This paper presents an historical perspective on the development of educational delivery systems, and then turns to the challenges of the information age and the issues of developing new delivery systems in this challenging environment. The paper discusses the fragility of power sources and of the networked world; technological weaknesses; freedom…

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are learning management software systems that synthesize the functionality of computer-mediated communications software and online methods of delivering course materials. This report focuses on how to evaluate the properties, capabilities and orientation of different systems from an educational perspective, and…

This paper is a report on an ongoing project at the University of Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada) to implement and evaluate prototype online delivery systems for graduate and undergraduate courses. In the hands of instructors who are good teachers, with course designs that are effective and adapted to course material and learners, and with adequate…

The second of the Pew Symposia in Learning and Technology, whose purpose is to conduct an ongoing national conversation about issues related to the intersection of learning and technology, focused on policy issues related to the development and ownership of online courses and course materials. This paper builds on the work of participants, and…

Offers tips and techniques for authoring computer-based training and courseware products. Describes basic design concepts and points that pertain to individual components. Focuses specifically on the visual elements associated with the use of video, text, graphics, animation and interactivity in multimedia courseware. (AEF)

Argues that, in spite of the financial burden on local, state, and federal justice systems, prison libraries must be transformed from access-to-the-courts programs and emerge as community information and cultural centers that provide both electronic and book formats. (AEF)

Maintains that a shift in the practice of literacy such as is suggested by the term, "literacy online," has epochal significance. The death of one world and its replacement by something else signals a change in civilization. Online literacy is likely to entail a radical reworking of all the most basic terms and practices of our print-based…

Provides a table of web sites and site descriptions corresponding to specific articles in this issue. Topics include grocery store math, math olympics, and marine education. (SD)

As the need to access information increases, school librarians must create virtual libraries. Linked to reliable reference resources, the virtual library extends the physical collection and library hours and lets students learn to use Web-based resources in a protected learning environment. The growing number of virtual schools increases the need…

Presents a fully incremental model that accounts for attachment preferences by the linear order of lexical heads in the surface structure and their thematic properties. Discusses the principle of "parameterised head attachment" and a serial variant on the basis of three online experiments on noun phrase and prepositional phrase…

Examines issues related to CD-ROM collections in libraries, including CD-ROMs versus the Internet and other online sources; types of CD-ROMS, including periodical databases, reference databases, and multimedia CD-ROMs; local area networks for CD-ROMs; evaluation criteria for selection; collection development; ordering; curriculum support;…

Discusses the need for library science to examine users' search behaviors in the context of social cognition and creative problem solving. Topics covered include the psychology of search behavior, problem solving approaches to library instruction in online searching, and problem solving protocols. (29 references) (CLB)

This article reports results of a case study of text-based online and CD-ROM databases that identified design characteristics that are important to high school students' use for higher-level learning as well as for information access and retrieval. Implications for the design of databases are suggested. (Contains 62 references.) (LRW)

Describes and evaluates LIBS Internet Access Software (also called Sonoma Software), which offers automatic Telnet connection to remote library catalogs, databases, information services, campuswide information services, and other wide-area information access tools. Instructions for obtaining and installing the software are given, and a comparison…

Evaluates the use of computer-mediated communication in a sociology course at Henderson State University (Arkansas). Highlights include information literacy and liberal arts education; critical thinking; computer conferencing on campus networks; online teaching methods and evaluation; student characteristics; electronic mail; privacy and freedom…