If we intend to teach through educational media, we also have to teach about those media. This article explores the implications of this perspective for the use of computer games in the classroom. It seeks to explain why and how teachers might teach about computer games as a medium in their own right, just as they teach about film or television or…

Complex computer and video games may provide a vehicle, based on appropriate theoretical concepts, to transform the educational landscape. Building on the original game object model (GOM) a new more detailed model is developed to support concepts that educational computer games should: be relevant, explorative, emotive, engaging, and include…

The point of Choi and Clark (2006) was that after many well-designed studies, they have no evidence for either the learning or the motivational benefits of pedagogical agents. In their study, they found compelling evidence that when agents are found to enhance learning, a less expensive and less distracting pedagogical method has equal or greater…

Smart librarians have always valued their relationships with users and other librarians. The creative force of those relationships is empowered via Web-based social networking, collaboration, and sharing. At Stony Brook University Health Sciences Library in New York, students, faculty, clinicians, and residents expect the latest refinements in…

In this paper, we introduce an electronic collaborative learning environment based on Interactive Instructors of Recreational Mathematics (IIRM), establishing an alternative approach for motivating students towards mathematics. The IIRM are educational software components, specializing in mathematical concepts, presented through recreational…

Although prior research has shown that generating explanations encourages students to learn new content with deeper understanding and to monitor their own comprehension more effectively, helping students learn how to explain properly remains a significant challenge. This study investigated the use of software agents as learning partners in an…

Every day, music teachers face the challenge of motivating less-confident student singers in general music classes. Teaching vocal improvisation can be a difficult task, because students are often self-conscious about their voices and too intimidated to sing in front of their peers. Technology can be an excellent motivational tool in the classroom…

This document provides additional information for teachers and administrators who are implementing the Illinois Plan for Home Economics Education by conducting the several exploratory/orientation courses developed in the curriculum. These six appendixes contain the following: (1) the Illinois Home Economics Sequential Program; (2) a comparison of…

HyperCard is a general-purpose program for the Macintosh computer that allows multiple ways of viewing and accessing a large body of information. Two ways in which HyperCard can be used as a research tool are illustrated. One way is to organize and analyze qualitative data from observations, interviews, surveys, and other documents. The other way…

Thirty-one academic publishers of stand-alone software and book/disk packages were surveyed to determine whether publishers have addressed the copyright issues inherent in circulating these packages within the library environment. Twenty-two questionnaires were returned, providing a 71% return rate. There were 18 usable questionnaires. Publishers…

The "Hypermedia for Teaching" project is a European collaborative venture designed to produce a hypermedia learning package that is published on CD-ROM. Two versions of the package are to be developed. One of these is intended to be used on a multimedia personal computer (MPC), while the other is to be used in conjunction with…

An intelligent advisor system is an adaptive system aimed at intervening when the user of any application software performs complex transfer tasks. An important aspect that needs to be taken into account when designing and developing an advisor system is the strategies and tactics used by the advisor to provide the user with an environment…

An understanding of past technological advancements can help educators understand the influence of new technologies in education. Inventions such as the abacus, logarithms, the slide rule, the calculating machine, computers, and electronic calculators have all found their place in mathematics education. While new technologies can be very useful,…

One segment of a computerized adventure game system (Multi-User Dimensions, or MUD) designed for learners of English as a second language (ESL) is described. The acronym MOO refers to MUD Object Oriented, the programming language used for the system. The system allows for individuals in different locations to communicate directly with each other,…

The purpose of this study guide, designed for computer students who have never been involved in a research project, practicum, or dissertation activity, is to provide background information on the affective and cognitive skills required for success in any project involving research and/or statistics. Successful enrollment in computer based…