Examines the relationship between instructional design (ID) and courseware development, especially for multimedia and hypermedia systems. Discusses ID models; external and internal reasons for the neglect of models; characteristics of models suitable for multimedia and hypermedia development; and models integrating those characteristics: Guided…

Presents a situated based computer-assisted language learning system named VIDYA. The principles discussed include use of mastery learning in the situated learning context, student modeling of language constructs, dynamic courseware presentation and a generic courseware evaluation technique. Summarizes the present status of VIDYA. (24 references)…

Describes a study that examined the role of the computer with multimedia software in assessing the perception of the basic time concepts by children. Results indicated superiority in children's judgments when multimedia software was used and a positive correlation between age and comprehension. (Author/LRW)

Preservice teachers (n=22) observed 45 elementary students' use of instructional CD-ROMs and evaluated the software. Pre/post data indicated that their initial unproblematic views of instructional software modified somewhat. They became more aware of issues in technology use in education. (Contains 19 references.) (SK)

Presents a qualitative study of five groups of college students using Inspiration computer software to construct concept maps in an educational technology class. Considers how the maps changed during the semester, how course concepts were applied in a final project, and whether students reported that the collaborative concept mapping activity…

Discussion of learning technology standards focuses on acceptance and implementation, illustrated by SCORM specifications as applied to courseware development. Highlights include course structure; content hierarchy; multimedia assets; sharable content objects (SCOs); content aggregation; content packaging; categories of metadata; and content…

States that Computer Assisted Language Instruction (CALI) software should be developed as an interactive natural language processing system. Describes artificial intelligence and proposes a model for intelligent CALI software (MICALI). Discusses MICALI's potential and current limitations due to the present state of the art. (Author/LS)

Describes a two-stage experiment that was designed to explain binomial distribution to undergraduate statistics students. A manual coin flipping exercise is explained as the first stage; a computerized simulation using MINITAB software is presented as stage two; and output from the MINITAB exercises is included. (two references) (LRW)

Computer simulation of drug formulation problems involves a database of pharmacological properties, chemical stability, and compatibility data on 20 active ingredients, physiological factors and requirements for parenteral solutions, and additives. The user gathers data from the database, formulates a stable and effective solution, and the drug is…

Describes the use of a computer conferencing program, Confer II, in freshman college composition classes. Benefits discussed include the opportunity to expand classroom discussions; promotion of interactions between students, both class-related and purely social; and exploration of the link between conversation and expressive writing. (five…

Describes study that evaluated 16 software packages representing all grade levels against 19 criteria based on principles of effective learning and teaching. Implications of the results for the development of effective instructional software and its use are discussed, and the evaluation form used is included in the appendix. (21 references) (LRW)

Recent second language instruction computer software focuses almost exclusively on the structures and forms of language, and on programed learning instead of developing communicative skills. Until artificial intelligence changes these old behavioristic principles, computer-assisted language instruction can only play a minor role in language…

Defines prototyping as an original version or model on which a completed software system for computer-based training is formed; examines the development process of a prototype; describes how prototyping can assist in facilitating communication between educational technology, software engineering, and project management; and discusses why…

Describes the JITOL (Just-in-Time Open Learning) project funded by the European Community and offers a JITOL perspective on electronic performance support as a technology for accessing distributed knowledge and promoting continuing professional development through computer-mediated communication. The learning cycle, prototype tools, and courseware…

Argues that the traditional reliance on scholarly research and publication for promotion and tenure needs to be reexamined as professors spend increasing amounts of time developing computer courseware. The creation of new models for teaching and research that will include educational computing as a valued part of the educational process is…