Used computer-mediated communication (CMC) to support postgraduate students in distance-education contexts, examining how CMC could reduce transactional distance and noting the construction of learning communities within an online environment and the socioacademic nature of such communities. Results indicate that CMC can support the construction…

Briefly highlights the work of one of the early pioneers of online education, Dr. Linda M. Harasim. Harasim stated five characteristics for online education and included active learning through peer communication and social process of knowledge building in the overall theory and definition of distance education. Other early contributors to…

Discusses issues of instructional design for information literacy in the distance environment. Examines the selection of technologies for effective distance learning; ways active learning approaches can be incorporated into distance education information literacy classes; and ways of assessing information literacy learning outcomes in a distance…

Examines the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of online education based on a review of the literature. Discusses the three major variables contributing to success in online learning--instructional design, social matters, and students' personal factors; findings of case studies analyzing cost-effectiveness; and factors affecting…

Discussion of asynchronous communication in online learning environments focuses on a collaborative, constructivist discussion that considered what constitutes acceptable participation in an online doctoral forum. Presents selections from a class discussion and concludes that students see the value of counting contributions even though they object…

Emphasizes the unique advantages of computer-mediated communication (CMC) for teaching genetics. CMC allows students to collect larger sample sizes than other methods and from any part of the world in a very short time. Describes hardware and software requirements, useful tools and techniques, and a sample project on human genetics for a…

A political science professor at James Madison University (VA) constructed a Web page to support an undergraduate course in government. This article defines Web-site goals and audience, reviews other sites, and discusses organization of Web links and technical choices for HTML editor, page layout and use of image, audio, and video files. Stresses…

Discusses the adoption of online instruction for distance education in the context of the Open University of Hong Kong. Academic and non-academic services that can be offered online are described. The importance and benefits of instituting electronic tutorials are addressed, including time savings, peer interactivity, and student/tutor…

This article first defines instructional technology and provides examples for early childhood special education in general, identifies current issues in higher education, and then identifies specific instructional designs, strategies, and media applications for persons involved in early childhood special education personnel preparation. (Contains…

Identifies reasons for using discussions as part of online courses. Outlines a framework for designing successful discussions; presents guidelines for facilitating discussions for maximum learning; and discusses evaluation of online discussions. Three figures list the four steps or components that are involved with each of these processes. (AEF)

Focuses on designing the right questions for promoting discussion in online adult learning environments. Discusses levels of questions; purposes of questions; tips for online questions; principles for designing an online discussion; preparing learners for discussions; and managing the discussion in process. (Contains 9 references.) (AEF)

Examines the issue of accessibility in online learning environments (OLEs). Presents characteristics of "differently-abled" learners. Examines accessible and inaccessible elements of the learning environment. Presents relatively quick and simple usability testing techniques. Explores reasons why developers and providers should be concerned with…

Examines the issue of community in distance learning. Reviews: literature on the nature of community, trends in higher education, and virtual teams in business. Discusses: what higher education can expect from virtual teams; a virtual learning community model; how virtual learning communities in higher education differ from traditional models; and…

Reports research on ways in which university academics design and incorporate computer-facilitated learning (CFL) environments into their courses. The study was based on archive material for 36 externally-funded technology-based projects. Projects were sorted into categories based on educational assumptions and practices, and use of educational…

Describes the introduction of electronic-mail discussion into a conventional postgraduate, distance-learning training and development program; provides instructor reflections and perspectives on curriculum development and the diverse communication cultures involved; and outlines motivations for continued engagement with electronic mail,…