This exploration of ethical conflicts created by information technology and their impacts on teachers, scholars, and students begins by discussing the issue of fairness or ethics, with emphasis on what is fair or ethical in obtaining access to electronic information. Technological barriers involved in obtaining access to desired electronic…

The development of distance education will be shaped by technological, demographic, economic, and political forces, as well as by pedagogical insights from its practitioners. Technology-mediated interactive learning (TMIL), a new form of instruction, may result from the synthesis of distance education, cooperative learning, and computer-supported…

This final report on a project at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) on strategic planning for libraries and information resources in the research university begins with an introductory section on levels of consideration in planning; issues of current concern (effects of technology, economics of libraries, changes in the academic…

A first step toward thinking about job design issues involves consideration of three questions. They are (1) what kinds of changes occur when electronic tools are adopted in the workplace?, (2) whose jobs change and how?, and (3) who plays a role in job design? Answers can be drawn from data and observations from two Rand Corporation studies…

This report summarizes the presentations and discussions at an international seminar designed to provide an opportunity for the exchange of ideas about maximizing the use of information technology as a strategic weapon for achieving organizational changes and goals, and for achieving a competitive advantage. Among these presentations were the…

This monograph contains three symposium presentations that are intended to help define and clarify possible options for a future research agenda for lifelong learning. "Adult Learning: A Review of the Literature with Suggestions for the Direction of Future Research" (Sharan Merriam) thoroughly develops a matrix that explains the contributions of…

The multidisciplinary field of mining engineering offers many challenges. Often, many sources must be used to solve a problem. This document is a survey of information sources in mining engineering and is intended to identify those core resources which can help engineers and librarians to find information about the discipline. Sections include:…

The four projects described here, a selection of those funded by the Annenberg/CPB Project, focus on the use of telecommunication and information technologies as tools for teaching in higher education. All are written by people directly involved in the projects described. The introductory section, "Overview: Issues in Educational…

The development of a large body of e-­learning specifications, such as IMS and SCORM, has led to the proposal for a new way to facilitate content workflow. This involves the movement of educational digital content and the knowledge of pedagogical communities into an online space. Several projects have looked at the theoretical structure of these…

This article describes the following case: Pete Wilmington, Vice President of Sales for See-Saw Jeans for Kids, has wrapped up a deal with Wal-Mart to carry See-Saw Jeans for Kids in all Wal-Mart stores on a trial basis for the next year. See-Saw Jeans for Kids is a clothing manufacturer with sales of $41 million, but the Wal-Mart account has the…

Predictions for the future of optical disk technology are based on three phases of development: feasibility testing; use as a replacement technology for older technologies; and the introduction of new applications not possible in older technologies. (Author/CLB)

Relates how the story of how San Francisco State University evaluated IBM PC look-alikes, considered some of the risks involved, and decided to purchase over 100 of them. Questions of compatibility, vendor longevity, support, and other risk management issues are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Describes changes in management structures on college campuses that have led to the emergence of the position of chief information officer (CIO) to improve information services. The merging of new information technologies with traditional resources is discussed, the responsibilities of CIOs are described, and possible future developments are…

With funding from the National Library of Medicine, the University of Maryland at Baltimore instituted a formal strategic planning process for an integrated academic information management system. A general model for organizational change is applied to the situation, with references to the literature on systems models and formal planning. (MLW)

Survey of the history and current development of information technology covers hardware (economies of scale, communications technology, magnetic and optical forms of storage), and the evolution of systems software ("tool" software, applications software, and nonprocedural languages). The effect of new computer technologies on human…