A virtual association is more communicative, more responsive, and more attuned to the needs of its members and its profession than a traditional paper-based association. The benefits of a virtual association far outweigh the transitory demands made by technology by enhancing communication and connectivity between members, staff, and a truly global…

Reports the feasibility and reliability of calculating impact factors for Web sites, called Web Impact Factors. Analyzes seven small/medium scale national Web sites, four large Web domains, and six institutional Web sites over a series of snapshots taken of the Web during a month. Describes data isolation and calculation methods and discusses…

Describes how computer simulations can enhance students' learning of physiology. Discusses how computer models enhance experimentation; using computer modeling in high school science; three steps in students' writing of a simulation; and the value of simulations. Lists six software vendors who offer packages on the PC or Macintosh platforms. (AEF)

Offers points to consider when deciding whether to begin a full-scale campus portal project. Discusses approaches for creating campus portals; implementation strategies; barriers to implementation; and the potential ability of portals to extend the academic experience beyond the classroom to create 21st century learning communities. (AEF)

Describes steps in the timeline for the Winona Area (Minnesota) Public School District's annual summer technology academy, with tips for success. The steps are presented according to how far in advance they should occur, from pre-planning six to eight months in advance to the first day of class. (AEF)

Focuses on the "real" e-books. Discusses Stephen King's novella released exclusively for electronic publication, and discusses experiences of another author writing on a specialized subject. Presents a brief background of e-books. Examines the differences between Portable Document Format (PDF) technology and the new Open eBook (OEB)…

A goal of the PsychExperiments project was to reduce the financial burden on psychology departments for hardware/software used in their laboratories. In its third year, the PsychExperiments site now hosts 39 experiments. Over 200 classrooms worldwide have signed up as official site users and there have been nearly 10,000 data sessions conducted.…

Proposes to use social network analysis and diffusion research to study the diffusion of two computer-based administrative services within a university faculty network. Examines the relationship of time of adoption and the number of network nominations received, centrality closeness, spatial proximity, and organizational unit proximity. Results…

A survey of 15 developers of computerized real-time observation systems found many systems have incorporated laptop or handheld computers as well as bar-code scanners. Most systems used IBM-compatible software, and ranged from free to complete systems costing more than $1,500. Data analysis programs were included with most programs. (Author/CR)

Describes the evaluation of two multimedia programs that are used to teach secondary age youth about substance abuse and recovery. Results suggest that the programs offer valuable information in a desirable format. Many of the youth felt reacted positively to the programs. (Author/AEF)

Examines effects of overview mode and computer experience on achievement, attitude and instructional time in a hypertext learning environment. Results indicated participants with high computer experience learned more from the program than those with low experience. Participants receiving structured or unstructured overview spent significantly more…

Discusses a computer system that has given users the ability to generate their own reports and analyze data, revolutionizing institutional research at the University of Memphis. (EV)

An e-mail enquiry asked 270 people to compare two styles of passages sent via attachments and to judge which was more suitable for an undergraduate textbook. Of the 152 respondents, 70 (46%) read their texts on screen and 82 (54%) first printed out their texts. Results showed this had no measurable effects upon their judgments. (AEF)

Introduces items in the typical electronic delivery toolkit (computer software packages that facilitate electronic course delivery). Offers suggestions on how best to take advantage of the tools to enhance the "outside the classroom" environment, or those learning materials and experiences accessible to students via the computer and…

Describes a computer course for undergraduate chemistry students that provides them with sufficient experience to be capable of making independent progress in solving chemical problems using computers. Consolidates undergraduate computer-related material into a single course. (DDR)