Describes confluent presentation strategy (CPS) (i.e., a philosophy for developing student-centered, user/computer interfaces) and discusses its use to minimize student disorientation when using interactive computer-based training programs. Instructional design for computer interfaces and navigation are discussed, and an example of a CD-ROM that…

Discusses the importance of the computer-user interface for instructional multimedia materials to motivate students effectively. Motivation, functionality, learner control, cognitive optimization, interactivity, cognitive load, and screen design are discussed. (LRW)

Describes a collaborative effort to explore user needs in a digital library, develop interface prototypes for a digital library, and suggest and prototype tools for digital librarians and users at the Library of Congress. The design process and results are described and suggestions for future work are offered. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study where 66 subjects were asked to perform some predefined book purchasing task in a series of Web sites with varying interface quality. A strong relationship between interface quality and trust was found and some components of user interface quality were more important than others. Discusses implications for Web site design.…

The advent of wireless and pervasive technologies offers many opportunities for designing learning experiences that encourage children to explore, initiate and reflect. Novel forms of interactions can be developed, that exploit the "physical" and the "digital" in a diversity of ways that move beyond the "desktop" genre of interactions. In this…

The word "portfolio" might bring to mind the artist's case bulging with sketches, samples and finished or unfinished works in no particular order. On the other hand, it might suggest the familiar collection of report cards, crayon drawings and dioramas that accumulate in schoolchildren's homes over the years. In an adult education setting,…

An innovative concept of an electronic learning system has been established in an attempt to achieve a technology that provides engineering students with an instructive and affordable framework for learning engineering-related courses. This system utilizes an existing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package, Active Server Pages programming,…

Ken Klingenstein has led national networking initiatives for the past 25 years. He served as director of computing and network services at the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1985-1999, and today, Klingenstein is director of middleware and security for Internet2. Truth is, this networking innovator has participated in the development of the…

Learner centred design methods highlight the importance of involving the stakeholders of the learning process (learners, teachers, educational researchers) at all stages of the design of educational applications and of refining the design through an iterative prototyping process. These methods have been used successfully when designing systems…

Because of the graphical interface and "openness" of the operating system, Macintosh computers are susceptible to undesirable changes by the user. This presentation discusses the advantages and disadvantages of software packages that offer protection for the Macintosh system. The two basic forms of software security packages include a…

Networked multimedia is described as a tool for collaborative learning, focusing on learning through discussion. It is proposed that multimedia may be used to structure and enhance communication, thereby promoting learning. The background and application of collaborative learning is outlined. Several dimensions of media which influence the…

This paper began as an attempt to clarify and classify the development of Web3D environments from 1995 to the present. In that process, important facts came to light. A large proportion of these sites were virtual galleries and museums. Second, these same environments covered a wide array of architectural interpretations and represented some of…

Presents an information visualization workspace in which users are able to explore data presented in diverse but coordinated formats using related systems called Visage, SAGE, and selective dynamic manipulation (SDM). Discusses four dimensions for analyzing user interfaces that reveal the combination of design approaches needed for visualizations…

Reviews intelligent software agents and their relevance to networked information, particularly concerning future patterns of information gathering in research and education. Discussion of Internet information includes differing interfaces, the need for indexing, and map-making and information overload. Additional highlights include characteristics…

Discusses full-text databases and whether existing aggregator databases are meeting user needs. Topics include the need for better search interfaces; concepts of quality research and information retrieval; information overload; full text in electronic journal collections versus aggregator databases; underrepresentation of certain disciplines; and…