Describes a vision of the NREN (National Research and Education Network) as a set of public interest user organizations existing within the framework of the larger National Information Infrastructure to provide public information services that are the responsibility of government. The role of the private commercial sector is also discussed.…

Discusses how computer-mediated communication (CMC) can be used to enhance communication among teachers and students, as it extends learning beyond the classroom, balances power, and is efficient. Describes how CMC worked in three courses and what interactions occurred as a result. (SR)

Discusses the formation of communities of electronic learners through computer networks. Topics addressed include differences from face-to-face communication; the rapid evolution of electronic communities; and rights and responsibilities of electronic communities as outlined in the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Electronic Learners. (LRW)

Assessed the impact of the Mobile Digital Terminal technology (computers used to communicate with remote crime databases) on motor vehicle theft clearance (arresting a perpetrator) and recovery rates in Fort Worth (Texas), using a time series analysis. Impact has been ambiguous, with little evidence of improved clearance or recovery. (SLD)

Describes computer conferencing as a particularly useful alternative to traditional approaches to teaching college composition. Gives a basic outline of how an instructor might utilize computer networks to set up a composition course. (HB)

Discusses the architecture of a global hypermedia information and communication system designed to operate through the Internet that is being developed at the Graz University of Technology (Austria). Topics addressed include clients and servers; distributed hypertext; link server protocol; document cache servers; and applications of the global…

Describes the Grace project's Group Communication Service which was developed to function in an Open Systems Interconnection global networking environment to aid in computer-supported cooperative work. A conceptual model of group communications is presented, system architecture and system navigation are explained, and two prototype activities are…

Two articles discuss the library hardware marketplace. The first examines the Apple Macintosh in libraries from 1984 to the present, including linking libraries, computers, and endusers over large geographic distances. The second article discusses upgrading components of systems in the IBM compatible, MS-DOS, and Windows environments as costs…

Discusses the impact of word processing on the teaching of college composition at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Describes seven design principles developed by writing teachers at the university in outlining a solution to the problem of how students can really work together collaboratively over a computer network. (RS)

Discussion of the potential effects of fiber optic-based communication technology on information networks and systems design highlights library automation. Topics discussed include computers and telecommunications systems, the importance of information in national economies, microcomputers, local area networks (LANs), national computer networks,…

Describes setting up a customer review network, using computer networks and fax machines, to collect customer feedback on documentation during the stages of designing and writing the information. Describes the electronic feedback from one customer in particular and how it was analyzed and used to modify the information before releasing it. (SR)

Nearly 2,000 school districts and 14,000 schools operate their own Web sites on the Internet. School districts are going online to reach their various stakeholders. The Web enables districts to connect easily with each other, creating unprecedented learning and sharing opportunities for school leaders. This article explains how several districts…

Considers whether libraries are artifact-bound institutions and therefore will be replaced as the dominant technology for information communication moves from tangible objects to electronic bits on a network. Topics include what libraries are for; libraries as information subsidy; subsidies for networked information; and the digital library as…

Discusses key themes from research funded by the British Library that investigated electronic communication in academic libraries in the United Kingdom. Highlights the intra-organizational use of e-mail, and discusses the development of effective networked communities. Contains 51 references. (Author/LRW)

This study sought to find an efficient and optimal sound format for the development of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in the network environment and to provide some useful suggestions to the developers of CALL software who are interested in optimizing performance while maintaining an appropriate sound quality in the network…