From Rio to Rio with Kyoto, Copenhagen and Durban in between, the conclusion remains the same: we fundamentally disagree on realities of this planet and the ways we can address them. A decisive breakthrough would necessitate both wider contexts and a larger participatory base so as to identify problems, formulate policies, and broaden and…

In this end piece, the authors argue that while this special issue shifts debates on the digital divide to address students' capacity to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for productive social purposes, access to ICT remains a major challenge in countries like Uganda, in which less than 1% of the population has access to the…

An interview with Paulo Freire describes his radical educational policy developed in Brazil in the early 1960s. He introduced curriculum reform, new models of school management, and a movement for participatory literacy training. (JOW)

Argues that the concept of man as alive, active and conscious in material existence is the fundamental axis of formation of the educational professional. Claims that the socialization of scientific knowledge and information for the welfare of all humanity is the true educational technology that should guide the formation of competent professionals…

This paper intends to bring out the experience of introducing a discipline of History of Science and Technology in an Undergraduate Course of Engineering and a proposal of transforming it so as to help future engineers deal with the challenges posed by the present moment of capitalism, usually called globalization. The discipline was lectured at…

Describes the events that led to the establishment of the national policy for informatics in Brazil, which restricts foreign involvement in that nation's computer industry. The governing agencies are described, controversies and debates surrounding the policy are summarized, and the reaction of the American government is discussed. (Author/CLB)

Following the example of many developing nations, the United States is discovering that less expensive, widely available media are among the most effective teaching tools. (Author)

Compares education of lower-middle and working classes in Brazil and the United States to examine effects of the educational system in supporting the changing technological infrastructure. Concludes that both countries need to improve access and minimize stratification to make their systems of education for mid-level technology more equitable.…

Discusses some problems and solutions related to the use of educational technology in teacher training for higher education, the historical aspects of the educational technology developments in Brazil in the last two decades, and basic trends and perspectives for use of educational technology in the future. Five references are listed. (MBR)

This paper discusses the need for engineering education to address research and development, applied research, and technology transfer. It is important that engineering education considers as a major objective for engineering students the need of bridging the gap between what is produced in laboratories and the full scale of industrial production.…

This theme issue includes eight articles that discuss the information age, the impact of information technology, and the role of libraries. Highlights include libraries in Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria; the Universal Availability of Publications (UAP) program; community literacy; database development in Malawi; and the Regional Energy Resources…

This paper presents an overview of the fundamental characteristics of the teaching and learning environment of a computer language class course designed for college-level engineering and computer science education. Characteristics include training teachers, student evaluation, learning environment, and integrating disciplines. (Contains 16…

The essays collected in this volume present the personal visions of several individuals, mostly librarians and other information professionals, on what the library might look like 25 or 30 years from now. The contributors represent a wide variety of libraries and related institutions on four continents. The essays collected are:…

The education system is a failure and must be reexamined. Student teacher relationships and teaching methods must change. In the future, instead of learning by rote, students will have recourse to data banks to obtain the materials to be used as content for the exercise of what Piaget calls operativity. (RM)