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The California State University system faces an increase of 100,000 students by 2010, the majority of whom will be Latino. Fundamental restructuring is necessary to accommodate this change, and the new California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) may provide a model. CSUMB has a commitment to serving underrepresented populations and establishing a multilingual, multicultural, intellectual community through the use of high-quality distance learning programs utilizing innovative pedagogies. Although CSUMB has entered into partnerships with private businesses that enable it to have the latest in educational technology, it is not the quantity of computers, but rather, new behavioral approaches to technological use that are absolutely necessary. CSUMB's approach to education emphasizes outcomes and competencies and replaces a credit-based system with the assessment of demonstrated learning. CSUMB findings concerning the high tech environment include: (1) advanced technology greatly augments regular classroom instruction and is a viable delivery system for multilingual teaching and learning and for distance education, especially in underrepresented communities; (2) computer messaging systems facilitate writing across the curriculum and greatly improve student writing and logical skills in multiple languages; (3) computer technologies support active, rather than passive, learning; (4) coupled with visual materials, thinking textually is sufficient to improve literacy even when a liberal attitude is taken towards grammar, syntax, and spelling; and (5) computer technologies promote participation and learning in traditionally communicative-apprehensive learners such as shy students, limited English proficient students, and women who avoid verbally confronting men. (Contains 28 references.) (TD)

This paper discusses an innovative paradigm for looking at computer mediated/networked teaching, learning, and research known as BESTNET (Binational English and Spanish Telecommunications Network). BESTNET is functionally defined as an international community of universities and institutions linked by common educational goals and processes, computers, and telecommunications. BESTNET is conceptually designed as a virtual integrated educational system for learning and teaching across geographic spaces, i.e., from one campus to another, nationally/globally. Currently, the project involves over 7,000 culturally and linguistically diverse groups of students from over a dozen institutions in the United States, Mexico, and other globally specific regions. Following an overview and description of the BESTNET design, the paper discusses the growing need for multimedia computer global network communications, related developments with translation technologies, and the adaptive infrastructure of BESTNET. (AEF)

The final evaluation of BESTNET (the Binational English and Spanish Telecommunications Network) is described. Undertaken as a collaborative effort to experiment with new telecommunications media in distance education and to attract Hispanic students into the science and engineering fields, the project involved the development of a number of bilingual telecourses in mathematics and computer sciences. A number of the telecourses utilized lectures on videotape supplemented by computer conferencing and electronic mail, and several others were wholly delivered via computer communications. Several universities in the United States and Mexico collaborated, and Mexican faculty taught video lectures in Spanish under the technical supervision of U.S. faculty. Those courses were offered to Spanish-as-a-first-language students in the United States. (GL)