February 2002 — Editorial

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Educating the Web Community

By Dr. Sylvia Charp, Editor-in Chief

IInternet usage both in school and at home has increased dramatically. The Web has become an important tool for instruction and administration, as well as a rich source for information and resource sharing. According to the U.S. Census Report issued in September 2001, 51 percent of schools had one or more computers in August 2000, compared to 4.2 percent in December 1998. Nine out of 10 children have access to a computer - four out of five at school and about two out of three at home. Two-thirds of homes with a school-aged child have a computer; 53 percent have Web access. Though com-puters are more available, they are not equally distributed.

A growing concern due to limited IT budgets exists in the present economic situation, which means fewer projects will be undertaken and the availability for educational activities will be curtailed. Many new and exciting applications using the capabilities of the Web are in existence or in stages of development, and are used by the educational community. For example, information on available jobs, social services and health assistance, government projects, and educational opportunities are just a few of the applications. Information on the Web also provides employment opportunities, though fewer jobs are predicted to be available in 2002, and applicants will most likely face tougher competition, especially for entry-level workers. But employers are still using the Web for job placement, and job-seekers can use the Web to find jobs in specific industries.

 

Health and Social Services

Though many sites are devoted to health and social services, users are normally overwhelmed with the amount of information presented. In a recent survey undertaken by The Pew Internet & American Life Project on society's use of the Internet, 93 percent of people who use the Web for health resources and/or to get information on specific medicines want more information on a particular illness or condition. Yet, only 23 percent indicated they were always able to find the facts they needed.

Panasonic, the North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., has developed a Web-based home medical system that is sold to the public in Japan. The Tele-Homecare System consists of a patient terminal, network server software and doctor terminal software linked via the Web. The system allows for more home care and remote monitoring. The patients' vital signs, measured by traditional devices such as thermometers, stethoscopes and blood pressure equipment, are sent through the server to the medical staff. Any unusual vital sign information prompts the network to notify the doctor immediately. In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has developed the Tele-Health Initiative to deliver home-based medical care to veterans via the Web.

 

Finding the Right Information

The availability of Web resources for educators is growing - whether from the federal government, such as the Department of Education; state departments of education; local institutions; or teachers wishing to exchange information. For example, at the state level, the Minnesota Office of Technology's newest Web site (