In seeking to nurture the human spirit while improving intellectual ability and performance, holistic learning tries to provide a broader vision of education and human development. This process is assisted by three key elements: balance, inclusion, and connection. Balance is needed among transmission, transaction, and transformational learning…

Summarizes a study exploring the extent to which five Virginia school systems took advantage of building a new secondary school to address the need for fundamental educational change. Franklin County took greatest advantage of new construction, designing a technology and career-exploration center. Manassas Park designed a fairly innovative…

A study explored the extent to which 142 undergraduate students' willingness and perceived capacity to engage in self-directed learning, and ability to think critically, were explained by psychological type. Results indicate extroverted intuition is a strong predictor for self-directed learning; psychological type did not predict critical…

Argues for stronger research on aspects of learning and teaching as influenced by the use of the World Wide Web and describes salient Web characteristics regarding this issue. It also discusses student learning and communication and qualitative research in Web-based learning as topics that can support a number of meaningful research questions…

The way competence is construed in Britain's National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) has little use in nursing education because education differs from training. A holistic conception of competence that facilitates critical thinking is preferable to NVQs' emphasis on outcomes over processes. (SK)

Discussion of recent changes in technology education focuses on the learning process of technological problem solving. A conceptual framework is proposed that includes knowledge, skills, and cognitive models. An evaluation-modification model flow chart is also explained. (Contains 52 references.) (LRW)

Discussion of information exploration and software design in computer-based educational systems focuses on the integration of hypermedia and natural language dialog. AlFRESCO is described, an interactive natural language-centered multimodal system that was developed for users interested in frescoes and paintings. (LRW)

Based on qualitative research (interviews with 39 elementary teachers and case studies of two schools), demonstrates that two important concepts can clarify school leaders' crucial role in teachers' professional development. If principals create workplace conditions that offer learning space and opportunities, learning experiences will happen.…

Explores criteria for successful adoption of a Web-based collaborative technology in a graduate class. Results of focus groups and surveys demonstrated that classic diffusion of innovation dimensions could be applied to education if implemented correctly, and explains why the implementation of new technology was unsuccessful in this class.…

Surveys of 233 employees and 217 supervisors from 95 small Dutch companies identified total number of jobs held, average time in each, and the learning value of job functions. It appeared that it was not experience as such that predicted the development of expertise, but the allocation of different job assignments. (Contains 42 references.) (SK)

Describes the WISE (Web Interface for Statistics Education) that was developed to enhance student learning and understanding of core statistical concepts relevant in higher education. Discusses the use of Web technology; the impact on teaching; barriers to computer-based learning; and impact on student learning. (LRW)

Discussion of system dynamics and interactive learning environments focuses on collaboration and constructivity to develop expertise in complex domains. Highlights include advances in learning theory; the ability to construct models and use them for experimentation; and the need for a more rigorous approach to evaluation of learning outcomes.…

Discusses online help systems in application software design and describes two experiments in which adult computer novices learned to use experimental graphics software by task-based exploration. Topics include operative help; function-oriented help; effects on learning performance; schemata; mental models; and implications for the design of…

Explains four instructional approaches with varied learning processes and provides guidelines for the use of each. Describes receptive instruction, that is highly controlled; behavioral instruction that assumes learning occurs through a gradual building of skills; the situated guided discovery approach, including constructivism and social…

Comparison of 58 traditional-age and 37 nontraditional (ages 24-64) students showed that older students more often used the metacognitive strategies of generating constructive information and hyperprocessing. Older females had the highest levels of cognitive monitoring; no age or gender differences in course performance were found. (Contains 27…