Examines the role that public libraries can play in the Australian government's objective of developing a network literate society. Highlights include an historical perspective; national infrastructures and government agendas; social equity; equitable access and user fees; Internet-related roles and service directions; and implications for further…

Describes benefits of programs where schools provide laptop computers for each student. Topics include results of studies that show positive learning outcomes; funding options; implementation; protecting the equipment; resources for learning about laptop programs; staff training and support; and future possibilities, including the implications of…

Describes the development of an online learning environment for a visually impaired professional. Topics include physical barriers, intellectual barriers, psychological barriers, and technological barriers; selecting appropriate hardware and software; and combining technologies that include personal computers, Web-based resources, network…

Describes searching and sharing of knowledge on virtual networks, based on experiences gained when hosting virtual knowledge networks at Tampere University of Technology in Finland. Discusses information and knowledge management studies; role of information technology in knowledge searching and sharing; implementation and experiences of the…

Abstracts and descriptions of Special Interest Group (SIG) and Panel Sessions include such topics as: knowledge management; information networks; courseware; accreditation; Web site design; information retrieval and processing; digital imaging; electronic journals; human computer interaction; digital libraries; digital divide; information science;…

This article examines individuals in a community as defined by their membership in an organization. In such a setting, individuals often make use of their social contacts to make sense of events in the organization. Yet, the organizational justice literature is generally silent on how these contacts shape information seeking, volunteering, and…

To examine the relationship between parental involvement and college enrollment, this study draws on the work of Bourdieu (1986), Coleman (1988), and Lin (2001a, 2001b) to conceptualize parental involvement as a form of social capital that provides individuals with access to resources that may facilitate college enrollment. The conceptual model…

The paper gives a brief overview of the use of digital video in distance education, the background to The Open University's Digital Video Applications (DiVA) Project, the contexts in which the Digital Video Library system is being used and some evaluation findings. Through DiVA, the university is investigating how it can use its video assets…

The wireless bandwagon is rolling across Mississippi, picking up a fresh load of converts and turning calamity into opportunity. Traditional wired school networks, many of which unraveled during Hurricane Katrina, are giving way to advanced wireless mesh networks that frequently include voice-over-IP (VoIP) capabilities. Vendor funding is helping…

This study examines the role of contact with diverse groups on prejudice levels of 284 college students at three midwestern colleges. The effect of Amir's five contact factors was studied in relation to students' generalized prejudice as well as prejudice toward people who differ from them in race, sex, and sexual orientation. Results show the…

Networks and partnerships between higher education institutions and industry have been identified as a primary means of addressing higher education's role in economic development, globally and in South Africa. This article draws on one component of a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) study to provide an empirically based overview of the…

This chapter describes the different types of paper and electronic surveys currently available and their costs and benefits in terms of equipment and printing costs, demands on staff time, and ease of use.

This paper focuses on firm behaviour within business clusters and cluster-type environments. Using survey data to distinguish cluster members by the perceived degree of participation, the authors categorize them as leading, proactive or reactive players. They then examine the clustering behaviour of each of these categories. They find that (a)…

To address asthma in the state, in October 2000, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the American Lung Association of Texas held a joint meeting of asthma professionals from across the state, with a primary purpose of identifying major issues and potential strategies and actions to be taken. These discussions became the basis…

Issues relating to the organization of the process of education via the network system is being discussed vigorously among specialists in the field of social economic theory and economic sociology. An example of network education is seen in the network of affiliates and branch offices of institutions of higher learning. This journal has already…