This book, developed by the Iowa City Community School District, recipient of the National Library Media Program of the year Award in 1997, provides a complete K-12 curriculum, with details on when key basic information, research, and production skills should be introduced, expanded, and reviewed. The book is divided into four parts: Part I:…

The Electronic Studio, developed by the Rice University (Texas) Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning (CTTL), serves a number of purposes related to the construction and development of learning projects. It is a workplace, a display area, and a repository for tools, data, multimedia, design projects, and personal papers. This paper…

The introductory instructional technology course at Iowa State University is a survey course covering various technologies. In this case, the instructor chose to create a situated learning environment using low-technology everyday surroundings to teach the fundamentals of photographic and video production, linking the photography, audio, and video…

The purpose of this fastback is to provide a primer on developing project-based multimedia instruction. The first section discusses reasons for using multimedia, including advantages to be gained instructionally from teachers using multimedia and--from the standpoint of active learning--from students using multimedia. How authoring programs work…

Designed to aid middle school-aged students to understand better the problems illegal drugs pose for schools, and to provide students with an opportunity to come up with solutions, this illustrated curriculum guide helps students examine the problem of drugs in an imaginary school called Jackson Middle School. Students are asked to work with other…

This paper provides a brief description of multimedia technology available in schools, details the "Multimedia Technology and Kid TV" project, reviews the project's preliminary findings, and discusses their implications. The project focuses on using technology to improve students' self-image, self-motivation, and decision-making skills. Seven…

Classroom projects, activities, and games for use in primary classrooms, which were developed by high school students serving as aides, are presented. Most of the projects are organized into the following curriculum areas: reading/language arts, multidisciplinary studies, mathematics, social studies, and science. Class activities having similar…

This interdisciplinary economics project helped first and second graders learn how to conserve energy and save money. The project started because of an announcement by the elementary school principal that, if school utility bills could be lowered, the Board of Education would give the school half the money saved. Students were first introduced to…

Project-based learning offers the opportunity to apply theoretical and practical knowledge, and to develop the student's group working, and collaboration skills. In this paper we presented a design of effective computer class that implements the well-known and highly accepted project-based learning paradigm. A pre-test/post-test control group…

Manchester Business School employs a distinctive approach to learning known as the Manchester Method which is based on the principle that the most effective and rewarding way to learn and remember is through a practical reflective, live/real project-based approach. This paper investigates the use of a collaboration and information sharing…

Intended for teachers and teacher-librarians, this guide provides instructional materials and commentary to help students grow in their ability to gather, process, and share information, and develop research skills applicable to any subject area and in real life situations. The guide is divided into seven chapters: (1) "Introduction and…

Research supports the value of youth service, but indicates concerns about the diminishing interest of young people in giving of themselves. New justifications for community service include the following: (1) documentation of the educational value of service; (2) greater understanding of environmental and human needs; and (3) greater understanding…

This handbook combines in a single publication several sets of guidelines for separate competitive events sponsored by the Virginia Association of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (VA DECA). The handbook is organized to promote understanding of the relationships between the competitive events held on the national level and those…

Ideas about the arts and their place in the classroom are elaborated through this series of essays. "Radio Plays: A Close Encounter with Another Medium" (Norton A. Roman) discusses the use of old radio plays in the classroom. "Dynamic Dinosaurs" (Kathy Vajda) describes teaching a unit on dinosaurs to a kindergarten class.…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that has been used successfully for over 30 years and continues to gain acceptance in multiple disciplines. It is an instructional (and curricular) learner-centered approach that empowers learners to conduct research, integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop…