This study explored the perceptions of 304 teacher education students regarding how effectively and meaningfully their instructors use the "Microsoft PowerPoint" presentation software program in their teaching and compared graduate and undergraduate students' perceptions to determine the extent to which graduate and undergraduate teacher educators…

Technology offers promising opportunities for creating new types of classroom learning environments. This paper describes three technology models used by teacher education interns: electronic portfolios, negotiative concept mapping, cognote-supported electronic discussions. As implemented in the current study, these models invoke graduated…

This article describes a study in which eighth grade students in one school learned to create multimedia mini-documentaries in a six-week history unit on early 19th-century U.S. history. The authors examined content knowledge tests, group projects, and attitude and opinion surveys to determine relative benefits for students who participated in a…

This paper describes research into the use of cognitive tools in the classroom using "Exploring the Nardoo", an information landscape designed to support student investigation. Simulations and support tools which allow multimedia reporting are embedded in the package and are supported by several metacognitive tools for the writing…

Texts of conference papers and summaries of colloquia on computers and second language learning are presented, including: "Computers, Language Learning, and the Four Skills" (summary of a session with Steve McGuire, Albert Dudley, Patricia Thornton, Paul Jaquith, Jay Lundelius, Steve Tripp); "Creating Your Own Software--The Easy Way" (Steve…

Describes criteria developed to determine which of three existing computer-based training lessons could be repurposed into a multimedia format. Reasons for repurposing, types of criteria generated to determine the instruction's repurposeability, and lessons learned from the evaluation experience are covered. (Contains 13 references.) (KRN)

The author analyzes properties of mutual information between dichotomous concepts and test items. The properties generalize some common intuitions about item comparison, and provide principled foundations for designing item-selection heuristics for student assessment in computer-assisted educational systems. The proposed item-selection strategies…

The aim of the research is to derive a framework for the evaluation of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tool learnability in educational environments. Drawing from the literature of Human Computer Interaction and educational research, a framework for evaluating CASE tool learnability in educational environments is derived. The two main…

This paper examines the recent development of a computer-assisted learning program--in Practice--at the School of Health Science, in the University of Wales Swansea. The project, which began in 2001, was developed in close collaboration with The Meningitis Trust, the aim being to produce a software package to increase nursing students' knowledge…

Writing is a recursive and complex set of cognitive processes that can be taught effectively to students with disabilities. Employing an adapted cognitive theory of writing, a broad view of what constitutes evidence, and the support of a variety of assistive and internet-based technologies, we developed a writing instructional program to meet the…

This article is a formative evaluation of a course in which a blended learning environment was created and a good balance in dimensions of blended learning was sought. Blended learning is defined as the total mix of pedagogical methods, using a combination of different learning strategies, both with and without the use of technology. The…

This paper introduces a multimedia-based educational system on logistics developed at the University of Magdeburg (Germany), reports on development and implementation of the prototype, and discusses ideas for redesign. The system was tested, used, and evaluated at the university and within a European network of 24 universities, colleges, and…

These four issues comprise Volume 4 of the "Adult Literacy & Technology (AL&T) Newsletter." Issue 1 contains the following articles: "Preparing Our Children for Their Future, Not Our Past" (David Thornburg); "The Video Project" (Michael Hanish); "Images of the Future" (Terilyn Turner); "Hyperapplications: Implications for Reading and Writing" (Jay…

To use computers as a medium to learn a language, there is need for some GUI-elements indicating and regulating the actual status of training. These elements have to be separated into obligatory ones, useful in almost all CALL-software, and facultative ones, necessary for most "teachware." Due to a general need of reducing the difficulties to get…

This paper reviews two of the United Kingdom's national programs to promote the use of computer-based teaching throughout higher education. In the first phase (1985-89) of the Computers in Teaching Initiative (CTI), a suite of 139 individual software-production projects generally failed to meet expectations. In 1989, CTI became a network of…