Discusses how to teach online research techniques and how to design research activities for beginner searchers. Highlights include contextualized learning; task definition; one-stop resource pages; words and search topics; search engines, including metasearch engines; browser techniques; management techniques for organizing sources into folders;…

An analysis of 79 K-12 Internet projects revealed seven common activities: pre-project activities; gathering information; sharing and communicating; data integration; constructing products; evaluating products; and demonstrating/teaching. Discussion includes learning models scaffolded and project difficulties/successes. (AEF)

Describes the Foresee Approach to integrating academic content, language, and learning instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL) from kindergarten to grade 12 or in mainstream/part ESL classrooms. The Foresee Model includes theoretical and practical constituents and guides the formulation of instructional objectives in the three target…

Examines critical issues in distance education. Discusses three stages in the retraining of students; retraining of faculty, including establishing and maintaining effective interaction, motivating students, adapting the syllabus, and using technology to teach; and redesign of course content. (AEF)

Presents methods and outcomes of a semester-long course involving cooperative hypermedia authoring and instructional strategies for preservice teachers. Posttest findings revealed that participants showed a decrease in computer anxiety through their involvement in the course, and the lowest levels of anxiety were associated with graduate rank and…

Investigated whether incorporating youth cancer risk-assessment software with a cancer prevention curriculum would increase student knowledge and enhance behavior related to cancer prevention. Pre- and postintervention surveys of 10th graders indicated that adding the software did not increase program effectiveness. Knowledge and behavior scores…

Discusses problems with the use of technology, especially the Internet, for providing inservice teacher education. Highlights include the gap between available technology and the expertise to use it; antiquated hardware; the rapid growth and acceptance of the World Wide Web and graphical browsers; and the expertise gap between rural and urban…

Describes and evaluates Metacognition in Studying from Texts (MIST), a system that helps students develop metacognitive skills by providing a process-based interface and support for collaboration and reflection. A study of 20 ninth graders determined that high ability students used the interface and intervention productively, but that low ability…

Examines the education/methodological aspects of DeskTop Conferencing (DTC) used in classroom learning, adult distance education, and inservice training. Describes a project involving Italian primary and secondary schools aimed at collaboratively producing a hypermedia package using DTC. Lists guidelines for organizing multimedia conferencing in…

Presents findings from 55 team portfolios representing the field experiences of 285 preservice teachers grouped into teams to present technology-supported lessons in K-12 classrooms. Results indicated that preservice teachers were surprised at the disparity between educational technology practice in contemporary classrooms and their preconceived…

Provides a model for task computing for fifth graders that meets educational technology goals and challenges students to take full advantage of available hardware and software. Highlights include task rotation; assessment; benefits, including integrating technology into the classroom, computer literacy skills, peer tutoring, cooperative learning,…

Rebuts David Noble's critique of "technology fever" in the same "Educational Leadership" issue. Evidence shows that technology improves students' mastery of basic skills, test scores, writing, engagement in school, attendance, and deportment. Technology adds value to the curriculum when integrated into a comprehensive plan for…

Structural communication applies principles of cognitive psychology to the design of self-instructional materials. While most early implementations took print form, advances in computer and interactive video technologies offer increased opportunities, especially in distance education. Summarizes studies on structural communication in writing…

Discusses classroom computer applications in engineering: a student learning assessment program providing remedial work, positive reinforcement, teacher information for follow-up lesson preparation, and a record-keeping matrix and an expert trouble-shooting system that allows students to debug their own circuit designs by testing simulated…

Describes a study that was conducted at the University of South Africa to determine the feasibility and the effectiveness of using computer-aided learning for a distance education chemistry course. Highlights include summative courseware testing; cost effectiveness; student achievement; student attitudes; and an appendix that lists responses from…