Instruction-related uses of electronic mail, presentation graphics, and the World Wide Web are being widely adopted and adapted by faculty members. Casey Green's recently released survey data suggest that about one-third of all faculty had already begun to use these applications in conjunction with their teaching last year. I believe that faculty and student use of Email is adding a new dimension to academic communication and is the basis for a pedagogical shift of great significance. When students and faculty spend more time exchanging text messages about academic work, education is very likely to improve in accessibility, quality, and quantity. In the web browser war, product life cycles are being cut down to a few months.
New companies emerge quickly and either begin to flourish or die in a year or two.
Older companies can undergo major trauma and major restructuring in a few years. Educational institutions considered as part of a worldwide system have evolved over centuries. Fundamental change in institutional structure happens glacially. When so many other aspects of our lives seem subject to almost whimsical change, the underlying structural conservatism of schools, colleges, and universities may be an important cultural asset. Perhaps five or ten years ago, most faculty members were rightfully confident that within a few days or weeks they could assemble all relevant materials for updating an old course or building a new one.