Many proposals have been made for new universities in U.S. research and development (R&D) systems. However, current foundations and strengths should be examined before attempting untried approaches. Areas addressed include the supporting environment, university research system, industrial R&D capability, defense-related R&D, and…

Trends in and factors related to the nuclear industry and nuclear fuel production are discussed. Topics addressed include nuclear reactors, survival of the U.S. uranium industry, production costs, budget cuts by the Department of Energy and U.S. Geological survey for resource studies, mining, and research/development activities. (JN)

Discusses the evolution of the nationwide telecommunications network, including key technologies (transistors, communications satellites, and lasers), putting these technologies together, current and future services, and challenges for the future. (JN)

Originally part of a symposium on educational media for the deaf, the paper describes a satellite demonstration of video disc materials. It is explained that a panel of deaf individuals in Washington, D.C. and another in Nebraska came into direct two-way communication for the first time, and video disc materials were broadcast via the satellite.…

Describes three videocassette formats comparing their technical characteristics to determine which is most suited for a given application. Discusses duplication problems and international exchange of tapes, advising about world standards and conversion from one to the other. Gives guidelines to selecting the proper hardware for different video…

Explores the development of audiovisual instruction in the United States as an outgrowth of the industrial revolution and the development of more sophisticated communications technology in the mid twentieth century. (RAO)

In the United Kingdom, only 22% of all information technology (IT) workers and only 4% of all IT managers are women. Initiatives to attract females to IT careers include exposure to computer-based activities at an early age through the National Curriculum. (SK)

Provides a brief account of early attempts to concentrate the sun's radiation for heating purposes and reports on 20th-century attempts to do the same, including the solar furnace in the French Pyrenees. Includes a discussion of the solar constant and its applications. (DDR)

Describes the activities, goals, resource materials, and ways to participate in National Science and Technology Week. (MDH)

Outlines the major issues and dilemmas regarding the Internet and education. Discusses in detail both its promise (with regard to communication; references and resources; publication; hypertext; hypertext and reading; hypertext and writing; and hypertext, image, and sound) and its problems (inappropriate and inaccurate materials, educational…

The pace and the magnitude of the changes taking place in our society today are threatening to skew the balance between copyright holders and information users. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act has the potential to undermine the public right to access information and to share information with others. (JM)

Discusses work of education futurists who see the possibility of online education providing the vehicle for a fundamental shift in the time, manner, and place for teaching and student learning. (PKP)

3-dimensional online learning environments can provide a means for users with limited connectivity to the Internet to participate as fully as their broadband-enabled peers in collaborative experiences, information sharing and feedback. Nearly 90% of the universities in the USA that support distributed learning programmes use web-based course…

It seems irrefutable that the world is progressing in concert with computer science. Educational applications and projects for first and second language acquisition have not been left behind. However, currently it seems that the reputation of completely computer-based language learning courses has taken a nosedive, and, consequently there has been…

This report seeks ways to improve the knowledge, understanding, and information available to the federal government on the long-term nature of the science and technology (S&T) enterprise as it relates to societal goals. The recommendations focus on a few key issues: improving the national capacity to define and revise long-term S&T goals; linking…