Search

The 100-school networking project began in Japan in 1993, sponsored by MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education). The features of this project can be summarized as follows: (1) one server computer per school; (2) supported by government organization or quasi government organization; (3) supported by local volunteer groups including company engineers; and (4) a voluntary activity plan proposed by each school. The impact of the project on schools, applications, benefits and problems are discussed in this paper in terms of: connection of school to real world; introduction of wide area collaborative learning; change from memory-based teaching to problem-based learning; change of teacher's role; change of communicating skills and computer literacy; establishment of social rules and manners; filtering harmful information; linkage to school curriculum; reducing computer teachers' load on network maintenance; enrichment of school learning environment; Internet-based evaluation methods; and self-establishment by communicating to the real world. (AEF)

This article discusses briefly the use of the Internet and World Wide Web as sources of information for teaching English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL), describes a directory of related World Wide Web resources, outlines some suggested uses of the resources, and presents the directory. Citations are presented in seven sections: general resources; lesson plans; teaching materials; student projects; reference materials for lessons; computer assisted language learning; and papers, articles, and essays for teachers. Web addresses are given for each item. (MSE)

A project using on-campus electronic mail (e-mail) to teach communicative writing in English as a Second Language to Japanese junior college students is described. The project had three stages: (1) planning; (2) piloting with a small group of students; and (3) implementation in three large classes (n=55, 28, 36). The aim was to help students write more communicatively and with less anxiety. Planning involved gaining student access to the campus e-mail system, first on a small scale and later with access to more computer services. The pilot involved nine second-year students in a graduation project. Students needed to be familiarized with two-way message exchanges. However, after exchanges began, student-teacher interactions became more interesting. Learning word processing and spell-checking in English and document transfer were initially a challenge. Implementation with three larger classes, in which most students were familiar with e-mail, began with a paired self-introduction writing activity. Partners questioned each other, commented on introductions, and made grammatical corrections, helping each other refine the final product. Teacher feedback was provided weekly. It was found that the method facilitated timely and comfortable communication. The experiments provided insights into advantages, difficulties, and effective procedures for computer-based communication. (MSE)

There is a general feeling that European telecommunications are delaying the introduction of new information services. This paper responds to some of the questions concerning online information. The views result from research work at DECADE (Belgium) on the requirements of smaller organizations on the one hand and on telecommunications costs on the other. In the new information age, competition is forcing all companies and increasingly also SMEs (small and medium enterprises) to get and handle a lot of information. Speed and costs are two key competitive factors as SMEs operate with rather short term constraints and have very low purchasing budgets. Traditional online services appear far too expensive to use and very difficult to learn. The World Wide Web matches the knowedge acquisition paradigm of end-users and SMEs much better than traditional online services. From this perspective, in most European countries the current offer of online information services and related telecommunications methods is seriously lagging behind compared to the United States. This paper compares the network costs and the Internet-based services in Europe and in the United States; data is also provided about Japan. Graphics are shown with price comparison for leased lines and for Internet access. The paper then investigates shortcomings and looks at the likely evolution towards TCP/IP data networks and bandwidth costs per user. In the conclusion, key economic issues are addressed regarding information publishers, Internet/intranet service providers and of what European users might do. (Contains 10 references.) (Author/AEF)

This paper outlines the market developments, governmental promotion policies, and efforts by private industries for online database services in Japan since the late 1970s. The combination of these efforts over the years has resulted in an online database service market of US$20 billion annually, of which approximately one third is Western online services. Growth in the conventional database service market leveled off in the early 1990s, partly because of the general economic stagnation and partly because of rapid and profound change in the environment for information usage. New opportunities have been provided by the changes in computer usage as a result of corporate downsizing trends, rapid progress in multimedia and digital technology, wide-spread information networks--especially the Internet, and a steadily emerging personal and home market. Experimental programs for digital libraries have already started. The idea of end-user searches of digital libraries through a network is exciting but threatening for everyone in the online services industry. In addition to Japan, online database producers and vendors are now emerging in newly industrializing countries and areas in Asia such as Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. The market has started to grow, and within a decade the fourth largest market for online services will be in Asia, after the American, European, and Japanese markets. (Author/SWC)

The present state of the educational use of computer communications networks in Japan is outlined. Computer communication is now growing rapidly in Japanese society as a whole, and its educational community is not an exception. After giving general figures on the use of computers in Japanese education and describing government proposals on information networks for education, this paper summarizes different types of online educational activities. These activities include databases for instructional materials, information exchange and computer conferencing on some major networks, local and grassroots networks, and academic networks. Research activity on the use of educational computer communication is reviewed, and the need for further research is emphasized, especially on the psychosocial aspects of computer communication. Twelve figures illustrate the discussion. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/SLD)

Pedagogical features and implementation of a UNIX-based management system (UNIEM) designed to support the instructor in teaching English as a second language using a network of workstations are described. The application discussed here is for teaching English composition to students at the University of Aizu (Japan). UNIEM is constructed to assist the computer novice in these tasks: sending out assignments using electronic mail (e-mail) on pre-set dates; reminders of missing homework when necessary; sorting of homework submitted using e-mail; enforcing submission deadlines and required homework length; partial evaluation of homework, particularly regarding mechanical mistakes such as spelling; distribution of evaluation results to students; reformatting of student writing for correction purposes; use of global or specialized vocabulary; identification and collection of authentic, interesting, or critical examples of grammar patterns for presentation in class; generation of statistical information; and graphic display of data. Implementation of these tools and potential for customization, possibly in connection with a specific research objective, are discussed. A program decomposition principle is also presented. (MSE)

Describes a middle school program that integrates history/social studies, language, and visual arts. Describes how the program links two different middle schools through electronic mail in their study of world cultures. Includes examples of student writing and descriptions of classroom activities. (CFR)

Describes online information sources for Japanese business, scientific, and technical developments. Highlights include English language materials versus the need for translation from Japanese; government research; scientific and technical information; patent information; corporate financial information; business information from newswires and newsletters; and informal sources via the Internet. (LRW)

Provides an overview of inservice teacher training programs in Japan, which have few links to formal distance education programs. Teachers' growing use of computer communications networks is reviewed as a self-teaching method, and future directions are suggested. (Contains nine references.) (EAM)

Describes accomplishments of the Global Systems Analysis and Simulation (GLOSAS) project from 1973 to the present, including a system for global peace gaming. The capabilities of interactive multimedia to link people across political and geographic boundaries for joint study, debate, research, planetary problem solving, and political action are considered. (Contains five references.) (EAM)

The Ad Hoc Council on Educational Reform pointed out in 1987 that Japanese education must prepare for the ever-increasing information needs of the future, and in 1988, a proposal for the development of information networks was published by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. This proposal recommended the utilization of a wide range of media in support of lifelong learning activities and the establishment of such systems in various localities. Three models for information dissemination using personal computer communications (at the school, regional, and national levels) are described in the first section of this document. The remaining four sections describe currently-existing information networks throughout the country, including: (1) the Audiovisual Public Board (AV-PUB) System, a telecommunications system comprised of a database on audiovisual materials and a bulletin board for exchanging information related to audiovisual education; (2) commercial computer networks throughout Japan (used primarily by teachers, boards of education, and researchers); (3) computer networks established by local boards of education and similar organizations; and (4) the Academic Information Center System, which provides online databases and an electronic mail service for universities and research institutions throughout Japan. Fifteen figures are included in this document. (GL)

New policies are needed for the U.S. telecommunications industry. The continuation of current policies--which emphasize customer and convenience services to the near exclusion of developing domestically produced equipment and improving infrastructure--will constrain the domestic growth of U.S. corporations and make it difficult for smaller American firms to use sophisticated equipment and services. A new policy regime should focus on linkages between network infrastructure development and technological innovations in equipment, fostering the joint development of both. International competitors such as Japan and the European Community have already established policies to upgrade the existing telecommunications infrastructure and lead in the development of strategic technologies such as high definition television (HDTV). These competitors are also rapidly organizing an Integrated Services Digital Network to be a cornerstone for the development of future high technology industries. The United States needs a comprehensive and coherent approach to the industrial issues and regulatory concerns facing its telecommunications industry. One immediate step should be to establish an independent Department of Communications that would create a unified approach to the nation's economic base in the next decades. (31 references) (GL)

The educational potential of computer networks will be realized only when educators stop focusing on technical connections and start asking how educational activities that are supported on computer networks can make a significant contribution to education. Computer networks can contribute to accomplishing educational goals in language arts (by improving reading and writing skills); social science (by facilitating international and intercultural sharing of aspects of daily life, news stories, holiday customs, and social problems); science (by extending the range of observations for solving scientific problems); and foreign language learning (by using the Intercultural Learning Network as a functional learning environment, and increasing motivation for the study of foreign languages in the United States and for the improvement of English communication skills in foreign nations). Among the central issues that have evolved from the collaborative work of those using educational networks are that establishing technical connections between participants is only the first step. An active role for the classroom teacher in designing and implementing such activities is vital if networks are to reach their potential. (30 references) (GL)

A worldwide international computer network, called the Intercultural Learning Network, has been developed to provide students from different cultures with opportunities to work cooperatively. Prototype activities have been developed and tested which facilitate and contextualize interactions among secondary and college students. Joint projects in language, science, and social studies are carried out using an overnight electronic network to coordinate parallel surveys and to exchange findings of joint research. Five important questions are addressed in this research: (1) Is the Intercultural Learning Network technically feasible? (2) Is it economically feasible? (3) Is it useful for instructional purposes? (4) What organizational structures are required? and (5) Can the system support multiple languages and cultures? Findings indicate that because of continuing technological advances, cross cultural activities have become economically and technically feasible. The level of technical expertise needed is reasonably accessible to any motivated teacher. The continuing costs involved are small enough to be covered as incidental expenses by many school budgets. The educational potential of the activities is promising. Some prototype activities have been developed to facilitate the initial interactions across cultures. Joint participation in such activities is a good way to encourage multilingualism and awareness of other cultures. Further research is being conducted to evaluate the long term effects of international networking on students' attitudes, knowledge, and cultural awareness. (12 references) (Author/GL)