Plus Magazine: Issue 20
http://plus.maths.org/index.html
"Plus is an internet magazine which aims to introduce readers to the beauty and the practical applications of mathematics." It is published in conjunction with the Cambridge-based Millennium Mathematics Project. The current issue addresses a wide range of topics that include fluid mechanics; probability; and the true, original purpose of the Game of Life. Besides several feature articles, each issue also has fun puzzles, mathematical curiosities, and a news section. The news items take a mathematical perspective of current events or recent scientific investigations. Plus is released about once every other month, on average, and all the back issues are kept in an online archive. [CL]
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C# Computing
http://csharpcomputing.com/
Microsoft's C# programming language, which was integrated into the recent Visual Studio .NET release, is the main subject of this instructional Web site. Maintained by the C# Computing company, the site's most useful section is .NET tutorials. There are 21 lessons that provide an excellent start toward fluency in the language. Some concepts covered in the tutorial include recursion, exceptions, and numerical methods. Each lesson gives a brief discussion of the topic and code examples, and some also list the output of a given program. As a side note, there are two short lessons that touch on HTML and XML. [CL]
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Wavelets: Seeing the Forest and the Trees [.pdf]
http://www.beyonddiscovery.org/content/view.article.asp?a=1952
Released on February 25, 2002, this article from the National Academy of Sciences' Beyond Discovery online magazine "describes the development of the mathematical modeling technique known as wavelets." Used in image compression and digital signal processing, wavelet functions are important for computer graphics and animation. The article is very well organized and can be understood by anyone with a modest math background. The few scientific and mathematical terms used in the text are hyperlinked to a wavelets glossary. Examples of wavelet applications are given, describing their use in animated movies and FBI fingerprinting. The final section of the article looks at the future of wavelet theory. [CL]
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e-Learning Network: Information Technology Fundamentals [Flash, QuickTime]
http://elearning.asu.edu/itf/
The e-Learning Network is a "nationwide integrated training program" developed by Arizona State University and Cisco Systems. This Web site offers several instructional modules free for public use. These modules are intended for people that are going into an IT related field. By making the material available to anyone, more people will pass certification exams and hopefully ease the shortage of skilled IT workers. Ten modules are currently on the site. They cover many different concepts, such as networking, peripheral devices, motherboards, storage media, and more. New material is added to the site often. [CL]
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What is Holographic Storage? [.pdf]
http://www.inphase-technologies.com/technology/index.html
InPhase Technologies, a company based outside of Denver, Colorado, recently unveiled the product of several years' research. Its "holographic data storage media" is shown to be capable of much greater storage capacity than DVDs, and is scheduled for a limited commercial release in 2003. This page on the InPhase Web site explains some of the underlying concepts involved in holographic storage. There are two main sections: one is a brief overview of the technology's features and benefits, while the other is a more thorough description of the process of reading and recording data. A video demonstrating the technology is planned to appear on the site. [CL]
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Nut and Bolts: Introduction [.pdf]
http://www.mediafestival.org/NutsBolts02.pdf
The 36th Annual California Student Media and Multimedia Festival was held in June 2002. As a handout for the festival, Hall Davidson created the Nuts and Bolts of Digital Video. This document explains how "to integrate videos, VCRs, audio, and computers" to produce quality presentations. The material addresses many types of equipment, so it can be useful even for people with older equipment. Analog and digital video capture are the first topics, followed by exporting video and sound issues. A number of different plugs and interfaces are covered, including USB, Firewire, and RCA plugs. A bonus section describes how to integrate video downloaded from the Internet. [CL]
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Math Central [.pdf]
http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/
Math Central is maintained by the math and education departments at the Canadian University of Regina. Possibly the most valuable section of the site is the Resource Room, which has an impressive database that is separated into materials for elementary, middle, and secondary schools. There are several specific categories for each education level, such as math history, algebra, geometry, problem solving, and many more. Users can email suggestions for additional topics. Another interesting section is the monthly problem, and submissions are accepted and posted online. Most of the site can be viewed in English, French, or Spanish. [CL]
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CTER White Papers on Technology Issues for Educators
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/wp/
These white papers (last mentioned in the October 29, 1999 Scout Report), originally created in 1999 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, have been updated for summer 2002. There are seven educators' guides in all, with topics on accessibility, Web evaluation, censorship and free speech, privacy, commercialism, intellectual property, and computer crime. The 2002 addendums to the guides offer fresh perspectives to each of these issues, as they were written by different K-12 educators than those who made the previous versions. Many of the sections deal with concepts related to current events, such as cyber terrorism. [CL]
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