From: emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti)
Newsgroups: alt.education.distance,alt.uu.future
Subject: forwarded message from Bob_Frankston@frankston.com
Date: 30 Aug 1992 22:46:19 -0400
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Relayed via RISKS and INFO-NETS.

[ Article crossposted from info.nets ]
[ Author was Garrett.Wollman@UVM.EDU ]
[ Posted on 28 Aug 92 06:27:46 GMT ]

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From: Bob_Frankston@frankston.com
Subject: Geography in 1992? Internet Course
Date: Wed 26 Aug 1992 17:38 -0400

In fact, this is an appropriate subject for a geography course.  But I still 
find the placement in that department as an interesting development.

From:   abw@bucrsb.bu.edu @ uucp
Date:   08-26-92 14:56:10 EDT (08-26-92 15:16:29 EDT) 
Subject:        Internet courses

   Is there any place around here where an actual COURSE on the Internet is
   taught?  At MIT, or any of the other schools, or anywhere?

Boston University is offering the following this Fall.  ---Al

>From sam@bu-it.bu.edu Mon Apr  1 05:05:46 1992
Subject: New Geography course offered this fall.

             COMPUTER NETWORKS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS
                IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (GG 792)

Prof. Sheldon Annis                      Fall 1992
Geography Department                     Thursday, 3:30-6:30
467 Stone Science Bldg,                  Classroom: TBA
3-5742 (tel); annis@bucrsb (email)

Computer networks, such as the Internet, are beginning to penetrate Eastern
Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, Asia, and Latin
America.  As a result, students at BU have access to vast new information
resources and can now communicate electronically with researchers around the
world.  This course explores the implications of this new connectivity and
teaches students to use these powerful new research tools.

Substantively, the course examines how new information and network technology
is affecting people in developing countries.  The evolution of networks, their
political and economic consequences, and issues in informatics policy will be
discussed.  Case material will be drawn from Central America, the Philippines,
and Africa.  Special attention will be paid to World Bank lending in developing
countries.  Computer networks, GIS, and satellite communication technology
(e.g., VitaSat and SatelLife) will be explored.

Students will learn to use networks based on Internet, BITNET, UUCP, and
Fidonet technology.  (Fidonet is especially important in Africa.)  Students can
expect to access a wide variety of overseas networks, and should be able to
contact researchers in most countries.  They will learn basic skills such as
the exchange of e-mail, conferencing, and FTP (electronic transfer of
documents), as well more advanced skills such as remote searching of library
catalogs, use of electronic data bases, access to electronic journals, use of
newsgroups, and interactive ("real-time") conversation over the Internet.  They
will also be introduced to a highly advanced generation of new software --
sometimes called "knowledge robots", or "knowbots" -- which can search for
information _across and through_ vast, decentralized networks (also called
Wide-Area Information Servers).

_Prerequisites and limitations_: This course is intended for graduate students
with well-developed research interest in developing countries _or_ students
with strong technical backgrounds who want to explore the applications of
network technology.  Some knowledge of computers is assumed, though not
necessarily of networks.  Limited to 15 students.

_Texts_: _Zen and the Art of the Internet_ by Brendan P. Kehoe, and readings on
developing countries.

Note:  this course is not yet listed in the current _Schedule of
Classes_, but it _is_ being offered.
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