new on the net

• Community builders. Does computer programming have anything to do with creative writing and the language arts? In a MUD (Multi-User Dimension), where participants program text-based virtual environments, it does indeed. These Internet-accessible on-line neighborhoods typically are oriented toward adults, but that's not the case with MOOSE Crosssing, a MUD for children ages 9-13 that MIT Media Lab researcher Amy Bruckman has designed from the ground up with a kid-friendly user interface and programming language in mind. Bruckman's MOOSE (MUD Object Oriented Scripting Environment) language allows kids to easily build their own neck of the virtual woods; for example, one girl built herself a Paradise Island, complete with sand and surf, and then set about constructing a travel agency so that other kids on MOOSE Crossing could purchase tickets to come and visit her on the beach. As with any kind of programming, writing the scripts that make this happen involves mathematical concepts, but many kids on the system insist it's just writing. And the fact that this world is entirely text-based puts a premium on careful writing and editing by the kids, who want their peers to be impressed by their work.
  

• The science behind the news. New developments in science and technology make headlines on a regular basis, but the science coverage in the news media often is too cursory to provide a genuine understanding of the issues. That's where The Why Files come in handy. A project of the National Institute for Science Education, a National Science Foundation-funded program, this web site provides students and teachers with in-depth and hip takes on the science-related stories that are making headlines today, from mad cow disease to comets and electric cars. The idea is to help ensure that students can make informed decisions about science, mathematics, engineering and technology. Neither boring nor inaccurate, The Why Files are a timely supplement to the science curriculum.
  

• Safe surfing for kids. There's a lot of educational material for kids on the web, no question, but helping your students locate these good sites while minimizing the risk of them stumbling across inappropriate areas takes some legwork. Luckily, Yahoo, the popular Internet web site index, has done the job for you with its Yahooligans site. Yahooligans is a searchable, browsable index of the Internet designed for web surfers ages 8 to 14. It works just like its mature cousin, but features only sites that have been determined to be useful or entertaining for this age group. This site could be a good candidate for a default home page or search page on the browser-equipped computers in your schools.
  

• Reaching the Summit. Will the much-publicized 1996 National Education Summit have a lasting impact on the state of public education? You can make up your own mind at the summit's web site, where you'll find extensive reports and resources from the March event. While you're there, be sure to take a look at the on-line showcase of innovative education technology programs, which were selected from hundreds of submissions in an extensive national search. The demonstrations are good fodder for ideas and inspiration.
  

• Window on the Antarctic. What does the scenery look like right now at Mawson Station, Antarctica? Now you can see for yourself. The full-color images are sent via a live satellite link to Tasmania, where they're uploaded to the web every hour. We can thank the Australian Antarctic Division for this inspired and whimsical use of the Internet.