After 10 years of experience, the Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) advocates e-mail reference as an essential service that provides a personalized, convenient, and accessible service for a growing constituency. Discussion includes e-mail reference service parameters and challenges and opportunities. Presents suggestions for public libraries just…

Reports that the Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCC) (Missouri) upgraded their information systems in four years, for less than $7 million. Offers advice based on lessons learned in the MCC process, including: (1) identify implementation leadership among veteran staff; (2) train everyone who will use the system; and (3) test and test again. (NB)

The objects-first strategy to teaching programming has prevailed over the imperative-first and functional-first strategies during the last decade. However, the objects-first strategy has created added difficulties to both the teaching and learning of programming. In an attempt to confront these difficulties and support the objects-first strategy…

Personal teaching efficacy is associated with a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom. To enhance this efficacy in a computer-simulated training program, both personal traits and guided practices need to be considered concurrently. In this study, it was hypothesised that the interactive effects from the coupling of personal traits with guided…

This paper explores current applications for handheld devices and questions which of these make full use of the unique attributes of handheld devices in order to facilitate learning in a pedagogically sensible manner. In order to do so, the paper presents a functional framework which analyses handheld application in relation to their use as well…

Simplifying and securing an IT infrastructure is not easy. It frequently requires rethinking years of hardware and software investments, and a gradual migration to modern systems. Even so, writes the author, universities can take six practical steps to success: (1) Audit software infrastructure; (2) Evaluate current applications; (3) Centralize…

The EDUCAUSE Advisory Committee for Teaching and Learning (ACTL) has identified the key technology-related teaching and learning issues in higher education for 2007. The 10 important teaching and learning issues are: (1) Establishing and supporting a culture of evidence; (2) Demonstrating improvement of learning; (3) Translating learning…

Intended for beginning Internet users and adult basic education instructors, this manual presents a very basic, instructional approach to exploring the Internet, with explicit instructions on what to do, places to go, and interesting things to try. An introduction on getting started is followed by sections on electronic mail, including using the…

The effectiveness of a 1-day performance-focused human resource (HR) development workshop that was conducted in 21 sessions in cities throughout North America in March-September 1996 was monitored by an electronic survey sent to all 506 participants 7 days after the workshop. Of those participants, 221 (43%) completed the survey, which sought…

The effectiveness of a 1-day performance-focused human resource (HR) development workshop that was conducted in 21 sessions in cities throughout North America in March-September 1996 was monitored by an electronic survey sent to all 506 workshop participants 3 months after the workshop. Of those participants, 101 (20%) completed the survey, which…

This study guide presents lessons on hand calculating various statistics: Central Tendency and Dispersion; Tips on Data Presentation; Two-Tailed and One-Tailed Tests of Significance; Error Types; Standard Scores; Non-Parametric Tests such as Chi-square, Spearman Rho, Sign Test, Wilcoxon Matched Pairs, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Rank Sums;…

Until recently, professionals in the humanities have had access only to mainframe computer technology. The advent of microcomputers offers a range of new options. The experiences of one individual indicate that with personal computer technology and simple programming, and occasionally the help of a mainframe, textual, visual, and auditory…

Based on literature and student input, six major concerns have been noted for student programming progress for the academic class and work environment. The areas of concern are module driver programming, program documentation, output design, data design, data validation; and reusable code. Each area has been analyzed and examined in the teaching…

This paper presents a model for an integrated system used for job-aiding, training, and performance assessment for persons who maintain systems of various types. The model is driven by updatable job aids, by integrated human-machine heuristics, and by an expanding matrix of maintenance activities. The model uses the job-aiding base, updated by…

The practicum utilized four inservice training sessions to teach data entry clerks, staffing specialists, special educators, and gifted teachers to enter student data into the school system's data base management system on a more timely basis and with greater accuracy. The practicum also developed data input forms which could be used regardless of…