pated in a demonstration of how campus e-mail worked. Slowly but surely, they mastered the nuances of logging in, sending messages, and replying to others. By the end of the sequence, they agreed that this was an efficient and effective way to communicate. But as the camera panned back in the final shot, while the adminis- trators were agreeing that it was a good exchange of electronic information, they were revealed to be in the same room—all the computers were located on one table. This use of television as an orientation tool did more than address policies, procedures, or how to “do it.” It gave the viewer a sense of the culture of the organiza- tion, how employees felt about working there, and how they did not take themselves too seriously. Reaching Out to Students and Staff When Maricopa Community College District imple- mented interactive television for distance learning, a coordinating committee was created to schedule use of the system among the colleges. To reduce travel time, the committee meets electronically on the very network it manages. The Maricopa Electronic Forum is a com- puter-based, asynchronous bulletin board open to students and staff. Recently, students throughout the district electronically debated the pros and cons of an upcoming bond election. Phi Theta Kappa chapters at the various campus locations communicate on-line. Currently there are 80,000 accounts throughout the district, all linked to Internet. At Palomar College, technology is used to communi- cate with students on the PASS (Palomar Automated Self Service) system. At various locations throughout the district, students can swipe a Personal Identification Card through a card reader to gain information about the college, student activities and services, the current semester schedule, their prior academic history, and information on eligibility for grants and financial aid. Interactive laser disk technology, combined with main- frame access, has eased the burden of front-line student services personnel who formerly performed these tasks. Palomar’s Educational Television Department also produces documentaries and “infomercials” for aca- demic departments and services offered to the commu- nity. These electronic brochures serve as broadcast “commercials” for our academic programs and are used with traveling VCR’s in outreach efforts in malls, shopping centers, and community locations. Local municipal governments and school districts also have availed themselves of the college’s TV production capabilities. Suanne D. Roueche, Editor March 3, 1995, Vol. XVII, No. 7 © The University ot | exas at Austin, 1995 Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER institutions for their own personnel Summary We have become a nation of television watchers. Declining newspaper circulation rates prove it. If TV is the way in which we absorb information, then using video as an instructional delivery mechanism, as a communication tool for our professional and staff development activities, and as a tool for administrative transactions and student information access, makes good sense. George R. Boggs, Superintendent/President, Palomar College William J. Flynn, Dean, Division of Media, Business and Community Services For further information, contact: Yvonne Ulmer, St. Petersburg Junior College, St. Peters- burg, FL Steve Mittelstet, Richland College, Dallas, TX Janet Whitaker, Mesa College, Mesa, AZ Lynda Halttunen, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA Contact the authors at Palomar College, 1140 West Mission Road, San Marcos, CA 92069. INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), Department ot Educational Administration, College of Education, SZB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, (512) 471-7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199-106X. eo