Describes the development of the VV-BOS (Visualizer/Verbalizer Behavior Observation Scale), a computer-based instrument for direct observation of students' preferences for visual or verbal learning material. Results of a study with second-language learners indicated a high degree of reliability as an alternative to conventional questionnaires.…

Discusses the importance of screen design in computer-based instruction (CBI), and presents a framework for screen design decisions based on the ROPES (Retrieving, Orienting, Presenting, Encoding, and Sequencing) meta-model for instructional design. Psychological, instructional, and technological foundations of screen design are discussed, and…

Discusses intrinsic motivation and John Dewey's perspectives on aesthetic experiences in relation to "After 3" technology programs, based on experiences with KLICK (Kids Learning in Computer Klubhouses). Highlights include control and theories of motivation and learning; and Dewey's perspectives on the opposite of control in…

Discussion of instructional theory and the teaching-learning process focuses on implementation of the Structural Learning Theory. Topics discussed include learner models and approaches to intelligent tutoring; control mechanisms in information processing systems; human cognition; assessing individual knowledge; and designing intelligent tutors.…

Examines the functional characteristics of intelligent computer-assisted instruction (ICAI), proposes a structural model that defines expertise requirements for the development of an ICAI system, and discusses the requirements of a multidisciplinary cooperative effort for its development. Knowledge acquisition, learning needs, and instructional…

Describes the design, development, and implementation of a technology-rich after-school program for middle schools called KLICK (Kids Learning in Computer Klubhouses). Topics include learning activities; learning environments; constructivism; social and organizational arrangements; collaboration; the culture of schooling; and issues of innovation,…

Examines the current state of research into the visual effects of screen designs used in computer-assisted instruction and suggests areas for future efforts. Topics discussed include technical elements and comprehensibility elements in layout design; single element and multiple element research methodologies; dependent variables; and learning…

Describes a study that defined and provided initial empirical support for differentiating the concepts of computer attitude, subjective computer experience, and objective computer experience. Discusses results of a principal component factor analysis and presents a conceptual analysis of the relation between subjective computer experience and…

Focuses on three students engaged in a group task to develop a concept map on hypermedia-related concepts. Examines how each of the students--grouped together based on their learning style and cognitive control differences--influenced construction of the group concept map. Concludes that the "Assimilator/Field-Independent" student was the most…

Discussion of short-term and long-term memory in learning paired associates focuses on two microcomputer-based instructional design experiments with eleventh and twelfth graders that were modeled after traditional drill and practice routines. Research questions are presented, treatment conditions are explained, and additional research is…

Describes a study of fifth and sixth graders that investigated the effects of cooperative training and ability grouping on microcomputer learning. Results on four measures of achievement did not support the use of cooperative learning or ability grouping to enhance achievement in computer-assisted instruction. (Author/LRW)

Reports on a study that examined different learning strategies used by 63 Field-independent (FI) people and Field-dependent (FD) international college students in a hypermedia assisted language learning setting. Findings that describe the different types of media, tools, and learning aids chosen by FI and FD students are reported. (27 references)…

Describes computer-based study of undergraduates that examined the consistency of macroprocessing, or cognitive processing, of instruction in different content domains. Presentation modes are explained, pretests and posttests are described, and the implications of the results for the investigation of individual differences in learning are…

Provides an overview of hypermedia, including a history of hypertext and multimedia, and discusses how they have been combined into the term hypermedia; a cognitive overview; dual coding and cue summation; and theories related to learners, including field dependence-independence, memory, and metacognition. Contains 156 references. (LRW)

Formulates decision rules for adapting the appropriate amount of instruction to learning needs in intelligent-tutoring systems. Highlights include minimax decision theory (a minimum information approach), a binomial model, and a comparison of the Bayesian decision component in the Minnesota Adaptive Instructional System and the minimax strategy.…