Discusses technology-planning processes in schools and presents two case studies of districts who used data findings to support steps for technology implementation. Highlights include planning teams; system assessment; goals focused on student learning; teachers' use of technology; staff-development programs; student/computer ratios; changes in…

Investigates cultural issues that the Internet has introduced into classrooms, with illustrations of good practice to stimulate critical discussions among educators on ethical and cultural aspects of Internet use, including equality of access and participation for all people, and mutual respect for, and promotion of, underrepresented languages and…

Discusses "ubiquitous connectivity." Suggests that technology can help make community a global concept, but that the human element is necessary for the content and the context. Cites examples from the literature that deal with classroom connectivity; using technology once connected; and role of the school library in extending…

Presents a history of federal government involvement in public education. Discusses programs for the deaf and blind, land grant colleges, and rural schools; and technology-related programs, including the E-rate program, children's television programs, and the Star School Program. Emphasizes the government role needed to ensure access to the…

There are more than 700 million current Internet users, but the world population is approximately 6 billion (Trend 2001), indicating that computer technology is used by less than one-eighth of the population. Computers are becoming common tools in schools, often viewed as a democratic panacea despite the costs involved and despite the fact that…

This article reports on research into learning gains made by children aged 10-12 when they studied astronomy using learning activities in a constructivist environment consolidated by access through the Internet to a scientific-grade telescope. Young people often hold naive or alternative ideas about scientific phenomena from early childhood. Since…

The term "access" is frequently used by property and natural resource analysts without adequate definition. In this paper we develop a concept of access and examine a broad set of factors that differentiate access from property. We define access as "the "ability" to derive benefits from things," broadening from property's classical definition as…

In 1991, educators at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia began developing ideas for integrating telecommunications into the instructional practices of public school teachers using Virginia's Public Education Network. Teachers from across the state were invited to participate in a telecommunications project called the…

Telecommunications applications are becoming increasingly prevalent in schools at all levels. Teachers and students studying to become teachers must be knowledgeable about technology, its applications, and how it will affect instruction now and in the future. A survey of approximately 500 public K-12 schools in North Carolina was conducted to…

Community-based information and communication technologies (ICT) networks are seen as an important means of reducing social exclusion, and at the same time fostering community development. Increasing ICT capability locally is arguably crucial to furthering both of these broad aims. This paper presents evidence about the capability-building…

The importance of accessibility to digital resources is now widely acknowledged. The W3C WAI has played a significant role in promoting the importance of accessibility and developing a framework for accessible Web resources. The accessibility of e-learning provides additional challenges that may not be faced when providing access to other Web…

Describes the Training Modules for Trainers (TMT) Project. Discusses the creation of competency-based materials, observing trainers at work and choosing a feasible model. Lists the titles and descriptions of TMT modules. Describes the purpose of the project as promoting the creative and productive use of computers as instructional tools. (CW)

In his recent bestseller The World Is Flat, Thomas Friedman argues that countries like the United States can no longer compete in the global economy on the basis of making and selling commodities. Their competitive edge increasingly comes from how well they produce products, services, and technologies that are new . . . special . . .…

Unmet demand for tertiary education is difficult to define and to estimate. In this report, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 Survey of Education, Training and Information Technology are used to shed light on defining and enumerating unmet demand. Unmet demand occurs when potential students apply for a place at university or in…

Adjunct faculty members teach a significant percentage of courses at the various colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). Adjunct employment circumstances and workplace conditions often differ from those of full-time faculty, thus posing many challenges and impediments to facilitating instructional technology and information technology…