This paper reports on a needs assessment, conducted in two elementary schools in Quebec, that examined the use that teachers are making of the computer facilities, as well as their skill and confidence levels in this area. The first section provides a general description of the project, details the sources of information, and discusses the reasons…

This article examines barriers to technology adoption based on the literature and data from two studies. A five-step hierarchical model (familiarization, utilization, integration, reorientation, evolution) of adoption of technology in the classroom is presented, and internal and external barriers to technology adoption are examined. The two…

Distance education is moving toward more interactive environments. Studies of student satisfaction with distance education suggest that the level of interaction in the class is related to perceptions of satisfaction regardless of the instructional medium. This paper reports findings from a study of four graduate research and evaluation courses at…

Four models of online teaching are currently being used within the Faculty of Informatics and Communications at Central Queensland University in Australia. The naive model, which is the most widely used, may be characterized as "putting lecture notes on the World Wide Web" with no opportunities for interaction or feedback. The standard…

This report discusses issues related to distance learning in higher education. Section 1, "The Expanding Universe of Distance Learning," examines: data from a new national survey on higher education distance learning; Internet access in elementary and secondary schools; the 1999 national survey of information technology in higher…

Valley City State University (North Dakota) was the second university in the nation to adopt a notebook computer environment, supplying every faculty, staff member, administrator, and student with a laptop computer and 24-hour access to the World Wide Web. This paper outlines the innovations made in the music department to accommodate the infusion…

This document contains 11 papers examining the methodology and findings of a study of the virtual delivery of education throughout the world. "Introduction" (Glen M. Farrell) explains the study methodology, which entailed the identification of 10 global regions and commissioning of an individual in each region to write a paper describing the state…

This evaluation of the Ohio SchoolNet Telecommunity program focused on key Telecommunity objectives of technology deployment, teacher professional development, and student impact. Evaluation methods included use of the Scales of Concern Questionnaire in the application of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, as well as visits to each of the 23…

This collection of papers records the current state of higher education and outlines the challenges higher education will face in the new millennium. The nine chapters are as follows: (1) "The American College Student: Three Decades of Change" (Alexander W. Astin); (2) "The Changing Role of Faculty" (Gary Rhoades); (3)…

Effective use of ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) by student teachers is vital if these technologies are going to be successfully used in the education of children in schools. An earlier study identified three main obstacles that could have limited ICT uptake by student teachers in 1996/97: student access to computers; the ICT…

The teaching of drama in Scottish secondary schools focuses on: (1) Creating; (2) Presenting; and (3) Evaluating. In engaging with these elements, students at "all" stages are encouraged to develop their own dramas from ideas which are prompted by a variety of stimuli. From a wide range of starting points, students work through the…

This catalog supplements and brings up to date the information contained in "U.S. Government Films for Public Educational Use," Bulletin 1955, No. 1 of the Office of Education. It lists and describes 550 "new" films--1955 and 1956 productions, earlier films released for U.S. public use in 1955 or 1956, and some pre-1955 films…

Describes the tools, methodologies, and applications of educational technology that are increasingly being used to enhance classroom teaching and learning: television, film, radio, audiotape, videotape, programed instruction, computers, and computer based education. Provides a perspective on future developments in the use of technology in…

Analyzes the results of a survey on the future of education given to approximately 250 faculty, staff, administrators, and students in Minnesota's public and private postsecondary institutions. Highlights five key policy areas likely to affect distance education: quality, student and academic support services, decision-making structures, mission,…

Provides a brief description of successful distance-learning partnerships between rural K-12 schools and community colleges in Connecticut, Texas, New Mexico, and New York. Offers an in-depth analysis of how Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) has extended education to rural communities. Reviews issues in technology, life-long learning,…