Teaching and Learning via the Network

AskERIC

Project Number 18 - 1993

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R. David Lankes
Technical Consultant/Researcher
Syracuse University
ERIC IR Clearinghouse

ERIC Clearinghouse on Information Resources
030 Huntington Hall Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York 13244-2344
(315) 443-3640
Fax: (315) 443-5448

rdlankes@ericir.syr.edu

Other Individuals And Organizations Associated With The Project

Dr. Michael Eisenberg Director ERIC IR Clearinghouse / AskERIC

Richard Tkachuck Coordinator AskERIC OERI / Department of Education

Abstract

AskERIC is an Internet-based question-answering service for teachers, library media specialists, and administrators. Anyone involved with K-12 education can send an e-mail message to AskERIC. Drawing on the extensive resources of the ERIC system, AskERIC staff will respond with an answer within 48 working hours. These responses will include a combination of ERIC database searches, pointers to Internet resources, or a question specific answer.

Trends in these answers are then used to build a user based automated system (Gopher/FTP/WAIS) that are also available over the Internet (called the AskERIC Electronic Library). The AskERIC Electronic Library is meant for advanced education users, and is never intended to supplant the e-mail service. The two systems are meant to work in concert, building on each other. In fact, if the user does want to use the automated system, he can learn how to do so by asking AskERIC via e-mail.

The AskERIC service is dedicated to placing an human intermediary (a human voice) on the Internet. We have found that educators and the K12 community need the human contact. This human becomes a mentor, friend and valued resource in using the Internet. T he response to this system has been overwhelming. We answer 200-300 questions weekly, thousands of transactions on our Electronic Library, and fully expect these numbers to grow.

AskERIC indeed is an Internet/NREN resource that seeks to take traditional library resources (primarily the ERIC bibliographic database) and make it easily available to the teaching community. No longer do teachers need to know how to telnet or search ER IC, they simply need to know how to use e-mail. AskERIC will do the search, AND teach the user how to navigate the Internet if the user wants to know.

Combining the resources of the Federal Government (Department of Education) and Higher Education (Syracuse University), AskERIC has become a major player in K12 networking with a three person dedicated staff and a UNIX workstation. AskERIC is further see king cooperative partnerships with the growing State education networks (TENET, SENDIT, NYSERNet) to ensure the needed support and longevity of the project. AskERIC seeks to be innovative not only in its human intermediated approach, but in its distribute d support and management.

Audio-visual requirements

Macintosh with Overhead Projection
Modem

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