This writing looks at an elemental aspect of learning and communication, the question, and contends that questions can be viewed as a technology for education. Questions that we ask in the classroom, online, or in discussion can shape learning and develop skills in students, and they should be more systematically employed in education. This…

Digital games were reviewed as an emerging tool in educational technology. Factors such as instructional effectiveness, time on task, relationship to curricula, student socio-economic status, violence in games, and game mechanics were considered. Despite considerable variability among studies, larger overall effect sizes for the impact of games on…

Learning is a social activity, which requires interactions with the environment, tools, people, and also ourselves (e.g., our previous experiences). Each interaction provides different meanings to learners, and the associated emotion affects their learning and performance. With the premise that emotion and cognition are distributed, the authors…

Debates in forums such as "Educational Technology" and the National Academies of Science (National Research Council, 2011) emphasize the promise (and indeed recent successes) of digital game-based learning programs, but also the need for research-driven approaches that carefully delineate learning goals. This article introduces one such…

Most instructional designers work in busy offices in which they are required to complete their work as quickly and efficiently as possible amidst a multitude of distractions. This work environment precludes opportunities for reflection, a term which traditionally denotes and connotes a contemplative mode of thought that thrives in conditions of…

In this article, the authors argue that online learning conversations need to go beyond the common "information exchange" to a deeper level of interaction in order to help learners build situated knowledge that is useful in their local contexts. The article begins by looking at the commonly-used framework of a Community of Practice (CoP) and, in…

Discusses instructional design using the unique features of the videodisc. Instructional and authoring strategies for linear motion, linear stills, instructional units, and integration of stills and motion, and interactive instruction (multiple-choice branching and branching from constructed responses) are offered. (RAO)

Examines instructional computer simulation from a Heideggerian point of view, claiming that traditional conceptions of simulation do not account for important characteristics of existence, namely anxiety and waiting. Discusses Heidegger's conception of Bestand, or standing reserve, and suggests implications for instruction. (Author/LRW)

Suggestions for writing computer-assisted instructional programs are offered through an examination of the goals and structure of these programs. Discussed are problems one may encounter in creating such programs. (RAO)

Discusses the educational potential of interactive videodisc technology in terms of: (1) training applications; (2) evaluation of effectiveness; (3) advantages of interactivity; (4) design considerations; (5) courseware development and cost considerations; and (6) teacher acceptability. Fifty-two references are provided. (MES)

Describes special considerations to be accounted for by evaluator of computer assisted instruction (CAI) materials, outlines a recommended approach to formative evaluation of CAI (one-to-one evaluations, small group evaluations, field tests), and offers suggestions to evaluators of CAI concerning how process can be simplified. Five references are…

Discusses a research program at Utah State University that is developing an advanced instructional design theory to help produce an integrated computer-based system. Highlights include a theoretical base that organizes knowledge about instructional design, a methodology for representing domain knowledge; miniexpert systems; instructional…

Discusses the need for improved methodologies and tools to guide the design and development of interactive technology-based instructional materials. Topics discussed include mental models; knowledge representation; knowledge analysis and acquisition systems; the effectiveness of instructional transactions; strategy analysis systems for…

The process of designing instructional sequences in the creation of instructional materials to be delivered via computer-based systems is defined. Charts depict functions for computer-learner, and computer-teacher/author. Flow charts also present four response categories: linear, looping, branching, and off-line. (RAO)