A usability study was undertaken at Penn State University to explore how students search the library's online catalog after they have received library instruction. In 2004, eight first-year students received library instruction and were subsequently recruited for the study. Participants were recorded using the online catalog, and a think-aloud…

One size does not fit all. For anyone who has ever tried to make something fit (especially when it won't), it's best to realize that the word "all" does not really mean "everyone." The same thing is true for subscription databases. While it might seem that all students in grades K-12 can benefit from the use of the database contents, in reality,…

Although school websites have existed on the Internet for over fifteen years, in practice the website is not integrated into the organizational-pedagogical system of the school. Against the challenging background of the modern education system and the theoretical facets of realizing a learning environment, this paper will present an online…

In fall 2004, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) officially launched its own customized version of the online Career Portfolio, originally developed by Florida State University (Lumsden and others, 2001). This launch represented the culmination of nearly sixteen months of planning and development by a multidisciplinary team comprising…

This article describes a study on the module-based online professional development project. The professional development model providing a basis for the Reading CEU (continuing education unit) Module Project involved four groups of stakeholders: master teacher instructors, module participants, module developers, and the university support team.…

Purpose: This study had two goals: (a) to assess the validity of the Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) staffing data by comparing them to staffing measures from audited Medicaid Cost Reports and (b) to identify systematic differences between facilities that over-report or underreport staffing in the OSCAR. Design and Methods: We…

How do you judge the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of an electronic or online database? What measures do publishers and distributors employ to ensure that quality standards are met? Who is responsible for what part of the process? Eighteen contributors address these questions and more in their discussion of an important issue in today's…

This resource booklet is a companion to the second volume of the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's (NCREL) "Urban Audio Journal" entitled "Computers and Education." The resource booklet includes selected listings of: (1) 24 articles, books and audiotapes about technology and education; (2) 8 online resources, including AskERIC, for…

As more and more universities and composition classrooms add computer capabilities, the Internet is becoming an increasingly valuable part of the freshman composition course. The Internet can help students do research, learn and understand different perspectives on a given topic, and open their eyes to the potential of the technology. The most…

A hypertext entitled "Reading the Map" comes from the exploration of an individual's own life. Observations, experiences, whatever comes to mind, become part of the text. This constant addition of information adds physically to the text, making a perceived move outward into the social. However, this additional information actually moves…

A practicum was undertaken to develop a syllabus and support manual for a faculty development workshop in on-line information gathering and communication through the Internet for faculty at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) in Pennsylvania. The practicum sought to determine the appropriate content and amount of time faculty would be…

Automating a library can be an expensive, time-consuming endeavor that includes many risks. These risks can be reduced through a variety of methods: learning all one can about the systems available that perform the functions in which one is interested, clearly defining one's needs and expressing them succinctly to vendors, and learning how other…

An informal study examined the sources of professors' authority and whether the authority dynamic between professor and student changes in an electronic setting. Five on-line writing instructors (who use Internet Email or the World Wide Web) completed a questionnaire. Results indicated that (1) professors tended, at least initially, to replicate…

Competencies essential for organization development consultants, internal and external, have evolved over 20 years, based on literature and feedback from nearly 2,000 practitioners and academics. Further research is being conducted to determine what competencies are essential for internal and external organization development consultants today and…

The Company (abbreviated COMPNY) Library in the LEXIS/NEXIS database provides comprehensive information on corporations. The COMPNY Library contains more than 170 files of business and financial information, with an emphasis on publicly-owned companies. This guide is designed to walk users of the LEXIS/NEXIS system through the steps needed to…