Silva, 'Canadian K-12 Networks: Issues and Models', Arachnet Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture v3n03 (August 31, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/aejvc/aejvc-v3n03-silva-canadian Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture ________________________________________________________________ ISSN 1081-3055 August 31, 1995 Volume 3 Number 3 EJVCV3N3 SILVA Canadian K-12 Networks: Issues and Models by Marcos Silva Faculty Lecturer Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology McGill University 3700 McTavish St. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1Y2 ADLC@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA SILVA@LIB1.LAN.MCGILL.CA Alain Breuleux Assistant Professor Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology McGill University 3700 McTavish St. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1Y2 ED13@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA ABSTRACT This article examines the development of K-12 networks in Canada. A review of the history of Canadian networking is included. It also discusses the feasibility of using U.S. K-12 networks as models for Canada. Finally, it is argued that a model that maximizes university/K-12 collaboration may be feasible and practical for Canada and Quebec. INTRODUCTION The Internet, a worldwide network of networks, is growing at a phenomenal rate. The exact number of users is almost impossible to estimate, with approximations numbering in the tens of millions. In addition, depending on the measurement used, the overall growth of the network has been put at around 11% to 15% a month. However, it is the growing heterogeneity of the Internet that has interested researchers. Indeed, Internet access and use have expanded beyond the research and academic communities to touch almost all sectors of society. And it is the growing use of the Internet by children, teachers and school administrators that is of particular interest to educational researchers. Whereas but a few years ago Internet-based K-12 projects were something of a novelty, today they have become commonplace. The number of ongoing projects today may appear astonishing given their rarity but a decade ago. Moreover, research is now concerned with issues on implementing and designing projects as opposed to studying whether children should be introduced to network resources and services (Silva & Breuleux, 1994). Given the hundreds of thousands of children that have used and are using the Internet (Harasim, L. M.; Itzkan, 1992), it is safe to assume that interest in classroom-based Internet activities will continue to grow. In the United States and Canada, the advent of the Internet has engendered the development of K-12 state, regional, and provincial networks. Normally, these networks benefit from existing state research networks administered by research centers or universities; educational networks are created as sub-networks in the existing telecommunication infrastructure. In this manner, the K-12 sector is able to offer its community access to Internet services and resources (Clement, 1992a, 1992b). Moreover, connections to state or regional networks offer the K- 12 sector gateways to the National Science Foundation Net (NSFnet) or CA*net, the U.S. and Canadian components of the world wide Internet. Canadian student and teacher access to the Internet has been uneven; some regions have established educational networks while other regions, particularly remote regions, offer teachers almost limited or no access. Arguably, there is concern that some teachers and students are deprived of network-based activities, especially since research has consistently shown that these activities may offer substantial benefits (Cohen & Riel, 1989; Hunter, 1992; Silva & Breuleux, 1994). Nevertheless, regions which have not fully established K-12 networks are faced with the unique opportunity of profiting from existing K-12 network technical and administrative models, both Canadian and American. Of existing network models, those that are subnetworks or linked networks to existing academic networks appear to be the most popular. This article examines possible K-12 network models for Canada and Quebec. It also examines existing and evolving Canadian and American K-12 networking models. In addition, it will discuss current U.S. models and their interconnection to the Internet. Finally, it argues that K-12/university cooperation in the establishment of K-12 networks is a feasible model for Quebec and should be studied accordingly. THE STRUCTURE OF THE INTERNET The Internet was conceived as an experimental network to support research undertaken by the United States Department of Defense and its subcontractors. The Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) created ARPANET, the precursor of the Internet (Krol, 1994; Lynch & Rose, 1993). ARPANET was designed to provide interactive communication among different types of computers through the use of remote login (more commonly called telnet), transferring of files, and electronic mail. In 1971, ARPANET interconnected 23 computers. By 1977, 111 computers could exchange data (Hart, Reed, & Bar, 1992). Today, the Internet is composed of thousands of interconnected networks running under a suite of protocols called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Essentially, protocols are rules that govern interactions among many different computers. That is, because computer architectures represent data in many different ways, they must have a way to prescribe the dialogue and exchange of data arising out of their interconnection (Lynch & Rose, 1993). Protocols, therefore, are the means that allow divergent systems to interoperate. TCP/IP is not the only existing network protocol. Open Systems Interconnection (OSI), for example, offers a viable alternative. Nevertheless, TCP/IP has become the most commonly used protocol and the de facto standard of the present day Internet. Although the main component of the Internet is in the United States, it is an international network that spans every continent of the globe, including Antarctic. In the United States, the Internet is composed of three levels: High-speed backbone networks, mid-level or regional networks, and local networks. Naturally, most of these networks function under TCP/IP. The National Science Foundation's Network (NSFNet) has acted as the backbone for the research community by offering networking services and the necessary telecommunication infrastructure. In Canada, the first network to be used extensively by the research community was NetNorth, the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. network BITNET (Because Its Time Network). BITNET is a voluntary academic network that provides universities with some networking capabilities. Although it is based on different protocols than TCP/IP, it has gateways to the Internet. Because BITNET lacks the interactivity of the Internet, it is used primarily for electronic mail and communication services: Distribution lists, file servers, electronic journals, etc. Canadian high-speed networking began in earnest during the mid 1980s when universities began projects to install networks functioning under TCP/IP (Bjerring, 1992). By late 1988, high- speed TCP/IP networks were functioning in several provinces. Network interconnection among the provinces and to the NSFNet became a priority. This goal was reached with the creation in October 1990 of CA*Net (read CA maple leaf Net) Networking Inc., an organization to oversee and administer a national high-speed telecommunication backbone. Similar to the U.S. component of the Internet, Canada's networking infrastructure is divided in three levels: The first level is made up of local networks which are connected to provincial networks comprising the second level. Provincial networks pay a fee to connect to the final level, CA*Net. CA*Net provides regional interconnectivity throughout Canada and connectivity to the NSFNet and the worldwide Internet. Note, however, that the National Science Foundation will no longer be fully funding the NSFnet, although it will continue to support development of very high-speed research networks and regional and university networks. Previously, the RISQ and CA*net could connect to the NSFnet (and by extension, the rest of the world) free of charge. This is no longer the case. As a result, CA*net has contracted with a private telecommunication company, MCI, for international connectivity. The effects of these developments are hard to gauge, but exceptionally higher fees for the university and research sectors are not foreseen for the near future. The Quebec provincial network, Le Reseau interordinateurs scientifique quebecois (RISQ), is administered by le Centre de recherche informatique de Montreal (CRIM). Created in 1989, RISQ presently offers Internet connectivity to Quebec universities, private and public research centers, and to some corporations. Its primary mandate is to support Quebec research and education. At the present time, McGill pays approximately C$15,000 for a connection to RISQ, a reasonable fee given the services and resources available to the entire McGill community. At this moment, however, RISQ does not offer the K-12 community Internet support or access. Finally, most Canadian schools connected to the Internet use first generation terminal to host technology. That is, all of the processing of data is done by the host computer. Furthermore, users are restricted to command-line interfaces and, to effectively navigate the Internet, must learn a myriad of different commands and procedures. Still, because almost any hardware configuration can use terminal to host connections, this model remains a viable option for technologically underprivileged schools. Some technologically privileged schools have access to second generation technology based on graphical user interface (GUI) software. Usually, Internet access via GUIs is based on client/server technology where the processing of data is distributed: The client computer (or the user's computer) sends a request to the server who is responsible for the indexing, sorting, and searching of the shared files. While the server is processing the information, the client can process its own applications, making for a far greater use of computing resources. Most schools use Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) or Point to Point Protocol (PPP) with GUIs. The third generation, based on intelligent agent technology (also referred to as Knowbots), is under development and research. In the near future, intelligent agents will roam the network for the user searching, locating, and retrieving information even when the user is not connected to the network (Marina & Hawkins, 1994; Markoff, J., 1994). The software Harvest, which provides an integrated set of tools to retrieve, disseminate, locate, and organize information across the Internet is indicative of this trend (Bowman et al., 1994). The Internet Research Task Force, Research Group on Resource Discovery has been experimenting with Harvest for approximately 18 months. THE INTERNET AND K-12 NETWORKS The development of K-12 networks providing Internet access has closely paralleled the growth of the Internet, particularly in the United States. Many American states offer K-12 teachers and students access to a myriad of Internet resources and services through dedicated K-12 networks. Furthermore, access to network resources usually is not restricted for administrative purposes; many networks are making efforts to link teachers and students, Texas TENET being a case in point (Stout, 1992). Indeed, the user group experiencing the largest increase in accounts to the TENET network are classroom teachers, although the majority of TENET users still are administrators, coordinators, and librarians. It is thought that the number of users will reach exponential proportions once classroom accounts are instituted (WEB Associates, 1993, p. 14). Another sign of the growth of K-12 networks is the large and ever growing number of existing Internet classroom projects. While the great majority of projects are simply designed around the use of electronic mail, others have utilized more complex Internet resources. World Wide Web (WWW) projects, for instance, where kids create WWW servers and post documentation, have been implemented at many schools. Furthermore, many of these projects are undertaken in conjunction with local universities. An example is the University of Minnesota College of Education's Web66 which plans to help K-12 educators learn how to create their own WWW servers (Collins, 1994; Collins, personal communication, 1994). Lastly, there is growing recognition on the part of educators that Internet-based classroom projects can have a positive effect on learning and instruction (Silva & Breuleux, 1994). Some of the benefits of K-12 networking are: Possibility for collaborative learning (Bump, 1990; Davies, 1988; Levin & Cohen, 1985; Owen, 1991; Owen, 1993; Resnick, 1992; Riel, 1990a, 1990b); contextualization of learning (Lave & Wenger, 1989; Levin, Riel, Miyake, & Cohen, 1987; Roschelle, 1992); less isolation of teachers (Consortium for School Networking, 1992; Stout, 1992, p. A-130; Riel, 1990b); and greater access to resources and information by remote schools. In Canada, the push to establish K-12 networks has lagged behind American efforts. School links to the Internet are uncommon and depend primarily on first generation terminal to host connections. Moreover, Canadian schools pay business rates for telephone lines further limiting access. That is, for regulatory purposes, educational institutions are classed in the same category as business customers, even though their needs are far different from most businesses. Indeed, higher telephone rates are perhaps the primary obstacle to more extensive and effective use of networking and telecommunication technologies in Canadian classrooms (Telecommunications Committee, Canadian Educational Network Coalition, 1994). Lastly, Canada, unlike the United States, has few organized pressure groups concerned with education and networking. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), for instance, is the American national voice for advocating access to the emerging National Information Infrastructure (NII) in K-12 schools. CoSN has been effective in lobbying for: Equal access, equity and quality of school networking; Developing and disseminating networked-based information resources; Connecting you with other leaders on the cutting edge of classroom networking; The utilization of telecommunications to support instruction. The most effective Canadian group concerned with educational and telecommunication issues is the Canadian Educational Network Coalition (CENC). Founded in May 1993, CENC aims to examine and propose solutions to Canada's K-12 networking needs, namely, teacher and student use of networking resources. Of note is its working relationship with Canada's telecommunication carriers: Stentor (an alliance of the nine major Canadian telephone companies), and Canada's telecommunication infrastructure, CA*Net and the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE). For example, the CENC has received support from Stentor, CA*Net, and CANARIE during its writing of a brief to the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission that requests changes to Canadian Telecommunications Act, 1993 so that more effective customized telecommunication services may be offered to K-12 schools (Telecommunications Committee, Canadian Educational Network Coalition, 1994). The CENC, however, lacks CoSN's funding and organizational structure. Indeed, it rests on a loose association of interested individuals lacking formal representation. Another problem is that there are few other effective lobbying groups in Canada concerned with technology and education. CoSN, in contrast, works closely with other groups such as CAUSE and EDUCOM who, although are concerned with educational technology in higher education, share many of the same objectives. K-12 NETWORKING MODELS United States The interconnection of schools to each other and the Internet is explicitly stated in U.S. plans to upgrade and develop the existing NSFNet. For example, the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-194), states that the forthcoming telecommunication infrastructure called the National Research and Education Network (NREN) must be geared to establish a gigabyte network for research, education, business communities and to foster its most widespread use. Connecting schools and libraries to the NREN has found support in the highest echelons of the U.S. federal government. Vice-President Al Gore, for example, has been a vocal supporter of K-12 Internet connectivity (Gore, 1992). The Clinton administration also launched a new program called the National Information Infrastructure (NII), with the objective to ensure the evolution and objectives of initiatives such as the NREN. Not surprisingly, the call for K-12 Internet connectivity is echoed throughout the NII (United States, Information Infrastructure Task Force, 1992). The objective is to connect all U.S. K-12 schools to the Internet so as to allow students the benefits of telecommunication technology. The effect of these initiates has been to promote the implementation of new K-12 networks. It likewise aims to upgrade existing networks giving schools access to second generation client/server network technology. Indeed, the number of teachers and school children benefitting from network-based resources and services is growing at a phenomenal rate. Furthermore the growth of these networks is promoting greater teacher and student interaction and collaboration with sectors from which they were previously excluded, namely universities, research centers, and businesses. Below are examples of U.S. K-12 networks that exemplifying efforts to meet the above objectives. Examples of Developments in U.S. K-12 Networks Conceived in 1977, The Florida Information Resource Network (FIRN) has the fundamental goal of providing Florida's educational community with access to telecommunication technology that serves public education. At this writing, FIRN interconnects Florida universities, community colleges, and school districts with a network that serves as the Florida Department of Education primary data communications facility (Florida Department of Education, 1992). Whether intentionally or not, FIRN has been able to meet one of the primary objectives of the NII: The development of new electronic communities to promote the sharing of knowledge and expertise. Schools linked to FIRN also have gateways to a number of other networks including the TYMNET, Bitnet, the IBM Information Network, SURANet (Southeastern Universities Research Association Network), and most important of all, the Internet via the NSFNet. Administrators of FIRN view interconnections to other networks as being critical to the evolution and objectives of FIRN. They believe that although FIRN should strive to offer the K-12 community access to more resources, in stand-alone mode, FIRN cannot meet all the needs required for adequate K-12 classroom support. However, a wealth of resources are readily available via the Internet elsewhere. FIRN will provide networking services so as access to these remote materials are possible by Florida teachers and students (Florida Department of Education, 1992). Some of the resources offered by FIRN include: Electronic mail (6,000+ registered educators as of December 1992), group conferencing, library resources, the CNN "Classroom Guide, and many other services. However, FIRN has also offered exceptional support to educators interested in implementing network-based classroom projects. Some of these projects include: KIDS-91, an international grassroots project that gives children the opportunity to become involved in a global dialogue; a communications project where elementary school children can share information, dialogue with others, and practice interviewing with out-of-state school children; and the Telecommunications Opportunities for Gifted Learners, where gifted children are able to query and interview experts using real-time telecommunications (Ambler, Jacobs, Potter & Davis, 1991). NYSERNet (New York State Education and Research Network) is a statewide network that interconnects over 600 New York State research centers, universities, K-12 schools and public libraries to the Internet. Other members include hospitals, museums, small and large businesses, and Indian nations. NYSERNet is a pioneer among K-12 networks: It was the first regional network of the NSFnet, it was the first regional network to offer T1 connectivity, and it will be the first regional network with a T3 backbone (NYSERNet, 1994). Sponsors include IBM, the New York State Science and Technology Foundation, and the NSF. Similar to FIRN, K-12 and university collaboration is promoted by the structure and mandate of NYSERNet. Its mandate is to foster network access to the research and education community, make computational resources and new technologies available to its user population, and create an information access structure that offers equitable access to New York state residents. So as to ensure greater widespread use of the network, NYSERnet is a not-for-profit corporation (Linda Carl, NYSERnet, Marketing and Member Services, personal electronic communication, Nov. 8, 1993). Again, within the context of the NII, NYSERNet claims that its facilities improved: Education at all levels (K-12 to university), research and development, economic development and competitiveness, transmission of health care related information, and community communication and public information (NYSERNet, 1994). NYSERNet's Empire Internet Schoolhouse project and Special Collections: Higher Education are other examples of innovate uses that educators can make of the Internet. Essentially, the Empire Internet Schoolhouse offers educators access to projects and resources available on the Internet. Some categories of resources include: The Assembly Hall, where users are able to create or join discussion groups; the Library and Internet Reference Tools, where access to databases, library catalogues, etc., is made possible; a Career and Guidance Center for high school students; and lastly, a School Reform and Technology Planning Center for educators who need information on those topics. The Higher Education category offers users a myriad of university level information, expertise, and resources. Another network exemplifying the above trends is SENDIT. Developed by the North Dakota State University School of Education and Computing Center, the express purpose of SENDIT is to give North Dakota K-12 educators and students access to electronic resources. Sponsored in part by the Educational Telecommunications Council (ETC), as of December 31, 1992 its clientele included 769 teachers, 1521 students, 84 administrators, 120 other users. Access to the Internet is facilitated through a link to the North Dakota Education Computer Network. Some interesting projects include the Electronic Classroom, which gives classroom students access to CNN and Newsweek's Newsroom guide. Students and teachers also have a gateway to the worldwide K12Net, where they are able to join and participate in discussion groups. An example of the ability of networks to create situated learning environments, is the SENDIT classroom project Campaign '92. Students, through the use of telecommunications, were able to access legislative bills, candidate speeches, and press releases, in an effort to understand the political process. Lastly, the NSF, in an effort to foster more collaboration between K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions, made access to the Internet by state postsecondary institutions contingent on their agreement to support K-12 research and education projects. K-12 educators, therefore, now have access to a world of expertise and research support. Once again, Clement's (1992a, 1992b, 1992c) argument that research centers and universities can play a significant role in network based projects is lent support. Moreover, with this networking structure, SENDIT reflects the trend of U.S. networks to create greater K-12 and university collaboration. TENET is perhaps one of the most successful statewide K-12 networks. It was created with the idea that a communications infrastructure had to be established to overcome the obstacles preventing use of interconnected networks for education and educational research. Similar to NYSERNet, SENDIT, and FIRN, TENET utilizes the postsecondary telecommunications infrastructure and NSF regional network, the Texas Higher Education Network (THEnet), for Internet access and use. Naturally, this in turn has fostered a variety of K-12 and university collaborative projects. TENET offers full Internet connectivity and resources. By August 1992, TENET had a clientele of over 18,000 registered users, of which 80% are K-12 educators (WEB Associates, 1993, p. 14), making over 85,000 logins a month. Moreover, each month, one thousand new users apply for accounts. When teachers are able to add classroom accounts to their own, growth is expected to reach exponential proportions. Teachers, in support of integrating use of the network with curricular activities, cited the following as justification for developing TENET-based projects: Simulations to foster critical thinking, opportunities for practice (especially writing), and perhaps most important of all, opportunities for collaborative problem solving (David, 1992, p. 22). Other benefits included timely access to news about world events, access to databases and library catalogues, and the ability to retrieve and share instructional materials. Canada Similar to the U.S., Canadian projects to develop high-speed networks have included K-12 schools as part of its potential user population. Until very recently, however, the connection of Canadian schools to wide area networks has not been a priority and has lagged behind U.S. efforts. Nevertheless, there exists provincial and federal initiatives that, given the budgetary and support constraints, have been notably successful. Of these projects, New Brunswick's efforts to interconnect its K-12 public schools, Newfoundland's STEM~Net and the federal government's SchoolNet merit discussion. New Brunswick New Brunswick is especially active in efforts to introduce telecommunication technology in schools. For example, New Brunswick's Task Force on the Electronic Highway has recommended that, through the Excellence in Education initiative, its schools be linked to wide area networks and the Internet by 1996 (New Brunswick Task Force on the Electronic Information Highway, 1994, p. 14). At this writing, 160 out of the Province's 407 schools have full Internet access. Parallel to network access are New Brunswick's initiatives to increase student computer literacy. Premier McKenna's government passed legislation requiring high schools graduates to possess computer skills as a prerequisite for graduation. In the 1995-1996 school year, grade 7 and 8 students will be required to take 27 hours of computer training. At the college and university level, students must complete 15 hours of mandatory computer learning. And according to Margaret Smith, spokesperson for the New Brunswick Department of Education, it will be during elementary school years that children will be first introduced to computer skills ("Political will," December 9, 1994, p. C12). New Brunswick is able to implement educational telecommunication initiatives because it benefits from the most advanced telecommunication infrastructure in the country. So as to most optimally exploit the existing telecommunication infrastructure, McKenna named George Corriveau as Canada's first Minister of State for the Information Highway. His mandate is to examine ways to make New Brunswick an international leader in electronic communication networks. New Brunswick also profits from the fact that its telephone company, NBTel, has the only fully digitalized Canadian phone system. Use of fibre optic cable allows for easier introduction of new technologies like the World Wide Web and video-conferencing. Newfoundland's STEM~Net STEM~Net is a provincial wide area computer network serving Newfoundland and Labrador whose objective is to "provide support and services for K-12 and rural public college educators in the areas of curriculum instruction and professional development" (STEM~Net, 1994, p. 1). Its mandate is restricted to active educators in public schools, rural-college educators, Memorial University education faculty, and selected distance-education programs. Of particular interest, and similar to Sendit, is Stem~Net's goal of improving communications among K-12, college and university educators (STEM~Net, 1994). Clement's (1992a, 1992b, 1992c) view that networks offer potential for better K-12 and academic collaboration and partnership is given further support. Users on Stem~Net have access to all Internet services including e-mail, gopher, reader news, WWW browsers and servers, ftp, and telnet. Access to the Stem~Net computer is made by direct dial-in or through connections that have installed NLnet nodes. NLnet is a consortium composed of Stem~Net, Memorial University, Colleges and some Government institutions. Those that must make direct calls to Stem~Net do not incur long-distance charges. Stem~Net presents an interesting case study because of several reasons. First, it demonstrates the potential arising out of K-12, academic, and government cooperation; Stem~Net would have had great difficulty interconnecting Newfoundland schools without access to academic and government networking resources. Second, Stem~Net has made great effort to connect remote schools allowing teachers in Labrador and other areas to participate in the development of new networking curriculum and skills. Third, it demonstrated the innovative use of old and new technologies. For instance, Stem~Net has created a portable ethernet training network which allows teachers to experiment with new applications like the World Wide Web client, Mosaic. And last, along with New Brunswick, Newfoundland educators realize the benefits for students and teachers arising from access to electronic resources and services. Canada's SchoolNet SchoolNet is a collaborative project sponsored by the Canadian federal government, business and educational communities. In 1993, the government committed approximately C$1.6 million to link 300 schools. Additional funds were donated by Canada's fullservice telephone companies. Other sponsors include Industry and Science Canada, provincial/territorial ministries of education, and businesses. Perhaps of critical importance is the participation and support of Canadian companies involved in information and telecommunication technology research: CA*net Networking Inc., CANARIE Inc., Apple Canada, and Quebec's provincial academic and research network, le Reseau interordinateurs scientifique quebecois. Simply put, SchoolNet's primary objective is to equip Canadian schools with the capability to connect to regional, national, and international networks. The above objective aims to support student access to online information, offer educators the resources needed to improve classroom instruction and school curricula, and promote greater communication among local, provincial, and federal administrative educational agencies. During its start-up year, SchoolNet interconnected hundreds of schools that had the requisite telecommunication technology necessary to link to the network. As of June 1994, approximately 3,200 Canadian schools have used SchoolNet resources (Canada, Information Highway Advisory Council, 1994, p. 4). Schools will access SchoolNet resources through the Internet, courtesy of CA*net. An innovate service available on SchoolNet is the Electronic Innovators Program (EIP) where students and teachers are able to communicate with experts and professionals from government, universities, and industry from around the world. Projects established with support of SchoolNet, therefore, have unparalleled access to worldwide expertise. There are currently over 400 participating Electronic Innovators from countries such as Russia, Singapore, and Germany. The implicit purpose of EIP is to create teleapprentices so as to contextualize and give meaning to the activity and learning. Similar to NYSERNet, SchoolNet uses a gopher to facilitate search and retrieval of materials. Gophers in both English and French are available, although diacritics for the French language are a major problem. Even though gophers offer an intuitive and user-friendly interface allowing novice users to navigate the network with minimum instruction, a SchoolNet access and training manual will assist teachers in making the most use of available electronic resources. Information on using e-mail, networking protocols, and electronic discussion groups, will be readily available. A SchoolNet Wide World (WWW) Server is also operational. The benefits of a WWW server lies in its ability to incorporate graphics and sound. In addition, the problem of diacritics is eliminated; French accents are displayed without requiring special emulation. Naturally, this is of special concern to Quebec educators. Some resources accessible via the SchoolNet gopher include electronic discussion groups, school advisors to help teachers in matters of curriculum development and project support, electronic newsfeeds from the Globe and Mail Classroom Edition and Southam News, government information, electronic libraries and databases, and links to national and international electronic educational networks. Similar to FIRN, therefore, SchoolNet recognizes the potential for resource sharing among other networks devoted to K- 12 education and research. Interestingly enough, SchoolNet emphasizes the opportunity for Canadian classrooms to participate in collaborative projects with other schools or with students in foreign countries: SchoolNet facilitates this process by having students from different regions or countries work in collaborative teams to solve problems, conduct experiments, share expertise, etc. Indeed, the possibility of participating in groupwork locally or remotely is understood as a major benefit of the SchoolNet project and meets many of the Federal objectives concerning educational networking. Quebec Educational telecommunication projects and initiatives have been undertaken by Quebec K-12 schools during the last few years. As of July 1994, 41 K- 12 projects have been identified by the Ministre de l'Education du Quebec (Mataigne, 1994, p. 3). Most of the projects were based on electronic mail, and so missed many of the benefits of real-time communication. Many, however, experienced exceptional success, the Village Prologue project being a case in point (Quebec-Alberta Telecomputing Project, 1993). In addition, while the number of Quebec schools participating in electronic networking projects is probably greater than 41, the number is low when compared against other North American regions, particularly the United States. More worrisome is that to the authors' knowledge, few Quebec schools have local area networks connected to the Internet. In fact, most Quebec schools have serious constraints on their use of first generation Internet technology due to the lack access of phone lines in the classroom or school. Still, even though the Provincial government has not rapidly began to interconnect all Quebec schools, either through dial-in or through local area networks, education policy makers and educators are becoming increasingly aware of Quebec's K-12 networking needs. Some positive developments under review are the possibility of linking more students and teachers via a provincial educational network called EDUPAC and the creation of a workgroup, le Groupe de travail en telematique scolaire of the Ministre de l'Education du Quebec, to examine K-12 networking issues. Regrettably, there has been little discussion concerning potential collaboration between the academic and K-12 sector arising out of these possible electronic interconnections. This is an issue of concern, given the need for Quebec faculties of education to undertake more applied research in schools. Furthermore, networks may engender greater research collaboration between teacher and researcher, and offer a change in the role of the teacher from research subject to research partner. Lastly, one of the more common complaints voiced by teachers with access to networks is the lack of instructional Internet support, a resource widely available in universities. Indeed, teachers are well aware of the need for instructional support. For example, in a survey by Honey and Henriquez on network use in technology privileged schools it was found that use of telecommunication for administrative or educational purposes, was self-taught (Honey & Henriquez, 1993, p.8, 12). In fact, use of telecommunications was driven more by personal interest than by a structured district wide plan (1993, p. 12). Or, as Honey and Henriquez claim: "The survey results strongly suggest that support for telecommunications activities at the school and district level is virtually nonexistent" (1993, p. 12). Arguably, teacher instruction and support offers faculties of education a unique opportunity for involvement and research. EDUPAC Quebec school boards have access to a telecommunication network called EDUPAC which interconnects approximately 1,100 municipalities. EDUPAC is administered by La Societe GRICS (Gestion du reseau informatique des commissions scolaires), a private, non-profit corporation owned by the Federation des commissions scolaires du Quebec. Its stated mandate is to meet the administrative computing and telecommunication needs of the educational sector in Quebec (GRICS, 1993). Until very recently, EDUPAC did not offer Internet connectivity. The Groupe de travail en telematique scolaire in conjunction with the GRICS, however, implemented a new service offering school boards Internet connectivity via EDUPAC (GRICS, 1994, p. 11). Indeed, the Groupe has made Internet access an explicit goal. Nevertheless, use of EDUPAC is made almost exclusively by school boards. And although school boards can offer individual schools access to EDUPAC, very few have done so. Furthermore, EDUPAC, unlike Stem~Net, is disengaged from the academic networking administrative and support infrastructure. Naturally, this may dampen potential collaborative projects and resource sharing between the K-12 and academic sectors. McGill University Systems, Inc. Growing awareness of educational telecommunication caused many Quebec schools to seek Internet access outside of the educational system. The McGill University Systems Inc., a private company wholly owned by McGill University, offers selected schools in the Montreal urban area access to SchoolNet resources. Charges are not incurred by the schools and are assumed by McGill University Systems, Inc. To date, approximately 50 schools are or are in the process of being connected. Access to Internet resources, however, is restricted to those available through SchoolNet. McGill University Systems, Inc. offered free access to SchoolNet so as to better understand K-12 networking problems and needs, especially since most of its user pool is limited to universities. Because of the company's interest in educational software applications, use of its MUSIC computer operating system by schools is viewed as a unique opportunity to gain insight into the particular needs of the K-12 sector. Telecommunication software and computer codes were distributed to teachers for administrative or classroom use. Connections are made using direct dial-in to the McGill University Systems Inc's main computer. Currently, most schools are using terminal to host connections. In the near future, they will be able to access the company's terminal server so as to use applications such as MOSAIC. In addition, an easy to use bilingual interface was created to help teachers and students access SchoolNet, selected reader news groups, and electronic mail. The McGill University Systems Inc. is working closely with SchoolNet administrators in an effort to more adequately introduce SchoolNet resources to Quebec schools. Of particular interest is the cooperation among participating schools, the McGill University Systems Inc., and McGill's Faculty of Education to initiate Internet-based classroom projects. The Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology participates in the introduction of SchoolNet to teachers and parents because of the research interests of faculty and graduate students. While the McGill University Systems Inc. offers technical and software support (teachers can call an analyst to help with technical problems), the Faculty of Education gives introductory and hands-on networking seminars to schools and school boards. The benefits are many: The McGill University Systems Inc. gains knowledge concerning K-12 software and hardware needs. The Faculty of Education gains access to data which can be used in support of much needed educational and curriculum networking projects. And schools acquire networking expertise that is not easily available. Clement's (1992a, 1992b, 1992c) belief that universities and schools mutually profit from increased collaboration is lent further support. Models for Quebec Arguably, the K-12 networking model offered by GRICS is feasible and practical. To ignore an existing telecommunication infrastructure would be folly, particularly given GRICS experience in K-12 problems and needs. Furthermore, EDUPAC can provide access to Internet resources and services while offering schools access to technological support as needed. Lastly, EDUPAC, being tightly integrated with the educational sector in Quebec, may benefit from Provincial funding and support. K-12 networking should be seen as a Provincial responsibility, meriting full government attention and interest. Still, the above model should not exclude university cooperation and possible instructional support. Arguably, the potential benefits arising out of K-12/university collaboration should not be ignored from K-12 networking planification. For instance, educational networking classroom activities lack research and data; it is difficult to discern which activities are most beneficial in a classroom setting. Furthermore, collaboration between teachers and researchers has the potential to maximize the use of networking activities by offering the two groups the means to gather and to examine collaboratively the data. Also, if Quebec decides to use the training the trainers model, where selected teachers are taught how to introduce Internet resources to other teachers, universities may play a pivotal role because of its knowledge of Internet instructional needs. Given that McGill University Systems Inc. will not be the Internet gateway for the entire Quebec K-12 community, it is reasonable to assume that GRICS and its network, EDUPAC, will most likely assume the responsibility for linking teachers and students to the Internet. Hopefully, Quebec universities, particularly its education faculties, will not be excluded from participating in the planification and use of the network. After all, one of the major benefits arising out of gigabyte K-12 networking is the potential for greater academic and K-12 collaboration. CONCLUSION The Federal and Provincial officials are well aware of the need to interconnect Canadian K-12 schools. Bernard Ostry, counsellor to the former Conservative government headed by B. Mulroney, in his report on high-speed networks, devotes considerable attention to education (Ostry, 1993). Industry, Science, and Technology Canada commissioned a report written by Neilsen that lists the potential benefits of K-12 networks. The CANARIE Business Report likewise includes schools as one of the main beneficiaries of the upcoming Canadian gigabyte network (CANARIE Associates, 1992). And, undoubtedly, the success of SchoolNet has been noticed by policy makers (Neilsen, 1993). Provincial governments have followed the trend. Nova Scotia, in its report on high-speed networks, likewise sees the educational sector as a key beneficiary of telecommunication technology . Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia have projects to introduce teachers and students to educational networking. Ontario, for example, created the Educational Network of Ontario where teachers are able to discuss, publicly or privately, issues affecting the classroom. The Northwest territories is linking teachers via a network called North of 60. Similar to the federal government, provincial governments see the establishment of gigabyte networks as imperative in preparing students for the 21st century. Educational networking offers unique opportunities for Canada and Quebec. First and foremost, remote schools can have access to resources not presently available because of dial-in costs or lack of resources. Second, because of North America's advance in educational networking, Quebec schools can initiate projects with other Francophone countries and so offer students innovative ways to study French culture and language. Third, Greater links among Canadian schools, especially French/English immersion schools, can be made, the Village Prologue project where Alberta schools participated being an example. Fourth, it can allow Canadian schools to better share resources and disseminate documentation and information. Fifth, it can offer native students the means to link with other native communities throughout the world. And last, should Quebec decide to emphasize K-12/university , it can reap many benefits and perhaps more rapidly integrate educational networking with traditional classroom activities. References Ambler, J., Jacobs, P., Potter, R. L., & Davis, M. (1991). Instructional resource guide: Telecommunications, opening the windows of the world. 2nd ed. Talahassee, FL: FIRN. Bjerring, A. 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