User-created virtual worlds, such as Second Life, are a hot topic in higher education. Thousands of educators are currently exploring and using Second Life, and hundreds of colleges and universities have purchased and developed their own private islands in Second Life, including the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). Because it is so easy…

Discusses the importance of designing for comfortable, effective interfaces between students and computers in classrooms. Explores the use of research and classroom mock-ups to ensure appropriate design. (EV)

Presents tips on how to create instructional Web sites with accessibility in mind and how to easily check existing sites for accessibility, based on a study of inaccessible Web-based components at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Provides a list of Web sites focusing on accessibility. (AEF)

Defines a "geek" as a person in love with technology, computers, and the Internet, and suggests ways that technology-training professionals can discover their "inner geek" to improve their ability to design appropriate learning and performance systems. Presents actions to take and examples for game playing; exploring; embracing technology;…

This paper examines how teachers, as educational designers, can utilize universal design for learning (UDL) concepts. UDL is a comprehensive approach to the design of educational systems that addresses elements necessary for the achievement of desired educational goals and objectives: elements such as equity among the participants, environmental…

Suggests two guiding principles as a framework to interpret the research findings of environmental psychology that focus on effective classroom design: effective design promotes attention in the classroom and allows for periodic shifts of learner activities. Examines these principles as they apply to the design of a computer classroom, reviewing…

Many universities have striven to provide their students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni with robust, useful, and informative Web sites. Villanova University (Villanova, Pennsylvania) has spent the last 12 months overhauling its static Web site to a dynamic and individualized Web system. At the outset, the term "portal" was adopted by the…

This paper shows how to use design patterns for building educational multimedia applications. The first section summarizes design issues related to organizing the information, the organization of the interface, and implementation. Navigating through information is covered in the second section, including problems, motivations, and solutions, and…

Describes a layered analytical framework for discussing design and educational issues that can be shared by the many different stakeholders involved in educational multimedia design and deployment. Illustrates the framework using a detailed analysis of the Galapagos Pilot project of the Open University science faculty which examines the processes…

This paper describes the concept of online knowledge communities. The concept is defined, and six qualities of online communities are identified: members (user roles are clearly defined); mission (generally accepted goal-statement, ideas, beliefs, etc.); commitment (members give their loyalty to the mission); social interaction (frequent…

Explores why "learning" and "object" have been combined in the field of instructional technology. Examines why current definitions of these terms are lacking when looked at from a standards and interoperability point of view. Suggests a new definition with a rationale to satisfy needs of technologists for precise, practical…

This paper examines aspects of some World Wide Web-based educational telecomputing projects to illustrate 10 different project Web page functions. These include: (1) giving a project overview or introduction to the goals and operational structure for the project; (2) announcing curriculum-based projects, inviting participation, and providing links…

A number of university campuses have undertaken the development of digital classrooms that enable presentation of digital media and digital lecture recording. Deploying the infrastructure for a digital classroom is difficult at best even for a technically savvy person. As people from many disciplines become interested in building similar digital…

This paper addresses a range of issues that teachers must consider when designing and developing a World Wide Web-enhanced course. It offers a guiding philosophy for Web-enhanced course design, presents a discussion of improved instruction and course management, outlines design issues that are involved for a course Web environment, and proposes…

This paper provides an overview of the variables critical to the success of an Internet site design. The site under development represents one aspect of dissemination for the Modeling Instruction with Modern Information and Communications Technologies: the MIMIC Project, a U.S. Department of Education Capacity Building Grant. The site focuses on…