Discussion of spam (i.e., electronic messages mass-posted on the Internet to people who would not otherwise choose to receive them) explains what spam is and why it is a problem. A recent attempt to force America Online to lift its ban on spamming is reported, and suggestions on what individuals can do about spam are offered. (MES)

Discusses the use of technology for distance learning in higher education and examines the similarities and differences between face-to-face seminars and online discussions. Considers the concept of affordance in relation to information and communication technologies and distance education; and examines affordances of electronic conferencing and…

Reports on one professor's use of integrated synchronous electronic office hours (i.e., a "chat room") with asynchronous course conferencing (i.e., email) in a class on introductory marketing. Describes its uses, limitations, benefits, potential problems, and results from a student survey. (EV)

Discusses advantages and disadvantages of electronic bulletin boards, compares it with other possible alternatives, and describes a questionnaire study conducted via Usenet and via traditional mail that investigated self-selection bias. The questionnaire on object-oriented systems is appended. (LRW)

Many people still have not heard about the many ways identity theft via bogus e-mail links, or "phishing," is escalating, with criminals becoming ever more brazen and sophisticated in their online schemes to trick people into revealing their personal information. The tricksters are getting trickier. One of the newest scares involves…

For schools, spam is not only an annoyance and a time waster; it clogs district mail servers, consumes valuable network bandwidth, and can deliver and propagate a variety of malware programs that can wreak havoc on their system. A district strategy to "can the spam," therefore, must be multifaceted and address security vulnerabilities at different…

The ethical development of information systems is but one of those sensitive scenarios associated with computer technology that has a tremendous impact on individuals and social life. The significance of these issues of concern cannot be overstated. However, since computer ethics is meant to be everybody's responsibility, the result can often be…

The study examines the effects of e-mail messages on students' perceived social support, academic satisfaction, academic outcomes, and on students' coping modes. E-mails with a social or academic content were submitted by the university academic staff responsible for the courses to the 229 undergraduate students enrolled in an online social…

Background: Little research has addressed the prevalence and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among undergraduate students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to: (1) measure the prevalence and type of CAM use among a sample of college undergraduates, and (2) test the significance of select social-cognitive…

Instructional coaching or mentoring, as a form of professional development for teachers, has gained importance as educational policy has called for the implementation of research-validated instructional practices by highly qualified teachers. Technology-mediated mentoring has strong potential for overcoming barriers of accessibility and…

This study investigated what kind of supportive information can be effective in improving the situation where there were severe motivational challenges. Motivational and volitional email messages (MVEM) were constructed based on an integrated model of four theories and methods, which are Keller's ARCS model, Kuhl's action control theory,…

This article discusses open source projects which may free universities from expensive, rigid commercial software. But will the rewards outweigh the potential risks? The Kuali Project involves multiple universities writing and sharing code for their financial and operational systems. Another, the Sakai Project, is a community source platform for…

Although there are many differences among the nations and cultures of the world, there are also many attributes, beliefs, and aspirations that are common to the world's peoples. Teachers can help their students gain perspective by using the Internet to implement a program for "pen pals"--or paired classrooms and partner schools. The…

With the growing popularity of Internet communication applications among adolescents, the Internet has become an important social context for their development. This paper examined the relationship between adolescent online activity and well-being. Participants included 156 adolescents between 15 to 18.4 years of age who were surveyed about their…

Because today's students are used to a culture of informality, they sometimes show a lack of respect for authority. This article details a workshop presented by two professors from Drake University Law School to educate law students on professionalism and courtesy. Their workshop touched on topics such as public versus private communications and…