X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.erl-l
Date:         Tue, 29 Sep 1992 10:07:24 CDT
From:         "(Bob Barger)" <cfrnb@UX1.CTS.EIU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: DIFFUSION NETWORK AND SMARTLINE
Comments: To: ERL-L@VM.TCS.Tulane.EDU
              29, 92 10:14 am

> Does anyone have any information on the National Diffusion Network
> or Smartline.  As I understand it, the National Diffusion Network is
> currrently working, while Smartline will be developed this spring.
> A goal of both networks is to disseminate educational/research
> information electronically.  I don't know much beyond that, but would
> appreciate any information anyone might have regarding these two
> networks.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jane Cox
> Kent State University

Since Ms. Cox did not include an e-mail address, I am unable to send
the requested info directly to her. What appears below the signature
box is a posting I made to this list several months ago of material
that I received from the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, concerning SMARTLINE.
All the best, Bob

|~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^|
|  Robert N. Barger      Dept. of Secondary Education & Foundations  |
|  (217) 581-5931                       Eastern Illinois University  |
|  cfrnb@eiu.edu or cfrnb@ecnuxa.bitnet        Charleston, IL 61920  |
|                                                                    |
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
[The following was received from James Mitchell of USED/OERI
for posting to erl-l. It is about 625 lines long.]

Sources of Materials And Research about Teaching and Learning
for Improving Nationwide Education

(4/92)

[Questions & Answers]

I. OVERVIEW

OERI wishes to provide leadership to help individuals and
communities to get and use information that they need to
improve the academic performance of their students.  OERI
will engage in  a dynamic program of dissemination and
communication of research findings to arouse the awareness of
teachers, administrators and parents, and to get up-to-date
information to them quickly and efficiently.  This program will
involve a variety of technologies, including video and audio
programs, as well as personal interaction.  One of the first
strategies will be an electronically-based system known as
SMARTLINE, a proposed one-stop network for easy access to
numerous sources of educational information.


II.  DEFINITION AND PURPOSE:

A.   What is SMARTLINE?

SMARTLINE (Sources of Materials And Research about
Teaching and Learning for Improving Nationwide Education) is
a computer-based system that provides easy access to
information about improving teaching and learning.  A
fundamental purpose of SMARTLINE is to get up-to-date
information into the hands of teachers, administrators, parents,
and educational decisionmakers to empower them to enhance
student achievement and school improvement.

B.   How can this system address the goals and mission
of OERI?

Under the Higher Education Act of 1986, OERI is charged with
improving the dissemination and application of knowledge
obtained through educational research and data gathering,
particularly to education professionals and policymakers.  In
response to this mandate, OERI plans to develop a
comprehensive dissemination program.  Through SMARTLINE,
OERI will directly support its mission of offering useful and
up-to-date information to the education community.  Users will
be able to query the system on a particular topic, for example,
and receive a synthesis of relevant research findings, examples
of exemplary practices, names of experts, and citations of
pertinent documents from a host of education-related
databases.


III. TARGET AUDIENCE:

A.   Who is the primary audience?

Information about improving teaching and learning is of
interest to a variety of audiences including teachers,
administrators, and other building-level personnel, parents,
community leaders, business and industry representatives,
school board members, members of the health and social
services community, librarians, government officials,
researchers, students, and other members of the general public.
However, in its preliminary stages, SMARTLINE will focus
primarily on providing information to people in schools (i.e.,
teachers and administrators) and people in communities who
are concerned about the education of children (i.e., parents and
community leaders).

B.   What are their needs?

The needs of these audiences are as varied as the communities
in which they exist.  However, in general, teachers need
specific information to make decisions about instructional
strategies; parents and community leaders need specific
information to make decisions about their children and their
schools.  SMARTLINE will be designed to provide teachers,
parents, and communities with information that they want and
need in a useful, practical manner.

C.   What other audiences might be targeted?

As SMARTLINE evolves, other audiences including students,
researchers, and other members of the general public will be
encouraged to use the system.  Recognizing that information
about teaching and learning is of interest to a wide array of
individuals, SMARTLINE will be made available to virtually
any person who wishes to access the system.


IV. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:

A.   What gets included in the information base?

SMARTLINE will include documents from OERI-funded
institutions, government agencies, and others interested in
improving teaching and learning. Information will include but
will not be limited to the following:

~    Current government-funded research including
     statistical data

~    Research and evaluation results with implications for
     teaching and learning
~    Exemplary programs and schools

~    Exemplary instructional materials, including curricular
     frameworks and standards, and courseware

~    Demonstration projects and practical applications of
     innovative ideas from practitioners and community
     members

~    Sources of help

~    New publications from the Department of Education

~    Opportunities for funding, including grant
     announcements and teacher fellowships

B.   Who are the providers/sources of information to be
     included?

Information in text form will be obtained from a variety of
sources, including:

.    ERIC
.    National Diffusion Network
.    Regional Educational Laboratories
.    R&D Centers
.    Education Research Library
.    NCES
.    FEDIX
~    National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
~    SpecialNet
~    AdVocNet

Toll-free information services will be provided by calling one
of
the following:

OERI Education Information Branch 1-800-424-1616
OERI Electronic Bulletin Board    1-800-222-4922
ACCESS ERIC                       1-800-USE-ERIC
ERIC Document Reprod. Services    1-800-443-ERIC
Student Financial Aid             1-800-433-3243

SMARTLINE will eventually serve as a connection or gateway
to other existing on-line databases, networks and resources
focused on education issues. In addition, education information
specialists within OERI's Education Information Branch will
respond to queries of a technical nature.

C.   What makes this system different from other
     networks already in place?

SMARTLINE will be designed to provide easy access to
information about teaching and learning that currently is not
available for teachers, parents, and community leaders.  No
single comprehensive source exists that is designed specifically
to help teachers, parents and community leaders acquire
information to improve their schools and to enhance student
performance.

OERI produces hundreds of products each year, both in-house
and through its funded programs.  The results of research,
statistical and  improvement programs will be synthesized in a
useful format for teachers, parents, and community leaders,
and made available electronically via SMARTLINE.  Products
and information that can best be made available in other
formats, such as through video broadcasts, videotapes, or
audiotapes, will also be distributed as part of OERI's
comprehensive dissemination program.

The purpose of SMARTLINE is to get up-to-date information
through the doors of the schools, into the hands of teachers and
administrators, and into the community for parents and
decisionmakers. The "Smart" aspect of this system in its final
stage will be its ability to provide a concise response that
addresses the question posed by the user. SMARTLINE will also
allow user questions to be answered at
successive levels of detail.  For example, users will have
options that will allow them through their queries to receive a
synthesis of relevant research findings, examples of exemplary
practices, names of experts, and citations of pertinent
documents from a host of education-related databases. It is not
SMARTLINE's intent to duplicate what is already available
through
existing systems, but to link up with them. It will not be
separate from other networks, but will act as a "filter"
directing users, when appropriate, to databases that already
exist, such as those state networks.

D.   What will not be included in the information base?

In its initial stages, SMARTLINE will focus on information
about education.  Thus it will access primarily text information
from the various sources identified above and provide a link to
other on-line resources. Curricular materials such as textbooks
will not be available through the system.  However,
information about how selected textbooks are used could be
included.

E.   When is information entered into the system?

Information will be entered into the system in several ways.
Relatively static information (research reports, lists of
exemplary programs, reference and referral databases) will be
added initially and updated on an annual basis (Digest of
Education Statistics) or quarterly basis (PMIS data).
Relatively dynamic information (funding opportunities, Notices
of Proposed Rulemaking, announcements of new publications)
and other news sources in bulletin board format may be added
and updated as information becomes available.  Interactive
services such as computer conferences will be added and
purged as interest and need determine.


V.   INFORMATION DISSEMINATION:

A.   What technology should be used?  What will a
     SMARTLINE workstation look like?

In its preliminary stages, a SMARTLINE workstation will
include a computer, telephone, modem, and printer.  The
workstation can also be hooked to CD-ROM, videodisc, or
videotape equipment.  Persons without this equipment need
only place a telephone call to the local library or dial an 800
telephone number to pose their questions to one of several
information specialists who will have access to SMARTLINE.
SMARTLINE will feature bulletin boards, electronic mail and
an on-line conferencing component that will help teachers,
administrators, parents, and community leaders to improve
learning and provide a vehicle for sharing ideas about school
improvement activities.

B.   How will the system be developed?

Our initial efforts will involve the following activities:

.    Identify and assemble a collection of existing education
     materials (e.g., ERIC on CD-ROM, NCES materials) and
     reference directories to guide users to appropriate
     information sources

.    Identify and assemble information that is currently
     available and can be placed on-line including existing
     databases and other on-line resources

.    Solicit advice from experts in the field who can
     contribute to the body of knowledge about teaching and
     learning

.    Provide hardware and software, if needed, to establish a
     SMARTLINE work station at selected pilot sites in each
     state

As the system evolves with the development of "smart"
software that will respond to general questions about teaching
and learning, additional activities will include:

.    Identify topics not yet synthesized in existing ERIC
     Digests that are of interest to teachers, administrators,
     parents or communities engaged in school improvement
     activities

.    Synthesize the results of research and statistical studies
     from a variety of sources into a format that is useful to
     teachers, administrators, parents, and community
     leaders

.    Expand the number of sites to include every school
     library and public library

~    Develop new databases and links with other federal
     agencies, higher education institutions, and
     organizations interested in improving teaching and
     learning

C.   How will information be organized?  Will there be
     different levels of access?

Information will be presented in a useful manner and in
language that will be easy to understand whether the user is a
teacher, administrator, parent or community leader.  Upon
entering the system, users will be requested to identify
themselves as a teacher, school administrator, parent or
community leader.  SMARTLINE will then branch accordingly
to the appropriate part of the system that has been specifically
developed for that user.  SMARTLINE will be designed to allow
successive levels of detail, permitting any user to search for
more information as needed.

The potential of the "smart" aspect of the system is being
investigated.  It is expected that a host of resources and
materials will be made available through this single source
should they be wanted or needed.  In addition, parents,
teachers, administrators, and communities engaged in school
improvement practices will be able to pose questions and
receive a synthesis of current research, exemplary practices,
and persons or organizations to help them in their local efforts
to enhance student achievement.

D.   How is information actually entered into the
     system?

Traditionally, OERI has awarded contracts to establish
electronic information resources (e.g., INet) or developed them
in-house (OERI toll-free bulletin board).  In either case,
information is collected and then categorized (e.g., new
products) for entry into an electronic resource.

Much of the information to be included in SMARTLINE will be
entered in the same manner, initially.  However, as the "smart"
aspect of the system evolves, information will be accessed from
a variety of sources including existing networks and databases.
SMARTLINE will serve as a gateway to these other sources,
thereby allowing information collected through other sources to
be made available to SMARTLINE users.

E.   Will visual media be integrated into the system?
     How?

It is likely that visual media can be integrated into
SMARTLINE as the system evolves.  OERI staff have been
meeting with software developers to determine how laser discs
can be tied to the SMARTLINE workstation that will be
available in libraries.  However, SMARTLINE is just one
component of OERI's comprehensive dissemination plan.  Other
aspects of the dissemination strategy will take advantage of
video-driven technologies.


VI.  INTEGRATING SMARTLINE WITH OTHER
NETWORKS:

A.   What will be the relationship between
     SMARTLINE and existing databases?

A guiding principle for SMARTLINE should be connections.
SMARTLINE may be not a single access point, but a multi-
access system--able to be dialed into from any site, as well as
being accessible through workstations in public and school
libraries.  SMARTLINE cannot be a separate network from
other networks, but can contain distributed links and be a
"front-end" with its own components.  It should act as a filter
to other sources.  SMARTLINE might be thought of as an
umbrella term for a user interface to many distributed
databases that already exist, and to those that will be created
in the future.  A list of potential linkages was developed
during
the OERI Dissemination Forum:

.    PSI-NET (People Sharing Information) which links
     Massachusetts supervisors and award-winning teachers
.    ADVOCNET which connects all State departments of
     vocational and adult education as well as interested
     colleges of education
.    NSF's various networks
.    SpecialNet, a network of special educators on GTE
.    NDN bulletin board
.    ERIC database and ERIC Digests On-line
.    INet, OERI's institutional communications and
     information network
.    OERI PC-based toll-free bulletin board

B.   What will be the relationship between
     SMARTLINE and USA On-Line?

In its original context, USA On-Line was designed to provide
the New American Schools with ready access to the best
information, research, instructional materials, and educational
expertise twork.  However, that concept has
been broadened.  USA On-Line will be the U.S. Department of
Education's comprehensive effort to provide educational
information and instruction to individuals in homes, schools,
libraries, and workplaces.  It will consist of several
components, including providing information about education
as well as delivering instruction through distance learning
technologies.  SMARTLINE will be the first stage in the
development of USA On-Line.

In general, USA On-Line will deliver knowledge via a variety of
media, including interactive video and broadcast technologies,
laser discs, CD-ROM and other information retrieval systems.
Toll-free telephone connections will also be made available to
experts in the field.  Through SMARTLINE, USA On-Line will
(1) empower local communities and the general public to
identify and establish strategies to help them improve teaching
and learning, (2) link individuals directly to each other, and
(3)
provide opportunities for users to share resources, experiences,
and information.

C.   What will be the relationship between
     SMARTLINE and NREN?

The National High Performance Computing Act which was
passed in 1991 authorized the establishment of the National
Research and Education Network or NREN, an expansive
computer network designed to link research and educational
institutions, government, K-12, and industry in every state to
each other and to a broad range of research tools and
information resources. The NREN is expected to be completed
over a five-year period or by 1996.

INTERNET, which is considered the interim NREN, is a
collection of over 400 interconnected national, regional, and
institutional networks and is probably serving over one million
users around the world.  INTERNET is funded by the National
Science Foundation.  SMARTLINE will be developed to utilize
INTERNET's existing structure and to operate in the proposed
framework for NREN. OERI in conjunction with the Secretary's
Office is investigating the possibility of becoming a node on
INTERNET, which will allow cost-effective interaction between
Department staff and higher education faculty, including access
to government-produced databases and direct access to
knowledgeable individuals.

D.   What will be the relationship between
     SMARTLINE and INet?

INet, OERI's institutional communications network, is designed
to  facilitate communication, information sharing and
collaborative database building among the major research and
dissemination institutions that OERI supports (primarily
Centers, Laboratories, ERIC, NDN and others).  INet will
support SMARTLINE by providing the means for (1) efficient
collection and dissemination of time-sensitive materials such as
announcements of new products and upcoming events; (2)
preparation and maintenance of databases of information on
current projects, research results, effective programs and
practices, and current statistics and indicators, as well as
syntheses based on their contents; and (3) fast response to
questions and problems.  INet facilitates the use of (1) on-line
searchable databases; (2) file and document transfer; (3)
electronic mail; (4) topical electronic bulletin boards; (5)
teleconferencing for group discussions of important topics or
problems; and (6) on-line questionnaires and information or
document request forms.

These features are consistent with those planned for
SMARTLINE. Several databases and bulletin boards that may
be relevant to or of interest to teachers, administrators,
parents, and community leaders will be developed on INet and
made available for  SMARTLINE users.  In addition, OERI
staff are pursuing the establishment of a node on the Internet
through INet.  Once the node is established, SMARTLINE
users will also be able to connect to more than 400 on-line
organizations and services that are participating on the
Internet.


VII. ACCESSIBILITY:

A.   How will users gain access to the information?

Teachers and administrators must have immediate access to
information where they work and where that information will
be applied-- the school building.  Parents already are
accustomed to seeking information in school and public
libraries.  Our goal will be to make SMARTLINE available in
the nation's 75,000 school libraries and 15,000 public
libraries.

Users who become familiar with SMARTLINE could also access
the on-line services and information centers through their own
computers and telephones at home or in their offices.
Individuals without modems or who reside in isolated areas
will be able to call the closest SMARTLINE site, such as a
school or public library, to request information.

B.   Will any training be required to use the system?

The SMARTLINE interface must be able to accommodate both
sophisticated and inexperienced technology users.  In general,
minimal training will be required to use the system.  On-line
help menus will guide users through the system to the
information that they want.  In addition to the on-line help and
user manuals that will likely be made available, personal
contact via telephone with OERI information specialists will
also be available to SMARTLINE users.  Support materials will
also be provided when other technologies are added to expand
the features of SMARTLINE.

C.   How will SMARTLINE be advertised and what will
     be the perks for using this system?

SMARTLINE must be viewed by its targeted audience as an
important tool that can provide individuals interested in
improving teaching and learning with a wealth of valuable
information.  As a result of presentations by the Assistant
Secretary, many individuals in the field have already expressed
an interest in helping to develop and advertise SMARTLINE
when it becomes available.

People in all roles are continually alert for information that
is
directly relevant to their immediate concerns and they use the
information most readily available.  Education practitioners
prefer succinct, non-technical information and personal
interactions with their peers.  SMARTLINE will provide
information in non-technical terms and will link teachers,
parents, and community leaders with their counterparts across
the country who also are engaged in school improvement
initiatives.

There are perhaps just as many critics as there are supporters
of SMARTLINE.  However, by involving representatives from
the targeted audiences in our initial discussions, we hope to
avoid the barriers to the use of the system.  OERI staff have
developed unsolicited concept papers or have identified
research studies about the use of electronic networks to help us
thoughtfully consider some of the failures of past efforts.  We
will bear these caveats in mind as we forge ahead.


VIII. QUALITY CONTROL:

A.   How will the validity of the information in the
     database be established and maintained?

SMARTLINE will contain both proven studies as well as
activities that have not been validated but may offer some
promise for those audiences engaged in school improvement
efforts.  The following categorization has been proposed:

.    applications of promising practices -- programs or
     practices that are recently underway; studies published
     in research journals or other reputable sources; these are
     distinctively programmatic recommendations that have
     yet to be validated

.    exemplary programs --  programs that demonstrate
     how to implement and sustain education innovations,
     accompanied by evaluations that demonstrate the degree
     to which they accomplish their goals; validated programs
     that determine what elements of a program generate
     success.

B.   How will the quality of the information be
maintained?

Information contained in SMARTLINE databases is likely to
come from many sources and may be of varying quality. It will
be essential that users of the system have confidence in the
accuracy of the information in the system or, at the very least,
understand the limitations of the information.

To ensure the quality of the information, the following steps
will be taken:

a)   a set of standards and a process for ensuring accuracy
     and balance in the preparation of research syntheses for
     use in the system will be developed.

b)   procedures will be developed regarding the kinds of
     certification that should be required in the designation of
     promising practices.

c)   procedures will be established for periodically updating
     information contained in any databases or bulletin
     boards that contain information that is dated or subject
     to change.


IX.  ASSESSMENT AND UPGRADING

A.   How will SMARTLINE be evaluated to determine
     its
     effectiveness?

User feedback will be incorporated into the on-line features of
SMARTLINE to help OERI assess the effectiveness of this
initiative.  The process shall include gathering information
from users on their satisfaction with the services provided and
seeking their suggestions for improvement on an ongoing basis.
In addition, OERI will keep a written record of inquiries about
SMARTLINE and qualitative data collected as a result of
conversations and informal meetings with users in the field.

B.   How will SMARTLINE be expanded to include new
     audiences and to incorporate new sources of
     information?

SMARTLINE will include a process that will monitor the
questions posed by users and the frequency of similar types of
questions.  This will enable OERI to determine whether to
develop new sources of information for popular topics through
SMARTLINE, as well as to determine new thrusts that may be
undertaken in other work that OERI supports. Although the
SMARTLINE gateway program should be capable of accessing
most existing or newly created databases, future databases
should be designed so they are easier to access, easier to
search, and so the information they contain is more closely
aligned with the questions asked by system users.  In short,
they should be compatible with the SMARTLINE system
design and with the information needs of SMARTLINE users.


X.   CONCLUSION

SMARTLINE must be viewed by its targeted audience as an
important tool that can provide individuals interested in
improving teaching and learning with a wealth of valuable
information.  People in all roles are continually alert for
information that is directly relevant to their immediate
concerns and they prefer access to information that is readily
available and easy to use.  As the Department's one-stop
information link to education information, SMARTLINE is
intended to address this need.

For further information about SMARTLINE, contact:

           James Mitchell or Cheryl Garnette
           US Dept. of Education
           Office of Educational Research and Improvement
           555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
           Washington, DC  20208-5644
           Fax (202) 219-2106
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU