Describes Southtek, a group of 14 colleges and 14 companies which have formed partnerships with local education authorities to produce effective vocational distance training materials. Topics discussed include the need that precipitated Southtek, its material development and testing methods, and its network of support centers for local users and…

A graduate communications course in multimedia literacy uses a completely online environment to assemble faculty and curriculum resources normally unavailable in traditional classrooms. Guided by a teacher/coordinator, a librarian teaches information literacy by examining Internet copyright and fair use issues, ethics, and the evaluation of…

Interactive multimedia (IMM) is a technology with the potential to change the way people learn, acquire information, and entertain themselves. This technology brings together a range of fields and requires the skills of professionals from those fields. This handbook offers practical advice on issues related to developing successful interactive…

Second language teachers are encouraged to assign multimedia projects to their students. They are challenging for the student to create, can effectively reinforce learning, and are a fun way for students to practice language skills. Rather than have students draw a poster or write a paper, the teacher can assign a presentation using a combination…

"Journey Home," an interactive CD-ROM program about Homer's "Odyssey," was produced at North Shore Community College (Massachusetts) to create an innovative method for teaching literature. Based on a prototype developed on an Apple II, the program incorporates video, text, graphics, music, and artwork related to the Odyssey and…

Focusing on multiple ways in which learners gain access to knowledge and skills, this handbook explores the possibilities of broadening current conceptualizations of literacy to include the full array of the communicative arts (reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing). The handbook pays particular attention to the visual arts of drama,…

These 14 essays address convergence--the breaking down of barriers between open and distance learning and conventional education, and the creation of more multimodal institutions. "Convergence of Distance and Conventional Education" (Tait, Mills) is an overview to the book. "Efficacy and Ethics of Using Digital Multimedia for…

A science classroom was used to study the effects of a shared intranet environment on students' problem-solving ability and metacognitive reflection skills through shared contextualization. Subjects were first-time 9th- and 10th-grade biology students from three public high schools. An evaluative analysis of the CourseInfo software (Blackboard,…

The California State University system faces an increase of 100,000 students by 2010, the majority of whom will be Latino. Fundamental restructuring is necessary to accommodate this change, and the new California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) may provide a model. CSUMB has a commitment to serving underrepresented populations and…

Describes recent studies dealing with writing and the writing process, language acquisition, English teacher education, multimedia instruction, literature, language skills, and reading. (HOD)

Two open universities created in Canada in the 1970's--Athabasca and Teleuniversite--are examined from an administrative/management perspective. A study reveals that effective planning requires balanced attention to means and ends, new management structures are required, and committed leadership is needed. (Author/MLW)

Analysis of a survey of 216 faculty members of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) determined that more instructors had experience using e-mail and word processing whereas fewer had experience with software presentation, multimedia, and distance education. The findings indicate a need for faculty development since distance learning…

Discusses the effects of change and innovations on teachers. Describes the use of the Stages of Concern Questionnaire of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model to examine teachers' concerns about the introduction of microcomputer technology in an elementary school. Addresses the importance of teacher training. (LRW)

Discusses the use of multimedia to develop higher-level thinking skills, particularly for training systems. Examines Navigation, access, and manipulation in learning activities. A case study in a corporate environment includes requirements for designing networked multimedia computer-based training. (LRW)

Examines how computer technology and the World Wide Web can help enable and motivate students to read in a foreign language. Topics covered include: technology in foreign-language learning; theoretical and pedagogical considerations related to online and computer-based readers; and two examples of electronic readers for low-intermediate-Spanish…