Over the past decade, at both the university and high school levels, chemistry instructors have become keenly aware of an increasing number of students who are proving to be unable to solve complex problems. Today's students have grown up with technology, and most would prefer to do their homework using a digital tool rather than pencil and paper.…

For a single authoring environment to be sufficiently general to be applicable to contexts across the whole lifespan of learning, some of the benefits that come from knowledge-rich domain specificity have to be sacrificed. Consequently, it is an open question as to whether it is possible to achieve effective learning environments from a generic…

Describes an Environment for Courseware Use (ECU), an information system that requires that a courseware product be adaptable within the environment in which it is going to be used. The use of computers in educational organizations is discussed; the use of adaptable products in an ECU is considered, and information modeling of environments for…

Defines the role of the instructor-user in computer-assisted learning (CAL) and discusses the need to be able to alter and adapt existing CAL software for particular teaching needs. SPELEO, an authoring system developed in France that allows the modification of courseware content, is described. (eight references) (LRW)

Discusses CD-i (Compact Disk-Interactive) and its possible uses for training. Topics addressed include examples of companies now using CD-i for training; advantages of CD-i and computer-based training; standards for CD-i; repurposing video and videodisks to CD-i; use in industrial settings and for federally mandated training; and marketing. (LRW)

This report emphasizes the techniques required today for effective slide construction and contains suggestions about the nuts and bolts of slide preparation. Two instructors developed a presentation at Utah Valley State College to enhance their teaching of the sonnet and the Japanese haiku. Their premise: since poetry is a highly visual art form,…

The design team approach to the development of computer based learning (CBL) courseware relies heavily on the effective communication between different members of the team, including up-to-date paperwork and documentation. This is important for the accurate and efficient overall coordination of the courseware design, and for future maintenance of…

Outlines suggestions for French teachers for beginning or expanding use of computer assisted language instruction (CAI). Potential uses of CAI and its resources, integration of CAI into the classroom, financial constraints, software evaluation are discussed. A select bibliography of relevant sources, and a list of publishers and distributors is…

Discusses repurposing content for computer-assisted instruction. Topics addressed include cost reduction; cost effectiveness; instructional quality and consistency; design issues; database design, including organizing information for repurposing and the use of courseware; and examples derived from multimedia and hypermedia applications. (LRW)

The report documents a project to adapt and design instructional media and materials of a regular senior high social studies curriculum for use with mainstreamed mildly handicapped students. Supplementary materials were developed and tested at five sites to accompany the world history textbook, "Our Common Heritage." Products included…

Discussion of the lack of quality educational software in European countries to support computer-assisted learning (CAL) focuses on a collaboration between England and West Germany to train German software authoring teams. The effectiveness of the collaboration is discussed, and implications for other international collaborations and for software…

Describes Online Webstories for Learning (OWL), a Web-based resource for elementary school literacy education that was initially developed for use in the United Kingdom. Discusses the importance of including narrative, how OWL is being adapted for use in other countries, and off-line class activities suggested as part of OWL. (Contains 8…

Discussion of online learning and standards for web-based and computer-based courseware focuses on learning objects, defined here as small, stand-alone units of instruction that can be tagged with descriptors and stored for reuse in various instructional contexts. Presents principles of learning object design and guidelines for assuring that…

Reports on other schools' use of the Gallaudet University-developed ENFI (Electronic Networks for Interaction) computer method for teaching written English to deaf students, describing teachers' modifications of the use of the networks for improving students' use of English. (CB) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)

Discusses the possibilities for improving courseware and the courseware engineering process using visualization. Advantages and disadvantages of visualization are considered, including psychological, instructional, motivational, cross-cultural, and technical aspects; visual programming systems are described; adaptation and rapid prototyping are…