As the volume of L&L closes, I usually take some time to reflect on what we have done over the year as a magazine and what has happened in the field. We currently have infrastructure and technology for integrated systems that combine data, curriculum, resources, tools, assessments, delivery, and reporting, all at the fingertips of educators.…

Some tips that combine knowledge of mathematics history and technology for adapting Ferrar's method to factor quintics with a TI-83 graphing calculator are presented. A demonstration on the use of the root finder and regression capabilities of the graphing calculator are presented, so that the tips can be easily adapted for any graphing calculator…

In this article, the influence of timesaving and inspiring reference technologies on the field of reference services is assessed. Library media specialists are advised to be aware of and embrace such emerging technologies, as these will enable them to make information gathering effective and efficient and create information-literate students.

The ability of students to multi-task with technology carries major ramifications for classroom instruction and decision making. Multi-tasking with technology has created a new way to process and use information. Techno tasking occurs when an individual uses two or more technologies at the same time. This is distinguished from multi-tasking where…

Often, specialists in the field of Assistive Technology (AT) are presented with the challenge of teaching learners to utilize AT in order to increase, maintain, or improve their capabilities. Despite best efforts, rates of AT abandonment are alarmingly high. Understanding the factors that may influence an individual's choice to utilize AT may…

Today's students--traditional and nontraditional--are more wired (or wireless) than ever before. With computers and wireless devices becoming more affordable and universal, they expect, and even demand, to securely manage their educational experience online--from registering and paying for courses to receiving advice--all the time, from anywhere.…

This article provides instructions, and a list of supplies for a teacher performed class demonstration showing, change of state. Having students engage in technology-based inquiry activities is an excellent way for teachers to introduce topics that are driven by the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996). Based on Content Standard B, this…

Policymakers agree a key objective of instructional technology research efforts must be to help ensure the 2.2 million new teachers needed in the next decade have the skills to select and use instructional technology effectively. This research study supports the work of teacher educators who took a critical and systematic look at how their early…

This paper presents an analysis of the Nigerian National Policy for Information Technology. The analysis reveals that the policy is inadequate to impact positively on the Nigerian education system, and that the philosophical frame of reference is market driven. The policy places little emphasis on the integration and infusion of ICT in the…

This article describes two consecutive enactments of technology-oriented teacher professional development designs, aimed at helping teachers find high-quality online learning resources and use them in designing effective problem-based learning (PBL) activities for their students. To align with current professional development prescriptions, in the…

Five years after Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) research revealed a "digital divide" among Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and limited computer usage by staff and students, this new study shows that district schools have overcome many of these obstacles, particularly in terms of technology access and use among teachers and…

Research into Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in schools is well into its third decade but there is still a pressing need to better understand how computer-based technologies are influencing learning opportunities, and how the local conditions of schooling impact on teachers' attempts to integrate these technologies in their…

The two separate projects described have examined how teachers exploit computer-based technologies in supporting learning of science at secondary level. This paper examines how pedagogical approaches associated with these technological tools are adapted to both the cognitive and structuring resources available in the classroom setting. Four…

This paper describes a three-year study conducted among chemistry instructors (professors and teaching assistants) at a post-secondary institution. The goal was to explore the integration process of information and communication technologies (ICT) into traditional teaching. Four undergraduate chemistry courses incorporated a course website, an…

This paper argues that concepts derived from affordance theories are highly useful in understanding the role of online technologies in learning. However, it is suggested that the value of this approach is maximised when the focus is moved away from the inherent properties of the technologies to the opportunities for learning provided by the total…