Describes the implementation of electronic bulletin board systems (BBSs) at the Garfield High School Computer Science Magnet Center (Los Angeles) and the Educational Technology Program at California State University. Reviews advantages and disadvantages of BBSs and recommends that high schools and teacher education programs consider setting up…

Discusses reasons why communities and schools should communicate electronically, reviews available technologies, presents goals supporting electronic connections to communications technologies, and examines issues involved in developing those electronic connections. A table lists types of information and appropriate technology to use to obtain…

Discussion of distance learning focuses on working with college faculty. Topics include defining telecommunicated distance learning; the teacher's role; elements of successful distance learning programs; and Western Illinois University's successful experience with distance learning, including support personnel, faculty development, administrative…

Four commercial World Wide Web browsers are evaluated for features such as handling of WWW protocols and different URLs: FTP, Telnet, Gopher and WAIS, and e-mail and news; bookmark capabilities; navigation features; file management; and security support. (JKP)

The Florida Teletraining Project tested the feasibility of using community colleges for training military personnel in the Reserve Components. Five interactive video courses were produced, delivered, and evaluated. The project demonstrated the potential of two-way video teletraining for military personnel. (AEF)

Local area networks are in 50%, soon to be 100%, of New Brunswick schools. Currently, the province is connecting the local networks to a regional area network that will link all the schools and the school district offices. All students and teachers will have Internet access. (MLF)

Bruce A. Lehman, chair of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights, discusses three issues related to the Copyright Act that will affect Internet transmissions: whether transmissions are performances or deliveries of copies; the scope of fair use; and whether there should be a copyright system in the electronic age. (JKP)

Discusses the future of libraries in rural areas, the role of the community, and possible effects of changing technology in telecommunications. Topics include a historical background, including the Rural Electrification Administration; networking technology; an example of a Rural Area Network in Colorado; and new roles for libraries and…

Discusses information issues from the Caribbean perspective including the benefits of national information infrastructures (NIIs), developmental uses of telecommunication and information science, the need for global telecommunication policies, and collaboration of international governments. Reports on creating NIIs and reviews the need for…

Analyzes the effects of information systems and telecommunications on worker productivity. Discovered difficulty in measuring benefits, but determined that long term productivity benefits include higher efficiency and reduced costs. Describes three stages of technologically induced change. Tables show benefits and applications of…

Increasingly, colleges and universities are planning to improve Internet connections to those who tap into campus computer networks over telephone lines. There is concern that users will overwhelm existing computer systems. Currently, many off-campus users are using private information service providers to gain network access. (MSE)

Surveys current work in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) and describes how technology can be extended to exploit communication between computers. Reviews applications that might make use of network support (distributed CSCL) and evaluates a sample prototype distributed CSCL application. Highlights value, viability, and development…

Ongoing contact and peer support are essential to professional growth for educators, and an electronic community can provide a supportive environment. The LabNet project demonstrates that a successful electronic community requires careful design, comfort with technology among users, and commitment; moderators play essential leadership roles in…

Discusses privacy concerns relating to electronic information media. European privacy initiatives from the European Community are described, including personal data protection, impact on the online industry, and telecommunications privacy; and activities in the United States are examined, including telephone caller privacy, electronic mail…

A technological revolution is erupting all about us. A millionfold rise in computation and communications cost effectiveness will transform all industries and bureaucracies. The information revolution is a decentralizing, microcosmic electronic force opposing the centralizing, controlling Industrial-Age mentality persisting in schools. Television…