Explores the effects of task characteristics and structural characteristics on aspects of information processing based on a survey of employees in the Australian telecommunications industry. Relevant research is reviewed; the analysis of results is explained; and implications for organizations are suggested. (Contains 42 references.) (LRW)

Identifies critical success factors that federal information resources management (IRM) must address, offers recommendations for how best to meet these challenges, and describes opportunities based on discussions with senior IRM leaders. A brief history of federal IRM, beginning with the Commission on Federal Paperwork in 1974, is provided.…

Describes a pilot study to help develop instruments appropriate for a full-scale assessment of the Blacksburg, Virginia, community network. A brief overview of the methods employed in the pilot evaluation is given. The results of focus group interviews, lessons learned, and future plans are presented. The 17-item focus group questionnaire is…

Discusses how the National Information Infrastructure (NII), the "information superhighway," can be used in classrooms to help reach the targets established by the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Describes specific projects undertaken by schools to utilize the NII, and the role of computer technology in the classroom. (MDM)

A brief overview of LabNet, a project aimed at enhancing physics education, is provided. The article focuses on a description of LabNetwork which is one of several mechanisms designed to offer LabNet participants opportunities to give and receive peer support. (ZWH)

Describes distance education programs in Finland. Topics discussed include adult education and the development of vocational education; correspondence courses; the use of communications technology; distance education at universities; cooperative organization; the use of media; research activity; and international cooperation. (LRW)

Explains the goals and objectives of the Library and Information Science Distance Education Consortium (LISDEC). Needs of the library profession and for library services in the community are discussed, educational opportunities for adults that are available through satellite communication are described, and use of telecommunications for continuing…

Describes 15 types of educational telecomputing activities that can be integrated into students' academic explorations. Three categories of activities are presented: (1) person-to-person communications, including LISTSERV discussion groups and electronic mail; (2) information collections, such as database creation; (3) and collaborative problem…

Describes Internet, a collection of telecommunications networks that links government agencies, educational institutions, and other research organizations so that users can share access to databases and files. Topics discussed include problems in identifying what is available; access concerns; ethical behavior; support and training issues for…

A pilot telecommunications program for mainstreamed blind and visually impaired students, developed by Nassau Board of Cooperative Educational Services (Wantagh, New York), is described. Program components include online databases and electronic mail, a central support site, home sites for itinerant teachers, and district sites for students. (JDD)

The Supreme Court's decision in "Reno," striking down major portions of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, pits the need to protect children from inappropriate material against the need to maintain free Internet access by adults. Highlights major points in the holding and discusses the meaning of "Reno" for educators. (MLF)

Discusses collection development in research libraries and the need for collaboration. Topics include quantity versus quality; a future vision of libraries; the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) as an example of cooperative collection development; users' information needs; and the use of telecommunications. (LRW)

Summarizes activities of the 105th Congress related to telecommunications. Includes discussions of a Senate measure to stop telephone "slamming," a new statute to prevent the alteration of electronic serial numbers of cellular telephones, bills related to Internet content restrictions, and a bill to open telecommunications satellite…

Discusses the role of information which is incidentally or accidentally acquired and reports on a study that investigated the information-seeking behavior of older adults, aged 60 and over, from Australia. Examines the role of telecommunications, especially the telephone; interviews that determined information needs and sources; and the mass media…

Explores the integration of technology into the education process and some of the changes they have generated in classroom activities. Topics include technology in teaching and learning activities; computer assisted instruction; the Internet; telecommunications technologies; the classroom environment; and interchange among teachers and students.…