Chile is rich in natural resources. Like many other resource-dependent nations, it has never made technology transfer a subject of intense focus. This article sheds light on the technological state of Chile today and its efforts to promote development, increase innovation and move towards a knowledge-based economy. The paper summarizes current…

This essay regards the licensing of digital content in universities. The author states that the academic community has overwhelmingly adopted course-management software systems such as Blackboard to distribute electronic course materials to students. She argues that such use presents a significant problem: the absence of any institutional…

Purpose: Applications of online Second Life (SL) prevail over the world. The purpose of this paper is to make a review and synthesis of recent research studies on SL. Design/methodology/approach: Documental analysis is employed. Totally, 135 research publications, published in 2006-2008, are reviewed and synthesized. Findings: Findings are as…

Current concerns about academic plagiarism in student writing assume qualitative and quantitative differences in the writing of students for whom English is a first language (EL1) and English is a second language (EL2), but lack precision in measuring those differences. I examined the citation practices of EL1 and EL2 students in a timed writing…

The ethical development of information systems is but one of those sensitive scenarios associated with computer technology that has a tremendous impact on individuals and social life. The significance of these issues of concern cannot be overstated. However, since computer ethics is meant to be everybody's responsibility, the result can often be…

In preparation for the 2008 Scholarly Communications Institute (SCI 6) focused on humanities research centers, the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) commissioned a survey of digital humanities centers (DHCs). The immediate goals of the survey were to identify the extent of these centers and to explore their financing,…

The identification of administrative authorities and the development of associated procedures for registering and accessing names and addresses of communications data systems are considered in this paper. It is noted that, for data communications systems using standards based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model specified by…

In ten countries today--but not in the United States--each time a book is borrowed from a public library, its author is credited with a small payment or library usage royalty. This system, known as Public Lending Right, or PLR, is described. (MLW)

Discussion of distance education focuses on the use of videoconferencing, also called interactive video or interactive television. Topics include video transmission; audience response pads as feedback devices; computer conferencing; document conferencing; and obstacles to videoconferencing, including incompatibility, ownership of information, and…

Responses from 83 of 210 universities indicated that 82.1% cover distance/online course materials in intellectual property policy; royalties are shared in a variety of ways; 41.9% divide royalties among departments/colleges and research offices; and 30.6% use royalties for further research or cost recovery. (SK)

Describes a study of two and four year colleges that determined how copyright ownership rights were distributed between faculty and institutions; whether separate intellectual property policies were used to clarify copyright ownership for digital course materials; whether contracts were used; and which policies were considered exemplary for…

Representatives of American publishers have agreed that an assertive new effort is needed to prevent unauthorized copying of electronic materials, particularly through computers linked to the World Wide Web. Copyright management systems are proposed as a means to provide protection for content of intellectual property and for on-line financial…

Defines traditional knowledge and its uses and argues that intellectual property law contains an in-built bias that protects the intangible assets of companies while failing to recognize traditional knowledge as protectable subject matter. Discusses the globalization of intellectual property rights and the unjust situation for indigenous people.…

Examines the Work for Hire Doctrine and its importance to technical communication instructors who prepare students to create intellectual products in workplace settings. Explains how the Doctrine operates in practice, charts the progressive legal treatment of work for hire through case law, and notes the developing trend in the courts to support a…

Review of academic, legal, and ethical considerations leads to the conclusion that nondisclosure agreements are ineffective for protecting students' ideas in the entrepreneurship classroom. Appeals to the ethics of information value and mutual responsibility may be a better approach. (SK)