Discusses the Maryland School Performance Assessment (MSPAP), addressing the benefits of MSPAP and the teachers' call for assistance. Focuses on the use of the Internet to (1) disseminate information about assessment to parents and students and (2) offer professional development for teachers on instructional and assessment strategies. (CMK)

Outlines three major areas of technology use in second language education--computers as a writing tool, multimedia software, and the Internet. Critically examines the advantages and shortcomings of each of these domains and discusses the teacher's role in a computer-mediated classroom. (Author/VWL)

Discussion of censorship in school libraries focuses on Australia. Topics include control of content and access to digital texts, including filtering and Internet access; print resources; documented library policies; the core purpose of school libraries and selecting materials for library collections; and examples of challenges. (LRW)

Reviews literature relating to educational courseware evaluation and the need for context-bound evaluations. Highlights include the promise of educational technology; implications for online learning; technological developments, including use of the Internet in education; comparing modes of delivery; examples of context-bound evaluations; and the…

Considers whether the current transformation of higher education has its roots in medieval universities. Topics include corporate and virtual universities; the adaptation of new technologies, especially the Internet; affordability; the development of critical thinking skills; and students as customers. (LRW)

Presents access issues based on three Canadian empirical studies of the use of computer and information technologies by college students with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities. Results of focus groups, interviews, and questionnaires indicated that the majority used computers and the Internet but many needed some type of adaptation to…

Describes a study that developed an instrument to provide a quantitative measure of the attitudes of undergraduates toward educational use of the Internet and studied selected behavioral correlates of those attitudes. Discusses keeping track of educational Internet sites, sharing educational Internet information with friends, and choosing classes…

Explores organizational influence in the policy network that formed around the issue of determining essential services on the Canadian information highway. Qualitative content analysis found the essential services issue had two main aspects: ensuring universal access to telecommunications networks and determining the criteria for defining…

Provides a collection of Web sites that can be used when teaching labor studies, such as the Illinois Labor History Society that has a "Curriculum of United States Labor History for Teachers" and the Canadian Committee on Labor History for a Canadian perspective. (CMK)

Discussion of the use of Internet technologies to support educational programs focuses on experiences at the University of Louisville in using bulletin boards, online multimedia lectures, and online chat and instant messaging for management education. Includes guidelines for others who are considering the use of these technologies. (Author/LRW)

Examines three key geographical regions, Central Asia, the Middle East, and China, discussing how the political changes resulting from the end of the Cold War have affected each area. Attempts to demonstrate how teachers can address these changes in their classrooms. (CMK)

Describes the U.S.'s first statewide K-12 application service provider (ASP). The ASP, implemented by the Arizona School Facilities Board, provides access to productivity, communications, and education software programs from any Internet-enabled device, whether in the classroom or home. (EV)

Previews the agenda for the American Library Association's 2002 Midwinter Meeting. Topics include the incompatibility of Bush administration national security initiatives with traditional rights of intellectual freedom; budget cuts; government funding; new roles for libraries in times of crisis; Internet access and control; and librarians'…

Rich Site Summary (RSS) is an XML format designed to let content providers share news headlines and content with other sites without having to create a completely new Web page. Discusses three issues to consider before creating a newsfeed: content integrity, bandwidth issues, and spellcheck. Identifies resources for getting started and the two…

Presents the achievements of a program at a research and development institute in Israel where researchers in biology, biotechnology, agriculture, and chemistry supervised talented high-school students in performing research work. Reports that an important part of the program is to familiarize students with the Internet and related technology…