Explores a study investigating the effect of individual cognitive styles on learning through computer-based instruction. Identifies a significant difference between the cognitive styles on test scores, in particular the Wholist/Verbaliser group, and indicates a potential for cognitive styles to influence learning outcomes measured by performance…

Presents the first year's results of a continuing project to monitor the availability of software of relevance for literacy education purposes. Concludes there is an enormous amount of software available for use by teachers of reading and literacy--whereas drill-and-practice software is the largest category of software available, large numbers of…

Describes three types of interactive distance-education systems under development in Taiwan: real-time multicast systems; virtual-classroom systems; and curriculum-on-demand systems. Discusses the use of telecommunications and computer technology in higher education, problems and challenges, and future prospects. (Author/LRW)

Proposes computer-supported cooperative learning (CSCL) as an organizational idea that can change the current educational process and connect schooling to the working world. Discusses three case studies from the University of Pretoria in which a CSCL environment was established to support the learning process, and explains the theoretical…

Discusses authenticity as it is applied to educational interventions and argues that the concept should be analyzed more closely. Describes four kinds of authenticity; analyzes how computational media are well-suited to support different aspects of authentic learning; and discusses connectivity, modeling, and pluralism. Contains 75 references.…

Following a 15-week multimedia instructional approach, beginning-level graduate counselor education students completed two technology attitudinal surveys. Results revealed positive attitudes toward computers and multimedia instruction. Findings lend support for the use of this type of instruction in training counselors, and to complement…

Describes a virtual workshop where participants across the United States learn by interacting with their own computers. Highlights the program's goals, audience activity, goals versus accomplishments, CPU usage, consulting, and effectiveness. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on the noticing hypothesis in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) reading materials. Reviews the problem of assessing noticing in classroom and experimental settings through conditions for noticing, retrospective assessment, and concurrent assessment. Concurrent assessment is illustrated through CALL materials that gather data on…

Presents a group of semiotic principles for software design and uses them to show how they explain different educational possibilities. Discusses interface design and describes Theater in the Computer, a software environment for children, to illustrate semiotic-based principle of interface design. (Author/LRW)

Addresses areas of situated knowledge (metacognitive skills and affective skills) that have been ignored in intelligent computer-aided learning systems. Focuses on model-based reasoning, including contextualized and decontextualized knowledge, and examines an instructional method that supports situated knowledge by providing opportunities for…

This investigation provides a measure of the rate and type of change that is occurring with instruction-related Web sites. Discusses the impact of these changes when developing or using online or print-based materials in terms of planning and cost related to course revision and course maintenance. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of effective computer-based training (CBT), or computer-assisted instruction, emphasizes that the media used should be selected to support and deliver the message, not overpower it with unnecessary elements. Topics include computer as tutor; design and authoring tools; interaction; procedural versus principled tasks; and information and…

Summarizes theoretical and empirical aspects of research that is investigating how best to support conceptual learning and the critical role that representations have in complex scientific and mathematical domains. Explains Law Encoding Diagrams (LEDs) and considers how computers may further enhance the potential benefit of LEDs for conceptual…

Discussion of computer-supported special education focuses on a learning environment where an agent supports a learner through a multi-dimensional learning space. Describes an open system called Ahmed (Assistive and adaptive HyperMedia in Education) that is similar to a Web browser but with capabilities for individual adaptation. (Author/LRW)

Studied the process by which university teachers arrived at positive perceptions of computer assisted instruction (CAI) through a survey completed by 63 college teachers in Singapore. Results show that knowledge of CAI is a dominant factor influencing the perceived usefulness of CAI. (SLD)