patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) (07/06/89)
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.
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