Addresses the usefulness of the World Wide Web in education by answering the following questions: does it make learning more accessible; does it promote improved learning; and does it accomplish the first two while containing or reducing the per unit costs of education? Examples are provided of what individuals and institutions are doing on the…

Presents findings of a study that examined the impact of a three-year effort that increased student access to computers in 55 New York school districts. The increased technology supported and facilitated student achievement. The gains reached across schools and districts with different educational policies and sociodemographic backgrounds. (LMI)

Presents activities that allow students to explore the fundamental but poorly understood concept of diffusion by appealing to their kinesthetic senses first, then challenging their analytical skills as they try to deduce the mathematical principle involved. Presents a computer simulation of diffusion and discusses diffusion's limitations and…

Provides pathological examples for which graphing calculators sometimes give surprising, misleading, or incorrect results. Investigates some of the more interesting of these examples encountered while using the TI-85 in a variety of undergraduate courses including calculus and matrix theory. (DDR)

Advocates a computer-controlled x-ray diffractometer as an inexpensive analytical tool that is easy to use and applicable to a wide range of geological problems. Both qualitative and quantitative experiments are possible. Exercises can easily be customized to local geology. Ideal for small departments with limited resources for providing hands-on…

A study evaluated a computer-based sorting-to-matching procedure to teach matching-to-sample skills to seven children (ages 3-8) with developmental disabilities. Rather than clicking on a comparison stimulus, this procedure allowed children to move the sample stimulus under the identical comparison stimulus. Identity matching-to-sample accuracy…

Defines contemporary literacy and examines what skills educators and library media specialists need to learn and impart to their students. Discusses using the Big6 skills to achieve contemporary literacy; developing information literacy curricula; and addressing the challenge of contemporary literacy. (AEF)

Explains that it is difficult to locate Web sites related to 20th century U.S. politics because the information is often slanted either to the political right or left. Provides a collection of Web sites to help students learn about politics in the 20th century. (CMK)

Presents an annotated bibliography of Web sites for history teachers. Includes position papers, research papers, and other Web site resources, such as American Memory, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, The History Buff, and History Resources on the Web. (CMK)

An exploratory survey found that women faculty may use educational and information technologies for different purposes than their male colleagues, and that these differences may relate to three main factors: increased emphasis on a teaching role, their tendency to explore more relational approaches to teaching, and their experiences with…

Describes the Digital Learning Interactive textbook which allows instructors to customize an online textbook to meet the needs of the instructor and the students. Discusses the features and components aimed at engaging students in the Digital Learning Interactive text. (CMK)

Examines uses of evidence in university students' writing of scientific argument in an introductory-level oceanography course. Provides students with an interactive CD-ROM entitled 'Our Dynamic Planet' to write a scientific technical paper. Discusses ways of teaching students the construction of argument in scientific writing. (KHR)

Describes an art history project used with fifth-grade students where they selected a famous painting as a background for a self-portrait. Explains how the students used Adobe Photoshop to place a digital photograph of themselves into a scanned image of the artwork. (CMK)

Data are presented from four focus groups of adult assistive technology (AT) computer users with visual impairments. Participants cited the benefits of using assistive technology with computers at work. Barriers to computer use included lack of training and accessible training materials and dependence on assistance from sighted people. (Contains…

This article discusses using individualized multimedia activity schedules as a technology-based instruction for young children with autism. The schedules serve as cues that can help students prepare for transitioning to between school activities. The benefits of using Microsoft PowerPoint in the classroom are described, along with implementation…