This study was conducted to determine whether or not collaborative hypertext affects learning outcomes in the learning of basic concepts in informatics. The researchers organized two university courses about the basics in informatics using collaborative hypertext and two courses without collaborative hypertext. Learning was analyzed, and this…

This paper reports on ReMOTE (Research Methods Online Teaching Environment), a Robert Gordon University (Scotland) project focusing on the development of a World Wide Web (WWW) site devoted to the teaching of research methods. The aim of ReMOTE is to provide an infrastructure that allows direct links to specialist sources in order to enable the…

This paper reports on a study undertaken to examine student usage of course webs (i.e., course materials and resources on the World Wide Web) in classroom situations in which computers are readily available and students are comfortable using hypertext systems. The author prepared course webs for two computer science courses at Grinnell College…

This paper attempts to merge specific psychological theories of knowledge acquisition, the impact of pictures on cognitive processes, and theories of effective pedagogical approaches to foreign language learning, in order to assess commercially available software for its effectiveness, specific impact on learning, and classroom uses. The first…

One benefit often expected to flow from Internet use in schools is an increase in equality of educational opportunity as all kinds of schools gain access to the same extraordinary set of resources. Yet, prior research suggests that patterns of technology access often mirror existing inequalities rather than mitigate them. This paper discusses the…

After a brief review of the characteristics of distance education, this paper provides a review of the literature covering the research of the 1980s on teaching, learning, educational planning, organization, and policy formation as it relates to the use of communications technology in contemporary distance education. The main focus is on…

This study was initiated by the Newfoundland Public Library Services (NPLS) to assess the feasibility of automation for the library services and to determine the viability of an integrated automated library system for the NPLS. The study addresses the needs of NPLS in terms of library automation; benefits to be achieved through the introduction of…

Three of four related papers presented at this symposium are included in this collection together with a brief descriptive introduction. These papers presented viewpoints about the social, political, and economic issues surrounding the use of computers in schools; each of the five presenters addressed a particular aspect of a critical social…

Ben Hill-Irwin Technical Institute and the Georgia Interconnect Association designed and developed jointly a project to provide basic knowledge and practical application skills training. The curriculum included all necessary competencies for a student to graduate as a communications network technician. To compensate for the added expense of…

A new course, Independent Study Research and Writing via Telecommunications, is being developed by the Division of Independent Study (DIS) of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction to teach telepublishing skills utilizing the NeXT telecommunicating (interpersonal computing) techniques, i.e., NeXT Mail. This multimedia electronic-mail…

This collection of 33 conference papers and 10 abstracts provides a critical assessment of the current applications of interactive multimedia in museums, an analysis of museum requirements, and an exploration of technology issues. Two papers discuss the parallel attributes of museums and software technology and the possibilities of the virtual…

This paper investigates technology policy for national governments, particularly the importance of education and training and the role of institutions of higher education as components of such policies for the diffusion and absorption of knowledge, as part of an overall strategy for improving the competitive edge of a nation's enterprises. The…

The spread of New Information Technologies (NITs) to every sector of the economy has far reaching implication for the design of jobs, for patterns of work organization, and for vocational educational training systems. The full potential of the NITs is however being restricted by chronic skills shortages, particularly of high level NIT skills.…

Based on materials originally prepared for a course being developed at an Australian university, this book examines critical issues in distance education and open learning. The book is organized in five parts. The first part locates distance education in relation to education and social science and provides a general introduction and orientation.…

A guide to various instructional technology (IT) approaches is aimed at modern language teachers who are just beginning to integrate IT into their methodology. Hints and suggestions are given about what questions to ask when acquiring a computer and buying software and how to avoid some problems. Chapters include the following: (1) Why should I?;…