Discusses electronic books as a disruptive technology, that is, a technology that has appeal to its users but upsets the traditional models. Highlights include a history of print technology; types of electronic books; reader devices; stakeholders, including users, librarians, and publishers; and how vendors can remain relevant. (LRW)

Describes New Hampshire's curriculum development project that aimed to use a holistic perspective and integrate content related to the following concepts into existing courses: sustainable lifestyles, ecological responsibility, technological literacy, appropriate technology, international reciprocity, balanced development, global education, and…

Review of environmental issues in India concludes that educational institutions can contribute to sustainable development by promoting understanding of the ecosystem; assessing a community's natural wealth; developing strategies; and promoting participation in environmental preservation projects. (SK)

Discusses the use of technology in higher education and cites statewide plans in California and Washington that have recently been criticized for an overemphasis on technology. Topics include knowledge as a static commodity and as a dynamic process; new paradigms of knowledge; and where information technology can make a difference. (LRW)

This essay explores a series of discourses surrounding the images of the early twentieth-century stereoscope, focusing on Underwood & Underwood of Ottawa, Kansas, and the Keystone View Company, of Meadville, Pennsylvania. By publishing images of particular geographic areas and historical events, as well as compendium volumes that included…

In creating and maintaining public safety, risks which entail some amount of danger are necessary. These risks must be rated regarding the amount of benefit and danger they would bring in order to ascertain the worthiness of the risk. It is important to realize that risks can often bring greater safety, that many safety devices themselves involve…

This paper discusses ways to think about the dynamics between oral productions and technologies for recording texts. It addresses the special problems of collecting, interpreting, and transcribing literature of North American Indians. Many of the original transcriptions of these works were done with an Indian translator for whom English was not…

A school librarian reviews CD-ROM encyclopedias, determining their suitability for school and public library use with children and young adults, and favoring content and accessibility over special features and multimedia enhancements. Outlines essential considerations when choosing encyclopedias (price, network and print versions, and online…

Identifies concepts relevant to technology transfer as a subject of study, including technological developments or modifications, and social, political, economic, personal, and cultural barriers to transfer. Describes issues such as appropriate technology and timing of innovations. (SK)

Introduces the evaluative reports of projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) initiative, one of the largest federally supported programs for preservice teacher education. Focus is on implementation and evaluation of programs designed to systemically improve the preparation of…

An effort to introduce the plow to Timor farmers faced following barriers: nature of the land and climate, strongly demarcated traditional system, tensions among ethnic groups, cattlelords system, necessary time to place/retain trainers in villages. Positive factors were concrete results, use of small groups and native trainers, age of adopters,…

Aspects of developing countries that may make computer-integrated manufacturing inappropriate include (1) inadequate infrastructure; (2) lack of capital; (3) policies regarding use of local products; (4) many small and medium-sized businesses; and (5) management practices. Higher productivity depends more on skilled management and workers and more…

This product evaluation reviews two of the most popular online Internet service providers, America Online and CompuServe, and describes their advantages and disadvantages for synthetic speech-users compared to services that offer Internet access only, such as Concentric or Netcome. It concludes that CompuServe is a better choice for individuals…

The 4S model uses the criteria "Simple, Stable, Scalable, and Sustainable" as a filter for selecting instructional technologies. This paper considers a social dimension that uses culture and interaction as the primary consideration in the deployment of any instructional technology within the context of the 4S model. (Author/MES)

Appropriate Technology (AT) concepts have been discussed throughout this past century by notable leaders and scholars such as Mohandas Gandhi and Julius Nyerere; however, the undisputed founder of the AT movement was E. F. Schumacher, a British economist who worked extensively in India and Burma during the 1950s and 60s. Schumacher encapsulated…