This paper presents a new mobile micro-broadcast (or near-me) Location-Based Service designed to promote face-to-face communication among users located within a given geographical area such as a University campus. Because the communication services provided are time dependent, the application decides whom to contact based on the geographic…

As a new year begins, higher education professionals who manage social media are getting to know the latest social network, Google+, and how they can best use Google+ Pages to advance their institutions. When Google+ first came on the scene in late June 2011, several institutions signed up and began using the service. Given the popularity of other…

Over a decade ago, Lenning and Ebbers (1999) envisioned that information and computer technology (ICT) could be used to create virtual learning communities (VLCs) as a "future" form of learning communities. Indeed, almost all academic departments--including psychology--depend heavily on the use of ICT to create and sustain connections among…

The pace of technological change accompanied by an evolution in social, work-based and study behaviours and norms poses particular challenges for universities as they strive to develop high quality and sustainable technology-rich learning environments. Maintaining currency with the latest advances is resource intensive, hence the costs incurred in…

This article addresses the question of understanding more about networked universities by looking at open source software developers working in academic contexts. It sketches their identities and work as an emerging professional community that both relies upon and develops digitally mediated networks and contributes to the progress of academic…

Email and chat/IM reference services have become a convenient and easily accessible option for the online community and libraries, particularly with increasing amounts of library resources now available electronically. This article gives an overview of Jing, which can be used to produce videos and screenshots on-the-fly, and demonstrates how to…

Moodle and Blackboard are two of the most famous and widely-known Learning Management Systems (LMS) over the world especially in the universities and other educational organizations. They have lots in common, but also have some key differences which make each one special in its own way. We note these differences below. If you have used any one of…

With virtual library services increasing, public services librarians may find themselves with questions such as: What instant messaging services (IM) are available? Which IM service would best suit my patrons' needs? Which IM service best suits my library's technology profile? This column describes the features and functionality of major instant…

Today's college students, the Net generation, have woven technology into their everyday repertoire of communication and connection tools. They use the Internet, e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, and social networking Web sites like Facebook and MySpace at higher rates than individuals from any other generation. Student affairs professionals,…

Accessibility to online education programs is an important factor that requires continued research, improvement, and regulation. Particularly valuable in the enhancement of online accessibility is the Voice-over Internet Protocol (VOIP) medium. VOIP compresses analog voice data and converts it into digital packets for transmission over the…