Describes a study currently being conducted by the Open University which examines the hypothesis that the mass media, in combination with distance education methods and the use of local resources, can be particularly effective for reaching disadvantaged groups in need of basic adult education. Four references are listed. (Author/LLS)

A radio course was developed as a multi-disciplinary introductory course in gerontology for off-campus students at Sangamon State University. Lectures by instructors along with tapes from the annual Gerontology Institute, required readings and text were added. Student evaluations indicated strong interest in continuing the radio course.…

Demonstrates the instructional value of supplementary media presentations using first year engineering students randomly split into 11 descriptive geometry classes; five received multimedia instruction, and six did not. Data compared each study group in relation to competency in the subject, achievement, visualization of spatial relationships, and…

Students who learn well through left hemisphere brain input (oral and written) have minimal practice in using the right hemisphere, while those who are more proficient in right hemisphere (visual) input processing are handicapped by having to use primarily their left brains. (MB)

A review of the audiovisual equipment used in multimedia kits for small group or individualized study. (BD)

Recognizing the increasingly vital role played by international trade in the U.S. economy, the Virtual Trade Mission Program created by the President's Export Council is a multimedia presentation for students at all levels that promotes the Team America approach. National teacher workshops train teachers in the use of the curriculum. (JOW)

Purdue University (Indiana) is developing a series of computer modules of state-of-the-art chemical engineering processes to serve as the basis for computer-simulated experiments. One, sponsored by Procter and Gamble, models the extraction step in the decaffeination process and allows students to determine the optimal extraction conditions for…

Self-paced interactive training can be the most effective way to train. The point of multimedia training is to create a dynamic educational construct where people learn because they are totally engaged. (JOW)

Discusses training evaluation and shows how an abbreviated form of Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model can be used effectively to evaluate multimedia-based manufacturing training. Topics include trends in manufacturing training, quantifying performance improvement, and statistical comparisons using the Mann-Whitney test and the Tukey Quick…

Describes a protocol designed to help students taking their first undergraduate physics course acquire the basic skills of physics problem solving. Discusses the evaluation of the educational effectiveness of this protocol and its use in an interactive multimedia learning package. Contains 16 references. (Author/JRH)

Describes a study that examined the role of the computer with multimedia software in assessing the perception of the basic time concepts by children. Results indicated superiority in children's judgments when multimedia software was used and a positive correlation between age and comprehension. (Author/LRW)

The Multimedia Tool Box Talk is a web-based quick reference safety guide and training tool for construction personnel. An intended outcome of this effort was to provide an efficient and effective way to locate and interpret crucial safety information while at the job site. The tool includes information from the Occupational Safety and Health…

Discusses the neglected area in the teaching of Indonesian, namely the social significance of Indonesian varieties vis-a-vis regional languages. Suggests using a multimedia teaching tool as a possible solution, and discusses how this relates to the multiliteracies approach to pedagogy. (Author/VWL)

Reviews two instructional resources which encourage the use of poetry in the elementary classroom as a unique genre with its own purposes and value. Uses the six criteria (explained in earlier columns) to detail how the resources were selected. (MG)

Hypermedia allows students to follow associative links among elements of nonsequential information, by combining information from multiple sources into one microcomputer-controlled system. Hypermedia products help teachers create lessons integrating text, motion film, color graphics, speech, and music, by linking such electronic devices as…