Technological infrastructure is often taken for granted in our day to day lives until it breaks down, usually because it invisibly supports tasks otherwise. Previous work in HCI has focused on how people react and deal with breaks in infrastructure as well as how to help people to fix or exploit these breaks. However, few have sought to understand…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine existing learning innovation systems and propose a systematic methodology of delivering educational innovations in the right amount, in the right place and at the right time. Design/methodology/approach: Higher education is not effectively incorporating new discoveries in cognitive science and human…

This article reports on a project that explores strategies for narrowing the digital divide by providing a practicable e-learning option for the millions living outside the ambit of high performance computing and communication technology. The concept is introduced of a "learning computer," a low bandwidth tool that provides a simplified,…

Introduces five articles in a special journal issue devoted to research about, design of, and use of multimodal interfaces. Article highlights include: algebra instruction; presentation of data summaries; interaction with complex spatial displays (maps); access to computing for the visually impaired; and design for portable devices for use in…

Discussion of information retrieval, knowledge representation, and computer-assisted learning focuses on a study that created a computer-based system designed to observe and record users' interactions with an ideal knowledge base consisting of unrevealed subject experts, appropriate documentation, and computer files. Information accessing…

Discusses the research design for an educational evaluation of the Alexandria Digital Earth ProtoType (ADEPT), a digital library of geo-referenced information resources. Reviews the deployment of digital libraries in educational settings, the role of information technology in developing students' scientific thinking, and evaluation of digital…

Presents an overview of the growth of work in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) over the last 40 years. Notes formative influences and contributing disciplines and discusses technology, applied problems, and the design for usability. Outlines issues that pose problems for HCI in the near future. Seven figures show growth in media. (141 references)…

This paper describes an Interactive Shared Journal System (ISJS) that provides access, support, and sharing for the processes of learning to become a teacher. This system is a component of the undergraduate teacher education program at the University of Missouri-Columbia. ISJS is a flexible system for the development and support of learning…

Examines how metacognitive theory can be integrated into the design of computer-based learning environments through the user interface. Highlights include interface design, metacognition and cognitive processes, using metaphors, user access to information, visual feedback, navigational tools, interaction styles, menus, and self-evaluation methods.…

A computer system, IconiCase, is currently being developed to assist users in the task of classifying and memorizing medical cases. The system uses assemblies of icons, called Concept Graphics (CG), as pointers to medical cases, leading to a form of electronic document delivery in which information is accessed at various levels, with a gradual…

The aim of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) training is to provide RAAF personnel with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary for them to do their jobs effectively. This paper discusses the issues involved in implementing a training system using the Royal Australian Air Force Distance Learning System (RAAFDLS) as a case study. To…

Oklahoma State University needed remotely accessible bibliographic instruction materials covering various electronic databases. As a prototype for future development, the database ProQuest Direct (PQD) was selected as the Web-based tutorial subject. Discussion includes PQD selection criteria; audience/environment analysis; strategy analysis; unit…

Adoption of new educational technologies usually requires a dissemination strategy as an explicit element in the design of a system. This paper reviews elements in a "student-driven" dissemination strategy for Internet services, based on experiences with "cleo" and "carmen," Internet hosts operated by Murdoch…

The accessibility of the World Wide Web and its flexibility for conveying digital information in various forms makes it a convenient mode of communication for education. With the help of a distance learning application called "Easy Ed," this paper demonstrates how these properties of the Web along with a data model can be used to provide…