Reviews four studies that capture the present and potential impact of videoconferencing and outlines what needs to be done before videoconferencing is commonly used in education. Discusses instructional effectiveness, cost, factors that affect its success, and videoconferencing compared to other forms of communications. (Author/LRW)

Describes the WEB Project that used multimedia and telecommunications to change teachers' instructional practices and form a learning community among schools and cooperating institutions in discussions of student work. Discusses online design conversations; online dialogue and guidelines for participation; impact on student performance; and…

Discusses three school activities--electronic messaging, problem solving, and database searching--that make use of computer telecommunications. Multipurpose services, equipment and software, training and support, low-cost start-up ideas, and the role of the library media center are also covered. Two recommended publications on telecommunication…

Describes the development of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) conformance testing sites, conformance testing tools, and conformance testing services. Discusses related topics such as interoperability testing, arbitration testing, and international harmonization of conformance testing. A glossary is included. (24 references) (SD)

The convergence of education and the economy is dramatically illustrated by the emergence of the global marketplace and the changing nature of work in the U.S. The problem is not jobs, but finding qualified, skilled workers. Project Literacy U.S. (PLUS) is using broadcast communications to address the nation's functional illiteracy problem. (MLH)

Predicts that, over the next several decades, technological advancements in large scale database construction and maintenance, high speed digital transmission networks, and highly precise intelligent searchware will result in a worldwide information system. A projected model illustrates pricing and retrieval rate changes that may be expected over…

Describes projects developed through the Long Distance Learning Network (LDLN) that experimented with using telecommunications in classrooms in the United States and in other countries. A creative writing project involving elementary school students in the United States, Canada, and Australia is described, and a seventh-grade geography project is…

Results of a study involving 300 high school and middle school students indicated that students whose homes were called with a computer dialing device when the child was absent from school had a better overall attendance record than students whose homes were not called. (IAH)

Describes the use of communications technologies for distance education projects in universities and secondary schools in Manitoba. Topics discussed include educational radio; educational television; teleconferencing; computer conferencing; computer-assisted personalized system of instruction (CAPSI); and cooperation between industry and…

Describes a computer-based communications network linking the University of New Mexico and six isolated Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. Discusses network structure, staff training, and network delivery of instructional programs and in-service teacher education and staff development programs. (SV)

The convergence of computer technology with telecommunications may transform our concept of classroom and school. The PLUTO Network Project, which links several countries in Europe in a collaborative distance learning network, is described. Three phases in the growth of educational uses of computer technologies are outlined. (IAH)

Reports on a study conducted by the Northern Illinois Learning Resources Cooperative to determine requirements and develop recommendations for a statewide library telecommunications network. Covers the results of a statewide needs assessment, the current status of library and educational telecommunications, trends, functional design criteria, and…

Describes the results of a three-year study that tracked actual and perceived future use of electronic communication for teaching, research, service, and personal activities by faculty at Eastern Illinois University. Use before and after a local area network (LAN) installation is discussed, and previous research is reviewed. (20 references) (LRW)

Predicts technological changes that will occur over the next 25 years and their impact on higher education. Highlights include overall trends in communications; digitization of information; the use of scanning devices; and neural networking. Thirteen questions about potential changes due to the information environment are listed. (KRN)

The Job Complex, a forum on career- and job-related concerns, was designed to allow for communication among clients and counselors. Although limitations in online communication do exist, the positives to cyber counseling include efficacy of the counseling approach; increased focus; elimination of prejudicial reactions; broadening perspectives;…