Smartphone apps have lately emerged as a potent instructional aid for teaching engineering courses. Teaching engineering courses often involve explaining complex problems that require creative solutions to students who are typically tech-savvy. This article reviews 10 smartphone apps that have been developed to teach engineering courses. The apps…

The affordances and pedagogical benefits of technology in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classrooms are widely acknowledged. One potential use of technology is in eliciting and managing students' responses, which is an area where EAP/ESP teachers often report difficulties. Traditionally, teachers…

Some comments are provided about challenges facing the "instructional theory community," and specific remarks are made about papers presented at a session on expectations about instructional theory at the 1998 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) (Session 2). An area of particular interest is that of…

Reviews a computer software program, "Power Japanese" ("PJ"), for learning Japanese as a second language. "PJ" incorporates colorful graphics, animation, sound drills, and games. (Six references) (Author/CK)

Comments on the papers in this special issue. The authors use technology in at least three senses in their discussions, conceptualizing it as technology integration, instructional strategies, and technology tools. Papers such as these are necessary if the use of various types of technology is to be supported by a sound basis in research. (SLD)

This article describes 6 aids for science instruction, including (1) the use of fudge to represent lava; (2) the "Living by Chemistry" program, designed to make high school chemistry more accessible to a diverse pool of students without sacrificing content; (3) NOAA and NSTA's online coral reef teaching tool, a new web-based "science toolbox" for…

Discussion of several of the objectives in Information Power, the new American Association of School Librarians/Association for Educational Communications and Technology guidelines for library media specialists, considers such topics as access to information and the role of the media specialist. (eight references) (MES)

Reviews three examples of classroom-tested multimedia technology. The titles reviewed are "Scrabble,""A to Zap!," and "Brain Quest." Reviews include hardware requirements, price, and children's book titles that can be used to expand on the software's use. (ET)

Three general areas in which technology (microcomputers and video technology) can facilitate learning are discussed: (1) helping students develop fluency (rapid recognition of familiar patterns); (2) providing rich problem-solving contexts that invite thinking; and (3) enabling students to create products that catch the attention of their teachers…

Asserts that teachers have the technological tools to help students become involved in their own learning. Maintains that geographic instruction can be improved by using one computer or an entire bank of computers in the classroom. Describes and recommends computer software programs and online information services. (CFR)

Reviews books, curricula, posters, videos, and computer software for use in multicultural education in elementary and secondary grades. The 28 products reviewed explore social skills, hate crimes, gender issues, multicultural heritages, immigration, and instructional improvement. (SLD)

Reviews five instructional media packages designed for classroom use. Discusses the content and approach of each of the items, which include a computer game, two video cassettes, and two instructional films. Includes teaching suggestions for using the products. (CFR)

Presents a review of "Communism and the Cold War," an interactive multimedia videodisk designed for teaching about the post-World War II world. Concludes that, although the program is a first step in the use of interactive media in the classroom, it provides a vision of an exciting and dynamic social studies classroom in the future. (CFR)

Describes a three-part videodisk set designed for teaching introductory U.S. government and history courses at the secondary or collegiate levels. Describes the content and teaching suggestions for the series that focuses on the powers of the U.S. Congress, the Presidency, and the Supreme Court. (CFR)

Discussed are products and activities which can be used in a multimedia computer setting. Highlighted are the use of video cameras, video digitizers, and video overlays. Examples of how this technology can be used by students are described. (CW)