The strategic use of information technology (IT) is pervading almost all areas of higher education. Institutions must review their IT management structure to assure that the application of this rapidly changing technology will be maximized in the highly competitive 1990s. (Author/MSE)

Florida Atlantic University established a computer user services department separate from administrative computing, academic computing, and the management information system to provide user support independent of the specific computer application. The challenges encountered and their solutions are outlined, and recommendations are made for other…

College presidents respond to an article by Richard Nolan challenging college and university presidents and chancellors to transform their campuses for survival and competitive advantage in the information age. Respondents include Richard D. Breslin, David M. Clarke, Joseph Cronin, Thomas Ehrlich, Donald N. Langenberg, Harold McAninch, and Donald…

This issue includes six articles that discuss access to information provided by computerized databases and communications networks for legislators. Highlights include state legislative systems; information systems in the Senate; online services in the House of Representatives; information technology in the Congressional Research Service; the…

Discusses recent books and articles on the minimalist model of education, children as users of information systems, the new information superhighway in relation to schools, the future of reading and computers, and children's use of online information resources. (EAM)

Teacher-directed content, immovable subject divisions, and rigid scope and sequences perpetuate mismatch between middle school curricula and young adolescents' needs. Teachers at one Florida middle school are experimenting with Coalition of Essential Schools processes such as backward curriculum design and units of joy. Curriculum becomes an open…

Argues that there is a need to develop dynamic systems for structuring data to create information access and for allowing users to incorporate that information into their own knowledge base. Describes a system built on a simple, powerful content model. (DDR)

Summarizes the GartnerGroup's views on issues in the information technology and telecommunications (IT&T) industry debate in Australia. Topics include attracting overseas investment to create a globally competitive industry; the government's role; perceived problems; the Internet and electronic commerce; and future issues, including…

Technology is a tool that can support good teaching and well-managed schools. To assure taxpayers and parents that investments in educational technology are worthwhile, schools can emphasize access, focus on teaching, link it to reform, encourage research, and plan for the future. Lists Web sites for finding information about the effectiveness of…

The planning and design of educational facilities is impacted by developments in information technology and telecommunications. Potentials for improving education, the realities facing educational facilities planners, and achieving these potentials are examined. Planning principles followed by the influences educational facilities may have on…

The most critical challenge for higher education institutions in the near future will be to develop capacity for change, remove constraints to rapid response, remove unnecessary processes and administrative structures, question existing premises and arrangements, and challenge, excite, and empower all members of the academic community. (MSE)

Potential problems for college and university computing functions posed by arrival of the year 2000 (Y2K) are discussed, including arithmetic calculations and sorting functions based on two-digit year dates, embedding of two-digit dates in archival data, system coordination for data exchange, unique number generation, and leap year calculations. A…

A review of 19 university libraries in 12 African countries compared the benefits and drawbacks of information technology (IT), concluding that IT will not reduce the need for books and journals and that IT's biggest potential is in increasing intra-Africa communication and providing links to the outside world. (PEN)

Many historically black colleges and universities have developed several projects to improve technology on campus and promote its use. Some see it as a key to institutional survival. Projects emphasize training students and faculty in computer use, making joint purchases, sharing on-line instructional experiences, and seeking grants to install…

Discusses access to the Internet and participation in global communications. Highlights include telecommunications; personal experiences with information technology; information technology and communities; the need for scholarly publication and interaction; differences from older media; and future possibilities. (LRW)