Constructivist teaching has become a dominant theme in educational literature in response to the positivist model of education that is prevalent in schools. In order for K-12 education to become more constructivist, there must be a qualitative change in teaching practice from didactic to self-directed student learning. The use of online technology…

This newsletter includes six articles related to the Regional Resource and Federal Centers for Special Education Network and its efforts in the area of standards and accountability. In "Teacher Training and Skills: Necessary Ingredients for Standards and Accountability," John Copenhaver discusses ways in which the Regional Resource and…

A study was conducted at the Cumberland Campus of Nova Scotia Community College to determine the effect of a computer-based learning system on the academic and personal growth of adolescents with learning disabilities. Eleven learning disabled students, with an average age of 16.1 years, and one observer were chosen to participate in an 8-week…

A 1993 study compared trends in the structure of qualifications for occupations related to the installation, management, and maintenance of computer networks in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Staff involved in networks required specialized new skills related to feasibility and design, installation,…

This paper summarizes and extends an earlier study that reviewed the literature on technology effectiveness, focusing on computers, traditional distance education, two-way interactive telecommunications, multimedia, and the Internet. It also adds some tools for technology evaluation as well as a rationale for using regions to distribute…

This report of the Distance Education Secondary School Committee of Northern Ontario, which is composed of representatives of the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Independent Learning Centre, Native and French language components of the MOE, and Contact North, discusses the role that the Contact North distance education network can play in the…

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education uses state-developed, criterion-referenced tests for the purpose of evaluating programs funded by Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The agency's efforts to obtain approval from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to use state norms for evaluation purposes are…

These four issues of the quarterly publication of the Saskatchewan Literacy Network in Canada are each devoted to a separate aspect of literacy and literacy education. In addition to an editorial and series of articles on the issue topic, each issue includes book reviews and network news. Some issues also include interviews and annotated…

This project examined the impact of the University of Texas Health Science Center's Circuit Library Health Information Network (CLHIN) on availability and usage of medical information to health professionals and the effect of the promotion of online services, GRATEFUL MED and MEDLINE (flat rate). The project included a survey of physicians,…

Assistive technology that can help disabled computer users is described, and a resource guide to computer help for the disabled is presented. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has broad implications for higher education, in that it mandates that colleges and universities give disabled students equal access to computers on public…

The University of Wisconsin-Madison began to offer computer conferencing as a service to the campus for the fall 1995 semester. The university's End User Computing Group developed a set of policies to address such questions as: who is eligible to use the service; the Division of Information Technology's responsibilities; customer responsibilities;…

The College of Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) received a three-year grant to conduct research and evaluate video conferencing as a tool for reducing costs of supervising clinical experiences in the teacher education program. The goal was to determine whether quality supervision can be achieved and high levels of student…

This guide was developed specifically for educational administrators at the building, campus, district, system, and state levels, and is meant to serve as a framework to help them better understand why and how to effectively secure their organization's information, software, and computer and networking equipment. This document is organized into 10…

The College of DuPage's 5-year plan for meeting its academic, administrative, and central computing needs is presented. An executive summary reviews the planning process and highlights recommendations and financial considerations. As the first section of the report, the introduction presents the college's demographics, mission and vision…

This paper describes the development from 1963 to 1986 of the Clark County (Nevada) Library District, which includes the rapidly growing urban area of Las Vegas. It notes that, besides responding successfully to a population growth of 330% over two decades, the system was also able to fulfill its original goal of developing local libraries that…