An in-depth look is presented at how institutions are currently planning for microcomputers. The question is not whether the computer network on campus and between campuses will be the single most important technological event of the century for higher education, but rather how it will occur. Six sections include: the coming of age of…

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-created sensory experience that allows a participant to believe and barely distinguish a "virtual" experience from a real one using computer graphics, sounds, and images to reproduce electronic versions of real-life situations. This digest describes how VR works and discusses applications of VR in…

Computerized adaptive tests (CATs) make it possible to estimate the ability of each student during the testing process. The computer presents items to students at the appropriate level, and students take different versions of the same test. Computerized testing increases the flexibility of test management in that: (1) tests are given on demand and…

In an effort to inform foreign language teaching efforts in elementary and secondary schools in the United States, a small-scale, 3-month exploratory study was designed to collect information that would highlight what was most interesting and illuminating about foreign language education in various countries. Twenty-two educators from 19 countries…

This book examines the promise and some of the perils of the new digital age in higher education. It addresses how cost and affordability impact on universal access, noting that current virtual and distance education options will result in a digital divide. The book advocates removing barriers to higher education in order to make digitized…