Art history is a hybrid discipline that combines the verbal with the visual, yet the limiting verbal approach traditionally has defined the field. Another problem at the university level is that different types of classes define visually literacy differently; for example, art education programs emphasize perceptual and cognitive angles while art…

Describes a study of first- and fourth-grade students that explored the relationship between the use of a computer paint program to create visual images and the subsequent verbal expression of these illustrations. Discusses results that compared the use of traditional media with the computer paint program. (Author/LRW)

This paper reviews the literature on screen design used for instructional purposes. The following topics are reviewed: definition of screen design; foundations of screen design; elements of screen design; functions of screen design; screen design research and problems; and criteria for evaluation. Conclusions drawn from this review are: screen…

The ability to interpret information from any source, and increasingly visual sources, is a vital skill for all graduates in contemporary culture. The development of the skills to read visual texts and communicate that understanding requires a certain level of critical thinking and reflection, skills which can only be developed over time, through…

Screen design, as an inherent part of the interface within computer-based instructional programs, is a critical component to the communication potential of the medium. This paper establishes aesthetics as an essential and necessary component of screen design and of instructional design. Current screen design guidelines tend to overlook the…

Two pilot studies probed effectiveness of linguistically controlled, highly visual computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for English grammar instruction with hearing-impaired high school students (N=29 in the first study and N=71 in the second). Results from the first study suggested that state-of-the-art CAI designed specifically for use with this…

This paper examines the conceptualization and design of the Pennsylvania Audiographics Distance Education Project's (PADEP) Life Skills and Drug Education Course, and discusses the successes and difficulties of the project based on results from formative evaluation. Educators from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, developed new courses that could be…

As the number and complexity of required technology-related competencies grow, basic teacher education media courses need to develop alternatives to instructor-led lecture-based formats in order to maintain essential components of course content while incorporating new content in expanding technologies. Creating technology-mediated instructional…

An interactive tool was created to gauge the skills and attitudes of individuals and populations regarding computer technology and its attendant changes. The goal of the project was to develop a non-threatening, user-friendly instrument to assess the computer skills and attitudes of preservice and inservice teachers and administrators at all…

Growing interest in adult literacy has encouraged research and innovative programming in the field. This paper examines several pieces of software created by the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy at Pennsylvania State University and explains their underlying conceptual foundations and the integration of visual materials. The Penn State…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of presentation interference on students' ability to learn from, and their beliefs regarding, computer-generated presentations. Informed by single-element screen design studies and professional practice, this combined-element study compared a contextually based, intentionally interference free…

Quality education is often impeded by lack of instructor time and by a failure to provide instruction that is individualized and at the point of need. Integration technology into course development can alleviate these problems, but only if the technology is easy to learn and supports a systems approach. In implementing a Web-based Technical…