In this paper, we present the results of an exploratory study into the relationship between student self-efficacy and guidance use in a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) science curriculum project. We describe findings from a sample of middle school science students on the combined impact on learning of student self-efficacy in scientific…

Colleges increasingly rely on the Web to attract, inform, and interact with students. This makes Web site accessibility and usability critical concerns, particularly for public community colleges, which educate sizable numbers of students with disabilities. As committed providers of postsecondary education to students with disabilities and thus a…

Instructional elements remain the foundation of current instructional design practice. Practice is the instructional element provided after learners have been given information required to master an objective and Navigation is the non-instructional element guides the learner on the sequence of instruction. Linear Navigation can be referred to as…

Audit trail analysis can provide valuable insights to researchers and evaluators interested in comparing and contrasting designers' expectations of use and students' actual patterns of use of educational technology environments (ETEs). Sequence analysis techniques are particularly effective but have been neglected to some extent because of real…

In light of the increasingly blurred line between mediated and nonmediated contexts for social, professional, and educational purposes, attention to the presence and use of innovative digital media is critical to the consideration of the future of computer-assisted language learning (CALL). This article reviews current trends in the use of…

This study involved the analysis of the complex interactions that take place between tutors and preschool children using a computer during early literacy tutoring sessions. Eight five-year-old pre- and early-readers attending a childcare centre participated in daily 20-minute tutoring sessions for two weeks. The literacy software (a beta version)…

This article examines 9-11 year olds' attempts to beat the computer at a game of strategy and asks how far and under what circumstances they developed a strategic approach to the game. Extracts from videotape transcripts are analysed to reveal the components of children's particular approaches, evident even amongst children who did not develop an…

Very few studies have systematically evaluated the effect of learning objects in secondary school classrooms. The vast majority of studies have focussed on higher education. The current study examined the impact of learning objects from the perspective of 850 students and 27 teachers (50 classrooms) of science, mathematics, or social science. The…

In recent years there has been increasing interest in the phenomena of "gaming the system," where a learner attempts to succeed in an educational environment by exploiting properties of the system's help and feedback rather than by attempting to learn the material. Developing environments that respond constructively and effectively to…

Capabilities and biases of learning technologies are examined in light of four widely accepted principles: deep content knowledge, dialogue, agency, and collaboration. Software that supports these principles must focus students' attention on ideas rather than topics or tasks and should foster high levels of "epistemic agency," providing students…

Simulation-based educational products are excellent set of illustrative tools that proffer features like visualization of the dynamic behavior of a real system, etc. Such products have great efficacy in education and are known to be one of the first-rate student centered learning methodologies. These products allow students to practice skills such…

Providing detailed, constructive and helpful feedback is an important contribution to effective student learning. Quality assurance is also required to ensure consistency across all students and reduce error rates. However, with increasing workloads and student numbers these goals are becoming more difficult to achieve. An automated feedback…

This article presents an overview of an ongoing initiative to develop, integrate, and evaluate multimedia lessons to enhance listening comprehension in Spanish language classes at the Catholic University of America (District of Columbia). Focusing on the process involved, the two phases of the project that have been completed are examined,…

Reviews four software packages available for IBM PC or Apple II. Includes "Graphical Analysis III"; "Space Max: Space Station Construction Simulation"; "Guesstimation"; and "Genetic Engineering Toolbox." Focuses on each packages' strengths in a high school context. (CW)

Discusses the use of technology to support alternative assessment, including portfolios of student work. Multimedia computer software programs are reviewed; database programs, hypermedia programs, and video portfolios are discussed; technology storage is considered; and future possibilities are suggested, including hardware options. (Contains two…