This paper reports on a computer initiative implemented by a metropolitan school district in Virginia. The initiative began in 1995 when the school district of 44,000 students funded 5 computers and a color printer for each elementary classroom in 34 schools. The goals of the initiative focused on: increasing student performance; addressing…

This collection of papers focuses on community building within teacher education programs in Canada, Israel, Australia, and the United States, suggesting that teacher educators must go beyond localized experiences and reach out to each other in a global discussion. There are 12 chapters in 4 parts. Part 1, "Opening the Conversation,"…

This newsletter issue contains the following article and features: "Developing a Dual-Language Program" (Lynn Davey); Principal's Perspective: "Battling for Bilingualism" (Maurice P. Downey, Jr.); and Web Resources. Davey's article describes how the principal of a Phoenix elementary school managed the transformation of a traditional bilingual…

The Service-Learning Center (SLC) at Virginia Tech has developed a home page that has been cited in national publications and serves as a virtual center for linking more than 1,000 students across the university with the information and resources they need to fulfill course-based service-learning components. The home page was developed with the…

This document presents the Texas STaR (School Technology and Readiness) Chart, designed to help school districts determine their progress toward meeting the goals of the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology. The chart provides indicators for four levels of progress (i.e., early, developing, advanced, or target technology) in the following focus…

This book looks at the developing understanding of approaches to online teaching and the emergence of pedagogies that will ensure online teaching and learning materials are effective. Contributors to this volume were participants at an expert seminar held at the International Center for Learner Managed Learning at Middlesex University, London, and…

Once a school district decides to offer students virtual classes, it has to recognize the costs associated with the implementation, the logistical needs, the staff that will be needed to assist students, and the maintenance of the technology. Adapting the philosophy of virtual education is only the beginning. The role of the traditional teacher…

Computer mediated communication tools enable today's distance learners to engage in collaborative problem solving, threaded discussions, and peer tutoring through asynchronous distance learning environments. This paper suggests that these are best accomplished by establishing virtual learning communities, which break down traditional…

This paper presents the proactive steps taken by Idaho State University to address accountability in teacher education. The university addressed accountability mandates and new accreditation standards through a Web site (http://www.ed.isu.edu) that includes electronic documents providing evidence of meeting National Council for the Accreditation…

This book is a collection of articles that examine critical issues of technology, teaching, and learning in three areas: access, communication, and literacy. Following an Introduction by Jay Blanchard, articles are presented in three sections: Access and Opportunity; Online Communication; and Literacy. The articles include: "An Exploration of…

Over the past five and one-half years, the Idaho Educational Technology Initiative has distributed 56 million dollars to Idaho public schools. This report reviews the progress made toward accomplishing goals established by the Idaho Council on Technology in Learning (ICTL). It is based on data collected during visits to 36 schools in 16 school…

The Virtual U Project is a simulation product created to help improve the management of the nation's university systems. Virtual U simulates running a university or college and assists management in allocating resources within the university. It is a powerful and user-friendly software tool that models the attitudes and behaviors of an academic…

This paper on multimedia in German libraries begins with an introduction to multimedia. Initiatives of the federal government and in the Laender (federal states) are then described, including: a 1997 symposium organized by the university library of Goettingen that presented several multimedia models developed in universities; the multimedia…

Educators involved in the delivery of distance education would do well to heed the following rules regarding the use of learning technologies: know yourself and how you create and manage a personal presence; aim for a mix of learning technologies and strive for integration without duplication; realize that each learning technology has its own…

This paper discusses the use of technology in gifted students' curriculum, methods that have been successfully used in classrooms, and the wealth of technological resources available to both the teacher and student. The paper describes how technology has been used to teach science, art, and enhance other subjects. Internet Web sites and various…