Online support groups provide an alternative vehicle of support for people in distress by linking people who have similar problems. They have the potential to improve the access and delivery of support to a wide range of people, including some who would not seek face-to-face support at all. Online support groups reduce the sense of isolation…

This digest highlights the rules or best practices that should be followed by educators in evaluating, selecting, and using technology-delivered assessments. The guidelines adhere to existing professional standards and are presented in checklist form so that educators can determine if the use of technology for their assessment programs are of…

Current technology enables people to cope with grief through participation in online support groups from the comfort and privacy of their home. The three aspects of grief are emotional, physical, and behavioral. Facing the void left and dealing with the feelings of isolation after the loss of a loved one can be accomplished through online support…

Computers have been around since 1946. The relationship between computers and counseling, and in a wider sense psychotherapy, has existed for decades. The impact of computer technologies on counseling has changed over time. The purpose of this digest is to summarize and review the historical events of the counseling-computer relations. This will…

This digest focuses on the use of technology in the supervision of counselors. Each generation of new technology, from audiotapes and videotapes to fax machines and virtual reality, creates challenges and opportunities for the counseling supervisor. Increased use of computer-related technologies has given this generation of supervisors new ideas…

Current trends in technological developments suggest that home entertainment video games and educational learning software are on convergent paths. Astute educators have identified these technologies as effective for student motivation and have integrated them with traditional curricula to reduce at-risk behavior. Counselors who identify and…

This digest in Spanish describes several technologies that can be used to control access to, and improve surveillance of, school grounds. Access can be controlled by using "smart" cards to control keyed entries. Many schools have problems with multiple copies of keys, and these card systems are integrated with computer software that…

This digest describes several technologies that can be used to control access to, and improve surveillance of, school grounds. Access can be controlled by using "smart" cards to control keyed entries. Many schools have problems with multiple copies of keys, and these card systems are integrated with computer software that allows for…

This Digest summarizes the results of a survey administered to the American Educational Research Associations Survey Research Special Interest Group regarding the use of electronic surveys and discusses their responses in the context of the existing literature base. Topics include the conditions under which use of e-mail or Web-based surveys would…

Educators have understood the potential of technology in supplementing the instructional process, including the use of technology in the area of assessment. Technology used with good testing practices offers some capabilities that add value to educational assessment. These include: accessibility; immediate feedback; ability to use new assessment…

The current reform effort in mathematics education has its roots in the decade of the 1980's and the national reports that focused attention on an impending crisis in education, particularly in mathematics and science. Within this context, dozens of individual reform efforts have been initiated in recent years. Many have focused on the development…

Tech prep is an articulation partnership between secondary vocational-technical schools and postsecondary institutions. It can be described as an "advanced skills" articulation model because it enables students to use the time saved through coordinated course work to acquire the more advanced occupational knowledge and skill required by…

Educational reform initiatives such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards, National Science Education Standards, and Project 2061 provide guidelines to reduce the diversity gap in science and mathematics literacy. Schools are applying these guidelines to classroom practices by posing questions about what changes are…

A review of representative instructional strategies and programs which focus on Science-Technology-Society (STS) themes is presented in this digest. A rationale and specific recommendations for the inclusion of an STS component in the science curriculum are offered. The options which exist for instruction of STS themes are identified and examples…

This digest reviews the promise and drawbacks of computerized learning programs and telecommunication technologies for small rural schools. A critical feature of programmed learning packages can be their stand-alone feature. To the extent that such programs do not require the presence or involvement of a trained on-site teacher, they make it…