With classroom Internet access nearly universal in public schools and computers ubiquitous on every school and university campus, classroom furnishings have evolved to accommodate the machines so students can take full advantage of the technology. The desks, tables and other furniture that a school chooses for its computers will depend on the…

The relationship of the academic library with the campus computing center has been an issue since at least the late 1970s. The issue was discussed at length in the 1980s with little effect on existing organizations. Interest in the issue was rekindled in the 1990s, when a number of institutions merged or aligned the library and the computer…

Focuses on the use of cultural analysis, or the ethnographic approach, as a qualitative research methodology to study an academic computing center. The study was conducted to understand the culture of computing professionals and to assist librarians in developing ways in which the two groups of professionals can work together. (Author/LRW)

Describes how Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Schools formed the Computer Access to Neighborhoods (CAN) Partnership, a joint public/private community venture to establish computer access centers for students and their families in 5 public library branches and 35 neighborhood sites. (PKP)

In its second decade of education reform and its third cycle of national ICT master plans, Thailand struggles to transform its aspirations into practice. This paper chronicles three decades of Thailand's ICT national plans and their relation to education reform. It also discusses the effect of global trends, Asian cultures, and Thai cultures on…

This paper describes how Eastern Illinois University (EIU) has approached the problem of training faculty to use and support its computer network by creating a new faculty committee called the Computer Resource Faculty (CRF). The Educational Computing Network (ECN) at EIU currently provides e-mail, bulletin boards, BITNET connections, simulation…

Although current theory about the effective use of instructional technology argues for the distribution of small groups of computers in individual classrooms, computer labs still offer benefits. Discusses the drawbacks of the distributed model and describes Palmer Elementary School's (Missouri City, Texas) technology plan which incorporates both…

Richardson (Texas) Independent School District's Technology Center uses computer workstations in a local area network to support its technology education program. The curriculum features communications, electronics, manufacturing, and technology systems; manufacturing and construction graphics; and research and development in technology. (SK)

Describes a Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis Approach for the selection of personal computers that combines the capabilities of Analytic Hierarchy Process and Integer Goal Programing. An example of how decision makers can use this approach to determine what kind of personal computers and how many of each type to purchase is given. (nine…

In recent years, tertiary institutions in developed countries have made extensive use of Course Management Systems (CMSs), software packages designed to help educators create online learning communities. To date, however, such packages have been little used in higher education institutions (HEIs) in China. In this article, we describe the…

This is the second publication from the Office of Technology Assessment's assessment on information technology and research, which was requested by the House Committee on Science and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The first background paper, "High Performance Computing & Networking for…

Provides an overview of the Michigan State University Instructional Software Collection, housed by the university library, and the Computing Resource Center, operated by the computer laboratory. Cooperative efforts between the two units, resources and services, collection development, electronic access to the collections, staffing, and publicizing…

A Kentucky school district accepted a challenge to make computers and computer-assisted instruction available to all the district's students. Creative partnerships with businesses and searches for federal, state, and local grants helped raise the funds for technology in education. (MLF)

Discusses how to create effective school computer labs covering such topics as programming, planning considerations, planning a flexible infrastructure, and controlling the environment. Top considerations in designing a good computer lab are listed. (GR)

Discusses the abandonment of the traditional school chair and desk for more flexible public school furniture and provides tips for making a transition that combines technological considerations with flexibility and quality. Furniture planning that fosters team learning is highlighted. (GR)