STATE INFO - GWETC Announces Keynote & Featured Speakers, UWSA IT Position Posted, Marcus Fiberlink Completes KSCADE Network
NEW TECH TRENDS - Sun and Lucent..., Computer Jobs, CHEA, BNH Has Developed
SIGNIFICANT STATS - Study Shows Widening Gap in Computer Ownership, FCC to Hold Access Disparities Hearings
ETC. - Library Distance Education E-Journal, Web Accessibilities Initiative, Webzine Summary
FYI - News, Conferences, Institutes

STATE INFO

GWETC, the Governor's Wisconsin Educational Technology Conference, will feature Governor Tommy Thompson as its Keynote Speaker and Feature Speakers - Stuart Robertshaw (Dr. Humor), encouraging us not to take ourselves too seriously with "Technology and the Prevention of Humor Impairment" on October 6, and Gregory Riker (of Microsoft, creator of the Smart Home, the Auto PC and wearable computers) helping us make sense of the confusion that technology creates on October 7. GWETC, October 6-8 in Green Bay at the Regency Suites, includes over 160 presentations, labs and workshops and more than 65 exhibits. Last year the conference drew over 1,400 participants. This year Day One will focus on Higher Education, Day Two - All Educational Levels and Day Three - K-12. GWETC is cosponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Technical College System, the Educational Communications Board and TEACH, Wisconsin and is endorsed by more than 100 organizations and businesses. For complete information see: http://www.wetc-wi.org

UWSA, the University of Wisconsin System Administration Office of Learning and Information Technology (OLIT) has posted a fixed-term position for Information Processing Consultant (Learning Technology Liaison). OLIT is responsible for leading and coordinating cooperative learning and information technology efforts including strategic planning, library automation, distance education and telecommunications within the UW System and serves as the UW System liaison with other state agencies. The one/two year position will start in fall of 1998. Salary range is $40-$60K (commensurate with experience). Contact Ginni Zuege at: 608-265-3095, OLIT, 1554 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706. Application Deadline - September 1, 1998. UWSA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

MARCUS FIBERLINK of Madison has announced the completion of the KSCADE (K-12 Schools/Colleges Alliance for Distance Education) network. The 230 mile ATM network connects 29 public schools and 3 colleges, with scheduled service to 70,000 students statewide. The network is managed by Fox Valley Technical College. Marcus FiberLink is a subsidiary of Marcus Cable.

NEW TECH TRENDS

SUN AND LUCENT...will offer...Internet service providers and telecommunications carriers better integrated messaging services. ...the number of desktop PCs in the world will rise from the current 300 million to 800 million by 2002. (while)...phones will go from 1.9 billion to 2.8 billion, 800 million of which will be wireless." http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/14467.html
(Wired News, 18 aug 98)

COMPUTER JOBS show long-term trends. Although the overall U.S. economy created just 66,000 jobs in July (the smallest monthly increase in two and a half-years), employers added 20,000 new jobs in computer services and 3,000 in computer manufacturing, signaling what the Bureau of Labor Statistics characterized as "strong long-term growth trends."
(TechWeb 8 Aug 98)

CHEA - The Council for Higher Education Association has released a printed report called "Assuring Quality in Distance Learning." The report profiles trends in distance learning, issues and assessment policies for regional accreditation agencies and other CHEA recognized accreditation agencies for post-secondary distance learning. The report costs $19.95 (US) and may be ordered from CHEA, 1 Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20036-1135 USA; 202-955-6126; Fax: 202-955-6129.

BNH HAS DEVELOPED ADVISOR, media selection and cost analysis software that examines the effectiveness as well as costs of alternate delivery methods (including instructor-led and web based training). Based on the learning environment - i.e., availability of instructors, location of trainees, access to technology, etc., ADVISOR evaluates the effectiveness of each delivery method. Next, direct (travel, per diem, consulting fees, etc.) and indirect (time required by various individuals) costs are computed and compared.

You can get additional information and download a demo copy from BNH's web site at http://www.bnhexpertsoft.com. Or you may request a demo on CD-ROM by sending an email to info@bnhexpertsoft.com.

SIGNIFICANT STATS

STUDY SHOWS WIDENING GAP IN COMPUTER OWNERSHIP - A new study by the U.S. Commerce Department shows that PC ownership among all Americans grew by 52% between 1994 and 1997, with a penetration of 36.6% of U.S. households. But although penetration among blacks and Hispanics grew faster than the overall rate, the disparity between them and white households actually widened during that period. At the end of 1997, 40.8% of non-Hispanic white households owned a PC, compared to 19.4% of Hispanic and 19.3% of African-American households, a gap of 21.5%. In 1994, the Commerce Department reported a gap of 16.8%. The study also found that whites were much more likely to subscribe to an online service than either blacks or Hispanics. "The study exposes a growing problem in our economy, one that must be taken seriously: too many Americans are not able to take part in the growing digital economy," says Commerce Secretary William Daley. "The growing trend of information 'haves' and 'have-nots' is alarming." (Miami Herald 31 Jul 98)

FCC TO HOLD ACCESS DISPARITIES HEARINGS. The Federal Communications Commission will hold hearings this fall to try to determine why minority groups are less likely to have telephone service or own a computer than white families. A U.S. Commerce Department report indicates that 96% of white households have basic phone service, compared to about 86% of black households and Hispanic households; similarly about 41% of white families own a computer, compared to about 19% of black and Hispanic families. FCC chairman Bill Kennard says, "Does this gap in access to technology matter? You bet it does. How can you look for a job without a phone? How can you demonstrate that you have the skills to compete if you don't know which side of a diskette goes in first?" (AP 3 Aug 98)

ETC.

THE JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SERVICES FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION (http://www.westga.edu/library/jlsde/), a peer-reviewed e-journal, requests submissions of manuscripts for its next issue (anticipated publication date November 1998). International in scope, this scholarly e-journal publishes refereed articles focusing on the issues and challenges of providing research/information services to students enrolled in formal post-secondary distance education.

THE WEB ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVE, an activity undertaken by an influential industry/university consortium known as W3C, is committed to lead the Web toward its full potential - which includes promoting a high degree of usability for people with disabilities. Go to http://www.w3.org/WAI/ to read about WAI's work in the areas of technology, guidelines, tools, education/outreach and R&D.

WEBZINE SUMMARY - The Technology Source a free webzine at: http://horizon.unc.edu/TS has summarized its August issue:

The Vision article for August, by Greg Kearsley, outlines criteria used for evaluating online courses for the Paul Allen Foundation Virtual Education contest. From his vantage point as a contest judge, Kearsley was able to determine the significance of online courses and of the standards used to measure them. He also comments on a number of trends describing the direction of online education.

In Commentary, Subbiah Arunachalam compares educational resources and technologies in developing countries to those available in developed nations, arguing that the lack of comparable communication technologies and Internet access in developing countries limits the participation of scientists in those countries from the collective international dialogue necessary for knowledge production.

Barbara Horgan, in the Faculty and Staff Development section, focuses on how an institution can develop a program or set of strategies that will enable faculty to use technology to enhance teaching and learning.

In Case Study, David Fetterman of Stanford University discusses his experience with virtual classrooms. In the Stanford School of Education's Policy Analysis and Evaluation MA program, Fetterman argues, his classes represent "a living laboratory in which to explore educational policy and put evaluation theories and techniques into practice."

Finally, The Technology Source has selected a Site of the Month, The Millennium Project, hosted by the Academy for Educational Development's National Demonstration Library for Interactive Information Technologies. This site, which aims to provide a forum for contemporary debates surrounding the incorporation of technologies in the classroom, offers an archive of past debates, a yearly real-time online conference, and a library of relevant studies, reports, and articles.

FYI
News, Conferences, Institutes

Wellspring Workshops continue. These workshops are free, and may be joined at any time. Participate at: http://wellspring.isinj.com

Date: Wed., Aug. 26, 3:00 PM EDT
Speaker: David Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, US Dept. of Education-Topic: Reauthorizing the Higher Ed Act of 1965: Aid for Distance Learners?

Date: Thurs., Sept. 10, 3:00 PM EDT
Speakers: Karen Frenkel and Howard Weinberg, Executive Producers of "net.LEARNING," a documentary about distance learning to be viewed on PBS stations beginning Sept. 8-Topic: The Making of "net.LEARNING": What's Happening With DL Now

Date: Tues., Sept. 22, 2:00 PM EDT
Speaker: Bryan Barrett, Executive Director of the Paul G. Allen Virtual Education Foundation-Topic: How We Evaluated Our "Online Courses of the Year"

 

The International Conference on the Social Impact of Information Technologies is scheduled for October 12-14, 1998 at the Regal Riverfront Hotel St. Louis, Missouri, with Pre-conference Programs on October 11. Keynote Speakers include: Monica Huddleston-Association of Black Telecommunications Professionals; Don Foshee-Innovative Interactions, Inc.; John Naisbitt-author of Megatrends and HIGH TECH/high touch and Don Tapscott-author of The Digital Economy and Growing Up Digital. The conference is hosted by University of Missouri, St. Louis with a grant from southwestern Bell. For complete information see: http://www.umsl.edu/~conted/intlconf.htm

 

Capitalizing on Your Computer Investments is a conference scheduled for February 17-19, 1999 - Washington, D.C. This conference brings together faculty, academic computing department staff, technical support (hardware and software) staff, instructional designers, and administrators (department chairs, deans, associate provosts) to examine the best use of investments in computer equipment and software to: enhance teaching/pedagogy (Talent track), improve instructional design (Techniques track), and facilitate course development/delivery (Tools track). Educators/trainers in corporate, association, technical/community college or university settings are invited to present at the conference. Proposal Deadline is September 14, 1998. For further information see: http://major.uwstout.edu/capital/ccindex. htm

 

The 1999 Technology in Education International Conference & Exposition, scheduled for April 21 - 24, 1999 at the Southern California Ontario Convention Center, is issuing a Call for Presentations. The conference features world-class keynote speakers, over 150 concurrent sessions and workshops, and over 50 hands-on computer lab sessions. Themes include: Education and the Internet; Emerging Technologies; Learning Anytime, Anywhere; Legal, Ethical and Social Issues; Multimedia in the Classroom; Staff Development and Training and Technology Planning, Standards and Implementation. Proposal Deadline is October 30, 1998. For information to submit see: www.communitycollege.org

"Everything that is real was once imagined."
(William Blake)