NetWatch, October 2002


	October 2002 Copyright © Information Today, Inc.
by Kathie Felix, News/Reviews Editor

News of the latest Net-related products and technology for K-12 may be sent directly to Kathie Felix at 5746 Union Mill Rd., PMB 605, Clifton, VA 20124 or to kfelix@infotoday.com.

Net News

The Digital Disconnect
More than 78 percent of children between the ages of 12 and 17—and three in five children under the age of 18—are online, according to a survey
by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The study found that many schools and teachers are not recognizing and reacting to the new ways
students communicate and access information over the Internet. The participating students reported a substantial disconnect between the way they use the Internet for school and the way they use the Internet during the day and under teacher direction. For the most part, student educational use of the Internet occurs outside of the school day, outside of the school building, and outside the direction of teachers. The report is available online in its entirety. The Pew Internet Project, 202/296-0019 or http://www.pewinternet.org/.

NetDay Tracks Ed Tech Trends
The NetDay Index has been established to track trends in school superintendent thinking about the value and effectiveness of technology in K-12 education. Superintendents who register online will receive a monthly list of questions about the value of technology investments in school districts and the way these relate to educational results and the ESEA re-authorization. The results will be quantified as a "NetDay Index" number to be reported monthly, quarterly, and annually. The results also will be supplemented with an analysis of emerging trends. NetDay, 949/609-4660 or http://www.NetDay.org/.

Net Libraries

Teen Read Week
Teen Read Week, an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), will be celebrated October 13-19, 2002. The YALSA/ALA Web site features a variety of ideas and information related to the event, including ways the week is celebrated (with activities organized by state from 2001), resources, collection development, partners and sponsors, and information on publicizing events. A close look at the Berkeley (California) Public Library's effort to collect and circulate graphic novels for teens appears under the heading "Get Graphic@your library." YALSA/ALA, 800/545-2433 or http://www.ala.org/teenread/.

Wilson Web Expands
More than 1,700 periodicals are now featured in full text on the H.W. Wilson periodicals databases containing more than 5,100 indexed and abstracted entries. The full-text articles are accompanied by .PDF page images of charts, graphs, photos, and illustrations. The search options have also been expanded: Users can link to full text on any library databases that are open-URL compliant. Entries to the periodicals databases are made with the help of the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association's Committee on Wilson Indexes, subscriber vote, and editors who are experts on the covered subjects. More than 500 of the covered full-text periodicals are peer-reviewed. H.W. Wilson, 800/367-6770 or http://www.hwwilson.com/.

Net Teaching

Net Learning

Hotmath
Hotmath.org, a free Web site, offers tutorial explanations for the actual homework problems assigned from leading U.S. math textbooks, covering algebra through calculus. Students can access the site, select their textbook, page number, and problem number and can instantly begin a self-paced tutorial solution that includes hints, Socratic questions, graphs, and explained steps up to and including the final answer. The site offers solutions only to the odd-numbered problems for most textbooks, to avoid possible consideration as a "cheat" site. In addition, the interactive solutions are designed to be too long and explanatory to copy down and turn in as homework. The solutions have been created by more than 75 math teachers, math professors, and mathematicians for more than 30 textbooks. Hotmath has been approved by the State of California Learning Resource Network. Hotmath, 510/524-5525 or http://www.hotmath.org/.

Online AP Biology Course
Apex Learning and the University of California College Prep Initiative (UCCP) have formed a partnership to offer an online Advanced Placement (AP) Biology course to high school students nationwide. The two-semester course was originally developed by UCCP and Science Media to provide online courses to high school students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to achieve eligibility or competitive eligibility for admission to the University of California and other top universities. The cost is $950 per student. Some states and districts may fund online courses; funding information is available online. Apex Learning, 800/453-1454 or
http://www.apexlearning.com/.

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