Volume #2, Issue #5
Volume #2, Issue #5
Date: July 1989
Editor:
Jason Ohler, Director
Educational Technology Program
University of Alaska Southeast
ONLINE JOURNAL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
In the industrial age, we go to school. In the information age, school can come to us. This is the message implicit in the media and movement of distance education.
Volume #2, Issue #5
July 1989
Editor: Jason Ohler
Educational Technology Program DirectorTechnical Coordinator: Paul J. Coffin
University of Alaska Southeast
11120 Glacier Highway
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: 907-789-4538, 4417
BITNET USERID: JFJBO@ALASKA
716 TaschereauIf you would like to join this group, send a note expressing your interest to the mailing list administrator,
Ste-Therese, Quebec J7E 4E1
Phone: 514-430-0995
BITNET USERID: JXPJC@ALASKA
WELCOME TO THE ONLINE JOURNAL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION
This is the last issue of the season. The next issue will appear sometime after the fall academic year begins. The editor plans to spend the summer testing the theory that fun and recreation soothe the data-weary mind and recommends that you do the same.
At this time last year we had over one hundred subscribers. Today we have over four hundred. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to, supported, and inspired the Online Journal. We look very forward to next year.
WE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN CONSIDERING YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
I am happy to receive contributions during the summer, though my response time promises to be slower than during regular office hours.
Bear in mind that the electronic journal suffers from "uncompromising sequentiality"- readers can not skip past articles that don't interest them the way they can in a paper-based journal. Until our technology allows "browsing," our only alternative is to make articles brief. The electronic journal makes up for this by providing authors' IDs so that they may be contacted directly by readers for more detailed information.
Therefore, please limit articles to 4 screens (2 pages) maximum if it's possible. If you can, also please indent one tab space on the left and keep the right margin at 70. I look forward to hearing from you.
This issue at a glance:
- A PROPOSAL FOR A GLOBAL NETWORK FOR CHILDREN by Robert D. Carlitz, Univ. of Pittsburgh, ID= RDC@pittvms
- TELECOTTAGES IN FINLAND by Professor Juhani Oksman, Univ. of OULU ID= SO-JOK@FINOU, or SO-JOK at FINOU.
- THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL: A New Era by Hans Isakson & Thomas H. McInish, Univ. of Texas ID= B581HRI@UTARLVM
- STUDENT ACCESS TO AND PREFERENCE FOR ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN DISTANCE EDUCATION by Amy Zelmer, R.N., PhD., & A.C. Lynn Zelmer, B.Ed., M.S., Capricornia Institute, Australia ID= munnari!civax.capricornia.oz.au!zelmera@uunet.uu.net
- UPDATE EDNET- Oregon's ED-NET Gains Ground by Lynne Schrum, Univ. of Oregon, ID= LSCHRUM@OREGON
- THE EDTECH EXPERIENCE - A look at the first few months of the EDTECH Mailing List by Mark Rosenberg (ID= 21602MR@MSU.BITNET) & Vickie L. Banks (ID= 21602VB@MSU.BITNET) Michigan State University
- ONE USER'S FrEd MAIL EXPERIENCE by Don Watkins, Franklinville School ID= V076GZHB@UBVMSC
- ANNOUNCEMENTS, CONFERENCES, REQUESTS, & OTHER SOUND BYTES
- DISTANCE EDitorial - WHAT ELECTRONIC MAIL OFFERS EDUCATORS- Reflections of an Online Teacher By the editor ID= JFJBO@ALASKA
- ABOUT THE JOURNAL
THIS ISSUES CONTRIBUTIONS
Patt Haring, patth@ccnysci.BITNET
or patth@ccnysci.UUCP.
Robert D. Carlitz
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
carlitz@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu
BITNET: RDC@PITTVMS
UUCP: carlitz@cisunx
INTERNET: rdc@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
[Editor's note: in the next issue of the Online Journal Robert Carlitz discusses the technical considerations of such a network.]
ITEM #2
TELECOTTAGES IN FINLAND
University of Oulu
Background
The area of Finland is 338 000 sq. km, from which 65 % are forests. The
number of inhabitants is 4.9 million so that the population density is only
about 16 per sq. km. The Northern parts of Finland are even less densely
populated; in some areas the density is only 1 per sq. km. 38 per cent of
Finns live in the rural areas but only about 10 % of us are employed in
primary production, i.e. agriculture and forestry.
In spite of the cold climate we Finns have - through hard work and use of
fertilizers - succeeded in achieving overproduction of agricultural
products, which means heavy subsidies for export. To save state funds -
i.e. taxpayers money - we have to cut the production in the future; this
means diminishing work opportunities in the countryside.
In 1988 the GNP per capita in Finland was 14,300 USD, i.e. slightly less
than that of Canada. Finland is thus a relatively prosperous country. The
unemployment rate in 1987 was 5.0 %. This is a fairly tolerable number
but the employment is very unevenly distributed, the South of Finland
suffering of lack of working force and many parts of the North having an
unemployment rate higher than 10 per cent.
A special feature of Finland is that private telecommunication companies
serve most of the towns and other densely populated areas, whereas
the state-owned PTT takes care of local telecommunications in the rest
of the country and of the long-distance network. This state of affairs has
created a heavy competition in some fields of telecommunications, such
as data networks.
Problems
Because of decreasing demand, the services in the rural areas are
diminishing. Shops, schools and post offices are being closed in great
numbers. Thus a vicious circle is formed, and it would lead to very
effective draining of the population from the countryside if effective
counter measures were not taken.
History of telecottages in Finland
In 1986, soon after the first telecottage was opened in Sweden, Prof.
Kauko Rahko of the Technical University of Helsinki visited Vemdalen, the
site of this cottage. After his return to Finland he took contacts to
numerous communities which had shown some interest in
telecommunication and information technology.
Parallel to that, Dos. Jorma Enkenberg of the University of Joensuu had a
project in computer aided education going on in the nearby Kontiolahti
community, and Prof. Juhani Oksman of the University of Oulu conducted a
study on the use of information technology to support the economy in the
rural areas in Northern Finland. As a result of this study a
recommendation was made to establish a network of information
technology centres in the area.
The first telecottage in Finland was opened at Kontiolahti, a community of
about 10.000 inhabitants, in Oct.1987. The population has shown a great
interest in their cottage, and more than 10 per cent of the inhabitants
have, in one form or the other, been in contact with it.
As a result of Prof. Rahkos initiative, TC activity was started in Pello in
Northern Finland near the Swedish borde, also in 1987. The suggestion of
Prof. Oksman, in turn, resulted in establishing a TC in Kuusamo in Eastern
Finland in Sept. 1988. Several other TCs are in the starting phase and
many more in "incubation".
A society was established in January 1989 to promote the founding of
telecottages in Finland, with Risto Seilola, the master of the Pello
telecottage, as the first president. We can, with high probability, count
with the start of several dozens of TCs in Finland in a few years.
What is a telecottage?
The telecottage idea was developed in Denmark but the first telecottage
was started in Sweden, in a small village Vemdalen, in 1986. Henning
Albrechtsen was the person who started it, and he has since then been
enthusiastically promoting the idea. Scores of telecottages have popped up
in Sweden. From there they have spread to neighboring Scandinavian
countries, and now they are finding their way to other parts of the world,
especially to developing countries.
Strategy
A telecottage can sometime be established in cooperation with the local
library. The libraries have a telephone and usually a telex and are
nowadays used in electronic information retrieval from data banks. When a
more many-sided set of telecommunication equipment (e.g. telefax and
videotex) and some microcomputers are installed in them and when their
personnel is briefed in using and in helping others to use them, a
telecottage is born!
The schools with a limited number of pupils can perhaps be kept alive by
using part of the time of their teachers to give courses for the parents of
the pupils and other grown-up people. This requires changing some laws
but is principally possible.
If the school has, in spite of all efforts, been closed because of lack of
pupils, it could be taken into new use as a telecottage. It is an ideal place
to this purpose because it is usually located in the center of the village
and people are used to go there.
In many villages all around Finland local people have formed village
councils to promote the development of their home village. These councils
could take the founding of a telecottage as one of their main activities -
and take good care of it, once founded!
I am confident that the telecottages can become an important tool in
developing rural areas in Finland - and in other countries as well. Public
subsidies are needed in the beginning phase to equip them and get them
started. In the beginning the use of the services of a telecottage should be
cheap or completely free, so that the people do not hesitate to use them,
but at long run the services should be charged so that the cottage becomes
self-supporting. Information technology should, after all, be worth its
price!
[BY Professor Juhani Oksman, ID= SO-JOK@FINOU, SO-JOK at FINOU.]
ITEM #3
THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL: A New Era
Please address correspondence to:
I. Introduction
The electronic journal can further the development and dissemination
of knowledge in a variety of ways. Results of scholarly work will be made
available to other researchers immediately. Also, contrary to current
practice, enough space will be available in each issue for controversial
work to be routinely published. Further, the electronic journal will tend
to promote an increased emphasis on quality because tallies of citations
and readership can be routinely generated and distributed to subscribers.
Individuals seeking to have their work assessed (say for promotion and
tenure decisions) typically tend to rely on such devices as peer reviews and
number of citations in the work of others. More favorable peer reviews and
a greater number of citations are likely to result from higher quality
work. Hence, the current tendency to change the results slightly to get
another publication will be minimized.
II. Computer Usage by Scholars Morton and Price (1986)
also report that of those who use computers, 73% do all or most of their
text and data management and word procressing on their computer; 95% rate
word processing as at least somewhat important in their computer usage.
Three-fourths of computer users report improvement in writing efficiency.
Another example of computer usage by scholars very relevant to
electronic journals are the networking services available through BITNET.
>From its beginning in 1981 with a half-dozen university sites, BITNET has
grown to nearly 400 sites in the United States, with transparent gateways
to 88 sites in Canada and 500 sites in Europe. Currently, over 2,000
mainframe computers are connected to the BITNET network. Since each of
these 2,000 mainframe computers can support many users, BITNET can provide
electronic mail and other services to thousands of scholars.
The Morton and Price (1986) survey and the phenomenal growth of BITNET
suggest that computer usage by scholars is not only adequate to support
electronic journals in many disciplines, but that this usage is growing so
fast that electronic journals are almost inevitable. For example, over 900
special interest user groups already exist on BITNET using LISTSERV (an
electronic mail exploding-software package that allows a subscriber to send
files/data to all other subscribers to the list). Indeed, some of these
900 special interest groups are organized very much like an electronic
journal (for example, CRTNET on COMSERVE, a special interest group in
communications that has over 3,100 users in 17 countries). To become an
electronic journal, all that is needed is an editor (and editorial review
process) to decide which files (papers, case studies, notes, data sets,
etc.) to publish (i.e., transmit to the subscribers).
III. Electronic Journal Features
In this section, five data bases that potentially could be associated
with an electronic journal are described. These descriptions are not
intended to be exhaustive or definitive, but rather are designed to provoke
discussion.
Anyone may submit a paper to the Comment and Review Data Base. Papers
are identified by number only, must comply with the editorial style of the
journal (including submission in an appropriate electronic form) and must
include appropriate keywords/phrases and an abstract. Anyone can comment
on any paper in this data base. Comments are identified by number only and
are distributed to all subscribers. Any subscriber may also comment on
others' comments on any paper. All comments will be sent to the author(s),
who will revise their paper based on the most constructive comments.
Currently, working papers often receive limited circulation. In contrast,
electronic journal subscribers are notified when papers in their areas of
interest are submitted. Papers may remain in this data base for only a
limited time (say four months). But authors may revise as often as
desired, resubmitting for additional review.
Authors decide when to move a paper from the Comment and Review Data
Base to the Journal Level I Data Base. (Alternately, inclusion in this
data base could require nomination by several reviewers - if the reviewers
were identified this might further encourage quality). All papers in this
data base will include an acknowledgement of the comments of reviewers who
the author(s) identify as the source of constructive remarks. Inclusion in
this data base is considered publication in The Electronic Journal of
(Field). Hence, publication in another journal would not be allowed. Once
a paper is included in this data base, it may not be revised. Authors are
identified by name and address (both postal and E-mail). The frequency of
both accesses and references to each paper in the data base are tabulated
electronically and reported to the subscribers periodically. (Royalties
could be paid to the author(s) based on access fees their papers generate.
Papers infrequently accessed are transferred to an Archives Data Base.
Papers that are infrequently accessed in the Journal Level I Data Base
are moved to the Archives Data Base. Papers move in and out of this data
base depending upon frequency of access.
Authors of papers in any of the data bases are encouraged to provide
their data for inclusion in the Empirical Data Base. Each data set
contains a complete description and sufficient instructions to enable
subscribers to use the data. Replication and verification studies will be
encouraged as authors make their data bases available.
As an added feature, frequently accessed papers could be moved to a
more prestigious Journal Level II Data Base. Papers whose access rate
falls below a threshold level are migrated back to the Journal Level I Data
Base.
Although (as proposed) any subscriber can submit a paper, the quality
controls in the Journal level I and Level II Data Bases should prove useful
in evaluating the scholarly contributions of faculty. Additional quality
controls (if needed) could be implemented in a variety of ways such as by
limiting submissions to individuals providing high-quality reviews or by
categorizing subscribers and limiting submissions to certain categories.
Several categories of subscribers might be established, with paper
submission rights granted only to certain categories. Subscription fees,
submission fees, etc., may be integrated into the electronic Journal if
desired (if BITNET is used, fees cannot be
collected--at least not directly.)
IV. Summary In addition to the primary data
base, other proposed data bases to be associated with this electronic
journal include data bases for working papers, frequently cited papers,
infrequently cited papers and data provided by authors. The authors
suggest that this electronic journal would enhance the development of
knowledge by allowing easy access to working papers by everyone in the
profession, by making possible quick publication of fully-developed papers
and by encouraging the publication of controversial work. The authors also
suggest means of increasing the emphasis on quality rather than quantity.
Survey evidence and current practices strongly indicate that electronic
journals will become an accepted method of disseminating research results.
References
Morton, Herbert C. and Anne Jamieson. "The ACLS Survey of Scholars:
Views on Publication, Computers, and Libraries." Scholarly Communication
(summer 1986). Available through BITNET as MORTON BULLETIN A1 from NETSERV
at BITNIC.
[By Hans Isakson (ID= B581HRI@UTARLVM) & Thomas H. McInish.
]
ITEM #4
STUDENT ACCESS TO AND PREFERENCE FOR
ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN DISTANCE EDUCATION
Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education
May 1989
Background:
This study starts with the use and availability of basic
resources such as cassette tape recorders, telephones,
typewriters, and video cassette players. Other questions looked
at microcomputers, modems, and printers to assess the potential
of distributing notes and assignments by diskette, 'electronic
mail' and similar services. Finally, students were asked about
the availability of print resources and colleagues to assist them
in their studies. In Australia and elsewhere, educational
institutions use a variety of 'electronic mail' services for
their internal and some external communications. Increasingly
businesses and educational institutions rely on 'fax' for quick
and inexpensive communications. This is particularly so in
Australia because of the billing structure for long distance
telephone calls; however at the time that this survey was
designed (September 1988) fax was not considered important enough
to include a question on its use. With hindsight we regret the
omission.
With roughly 3,200 full-time-equivalent students (4,500
individuals), Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education is a
tertiary level, degree-granting, institution with a major
commitment to distance education (external degrees). It serves a
widely-scattered student population primarily from Queensland,
but also increasingly from other areas of the country. The
Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) program was first offered in
1987 and is only available by part-time external study. By
definition, all students in this program are registered nurses;
the vast majority are female and they range in age from early
twenties to late fifties. For most students this will be their
first experience with external studies.
The Study:
The questionnaire was printed on one side of a sheet of A4 paper
and distributed with the first mailing of course materials at the
beginning of the 1989 academic year. All students then
registered in the B.Hlth.Sc.(N) program (302) received the
questionnaire and explanatory letter. The questionnaire asked
students to indicate both the accessibility of the specific
communication tool and the degree of their enjoyment using the
tool. Students were asked to return the questionnaire with one
of their early assignments; no identifying information was
required on the questionnaire. There was a 20% response rate.
Given the long lead time required for a reminder notice and the
possibility of duplicate responses from some students no further
follow-up was attempted to increase the response rate.
Responses were received from 60 students, however only 59 were
received in time for inclusion in the study results. The
questionnaire responses were coded and summarized by CIAE
Computing Services. Questionnaires were also returned to the
B.Hlth.Sc(N) program where written comments (mostly specific
brands, etc.) were noted for future use. In light of the comment
above regarding the use of fax machines, it should perhaps be
noted that no questionnaires were returned by fax although at
least one of these students now uses a fax machine to submit
assignments.
The tables following this article summarize the responses to each
question. Note that the percentage response has been adjusted
for missing values.
In general, all of the students have good to excellent access to
the basic communication tools (cassette tape recorders,
telephones, typewriters, and video cassette players) and 57.9%
have reasonable access to microcomputers (of a wide variety of
types and capabilities). Most respondents (96.2%) have their own
nursing texts as well as texts at work (85.1%), however 35.4% do
not have access to nursing texts through any non-Institute
library services. Most respondents (72.9%) have reasonable
access to other nurses studying the same subject, and 56% have
reasonable access to other nurses who previously studied the same
subject.
The degree of enjoyment of various tools was more varied. Half
(51.7%) enjoyed learning through cassette tapes, however 39.7%
had no experience with this technique. Likewise, most (71.4%)
liked learning using the video recorder; however 26.8% had no
experience with video lessons and half (50.0%) had never
participated in a telephone tutorial. As for the use of
microcomputers, while all who had used microcomputers in
education enjoyed the experience, fully 75.9% had never used a
microcomputer as part of a teaching lesson in any way.
Conclusion:
We can probably assume from the study that students use their
fellow students (both current and former) for limited help with
their studies. Optimum use of student colleagues and instructors
via telephone would seem to require some training in the use of
the telephone as an instructional tool and for conference calls.
We will need to ensure that any media use is integrated fully
within the course of studies so that students can see its direct
applicability, however students do have sufficient access to the
required equipment to justify the additional costs. Computer and
more advanced electronic media use can only be justified on an
experimental basis and alternate methods must be provided for the
majority of students.
Acknowledgements:
The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. John
Dekkers and the staff of the Department of External and
Continuing Education for distribution of the questionnaires and
Barry Cochrane, Computing Services, for compilation of the
responses.
[By Amy Zelmer, R.N., PhD., & A.C. Lynn Zelmer, B.Ed., M.S.
ID= munnari!civax.capricornia.oz.au!zelmera@uunet.uu.net]
ITEM #5
UPDATE EDNET- Oregon's ED-NET Gains Ground
Oregon's political machinery, in an effort to establish this state as
a leader in distance education, may vote later this year to implement a
proposed telecommunications network, but the original time frame has been
pushed back substantially. In the February edition of this magazine, I wrote
about ED-NET and its potential for Oregon. This report will provide an
update on what has happened, and what the future may hold.
As background, last year Oregon Governor Goldschmidt proposed that
an $8 million investment be made for an integrated system that would cover
the state and would employ a mix of satellite, microwave, ITFS, telephone,
and cable TV to offer video, voice, and computer data services. ED-NET
would provide 1300 satellite receive dishes to organizations that become
members. These would include all levels of educational sites, outreach
centers, public and academic libraries, state and county government agency
sites, and health facilities. Distance education classes would be available
at all levels, and high speed data transmission would be used to facilitate
access to catalogs and data-bases around the state. Also, businesses would
be able to become members and make use of the equipment.
This update is a case of good news/not such good news for the ED-NET
committee. The enabling legislation, S.B. 203, had two hearings in the Trade
and Economic Development Committee, and left there with a recommendation of
'Do Pass'. Unfortunately, as it was about to go to the Ways and Means
Committee, all bills requesting lottery funding, such as ED-NET, were put
into one omnibus bill. That bill, H.B. 3075, has now been set for hearings.
Now, ED-NET will have to compete with many other programs for limited
resources.
In an interview with Dave Tilton, whose responsibility is to steer ED-
NET through this process, I was told that the probability is still good for
full funding. For one thing, there has not been much controversy or
discussion on this proposal in the media and there has been no organized
opposition. Also, Tilton says he feels confident because, "There are people
on all the committees who are in agreement with the idea of ED-NET".
Another factor impacting the legislation concerns the position taken
by the teachers. Oregon Education Association, which had not committed
itself in January, is sending mixed signals. It has now voted 'not to
support' ED-NET; however, they are not actively opposing the bill. In fact,
a new dialogue, between ED-NET and OEA, has begun to focus on concerns about
who will monitor the students and facilitate discussions in the classrooms.
In anticipation of its passage, the ED-NET committee is moving ahead
with plans. They are collecting a list of possible members for the appointed
permanent governing board. They are gathering specifications, so that
technical design providers can begin to prepare proposals. Tilton recognizes
that, given even the best possible scenario, ED-NET will not be ready for
operation until early 1990; however, he is definitely feeling confident that
by then everything will be ready to go. This process, while time consuming,
may ultimately end in a well established network that will meet the needs of
all potential users!
[By Lynne Schrum, ID= SCHRUM@OREGON.]
ITEM #6
THE EDTECH EXPERIENCE-
A look at the first few months of the EDTECH Mailing List
This account offers a behind the scenes view from two list owners
of the work and advantages of starting a mailing list on BITNET
for those who are thinking of starting one and/or those who
subscribe.
On February 10, 1989 a group of graduate students and faculty at
Michigan State University (MSU) started the Educational Technology
mailing list (EDTECH@OHSTVMA). We had been learning about
electronic mail and local conferencing, and decided it would be
worthwhile to expand our discussion to include people from other
universities and institutions around the world. After researching
the procedure for starting a list, we formulated a purpose: to
promote discussions among faculty, students, and "interested
others" in the field of educational technology about hardware,
software, curriculums, & technology in education, and to study
the development of EDTECH itself as a vehicle for extending
traditional learning environments through telecommunications.
Initially the new EDTECH list was announced on other mailing lists
and promoted at several education conferences. A hard copy
announcement also went out to all university departments that
listed an Educational Technology program in AECT's 1988
Educational Technology Yearbook. The first week subscriptions
were moderate (10 or 11) mostly from Michigan State. By the end
of February there were approximately 17 people subscribed, 12 from
MSU. During February there were 6 messages (.3/day) sent to the
EDTECH list. 100% of the traffic originated from MSU. The
content of the messages was personal introductions.
As March began, subscriptions and messages to the EDTECH list
started to pick up dramatically. Topics ranged from conference
announcements to requests for information, references, and
resources, but personal introductions continued to account for a
substantial amount of the traffic flow. By the end of March there
were close to 100 people subscribed to the list and 56 messages
(1.8/day) had been sent. 43% of list traffic originated from MSU.
In April we noticed that the signal to noise ratio (messages sent
to EDTECH that were not meant for the list like "Please subscribe
me" or "John, could you send me a copy of that paper you
mentioned") increased dramatically. So on April 23rd we began to
moderate the list. This means that instead of messages being
distributed immediately to everyone on EDTECH, they are first
forwarded to the list moderator, who intercepts and redirects
private mail and command messages. Thus list members do not have
to sift through extraneous list mail.
In late April a sudden shift in the content and style of the list
occurred. Until then most EDTECH messages dealt with personal
introductions, a specific question and answer, a conference
announcement, or mistakes (mail not meant for list distribution).
There were no extended conversations on particular topics. On
April 25, a question posted about screen capture for instructional
purposes and related copyright questions started the list on its
first extended interaction. During the last few days of April and
the first several days of May there were 16 messages from 7
different members revolving around the copyright issue. Some were
more questions and answers, some contained references, and others
were speculation on possible scenarios.
During April there were 82 messages (2.7/day) with 29% of the
traffic from MSU. EDTECH had 130 subscribers at the end of April.
In May the discussion continued to expand with the intensity and
richness that started during the copyright postings. It evolved
to encompass broader and more theoretical themes like preparing
teachers to use technology, and OLD technology (books and
chalkboards) vs NEW technology (hypertext and computers). People
continued introducing themselves and their work, and sharing
references and articles with each other, but the EDTECH list
matured somewhat and became a forum for extended conversations
among groups of people on a number of topics. It offered an
informal conversational environment that fostered participation,
networking, and relationships.
At the end of May EDTECH had grown to approximately 180 members
from 90 institutions and 15 different countries. During May there
were approximately 100 messages (over 3/day) and only 18%
originated from MSU.
At present EDTECH is particularly useful in making professional
contacts with people who share similar interests around the world.
It is also beginning to be a place for formulating group projects
and inter-university courses enabling students and faculty to use
the list and e-mail as a medium of collaboration. The first
collaborative project got underway at the end of May. Several
people are working together on a Hypercard stack that will act as
a directory of list members, and allow access to archived EDTECH
messages by key words, message threads & list members. The
project will aid in developing a stronger sense of community by
having an entry about each list member with relevant information
(even possibly a picture) so that 21602MR@MSU becomes a real
person and not just a userid. The stack will also facilitate
people accessing and making complete use of the wealth of
references and other resources being contributed to EDTECH.
Given EDTECH's current success, members of the founding group plan
to continue exploring how to nurture and develop this environment.
As the number of electronic mailing lists like EDTECH grows, the
study of how to design, implement, and maintain them will become
increasingly important. By studying the discussions and dynamics
of the EDTECH list, we hope to discover methods of effectively
managing a list as an educational medium. We expect that list
subscribers will begin collaborative articles, projects, courses,
data collection, surveys, and reading groups. As this medium has
proven to be exceptionally useful for linking people working on
similar courses or projects, we are also exploring the
possibilities of sponsoring several smaller sub-lists dedicated to
highly specific topics (example: a sublist for people teaching
introductory courses in using computers for teachers, or a sublist
on the uses of computers in social science in the lower
elementary grades, etc.). We envision that the EDTECH list will
be a more general forum for discussions about Educational
Technology and a meeting place for those who may want to
participate in a variety of more focused conversations.
For more information about the EDTECH list, send mail to:
or subscribe to EDTECH by sending the message:
ITEM #7
ONE USER'S FrEd MAIL EXPERIENCE
I attended a teleconference in April of 1988 dealing with classroom
integration of telecommunications. One of the principal communications
networks open to elementary and secondary students at this time is a network
called the FrEdMail Network. FrEd is an acronym for "Free Education". It was
started by a gentleman, Al Rogers, in California. From what I gathered Al
was a teacher who became interested in the implications of telecommunications
among groups of elementary and secondary students. He was one of the
panelists for the teleconference and told of how groups of students all over
the United States and several foreign countries were linked via normal
telephone lines using modems and microcomputers.
These microcomputers in their respective schools were "tied" to nodes
which were in turn linked to other nodes throughout the network. There was
no line charge for any of this other than those charges that might be
incurred from the telephone company itself.
This notion of linking students at our school(Franklinville Central,
Franklinville, New York, USA) with groups of students from around the country
and perhaps the world was exciting.
I approached some of my students regarding this idea and they were
of course delighted. Some of the teachers I approached were enthusiastic
while most were very skeptical.
I did manage to "logon" to a node in New Jersey(Glassboro State
College) which was the closest node to our school. Through the help of the
system operator, Mr. Kenneth Rideout, I was able to arrange a
telecommunications link with a couple of elementary classes in Moore County,
North Carolina. Moore County is primarily a rural area like ours and there
was some commonality for the students. We managed to have two complete E-mail
exchanges which was exciting for the teachers and the students involved.
There was some difficulty encountered due to hard disk "crashes" at the
node in New Jersey. This was discouraging to all of us involved. However,
FrEdMail gives students an opportunity to write for an audience other than
their teachers. It also can help promote some social skills and understanding
among students from varied socio-economic backgrounds.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention that we owe our success
with the FrEdMail Network to the third grade class of Mrs.Diane Watkins and
the learning disabled class of Miss Kim Whitling. Mr. Richard Wachter, our
school superintendent was instrumental in approving the purchase of modem to
be connected to the microcomputer. Due to his foresight and the efforts
of these two classes in Franklinville and the two in North Carolina we
moved closer to classroom integration of telecommunications in an
elementary school.
[Note: Don has prepared a much larger article about his use of FrEd Mail
which he would be happy to send to you upon your request. His ID is
V076GZHB@UBVMSC.]
ITEM #8
ANNOUNCEMENTS, CONFERENCES, REQUESTS, & OTHER SOUND BYTES
Submitted by: Mike Molenda, Indiana Univ., ID= MOLENDA@IUBACS
"The Role of Educational Technology in Distance Education" is the theme
of this summer's Professional Development Seminar sponsored by the
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). The
seminar will explore issues of program design, educational policy, and
research/theory as well as provide demonstrations of distance education
for school, college, and corporate instruction. Featured speakers
include Jason Ohler, Univ. of Alaska; Seminar site is Indiana Univ.,
Bloomington; July 29-August 1. Registration fee $245 for non-members.
For further info contact: Michael Molenda, Indiana University
(MOLENDA@IUBACS), or phone (812) 855-1791.
Zenith Data Systems sponsored the Masters of Innovation
Competition in 1989 to seek out special campus achievements with
personal computers. The competition was designed to encourage PC
use in key academic areas and to reward those students, faculty
and staff members who are using their PCs in the most innovative
applications. More than 850 students, faculty and staff
submitted papers describing how they use their PC-compatible
applications to assist educational study in five fields:
business, education, liberal arts and sciences, fine and applied
arts, and engineering and computer science. "As a company
committed to education," Zenith officials stated, "we want to
encourage students, faculty and staff to creatively explore the
potential of computers within their fields of study." They said
that they want to "reward those masters of innovation who
consistently push computing forward into new and exciting
frontiers in education."
I was fortunate enough to be selected as the faculty first
prize winner in education for using computer conferencing to
teach history to distance students. Some of my students are
hearing impaired, and I am blind. The computer conference
enables us to participate in a genuine main stream experience
with physical disabilities vanishing altogether. I hope that
this recognition will help advance the acceptance of distance
education in general.
Other faculty winners covered a wide range of applications.
Charles Read, from Temple University developed an application,
"Visual Matching of Celestial Targets", which uses Zenith
portables to study visual Judgment of celestial targets in terms
of their apparent size and distance in relation to their
elevation from the horizon. He is looking for possible reasons
why visual Judgments are subject to illusion. Willlam Miller from
the University of Misouri has designed an application that tests
wooden utility poles for decay, rot or degradation using a Zenith
Data Systems portable computer.
Winners received $5,000 of Zenith equipment both for
themselves and a similar grant of equipment was given to their
institution.
Winners were flown to Chicago to demonstrate their
applications. Awards were presented at a banquet on Saturday,
April 29 by the zenith president.
At the National Educational Computing Conference, held in Boston, Mass.,
on June 20-22, 1989, it was announced that the International Council for
Computers in Education (ICCE) and the International Association for Computing
in Education (IACE) had just merged to form the International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE). The new organization was "created in
recognition of the need for leadership provided by a single, comprehensive
organization, dedicated to improving instruction through the innovative
use of technology."
For more information, contact ISTE at:
Also at NECC '89, the formation of a new ISTE Special Interest Group
for Telecommunications (SIGTEL) was announced.
"SIGTelecommunications is a network of educators interested in computer-
based communications -- computers alone or in combination with television,
radio, telephone, or other media. SIGTEL supports and promotes
telecommunication as a tool for the enhancement of learning and the delivery
of instruction.
The goals of SIGTEL are:
For more information, contact Chris Clark, newly elected President at:
The Fifth World Conference on Computers in Education (WCCE/90) will
be held July 9-13, 1990 in Sydney, Australia, sponsored by the International
Federation for Information Processing and the Austrailian Computer Society.
"WCCE/90 is an international conference and papers are welcome from all
nations. Papers are invited from individuals as well as from representatives
of organizations, regions or nations. Colleagues from the Asian-Pacific
region are particularly invited to take advantage of this conference.
Prospective authors should submit original papers in English (the
official conference language) on new and emerging themes in educational
computing. Through its major streams, associated mini-conferences and non-
paper sessions, WCCE/90 will stress the diversity of ways computers interact
with learning in all educational environments. Papers on educational
computing themes not encompassed by the major streams and associated mini-
conferences, below, are nevertheless welcome for consideration.
Registration fees at the 'early-bird' rate will be offered to authors
whose papers are accepted for publication in the Conference Proceedings."
The six WCCE/90 Conference Streams are:
In addition, there are 4 WCCE/90 Associated Mini-Conferences
There will also be non-paper sessions of consisting of workshops, panel
sessions, poster sessions, and public meetings.
Draft papers must be received n Australia NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 1, 1989.
Notification of acceptance will be in January 1990.
Further information may be obtained by writing:
WCCE/90
by Professor Juhani Oksman
ID= SO-JOK@FINOU
or
SO-JOK at FINOU
Telecommunication Laboratory
Linnanmaa X3
SF-90570 OULU
FINLAND
tel. +358 81 353611
Finland has some special reasons for being interested in telecottages. To
start with, she is a Northern country, being located between 60 and 70
degrees Northern latitude. This means that the climate is very unfavorable
for the agriculture and many other trades.
Finland, like most of the Western countries, is experiencing a rapid,
strong structural change in her economy. The jobs tend to get concentrated
in the cities and towns and in the Southern part of the country. As a result
of this tendency, it is increasingly difficult to find work in the
countryside, and, as a consequence, the rural population is rapidly
diminishing.
Finland has used the experience gained in Sweden and started exploiting
the information technology to help the rural areas to remain inhabited.
A telecottage can be defined as a place where different kinds of
telecommunication and data processing equipment are at the disposal of
the inhabitants of a village or a town. The people are given courses on how
to use the equipment, local entrepreneurs get help in running their
business more effectively using computers, distance work can be done in
the telecottage or near it, and people can use the cottage as their meeting
place, perhaps watching satellite TV programs. Information can be
retrieved from local and remote data banks, and telecottages can be used
as terminals of distance learning, with the Master of the cottage as a
coordinator of the study programs.
When establishing telecottages in Finland, we have found the following
points worth considering:
by Hans Isakson & Thomas H. McInish
ID= B581HRI@UTARLVM
Professor Hans Isakson
Department of Finance and Real Estate
UTA Box 19449
The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas 76019
The electronic journal of the future will operate very much like the
electronic bulletin boards of today, but with features tailored to the
needs of scholars in particular disciplines. Publication will consist of
entering information (a paper, data base, case study, note, etc.) into an
electronic data base with appropriate keywords and abstracts for subsequent
automatic distribution to reviewers and interested readers. The electronic
journal will greatly improve the current process of refereeing and journal
editorship while reducing printing and mailing costs to a degree that will
make these costs irrelevant in the publication decision.
The success of an electronic journal depends on the extent of computer
usage by scholars. Morton and Price (1986) conducted a survey of 5,385
scholars in classics, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy,
political science, and sociology, receiving an excellent response rate of
71% (3,835). They report extraordinary growth in the use of personal
computers. In 1980, fewer than 1% of the respondents used personal
computers. In 1985, more than 90% of the respondents had access to a
computer, over 50% routinely used a computer in their work and over 10%
distributed research papers using electronic mail.
The first electronic journals probably will operate very much like
existing journals: peer review and editorial policy will determine what is
published. Traditional journals, due, in part, to the high cost of
publication and distribution, limit the number of pages in each issue,
magnifying the importance of editorial policies and peer review. Because
electronic journals will face none of these constraints, novel approaches
are possible. A free market journal could be formed that would publish any
paper submitted. Such a procedure would have the merit of focusing
evaluation standards on quality rather than quantity (since in this
environment number of publications has no meaning). Also, novel,
experimental and controversial work would be encouraged.
The authors propose a data base of electronically-published papers
called The Electronic Journal of (Field).
by Amy Zelmer, R.N., PhD., & A.C. Lynn Zelmer, B.Ed., M.S.
ID= munnari!civax.capricornia.oz.au!zelmera@uunet.uu.net
Rockhampton, Queensland 4702, Australia
Individuals involved in distance education are prone to think that
electronic communications can be used to enhance the student's
involvement in a course taught by distance education methods.
Enthusiasts often assume that since they personally have access
to and enjoy using such electronic communications resources,
there would be value in using these tools. This study is an
initial attempt to investigate the electronic resources currently
available to students in one distance education program at a
tertiary level institution in Australia.
For the B.Hlth.Sc.(N) program, at this time, the implications of
this study are clear. Students vary in their enjoyment of all
teaching media, including the traditional print and lecture
methods. While we have not examined their effectiveness for
teaching-learning, this study shows that students will accept the
basic electronic media, especially video cassette lessons.
Summary of Selected Questionnaire Responses:
Available at home 96.6% Have reasonable access...elsewhere 3.4%% No access to this resource 0% I enjoy learning this way 51.7% I do not enjoy... 8.6% No experience 39.7%
Available at home 69.0% Have reasonable access...elsewhere 22.4% No access to this resource 8.6% I enjoy learning this way 71.4% I do not enjoy... 1.8% No experience 26.8%
Available at home 96.6% Have reasonable access... elsewhere 1.7% No access to this resource 1.7% I enjoy learning this way 32.8% I do not enjoy... 17.2% No experience 50.0%
Available at home 26.3% Have reasonable access...elsewhere 31.6% No access to this resource 42.1% I enjoy learning this way 24.1% I do not enjoy.. .
No experience 75.9%
Available at home 4.2% Have reasonable access... elsewhere 60.4%
No access to this resource 35.4% I enjoy learning this way 89.5% I do not enjoy... 5.3% No experience 5.3%
by Lynne Schrum, Univ. of Oregon
ID= LSCHRUM@OREGON
by Mark Rosenberg (ID= 21602MR@MSU.BITNET)
& Vickie L. Banks (ID= 21602VB@MSU.BITNET)
Vickie L. Banks (21602VB@MSU.BITNET)
or
Mark Rosenberg (21602MR@MSU.BITNET)
by Don Watkins
ID= V076GZHB@UBVMSC
Robert Diamond, Syracuse Univ.;
Lorne Parker, Parker Communications; and
James Zigerrell, formerly
Dean of the Chicago Television College.
NRCGSH@RITVAX.BITNET
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY USA
Submitted by: L. Daniel York, ID= D_YORK@UNHH
BITNET: MOURSUND@OREGON
or
COMPUSERVE: 70014,2177
or
ISTE
University of Oregon
1787 Agate St.
Eugene, OR 97403 USA
Phone: (503) 668-4414
Submitted by: L. Daniel York, ID= D_YORK@UNHH
Bitnet: GCC1@PSUVM
or
ISTE SIG/Tel
1787 Agate St.
Eugene, OR 97403
Submitted by: L. Daniel York, ID= D_YORK@UNHH
P.O. Box 319
Darlinghurst, NSW 2010
AUSTRALIA