Instructions are provided for adapting existing puzzles as low-cost, age-appropriate, and functional leisure materials for older secondary and adult students with severe disabilities. The process involves gluing a magazine picture over an existing puzzle base and cutting through the picture to create separate puzzle pieces. (JDD)

Offers techniques to elicit information from subject matter experts when developing instructional systems. (JOW)

Describes two stages of potential development that could make multimedia the core of an information infrastructure for educational reform: (1) incorporating hypermedia to enable knowledge construction by learners; and (2) using visualization and virtual communities to create artificial worlds. (16 references) (MES)

Describes the development of an annotated booklist about Arizona, including information on surveying readers to identify "favorite" books, annotating the resulting list of 161 titles, obtaining funding for publication, obtaining permissions, and disseminating and evaluating the booklist, "On Arizona! A Readers' Survey of the Grand…

Discusses materials used for teaching of English-as-a-Second-Language study skills. It is suggested that for ESL study skills materials to be effective, their development should have as a starting point the development of the learners' underlying study competence. (six references) (JL)

Describes six guiding principles to help training developers use content experts more efficiently and effectively to ensure training materials contain accurate, complete, and relevant information. Topics discussed include assessing content experts and the use of productivity tools, including checklists, test validation forms, and point sheets.…

Examines issues in the controversy between constructivists and instructional systems design (ISD) that were raised in an earlier issue. Students' prior knowledge is discussed, the development of prepackaged instructional materials is considered, transfer of training and prior learning are discussed, and the need for greater attention to research…

Describes a program at the University of Exeter (England) with help from the Teaching and Learning with Technology Project (TLTP) that developed a range of multimedia resources for student teachers in the United Kingdom (UK), disseminated them outside the UK, and is now investigating whether they can successfully be internationally transferable.…

Discusses the need for dialog in distance education programs, based on the results of empirical research. Highlights include dialog and the construction of meaning; dialog and text design; student characteristics and preferences for dialog; dialog through tutorial support; and the relationship between autonomy, learner characteristics, materials…

Describes the Accomplishment-Based Curriculum Development model, which provide a cohesive framework for the processes of human performance technology and instructional design. Topics include front-end analysis; behavior characteristics; information storage and retrieval; materials development; and the contributions of Joe Harless to the field.…

Presents a rationale for video case studies: they are engaging and flexible, facilitate listening skills, and make the classroom a virtual world. Describes development challenges in terms of time, expense, editing, storytelling, and conveying content. Provides advice for teaching with video cases. (SK)

Online and paper instruments were used by 159 learners to evaluate 5 computer-based learning materials requiring information technology skills. Top factors influencing perceptions of quality were as follows: user friendliness, presentation, graphics, engagement, information, knowledge, understanding, level, learning mode, and language. (SK)

Discussion of instructional design in large organizations highlights a project management approach. Topics addressed include the role of the instructional designer; project team selection; role of the team members; role of the project manager; focusing on what employees need to know; types of project teams; and monitoring time and responsibility.…

Describes how to more effectively communicate the visual element in video and audiovisual materials. Discusses identifying a central topic, developing the visual content without words, preparing a storyboard, testing its effectiveness on people who are unacquainted with the production, and writing the script with as few words as possible. (AEF)

Two instructional designers were provided with formative evaluation data from sources recommended in the literature and were asked to revise a piece of instructional text while thinking aloud. Examination of the content of coded segments showed that one of the participants demonstrated more attributes of expertise than the other, based on…