This paper describes the use of the CoFIND (Collaborative Filter in N Dimensions) system to evaluate two assessment styles. CoFIND is a resource database that organizes itself around its users' needs. Learners enter resources, categorize, then rate them using "qualities," aspects of resources which learners find worthwhile, the n…

This paper deals with the use of personal technologies in decentralized university education. Decentralized education, delivered to off-campus students located in the same geographical area, is a hybrid genre combining features of both on-campus and distance education. The paper reports two studies. The first study focused on communication…

This paper reports on a project where three-dimensional (3D) online gaming environments were exploited for the purpose of academic communication and learning. 3D gaming environments are media and meaning rich and can provide inexpensive solutions for educational purposes. The experiment with teaching and discussions in this setting, however,…

Multimedia classroom technology provides a unique opportunity to augment the classroom experience. Coordinating instructional streams with student feedback and assessment will enable instructors to know when and if their intended message was communicated to their students. A system where both instructional and presentational aspects of a lecture…

The Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC) is a non-profit foundation whose mission is to support the California Community College (CCC) system and to save the CCC money. FCCC is the official auxiliary to the Board of Governors, the Chancellor's office, and the system of 108 colleges of the CCC. This document provides details on the…

This paper discusses computer based virtual field trips that use technologies commonly found in public schools in the United States. The discussion focuses on the advantages of both using and creating these field trips for an instructional situation. A virtual field trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore, St. Marys, Georgia is used as a point…

This paper describes the first stage of a 4-year research project on the design, development and use of Web-based digital learning material for food chemistry education. The paper discusses design guidelines, based on principles that were selected from theories on learning and instruction, and illustrates in detail how these guidelines were used…

A number of educational and societal trends are analyzed for their potential impact on the practice of distance education. The trends reflect the various ideologies and values currently found within professional communities and publics at large. How the various trends push and pull in different directions, and how they may lead to alternative…

Higher education and learning calls for a human process, an interaction between facilitator and learner. A customized approach to individualized problems is more than just electronic delivery. The crucial issue is not the mode of delivery, but the skills required to facilitate learning. Unfortunately, evidence of a subtle re-definition of…

This paper discusses the mechanics of how and why to use videos to teach English-as-a-Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). It is divided into three sections: a review of current theory on the use of video as an educational medium of instruction, using video in the ESL/EFL classroom, and key considerations for using video in the classroom with…

This brief provides results from the most recent National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey of technology in private schools, focusing on trends in the availability of and access to technology from 1995 to 1998. In addition, it reports on the future connectivity plans of private schools not connected to the Internet and on the advanced…

In 1998, the Institution-Wide Reform project at the University of Hartford (Connecticut) was evaluated. The main focus of the project was the improvement of teaching and learning in the science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) disciplines for freshmen. Documentation from various sources indicated that the program accomplished its…

Building on collaborative work between the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute and the Lawrence Hall of Science, this curriculum takes advantage of humans' fascination with extraterrestrials to catalyze the study of the solar system and beyond. The unit begins when students attempt to decode a fictitious message from outer…

This document is progress report on the U.S. Department of Education's Student Financial Assistance (SFA) programs. Regarding its customer satisfaction objective, SFA notes that it looks to private sector leaders in e-commerce and promotes electronic services; offers electronic filing of the Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA); offers most…

This report provides the methodology, results, and highlights of a survey developed to assess general education satisfaction of graduates as well as to collect data essential to Nevada's Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) Performance Indicators. The Graduate Outcomes Survey is an annual questionnaire distributed to all TMCC students…