Number 18 March 1, 2002	A publication of Project Eagle, St. Petersburg College

Best Bets Archives

For a subscription to BEEP, contact the Project Manager: lechnerj@spcollege.edu

Another Look at Leading Edge
E-Learning Technologies

"...The single common 'breakthrough' thread is...
their ability to impel us to think in new and innovative ways about the concept of 'school.'"
(Susan McLester, Editor-in-Chief, Technology & Learning, November 2001)

Almost a year ago, BEEP #7 examined some of what were then intriguing new technologies of potential interest to e-learning planners. This month's issue takes another look at this fast-changing subject, with special attention to wireless technologies (which in one year has gone from just a few links to an entire category), ongoing sources of relevant information, and upcoming meetings and conferences.

New E-deas for E-learning Planners and Users

	CNET.com. Ongoing source of evaluation of new and existing technologies of all kinds.
	Cursor control system. Hands-free, camera-controlled, mouse replacement system for situations where a normal pointing device cannot be used.
	Digital Photography Review. Web site that reviews the newest products in digital photography and imaging, with discussion forums, sample images, side-by-side comparisons and more. Similar product reviews can be found at the Imaging Resource Web site.
	Digital slide show. Essentially a computer floppy disk drive that plugs into a TV, comes with a remote control, and allows up to 40 digital pictures to be seen in the comfort of a large room.
	Education with New Technologies. Web site sponsored by Harvard (MA), designed to help educators develop, enact and assess effective ways of using new technologies.
	Graphical user interface. Software that converts data sets into scalable, highly customizable, graphical presentations.
	Internet 2.edu. Comprehensive Web site with information about this consortium of more than 190 universities working in partnership with industry and government to create a leading edge network capability for the national research community.
	Pocketnow.com. Web site that offers a variety of services and information to users of Windows CE devices and accessories.
	Portable hard drive. Personal removable storage USB device that attaches to a key ring, requires no software, and holds up to 32 megabytes of data.
	Smart lecterns. Classroom command posts that provide point and click or touch screen control of all multimedia assets and room management functions in one place.
	"The Spirit of Invention." Article by Judith V. Boettcher in Syllabus 14 (11), June 2001. A look at the dynamics of technological change in education and its meaning for 21st century teaching.
	"Ten Hottest Technologies." Article in Telecommunications Online, May 2001. Most recent annual list of best picks. Look for an update in May 2002.
	Ten Best Web Sites for Educational Technology. Compiled by From Now On online journal.
	3-D immersive environments. Explanation of a coming Internet breakthrough that will combine visual, aural and haptics (touch) technology.
	"Top Ten Technology Breakthroughs for Schools." Article by Susan McLester in Tech-Learning, November 15, 2001.
	Traffic analyzer. A plug and play device that analyzes all TCP/IP traffic for any content defined as inappropriate.
	Ultrathin displays. Joint venture of several companies to produce a different kind of screen known as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display.

Innovations in Wireless Technology

	"The ABCs of Wireless Communications." Report by Danielle Dunne for the Wireless Communications Research Center, December 7, 2001.
	Anywhereyougo.com. Comprehensive, commercial Web site that addresses all aspects of the wireless industry.
	"Bluetooth: Dream Technology Comes Down to Earth." Update on this network technology by Stephen Lawson for ITWorld.com, December 11, 2001.
	"It's a Phone, It's a PDA, It's Both, and More's to Come in Wireless." Article by David N. Smith in Houston Business Journal, December 21, 2001, that provides a readable overview of the state of wireless technology in everyday life.
	"WAP: Introduction." Explanation of the wireless application protocol by Chris Tull of anywhereyougo.com.
	Wireless NewsFactor. Web site with real time wireless news from around the world.
	The Wireless-Ready Web. Web site maintained by Palm Products for users of wireless handheld devices. Includes a special Web clipping application for easy transfer of information to wireless devices like the Palm Pilot.
	Wireless Technology: Special Edition. In-depth coverage of the subject by search engine Northern Light, with news articles, timeline, glossary and more.
	Wireless Technologies: Expanding the Range of Options. Product summary column in Syllabus 15 (3), October 2001, that examines a variety of wireless devices.

Selected Educational Technology E-Sources

(Good for keeping up with the latest developments)

Educational Technology and Society.	International Journal on E-Learning. International Review Of Research
Chronicle of Higher Education.	In Open and Distance Learning.
Communications Solutions.	Journal of Technology Education.
Converge.	MIT Technology Review.
Educause Review.	Syllabus.
Ed Tech Journals Reviewed by	Technology & Learning.
ERIC/IT.	T.H.E. Journal.
Educational Technology Review.	The Technology Source.
FETConnections.

Some Upcoming 2002 Educational Technology Conferences

Florida Educational Technology Conference - March

International Technology Education Association Conference - March

League for Innovation - March and November

Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education - March

CVC Online Student Support Services Conference - March

International Conference on College Teaching/Learning - April

Teaching in the Community Colleges Online Conference - May

Distance Learning Administration Conference - June

Educause Southeast Regional Conference - June

National Educational Computing Conference - June

LERN Teaching on the Net - June

Technology in Education - June

Ed Tech Conference 2001 - July

Syllabus 2002 - July

Educause 2002 - October

E-Learning World Conference on E-Learning... - October

Asynchronous Learning Networks 2002 - November

League for Innovation Conference on Information Technology - November

The contents of BEEP were developed under a grant from the U. S. Department of Education (DOE). However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the DOE, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.