Outlines the importance of having a forum for extended conversations about ideas and methods that work and do not work in teaching economics. States that a discussion listserv was established in 1993 afford opportunities for collaboration on projects, papers, and discussion. Describes the list's archival function for previous discussions. (JEH)

Discusses work collaboration via virtual work groups, communication, and improved connectivity via information technology. Reviews previous studies and compares the performance of 64 virtual teams using four different collaborative technologies: text only, audio only, text and video, and audio and video. (Contains 59 references.) (Author/LRW)

A taxonomy of types of faculty participation in online course discussions was developed and a survey of 18 online business instructors and administrators was used to develop expectations for type and number of feedback messages. Results were used to analyze business courses and develop guidelines for teachers' role. (Contains 13 references.) (SK)

Discusses concepts of mediation and focuses on the importance of implementing comprehensive virtual learning environments. Topics include education and technology as they relate to cultural change, social institutions, the Internet and computer-mediated communication, software design and human-computer interaction, the use of MOOs, and language.…

Examines Web-based syllabi of current college courses offered in schools of education through an examination of syllabi on the Web site of the World Lecture Hall. Discusses forms of communication and interactivity; the influence of instructors; the influence of students; and the influence of practitioners and experts. (Author/LRW)

Examined differences in communication between masters degree students at Syracuse University who used instant messaging (IM) services and those who did not in the same asynchronous distance education Web-based course. Results showed that students who used IM found it easier to communicate and felt a stronger sense of community. (Author/LRW)

Examines whether level of interactivity in an online syllabus influences students' first impressions of course and instructor. Participants viewed identical syllabi, differing only in number and relationship of hyperlinks. The independent variable, interactivity, had three ordinal levels: website with no links (low interactivity), website with…

Examines the complex connections among literacy practices, the use of information, and communication technologies (ICTs) and disadvantage. Reports findings of a year-long Australian study, which investigated ways that four families use ICTs to engage in formal and informal literacy learning in home and school settings. (BT)

Users of telecommunications networks are concerned about privacy, and desire anonymous access, while some organizations are concerned about how this anonymous access might be abused. Proposes a solution for revocable anonymous access to the Internet. Presents some legal background and motivation for such a solution. Indicates some difficulties and…

Discusses the need for more flexible learning frameworks for higher education and lifelong learning, and considers the use of communication and information technology to meet those needs. Focuses on conferencing technologies, including video conferencing; text-based communication (email, bulletin boards, and conferencing); and audio conferencing.…

Electronic communication can either facilitate or sabotage decision-making contexts. This article formulates recommendations about when and how to use electronic communication to enhance decision making and describes various decision contexts. Solutions to communication problems such as groupthink, social deadlock, bureaucratic isolation from…

Presents basic facts and issues about using desktop video communication (DVC) in education. Discusses DVC's virtual "face-to-face" interaction; costs and quality of DVC software; the Internet Protocol (IP) address; types of Internet access; bandwidth; digital cameras; and the need for careful consideration and planning. (AEF)

Discusses plug-ins, software programs that connect to an World Wide Web browser and enhance its functionality. Highlights finding the software; downloading and using plug-ins; and educational applications, including the document viewer, real-time chat, multimedia, map viewer, spelling checker, news network, sound and video, and real-time…

Reports on findings from an on-going study of the use of computer-mediated communication to support post-graduate, second language teacher education. Findings are reported according to organizing categories of social interaction, language use, and how different tasks influenced communicative exchanges. (Author/VWL)

Tested the hypothesis that synchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) can indirectly improve second language oral proficiency by developing the same cognitive mechanisms underlying spontaneous conversational speech. Findings show a significant difference between the experimental and control groups oral proficiency development with…