This digest discusses how urban schools can implement distance learning programs through customized development of the three elements crucial to a successful distance education program: (1) sound instructional design; (2) appropriate technology applications; and (3) support for teachers, students, and collaborative partners. A distance learning…

Over the last 20 years, K-12 schools have spent millions of dollars equipping their schools with the latest technologies, but often without a thoughtful plan of how their use would impact learning and teaching. What is important is how the technology is integrated with the instructional program. To ensure that technology dollars have an impact on…

Over 30 books, articles, and reports published between 1981 and 1983 and cited in "Resources in Education" and "Current Index to Journals in Education" are listed in this bibliography for those introducing computers into the classroom and for curriculum development using microcomputers. Entries are arranged according to the…

This document reviews writings and studies that raise questions and identify issues about the use of technology in education to help in the development of clear statements of the purposes of educational technology, education, and the needs of society. The collection of ideas, commentary, and discussion reviews a wide range of viewpoints held by…

This digest describes an integrated approach to teaching computer skills in K-12 schools. The introductory section discusses the importance of integrating information skills into the curriculum. "Technology Skills for Information Problem Solving: A Curriculum Based on the Big6 Skills Approach" (Michael B. Eisenberg, Doug Johnson, and…

The role of educational media and technology personnel in the development of distance education curriculum is the focus of this fact sheet. The definition and background of distance education are briefly described as nontraditional education involving communication between teachers and learners by such means as correspondence, radio, and…

The traditional role of the school librarian encompassed collection development, reading guidance and literature promotion, and reference. Over time these functions have expanded and participation in carrying out functions has become more active. For instance, the teaching role of the library media specialist is a dramatic and far-reaching…

Faced with the growing concern over educational effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity, many schools are turning to educational technology, especially the computer-based curriculum products known as integrated instructional systems. However, it is vitally important for educators to examine and gain a clearer understanding of technology's…

Instructional technology is defined as a systematic way of designing, carrying out, and evaluating the total process of learning and teaching in terms of specific objectives, based on research in human learning and communication and employing a combination of human and nonhuman resources to bring about more effective instruction. The main question…

This third edition of a review and synthesis of research for trade and industrial (T&I) education concentrates primarily on studies reported from 1977 to 1982, including some significant work published since the second edition (1969). Relevant research was identified through searches of the Educational Resources Information Center, the National…

Although the general thrust of recent education reports and studies--to strengthen the academic quality of secondary education--has been salutary, efforts fall short of giving clear direction for school improvement in a number of areas particularly important to urban school superintendents. The reports fail to recognize the unique context of urban…

This digest provides an overview of forces, both internal and external, driving change on community college campuses. External agents of change are: (1) societal needs and expectations, which are shifting toward multicultural diversity; (2) international competition, requiring that workers be highly skilled in adapting to international cultures;…

The Educational Media and Technology Yearbook (EMTY) provides essential and timely information to help educational technologists, librarians, and media specialists practice their profession in a dynamic and changing field. By documenting current trends, issues, innovations, and research findings, the book provides a valuable reference tool for the…

With the availability of technologically advanced instructional delivery systems, and the educational reform efforts of state and federal governments, the role and importance of community college learning resource centers (LRC's) have expanded tremendously since their experimental beginnings in 1939. This volume contains the following articles…

The purpose of this paper is to help educators and other interested individuals find their way through the plethora of reform reports published in the early 1980s. The early historical context of the reports is set out through a discussion of secondary education and proposals for reform since the 19th century. This is followed by a discussion of…