The assertion that "higher order" thinking skills can be improved by learning to program computers is not a new one. The idea endures even though the empirical evidence over the years has been mixed at best. In fact, there is no reason to expect that all programming courses will have identical, or even similar, effects. Such courses typically…

ToonTalk is an animated interactive world inside of which one can construct a very large range of computer programs. These programs are not constructed by typing text or arranging icons, but by taking actions in this world. Robots can be trained, birds can be given messages to deliver, and so on. This paper describes the design and preliminary…

Knowing how to use authoring software does not guarantee effective multimedia instruction. Developers should focus on good product definition, design, and content and on skill building. (SK)

Discussion of effective computer-based training (CBT), or computer-assisted instruction, emphasizes that the media used should be selected to support and deliver the message, not overpower it with unnecessary elements. Topics include computer as tutor; design and authoring tools; interaction; procedural versus principled tasks; and information and…

Suggests there must be educational reform deliberately engineered to enable schools to effectively use instructional technology. Discusses principles of instruction that facilitate learning; the need for effective instructional authoring tools; and the need for teacher support within the system to encourage innovation. (LRW)

The instructional design process encompasses a set of interdependent phases including analysis of learners, contexts and goals; design of objectives, strategies and assessment tools; production of instructional materials; and evaluation of learner performance and overall instructional design effort. Automated instructional design (AID) tools…

Presents a comparative analysis from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Learning Technology Standards Committee's (LTSC) of the architectural and functional design of e-learning delivery platforms and applications, e-learning course authoring tools, and learning management systems (LMSs), with a view of assessing how…

Reviews the nature of Web-based course management systems (WCMSs), which are designed to help teachers create learning environments in which students have the necessary means to interact effectively with their peers, their instructors, and the course material. Focuses on their advantages, disadvantages, and potential for language learning by…

Examines facets using multimedia to enhance learning. Highlights include product linkage and customization; flexibility for lesson plans; hypermedia authoring tools; student presentations; expense; incompatible and confusing systems; high memory demands; hardware standards for Windows and Macintosh programs; and CD-ROM products. (AEF)

This evaluative case study examines the learning experiences of graduate students studying effective multimedia authoring. Continuum-based instructional design, behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, collaboration, the role of a matrix, transfer of training, and qualitative and quantitative results are discussed. (LRW)

COCA, which consists of both authoring tools and a runtime shell, is a system intended to provide teachers with genuine access to intelligent tutoring system (ITS) technology and to give them control over domain material and teaching strategies. To evaluate the effectiveness of COCA, 10 subjects (five university teachers and five school teachers)…

Differences in traditional student performance measures were examined following a computer assisted instruction (CAI) or a hypertext approach for mastering concepts related to intellectual property (i.e., copyright and patent) law. Seventy-six undergraduate business majors at a midwestern state university received CAI or hypertext instruction.…

Engaging learners on the World Wide Web is more than sending Web pages to the user. However, for many course delivery software programs, the smallest unit of delivery is a Web page. How content experts can create engaging Web pages has largely been ignored or taken for granted. This paper reports on an authoring model for creating pedagogically…

While the computer chip is revolutionizing society as a whole, its effects on education remain limited. This paper identifies and describes how exemplary elementary school teachers in Southwestern Ohio use technology in the classroom, and provides a model for the development of tomorrow's classrooms. Qualitative and quantitative data collection…

Designed for education leaders who seek to apply multimedia technology in schools, this guide addresses not only hardware and software matters, but also a wide range of related issues that schools face. Various facets of the topic are addressed in 12 papers presented under 8 broad headings: (1) Multimedia Technology (Racquel Skolnik and R. G.…