Describes: (1) corporate technology initiatives driven by public-relations motives; (2) collaborative strategies for teacher-student technology learning; (3) an online school-improvement site; 4) privatization of school-district technology operations; and (5) a primer on listservs for school leaders. Also provides information on school technology,…

Aging buildings and increasing enrollments are putting school construction back on school boards' agendas. Planners can expect sticker shock, due to rising construction costs, and wiring, lighting, and other accommodations for technology. They must also rethink designs for libraries, traffic control, parking, and security, and consider…

A California State University, Northridge mathematics professor divided a statistics class, teaching one group traditionally in class and another in an online version of the course, using a World Wide Web site, electronic mail, and an electronic chat room. On both midterm and final exams, the latter group performed significantly better. Despite a…

Suggestions to help teachers create original multimedia presentations and lessons include building resource teams, knowing intellectual property and copyright issues, analyzing target audiences, carefully selecting media, considering hardware and software requirements, seeking technical support, encouraging distribution on the World Wide Web,…

This article describes a university-sponsored multimedia application course for gifted high school students. The course focused on the use of computer technology to enhance thinking and affective skills; develop and enhance process skills; and design products using word processing software, presentation software, and graphics converters. (CR)

Issues emerging in the use of active learning techniques at the college level are summarized, including faculty's risk of colleagues' disapproval, risk of student disapproval, creation of a positive classroom environment, inclusiveness and equitable participation, course and student evaluation, and use of electronic tools for instructional…

Assessed whether preservice teachers could reach the expectations of the ISTE Profile Standards for Professional Performance through participation in technology teaching labs (2-hour labs running concurrently with preservice methods blocks), noting types of technology infusion used to meet the standards and students' perceived ability following…

Discusses curricular innovation, educational reform, and the advancement of information and communications technologies and describes a study in Hong Kong that explored knowledge construction using a computer mediated communication platform called Knowledge Forum. Explains how primary schools participated in building learning communities through…

Introduces three papers that discuss the design methodology for developing learning systems for cognitive skills acquisition. Provides specific examples of processes that underlie the acquisition of cognitive skills. Confirms that through the embrace of lifelong learning, cognitive skills-based learning environments are finding a more prominent…

The articles in this special issue illustrate research in the fields of instructional design and distance education that share the common goal of using the findings to improve practice. Through case studies, the authors contribute ideas, examples, and research data related to the design, development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous…

This discussion of blended learning environments covers: (1) background; (2) why the term "blended" is used, and what can be blended; (3) goals of blended learning environments, including pedagogical richness, access to knowledge, social interaction, personal agency, cost effectiveness, and ease of revision; and (4) characteristics of…

Presents a critique of the five case studies of blended learning environments in this issue. Comments are organized around the following four frameworks: (1) the J-curve of implementation; (2) the theory of Engaged Collaborative Discourse; (3) adaptation to individual differences; and (4) Validity-Centered Design. (MES)

Describes development and implementation of "Rube-o-Rama," a videoconferencing project conducted during the fall of 2001 between graduate students at Purdue University (Indiana) and a classroom of fifth grade students in Indianapolis (Indiana) that had Rube Goldberg as the encompassing topic. (MES)

Key areas school districts have used in making the decision to purchase technology applications include: what the district hopes to achieve by purchasing the system; how the proposed system will support the district's vision and help achieve the strategic plan; what the effect of the proposed solution will be on staffing; and what type of timeline…

Presents a planning model for educational uses of technology that is based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Topics include established infrastructure; effective administration; extensive resources; enhanced teaching, including creating distance learning opportunities; empowered students, including evaluation methods and information literacy skills;…