This paper proposes an Internet facility that will authentically provide laboratory experiments remotely. Such a facility is brought to the doors of the distance learner to help provide learning that is comparable to that offered for conventional students. The paper describes the development of a prototype remote laboratory system, including…

Regulatory agencies around the world require that those involved in producing pharmaceutical products be adequately trained. E-learning can accomplish this, providing consistent delivery and learner assessment. However, there are some unique expectations that regulators and the pharmaceutical industry have of e-learning solutions. These include…

AHA! is a simple Web-based adaptive hypermedia system. Because of this simplicity it has been studied and experimented with in several research groups. This paper identifies shortcomings in AHA! and presents AHA! version 2.0 which tries to overcome the known problems with AHA! while maintaining its biggest asset: simplicity. The paper illustrates…

This paper describes the design of a synchronous World Wide Web-based distance education environment developed at the Telematics Laboratory of Computer Engineer and Informatics Department (CEID) and Computer Technology Institute (Greece); the environment uses telematics services to conduct lessons over computer networks, simulating a traditional…

This paper introduces an architecture for an e-learning system with an embedded authoring system. Based on the metaphor of a construction kit, this approach offers a general solution for specific content creation and publication. The learning resources are IMS "Content Packages" with a special structure to separate content and presentation. These…

This paper describes the design and implementation of a real time on-line collaboration tool, EDUCO. The main focus is to demonstrate how the tool is applied to a real life on-line distance education course, discuss the preliminary research findings of the qualitative empirical study, propose directions for future work and discuss implications.…

In this paper, a Web-based learning environment developed within the project called Virtual Learning Spaces (EVA, in Spanish) is presented. The environment is composed of knowledge, collaboration, consulting, experimentation, and personal spaces as a collection of agents and conventional software components working over the knowledge domains. All…

Reviews the use of computers to support distance learning in the multimedia teaching system of the British Open University from 1980-90. Topics addressed include hardware, courses using computers, software developments, the move to microcomputers, access, authoring tools, home-based computing, funding, and the outlook for the future. (15…

New information technology is rapidly becoming part of the localized education process, while offering the tools and the infrastructure for the establishment of a distance education process. At Rhodes University (South Africa), an Interactive Remote Tutorial System (IRTS) was built to support distance education. IRTS will be used as an…

The use of intelligent software agents within computer mediated learning environments has become an important focus of research and development in both AI and educational contexts. Some of the roles envisaged and implemented for these electronic entities involve direct interactions with students, participating in the "social" dimension of the…

Focuses on software for distance education. Discusses the cost of course development and highlights three classes of distance education tools: communication tools, course development tools, and digital imaging and video production software. Presents three scenarios that reflect the most likely approaches to course development and presentation.…

In order to provide teachers and students with electronic learning environments that support mentoring and collaboration through electronic means, the authors developed software that supports same time/different place educational collaborative activities over the Internet. These activities focus on teaching students how to organize and systematize…

This paper describes an authoring tool, Visual Constructor, that is being developed to help users without technical knowledge to create and organize World Wide Web-based course contents. The following goals of Visual Constructor are highlighted: (1) it does not require any knowledge of evolving Web technology; (2) the user interface is easy to…

This paper outlines CLEW (collaborative learning environment for the Web). The project combines MUD (Multi-User Dimension), workflow, VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and educational concepts like constructivism in a learning environment where students actively participate in the learning process. The MUD shapes the environment structure.…

These proceedings present 74 selected abstracts and 47 selected formal papers under 14 special interest group headings. Topics addressed by the papers include constructing multimedia; interactive video; computers in secondary school mathematics; access in computer-based instruction; implementing computer-based technology; advisor development;…