Reports on the results of a study of a community computing system, Prairienet. Examines characteristics of users and the extent to which Prairienet is serving its purpose as a community resource for networked communication and information access, through the analysis of usage patterns and logs. (Author/AEF)

Includes abstracts of special interest group (SIG) sessions. Highlights include digital imagery; text summarization; browsing; digital libraries; icons and the Web; information management; curricula planning; interfaces; information systems; theories; scholarly and scientific communication; global development; archives; document delivery;…

Describes how technology instruction is incorporated in preservice teacher instruction at Georgia State University. Discusses the network technology and computer software and hardware introduced; transferring technology into students' teaching; and assessment via e-mail discussion. (AEF)

The Internet and the National Information Infrastructure provide a multimedia environment for offering distributed distance education over wide area networks. Distributed education encompasses practices where geographically dispersed learning resources share communication. Discusses advantages of distributed education and examines the educational…

Reviews literature on second-language instruction to determine the rationale for the design and implementation of computer software in the field. Findings indicate a need for more software that engages learners in communicative task-based activities and is based on current learning theory. (118 references) (CK)

Gender and group composition variables in a computer-mediated communication context are examined. Subjects were 36 undergraduate male and female psychology students. Findings are analyzed in terms of choice of language; participation; satisfaction; and interpersonal conflict. Ten tables present study results. (Author/AEF)

The Maryland Higher Education Commission investigated the effectiveness of electronically mediated instruction for distance education, including interactive and noninteractive video, computer-aided instruction, and audio-only instruction. Interactivity was found to be an important factor in student achievement, whether in the classroom or through…

Discusses curricular innovation, educational reform, and the advancement of information and communications technologies and describes a study in Hong Kong that explored knowledge construction using a computer mediated communication platform called Knowledge Forum. Explains how primary schools participated in building learning communities through…

Describes development and implementation of "Rube-o-Rama," a videoconferencing project conducted during the fall of 2001 between graduate students at Purdue University (Indiana) and a classroom of fifth grade students in Indianapolis (Indiana) that had Rube Goldberg as the encompassing topic. (MES)

A survey of 884 adults with hearing impairments found they were using e-mail and instant messaging (IM) more than TTY and telecommunications relay services. Virtually all participants had e-mail and IM at home. While the vast majority also had and used e-mail at work, just 1 in 3 had IM. (Contains 2 references.) (Author/CR)

Describes a distance learning project that enables talented high school students in geographically isolated and underdeveloped areas to participate in an introductory university course without leaving their high schools. Discusses the rationale behind the project and a model in which university faculty work together with high schools to achieve…

Presents a resource on the ethics of the use of information developed by the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians Association which supplements the Information and Communication Technology Integration Project for teachers of grades 6-9. Highlights include plagiarism; resources sheets; citing references; Internet privacy; Internet communication; and…

Describes the development of a distance education graduate course at Arizona State University; the course is text-based, supported by the Internet and computer conferencing. Discusses course planning and design factors, implementation strategies, technical considerations, students' evaluations, and instructor perspectives. (AEF)

Describes how an electronic collaborative discussion tool called the Multimedia Forum Kiosk provides equitable learning opportunities in scientific discourse through generating explanations, revising the ideas of others, and asking questions. Contains 58 references. (DDR)

Focuses on the main elements that characterize online course design. Topics include design constraints; analysis of learning needs; defining objectives; course prerequisites; content structuring; course flexibility; learning strategies; evaluation criteria; course activities; course structure; communication architecture; and design evaluation.…