Group items tagged

This report will be useful to anyone interested in the current state of online American literature resources. Its purpose is twofold: to offer a sampling of the types of digital resources currently available or under development in support of American literature; and to identify the prevailing concerns of specialists in the field as expressed during interviews conducted between July 2004 and May 2005. Part two of the report consolidates the results of these interviews with an exploration of resources currently available. Part three examines six categories of digital work in progress: (1) quality-controlled subject gateways, (2) author studies, (3) public domain e-book collections and alternative publishing models, (4) proprietary reference resources and full-text primary source collections, (5) collections by design, and (6) teaching applications. This survey is informed by a selective review of the recent literature. Daphnée Rentfrow assisted in writing and editing the report. This 176 page report is also available from purchase for $30 from CLIR or the DLF. It is freely available in html or pdf formats from their web sites. This publication was deposited with permission of the publisher who holds copyright (Digital Library Federation Council on Library and Information Resources Washington, DC.).

Date: 09 Sep 2005 Title: Mini labs take science to rural schools --------------------------------------------------------------- By Kulani Mavunda Bethal - Rural high school pupils in Mpumalanga will now have access to well-equipped mini science laboratories. The mini laboratories are small, compact, durable boxes that weigh no more than 15kg and do not need electricity. They also come with printed and electronic manuals, as well as equipment and chemicals for the Grade 8 and 9 Natural Science curricula. "The mini labs are designed to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary education by stimulating an interest in science," said provincial education spokesperson Thomas Msiza. He said the mini labs were donated by a marketing company called the Bright Idea Project. "The new laboratories will allow pupils to put theory into practical learning," he said. Mini-labs have already been donated to Lekete and KwaMhlanga high schools. Co-owner of the Bright Idea Project, Isaac Johnson, said the manuals would eventually be translated in all eleven languages and cater for grades four to nine. "Language will not be a barrier," he said. "We envisage the mini lab to be a standard item in all under-resourced schools, in both rural and metropole regions, within the next two years." On Friday, eight more mini labs, worth R48 000, will be handed over to Ikhethelo Secondary School in Mzinoni near Bethal. - BuaNews