Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!yale!cmcl2!ccnysci!patth From: patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Online Journal of Distance Education & Communications, July, Part 1 Message-ID: <2479@ccnysci.UUCP> Date: 6 Jul 89 14:03:01 GMT Reply-To: patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) Organization: City College Of New York Lines: 817 Ported to UNITEX via The City College of New York Science Computer Facility ............ ........... ........... .......... THE ........... . .......... ONLINE JOURNAL .......... . . . .......... OF DISTANCE EDUCATION ......................AND COMMUNICATION ...........................................July 1989 .......................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 Director University of Alaska Southeast 11120 Glacier Highway Juneau, Alaska 99801 Phone: 907-789-4538, 4417 BITNET USERID: JFJBO@ALASKA Technical Coordinator................................Paul J. Coffin 716 Taschereau Ste-Therese, Quebec Canada 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: ======================= ---- ITEM #1 ---- A PROPOSAL FOR A GLOBAL NETWORK FOR CHILDREN by Robert D. Carlitz, Univ. of Pittsburgh, ID= RDC@pittvms ======== ---- ITEM #2 ---- TELECOTTAGES IN FINLAND by Professor Juhani Oksman, Univ. of OULU ID= SO-JOK@FINOU, or SO-JOK at FINOU. ======== ---- ITEM #3 ---- THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL: A New Era by Hans Isakson & Thomas H. McInish, Univ. of Texas ID= B581HRI@UTARLVM ======== ---- ITEM #4 ---- 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 ======== ---- ITEM #5 ---- UPDATE EDNET- Oregon's ED-NET Gains Ground by Lynne Schrum, Univ. of Oregon, ID= LSCHRUM@OREGON ======== ---- ITEM #6 ---- 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 ======== ---- ITEM #7 ---- ONE USER'S FrEd MAIL EXPERIENCE by Don Watkins, Franklinville School ID= V076GZHB@UBVMSC ======== ---- ITEM #8 ---- ANNOUNCEMENTS, CONFERENCES, REQUESTS, & OTHER SOUND BYTES ======== ---- ITEM #9 ---- DISTANCE EDitorial- WHAT ELECTRONIC MAIL OFFERS EDUCATORS- Reflections of an Online Teacher By the editor ID= JFJBO@ALASKA ======== ---- ITEM #10 ---- ABOUT THE JOURNAL ============== THIS ISSUES CONTRIBUTIONS =============== ---- ITEM #1 ---- A PROPOSAL FOR A GLOBAL NETWORK FOR CHILDREN by Robert D. Carlitz, Univ. of Pittsburgh, ID= RDC@pittvms Businesses and universities have come to appreciate the value of electronic data networks. The inexpensive technology which underlies these networks could be of equal value for pre-college education. I propose that we should provide this facility to the world's children by establishing a global network for the use of children and teachers in grades K-12. Reading and writing provides us with the means to communicate on a global level. Electronic networks provide an immediacy to global communication and allow us to sort the resulting flow of information. This lets us direct our remarks to an appropriate audience and gain access to information on any subject we may seek. If we begin to teach reading and writing in conjunction with the use of an electronic network, we will provide children with a new global outlook as we teach them the skills needed to exploit it. Children who grow up with this outlook will learn that many human problems are universal and that solutions to these problems may often be found through global communication and cooperation. They will learn that knowledge is distributed around the world and that this knowledge exists to be shared within the human community. Simultaneously they will master the skills which will permit them to distribute and organize the vast store of information that will be available via electronic media. The technology that is required to set up a global children's network already exists. It is in the national interest of all developed and developing nations to extend and apply this technology. The establishment of a children's network would give an international scope to these efforts. It would provide a focus for technological development and for resolving the problems of language, standards, etc. that inevitably arise in international communications. The first steps toward establishing a global children's network are being taken by a group which may be reached via the BITNET/UUCP address KIDSNET@ccnysci.BITNET or KIDSNET@ccnysci.UUCP. If you would like to join this group, send a note expressing your interest to the mailing list administrator, Patt Haring, patth@ccnysci.BITNET or patth@ccnysci.UUCP. BITNET: RDC@PITTVMS Robert D. Carlitz UUCP: carlitz@cisunx Dept. of Physics & Astronomy INTERNET: rdc@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu University of Pittsburgh carlitz@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu Pittsburgh, PA 15260 [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 by Professor Juhani Oksman, ID= SO-JOK@FINOU, or SO-JOK at FINOU. University of Oulu Telecommunication Laboratory Linnanmaa X3 SF-90570 OULU FINLAND tel. +358 81 353611 Background 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. 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 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. 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 Finland has used the experience gained in Sweden and started exploiting the information technology to help the rural areas to remain inhabited. 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? 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. 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 When establishing telecottages in Finland, we have found the following points worth considering: Local initiative is necessary, and local strengths have to be exploited. The telecottage must result from "grass root activity", it can not be imposed on the people from above. In some cases the telecottage is intended mainly for local people, in others (e.g. near ski resorts) for tourists. The choice of the Master of the telecottage is important. He (or she) has preferably been born locally, has studied (and worked) elsewhere but is ready to return to his/her home village or community to help people there to use the information technology. The Master must be enthusiastic about his/her work and ready to work long days, at least in the beginning phase. Help from existing telecottages is useful - and available. Also national organisations (as that in Finland, mentioned above) and international organisations (Telecottages Europe = TCE and Telecottages International = TCI) have been founded with the aim to help individual telecottages in their activity. Cooperation with a telecompany is necessary. In Finland this means usually the PTT which serves the rural areas. Negotiations with the representatives of the PTT have resulted in PTT deciding to found, in different parts of Finland, seven experimental telecottages by adding the use of information technology to the normal activities of a post office. 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 by Hans Isakson & Thomas H. McInish ID= B581HRI@UTARLVM Please address correspondence to: Professor Hans Isakson Department of Finance and Real Estate UTA Box 19449 The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas 76019 I. Introduction 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 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 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. 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 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. 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. A. Comment and Review (Working Paper) Data Base 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. B. Journal Level I Data Base 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. C. 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. D. Empirical Data Base 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. E. Journal Level II Data Base 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. F. Quality Control 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 The authors propose a data base of electronically-published papers called The Electronic Journal of (Field). 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 by Amy Zelmer, R.N., PhD., & A.C. Lynn Zelmer, B.Ed., M.S. ID= munnari!civax.capricornia.oz.au!zelmera@uunet.uu.net Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education Rockhampton, Queensland 4702, Australia May 1989 Background: 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. 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: 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. 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. Summary of Selected Questionnaire Responses: a) Cassette tape recorder 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% c) Video player 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% d) Telephone 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% f) Microcomputer 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% i) Nursing texts from a library other than CIAE 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% 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 by Lynne Schrum, Univ. of Oregon, ID= LSCHRUM@OREGON 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.] ======== End of Part 1. -- Patt Haring | Vote * YES * for creation of rutgers!cmcl2!ccnysci!patth | misc.headlines.unitex patth@ccnysci.BITNET | email votes to: patth@ccnysci.UUCP