This project demonstrates how techniques of analyzing complementary literatures might be applied to problems of defense against biological weapons. The article is based solely on the open-source scientific literature, and is oriented on informatics techniques. Findings are intended as a guide to the virus literature to support further studies that…

Presents suggestions for how to promote a learning community in a distance education environment. These include: promote initial bonding; synchronous activity helps more than asynchronous; monitor and support continued interaction and participation; provide multiple means of communication; and encourage both work and social interaction, publicly…

A review of 501 articles and 29 dissertations on teaching statistics found that less than 30% reported the results of empirical studies. A large part of the nonempirical literature is devoted to descriptions of statistics courses and lessons that, although untested, can be a resource for teaching. (SLD)

Provides an overview of the development of cooperative library automation and connectivity in Idaho, including telecommunications capacity, library networks, the Internet, and the role of the state library. Information on six shared automation systems in Idaho is included. (LRW)

Investigated a computer-mediated support group for six breast cancer patients. Patients used home computers to connect to a computer bulletin board on which they read messages from and posted messages to each other. Patients discussed their medical conditions, shared personal concerns, and offered support. This online approach provided many…

Offers a description of cyberspace or the "Web" or "Net" and explains how to find information on it. (TB)

Lists helpful web sites for First Amendment research in an annotated format. (TB)

In the summer of 1998, education specialists at the National Archives received a grant from the Department of Education to hire nine outstanding classroom teachers to develop lessons and activities based on historical documents that had been digitized by the agency and were available online. Discussion includes exploring the National Archives web…

Claims evidence from meta-analysis justifies the use of computer-based instruction in reading comprehension. Discusses specific applications of comprehension strategies that foster knowledge building and understanding. Provides annotated URLs for teaching critical reading and offers URLs for on-line programs and information on teaching critical…

Provides an overview--especially for administrators, developers, and tutors new to electronic tutoring environments--of issues and considerations unique to online tutoring that training programs need to address. Discusses three aspects of online tutoring: appreciating text-only environments, developing procedures for responding online, and…

Proposes a new technique for the evaluation of question difficulty. Suggests that question dispersion by multidimensional scaling models the question-response pattern required by test theory, but without the population density requirements of the traditional methods. Considers the effect on knowledge management functions, including library…

Schools need a Renaissance human-resources director to implement strategic staffing and fast-track teacher-recruitment plans. The HR director must attend to customer satisfaction, candidate supply, web-based recruitment possibilities, stabilization of newly hired staff, retention of veteran staff, utilization of retired employees, and latest…

A consortium of St. Louis-area school districts, college career officers, and consultants developed an online teacher and administrator recruitment/job-application system that has gone statewide and is being used by nine other states. Next is a nationwide job bank to help districts recruit educators. (MLH)

Presents results of an exploratory study attempting to establish a methodology for the unobtrusive analysis of a digital reference enterprise. Logs of over 3,000 questions asked of the Internet Public Library in early 1999 were analyzed on the basis of questions asked, self-selected demographic information, how those questions were handled, and…

Presents a framework for enhancing trust in Internet commerce. Shows how trust can be provided through a network of Trust Service Providers (TSp). Identifies a set of services that should be offered by a TSp. Presents a distributed object-oriented implementation of trust services using CORBA, JAVA and XML. (Author/AEF)