenomena rather than only reading about them. Baba Kofi Weusijana, Vanessa Svihla, Drue Gawel, and John Bransford describe their use of a maze…

With changing user expectations, many libraries are moving toward digital content. Accessible from anywhere at any time, digital content provides users with efficient, on-demand information experiences. Accordingly, librarians are presented with challenges and opportunities to build, manage, and implement outreach strategies that promote their…

Going online nowadays often requires more log-ins and passwords than most people can remember. Faculty and staff members will sometimes write their various passwords on yellow sticky notes and post them on their computer monitors--leaving confidential data wide open to any passer-by. What if there were just one password? A single log-on for e-mail…

Computers may not be able to master poetics like Aristotle, but they have become smart enough to know a metaphor when they see one. An online database called The Mind Is a Metaphor, created by Brad Pasanek, an assistant professor of English at the University of Virginia, is a searchable bank of phrases, verses, and lines from literature that…

The unusual nature of the current economic environment combined with changing labor market demographics heightens the importance to those engaged in employment activity of utilizing methods that fulfill their needs. But electronic technology is transforming available employment methods. How can career building and recruiting best be sustained in…