Reports on inservice opportunities provided by the Canadian company Odyssey Learning Systems Inc. (Odyssey) and critically assesses how that training mirrored the learning environment created through use of its product in educational settings with students. Suggests that changes to a learning environment provided through technology will not occur…

The University of Florida's Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) has offered on-site and distance education courses in agribusiness management, horticultural sciences, and agricultural education and communication since 1998. A survey of current and potential students at IRREC was recently conducted which examines preferences for…

A model for monitoring the Web site development process in the public sector is proposed and tested empirically with a sample of local government Web sites. Four factors in the matrix of the framework--publicity, local service, differentiation and participation--together with two dimensions of attracting and delivering were proved to be important…

Describes the cognitive processes required to troubleshoot faults and describes an architecture based on that cognitive model for designing learning environments that engage novices in troubleshooting while supporting their construction of requisite knowledge. This model can be applied to different kinds of troubleshooting problems, enhancing the…

A study of 288 undergraduates enrolled in 17 telecourses determined that students attending class sessions with fewer students reported being more satisfied with the courses and were more likely to perform at levels exceeding their previous academic performance than students attending larger sessions. Discusses the practical and theoretical…

In 1996, the Colorado Library Resource Sharing and Information Access Board initiated a project to explore a patron-initiated interlibrary loan (ILL) system utilizing the ACLIN (Access Colorado Library Information Network) infrastructure and interfacing with local catalogs, remote databases, and bibliographic utilities. This report summarizes the…

Combining concepts of instructional design with the attributes of Web technology is one way to maximize Web-based learning. Highlights the applications, limitations, and cognitive implications of Web-based organizational techniques such as frames, image maps, and tables, and outlines a two-phase Web-based learning design model. (PEN)

Public libraries implementing public access to the Internet are faced with making new usage policies. This study examined 75 public library Internet access policies and identifies 26 policy elements. Finds consensus in disclaimers for libraries, parental responsibility for children, warnings about potentially offensive material, and loss of…

Describes the development of a method for the evaluation and comparison of interactive information retrieval systems, which are based on the concept of a simulated work-task situation and the involvement of real end users. Highlights include real and simulated information needs; relevance assessments; and the dynamic nature of information needs.…

Describes principles underlying the development of guides for electronic indexes such as the Catholic Periodical and Literature Index (CPLI): begin with basic steps, keep it simple, answer questions most frequently asked, be consistent, emphasize search techniques that use the strengths of the index. Includes a copy of the guide for the CPLI on…

Technological advancement has changed the way the role of archives, especially electronic records, is viewed by archivists. Based on experiences at the Center for Electronic Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, this article discusses finding aids and reference tools, reference services and electronic records in archives,…

Outlines the service rationale, software and technology considerations taken by the Pennsylvania State University library in planning towards online, real-time reference services and provides an overview of the planned pilot project. Discusses recent trends in academic electronic libraries, including providing value-added services to support…

Discusses use of the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) to support human performance technology. Reviews Web sites that can be adapted to improve workplace performance, including decision support, communities of practice, online performance feedback, knowledge management, cybertours, online reference and job aids, and electronic learning.…

Evaluates student use of an online study environment to determine if college students will voluntarily use online study tools; to identify characteristics of users and nonusers of the tools; and to see if the use of online study tools relates to course achievement. Compares use of different types of online study tools. (Author/LRW)

Presents a set of guiding principles for the development of standards for representing student educational assessment information. Identifies essential informational components of alternative assessment records and suggests a standard form for their representation. Considerations of systemic educational reform issues are briefly described insofar…