This is a partial account of the journey undertaken by a group of academic nomads in search of collaborative writing space. Never intending to permanently settle anywhere, we chose to explore writing technologies that supported collaborative forms of engagement with our task and with each other. Along the way we took up with, and discarded, a…

This study explores the pedagogical potential of instant messaging in a communication course. Two instructors made themselves available to students via instant messaging as a supplement to other modes of communication (e.g., e-mail, office hours). In order to gauge students' reactions to and use of the technology, the researchers kept logs of…

The purpose of this study was to analyze data related to rural teachers' use of online communities. Rural teachers are often isolated in their practice and sometimes have difficulty connecting with other teachers with their same assignments or needs due to their professional setting. As Internet availability increases and online communities…

At Adam Scott Collegiate and Vocational Institute (CVI) in Peterborough, Canada, the Learning Commons is the school's central place for introducing new technology to students and teachers. This includes collaborative projects with teachers to develop curriculum that uses new technologies. Over the last few years podcasting as well as other online…

In this 15-week study the effects of motivational email messages on learner self-efficacy and achievement in an asynchronous math course were investigated. A repeated measures design was used. One hundred, ninety-six participants were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Specially designed email messages were sent weekly to both…

In many ways, unified communications (UC) is the Holy Grail in the world of campus telecommunications; everybody wants it, yet the phrase means something different to everyone. "Campus Technology" (CT) tackled this subject in the recent webinar sponsored by Applied Voice & Speech Technologies (AVST), "Ten Steps for Building an Affordable, Reliable…

The purpose of this study is to discuss the ethical issues in education in terms of teachers, students, schools, and software companies. Recent growth of the internet and World Wide Web allows new developments in the way instructors transfer knowledge to their students. Technology is a new tool in education that constantly changes and offers new…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of motivation, volition and belief change strategies, implemented with personal and group email messages, on students' attitudes, study habits and achievement in a calculus course for non-mathematics majors. Eighty four undergraduates enrolled in a calculus course received emails over a…

This article describes how centralized presentation control systems enable IT support staff to monitor equipment and assist end users more efficiently. At Temple University, 70 percent of the classrooms are equipped with an AMX touch panel, linked via a Netlink controller to an in-classroom computer, projector, DVD/VCR player, and speakers. The…

Today computer has replaced all means of traditional communication significantly. Many distant learning tools claim to be interactive, but few can offer two-way communication. Email is the most popular means of communication medium now-a-days. Therefore, it may be used as an educational tool for learning. In present socioeconomic condition of…

Conceptually, e-mail is not a whole lot different from regular postal mail ("snail mail"), except that it is much faster. E-mail requires three things: (1) a personal computer; (2) a telephone or communication line; and (3) an Internet provider (e-mail service account). This article provides details on how it works--plus some research activities…

Nearly 700 US journalism and mass communication faculty (all teaching personnel) reported their perceptions of student email use via a web-based survey. This nationwide study focused on the content of email sent by faculty to students, email's effectiveness, and email's effect on student learning. Comparisons were made based on faculty gender,…

This is a must-have resource for all K-12 teachers and administrators who want to really make the best use of available technologies. Written by Doug Johnson, an expert in educational technology, "The Classroom Teacher's Technology Survival Guide" is replete with practical tips teachers can easily use to engage their students and make their…

To get money flowing from alumni, colleges try to keep them feeling plugged in to their alma mater--even if the "plug" becomes wireless. Bucknell University rolled out a new service this month that pushes cell phone text messages to its 47,000 alumni. So far only a few dozen alumni have signed up for the service. If the service, which is…

In our modern world of cellular phone calls, text messaging, and electronic mail, letter writing has become a lost art. What better way to motivate today's youth to experience the pleasure of "snail mail" than by reading a tale told through a series of such correspondence? The winning combination of a good story line and entertaining…