NEW VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TOOL FROM FINLAND - The
University of Helsinki has developed a new open-source learning tool that provides a
central database for instructors and students, allowing them to share thoughts, build on
each other's knowledge and structure dialogues. The core of this tool, called Fle3, is
a shared Web page where the collaboration, sharing, linking and discussing occur.
Learning management and course-building tools are also provided on the site. The
software uses ZOPE as the content management platform. ZOPE is cross-platform
and is one of the first third-party technologies made to support the Educational
Modeling Language created by Holland's Open University. (CETIS, 19 Feb 02)

THE INTERNET IN REVERSE CALCULATION - A new reverse calculation method
that will help network engineers find and prevent Internet congestion is the result of a
discovery by computer science researcher Chris Caruthers of Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute. Caruthers recently received a $375,000 research grant from the National Science
Foundation for his work, which traces problems backwards to find more quickly the
source of a blockage. Traditional methods, says Caruthers, are as much as six times
slower because they involve wasteful guesswork. Reverse calculation can also be used in
software design simulations, and as a network administration tool. In addition,
network administrators are able to perceive problem areas before they actually cause
trouble. (NewsFactor Network, 13 Feb 02)