Discusses problems that libraries are encountering with technological advancements in information technology, resulting in changes in the ways people interact with data and information. Topics include canceling print materials to save money and relying on electronic resources; quality and quantity of online material; user fees; inappropriate…

To support distance learning, printed materials for the course are enriched with embedded support devices (ESD) such as schemes, illustrations, examples, questions, or margin texts. Results of 3 studies involving 900 Dutch university students indicated that students used and appreciated ESD, and that they led to better study results. (SLD)

Explains how intranets facilitate documentation availability within a company at substantial cost savings. Topics include intranet document management systems (IDMS); publication costs for printed materials; hardware and software specifications; performance; and security. (Author/LRW)

Outlines ways to make online searching more efficient. Highlights include starting with printed materials; online reference libraries; subject directories such as Yahoo; search engines; evaluating Web sites, including reliability; bookmarking helpful sites; and using links. (LRW)

Most online news sources are electronic versions of printed newspapers that have been filtered, from news produced each day, with a given community profile in mind. An evaluation of user preference for personal editions versus community editions of online news was performed. A personalized edition of a local newspaper was created for each subject…

Suggests that a center's informational brochure can be either a valuable marketing tool or an expensive elimination incentive. Provides a list of five questions center directors should address before beginning the design and development of the center brochure. Lists seven guidelines for brochure development. (SD)

Describes the guide to technology resources and evaluations of information technology innovation for higher education institutions that is available on the Web or in a printed version published by EDUCAUSE. Offers information on four key areas: academic experience; administrative experience; social experience, including computer access, and…

Explores economic aspects of a national electronic reserve service using Ithink Analyst, a modeling software package. Describes the model, which was based on developments within the United Kingdom higher education community; considers copyright clearance and digitization; and concludes that economically this service does not compare favorably with…

Australian and English print media are actively engaged in producing reports that claim to find the 'best schools', the 'real state of education', and 'star head teachers'. This article considers the production of knights and dames, maverick heads and struggling schools. It argues that some of these stories are clearly the products of departmental…

What is the nature of the change represented by digital communications technologies? How will the impact of the digital compare with the massive changes spawned in its time by print and books? These are the two key questions addressed in this article. The authors answer the first of these questions by comparing the emergence of the printed book…

This paper aims at investigating the use of mass media in distance education in Nigeria with a view to making suggestions for their effective use during the 21st century. Distance education programmes, especially those of the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos are examined. These two institutions made bold and commendable efforts. However, while the…

Research suggests that the educational value of a media format depends upon the ways in which its representational affordances interact with complex features of the learning environment, including learner characteristics, content domains, pedagogical strategies, and cognitive and social processes. In the current study, we sought to understand some…

Recent research indicates that Americans are reading less than they have in the past, as black-and-white text competes with more visually exciting media, such as the Internet, movies, and television. As a solution to this problem, the author proposes that books and instructional materials engage readers visually through the use of color and…

S. Pixy Ferris and Hilary Wilder discuss the changes that are occurring in teaching and learning in a world where teachers and students are increasingly products of two different learning cultures. Adopting the linguistic theory of Walter J. Ong, they see teachers as part of a print paradigm of learning whereas they propose that students are…

In this study, 254 Royal Roads University School of Business learners (graduates and undergraduates) were surveyed on their online course-related reading habits and choices. Based on their responses and anecdotal comments and the data from follow-up interviews with six of the participants, learners preferred print copies of text materials for…