The Educational Innovation Incubator is an electronic classroom designed to evolve at the University of Central Missouri. This newly enacted endeavor is a place for faculty and students to combine the scholarship of teaching and learning into their courses by experimenting with the latest technologies in education. This paper describes the process…

The widespread proliferation of computer games for children as young as six months of age, merits a reexamination of their manner of use and a review of their facility to provide opportunities for developmental play. This article describes a research study conducted to explore the use of computer games by young children, specifically to…

We presently introduce the Virtual Lecture Hall (VLH), an instructional computer-based platform for delivering Microsoft PowerPoint slides threaded with audio clips for later review. There were 839 male and female university students enrolled in an introductory psychology class who had access to review class lectures via the VLH. This tool was…

Electronic collaborative learning environments for learning and working are in vogue. Designers design them according to their own constructivist interpretations of what collaborative learning is and what it should achieve. Educators employ them with different educational approaches and in diverse situations to achieve different ends. Students use…

Reviews articles on educational technology appearing in this "Kappan" issue. Describes a National School Board's Association report calling for strong educational leadership. Mentions a Utah case study and articles discussing school restructuring, combining technologies in the classroom, the value of small changes, the need for teacher…

Examines the evolution of distance education and learning via the use of communication technology. Focuses on distance education as a way of preparing returning adult students to meet demands of the labor market, and reviews uses of the World Wide Web as a communication tool to create electronic classrooms and deliver instructional materials. (JMV)

Some college administrators feel the next major trend in educational technology will be wireless networks that let students and professors connect to the Internet with radio waves rather than cumbersome cables. Several universities are already using the less expensive technology. However, some find the slower speed of available wireless services…

Electronic discussion sections can create a learning environment that will elicit quality student discussions in classes with large enrollment (i.e., 100 to 150 students). Redressing problems encountered during the first year using electronic discussions, I made changes such as establishing grading criteria for evaluating each student contribution…

Discusses the cost and development of an electronic classroom and ways of paying for it that include the raising of private money from local community groups, private industry, and foundations; and development of partnerships with equipment suppliers as pilot sites. It also explores the use of volunteers to help reduce equipment costs. (GR)

In response to standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, K-12 teachers were interviewed to investigate issues related to implementing standards in K-12 fiber optic mathematics classes. Issues include: achieving student-centered classrooms; incorporating technology into distance education; and structuring assessment so more…

Classes of 100 students or more are not uncommon in higher education. With such large enrollments, it can be difficult for instructors to integrate active learning components to the traditional lecture format typically adopted in such large classes. To help address this problem, Johnny El-Rady discusses his use of an electronic classroom voting…

Use of the Internet in distance education has increased at a tremendous pace. This study reports on a policy analysis that examined the development process of public virtual universities. First, public virtual universities in the United States were classified using Wolf and Johnstone's (1999) taxonomy, then, using a content analysis approach,…

Discusses the use of virtual environments (VEs) in teaching and learning. Examines the characteristics of effective VE in learning environments, looking at the added value produced by immersion, whereby students learn directly rather than through difficult symbol systems. Many apprehensions about VE are corrected, and the conclusions drawn are…

Use of technology in education can help reduce the high drop-out rate among minority students. Interactive classrooms, distance education, electronic mail, and online services such as CompuServe offer substantial educational benefits while allowing students to be judged on the basis of their ideas, rather than their race. Includes examples from…

Six different types of interpersonal exchanges, or educational telecomputing activities that incorporate the use of interpersonal skills are presented: (1) "keypals"; (2) global classrooms; (3) electronic "appearances"; (4) electronic monitoring; (5) question-and-answer services; and (6) impersonations. From this presentation,…