Distance Learning Programming and Resources A-G H-O P-W National Archives The National Archives Internet Gopher server provides key information relating to the National Archives, including descriptions of facilities nationwide; information on agency holdings; publications and general information leaflets; and some Federal records regulations. The Gopher menu structure is designed to reflect the breadth of the National Archives organization. The Gopher is to serve government agency personnel, educators, librarians, historians, genealogists, researchers, job-seekers, and the public. Future plans call for a bulletin board service for dial-in access to the Gopher menu. The Gopher is an excellent introduction to the holding of the National Archives for first-time users. Researchers can access information on some of the most widely-used collections, including the Nixon Presidential Materials, Ansel Adams photographs from the Still Picture Branch, captured German sound recordings, electronic records, and an index of selected census records. Research questions can be directed by e-mail to inquire@nara.gov http://www.nara.gov/   National Distance Learning Center On-Line Database (NDLC) NDLC operated as a center within the University of Kentucky's Owensboro Community College. It was funded by a series of grants and contracts with the U.S. federal government as a public information service dedicated to reducing the barriers between the users and providers of educational programming and materials. The Center's core activity was the operation of an electronic information clearinghouse. The database is now available at http://www.wested.org   National Education Association - NEA One of the most compelling advantages of telecommunications technology for teachers is the ability to link teachers with one another and with research institutions. The "School Renewal Network" links the NEA's Learning Laboratories and Mastery in Learning Project schools with each other and with educational researchers. The multiconference bulletin board allows participants to exchange information and discuss issues related to school restructuring, technology, and a variety of other topics. Teachers are benefiting from programming provided by educational networks. For example, "Teacher TV", a weekly 30-minute broadcast co-produced by NEA and The Discovery Channel, contains information on school restructuring efforts around the country and ideas for teachers to use in their ownclassrooms. TI-IN carries over 200 hours of professional development programming per year. Teachers have the opportunity to see broadcasts of well-known figures in education discussing contemporary issues. If the broadcasts occur at an inconvenient time, they can be videotaped and viewed later. Some networks provide specialized training to teachers who receive their broadcasts. MCET is doing a statewide professional development workshop for teachers in Massachusetts on portfolio assessment. http://www.nea.org/   National Public Telecommunications Network - NPTN NPTN is a network of free public access community computer systems similar to National Public Radio or the Public Broadcasting Service on television. Many kinds ofservices are available on each: the Cleveland Free-Net alone has over 350 distinct information or communications services. Each system, however, is free to the user. There is no cost to register, no cost to use them.   National Technological University - NTU NTU is one of the recognized leaders in satellite-based distance learning. It was formed in 1984 as a private, non-profit institution, based in Fort Collins, CO. The NTU consortium consists of over 47 U.S. universities with strong engineering programs. NTU's charter is to serve the advanced educational needs of the nation's engineers, scientists, and technical managers. NTU offers 13 master's degree programs in engineering plus a variety of non-credit short courses and seminars for engineers and other technical professionals. The NTU network of students is a large (over 4,500 for credit students and 85,000 continuing education students). NTU was a pioneer in the use of half-transponder satellite television using two Ku-band satellite transponders. It converted to a digital, compressed video network to allow the live transmission of many more simultaneous programs per transponder. The system allows it to broadcast on one satellite at a savings of $1 million per year in transponder fees. A network of almost 500 different faculty has taught NTU academic courses over the year. Courses are regular offerings on the campuses of NTU's member schools and are uplinked from those campuses in real time. The network of NTU customers stretches around the world, but is predominantly a North American network, with the vast majority of its 867 receive sites in 130 organizations located within the footprint of its satellite. Today a new vision is emerging of NTU as a transnational university, a significant force promoting American technological competitiveness in the global economic system through strategic partnering with the transnational corporations which are NTU's principal clients. The goal of this partnering is to achieve "just in time" delivery of information and knowledge by NTU to its industrial partners. Knowing "what" information and knowledge are needed, "when" they are needed and getting them there on time in the most convenient and accessible form is the objective of NTU strategic partnering (Martin, 1991).   New American Schools, The New American Schools Development Corporation - NASDC NASDC has selected the proposals from eleven design teams for Phase One Funding. A few of the features cited by NASDC in the winning proposals include new teacher/mentor relationships, moving "classrooms" into the community and holding classes in technology centers and libraries, eliminating the grouping of children by age, integration of health and social services into school sites, and the design of curricula to develop good citizens. The New American Schools Project was designed to "break the mold" of traditional schooling.   New Wave Series, Applied Business teleCommunications Applied Business teleCommunications offered the first corporate sponsored for-credit course over the ME/U network during 1991. Called New Wave, the course included six three-hour programs spread over a nine-month period of time. Programs were broadcast on Saturday mornings from studios throughout the U.S. including Kodak, Westcott Communications, Oklahoma State University. The intent was to present content that would help participants create a lifestyle to fit the decade of the 90s. The text for the course was "Megatrends 2000." Guest lecturers included Marjorie Blanchard, Ph.D. (author of "The One Minute Manager Gets Fit"), Stephen R. Covey, Ph.D. (author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People"), Anthony P. Carnevale, Ph.D. (author of "Workplace Basics" and "America and the New Economy"), Sonja and William Connor, M.D. (authors of "The New American Diet") and others. Credit for the course was granted through Oxnard College to the many corporate sites that enrolled their employees as well as the ME/U cable students.   NICKELODEON (NICK) (Cable in the Classroom) Nick Elementary includes commercial-free episodes of Mr. Wizard's World Mondays; Teacher to Teacher with Mr. Wizard Tuesdays; Nick News W/5 Wednesdays & Thursdays; and Launch Box on Fridays. Programs air at 5:30 a.m. ET/PT. Ten year copyright clearance for Nick News, Mr. Wizard's World and Teacher to Teacher with Mr. Wizard from the date each show airs on Nickelodeon for non-commercial educational purposes. Bi-monthly teacher's guides that include descriptions, schedules and activities are available by calling 1-800-NICK-NET. Video teacher's guides are included in each Launch Box segment. America Online: Keyword: Nickelodeon Jean Margaret Smith 1-800-NICK-NET   NREN - National Research and Education Network This new network will build on to existing networks, but will find the greatest backbone from the Internet, the largest worldwide network in existence. NREN has stirred the imaginations of people in government, industry and education to form a network that can eventually be as commonplace as using the telephone system. Congress passed the bill in November, 1991 to set up the High Performance Computing (HPC) program which will involve many government agencies, including the National Science Foundation(NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE) and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Part of the HPC program's goals is to build NREN. The network is seen as something that reaches beyond the U.S. to serve a different world than we are used where confining knowledge within certain boundaries will not be done. To realize the full benefit of the information age, high-speed networks must be built that tie together millions of computers, providing capabilities that we cannot even imagine. NREN's speed will enable extensive use as it will eventually be able to handle speeds of up to at least 1 gigabyte per second. The Internet is currently spread over 35 countries, with more than 2 million users logging on each day. Internet traffic is increasing at a rate of more than 1,000 percent a year, indicating the need for a high-speed network, but it lacks the speed to share large volumes of information and key research data. NREN will narrow the gap.   NYCENET, NYC Board of Education NYCENET, the New York City Education Network, run by the Board of Education, sponsors "Electronic Partners" projects for New York teachers and children to connect with classrooms in other cities, states, and countries for curricular projects. NYCENET offers conferences on many topics, databases, curriculum guides, an encyclopedia and even access to lesson plans for CNN Newsroom programs.   Odyssey (ODSY) (Cable in the Classroom) Offers programming celebrating diversity, awareness and social responsibility. Today's Life Choices airs commercial-free on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. ET. This weekly half-hour series designed to promote discussion on ethics, values and social issues. World Wide Web Site: http://www.OdysseyChannel.com Michelle Racik (212) 964-1663 x 126   Ohio University A three-year distance learning research and development experiment is being conducted by Ohio Bell and Ameritech in partnership with GTE and Ohio University's College of Education. The program links the University and three elementary schools in Ohio's Appalachian region. In addition to improving instruction at the third and fourth grade level, the project will enable the University to train future teachers in the use of this technology. Similar networks are being built in Findlay, Ohio, and Columbiana County. The Findlay network will connect 15 schools; the Columbiana County network will connect five high schools.   Ovation (Cable in the Classroom) Ovation The Arts Network is a full-time network dedicated to the visual and performing arts. OVATION's programming includes jazz, classical music, ballet, modern dance, literature, design, architecture, opera, world and contemporary music, theater, and artist and performer profiles. OVATION gives classrooms a front-row seat, take students behind-the-scenes and around-the-globe to experience the world's culture. Support materials are being developed and will likely include lesson plans, suggested activities and advance program schedules. Materials will be available quarterly. OVATION will have staff available for teacher training. Yo-Yo Ma and the Kalahari Bushmen (60 minutes) premiered 9/96. The celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma traveled to Southwest Africa to compare music with that of the Kalahari Bushmen, one of the oldest indigenous music societies in the world. Type of event: A combined screening targeting junior high or high school music students as well as those students in classes focusing on multiculturalism or anthropology. Suggested audience: Students, parents, teachers. Suggested Speakers: Local musician, and/or African studies or anthropology professor. Co-Sponsors: Local symphony or chamber orchestra, local music store, parent organization. World Wide Web Site: http://www.OVATIONTV.COM Patricia MacEwan 800/OVATION from "A Technical Guide to Teleconferencing and Distance Learning," 3rd edition