Clark Aldrich is the founder and Managing Partner of Clark Aldrich Designs, and is known as a global education visionary, industry analyst, and speaker. In this interview, he responds to questions about his ideas, his work, and his theories.

Sigmund Tobias came to the United States in 1948, after his family had fled to China from the Holocaust in Europe. His Memoir ("Strange Haven: A Jewish Childhood in Wartime Shanghai") describes that part of his life. He settled in New York, where he completed his B.A. and M.S. in School Psychology from the City College of New York, and a…

This article describes some of the key affordances for learning of the generic class of handheld computers known variously as smartphones, palmtops, and thumbtops--using the Apple iPhone 3G as one of the most mature exemplars of this class--based on the authors' experiences with and reflections about the device over a period of a year. An argument…

Speeding past the Steve Jobs Post-PC Era into the Age of Mobilism, the authors foresee how, by 2015, each and every student in America's K-12 classrooms will be using their own mobile computing device, with those devices engendering the most disruptive transformation in education in 150 years. Classrooms will move from today's "I Teach"…

What makes games effective for learning? The authors argue that games provide vicarious experiences for players, which then amplify the effects of future, formal learning. However, not every game succeeds in doing so! Understanding why some games succeed and others fail at this task means investigating both a given game's design and the…

Reviews traditional classification schemes for educational computing applications, and presents a new taxonomy based on the areas of knowledge dissemination, knowledge generation, and information management. (16 references) (CLB)

Provides an introduction to robotic technology, and describes current robot models. Three ways of using robots in education are discussed--as exemplars of other processes, as objects of instruction, and as prosthetic aids--and selection criteria are outlined. (17 references) (CLB)

Reports on a study in which computer-mediated communication (CMC) messages obtained from two public access, educationally oriented electronic bulletin boards (BBSs) were categorized according to board type and intent and analyzed for structure, length, complexity, and readability. The potential for CMC in the educational environment is considered.…

Discusses the development of various technologies up through the Internet, and notes that the means have been confused with the ends. Argues that educators and users should first focus on the learning material's content and on performance design that delivers useful results, before selecting the means of delivery (the Internet). (AEF)

While the prevailing discourse in the field of educational technology is one of technology-as-progress, that discourse is seen in this article as a unique United States oriented trend and not a universal one. This article suggests that educational technology is not neutral, but rather is culturally set and conveyed. (AEF)

Discusses the role of interactive learning techniques in educational environments. Highlights include the change in educational environments; computer uses in education; the changing educational model from knowing to learning; the interactive learning environment; and the values of learning. (AEF)

The use of electronic mail (e-mail) to facilitate communications between professors and students is presented. Examples of uses include announcements, students' questions, counseling, distribution of class assignments, quizzes, grade posting, homework hints, and attendance issues. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed. (SLW)

The sixth in a series, this article presents an interview with Dr. Todd Hoover, Associate Professor of Curriculum Instruction and Educational Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, whose work has included designing developing, and assessing major initiatives for the integration of technology into learning and teaching. (AEF)

Presents a systematic approach for small colleges to plan effectively for the acquisition of information resources, i.e., computers and telecommunications, based on five recommendations: (1) assign task force to assess needs; (2) establish institutional goals; (3) identify the technology required to meet the goals; (4) determine financial…

Presents a new image of education, called Learning Sphere 2000, which is emerging from the educational needs of an information society. Features of this paradigm are explained, including learning experiences, teacher roles, clusters of students and teachers as schools, learning centers, learning contracts, developmental levels, children with…