Describes study designed to examine the effects of textual and/or computer animated orienting strategies and practice on rule-using and problem-solving skills of elementary school students using computer-assisted instruction. Four different versions of a lesson based on Isaac Newton's Law of Motion are described, and results are analyzed. (28…

Provides a critical review of recent research in metacognition and presents recommendations for assessing and improving metacognitive skills in trainees. Topics discussed include self-regulatory skills; training methods for problem solving; attention allocation; transfer of training; and cognitive-based techniques for task analysis and…

Discusses characteristics of software that teachers should consider when selecting software, and reviews programs of good quality for use in elementary and/or secondary classes. Instructional design considerations and the amount of time required for a program are discussed, and games, tutorials, simulations, and drill and practice software are…

Discussion of equity in computer science education focuses on issues related to gender. Topics discussed include computers and society, including employment changes and the relationship of women to society; the relationship between mathematics anxiety and computer anxiety; instructional and curriculum design; evaluation equity; and computer…

Describes the development of a multicultural awareness program for Montreal bus drivers that was designed to improve their attitudes toward and services to multicultural customers. Highlights include participant contributions; criteria for selecting instructors; the importance of a trustworthy instructor-facilitator; management participation;…

Examines key issues facing administrators at Athabasca University and discusses their implications for distance education organizations. Topics discussed include strategic planning; accountability and cost effectiveness; consortia and cooperation; instructional design; managing technological innovation; marketing; quality assurance; and…

Describes the role that values, and value conflicts, play in transfer of educational program effectiveness between United States and Mexico. It proposes that transfer without significant modification and interpretation to fit local world views and practices is generally dysfunctional, and offers codesigning as a strategy to obviate traditional…

Describes several corporations' in-house produced interactive multimedia training methods that use video and CD-ROMs to simulate work activities. Reviews each training method's design, computer equipment, costs, benefits, and lessons learned. Lists 10 checkpoints for charting a successful interactive course and a sidebar presents a cost benefit…

Analyzes student use of a multimedia chemistry instructional program used in an undergraduate chemistry course. Examines student time spent on the software and student use of the software's media components. Finds that students have different usage patterns for completing the same assignment, indicating that students are able to use individual…

Discusses the use of telecomputing in classrooms. Topics include telecomputing goals; use of the Internet; language arts and music FTP (file transfer protocol) sites; social studies FTP sites; science Telnet sites; social studies Telnet sites; skill building and learning processes; and instructional design. (LRW)

Argues that treatments of the concept of interaction in distance education based on Moore's (1989) discussion of interaction are inadequate and presents a concept of learner-interface interaction. Instructional design strategies that will facilitate students' acquisition of the skills needed to participate effectively in the electronic classroom…

Briefly describes a workshop model developed by the Texas Learning Technology Group to educate teachers about technology uses in the science curriculum. Highlights include hands-on experience, cooperative small group activities, print and electronic courseware, and implementation strategies. (LRW)

Considers the need for staff training in virtual libraries. Highlights include instruction and training, including in-house training, vendor contracts, and self-paced instruction; documentation; current awareness via professional literature, electronic discussions, bibliographies, and conferences; information filtering through selective…

In a freshman engineering graphics course at Santa Clara University (California), mechanical engineering students learn to solve ill-structured design problems using graphic communication skills. Integration of a critical thinking component has guided the faculty's own iterative, interactive process of designing a more effective teaching method.…

Based on a needs assessment questionnaire, 13 technology workshops were designed for school personnel. Topics included an introduction; troubleshooting; e-mail and the Internet; ERIC and CD-ROM databases; Microsoft Works; desktop publishing; presentation software; resources on CD-ROM; the X-Press news service; and interactive laser video discs. A…