Since the 1970s, a small but committed group of educators and developers has been encouraging students to learn the language of technology: computer programming. This article describes how today those efforts are moving forward, as a number of kid-friendly languages are being developed with the goal of harnessing students' attention and…

According to a March estimate from Distimo, there were 653,614 apps in the iPhone, Android, iPad, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile stores alone. So, is it any wonder that these busy people have found a few that come in handy on the job? Mobile apps are as indispensable to district IT executives as they are becoming in the classroom--for professional…

There was a time when school districts showed little interest in storing or backing up their data to remote servers. Nothing seemed less secure than handing off data to someone else. But in the last few years the buzz around cloud storage has grown louder, and the idea that data backup could be provided as a service has begun to gain traction in…

Data integration is one of the single most challenging tasks any district can face. Fortunately for school districts throughout the country with data scattered in disparate systems, an open specification known as the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) is mitigating that challenge. SIF has emerged as a cornerstone of K-12 data warehousing,…

Describes the Interactive Multimedia Distribution System (IMDS) at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) that started as a library information system and evolved to include campuswide access, interactivity, random access, random search, multimedia authoring, cross-platform capability, Web environment, media digitizing, video on…

Provides a framework for selecting a hypermedia authoring system for use in developing interactive computer-based training (CBT). Criteria for analyzing three major functions are explained: learner control, including user friendliness, and online help; information presentation, including the ability to add audio and visual elements; and source…

Provides an overview of computers in education: early computers and computer languages, computer-assisted instruction, micro worlds, microcomputers, intelligent tutors, intelligent tools, symbol systems, computer graphics, virtual reality, distance education via the Internet, distance mentoring, learning-on-demand, organizational learning via…

Describes the development of an instructor-friendly multimedia environment that is interactive and facilitates the integration of multimedia elements into classroom teaching at a community college. Highlights include a courseware template, HyperCard programming language, a portable media cart design, and student booklets. (Author/LRW)

Offers tips and techniques for authoring computer-based training and courseware products. Describes basic design concepts and points that pertain to individual components. Focuses specifically on the visual elements associated with the use of video, text, graphics, animation and interactivity in multimedia courseware. (AEF)

Discusses computer-aided instruction from home computers as an alternative or an adjunct to public school education. Topics addressed include the partnership between parents and schools; new roles for parents and schools; financial considerations; educational software; a program to help teachers develop their own software; and field testing in…

A history teacher uses a computer game to interest students in World War II. A former TV reporter creates a new journalism curriculum that turns high school kids into real on-air broadcasters. An administrator and a technology coordinator team up to bring their campuses in contact with others around the world. A project director devises a…