Trends, Facts, Trackings and More...

CONTENTS

CONVERGING TRENDS - Adapted from TechLearn Trends
FACTS - Compiled from News Sources
RESOURCES - Making of a Virtual Professor, Guide to Distance Learning Programs Goes to Press, The Web- Net Journal
TECHS - Apple Offers IMAC's Laptop Offspring-The iBook, Thin is In So That Prices on Flat Panels are Fat
GRANTS - PEW Grants Announced for Technology in the Classroom
TRACKINGS - Beyond 2000 - Further Troubles Lurk in the Future of Computing, The Next E-volution, EASI
GWETC '99 - Special Announcement
FYI - News, Institutes, Conferences

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NEXT FULL DESIEN ISSUE - August 31, 1999

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CONVERGING TRENDS

ADAPTED FROM TECHLEARN TRENDS - The world of learning and training is evolving and converging. Watch the points of convergence for a good sense of where education and training are heading:

• olidation and mergers top the list of converging trends. Take a few key organizations or vendors and there is a good chance that one of them will be owned by one of the others in the next 2 years. (Adapted from Techlearn Trends #130 22 June 99)
• ine Learning and Classroom Training are blending. On higher education campuses, distance learning tools are often used most robustly as digital extensions of traditional classrooms. In the corporate world, a large number of corporate trainers report that the strongest use of on-line learning is often as an extension rather than a replacement for classroom.
• 75 major corporations have shut down their stand alone IT Training departments and have shifted the control of technical and end user training to the core corporate training group, often with a specialized coordinator.
• of the developers and marketers of technical training products and classes are expanding their offerings to include soft skills and management skills in their portfolios.
• management classes are including training on using calendar programs. Leadership classes are addressing the use of intranets for corporate communications.
• phones and Intranets are being blended for multimedia. Rather than use the busy network for audio over IP, a good number of companies are turning to the telephone system to provide the audio connection for virtual classrooms, blending the telephone call with a visual delivered via an audiographic collaboration tool.
• and Internet are being blended for bandwidth fixes. Take a CD, loaded with graphics, sound and video, blend it with a connection to the internet for interactivity and updated info and you have a powerful blend.

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FACTS

COMPILED FROM NEWS RESOURCES

• The number of American and Canadian Internet users has climbed to over 92 million. (Associated Press 18 June 99)
• According to a report from eMarketer, by 2003, Internet users will reach 350 million, a 267 percent increase from the end of 1998. The report, which incorporates data from hundreds of different sources, also found that worldwide electronic commerce revenues will increase from $98.4 billion in 1999 to $1.2 trillion by 2003. (Reuters 07/08/99)
• Internet access will take decades to spread in underdeveloped countries, according to a recent United Nations report. More than 88 percent of the world's Internet population is located in wealthy, developed nations. (ZDNN 12 July 99)
• A new study from Rutgers University found that less than half of the working poor have Internet or PC access at work or home. (Washington Post 07/22/99)
• The National Media Lab reports that magnetic tape, floppy disks, hard disks, and videotape can only survive for about 10 years and that CD-ROM is more vulnerable to damage and information loss than originally was thought. In addition, some of the technologies used to record data are becoming obsolete, which threatens to make it nearly impossible to retrieve even the data that does survive. (Newsweek 12 July 99)
• The most sophisticated search engines list no more than 16 percent of all Web sites on the Internet and the majority of engines cover less than 10 percent each. (Los Angeles Times 07/08/99)
• Many national programs are providing elementary and high school students Internet access to advanced technology like the Mars Red Rover, and the Berkman Institute scanning electron microscope - Bugscope. Most involvement is free or at very low cost due to NASA grants. (New York Times 17 June 99)

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RESOURCES

THE MAKING OF A VIRTUAL PROFESSOR - The role of the professor is changing fast, both in the classroom and on the Internet. "The Making of a Virtual Professor" is the story of how these changes have affected the life and teaching of Richard Kettner-Polley during his 20-year career as a professor of Business Administration. Kettner-Polley believes that it is the quiet transformation of traditional professors into virtual professors that will ultimately change academia. The story of his gradual evolution from classroom lecturer to full-time distance educator is presented as a case study in the current issue of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, available online at: http://www.aln.org/alnweb/magazine/Vol3_issue1/Kettner-Polley.htm (Edupage - 23 July 99)

GUIDE TO DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS GOES TO PRESS - The fourth edition of the UCEA and Peterson's Guide to Distance Learning Programs goes to press this week. This comprehensive guide is now published annually and profiles some 900 accredited colleges and universities offering individual courses, degree and professional certificate programs delivered online, via satellite, cable, and other electronic means. The introduction includes tips for distance learning students as well as interviews with students who are studying through electronic means. Copies are available at the special UCEA member rate of $21.55 ($26.95 for non members) To pre-order the 2000 edition (ISBN Number 0-7689-02576), call Peterson's at 1-800-EDU-DATA or visit http://www.petersons.com. Specify that you are a UCEA member and therefore receive a 20 percent discount and that you would like the new edition scheduled for publication in October 1999. (E-NEWS from UCEA 23 July 99)

THE WEBNET JOURNAL - Internet Technologies, Applications & Issues is a new quarterly print magazine written for an international readership of researchers, developers, and Internet users in educational, business, and professional environments. The publication offers stimulating how-to articles and expert commentary on the latest developments in distance learning, web engineering, libraries and information centers, web databases, and knowledge infrastructures, pointing to the "best of the best" print and web-based resources. For sample article abstracts, selected columns, and book reviews from the printed version, see: http://www.webnetjrl.com/V1No2/contents1_2.htm

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TECHS

APPLE OFFERS IMAC'S LAPTOP OFFSPRING-THE iBOOK - Apple Computer yesterday unveiled the iBook, a powerful new iMac- inspired laptop computer intended for consumer markets. Like the iMac, the iBook is fast, colorful, and easy to use. Its colorful casing is similar to that of the iMac, and is available in a choice of blue or tangerine orange. The notebook includes a number of convenience features, including a built- in handle that flips up from the back and a power cord that winds up in a plastic device for quick, tangle-free storage. The iBook is powerful as well, with a six-hour battery life and a 300 MHz microprocessor. Yet the most prominent aspect of the iBook is its innovative wireless features. The technology, called Airport, allows users to maintain wireless connections with other users and with the Internet when they are within a 150-foot range of a small "base station" that is plugged into any telephone or network connection. The speed of data transfer from the base station to the iBook is extremely fast, similar to office Ethernets. (New York Times 07/22/99 - Edupage 23 July 99)

THIN'S SO IN THAT PRICES ON FLAT PANELS ARE FAT - Demand for flat-panel liquid crystal displays (LCDs) is so high that there is currently a supply shortage as PC makers scramble to add the popular displays to their machines. Indeed, Apple Computer just announced a $100 million investment in Samsung Electronics, a leading LCD manufacturer, in order to secure for itself a supply of flat-panel displays. The complex technology, which uses electrically charged crystals to create images on thin glass, is needed to make popular laptop PCs, flat-panel desktop monitors, and thin televisions. While demand was low last year, resulting in an estimated $2 billion loss among manufacturers, companies now cannot produce the screens fast enough. The technology is made almost exclusively by Japanese and South Korean companies such as Samsung, Sharp, and NEC. Yet Taiwanese firms such as Acer and Chung Hwa Picture Tubes are soon expected to enter the arena, possibly bringing an end to the shortage. (Investor's Business Daily 07/29/99 - Edupage 30 July 99)

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GRANTS

PEW GRANTS ANNOUNCED FOR TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM - The Pew Charitable Trusts has pledged $8.8 million to assist U.S. colleges and universities in redesigning large-enrollment courses to incorporate Web-based and other computer technologies. The Pew Learning and Technology Program will be administered by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's newly created Center for Academic Transformation, which will oversee the award of some 10 grants a year over a three-year period. The grant amounts will be about $200,000 each. For more information, see http://www.center.rpi.edu (E-NEWS from UCEA 23 July 99)

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TRACKINGS

BEYOND 2000: FURTHER TROUBLES LURK IN THE FUTURE OF COMPUTING Date-related computer glitches will persist beyond the turn of the millennium, as shortsighted programming has created time limits on software that could cause systems to shut down. Most programs have a limited number of digits to represent the time and date on a computer, forcing the date to return to zero when the limit is reached. As many programs rely on time advancing forward, the sudden return to zero can cause many problems for the system. Programs are vulnerable to dates that were set decades ago, as new software programs often build on existing code from older versions. Thus, while the time limit of many programs is known, others are deeply embedded in the programming, creating the potential for systems to crash without advance notice. One well-known problem, named Year 2038, will cause machines running Unix operating systems to reach a time limit in 2038. Meanwhile, Microsoft's programs have expiration dates ranging from 1999 to future centuries. Microsoft's Visual C++, for example, which has been used to write programs throughout the industry, will return to zero in 2036, potentially causing many applications throughout the industry to fail. (New York Times 07/19/99 - Edupage 20 July 99)

THE NEXT EVOLUTION - Electronic procurement practices are expected to become a major part of electronic commerce, as more companies are using the Web as a cheaper, faster way to find the best deal on materials. BusinessBots is a prime example of such a Web procurement service. The company has developed a prototype JAM (Java agent-enabled marketplace) that is a real-time, 24-hour "market of markets." The JAM uses agents, or "bots," that link various sites in any given business sector, thereby creating one huge market. The idea is to offer faster, simpler, and cheaper intra-industry transactions, almost like an electronic bulletin board. BusinessBots's JAM even performs human functions, such as arguing over prices, estimating quality, and reputation management. It is also programmed to ensure that all sides in a transaction get the best deal under the circumstances. (Time 07/12/99 - EduPage 12 July 99)

EASI - Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) is presenting two four-week workshops: 1) one on how to create web pages that are both visually appealing and fully accessible to users with print disabilities, scheduled for August 23 and October 3; 2) and the second providing an overview to the topic of adaptive computing technology, which is ideal for administrators, teachers, librarians, computer support staff, ADA compliance officers and service providers, scheduled for Sept. 20 and Nov. 1

Both are taught by Richard Banks and Norman Coombs, Ph.D. Registration includes a coupon for a free registration for a teammate. Teams will pair staff from the disabled student office with participants from another institutional department. Three CEU's are available from the Rochester Institute of Technology on request. To register or for more information see: http://www.rit.edu/~easi/workshops.html

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GWETC '99

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - Register now for the Governor's Wisconsin Educational Technology Conference - 1999, October 12-14 at the Midwest Express Center, Milwaukee, WI. This year there will be more than 200 presentations, 23 labs and workshops, a variety of poster sessions and pre-registered tours of selected technology sites in Milwaukee. In addition, visit more than 200 exhibit booth areas, along with a number of electronic classrooms and an Internet cafe. Hear the keynote speakers: Alan Chute, Lucent Technologies - "Distance Learning Futures"; Rick Inatome, Inacom - "Infrastructure and the New Sociology" and Janice Gordon, The Laptop Project - "Powered Up to Learn, Now what?" Learn about how technology can support teaching and learning, network with colleagues and return to your classrooms or organizations with practical applications! For more information visit the Web site at: www.gwetc.com

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FYI

• UCEA's Executive Assembly, "The Place to Be: Repositioning CE," will be held in Chicago from September 9-11, 1999. Complete information is available on the UCEA website: http://www.nucea.edu
• Making Better Use of Money and Time: Shining a Flashlight on the Costs of Teaching and Learning with Technology is scheduled for September 22 - 24, 1999, University Place Hotel and Conference Center, Indianapolis, Indiana. Hosted by: Indiana University School of Continuing Education. Sponsored by: The TLT Group, and The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). For further information and to register online go to: http://www.tltgroup.org
• Evaluating Web-based Courses: Shining a Flashlight on the Benefits, Problems and Costs of Teaching and Learning on the World Wide Web is scheduled for October 1-2, 1999, Rochester, New York. Hosted by: The Rochester Institute of Technology. Sponsored by: The TLT Group. For further information and to register online go to: www.tltgroup.org
• The Centre for Research in Distance & Adult Learning (CRIDAL) of the Open University of Hong Kong is organizing a specialized workshop on institutional research in open and distance learning at the Open University of Hong Kong on Wednesday October 13, 1999. The one-day workshop can help serve decision making more effectively and is planned to lead into the AAOU conference in Beijing (October 14-17). It immediately follows the Meeting of Special Conference of Presidents of open and distance learning institutions (ICDE-SCOP) to be hosted at the Open University of Hong Kong from 11-12 October. For further information see: http://www.ouhk.edu.hk/cridal/10thAnivWorkshop
• Annual Educational MOO Conference, October 15 - 17, 1999. MOO - The Missing Link in Online Education? will be held at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. This conference will explore how virtual educational environments such as MOOs are being used to support online education, particularly in conjunction with other educational tools. Sponsored by: DU Educational Technology Services (DUETS) Inc. For other information see: http://www.du.org/dusvcs/duinfo/conference.html
• ACHE 61st Annual Meeting - Centering on Students - will be held Nov 6-9, 1999 Cincinnati, OH. Hosts are U of Cincinnati, Xavier University and Thomas More college. Keynotes - Constantine Papadakis - Pres. of Drexel U and MCP Hahnemann U; Theodore Marchese - VP AAHE, Ex Ed of Change magazine; Rosemary Caffarella, author of adult ed books. See conference Web site at: http://www.uc.edu/cece/ache99.htm
• Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR 99) will will hold its next conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, between November 14 and 17. This conference is about transition in society generally, and change that supports adult learners who move in and out of provinces, countries, the labor market and education and training. For more information see: http://www.plar.com/plar99/l/de.html
• Mark your calendar for UCEA's year 2000 Marketing and Management seminars, to be held this year in beautiful, historic Savannah, Georgia. UCEA's 8th Annual Marketing Seminar, "Networking" will be held February 17-19, 2000. More information is available on the UCEA website at: http://www.nucea.edu
• UCEA's 3rd Annual Management Seminar "Adapting CE Human Resource Practices to New Realities," will be held February 20-21, 2000. More information is available at: http://www.nucea.edu
• UCEA invites you to submit proposals for papers for its 85th Annual Conference, to be held in San Diego from April 16-19, 2000. The conference theme will be "Riding the Wave: Strategies for the New Futures of Higher Education". Details on conference sub-themes and topics for presentations are available on the UCEA Website: http://www.nucea.edu
• Call for Proposals for Proposals for the 5th Annual Teaching in the Community Colleges Online Conference - A Virtual Odyssey - "What's Ahead for New Technologies in Learning: April 12-14, 2000. Proposal Deadline is January 10, 2000. See Web site at: http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/tcon2000

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NEXT FULL DESIEN ISSUE - August 31, 1999

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