The development of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) is in the scope of research groups and educators aiming to propose suitable mechanisms for the organization of self-controlled and self-directed learning, providing students with tools and services for access to content and human intelligence inside and outside the educational institutions.…

In this article we present a partially realized project for building a distributed learning environment for studying digital circuits Test and Diagnostics at TU-Sofia. We describe the main requirements for this environment, substantiate the developer platform choice, and present our simulation and circuit parameter calculation tools.…

Exploring the Solar System in the elementary school curriculum has traditionally involved activities, such as building scale models, to help students visualize the vastness of space and the relative size of the planets and their orbits. Today, numerous websites provide a wealth of information about the sun and the planets, combining text, photos,…

This study focuses on the impact of wireless, mobile computing tools on student assessment outcomes. In a campus-wide wireless, mobile computing environment at an upper Midwest university, an empirical analysis is applied to understand the relationship between student performance and Tablet PC use. An experimental/control group comparison of…

Explores specification and design procedures, functions, and issues in the development of intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs). Topics discussed include learning objectives; the target audience; types of training materials; format; software and hardware specifications; and individual ITS modules, including administrative, user profile, database,…

The objective of this article is to investigate the computer animation and virtual reality technologies for developing a virtual marine museum. The museum consists of three exhibition areas. The first area displays fishes in freshwater, including creeks, rivers, and dams in Taiwan. The second area exhibits marine ecology and creatures of different…

Discussion of computer-assisted learning (CAL) and the instructional functions of audio highlights the development of an interactional audio-CAL system used for second-language learning. Levels of interactivity in media are discussed, hardware that would add audio to a CAL system is described, and future research is suggested. (10 references) (LRW)

Describes the purpose and benefits of interactivity in computer-based learning environments. Suggests strategies to assist instructional designers in effective utilization of interactivity within computer-based programs: providing comprehensive navigation options; using questions that require students to interact with the instructional material;…

Describes a computer system being developed to support two-party negotiation to enhance students' learning in the area of dispute resolution. The concept of computer support as an important future direction in the area of conflict resolution and negotiation is discussed, and results of pilot testing of the prototype are reported. (Contains 17…

Discusses intelligent computer assisted instruction (ICAI) and presents various models of learning which have been proposed. Topics discussed include artificial intelligence; intelligent tutorial systems; tutorial strategies; learner control; system design; learning theory; and knowledge representation of proper and improper (i.e., incorrect)…

Describes the operation of a graduate level statistics course based on computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Course content and student reactions are discussed, course evaluations are reported, problems involved with moving the courseware to different computer systems are described, and the CAI run-time system is explained. (10 references) (LRW)

Describes PRECEPTOR, an intelligent tutoring system that provides multiple explanations for algebraic word problems involving two variables. Modeling the cognitive processes of an effective teacher is discussed, the capacity for individualized tutoring is examined, and differential tutoring based on varying difficulty levels is explained. (17…

Reviews the historical development and technological features of hypertext, a computerized nonlinear text system. Three major areas of applications are identified: (1) instruction, (2) electronic publishing and online databases, and (3) thinking and authoring tools. Research issues in document processing and education are also discussed. (28…

Discusses the results of measuring the in-class effectiveness of a computer-controlled instructor workstation (IWS) that was developed at the Air Force Academy. Treatments for the experimental and control groups in an introductory physics course are described, and effects on student performance, student attitudes, and instructor attitudes are…

Describes a study that researched elements necessary for the design of an interactive video learning (IVL) lab for business courses. Highlights include a review of pertinent literature; guidelines for the use of an IVL lab; IVL systems integration; system specifications; hardware costs; and system software. (five references) (LRW)