The purpose of the study was to compare electronic and traditional versions of a graduate-level introductory research class. Students were permitted to select the instructional delivery type they wanted, with the traditional option offered by one instructor and the electronic option offered by a second instructor. There were 71 participants in the…

Educators and administrators have many things to consider before setting up a distance education facility at their schools. They will first need to decide what type of distance education technology will best benefit their students and schools. Administrators will need to decide if they want to use programming that is locally controlled or…

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 offers a perspective that grows out of what those at EDC's Center for Children and Technology have learned from nearly three decades of research on educational technology. The paper discusses where the field of educational research is heading and reviews promising directions for technology's role in education. There are changes in the…

This book is designed to help educators cope with changes created by technology and embrace a new mindset necessary to access the burgeoning technological advances, in order to keep schools and students relevant in the 21st century. The book looks through several "windows" on the future, and asks educators to consider their own paradigms…

Cognitive flexibility is indispensable for applying knowledge to new situations. The development of this ability depends on certain conditions such as the attainment of a deep comprehension of the subject matter and the exposure to different knowledge representations. This paper focuses on these conditions and describes a study designed to foster…

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…

Recent advancements in computer and Internet technologies enable universities to implement cost-effective Web-Based Instruction (WBI) and to provide open learning environments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While more and more WBI courses are continually being developed, little attention is being paid to effective, systemic, and systematic WBI…

This study examined differences between two populations of composition students over the course of a semester in their perceptions of collaboration as reported in the pre- and post-surveys. In addition, using an assessment rubric developed by the researchers, the study examined students' audience awareness as demonstrated in their writing. Both…

Faculty members are often overwhelmed with the prospect of implementing Web-based instruction. In an effort to simplify the process and incorporate some basic instructional design elements, the Educational Technology Team at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University created a course template for WebCT. Utilizing rapid prototyping, the template…

This study investigated the effects of audio, animation, and spatial ability in a computer-based instructional program for biology. The program presented instructional material via test or audio with lean text and included eight instructional sequences presented either via static illustrations or animations. High school students enrolled in a…

This study focuses on alternative ways of thinking about the experiences of two cohorts of high school students participating in separate political simulations, one about peace negotiations in the Middle East (the Arab-Israeli Conflict simulation, or AIC), and one focusing on domestic American policy issues (the Conflix Project, or Conflix). Both…

This paper presents results of a 23-day observation of 36 girls in all-girl math and computer classes at a public school's enrichment summer session for at-risk girls. Ages of the students observed ranged from 12 to 18. The students observed came to school with a long history of truancy, from homes where they suffered neglect and abuse. School was…

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…

This digest focuses on the importance of learning assistance centers (LACs) to academic success and student retention. LACs differ from learning resource centers, which mainly provide and disseminate educational information. They also differ from development education offices, which give emphasis to teaching basic skills and preparing students for…