Reviews distance education advances and suggests prospects for the future. The roles of the federal government and state governments are discussed, a classification of technology-based information systems is presented, the likelihood of a shift from rural to urban uses of distance education is suggested, and slow-scan video systems are described…

Contends that students in spatial analysis courses generally are familiar with computer use and programs but lack basic computer programing skills. Describes four exercises in which students learn programing using BASIC and dBASE. Asserts that programming exercises help students clarify concepts, understand the rationale behind calculations, use…

Describes a study of college freshmen that investigated the effects of navigation maps and learner cognitive styles on performance in searches for information, on cognitive map development, and on attitudes, within a hypertext learning system. Results indicate map type has significant effects on students' search steps, efficiency, and development…

A multimedia distribution system affords many opportunities for teachers and students. The systematic use of e-mail, Internet access, and live video presentations provides sound pedagogical applications which enhance student/teacher discourse and liberate learning from the confines of the classroom. Each of these three technologies is discussed.…

A study examined the cost of information-technology support services in higher education institutions. The report describes the project's origins and work to date and reports initial results in three areas: network services, desktop repair services, and administrative information systems, looking in each case at economies of scale, outsourcing…

Describes the joint NSF/JISC (National Science Foundation/UK Joint Information Systems Committee) International Digital Libraries Initiative. Discusses JISC funding criteria and procedures; personalized information environment (PIE), a conceptual architecture that allows unified, highly customizable access to distributed information resources; and…

Presents a user-centered investigation of interactive query expansion within the context of a relevance feedback system. Data were collected from 25 searches using the INSPEC database. Results discuss issues relating to query expansion, retrieval effectiveness, correspondence of the online-to-offline relevance judgments, and selection of terms for…

Discusses a project that was established to integrate computer technology, especially the Internet, into the science classroom. Argues for the importance of providing students with a program of study that exposes them to the widest possible range of ways of gathering information for problem solving. (Author/WRM)

Assesses the changes in interlibrary loan (ILL) practices, and points the way to an ideal future. Discusses patron-initiated document request systems; library-mediated ordering systems; document delivery suppliers; accessing electronic resources; ILL management software; paying ILL invoices; new electronic delivery options; and results of a…

Extends a theoretical framework for designing effective information services by synthesizing and integrating theory and research derived from multiple approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. These frameworks are applied to develop general design strategies and principles for information systems and services that rely on complex…

Describes the development of a prototype Web-based outreach information system for a collection of educational resources in agriculture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Discusses distance education, student expectations, Web searching, testbed collections, metadata issues, indexing and searching full-text, and Dublin Core…

Describes a study of undergraduate students that was conducted to compare the effectiveness of three computer-assisted career guidance (CACG) systems in terms of their contribution to career decision making and the attitudes of students regarding the helpfulness of CACG. Evaluation standards are discussed, and measurement techniques are explained.…

Describes research that investigated the effectiveness of computer-based instruction (CBI) in support of mastery learning based on a study of 333 undergraduate students who used a CBI system called Management Information Systems Tutor (MIST). Student performance and time on task are examined. (Author/LRW)

Explores the disaggregation (ability to access/manipulate individual components of a document) and reaggregation (compilation of article components into a new written work) of scientific and technical journal articles by students and faculty members. Results lead to a discussion of metadata, the role of context in constraining component use, and…

Presents the background and rationale for a description of information systems which places typical information retrieval and other types of systems in context with one another. Examples are drawn from various types of information systems, and a typology is derived for identifying useful combinations of data type, retrieval mechanism, and…