Discusses the use of multimedia software and the need to apply constructivist theories so students become more involved with the software, progressing from simply watching presentations to creating simulations. A project-based learning environment that uses MicroWorlds software is described that focuses on marine biology and oceanography. (LRW)

Reviews the effectiveness of animation in enhancing textual information for instructional purposes and identifies factors that determine effectiveness. Outlines methodological problems in the research and summarizes design criteria for multimedia instructional products. Contains 78 references. (PEN)

This article describes video-based vocabulary lessons that were used with 10 fourth-grade students with learning disabilities. The video programs were used as an "anchor" or "situation" for creating a realistic context for learning. Vocabulary was enriched by providing contextual information, introducing new vocabulary words,…

Research suggests that technology is an equivocal blessing. Although it expedites our ability to access, share, manipulate, and display information, it provides little or no guidance regarding the quality, relevance, or timeliness of the information it processes. Teachers must take this responsibility and help students develop their own…

Some educators fear that computer technology will create a huge gap between the techno-literate and techno-illiterate. Discusses literacy issues raised by the introduction of graphical interfaces and new media in education: graphical interfaces and traditional literacy; electronic versus print culture; visual literacy skills and language;…

Describes the educational philosophy and decisions that shaped development of an electronic reader's edition of James Madison's notes on the debates of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Discusses the role of hypermedia in history instruction. %Illustrates and explains the design of the resource. (PAL)

Examines trends in computer assisted language learning (CALL) research and postulates strategies for classroom assessment of CALL. Describes a pilot study designed to evaluate a music-based multimedia program. (Author/VWL)

Investigated the effectiveness of three types of vocabulary annotations on vocabulary learning for English-as-a-Foreign-Language college students: the annotation only, text plus picture, and text plus picture and sound. Determined whether learners with certain perceptual learning styles benefitted more from a particular type of vocabulary…

In two years, HighWire Press at Stanford University (California) has revolutionized online scientific publishing; electronic journals are reaching readers faster, are easier to search, and are entering new foreign markets. The largest scientific publishers will put about 200 journals online in 1997. Other changes foreseen include immediate rather…

Discusses plug-ins, software programs that connect to an World Wide Web browser and enhance its functionality. Highlights finding the software; downloading and using plug-ins; and educational applications, including the document viewer, real-time chat, multimedia, map viewer, spelling checker, news network, sound and video, and real-time…

Discusses the use of multimedia computer-based training to effectively teach mechanical skills. Gives an example of teaching shaft alignment tasks that combines three-dimensional animations, simulations, and user interactions to allow the trainee to practice recognition and manipulation skills. (Author/LRW)

An experimental group studied Macbeth in an independent, constructivist setting using multimedia; the control group studied traditionally. Eleven of 23 experimental students and 2 of 21 in the traditional class failed. In an experiment with Hamlet, the results were reversed. Students were most successful when the teacher was actively involved,…

Provides an overview of Learning Management System (LMS) software, which is necessary for the creation of a Virtual Centre for Foreign Language Learning. Also describes a new discipline called Web Assisted Language Learning (WALL), which can be broken down into three areas: the Web as a source of resources; the Web as a window of multimedia…

Presents one of the world's first prototypes of language learning software for smart-phones. Tele-EnREDando.com is an Internet based multimedia application designed for 3G mobile phones with audio, video, and interactive exercises for learning Spanish for business. (Author/VWL)

Discussion of how multimedia productions are perceived by others focuses on a study of an undergraduate course at the University of Lethbridge (Canada) that investigated whether peer and target population evaluations influenced the production of student-generated multimedia projects. Results suggest that formative evaluation activities encouraged…