Virginia's noble but flawed effort to bypass the U.S. Postal Service through electronic mail was an attempt to reduce the river of paper between state and local school officials and the mounting burden of paperwork reporting felt by administrators and teachers. Other valiant efforts in Ohio, Florida, and South Carolina are described. (MLH)

Describes New Haven (Connecticut) Public Schools' decentralized computer network system, which links its 42 schools electronically, keeps better track of students, and has allowed the district to centralize its school registration. A sidebar describes New Haven's computerized curriculum network designed to help teachers track students' daily…

Describes the information systems strategy and network development of the Benetton clothing business. Applications in the areas of manufacturing, scheduling, centralized distribution, and centralized cash flow are discussed; the GEIS managed network service is described; and internal and external electronic data interchange (EDI) is explained.…

Responses from a national survey of 374 (of 500) 4-year institutions showed that 69 percent of private colleges do not have computer-assisted guidance systems, whereas 69 percent of public colleges do. Significantly more large than small institutions use such systems. SIGI PLUS and DISCOVER are the 2 most popular. (SK)

Discusses the use of a relational database as a data management and analysis tool for nonexperimental qualitative research, and describes the use of the Reflex Plus database in the Vitrine 2001 project in Quebec to study computer-based learning environments. Information systems are also discussed, and the use of a conceptual model is explained.…

Describes a prototype library expert system called BABEL which uses a new programing language, LOGIN, that combines the idea of attribute inheritance with logic programing. Use of hierarchical classification of library objects to build a knowledge base for a library information system is explained, and further research is suggested. (11…

Donald C. Burr, founder and CEO of PEOPLExpress, discusses the keys to the success of PEOPLExpress from the "peanuts fares" to the humanistic style of management, and the eventual demise of the airline. One area discussed is the role of information systems in business and the result of the airline's lack of an effective computerized…

The distribution of databases physically separates users from those who administer the database and the administrators who perform database administration. By drawing on the work of social scientists in reliability and validity, a set of concepts and a list of questions to ensure data quality were developed. (Author/MLW)

The traditional autonomy of administrative work is disappearing as new information technologies bring about new concepts, such as "information systems," whose implementation through computerized systems introduce more efficient, more systematic and reliable working methods along with a new approach to management problems. (Author/MLW)

Describes a survey of small to moderately sized organizations in South Carolina that examined the role of chief information officers. The discussion covers barriers to the establishment of these positions, the involvement of senior management in information resources management, organizational power structures, and the organizational role of…

Discusses conceptual frameworks for the designing process, including conclusion-oriented design and decision-oriented design; describes the systemic quality cube of design that incorporates process, product, efficiency, and effectiveness and considers total, global, and systemic quality; and discusses present applications, including computerized…

Discussion of the design of information systems for exchanging educational research-based information focuses on the development of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), British Education Index (BEI), Canadian Education Index (CEI), and Australian Education Index (AEI) and examines how they meet the challenges of educational reform…

Discusses issues of database security and integrity, including computer crime and vandalism, human error, computer viruses, employee and user access, and personnel policies. Suggests some precautions to minimize system vulnerability such as careful personnel screening, audit systems, passwords, and building and software security systems. (JKP)

The following aspects of career information delivery systems are described: uses (assessment, job search, occupational information), access (secondary, postsecondary), integration into curriculum, the role of computer and counselor, and state and national sources of information. (SK)

Examines the implications of incorporating user-centered design within information systems design practices. Highlights include a definition of user-centered design based on human-computer interface; questions asked about users, including outcome, process, and task variables; and three criteria for when to use this approach in information systems…