To enhance the information technology literacy of optometry students, the Southern College of Optometry (Tennessee) developed an academic assignment, the Electronic Media Paper, in which second-year students must search two different electronic media for information. Results suggest Internet use for searching may be a useful tool for specific…

Previews the issue's articles on distance education, stating that tribal colleges are committed to increasing access to education. Cautions against proceeding rashly into new technology, but also denotes the danger in delaying technology implementation, because only those colleges that adapt and provide such services will survive. (VWC)

Describes a project for first-year German that combines integration of standards with computer technology. Based on ongoing curricular changes in German programs, the focus on language instruction increasingly includes German studies approaches that introduce content-based and culture-oriented instruction as early as possible. Suggests using the…

Intermediate grade students with disabilities in written expression and emotional/behavioral disorders were trained to use discrete or continuous speech input devices for written work. The study found extreme variability in the fidelity of the devices, PowerSecretary and Dragon NaturallySpeaking ranging from 49 percent to 87 percent. Both devices…

Discusses past and present uses of technology in the music classroom focusing on tools such as videotapes and MIDI software. Considers the future of technology in music education, training alternatives for teachers, and the importance of practicing and keeping abreast of technological advances. Addresses funding issues involved in using…

Discusses theoretical and practical issues in teaching LOGO computer programming to young children from preschool to grade 5. Examines the program's adherence to developmentally appropriate practices, educational theories (particularly those of Piaget), and the Reggio Emilia approach. Considers implications of the program for curriculum design,…

Describes the experiences of five teachers who volunteered to learn and work together electronically for professional development. They discovered that commitment was not enough. Underlying attitudes, existing relationships, and technology know-how all factored into challenges they faced. Two sidebars present tips for successful electronic…

For technology to impact student achievement, teachers must be empowered via extensive staff development. This paper presents building-level technology initiatives (e.g., peer training, super substitutes, and computer clubs) and district- level initiatives (e.g., establish a district technology committee, allow teachers to take computers home over…

Reports that Virginia's community colleges have joined the partnership to establish a statewide Internet2 (I2) next-generation network. I2 will provide enough bandwidth capacity to allow robust distance education initiatives and a converged network--which implies that voice, data, and video traffic is carried over one physical structure--and to…

Two programs that have been successful at integrating a number of suitable conditions for learning a foreign language in the online environment are Spanish at Rio Salado Community College in Tempe, Arizona, and French at Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, California. Discussion includes instructional delivery; course lab experience;…

Investigates the effects of three formats of computer-based homework and paper-based homework, on the achievement, retention, attitudes, and time-on-task of lower secondary school students. Students who completed drill-and-practice homework scored higher on a test right after the treatment and 12 weeks later. Implications for how teachers can help…

Use of technology in middle grade mathematics is controversial. Major policy documents have teachers torn between enthusiasm for technology-facilitated mathematical investigation and cautions about undermining students' computational skills. This article examines research concerning use of computers and calculators in mathematics at the middle…

The contribution of qualitative research consists in "description, verification (of existing theories, hypotheses, generalizations, or practices), evaluation or prescription, as well as understanding" (Glesne & Peshkin, 1992, p. 16). This qualitative study examined the dynamics and complexities, which occur in the natural setting of a seventh…

Education in Britain increasingly appears to serve a very narrow notion of pedagogy, partly reflecting the "conditions of domination" generated by the rise of the new managerialism in the delivery of public services. In the name of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, social progress is increasingly seen to lie in achieving continual…

This chapter describes an undergraduate psychology research methods course in which laptops facilitated online organization, electronic portfolios, and flexible laboratories to improve student engagement, capability, and understanding. (Contains 3 figures.)