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OCR for page 5
Imagineasuc- tions has been the Internet, a “network of
networks” now used by over 20 million
“Don’t buy a computer [for a
cession of images people around the world. The Internet was
school] unless you plan to originally designed in the 1960s as a com-
of the Earth from space puter network that would remain function-
connect it to a network.
ing even if parts of the network were des-
showing the communi- It allows for access to troyed in a nuclear war. But the creators
cation links between com- intraschool and interschool of the technology quickly realized that it
puters. In an image from the 1950s had a far more immediate use. It enabled
communications, it opens
or 1960s, there would be only a few lines, them to exchange written information
up informational data bases
generally between computers at large quickly, easily, and among as many people
and services, and it allows
military and commercial institutions. as desired, fostering extended dialogues
In images from the 1970s and 1980s, the on any topic.
for a more efficient method
lines would be multiplying rapidly, as By the mid-1970s, the use of the
of classroom management.”
computers in universities and many busi- Internet had spread far beyond the pro-
—JESSE RODRIGUEZ , TUCSON
nesses gained the ability to communicate grammers and military planners who had
UNIFIED SCHOOLS
with other each. originated it. University faculty, industrial
Now imagine an image from the 1990s. researchers, and pioneering college stu-
The number of lines would be exploding dents found in the Internet a way to tap
as a tightly woven net of information begins into computing power not available to
to link businesses, governments, homes, them locally—and not incidentally a way to
libraries, museums, and colleges. Further- exchange news and personal messages on
more, the links would no longer be limited topics of mutual interest.
to landlines, as computers begin commun- In the mid-1980s the growth of the
icating among themselves and with satel- Internet began to take off. More and more
lites by radio waves. undergraduates got accounts through their
But there is something wrong with colleges and universities. Computer cen-
this picture. At present relatively few ele- ters in an increasing number of countries
mentary and secondary school classrooms established Internet links. Networks estab-
are linked to the rapidly growing grid of lished for other purposes connected them-
information. In their isolation, these selves to the Internet. Today, the use of the
classrooms risk missing out on a develop- Internet is growing at an incredible 10 to
Aborigines in Australia use a
ment that is rapidly changing the way we 20 percent per month—in effect, doubling
portable computer to access a
live, work, and play. the size of the system each year.
college-level course. The global
The most impor- The most striking impact of computer
network of digitally linked com-
tant driving force networks has been among the least expect-
puters known as the Internet
behind expansion ed: their ability to create extended elec-
THE
now reaches from the Antarctic
of computer tronic communities. By connecting to
to the republics of the former
communica- computer networks, people gain an entire-
Soviet Union to regions that have
NETWORK ly new way to share ideas and information
only recently begun
6
with others. On the Internet, on stand-
to modernize.
REVOLUTION alone electronic bulletin board systems,
and on commercial networks like
CompuServe, Prodigy, and America
The growth of Internet
Online, people who would not otherwise
connections between
1989 and 1993 reveals
the expanding dimen-
sions of the system.
“Our vision of the 1990s is
not specific examples in
one or two schools or in
one or two districts. It is to
have the same capabilities
available everywhere—in
business, at home, and in
the schools as well.”
—ELLWOOD KERKESLAGER , AT&T
NOV 1986
AUG 1981 OCT 1984 FEB 1986
MAY 1982 AUG 1983 OCT 1985
OCR for page 6
A
have occasion to interact are coming in the emerging world of digital com- national and interna-
JUN 1994
together to discuss subjects of common munications, often through strategic
tional digital net-
interest. Social conven- alliances that bring
work called the
tions are still being together groups with dif-
developed to govern com- “An on-line society is emerg- fering expertise. Internet currently
30,000,000
ing. We have automated
munications in a medium So far, relatively few
ties together mil-
where control is held col- of these initiatives have
teller machines, computer-
lions of people
lectively rather than by a involved the nation’s
integrated manufacturing,
small group. But even schools. But policymak- electronically
computerized reservation
today’s limited experience ers now recognize that
around the world.
with computer networks schools must be part
systems, computer-aided
Over the next decade elec-
has revealed the unprece- of the evolution of
college registration, and
dented potential of many- computer networks, tronic networks will rapidly
retail companies with
to-many communications. and rapidly dropping
evolve to provide informa-
This potential is now prices will soon allow
point-of-sale requirements.
tion, services, and interac-
driving major projects in schools to take full
Business is rapidly trans- 25,000,000
both the public and pri- advantage of new tion to virtually all
forming itself to stay alive.
vate sectors. The federal network technolo-
Americans. They will encom-
government is investing in gies. Furthermore,
But change is less rapid
pass the telephone system,
a National Information the initial experi-
in education.”
Infrastructure by funding ences of schools cable television, wireless
research, promoting com- — J AMES B. H UNT , J R ., with digital tech-
communications, shopping,
GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA n o l o g i e s h a v e DEC 1993
munications and technolo-
libraries, higher and continu-
gy standards, and helping become a power-
to link schools, govern- ful force for ing education, and other
ment agencies, and other public institu- change, as teachers, educa- OCT 1993
services now provided in
tions electronically. In the private sector, tion officials, parents, and 20,000,000
person. This evolution will
telephone companies, cable companies, students are beginning to
computer hardware and software compa- recognize the power of be fueled by public policies
nies, and Hollywood production compa- these technologies to
designed to foster competi-
nies are all searching for profitable roles transform education.
tion, equity, and individual
JUL 1993
rights. It will also be fueled
7%
by massive private invest-
Government
8%
ment in infrastructure and
Educational As the Internet
content.
grows, commer-
10% cial applications
The Internet, which is
15,000,000
44% Defense APR 1993
are expanding
Research
now rooted largely in institu-
(including commercial)
most rapidly,
tions of higher education,
with educational
uses still a
has tremendous potential
31% JAN 1993
relatively minor
Commercial
to change K-12 education.
component.
Yet today, despite promising
starts in some schools, that
OCT 1992
potential remains largely
INTERNET DYNAMICS
untapped. As the network’s
10,000,000
JUL 1992
focus shifts from institutions
to individuals, ubiquitous
APR 1992
access will become a practi-
cal tool for education both
JAN 1992
at home and in schools.
OCT 1991
JUL 1991
5,000,000
JAN 1991
OCT 1990
The use of the Internet has
GROWTH OF THE INTERNET
been growing exponentially—
with no end in sight.
OCT 1989
JUL 1989
JAN 1989
OCT 1988
DEC 1987
JUL 1988
OCR for page 7
INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY
■ INTERNET
■ BITNET BUT NOT INTERNET
■ EMAIL ONLY (UUCP, DIDONET OR OSI)
■ NO CONNECTIVITY
The collision of the
comet Shoemaker-
Levy 9 with Jupiter
left a string of http://dept.physics.upenn.edu:80/
impact sites
sl9/observatories/CAO
wrapped around
the planet like a
pearl necklace.
This picture was
taken with the 3.5-
meter telescope of
the German- “In bringing computer and
Spanish Alto network literacy to the
Observatory in teachers of our children,
southern Spain. it would pay for itself
Available via World in wonderful and unima-
Wide Web. ginable ways”
—WILLIAM GIBSON , AUTHOR
OCR for page 8
http://141.142.3.130/SDG/Experimental
/vatican.exhibit/exhibit/b-archeology/Extra_objects2.html.
Image of ancient Rome
drawn by an unknown
http://www.memst.edu
artist in the 15th century—
/egypt/egypt.html.
part of the collection in
the Vatican Library—can
be seen by the public
only over the Internet via
World Wide Web.
The Pyramid of Khufu is
the largest of the three
major pyramids on the
Giza Plateau, which is http://wxweb.msu.edu:80
/weather/antartica.html.
part of the necropolis of
Memphis. Available via
World Wide Web.
Satellite photograph
of the south pole
shows a storm over
Antarctica. Current
photographs are
available via World
Wide Web
