Discusses a project that (1) uses telecommunications technology to link the river communities of the past with students today; and (2) uses thematic, interdisciplinary projects to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Notes that 20 school buildings in four Ohio school districts will be participating. (RS)

Colleges and universities must build and maintain a robust, comprehensive technology infrastructure to provide needed services today and in the future. Significant financial, technical, and human resource challenges inhibit achievement of this infrastructure. Rider University (New Jersey) solved the problem by forming a partnership with Bell…

Discusses the place of learning theory in the planning, design, and implementation of learning tasks using information and communications technology. Considers hypermedia and learning and the constructivist approach to learning, proposes a model for applying constructivist theory to learning, and describes an example involving the World Wide Web.…

Explains how one university extended the electronic reach of its students without sacrificing the university's nearly 150-year-old mission of personalized education. The five-year partnership between the school and a communications company and other cooperative arrangements with suppliers, service, and software manufacturers in transforming the…

Phone interviews explored the attitudes of 27 course directors regarding continuing medical education (CME) needs. The action-reflection practitioner-inquiry method involved physicians and CME leadership in joint discourse for planning CME programs. (Author/JOW)

Describes use of two-way video with deaf middle and high school students at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind to communicate with other students using sign language. Provides information on structuring the interactions, the technical set-up, and useful technology. (DB)

Explains Project REBUILD (Restructuring Educational Behaviors to Ultimately Improve Literacy in Dual languages) that was implemented in the Los Angeles Unified School District to improve the performance of Limited English Proficient students through the use of advanced telecommunications and technology, provided in part by private corporate…

Discusses the need for theory in the field of distance education, reviews several traditional theoretical approaches, and describes a new theory called Equivalency Theory that incorporates telecommunications. Compares theories of independence and autonomy, industrialization of teaching, and interaction and communication. (LRW)

Examines the changing role of community network associations or freenets in providing Internet access by examining the case of the Calgary Community Network Association (CCNA) in Alberta, Canada. Discusses the withdrawal of states from the telecommunications field, priorities of the Canadian government, and the role of the private sector.…

Explains MentorNet, a national program that pairs undergraduate and graduate women from engineering, science, and mathematics for mentor relationships. Considers mentoring an accepted strategy to provide guidance and advice for students. Sees electronic mentoring as a new opportunity in mentoring programs. Discusses the structure of the program.…

Discusses the geographic diffusion of telecommunications services, particularly the Internet, and analyzes the development of Internet backbone networks. Focuses on the intermetropolitan links, network capacity, and network links, and suggests the need for experimentation with empirical techniques and measurements to study the relationships…

Surveys of Iowa secondary agriculture teachers in 1994 (n=102), when the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) began, and 1997 (n=141) showed that increased access to ICN did not increase its use. In both years, teachers identified obstacles to its use, including scheduling coordination, training, and preparation time. (SK)

In May 1997, the Federal Communications Commission provided funding and policies for implementing the Snow-Rockefeller-Exon-Kerrey Amendment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The amendment states that schools and libraries should have access to telecommunication services for educational purposes at discounted rates. This article explains the…

Sailor, Maryland's public information network, has become a national model for public libraries and states planning telecommunications networks and library systems integration. This article summarizes the design and implementation of the network's Internet resource collection development, highlighting the database committee, editorial board,…

Describes the Telematics Applications Supporting Cognition (TASC) project, an international collaboration funded by the European Union to develop a microcomputer-based system supporting decision-making, planning, and communication for persons with cognitive disabilities. Considers a flexible, modular solution to meet the needs of persons with…