We study technologies so we can solve learning or understanding problems that are otherwise either actually or practically insoluble. An insoluble problem is one educators have never been able to solve. A practically insoluble problems is one educators may have solved but the solution proves impractical. An impractical solution may be impractical for any number of reasons. For example, it could be too time consumptive, too dangerous, too inaccessible, too difficult for any but the most exceptional student, or too expensive.

In this offering of this course, the problems will be serious educational ones, to which we will consider the application of technology. At the least, we will look at:(1) the growing problem of rubbish, and (2) understanding of the human condition through art. The technologies we focus upon will be those of telecommunication: electronic networks, television, and several of their combinations. The overall objective of the course will be to have the students propose realisitc applications of telecommunications technology that give promise of solving one or more parts of problems relevant to (1), (2), or both. As the title also implies, the solutions will also involve collaboration, usually fostered by the telecommunications media involved.

Roughly, the course will focus first on identifying which aspects of which media apply to the problems we elect to work on, and to begin this, we will look at various media including broadcast and recorded television, audio tape recording, and books. We will quickly then move on to telecommuinication and especially INTERNET and World Wide Web. and combinations of the two. Guest speakers will emphasize various aspects of these technologies and their application to problems. Several small projects will be required, including papers, the construction of a small web site, and the proposal of a larger construction. All participants should realize that this course does not presuppose any computing or technology background.