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Vol. 10 No. 5 — October 2003

NETNEWS

Downloading, File Sharing, and Copyright

According to a recent Pew Internet Project study, 67 percent of Internet users who download music and 65 percent of users who share files say they don't care about copyright. Students and young adults are among the most likely to download music and share files; they're also the least likely to say they care about the copyright status of those files. The study also found that 65 percent of Internet users who share files online do not care whether the files they share are copyrighted or not. The number of downloaders who say they don't care about copyright has increased since 2000, when 61 percent said they didn't care about the copyright status. The full report is available online in PDF format; thefree Adobe Acrobat Reader also is available online. Pew Internet & American Life Project, 202/296-0019 or http://www.pewinternet.org/.

Net Libraries

Current Biography Online

Current Biography Illustrated includes more than 25,000 biographical articles, images, and bibliographies—all of the entries from the Current Biography print monthly. The biography profiles average 2,500 words and provide information such as full name, preferred name, or pseudonym; birth date, business or home address; field or profession; an account of the subject's life and career; the subject's own views, attitudes, and opinions; observations of journalists, colleagues, and associates; and references to additional information sources. Available on WilsonWeb, the database is updated monthly. Approximately 450 new profiles are added each year. Trial subscriptions are available online. H.W. Wilson, 800/367-6770 or http://www.hwwilson.com/.

Science Online

The complete contents of 13 new Facts On File print titles, including biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias, have been added to the Science Online database. The updated database now includes more than 28,500 definitions of scientific terms and principles; 3,000 printable diagrams covering the core areas of science; 1,900 biographies of key scientists; 2,000 essays on current issues in science, technology, and society; and more than 5,600 timeline entries, searchable by year or topic. New features include improved Advanced Search options with updated and expanded subject area offerings, Web links, and help files. The database is organized by National Science Education Content Standards and Benchmarks for grades 6-12. Facts On File, 800/322-8755 or http://www.factsonfile.com/.

NetTeaching

EasyTech Update

EasyTech, an online instructional system that helps K-8 educators teach technology skills within the context of core curriculum subject areas, has been updated with an improved management system and new online curriculum. The new management features include additional teacher planning tools and reporting capabilities to help manage classes, assign lessons, and assess student performance. The new curriculum includes material in the content areas of visual mapping, databases, graphics, desktop publishing, presentation software, typing, and Web browsing. The curriculum is built around the subject areas of language arts, math, science, and social studies. Learning.com, 800/580-4640 or http://www.learning.com/.

New SAS inSchool Curriculum

SAS inSchool has launched new curriculum in English Literature, Modern European History, and Physical Science. English Literature InterActivities covers topics such as Old English, Middle English, the Renaissance, Shakespeare, the 17th and 18th Century, Romanticism, the Victorian Era, the 20th Century, and Post-Colonialism. Physical Science has been expanded to include new Web activities and lesson plans for the areas of Changes in Matter, Electricity & Magnetism, Energy, Forces, Motion, Properties of Matter, Solutions, and Waves. Modern European History includesRenaissance and the Reformation, Exploration and Colonization, Absolute Monarchs, Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, and 19th Century Movements. All are linked to state and national standards through Curriculum Pathways, a teacher planning tool. SAS inSchool, 888/760-2515 or http://www.SASinSchool.com/.

NetLearning

ASIMO, Robot

ASIMO, described as "the world's most advanced bipedal humanoid robot," is on a multi-city North American educational tour that features a corresponding Web site.The tour was developed to encourage young people to study sciences such as robotics, math, and physics. The Web site tracks ASIMO's public appearances and provides information about ASIMO, teaching resources, related links, and an essay contest that will award the winning school with a 1-day private visit with the robot. The contest entry form and rules are available online. The entry deadline is December 31, 2003. ASIMO, the result of more than 17 years of research by Honda Motor Co., can walk up and down stairs, dance, and perform complex human-type movements. Honda Motor Co., http://www.asimo.honda.com/.

The Schooner Sultana: The Schoolship of the Chesapeake

Sultana Projects, a nonprofit educational organization based in Chestertown, Maryland, provides hands-on educational experiences in Colonial history and environmental science for students in grades 2 through adult. The principal classroom is a sailing ship—a full-scale reproduction of the 1768 Colonial schooner Sultana. A companion Web site provides teaching aids, including a ship tour, curriculum on Colonial history and Chesapeake Bay ecology, reproducible classroom materials, and information on teacher seminars, dockside programs, and 1-day and live-aboard programs. The ship sails the Chesapeake Bay from April through November each year. Sultana Projects, 410/778-5954 or http://www.schoonersultana.com/.

NET Contests

Macromedia 2003 Student Contest

The Macromedia 2003 Student Contest offers students the opportunity to create digital experiences that challenge, provoke, educate, and entertain. The contest features three categories—Build Stuff, Create, and Not Normal. Each category will be recognized with a People's Choice Award and a Macromedia Expert Award. Students compete against their peers and vote for their favorite entries. Winners are given software, grants, prizes, or free training, as well as the opportunity to be showcased by Macromedia. The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2003. Complete program information can be found online at http://www.macromedia.com/go/studentcontest/. Macromedia, http://www.macromedia.com/education/.