The contemporary school ethos is marked by an incursion of technological forces. In India, school systems have begun accepting internet technology and gadgets as enabling tools for learning. The technology-driven climate is dramatically transforming the methods of learning history. The adoption of digital technology in Indian school system has…

This article presents a design-based research study of the implementation of an energy unit developed for middle school students. The unit utilized Google Earth and a geographic information system (GIS) to support student understanding of the world's energy resources and foster their spatial thinking skills. Findings from the prototype study…

This paper discusses the importance of considering the social context in which an instructional product will be used during the development process. It is contended that traditional instructional product development models are inadequate because they ignore social context. The use of inadequate traditional design models results in the development…

If technology is to be integrated into schools successfully, then teachers must understand that instructional technology is not just hardware or software, but rather a process and/or approach to teaching and learning. There are many benefits of and barriers to using technology in teaching. First, with the use of technology, the lesson can be…

The technology teaching lab program at Ohio State University at Mansfield is a series of 2-hour labs that runs concurrently with preservice methods blocks. The purpose of the lab is to give the students the experience necessary to integrate technology into their classroom. The lab provides the students with instruction, opportunities, and…

For the thirty-sixth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

The working group Didactics of Informatics at the University of Paderborn (Germany) develops and evaluates a multimedia exploration platform for information systems (MEPIS) to the needs of teaching and learning informatics at secondary schools. This paper describes the basic ideas within a system-oriented approach of didactics of informatics and…

Online learning is coming of age in both postsecondary education and industry. The courses now offered online range from kinesiology to mathematics to complete M.B.A. programs. The growing popularity of online education has created a need to reduce costs without diminishing the value of the edification. In response to this need, an instructional…

This toolkit provides tested lessons and a selection of alternative ideas for the middle grades to help adapt and integrate the teaching of information skills in a way that meets the needs of teachers and students. After an introductory section, eight chapters of Collaborative Integrated Skills Lessons are provided. The lessons are grouped by…

The planning, design, production and presentation of interactive learning exhibits (ILEs) by students in elementary and secondary teaching credential programs provided authentic learning experiences in the integration of computers in teaching and learning settings. This paper includes a rationale and brief overview of the theoretical underpinnings…

Having a good command over basic computer applications is essential for teachers to integrate technology in school. Teachers should learn how to maximize the power of computers for their teaching and administrative work. This paper focuses on some effective approaches that can help teachers learn to use computer applications successfully. First,…

The book consists of 46 chapters by numerous authors, divided into six parts. Part 1, "The Moving Target: Instructional Development from a Philosophical Vantage Point," addresses the questions: To what extent is instructional design in fact a valid and thriving area? and To what extent and in what quarters is it considered to be a dying or…

As the College of Staten Island (New York) completes the installation phase of establishing the computer network and installing computers in most faculty offices and teaching laboratories, the priority activities have become faculty training and curriculum development. Members of the Pedagogy and Media Committee have coordinated campus-wide…

Integration of the World Wide Web in instruction involves finding and retrieving resources on the Web, communicating, developing teaching and learning activities using the Web, and publishing on it. Related issues and concerns include: (1) finding sufficient time and developing good plans are critical for Web integration; (2) students' involvement…

This formative study is based on focus group interviews with nearly 200 teachers at 30 Iowa high schools during the spring of 1998. During the one-day site visits at each school, data was also collected from students, the principal, the technology coordinator (where available), and the district's technology plan. Teachers were asked about how they…