This paper details one institution's experience developing post disaster online instructional capability without access to the institution's courseware platform and help desk services. In turn, the post disaster distance education lessons learned include the possible need for all institutions to: prearrange an interruption of service agreement…

Educators are becoming increasingly interested in alternatives to learning management systems (LMS) Blackboard and WebCT. Stephen Downes's column Places to Go turns to one internationally popular open source LMS--Moodle. Downes takes the reader through Moodle's Web site, which is simultaneously a Web site about its LMS and an example of what its…

Business communication courses are ideal for teaching visual communication principles and techniques. Many assignments lend themselves to graphic enrichment, such as flyers, handouts, slide shows, Web sites, and newsletters. Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft PowerPoint are excellent tools for these assignments, with Publisher being best for…

When Blackboard unveiled its U.S. patent for 44 features of learning management systems and then filed a patent infringement suit against Design2Learn, the response of the educational technology community was negative and swift. Stephen Downes discusses why many educators oppose Blackboard's proprietary claims to technologies long considered in…

The Languages Review Consultation Report recommends exploiting the potential of communications technology for the enhancement of curricular offerings. Newly developed instructional software is credited with opening doors to the cultures of young people while serving as an infinitely patient and supportive tutor. Thus, in the UK as in the US,…

This study assessed the effectiveness of computer-based biomolecular visualization activities on the development of high school biology students' representational competence as a means of understanding and visualizing protein structure/function relationships. Also assessed were students' attitudes toward these activities. Sixty-nine students…

This paper discusses the requirements for implementation of computer-based learning (CBL) and presents three examples of activities related to CBL in the Netherlands in 1979-80. Problems in developing a technology for CBL materials production are discussed, and several insights behind the development of such a technology are considered: (1) it is…

This report discusses the design of the Macintosh version of INQUIRE, a software package developed to support the processes and activities of inquiry learning and teaching. It is noted that the design challenge was to encourage students to consider information from a variety of perspectives, to make and articulate conceptual connections between…

This courseware evaluation rates the "Grab a Byte" program developed by tne National Dairy Council. (The program--not included in this document--is divided into three sections: Grab-a-Grape uses a quiz-show format to examine students' knowledge of food groups; Nutrition Sleuth reinforces students' nutrient knowledge; and Have-a-Byte…

The seven stages in the system development process are discussed in the context of implementing basic arithmetic drill and practice exercises on a computer-based system: (1) feasibility study; (2) requirements definition; (3) alternative specifications; (4) evaluation and selection of an alternative; (5) system design; (6) development and testing;…

The use and effectiveness of gaming techniques in educational computer software was investigated through an analysis of 170 in-depth evaluations of commercially-available educational computer programs. These evaluations, conducted by the Educational Products Information Exchange (EPIE) Institute, dealt with design attributes relevant to all…

The various criteria upon which interactive video courseware can be judged are outlined. The criteria relate to the critical areas of program usage, content, interactivity, production, presentation, design, and programming. The mnemonic HICUPPP is introduced to describe seven key areas that categorize criteria which can be used to evaluate…

Guidelines are presented to help teachers apply specific criteria for choosing microcomputer software and adapting courseware from other disciplines to the teaching of disabled readers. The guidelines discuss how to provide individualized instruction by ascertaining the readability of materials and the reading ability of students. Guidelines also…

This study examined current approaches to computer courseware evaluation and evaluated published models on courseware evaluation from the perspectives of end-user/project proposers, the commercial vendor, and the academic or non-aligned consultant. First, a list of primary sources of computer courseware evaluation were located and analyzed. From…

The paper addresses three major concerns associated with incorporating microcomputers into educational settings: computer use, software selection, and hardware selection. Advantages of the computer in instructional settings are noted as well as its limitations. Staff is advised to select which of four applications is appropriate to their setting…