For distance-education students, the requirement for a laboratory course can present a significant hurdle to completing degree requirements. To better serve these nontraditional students, the authors developed a distance version of the laboratory course to provide a hands-on experience similar to that of on-campus students. In order to make the…

Purpose: This paper aims to introduce an enterprise-wide Web 2.0 learning support platform--SNAP, developed at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach: Pointing to the evolution of the social web, the paper discusses the potential for the development of e-learning platforms that employ constructivist, connectivist,…

This case study examines the learning, identity and language development experienced by "overage" 8th-grade students who have been left behind two or more years in their New York City middle school and are participating in an extended-day video documentary program. The students practise a range of literacy skills naturally embedded in…

Despite the growing interest in 1:1 computing initiatives, relatively little empirical research has focused on the outcomes of these investments. The current special edition of the Journal of Technology and Assessment presents four empirical studies of K-12 1:1 computing programs and one review of key themes in the conversation about 1:1 computing…

Details seven ways adults can ensure children's safety on the Internet: become familiar with the Internet community; learn how the Internet works; identify quality sites; learn what sites to avoid; teach children basic rules for Internet safety; place computers in high traffic areas and monitor use; and respond thoughtfully if a child visits an…

When John Closen became principal of Rogers Elementary School he found three computers, a speech synthesizer, printer, and software and began the computerization of the school. Two years later the school is dramatically transformed. (MD)

Discusses systemic thinking and how it can help educational technologists better cope with change. Highlights include major societal paradigm shifts, differences between the industrial age and the information age that affect education, features of an information-age educational system, and changing uses of media and technology. (LRW)

Discusses the confusion among end users in using Boolean operators when searching electronic resources. Highlights include search engines; site-specific search engines; the counterintuitive nature of Boolean logic; hidden defaults; the problem of conceptualization; reprogramming defaults; and a lack of user education. (LRW)

Discusses the creation and expansion of the Internet from it's beginning in May 1961 with Leonard Kleinrock's MIT dissertation "Information Flow in Large Communications Nets", the first paper written on packet-switching (PS) theory-the fundamental element that makes the Internet possible. Includes the history, growth, connection, use and…

Describes the three most promising approaches to essay scoring by computer: (1) Project Essay Grade (PEG; E. Page, 1966); (2) Intelligent Essay Assessor (IEA; T. Landauer, 1997); and (3) E-rater (J. Burstein, Educational Testing Service). All of these proprietary systems return grades that correlate meaningfully with those of human raters. (SLD)

Explores important issues for schools to consider when making technology purchases. Emphasizes that a good technology master plan should represent a balanced approach to the "people,""places," and "things" of a technology implementation program. (EV)

Discusses the impact of open-source technology on higher education, exploring the possibility of new instructional arrangements, new spaces for learning, and new business models for sustaining rich, technology-assisted environments. Describes examples of institutions taking advantage of the open-source movement, such as the OpenCourseWare…

A self instructional strategy used bar code technology to teach Braille symbol recognition to three legally blind elementary school students. (DB)

This article presents a case study of an entrepreneurial model developed and implemented by the leisure services department at Clemson University. The facility and programs of a microcomputer laboratory are described. Programs include student instruction, continuing education courses, rentals to outside groups, and a summer computer camp. (IAH)

Explores the digital divide at historically Black colleges and universities, a technology gap that keeps overwhelmingly minority populations from participating in or benefiting from the information technology revolution. Describes efforts to remedy the problem at various schools, controversy over the existence of such a divide, and mobilization of…