In order to establish a distant education system, it is first required to create a virtual learning system environment. A detailed literature search has revealed the existence of some "Open-Source" systems such as "Claroline, Moodle etc." Each system has been investigated in detail and it was found that "Moodle" is…

A new interdisciplinary science and mathematics course for preservice elementary/special education teachers at LaSalle University (Pennsylvania) is examined. "Explorations in Science and Mathematics" was designed to develop core skills, critical thinking and communication, understanding of math and science as real-life activities,…

Despite movements to fight illiteracy in Laos, the number of illiterates in 1997 remains around 300,000 which represents 27% of people in the 15-40 age group. Concentrated Language Encounter (CLE) techniques were adapted for teaching reading and writing in the Lao language. A pilot project implemented CLE techniques at nine pilot schools in two…

In March 1995 the Ohio General Assembly enacted a Pilot Project Scholarship Program intended to provide a limited number of vouchers to allow Cleveland public school students to attend alternative schools, i.e. private schools, including those operated by religious organizations, within the Cleveland city limits and public schools in surrounding…

Two new training and development initiative practices addressing telecommunications (Internet) training for education are presented: the Virtual Classroom and Vertically Integrated Technology Training (VERITTE). These techniques may be applied separately or in combination to develop competencies and positive attitudes among school personnel toward…

This document describes a project which has serviced 226 students of limited English proficiency. Participating students received instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL); Haitian native language arts (NLA); and the content areas of mathematics, science, and computer science. Multicultural education was an integral part of programming.…

The Memphis (Tennessee) Center for Urban Partnerships (MCUP) was formed in 1992 to provide access, resources, and opportunities so that a greater number of urban students might realize their potential and achieve success through increased college preparedness, matriculation, retention, and graduation. This document reports on the development and…

A procedure for assessing and comparing schoolwide change, so that groups of schools could use the resultant information for continuous improvement, was developed. The feasibility of the new assessment procedure was tested by applying the new procedure in 5 schools in the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative (BASRC) in the San Francisco Bay Area,…

The University of California, Davis, is transforming large general education courses in a cost-effective way that maintains high academic standards in the face of rising student enrollments. Two multi-year pilot projects have demonstrated the feasibility of using rich online learning environments to reduce the dependence on formal lectures. This…

This paper report the findings of the first phase of a multi-phased research project that is aimed at examining preservice teachers' development of science concepts when learning: (1) takes place at a distance, and (2) is facilitated by videoconferencing technology. The study builds on the work that was done by Lansdown (Lansdown, Blackwood, and…

This book provides information for integrating technology into teaching and learning in K-12 schools. The information is based upon findings from two past programs of the National Foundation for the Improvement of Education. "The Road Ahead" program explored how technology can facilitate teaching and learning in both formal and informal education…

The "Early Childhood/Teen Communications Project" conducted a pilot investigation of two grade 7-8 combination classes at a K-12 alternative school in Seattle, Washington. The students (approximately 55) were given the opportunity to work with media literacy materials over a four-week period for about 1.5 hours each day. This paper describes the…

This small-grant funded project was intended to act as a pilot study looking at the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in adult education. In particular, the project aimed to investigate the use of ICT in extending patterns of participation in adult education to those social groups presently excluded from learning; one of the…

As schools guide students in acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary to become responsible citizens, the question arises as to how they can better go about providing them with a well-rounded education: academically, socially, and emotionally. Providing Resource Opportunities with Learning (P.R.O.W.L.) suggests the following solutions: (1)…

The Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) Project was created by the U.S. Department of Education to address the need for newly certified teachers to be able to integrate technology in their first years of teaching. The U.S. Education Department's PT3 Program has provided funding for projects nationwide. At the School of Education…