Environmental Studies


"Envirolink Network"
 http://www.envirolink.org/
"EnviroLink"--a non-profit organization and online community that links hundreds of organizations and volunteers around the world with people in over 130 countries--has redesigned its site. The new look strives to convey an organic, tactile "hands-on-the-earth" kind of feel (the icons at the site are based on ancient artwork from indigenous cultures). The site welcomes visitors to the "CyberLithic Era"--the dawning of a new age of environmental information on the Net. Even if you don't feel the dawning of a new era, you'll find an impressive array of well-organized information at this site: in the re-organized Library database, subjects are grouped under the main areas of earth elements (earth, air, fire and water) and living creatures (flora and fauna), and the "EnviroLink News Service" features daily updates on environmental news stories, with links to all major news services on the Internet. Also available at the site is "EnviroArts," an online gallery for earth-conscious art in all its forms, featuring separate gallery areas to showcase "Visual Arts," "Audio Arts," "Performance Art" and "The Written Word." (Vol. 1 No. 11, March '97)

"Global Resources"
http://www.ucsusa.org/ucs.globalresources.html
The "Global Resources Program" of the UCS (Union of Concerned Scientists) was an outgrowth of the scientific community's over damage to the earth's natural systems. The website provides information on four issues: "Biodiversity," "Climate change," "Ozone depletion," and "Population growth." A team of UCS staff monitors the media coverage and policy developments in these issues and "broadcasts" electronic alerts. Making effective use of the Web's possibilities, UCS tries to link citizens and scientists, who are invited to participate in UCS's Sound Science Initiative (SSI) network. (Vol. 1 No. 10, February '97)

"The Greenhouse Effect"
http://www.crl.com/~boeschen
John Boeschen's presentation of the causes and possible future consequences of global warming has recently migrated from CD-ROM to the Web. The result is a relatively low-tech, easy-to-understand presentation of the "greenhouse effect" that will be appealing for classroom-use, as well as for adults who don't happen to be experts on the subject. The limited and effective use of images makes this a site that needn't scare away users with slower modems worried about fancy sites designed by T-1 toting web-designers. (Vol. 1 No. 4, July/August '96)

"International Rivers Network"
http://www.irn.org/
The website of the "International Rivers Network" (IRN) is designed as a resource for people sharing IRN's concern for preserving and restoring the world's rivers and riverine communities. The site provides an overview of the organization and its work, as well as of the available resources. The 'RiverLink' section featured at the site is an excellent environmental directory for rivers. Among the "Current Campaigns and Programs" are the Bakun Dam in Malaysia and the dam construction at Biobio (flowing from the Cordillera of the Andes to the Pacific Ocean). Both of these projects have been opposed by environmental and indigenous rights groups. IRN's site features reports and background information on the environmental impact of these and other projects; also available is information on financial institutions that play a role in the promotion of (inappropriate) river development projects. (Vol. 1 No. 5, September '96)


ESL


"Exchange"
 http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/exchange/
This site, the creation of students and faculty at the University of Illinois, is intended to provide non-native English speakers a place on the Web where they can use English to communicate about experiences and the history of their own native cultures. The idea is that such an exchange will further broaden the participants knowledge of English and the confidence with which they use it. Unfortunately, the site has many links that go nowhere and articles that confusingly refer to past events as upcoming. The site's promising objective appears poorly served by this ghostly condition. One problem may be that for a site intended to attract the participation of non-English speakers it fails to use the visual possibilities of the Web effectively. (Vol. 1 No. 2, May '96)


Ethnic Studies


"Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies"
 http://www.libertynet.org/~balch
Founded in 1971 with trusts established by the Balch family, "The Balch Institute" is dedicated to collecting and interpreting materials drawn from America's ethnic, racial, and immigrant experiences. Its website provides access to museum exhibitions, library and archives resources, and educational programs, such as "Diversity Awareness Workshops." Among the current exhibitions is "Discovering America: The Peopling of Pennsylvania," which traces the diversity of the ethnic groups who have populated Pennsylvania. It's a site that makes a lot of sense on the Web: the institute's multicultural approach and the emphasis on diversity reflect intrinsic values of the Web itself. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

General


"Blacksburg Electronic Village"
 http://www.bev.net
Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV) was founded five years ago by Virginia Polytechnic University and Bell Atlantic Corp. and turned Blacksburg, Virginia into "the most wired town in America." In addition to the services commonly offered by digital cities--such as library, arts and entertainment section and news on community events--BEV also provides access to the "Health Care Center" (medical database, health services, support groups), the "Village Mall" and a special section for BEV seniors. The "Education Center" provides useful information for both educators and students, featuring Internet resources for teachers, online teaching tools, student projects on the Web, as well as a section on K-12 networking. (Vol. 1 No. 11, March '97)

"Daily Report Card News Service"
http://www.utopia.com/mailings/reportcard/
This site is maintained by the National Education Goals Panel. It includes news items updated thrice weekly (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and relating to K12 education. It is produced by the American Political Network with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. As one might suspect, this website is connected to a LISTSERV: a visitor to this site may request to receive the news items by e-mail. The site seeks to "cover the coverage," and they appear to do so in a very inclusive way that exhibits how K12 education is anything but a dull subject. (Vol. 1 No. 7, November '96)

"The Diary Project"
http://www.well.com/user/diary/
"The Diary Project"--based in Marin County and sponsored by The Well--combines the intimacy of the diary with the anonymity of the Web to capture the thoughts and feelings of kids growing up at the turn of the 21st century. The entries gathered here are recorded thoughts in journal form, and visitors may browse them by subject. The topics range from "Family," "Friends" and "School" to "Violence", "Drugs" and the question "Who am I?" This online diary is a space for learning about kids daily concerns and for starting discussions of the topics covered. Depending on what their expectations are, some visitors may find it mesmerizing, others disappointing. (Vol. 1 No. 7, November '96)

"EduNet"
http://www.apec.org/
The mission of "EduNet"--the Education Network of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation)--is to create an interactive network of scholars, students, scientists, business leaders, and policy makers that encourages collaboration regarding scientific policy issues and resource management in the Asia-Pacific rim countries. The network links APEC's 18 member nations and is designed to stimulate and facilitate the creation of a Trans-Pacific Internet University. The site is worth a visit for anyone interested in this rapidly developing region: visitors to the "Virtual Campus" may join e-mail conferences on topics related to the Asia-Pacific region or browse the library's "APEC News Clipping Service," which contains more than 5,000 full-text articles from the region's press. (Vol. 1 No. 10, February '97)

"EdWeb"
http://edweb.cnidr.org:90/
For any parent or educator wanting to learn more about using the Internet, Andy Carvin, a new media policy specialist at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, has provided a tremendous resource with this excellently designed site. The layout is designed to satisfy the needs of a particular set of users, and the visitor is never overwhelmed with too much information nor left without a range of attractive possibilities as to where his or her interests might lead. Notably, Edweb also offers a tutorial on HTML, and even allows someone taking the tutorial to actually construct pages and see the results online.(Vol. 1 No. 2, May '96)

"E/Street"
http://raven.ubalt.edu/ES
E/Street, a project of the School of Communications Design at the University of Baltimore, tries to connect the virtual and the real by creating a social information space--a "virtual community" representing the social and economic life of Baltimore, Maryland. You may "tour on foot" and take a look at photos of blocks and buildings, or visit buildings and people, the "Theater Project" or the University of Baltimore. A map of E/Street shows all the buildings and indicates one building for each of the categories about which information is provided, among them government, education, culture, and history. Although the site is still under intensive development and a lot of features and links are not yet implemented, E/Street looks like a promising project.(Vol. 1 No. 5, Sept. '96)

"Futureplace"
http://www.itp.tsoa.nyu.edu/~alumni/dlasday/xx/intro.chall.html
Futureplace, created by NYU Telecommunications student David Lasday, is an impressive site that has evolved out of projects undertaken by fifth and sixth grade students at three New York public schools. They were asked to imagine the future--in words and in art--and then to elaborate on their visions of the future in order to create attractions at Futureplace, a new international chain of themeparks. New visitors to the site are encouraged on every page to contribute their own projects. The pages make effective use of the students drawings and pictures of toy robots.(Vol. 1 No. 2, May '96)

"Global Schoolhouse"
http://www.gsh.org/
Global SchoolNet's Global Schoolhouse is a virtual meeting place for teachers and students. The site provides information structured according to categories ranging from the individual to the global: teacher, classroom, community.The 'Teacher Teacher' and 'Teacher Classroom' sections focus, respectively, on exemplary teaching strategies and resources to improve the learning environment, while 'Classroom Classroom' allows kids around the world to collaborate via e-mail, the Web, and desktop video conferencing. The Global Schoolhouse is sponsored by Microsoft Corporation and the products and tools featured here are by--good guess--Microsoft. Microsoft and MCI are also hosting home pages for schools, free of charge.(Vol. 1 No. 2, May '96)

"Global SchoolNet"
http://www.gsn.org/
As a non-profit corporation that has been in the business of advancing instructional applications of telecommunications since 1985, Global SchoolNet Foundation has gained among the K12 community the reputation of being an honest broker for educators and corporate sponsors alike--at least in the United States. It strives to serve a diverse constituency with a wide range of levels of access to the Web, e-mail, and other forms of telecommunications. The site offers a free registry of curriculum projects on the Net--an excellent source for getting a sense of what's actually going on in classrooms. (Vol. 1 No. 3, June '96)

"The Jason Project"
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/scripts/JASON.html
This website was inspired by the outpouring of mail Dr. Robert D. Ballard received in 1989 when he discovered the wreck of the RMS Titanic. The idea was to allow students to share the desire for learning that animates scientists and engineers. Described as a global field trip, the site is intended for young people in grades 4 through 8. The enthusiasm and attention to detail evident in the messages students post in the Student Discussion Groups are an indicator of the success this site enjoys. (Vol. 1 No. 3, June '96)

"Middle of Nowhere Web"
http://www.virtualschool.edu/mon/index.html
You might expect to get lost in the middle of nowhere, but in this case you'll find a lot: this site features more than 150 mb of data--for students of all ages--ranging from distance learning and university course material to tutorials on writing for the Web. The user-friendly design of the searchable site makes it easy to navigate the massive amount of data. The site was created by Brad Cox for George Mason University (GMU), Virtual School, Program on Social and Organizational Learning (PSOL), and the Coalition for Electronic Markets (CEM). Among the major areas featured here are "courses," "picture archive," and the "warehouse," storing information on dozens of topics, including Academia, Economics, News, K12, and Software Engineering. (Vol. 1 No. 8, December '96)

"The World Lecture Hall"
http://www.utexas.edu/world/lecture/
see article Vol. 1 No. 1, April '96


Geology


"Earthquake Information"
http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/
Run by the United States Geologic Survey, Geologic Division, this first-rate site provides up-to-the-minute information on earthquakes. For calmer moments, it also features articles on the science investigating what causes earthquakes and how they can be detected. Without any cutesy, patronizing attempt to make science edutaining, this site is both dispassionate and passionate about its subject.(Vol. 1 No. 5, Sept. '96)


History


"History Computerization Project"
 http://www.history.la.ca.us/history
The Regional History Center of the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles City Historical Society are building a history information network for the exchange of information between historians, libraries, archives, museums and historical societies. The project employs the History Database program, running on IBM PC compatible computers. The History Computerization Project data will be posted on the Internet, so that those who use the History Database program for their own cataloging or individual research will be able to exchange records with the master database. A free, printed History Database Tutorial can be requested online. (Vol. 1 No. 3, June '96)

"Center for History and New Media"
http://www.gmu.edu/chnm
The "Center For History and New Media" was established in the fall of 1994 as a collaboration between George Mason University, the American Social History Project, and the Center for Media and Learning at the City University of New York. Among the works created by the center is the CD-ROM "Who Built America?," published by The Voyager Company. The center's website is a useful resource for everybody interested in the relationship between history and new media--the ways in which new technologies challenge us to rethink the research, writing, and teaching of history. Visitors to the site will find information on CD-ROMs, websites, and software, as well as essays on history and new media, and online syllabi and courses. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

"National Security Archive"
http://www.seas.gwu.edu/nsarchive/
"The National Security Archive," located in Washington DC, has grown since its inception in 1985 to its current position as the world's largest non-governmental library of declassified documents. It is an unparalleled resource for scholars and anyone interested in the incredible amount of history that can be interpreted from original type documents marked by handwritten notes. The site provides easy access to a number of highlights of the collection, a searchable database, and its most sought-after artefacts: the photographs and documents surrounding the meeting of Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley. (Vol. 1 No. 7, November '96)

"Regarding Vietnam: Stories Since the War"
http://www.pbs.org/pov/stories/
"I want to create spaces for people to think without telling them what to think," Maya Lin, the artist who conceived the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, once said. This site was inspired by her work and developed in conjunction with the PBS broadcast of the Academy Award-winning film about her life. Produced by P.O.V. Interactive in association with PBS Online, the site is intended as a forum for dialogues about the Vietnam War's legacy. The stories posted here have all been hyperlinked, and visitors can contribute to them. "Stories since the War" thus effectively creates a space for dialogue and controversy, and the stories are evolving into an open-ended narrative. (Vol. 1 No. 9, January '97)


Humanities


"The Stanford Electronic Humanities Review"
 http://shr.stanford.edu/shreview/index.html
"The Stanford Humanities Review" has been providing an interesting forum for everybody involved in the diverse field of the humanities for some time. The SHR is now trying to increase and enrich the dialogue by making that forum electronically accessible. Several issues are up on the virtual shelf, among them "Constructions of the Mind: Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities," a stimulating inquiry into the possibility of using computational models to gain a better understanding of the mind and humanity at large. The articles in this particular issue deal with artificial intelligence as art or philosophical project, as well as topics such as "The man-machine and artificial intelligence" and "AI and the Structure of Knowledge." (Vol. 1 No. 9, January '97)


Information for Educators


"ARNOLD"
 http://arnold.snybuf.edu/
The Academic Resource Network On-Line Database AKA ARNOLD is a useful service for faculty, administrators and staff in higher education. ARNOLD is designed to assist individuals in finding academic partners for collaboration in instructional and research projects, or in locating partners with similar credentials for a temporary exchange of employment sites. (Responsibility for finalizing arrangements--exchange, collaboration or employment--are between the two parties involved.) ARNOLD is a program of the Academic Resource Network in collaboration with Buffalo State College and the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. The program also offers assistance in identifying employment opportunities. Until January 1, 1997, there's no user fee for ARNOLD, so take advantage of this freebie. (Vol. 1 No. 7, November '96)

"EPICenter"
http://www.epicent.com
The Education Process Improvement Center supplies schools with methodologies to improve both their curriculum development processes and their administrative functions. The site provides information on the "Curriculum Improvement Model" and the "Management Improvement Model" as well as information on educational software and on the latest research in the effective use of technology for education. (Vol. 1 No. 3, June '96)

"Florida A&M University College of Education"
http://www.famu.edu/ced/index.htm
At its website, the college lists two reasons for existing: "(1) it assumes leadership responsibility for the selection, guidance, and professional preparation of students who will teach in the elementary and secondary schools of Florida and the nation; and (2) it provides an adequate foundation for advanced study for students to continue their education preparation." This is a new site that does a great job of expressing enthusiasm and pride in the school's mission and its accomplishments. It's a great change from institutional sites that frequently seem to downplay the importance of people. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

"H-NET Humanities Online"
http://h-net2.msu.edu/
This is an outstanding resource for scholars to communicate with peers in subject-oriented discussions by way of e-mail. Discussion groups--or "lists"--are monitored to keep up the quality and filter out flames. Many of the lists featured at the site are connected with sponsoring professional groups. H-Net is international, with participants from over seventy nations. This is an easy way for people with little technical knowledge beyond how to use e-mail and a web browser to get started with the Internet; they can quickly turn their computer into a gateway to a breadth of scholarly discussions comparable to the range Dante imagined being available to Virgil. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

"InSITE"
http://teach.virginia.edu/insite
This site maintained by the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) is dedicated to exploring ways in which the Internet can benefit teacher education programs around the world. It provides access to a comprehensive list of sites for teacher educators, technology coordinators, and other educational professionals. It also features links to professional organizations as well as to electronic journals and publications for teacher educators. (Vol. 1 No. 3, June '96)

"NASSP--National Assoc. of Secondary School Principals"
http://www.nassp.org
The website of NASSP is designed to provide information for all leaders in middle level and high school education. It's a very useful resource for everybody involved in this level of education, offering a well-organized directory of various services--ranging from assistant principal and career services, and convention, meeting and travel services, to editorial and legal services and corporate and international partnerships. The Department of Student Activities (DSA) of the NASSP sponsors a variety of programs for students and advisers in secondary schools nationwide. The website is a very good place to go for orientation about existing programs and contact information. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

"National Center for Education Statistics"
http://www.ed.gov/NCES/
Statistics remain a recurrent source of knowledge about which way to go. Where to go for statistics regarding education in the US is this site, run by the US Department of Education. The design of this site is friendly to people who need quick information: the site includes a section labeled "Education at a Glance," which provides statistical snapshots of education in the U.S. according to a number of influential factors. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

"National Library of Education"
http://www.ed.gov/
This site is the U.S. Education Department's official site for providing educational resources addressing the K12 age group. Forget whatever you might expect in the way of government inefficiency, this site has justly gained high points for being well-organized and inclusive. One of the site's most attractive features is a clickable U.S. map, allowing visitors to find educational resources in their own location. (Vol. 1 No. 3, June '96)

"National Middle School Association"
http://www.nmsa.org/
A high level of talented thinking about design has gone into this association's website. The association's accomplishments listed at the site include becoming an "umbrella organization" intended for "all professionals and person interested in the developmental and educational needs of young adolescents." The site is a good source of information about the association, its activities and history. (Vol. 1 No. 6, October '96)

"Web Sites and Resources for Teachers"
http://www.csun.edu/~vceed009/
This is a great example of what just two people dedicated to offering something of value on the Web can do. Two professors of elementary education at California State University, Northridge, Dr. Vicki F. Sharp and Dr. Richard M. Sharp, have pooled together their knowledge of resources on the Web that may be of value to K12 educators and for kids. One resource that is available here is a database serachable by subject of lesson plans; a teacher looking for a way to structure a class on creative writing, for example, can find the outline of such a structure by visiting this site. (Vol. 1 No. 4, July/August '96)


Information Technology


"AgentNews"
http://www.cs.umbc.edu/agents/agentnews/
If you want to find out more about the (secret) life of intelligent agents, search no more. "AgentNews" is an electronic newsletter published at the UMBC Lab for Advanced Information Technology and edited by Tim Finin. The webletter provides information about the development of Internet and related agent technologies, the newest agents on the Web and agent events. (Vol. 1 No. 11, March '97)


"CITI"
http://www.ctr.columbia.edu/citi/
Founded in 1983, The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) is an independent university-based research center focusing on strategy, management, and policy issues in telecommunications, computing, and electronic mass media. At its site, CITI provides access to "The Virtual Institute of Information" featuring a Press Room, communication news, a searchable database of papers as well as discussion forums and a job board. CITI considers research collaboration among academic, corporate, and public sectors as vital to analyzing the complex problems associated with managing communications systems, and their site is a good place to start networking. (Vol. 1 No. 8, December '96)

"First Monday"
http://www.firstmonday.dk/
The medium quite literally is the message here: "First Monday" is a peer-reviewed online journal about the Internet, publishing original articles about the Global Information Infrastructure. "First Monday" is worth a bookmark for everybody interested in general issues surrounding the Net. The journal appears in three formats: as an electronic mail posting from the "First Monday" Listserver, at their website--where you'll find all the back issues plus additional files and text--and as an annual CD-ROM containing all articles published in a given year. If you want to use "First Monday" online you must key in a user name, your e-mail address, and choose a keyword. (Vol. 1 No. 8, December '96)