This paper focuses on new ways of viewing the educational system by affecting change via small, initial adjustments. A number of fundamental ideas are presented that could be implemented by states, either individually or collectively, to change current educational systems into Information Age systems. Taking the cue from Chaos Theory, which states…

The purpose of this study was to determine faculty concerns about the changes in technology at Louisiana Tech University, specifically faculty office computers with Internet access. Participants were the 41 faculty members in the College of Education. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and the Faculty Development Technology Workshop Survey…

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is an electronic medium that combines orthographic form with real time, synchronous transmission in an unregulated global multi-user environment. The orthographic letters mediate the interaction in that users can only access the IRC session through reading and writing; they have no access to any visual representations at…

This study of physics problem-solving identifies reasoning mechanisms that enable the problem-solver to achieve the transformation to a physics structure of the problem situation. Elaboration is explored as a mechanism in fulfilling this transformation by providing beginning problem-solvers with elaborations that they failed to infer. A card…

This study focuses on the relationship between an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher's philosophy of teaching history and his selections of Internet-based, instructional materials to help with curriculum and instruction decisions. The objective of the research is an investigation of two reciprocal influences: (1) the teacher's philosophy of…

This report focuses on the imperative to prepare teachers to understand and use technology. Drawing on the experience of the Texas Centers for Professional Development of Teachers (CPDTs), the report illustrates how CPDTs are exploring models of instruction built on the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards and…

This study examined the extent to which computer training has affected Meadowbrook Elementary School, a suburban elementary school on Long Island, New York. The investigation began with a focus group comprised of staff members. Five teachers were chosen and given a series of eight questions that addressed the parameters of computer training in the…

This volume of the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) monograph series describes Northern Arizona University's (NAU) commitment to education and innovation. Contained within this volume are discussions of professional development courses and programs in the area of educational technology. The articles in this monograph feature educational…

This paper presents ideas about what is required for the development of expertise in computer technology and considers those requirements in the K-12 setting. This analysis comes from the point of view of long-time, self-trained users of personal computers and computer communications and long-time observer of the growth of technology expertise in…

This report summarizes way in which computer technology and communications have been found to enhance learning in K-12 classrooms. This discussion of the learning-related outcomes of computer technology in K-12 education assumes: that the technology is used in appropriate ways, and that the technology is used in the course teaching, by a teacher…

This volume contains 52 of the 70 papers that were reviewed and selected for presentation at the 1998 National Online Meeting. While the balance of the papers are not included in this Proceedings, their titles, together with author names and author affiliations, are listed at the end of the volume and they are included in the index. The volume…

The Blondin family undertook a 9-month educational journey across the United States that revolved around a unique learning experience incorporating current technology. The family's three children were enrolled in Northwest Academy in northern Michigan, a science- and technology-based public academy for grades 6 through 12 that supported their plan…

This paper suggests that many large organizations seek technological solutions to compensate for reduced manpower and funding resources. One such organization, the U.S. Army, has compensated for resource reductions by focusing on integrating advanced technologies into the functional areas of training, acquisition, and test and evaluation. While…

University Primary School (UPS) is an early childhood gifted program affiliated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This paper highlights three innovative uses of technology at UPS: Knowledge Web pages, photo portfolios, and Chickscope. The Knowledge Web pages are a collection of Web pages that serve as a virtual bulletin board…

This study examined recent (1995-1998) education students' exposure to a variety of instructional technologies prior to taking a required instructional technology course. The purpose was to identify how frequently students had used various technologies before entering the required course and to identify longitudinal changes and/or trends in…