The potential of videoconferencing to enrich distance learning needs to be widely recognised as well as the technology embedded in curriculum delivery and in distance learning programmes. The argument is supported by reference to a wide range of case studies from the author's experiences over a period of six years as International Officer with the…

This month's column focuses on online Web conferencing software. This year promises to have the right mix of conditions to create significant growth in the use of these systems among libraries; library consortia, networks, and associations; and other library-related organizations. Travel budgets are being cut, librarian positions are being…

This paper reflects a multi-year collaborative effort between the New Media Consortium (NMC) and Griffith University to help inform Australian educational leaders about significant developments in technologies supporting teaching, learning, and research in tertiary education. The research underpinning the report makes use of the NMC's Delphi-based…

Nine New Zealand secondary schools participated in the OtagoNet project, using videoconferencing technologies to deliver courses to multiple sites. This paper reports findings from a study conducted between 2001 and 2004 to evaluate the effectiveness of OtagoNet. It was found that videoconferencing technology had a significant impact on pedagogy…

To be effective, teacher education programs need to engage teachers in learning as professionals. This includes learning experiences grounded in classroom practice and guidance to develop as professionals so teachers can take on roles of leaders and mentors in their classrooms and in partnerships with universities. New web-based communication…

College students are bombarded with technological images in every facet of their education. From simple Powerpoint presentations to live interactive distance learning environments, the world in which the authors are teaching is changing on a daily basis. Colleges and universities have turned to distance learning as one way to provide flexibility…

Tutor training for distance education is still necessary and through a face-to-face mode despite advances in digital delivery mechanism. A questionnaire records the before, during, and after training perceptions and feedback of tutors on the training conducted over 1 day. Tutors become aware of the uniqueness of the course materials and the…

The increasing use of computers to enable or replace face-to-face tutorial discussion groups in higher education is creating a new form of academic writing. This small-scale study of 43 students and three tutors identifies ways in which students present their opinions in a forum which allows greater time for reflection, but also creates a…

This study investigated the effects of transformational and transactional leadership styles and communication media on team interaction styles and outcomes. Teams communicated through one of the following three ways: (a) face-to-face, (b) desktop videoconference, or (c) text-based chat. Results indicated that transformational and transactional…

This study analyzes the relationship between class size and student online activity patterns in a series of 28 graduate level computer conferencing courses. Quantitative analyses of note production, average note size, note opening and note reading percentages found a significant positive correlation between class size and mean number of notes…

Objective: This paper describes the design and findings of a pilot "Mothers In Motion" (P-"MIM") program. Design: A randomized controlled trial that collected data via telephone interviews and finger stick at 3 time points: baseline and 2 and 8 months post-intervention. Setting: Three Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for…

The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) has been given the responsibility for providing distance education in Alaska, a vast state geographically with a disperse population. With the vastness of the area for which UAS is responsible for providing educational opportunities, the only cost effective method to meet those responsibilities is distance…

This report of a study visit to North America describes three different computer-mediated conferencing systems (CMCS) and how they are used. The first system is COSY (COnferencing SYstem), at the University of Guelph, Ontario. The second system is EIES (the Electronic Information and Exchange System), at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The…

This document is designed as a comprehensive resource and guide for computer-using educators who wish to expand the scope and magnitude of their computer power through telecommunications. The major focus is on the microcomputer's ability to communicate with other microcomputers via telephone lines. Emphasis is placed upon information services and…

The four papers contained in this document provide: (1) a survey of computer based mail and conference systems; (2) an evaluation of systems for both individually addressed mail and group addressing through conferences and distribution lists; (3) a discussion of various methods of structuring the text data in existing systems; and (4) a…