Jan Herrington is a Professor of Education at Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia, where she teaches educational technology in the School of Education, including a compulsory first year unit called "Living and Learning with Technology." She has been active in the promotion and support of the effective use of educational…

This study combined the concept of self-control with Keller's ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) model of motivational design to determine whether students could be trained to make instruction relevant to themselves by using metalearning strategies. Results suggest students can be trained to do this and that this training can…

Examines how mobile computers, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), can be used in a Web-based learning environment. Topics include wireless networks on college campuses; online learning; Web-based learning technologies; synchronous and asynchronous communication via the Web; content resources; Web connections; and collaborative learning. (LRW)

Discussion of computer conferencing as a collaborative learning strategy and a group-oriented decision-making process highlights a study of undergraduates at the University of Delaware who participated in a computer conference. Technical responsibilities, strategy development, debate advancement, and user temperament are examined; and the value of…

Discusses online course design in higher education and cautions against blindly accepting constructivist and collaborative learning strategies. Explains many of the problems associated with these strategies, including the use of technology; considers social change; and describes groupthink and its influence in online courses. (LRW)

Describes two experiments on computer-assisted instruction (CAI) interaction in which interactional analysis is utilized to provide information on the interaction of students with microcomputers. It is suggested that interactional analysis is the key to improving the design and application of CAI materials. (MBR)

Discusses the distinctions between formative and summative evaluation as they apply to instructional products (materials) and people (learners). Various terms for these four types of evaluation are mentioned, and their characteristics are described through examples from both educational and corporate instructional settings. (11 references)…

Discusses situated learning and instruction. Topics discussed include situated cognition theories; prescriptions for instructional design; adapting instructional design to situated learning; evaluating situated learning; situated cognition and the role of the teacher; different types of problem-solving activities; and the work of the Cognition and…

Considers technologies needed for higher education institutions who are offering program-based or knowledge unit-based approaches to meet learners' needs. Highlights include integrated information systems; technology requirements and architectures; user tools and functionalities, including Web-based course management systems and knowledge…

Discusses the rapid growth of digital games, describes research at MIT that is exploring the potential of digital games for supporting learning, and offers hypotheses about the design of next-generation educational video and computer games. Highlights include simulations and games; and design principles, including context and using information to…

Describes methods for using videodisc technology in training human service professionals for use in college curriculums or for inservice education. Methods explained include videotaping from the learner's point of view, using a Simulation System Trainer, and a programing technique that saves learner responses for later evaluation. (10 references)…

Description of a microcomputer-based instructional strategy used to adapt computer assisted instruction (CAI) to individual learners' needs highlights its use with elementary school arithmetic classes to solve work problems. Experiments with a control group that received conventional problems are described, and applications for undergraduate…

Describes study of undergraduates that compared the effects of different small group sizes on learner achievement using computer controlled interactive videodisc. The results of pretests and posttests are reported, learning achievement and instructional time are used to calculate an instructional efficiency index, and further research is…

Reviews theories of anchored instruction and addresses issues related to learning, transfer, and assessment. Highlights include video-based macrocontexts; videodisc anchors versus computer-based simulations; cooperative learning; transfer outside the classroom; authenticity; visual anchors versus verbal anchors; situated cognition; and using…