Describes the use of a short, fictional story about a woman's surgery to illustrate issues and promote discussion about biomedical ethics, particularly the issue of informed consent. Discussion connects the personal story with specific litigation, comparing legal requirements and ethical responsibility in physician-patient communication. (MSE)

Discussion of courseware for use with microcomputers focuses on criteria for selecting the appropriate authoring tool. Criteria are specified from the perspective of: (1) the content specialist or instructor; (2) the instructional designer or analyst; (3) the programer; and (4) the administrator of the instructional software. (42 references) (LRW)

A method and activities for approaching textual analysis with language students and making it something other than an academic exercise is discussed and illustrated. The technique uses reading by a variety of methods, oral and quiet, for producing insight into the text. (MSE)

Discussion of CD-ROM evaluation and selection processes focuses on a pairwise comparison method for knowledge acquisition with a consistency measure as a validation technique. Highlights include human experts' preferences and judgments; a CD-ROM selection model, including format, contents, usage, and technical considerations; and consistency…

Curriculum needs can be identified and curriculum developed using the instructional design process. A fictional scenario and instructional design components are provided for those educators interested in incorporating virtual reality into the curriculum. Sample items of questionnaires are appended. (AEF)

The kinds of educational technologies selected can make the difference between uninspired, rote computer use and challenging learning experiences. University of Arizona's Image Processing for Teaching Project has worked with over 1,000 teachers to develop image-processing techniques that provide students with exciting, open-ended opportunities for…

Discussion of elements in the learning process focuses on an analytical framework to assist in the selection of educational technology that will support the learning process. Highlights include a comparison of print, video, computer-based tutorial, and teacher-student discussion and the use of multimedia in the Open University (United Kingdom).…

Describes a study that was conducted to examine the receptivity of faculty at two-year and four-year colleges and universities to distance education. Attitudes toward distance education, the influence of previous experience with distance education and with educational media is examined, and barriers to distance education are discussed. (Contains…

Includes reprints of four articles published in "Library Journal" from 1894-1963: (1) "The Distinctive Value of Books" (Lester Asheim); (2) "The Changing Role of the University Library" (Ralph E. Ellsworth); (3) "It Is a Mistake to Recruit Men" (Ralph Munn); and (4) "Is It Best for Libraries to Buy…

Considers the relevance of cognitive learning theory to instructional design for effective learning. Highlights include the organization of knowledge; systems approach; cognitive process learning; schema theory; and components of a model for instructional design, including pretesting, motivational considerations, media selection, and validation.…

Discusses use of Spanish-language "telenovelas," serialized television programs broadcast daily and containing stories that are resolved in two to six months, as instructional material for Spanish second-language teaching. The telenovela contains authentic, comprehensible language and lends itself to an ongoing, long-term classroom activity.…

Describes successful public relations efforts in 23 Illinois public libraries. Highlights include fundraising efforts; innovative program design; community involvement; media coverage; referendum promotions; student reading initiatives; and local business involvement. (LRW)

In this paper, we address the issue of how teachers select primary and secondary texts for classroom use by focusing on two New York state middle school history teachers. Our field studies show that, although they teach diverse groups of students, each teacher chooses a wide variety of sources to develop classroom units and test preparation…

The history of technology use in adult literacy programs was reviewed, and attitudes enhancing and limiting the use of technology were examined. Among the key findings of the analysis were the following: (1) the value of technology for literacy instruction is based on its provision of privacy, individual control, immediate feedback, and…

This book discusses issues to consider when purchasing an encyclopedia and provides reviews of eight print encyclopedias, six CD-ROM encyclopedias, and one online encyclopedia. Each review provides an address and discusses the history, scope and treatment, and quality and currency of the encyclopedia; for CD-ROM encyclopedias, the database…