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Workspaces are sites of contention over what is knowledge and who can say so; work-related education has never been a neutral arbiter. In a context in which workspaces routinely bring together physical place and cyber place in communication networks, traditional struggles over knowledge and knowing are affected by communications technologies (CT) in powerful but unobtrusive ways. CT play a part in construction of knowledge, community, and identity between and within workspaces. Formal, informal, and nonformal education mediates CT and helps shape local and global economic activities, working communities, and working lives. Communications networks operate to construct contemporary hybrid workspaces, but are also adopted by local working communities. Knowledge at work in hybrid workspaces has a social and textual character. Technology plays a part in shaping communication and knowledge production in workspaces. Organizations try to join up geographically and temporally dispersed workspaces by introducing software that mimics a physically integrated workspace. Two perspectives for education are the following: (1) educators may adopt the position that trainees, children, or colleagues should be informed of ways in which technology mediated knowledge construction and technologically facilitated collaborative environments can work to their advantage in contrast to the view that the role of education is to provide skills that will make future workers flexible and adaptable to the needs of the organization, and (2) educators can use those aspects of group communication and knowledge construction that benefit learning. (Contains 20 references) (YLB)

A student Web portal is a personalized, student-centric view of College Web resources. The "Artemis" system at Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ), represents movement toward realization of the efficiencies and student service possibilities of a Web portal. This proposal recommends a radical expansion of Artemis functions, one that has the potential to: integrate disparate information resources at the College; increase student retention, particularly during the critical first term; increase student satisfaction on measures of institutional effectiveness;increase student access to services and provide enhanced support for distance learners; increase operational efficiency through students use of self-help resources; and revitalize student success services. Realization of these outcomes will require a major institutional commitment--comparable to that devoted to other significant College achievements--and ongoing development and support. It will require a reallocation of resources and consideration of reorganization to support emerging functions. This proposal suggests what can be done and how to get started. Discussion includes theoretical foundations; design considerations including student, marketing, integration and project management factors; design overview; portal elements; and issues and concerns including infrastructure and project feasibility and issues and staff commitment and organizational support. Implementation suggestions and a bibliography are appended. (AEF)

This paper examines the ways in which colleagues who have traditionally not worked together, or even met each other, can share experience-based knowledge. It discusses electronic information networks in Canadian colleges, and examines how these networks do and do not develop into communities of learning or communities of practice through sharing conceptualized knowledge, and common values and goals. The study aims to assess the 3-year experiment of creating numerous affinity groups, or national networks of college administrators, staff, faculty, and students who administer, teach, or study in the same domain or discipline. The author sent out an e-mail questionnaire to 134 randomly selected participants in 34 Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) affinity groups which had been in existence for at least 6 months. The author conducted in-depth interviews with nine of the 51 respondents. The author also reviewed case studies and used his own experience in meetings and projects. The findings cover motivation for joining affinity groups, development of trust and common values in face to face meetings, the need for ongoing dialogue, the role of technology in achieving group objectives, and working productively with sectoral councils and initiatives. (Contains 28 references.) (NB)

This paper presents a review of the Virtual Factory Teaching (VFTS) project, a Web-based, multimedia collaborative learning network. The system allows students, working alone or in teams, to build factories, forecast demand for products, plan production, establish release rules for new work into the factory, and set scheduling rules for workstations. Included in the paper are a system description and list of project tasks. The evaluation component involving 3 different campuses is described and the results of 3-years of analyses are presented, including demographic descriptions, self-assessment results, performance results, attitudinal responses, and usability. In addition, instructor observations and course project output is also examined as components of the VFTS evaluation effort. It is believed through the analysis that the VFTS is an excellent instructional method to teach students the integration of the different modules in operations planning. (Author)

The University of Wisconsin System (UWS) has attempted to establish a well-defined set of support services for Internet-based teaching and learning for its 27 campuses and LI (Learning Innovations, a UWS organization that focuses on total online programs). The objectives of these services are: to provide all University of Wisconsin (UW) campuses with the opportunity to use distributed learning technologies to enhance teaching and learning, to guarantee a learning and teaching system infrastructure that enables on-campus and off-campus network-based courseware, and to provide a longer term funding model that will ensure core distributed learning services for all faculty and teaching staff. UWS's Distributed Learning System Environment has several services, including a Web-Based Learning System (WBLS), which is the focus of this paper. Discussion includes: faculty and student benefits; dot.edu, an Application Service Provider for the State of Wisconsin and beyond; the dot.edu partnership model; goals and mission of dot.edu; and lessons learned and reasons for success. (AEF)

This paper describes the development of a web-enabled information service for constituents of the Information Resources Management College (National Defense University, Washington, DC). The constituents of the College, who include graduates, current students, and prospective students, typically work in the Chief Information Officer (CIO) office of United States federal agencies. The Web-enabled information service, known as "Knowledge Net," is intended to tie the College constituents located throughout the world into a virtual community, sharing technical information, emerging problems, and potential solutions. Knowledge Net has evolved over a 3-year span from a skunk-works project of several faculty members to an institutionalized system supported by the University. The most significant lessons learned to date include the requirement for a Web-enabled content management system to ease posting of information to the website and the need to adjust administrative policy to encourage faculty to take on and integrate Knowledge Net related activities into their ongoing academic responsibilities. (Author)

The Campus Pipeline at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), California, is a portal whose purpose is to provide single web entry to relevant academic and institutional information for students and faculty. This fall 2002 evaluation of the Campus Pipeline aims to: (1) explore the degree of satisfaction of students and faculty; (2) determine which features are most widely used and liked; (3) compare results with previous evaluations; and (4) use the information as a basis for improving the delivery service. The evaluation is based on data gathered from two survey instruments, one for faculty and one for students. Twelve faculty and 566 students responded to the surveys, which were administered in May 2002. At least 95% of student respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the Pipeline was easy to use, compared to 92% in fall 2001. More than 88% of students agreed that the Portal contains useful information, the same as in fall 2001. The feature with the highest ranking for usefulness was the "My Classes" link. The only category that did not receive majority agreement was whether the Campus Pipeline helped students to communicate with each other. Only 44% agreed with this statement, although this has improved from the 33% approval in 2001. Research instrument and student comments appended. (NB)

The Netherlands' career guidance system and policies were evaluated. Data were collected through meetings with policymakers and guidance practitioners in the public and private sectors, analysis of data from a national questionnaire, and a review of pertinent documentation. The evaluation focused on the following areas: markets and the role of government; guidance within the education system; the system's "reintegration" structure; the wider role of the country's centers for work and income; stimulating the market; quality assurance; and strategic coordination and leadership. The following were among the Dutch career guidance system's identified potential strengths: the extent and quality of the labor market information and consumer information for use in guidance; the vocational education system's formal affirmation of the central importance of students' career paths; the emergent market in career guidance and information; and the network of centers for work and income. The system's potential weaknesses were said to include the limited attention attached to career guidance within the general education part of the education system and the lack of a true systems approach, accountability, monitoring, quality assurance, and clarity regarding government's role within a decentralized, "marketized" system. The following items are appended: a list of review team members; the review visit schedule; and a summary of suggestions and recommendations. (Contains 26 footnotes.) (MN)

This report describes the impact of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding in California for 1997-2002 on Californians of all ages as served by their libraries of all types. The first section summarizes the results in achieving the following goals and their related objectives: (1) free and convenient access to learning and information resources through libraries of all types for individuals of all ages; (2) library services available in all parts of the state that provide all users access, through state, regional, national, and international electronic networks, to information resources they require to meet their diverse, changing, and expanding educational, economic, knowledge, social, cultural, recreational, and life fulfillment needs; (3) development and implementation of the necessary electronic and resource-sharing linkages among and between libraries to support California's multitype library network development; and (4) promotion and enhancement of targeted library services to people of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, to individuals with disabilities, and to people with limited functional literacy or information skills. The second section contains in-depth evaluations of 5 projects funded under LSTA during 1997-2002. The third section outlines the areas where more progress needs to be made and where processes can be improved. The fourth section provides a summary of the evaluation process. (MES)

This paper examines the impact of networked technologies on educational reform in the context of linking home and school within this context of political and social struggle. The theoretical framework is presented first, grounding the study in an understanding of the curriculum as an educational process that is currently subject to challenge as a result of the very radical changes to students' access to information and cultural artifacts through technology. The methodology for the study is then presented, followed by evidence that suggests that a transition is in progress in terms of "the process curriculum." The different ways in which technology facilitates flexible working approaches are then discussed. Three accounts from case study schools are explored more deeply to provide concrete examples of how technology is acting as a catalyst for reform where there is a degree of cultural harmony between home and school: the first describes the impact of technology on existing cultural discourse and social practices; the second exemplifies the use of technology to support learning beyond the school walls; and the third is an example of how technology can support gifted and talented students. The effect of inequalities of access to technology in the home on teaching practices and students' use of technology is then discussed. The final section of the paper draws out the implications of the conflict and tensions being faced as technology becomes embedded in an educational system that is grounded in socio-political struggle. Questions are raised for the participants about comparable conflicts and tensions in curriculum policy and educational practice in the United States. (Contains 42 references.) (AEF)

This document describes LeagueTLC: Transformational Learning Connections (http://www.league.org/leaguetlc/index.htm), a Web site created by the League for Innovation in the Community College with funding from the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE). This Web site serves as a resource for community colleges by disseminating information about successful innovations within the nation's 1,300 community colleges. The LeagueTLC Web site currently offers four features: (1) Innovation Express, a Web-based column focused on proven community college practices, descriptions, and implementation strategies of successful innovations from experienced innovators and informed colleagues, with multiple communication options for contact and reference; (2) Innovation Database, a comprehensive source of the latest model programs, best practices, and state-of-the-art technology applications from the League's member colleges, corporate partners, and presentations from two annual international conferences focused on innovation and experimentation; (3) Learning Links, service connections and contacts supporting the development and implementation of monthly highlights and targeted initiatives; and (4) Resources on the Web, a collection of community college references and access to higher educational associations, community colleges, and online training resources for educators. Future Web site features include an online moderated forum, an online training exchange, a monitored electronic journal, and an online version of the League's annual "Innovations" conference. (KP)

This document is a report on WebReady, an online program that provides students with the essential skills needed to function effectively in Internet-based classes. The WebReady program consists of seven interactive lessons that instruct students on how to: (1) use the full capabilities of the Web browser; (2) perform critical searches on the Internet; (3) send and receive e-mail; (4) send and receive file/graphic attachments through e-mail; (5) compress and decompress files/programs; (6) access PDF files or documents; and (7) participate in online discussion groups. The program includes background reading, visual aides, and quizzes to help ensure student skill competency. The program also provides instructor assistance and feedback, which helps generate a favorable impression of online learning. The entire program can be completed in 16 hours or less, depending on the existing ability of the learner. Overall, the program is designed to help prepare and increase the chances of success for students enrolling in online classes. The program will assist instruction of online courses by freeing instructors from using valuable class time to teach students how to use or access Internet resources. The report includes feedback from program completers, a FAQ section, and a Web site for guests to try the program. (MKF)

The effectiveness of the National Center for Study Adult Learning Literacy's (NCSALL's) Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network was examined by reviewing how, from 1997 to 2001, adult basic education teachers from 14 states served as liaisons between practitioners in their states and the NCSALL by engaging in the following activities: sharing information about NCSALL studies; identifying programs to serve as research sites; conducting their own research; and organizing research-based professional development activities. Key findings were as follows: (1) connecting practitioners and researchers has a positive impact on practitioners, practice, researchers, and research; (2) effectively connecting researchers and practitioners requires specific strategies, including practitioner involvement in research and dissemination, a commitment to collaboration, the right practitioner leaders, and face-to-face meetings; and (3) effectively connecting researchers and practitioners requires specific supports for practitioner leaders, local practitioners, program directors, and state staff. The following were among the study recommendations: (1) provide funding for professional development activities that help practitioners understand and use research; (2) assist states new to research-based professional development; (3) develop activities that help policymakers understand and use research; (4) involve practitioners as both participants and researchers; and (5) provide funding, technical assistance, and coordination to help states integrate research, practice, and policy activities into current systems. (MN)

This report describes 10 projects funded by the federal Technology Opportunities Program, in which people in isolated regions are finding ways to connect to new information networks and are reaping social, economic, and educational benefits. In the sprawling Navajo Nation, where many families lack even basic telephone service, local tribal governments are using satellite connections to connect with the outside world. In rural Mayville, North Dakota, a state university is working with local leaders to establish a homegrown technology industry and halt a long economic decline. A project of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is showing how timely collection and distribution of information can improve the efficiency of irrigation systems and help farmers in Utah's Sevier River basin stretch limited water resources. In coastal Maine, better information systems are improving the delivery of social services to needy families. Two telemedicine projects, which deliver health care services and medical education in rural Maine and Vermont, show that telemedicine comprises various tools rather than a single technology and that human relationships make it work. Broadband videoconferencing is being used by Marshall University (West Virginia) to make distance education more personal, and is improving extension services offered by North Dakota State University. The Virtual Chautauqua use video and audio streaming technology to bring the performing arts into rural Colorado classrooms, while Dance Partners uses videoconferencing to bring dance education to remote Minnesota communities. Contact information is included. (SV)

This is the sixth report on the status and progress of the Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure Program (TTIP), submitted by the California Community Colleges. In California, familiarity with and use of computers is fundamental to economic success. California is home to many of the major companies involved in creating the future of the information age, and therefore, California's community college students can no longer be expected to function without a baseline of networks, hardware, and software similar to what they will confront in the workplace. The California Community Colleges Technology II Strategic Plan 2000-2005 (Tech II Plan), approved by the Board of Governors on September 11, 2000, provides the broad template of strategies for improving and strengthening technology throughout the California Community College system. Tidal Wave II, the expected increased enrollment of 500,000 college students by 2005, will necessitate that community colleges become more effective in their use of facilities and resources. The TTIP system-wide focus has been in five major areas: (1) data connection to the 4Cnet backbone for all colleges; (2) video conferencing capabilities at each college and district site; (3) satellite downlink capability; (4) Community Colleges Conferencing Network; and (5) library automation and electronic information resources. (Author/NB)

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 emphasizes the importance of high quality, accessible, and relevant information about the labor market for making sound decisions. In order to help both workers and employers, as well as the government agencies that serve them, the Workforce Information System was created and is being improved. The action plan for serving workforce information customers addresses these three broad priorities: (1) strengthen customer feedback for continuous improvement (conduct customer focus groups, develop state customer satisfaction measurement methods, clearly define and prioritize unmet local data needs, and identify priority improvement actions); (2) work to fill critical data gaps (provide benefits information, generate local skills information, improve local unemployment data, collect occupational skills data, and measure dynamic labor market change); and (3) improve workforce information analysis and delivery (provide access to information analysis and delivery, provide labor market information delivery with other workforce systems, improve occupational informational products, link consumer reports and workforce information delivery, ensure universal access to workforce information, and improve staff skills and tools). The Workforce Information System has been in place for about 2 years; highlights of progress to date are new and expanded workforce information, creating mechanisms for improving the system, communication and outreach, and measuring customer satisfaction. (KC)

The role of professional and local-personal networks as a source of knowledge development in the new knowledge-based economy was examined in a 15-month study that focuses on people working in the multimedia industry in Montreal, Quebec. The study focused on the modes of exchange and learning, collaborative work, and management and development of knowledge within firms through exchanges between workers. Of the approximately 50 firms contacted, 18 agreed to participate in the study. Sixty open-ended interviews (48 with workers and 12 with employers or managers) were conducted. The interview responses were analyzed within the contexts of the concepts of collective competence and communities of practice. The interviews established that collaborative work, teamwork, and knowledge sharing have become normal in multimedia firms. The perceptions and values of the workers interviewed appeared to counter those of the traditional tayloristic vision of work, which assumes a strong division of labor and little if any exchange between workers. Most interviewees were ready to share information, often without expecting anything in return, and most enjoyed teamwork. Many firms used capacity to work in a group as a selection criterion when hiring employees. The managers reported looking for complementary specializations within teams. (Contains 46 references.) (MN)

The Assessing Quality on Digital Reference team conducted two site visits at Florida Libraries in August 2001. The objectives of these visits were to: document how digital reference services are currently being planned for, delivered, and evaluated in libraries; understand how "quality" in digital reference is defined in these environments; identify current issues in the provision of digital reference surrounding technology, management, staffing and training, and costing and economic concerns; and determine the evaluation needs of libraries regarding digital reference services. Data were collected in in-depth interviews with key informants at each library. Each library chose the personnel they felt could best inform the research, typically including both managerial and professional perspectives. Each library received a copy of the questions to be covered in the interview in advance of the site visit and each was well prepared to meet with the interviewers. In addition to the pre-formatted questions, interviews included opportunities for respondents to raise issues and add topics to the agenda. In the course of these interviews several trends were documented that are developing as a common thread in the academic literature and in data gathered on site visits at libraries across the United States. Provided here are the site visit reports concerning the provision of digital reference services at the State Library of Florida, Bureau of Library and Network Services and the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System. These reports are followed by a description of how these findings fit into a larger effort to assess the quality of digital reference, produce evaluation tools, and determine how best to integrate evaluation efforts into digital reference services. (AEF)

In this paper, knowledge management is seen as an element of strategic management for which the highest level of the organization is responsible. Knowledge management is discussed in the framework of the current reform of the central government in Finland. The main goals of the reform are to strengthen the cooperation in the central government, to develop strategic planning and its tools, and to develop cooperation among the Ministries. Knowledge management has explicitly been taken as part of the reform in order to analyze the role of the Ministries in guiding the administrative sector of the Ministry, to improve the confidence of the citizens and civil servants toward the administration, and to empower the citizens in public affairs. The government's intranet as a tool for knowledge management is discussed. The intranet creates a common information portal for user organizations, i.e., the Ministries, the Chancellor of Justice, the Cabinet of the President, and the Parliament. The aim of the intranet is to support the working processes and the culture of interaction, learning, and cooperation. It is planned to be based on user-friendly technology and common standards. Features of the next version of the intranet are discussed. (Author/MES)

With the rapid growth of the global information society, the concept of library has evolved to embrace all kinds of information collections, on all kinds of storage media, and using many different access methods. The users of today's information networks and digital libraries, no longer restricted by geographic or spatial boundaries, want to be able to find, retrieve, and understand relevant information wherever and in whatever language it may have been stored. For this reason, much attention has been given over the past few years to the study and development of tools and technologies for multilingual information access (MLIA). This paper provides an overview of some of the issues that must be considered when building a system that provides access and retrieval functionality for document collections in multiple languages. The following topics are covered: (1) multilingual text processing, including language recognition, character encoding, language specific tokenization, and word normalization; (2) approaches to cross-language text retrieval, including machine translation, multilingual thesauri, using dictionaries, and corpus-based techniques; and (3) cross-language system evaluation campaigns, including the TREC (Text Retrieval Conference Series), CLEF (Cross Language Evaluation Forum, and NTCIR (NACSIS Test Collection for Information Retrieval). (Contains 17 references.) (MES)

The advent of information and communication technology has opened a new era in the counseling profession. This study shares the views of computer literate respondents about their willingness to participate in e-counseling sessions. The results showed that the respondents are generally reserved about using e-counseling services and still insist that the physical presence of the counselor is important in the counseling process. The findings however do indicate that the e-counseling method is favorable to the needs of young people aged between 25 to 35 years old. Counselors are offered techniques for overcoming the apprehension of e-counseling consumers. (Contains 34 references.) (GCP)

This document is the annual report prepared by the Interagency Working Group on Information Technology Research and Development of the National Science and Technology Council. This report is a Supplement to the President's fiscal year (FY) 2002 Budget that describes the Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) activities. As required under the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991, the Supplement covers current work and planned directions for FY 2002. FY 2001 budget estimates and FY 2002 requests for the multi-agency program, by Program Component Area (PCA) and by agency, are shown. This year's Supplement is organized around the following key research challenges that must be overcome to ensure continuing U.S. leadership in advanced computing and networking and in all the defense and non-defense sectors that increasingly rely on these capabilities: (1) next-generation computing and data storage technologies; (2) surmounting the silicon complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) barrier; (3) versatile, secure, scalable networks for the 21st century; (4) advanced IT to sustain U.S. strength in science and engineering; (5) ensuring reliable, secure operation of critical systems; (6) making software for the real world; (7) supporting human capabilities and university human development; (8) managing and enabling worlds of knowledge; (9) supporting education and development of a world-class IT workforce; and (10) understanding the effects of IT to maximize the benefits. The Supplement also describes some of the significant national applications of information technology that can have a transforming impact on critical infrastructures nationwide, to the benefit of all citizens. The Nation's ability to deploy these powerful emerging applications will depend on many successful results of the fundamental research in component technologies outlined in this report. (AEF)

This paper focuses on a user driven approach to improve video indexing. It consists in cumulating the large amount of small, individual efforts done by the users who access information, and to provide a community management mechanism to let users share the elicited knowledge. This technique is currently being developed in the "OPALES" environment and tuned up at the "Institut National de l'Audiovisuel" (INA), a National Video Library in Paris, to increase the value of its patrimonial video archive collections. It relies on a portal providing private workspaces to end users, so that a large part of their work can be shared between them. The effort for interpreting documents is directly done by the expert users who work for their own job on the archives. OPALES provides an original notion of "point of view" to enable the elicitation and the sharing of knowledge between communities of users, without leading to messy structures. The overall result consists in linking exportable private metadata to archive documents and managing the sharing of the elicited knowledge between users' communities. (Contains 22 references.) (Author/AEF)

The Internet has considerably empowered libraries and changed common perception of what they entail. Public libraries, in particular, are using technological advancements to expand their range of services and enhance their civic roles. Providing community information (CI) in innovative, digital forms via community networks is one way in which public libraries are facilitating everyday information needs. These networks have been lauded for their potential to strengthen physical communities through increasing information flow about local services and events, and through facilitating civic interaction. However, little is known about how the public uses such digital services and what barriers they encounter. This paper presents findings about how digital CI systems benefit physical communities based on extensive case studies in three states. At each site, rich data were collected using online surveys, field observation, in-depth interviews and focus groups with Internet users, human service providers and library staff. Both the online survey and the follow-up interviews with respondents were based on sense-making theory. This paper discusses findings regarding: (1) how the public is using digital CI systems for daily problem solving; and (2) the types of barriers they encounter. Suggestions for improving digital CI systems are provided. (Contains 50 references.) (Author)

This paper proposes an instructional systems design (ISD) approach for the design and development of a basic Networked Information and Communication Literacy Skills (NICLS) module. It concentrates on the design and development of a NICLS core skills pre-module for the Master of Arts in Information Technology Management (MA ITM) program at the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom). The course is entirely a distance learning program and course participants are professionals in the Information Technology (IT) sector. The need for such courses as pre-modules for online distance education programs for professional adults is presented and discussed. Furthermore, and as a part of the design process, the paper discusses and defines information and communication literacy and its main aspects. The curriculum is designed using an experiential learning approach and the resulting Web-based educational approach is presented and described. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/AEF)

This study addressed how to maintain "use or lose" language skills among Department of Defense linguists. The study, which involved over 300 linguists at 61 installations worldwide, supported the Air Force strategy of global engagement by regularly providing pedagogically sound language maintenance materials in small doses and encouraging linguists to maintain skills by building interactive, supportive communities of professionals. Participants were enrolled in 2 e-mail distribution lists: an announce list, which pushed a Russian "vitamin" lesson each day for 10 consecutive days, and a discuss list, where linguists commented on lessons, discussed relevant issues, and built ongoing relationships with others. The study demonstrated the feasibility of the lesson delivery system and the potential of networking linguists into an online community via a listserv. The all-inclusive, concise lesson format was user friendly and extremely useful for language maintenance. The discuss list was a useful forum for community building as linguists expressed views and opinions on issues relevant to the group and received feedback. Of those subjects who completed the end of study survey, 96 percent agreed or strongly agreed this was an effective method of language maintenance. (Contains 41 references.) (SM)

The new e-learning technologies offer the rich promise and potential of learning delivery at any time, anywhere, on any topic. Without careful management of the learning process, application of best principles and practices in e-learning design strategies, effective attention to staff development, provision of extensive learner support services, and careful focus on a range of socio-educational issues, the promise may lead to a widening gap in access between rich and poor, young and old, employed and unemployed, and computer literate and illiterate persons. Access to e-learning may actually be made more difficult by the wider use of technology claimed to be able to improve it. Some aspects of this access-related agenda worth considering further are awareness, situation/location, user cost and perceptions, e-learning design strategies, and personal competence and skilling. Other access issues are: an organization's level of readiness for e-learning; faculty participation; convenience of access as an important factor influencing learner satisfaction with the system; and the extent of congruity/compatibility among adults' learning styles and e-learning. (Contains 39 references.) (YLB)

This paper presents an overview of online student services being used by 19 vocational education and training (VET) and higher education institutions in Australia. Information was gathered though site visits between July and September 2000 about online support services for prospective students, enrolling students, enrolled students, and graduating students. A high percentage of participating institutions support all four categories of students with information of varying depth and accessibility. Services provided online include career advice, course information, course advice, information on administrative details, details of the enrollment process, fee-payment options, orientation to online learning, introduction and orientation to specific courses, communication links, administrative services, academic support, personal counseling, career counseling, academic resources (library, databases), information technology support and help lines, career placement, job search skills, resume development, interviewing tips, agency links, grades and transcripts, and teaching, learning, and developmental issues. Many innovative practices were found among the online services provided to students. (Contains 10 references.) (KC)

By establishing its Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) in 1989, California became the first state to spend substantial funds on building a technological infrastructure for adult education. OTAN's goals are as follows: foster communication among state officials, researchers, and local administrators, instructors, and staff in adult education; facilitate access to library and other information about adult education policies and practices; and provide technical assistance in introducing the use of technology to adult educators. OTAN's history may be divided into the following periods: (1) building the foundation (1989-1994); (2) building a communication and information system (1994-1997); and (3) enhancing the system (1997-1999). OTAN's staff has provided training and technical assistance to enable its subscribers to feel comfortable using technology and to become facile in accessing OTAN's various services and materials. To reach a variety of adult education programs throughout California, OTAN's staff has provided on-site training in regional resource centers and local programs. Work is under way to enhance OTAN's roles as a platform for furthering the use of technology and as a gateway to adult education resources worldwide. Copies of the OTAN user and nonuser surveys and seven graphics depicting use of an OTAN Web site are appended.(Contains 12 tables/figures and 10 references.) (MN)

This paper details the day to day curriculum of an e-mail-based English class at Central Arizona College. The intent of the class--a Hybrid Electronic Course (HEC)--was to expose the students to both independent research and writing, while also giving them opportunities for traditional classroom meetings. An entire semester was compressed into three weeks. Syllabus, assessment information, handouts, and pertinent Web links were all maintained on the instructor's Web site. The instructor devoted in-class time to discussing topics such as researching Web sites, using APA style, and developing strategies for writing academic text. The instructor asked students to write three 500-word essays that would help them in the development of the larger research paper. The instructor had to deal with logistical issues such as viruses, the increased workload caused by a steady stream of e-mail, attachments arriving in non-readable forms, and filing and accessing methods. The instructor found that with the HEC format, students were able to accelerate the learning process. Handwritten remarks and face-to-face conferencing can be enhanced by word processing automated reviewing. The instructor also found, however, that it is more difficult to teach writing using a distance-learning model, and that technology both impedes and enhances student learning. (NB)

Trends in using computer technology for career development and human resources development in companies in the United States and worldwide were reviewed, and the possibilities of adapting the latest advances in digital technology-based training delivery systems in school-based contexts were explored. A model was proposed that entailed having chief information officers and knowledge managers from the corporate world assist in counseling services and participate in development of developmentally appropriate curricula at all educational levels. The following were among the conclusions and recommendations presented: (1) the application of technology to all aspects of life and work is forcing providers of career development programs and services to analyze the needs and wants of their clientele and the way technology can be used in career-related decision making; (2) culturally diverse learners vary greatly in terms of wants and needs; (3) the conceptual frameworks of school-based career development models must be modernized and upgraded, based on advances in computing and information technology; (4) global strategic alliances can yield digital dividends for many nations and people; and (5) preparing educators to use technology for career development in electronic paradigms as well as traditional settings is essential for equality of access to high-quality opportunities both domestically and globally. (Contains 50 references.) (MN)

It is assumed that cooperative learning continuously constructs and extends the shared knowledge of a group of learners with respect to a specific learning domain. Experiences with Computer-Supported Collaborative/Cooperative Learning (CSCL) environments indicate that an explicit representation of the shared knowledge is helpful with regard to two aspects. First, it can preserve (intermediate) results of the cooperative learning process. Second, it can also improve the process itself by providing the context and means for learners' orientation and navigation in the learning domain, awareness of the learning process, and the construction and negotiation of knowledge. This paper introduces the Learning Net as an interactive representation of shared knowledge and illustrates how it can be integrated and used in a CSCL environment. (Contains 11 references.) (AEF)

The European project, UNIVERSAL--Universal Exchange for Pan-European Higher Education, is an attempt to demonstrate an open exchange of learning resources (LRs) between higher education institutions across Europe. The goal is to create and manage an open market of learning resources by introducing a brokerage platform with a standard way of describing the pedagogical, administrative, and technical characteristics of learning resources. The system will enable institutions to enrich their curricula with remotely sourced material. It is intended to be compatible with a variety of similar models pursued by different institutions, including open universities and alliances between peer institutions. The business-to-business oriented brokerage will embrace offers, enquiries, booking, and delivery of LRs. This paper illustrates how the issue of providing a user-friendly access mechanism to learning resources has been addressed by UNIVERSAL. The focus is devoted to catalogue design: its creation, development, structure, and organization. Attention is also given to the automated categorization of learning resources within the category tree, creation, and maintenance of the catalog hierarchy. The described approach enables gradual automation of the categorization process: from manual to semi-automated, and finally to a fully automated categorization process. (Contains 14 references.) (AEF)

The California Community Colleges (CCC) are facing a number of challenges, including the explosive use of the Internet, the digital divide, the need for integrating technology into teaching and learning, the impact of Tidal Wave II, and the need to ensure that technology is accessible to persons with disabilities. The CCCs' Technology II Strategic Plan (Tech II) focuses on two major goals: student access to instruction and student support services, and student success in their educational and career goals. The access objective for Tech II is to establish a baseline of access to computers for students, faculty, and staff that includes a technology replacement program for computers and related equipment at all colleges. The Chancellor's Office has given each college $25,000 and each funded district $9,700 in Telecommunications and Technology Infrastructure Program (TTIP) funding to be applied toward Tech II planning. This paper offers a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model, which estimates a cost of $3,506 per PC at each community college. TCO includes support and infrastructure expenses. This report puts the minimum baseline standard for student-accessible PCs at one per every 20 FTES. This report includes an Expenditure Plan Total Cost of Ownership worksheet. Definitions for Tech II model are appended. (Author/NB)

This document is a report on the City College of San Francisco Decision Support System (DSS). The DSS is a Web-based information system, designed to provide quick access to college information and services for students, faculty, and staff. It includes data on student demographics, course offerings, productivity of departments, student success rates, course completion percentages, degrees, and certificates. Data can be obtained through the DSS for specific courses and sections as well as for different campuses and the entire community college. Survey results from students, faculty, and staff show that the DSS is viewed as a very useful college service. Other survey findings include: (1) the chair of the Mathematics Department used the system to look for unmet demand among match courses and sections; (2) the English Department was able to reduce the number of students turned away from classes by 400; (3) by looking at individual campuses and student characteristics, administrators were able to plan the most appropriate courses for students attending a specific campus; and (4) the DSS made it easy to answer a benchmarking survey from another college. This report recommends that the college use the DSS to make more informed decisions on programs and services. Appendices provide specific information on the technical processes of the DSS and available databases. (MKF)

This report summarizes the findings, issues, and lessons learned from the Developing National Public Library and Statewide Network Statistics and Performance Measures study conducted between January 1999 and August 2000. The overall goal of the study was to develop a core set of national statistics and performance measures that librarians, researchers, and policymakers can use to describe public library and library-based statewide network use of networked services and resources. Study participants identified a number of criteria for the selection, development, and collection of network statistics and performance measures. Based on these criteria, and through extensive field-testing using a number of methods, the study team developed a core set of network statistics and performance measures. Key findings, issues, and recommendations include: (1) a core set of national network statistics and performance measures is possible; (2) a number of models exist to determine which statistics to use under what circumstances; (3) network statistics are evolutionary; (4) understanding, using, and presenting network statistics and measures requires education; (5) vendor community collaboration is key; and (6) developing a national data collection system to move forward is critical. (MES)

This report describes the Eurydice European information network on education systems. Started in 1980, Eurydice has grown to meet the needs of Europe's constantly evolving educational needs as it produces and dispenses reliable information that supports thinking and discussion about education within the European Community. Contents include discussion of Eurydice's expertise regarding informing policymaking and public debate, action on behalf of many different policymakers, observing the education systems of 11 countries, developing a special kind of knowledge whose authority is based on academic principles, making the most of its output, and cooperation with other partners. Other topics include how Eurydice as a European unit adjusted to the needs of close cooperation with national units, how it started as a documentary information network, its move toward using indicators and comparative analysis, and how it extended its activity to pre-accession countries. Its various dimensions, roles, and responsibilities are illustrated, along with ideas and plans for the future. The report concludes with two appendices (annexes) containing national unit views of the Eurydice Network and a list of Eurydice publications. (Contains 30 references.) (RT)

This paper provides a portrayal of Z39.50 (a communications protocol that enables two systems to exchange messages for the purpose of information retrieval) that explains its flexibility in response to a variety of information retrieval requirements in the networked environment. The first section presents an overview of Z39.50, including the evolving context for the protocol, the abstract model for information retrieval, the Z39.50 model, and semantics for searching and retrieval. The second section discusses resource discovery, including a comparison of search engines and Z39.50, granularity and aggregation, and the Z39.50 model of resource discovery. The third section addresses interoperability, including levels and types of interoperability, semantics for searching, and Z39.50 profiles as solutions to semantic interoperability. The fourth section covers the application of Z39.50 in virtual union catalogs and cross-domain searching. The final section considers Z39.50's future in networked information retrieval. (Contains 23 references.) (MES)

This paper describes the impact that technological change over the past few decades has had on a number of key interfaces to the library catalog, including the user, resource, abstract/index, and union catalog interfaces. Areas of focus for future development are then highlighted, including: (1) reassessing data requirements and conventions in order to ensure that the data recorded in the catalog is adaptable to the description of those resources and that it is adequate to support the various applications that will draw on it; (2) re-examining the interfaces to ensure that the requirements and interdependencies are fully understood; and (3) repositioning the catalog to meet the needs of its users. (MES)