At Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), institutional assessment activities were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Academic and Instructional Support Services (AISS) division, a non-academic unit which includes the Library for archival/retrieval purposes, the Learning Lab for the testing and learning center, and Instructional…

The 43 papers in this collection were presented at the Australian Council for Computers in Education 1993 annual conference. The papers focus on research and scholarship in the use of computers at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels. The papers address the following aspects of the use of computers in education: (1) theoretical…

Applications are now available that allow teachers to create presentations and programs tailored to the exact needs of their students. This paper examines tools that may be used for presentations. Programming environments that may be used to develop computer aided instructional programs are also compared and contrasted. The availability of…

The 1992-93 school year was the third year of the Elementary Technology Demonstration Schools program of the Austin (Texas) schools; the project is funded by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) and Apple Computer Inc. Grants from these corporations were used to equip three elementary schools with IBM equipment and one with Apple…

Developers of distance education courses need to determine the best and most efficient delivery systems. Traditional print-based correspondence courses are thought to prevail in the technological age because of inertia of administrators and instructions, but it is important to know the preferences of the adult learners who are the usual…

Several strategies are presented that have been used in computer-literacy courses and been found to be successful for reducing computer anxiety and increasing computer confidence in preservice teachers: (1) give them an overview; (2) speak in their language; (3) find the friendliest computer system; (4) have them play; (5) make the computer fit…

This paper provides a brief description of multimedia technology available in schools, details the "Multimedia Technology and Kid TV" project, reviews the project's preliminary findings, and discusses their implications. The project focuses on using technology to improve students' self-image, self-motivation, and decision-making skills. Seven…

The contextual factors that influence the infusion of technology into rural and urban schools are explored in this study of technology integration in education. Two case studies of schools that have had a technology-rich environment for at least two years are analyzed using a document review, focus-group interviews, individual interviews, and…

The value of collaborative research carried out by local education agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher learning (IHLs) has been established. The middle grades, in particular, present extreme needs and opportunities for collaboration because these years have been relatively neglected in the elementary secondary spectrum of education.…

Designed as a guide for practitioners, this book draws on over 600 sources to discuss school restructuring definitions, trends, and issues; achievements of a few select schools; and implementation techniques and strategies. Two overarching, indirectly stated issues pervading the reconceptualization of schooling are multiculturalism and a caring…

To ensure that the classroom of the next century offers all its potential, schools must plan for changes in technology that will bring opportunities that currently can only be imagined. Virtual reality is already amazing, and has the potential to be the most effective method for training people who learn and remember best by doing. Verbal computer…

Distance-education delivery through interactive television (ITV) is an effective means of providing instruction to learners. There are many advantages, such as the ability to provide immediate feedback and personal participation. To be effective, however, ITV requires structured planning and development, making the use of instructional design…

In educational and training environments, teachers assign their students independent research tasks that require locating, gathering, synthesizing, and summarizing information from one or more information resources containing large, and sometimes overwhelming, amounts of information. This study explored the information location and use activities,…

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is undertaking a comprehensive assessment of literacy in the United States. The assessment will examine how technology offers new resources and creates opportunities to reach learners and improve productivity of learning. OTA will identify ways to increase learning access in existing programs and overcome…

A survey based on a position paper provided an opportunity for a 50% random sample of members of the Health Occupations Education Division of the American Vocational Association to express their opinions on national teacher certification standards. Members were asked to indicate their degree of support using a Likert-type rating scale of eight…