Doing relevant, funded mass media research

Motivations for conducting relevant communication research are discussed and examples provided of advantages and pitfalls of seeking funding from government and media institutions.     

Re-engineering the curriculum for the 21st century

Engineering lies at the interface between science on the one hand and society on the other. It is concerned with the systematic application of scientific and mathematical principles towards practical ends for the benefit of people. Traditionally the emphasis in engineering education has been on the scientific side, with students given a thorough grounding in the basic scientific and mathematical principles underpinning their discipline. However, the constraints on engineering problem-solving today are increasingly not technical, but rather lie on the societal and human side of engineering practice. These changes require new approaches within the curriculum and by promoting active learning and encouraging students to experiment and be more creative, eLearning is one of an important number of strategies for achieving the paradigm shift that is required.     

Professional Development at Distance as an Information‐technology Enterprise

This paper considers the issues involved in the delivery of professional development to teachers across Australia using information technology. A DEET‐funded pilot project to provide professional development in statistics education using satellite television is the basis for the discussion. Aspects of the project include the procedures followed in setting up and implementing the programme, the difficulties encountered, the evaluation of the various participants and products, the future plans arising from the project, and the possible transfer of lessons learned to other subject areas.     

International programs of the National Library of Medicine

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has a broad mission in biomedical information service. There are three major reasons for NLM, as a national institution, having an international program: first, the global nature of disease; second, the international scope of medical literature; and third, the universal goal of better communication. This paper reviews NLM's programs in relation to international medical information exchange: International MEDLARS Centers, collaboration with WHO and PAHO, NLM Special Foreign Currency Program, and development of the NLM collection.