Presents an outline of models of information seeking and other aspects of information behavior, showing the relationship between communication and information behavior in general with information seeking and information searching in information-retrieval systems. Also presents an alternative, problem-solving model which provides a basis for…

Using a thorough analytical framework, this study characterizes the questioning behavior on a consumer health-related electronic list. Analysis examines the dedication of the list to questioning; pattern of question asking within a message; type of question; length of answer anticipated; subject of question; combination of type of question and…

Highlights studies confirming earlier research that telecourses are as effective as face-to-face instruction. Notes studies that show no statistically significant difference between the two modes of instruction; gaps in research studies; comparative studies; and use of simulation studies. (AEF)

Reviews the Web as an instructional delivery medium and describes a hybrid model for continuing medical education (CME) delivery that merges the Web and CD-ROM. Discusses an evaluation that demonstrated the effectiveness of the model for delivering CME to rural physicians in regions with low bandwidth. (SK)

Technology teacher education students (n=13) learning to use computer-mediated communication (CMC) in teaching found the courses' learning activities and strategies effective. Prior computer experience and learning style did not influence performance. They needed more help integrating CMC in instruction. Course length, assignments, and breadth of…

Describes an asynchronous electronic seminar and support group for student teachers. Notes that the discussions focused on teaching strategies, curriculum design, resources for reading and writing, and classroom management. Suggests that the seminar introduced future writing teachers to the benefits of peer collaboration. Offers a model to assist…

Presents accounts of two teachers using electronic portfolios. Relates how moving peer reviews and explanatory papers from manila folders to electronic portfolios helped students become more aware of peers as audience. Describes the unsettling effect of students who chose to invest their energy in dynamic online dialogs rather than in the…

Contrasts rational thought with "hyperthinking" where individuals have no concept of how to gather, evaluate, and use information to create coherent arguments. Examines hypermind characteristics: lack of self-knowledge, prey to sensory stimulation, poor communication and thinking skills, lack of metacognitive abilities, and inability to…

This study evaluated a videoconferencing system for lifelong learning at a distance between Koriyama Women's University (Japan) and rural public halls, using a student questionnaire to rank pedagogical and human factors. Results indicated that the system was acceptable for students, content affected evaluation, and a sense of unnatural compressed…

This study tested the Adult Distance Study through Computer Conferencing (ADSCC) model to determine if learner readiness, online features, and computer mediated communication learning approaches are associated with learner satisfaction in an academic computer conference. All three variables were correlated with learner satisfaction, with online…

Reports on a two-year study of an online program for teacher professional development. Survey data from twenty-six online students and in-depth case studies of four students, revealed five dimensions that contribute to effective online learning: relevant and challenging assignments; coordinated learning environments; adequate and timely feedback…

Discusses results of the evaluation of an educational teleconferencing system in a Mexican university. Highlights include student expectations; student perceptions of efficacy for self-regulated learning; student perceptions of the course; differences from traditional courses; and the importance of considering student variables in evaluations of…

This study of 550 participants was designed to test an integrated theoretical model (the 4-E Model) for predicting the likelihood of the use of telecommunications-related technological innovations in learning-related settings. The four "Es" are: environmental factors, effectiveness, ease of use, and (personal) engagement. Results, which supported…

Valdosta State University (Georgia) uses audio/video conferencing in its teacher education program, a low-cost alternative to travel that enables student teachers to access the expertise of their supervisors more frequently; supervisors to observe student teachers; simultaneous interactions between supervisor, student teacher, and mentor, or among…

Discussion of the Florida Learning Support Systems, being developed by schools and businesses to better utilize information technology in education, focuses on use of the Internet as background communication, or communication between applications running on different computers without human intervention to develop new kinds of instructional and…