Describes a study of middle school students' use of educational software that was conducted to determine whether it was being used as intended. Popular programs used by girls and by boys are described and compared, particularly "Oregon Trail," and use as entertainment instead of education is discussed. (Contains three references.) (LRW)

Discussion of hypermedia-based instruction (HBI) focuses on the effects of cognitive style on student achievement. The development of interactive software for eighth-grade students studying computer ethics is described; gender differences are examined; problems are identified; and information-accessing frequency is discussed. (LRW)

Reviews recent research on cooperative computer-based instruction (CBI) and discusses findings related to achievement levels and ability, patterns of study, social interchange, motivation and attitudes, and gender differences. Guidelines for the implementation of cooperative CBI are presented, and implications for software designers are suggested.…

A gender gap between boys and girls has been reported in computer usage. Graphics may play a role in bridging that gap because of their motivational value. The literature reports gender differences regarding graphic content, color, detail, size, and movement. Based on these findings, preliminary design guidelines for graphics in computer-based…

This research explored the thesis that mental model construction can be an effective instructional strategy for mental models learning by constructing a prototype that embodies this approach. The mental model to be learned was the Internet, including the components of the Internet, their functions, and their relationships to one another. To do…

This book is about learning and teaching with personal computers. It is aimed at teachers, student teachers, those responsible for pre-service and in-service teacher training, school administrators, and parents. The book is arranged in four sections. Part I includes two chapters providing a theoretical framework for learning and teaching with…