Describes the Iowa Technology Loan Program, developed to provide teacher updates on contemporary topics for technology education programs. The program consists of workshops on technology followed by an opportunity to borrow equipment for a four-week period. (JOW)

The design of instructional and reference materials for French language teaching is discussed, focusing on design principles that facilitate individual, independent learning of vocabulary. (MSE)

Discusses the development of national policies for the use of communication technology in education, in both developing nations and industrialized countries. Considers what technology is convenient for the learner; national constraints on technology choice; what makes curricular sense; costs; and what works for small states. (Contains 16…

Considers how multimedia enhancements affect how much individuals learn from online news websites. Suggests that picture and audio are particularly powerful psychological cues. Finds that multimedia tends to hinder memory for story content and leads to negative evaluations of the site and its content, but improves memory for advertisements.…

English for special purposes requires content materials that are not always constructed for the purpose of language learning. Use of authentic materials in the language classroom presents instructors with several challenges, including the development of effective research skills required to manage the vast amount of information available, the…

Notes that a major goal within the language arts block is learning to recognize and write the letters of the alphabet. Presents 4 reasons that have been suggested as to why early letter knowledge exerts such a strong influence over learning to read and write. Presents descriptions of 12 websites dealing with the alphabet. (SG)

Presents a "reading choice study"--a study of print materials selected and read from a collection. Analyzes literary elements of 23 Young Adult novels that young adults have chosen to read. Finds that popular Young Adult novels are primarily character driven, and agrees with most previous studies investigating literary elements of Young Adult…

Parents have a long history of seeking child-rearing information in the popular media. This trend continues on the World Wide Web, with the number of parents online still on the rise. The Web offers speed, 24-hour access, and extremely large quantities of child rearing information. Although the availability of huge quantities of child-rearing…

This comprehensive, annotated resource list is designed to assist educators in selecting language arts resources for the elementary classroom. The authorized resources are listed under two main headings: series and individual resources. The series are listed alphabetically under each grade level. The individual resources are often authorized…

This article provides six criteria to help teachers decide which multiculturally-focused instructional materials might most appropriately meet their needs. The criteria hinge on two assumptions: (1) the criteria stem from a definitional assumption; and (2) students bring different learning styles to school that reflect the diverse makeup of…

This paper offers a rationale for offering sexuality education for youth with mental handicaps, and outlines several myths about human sexuality and the mentally handicapped. Sexual rights of the mentally handicapped are listed. Items that should be included in sexual counseling are noted. The paper also discusses critical content areas in…

This one-page consumer education materials evaluation form has been developed as a checklist for developers and users of business-sponsored educational materials. Criteria listed include issues such as target audience, design, and usability as well as objectivity and how the business sponsor is identified. The form is intended to prevent…

Designed to provide guidance in selecting appropriate software for library automation, information storage and retrieval, or management of bibliographic databases, this inventory describes 188 computer software packages. The information was obtained through a questionnaire survey of 600 software suppliers and developers who were asked to describe…

This guide suggests processes for making informed software selection, describes several prominent software evaluation models, raises key issues in the software selection process, and provides information on a variety of print and organizational resources. The first section, featuring an article by Henry F. Olds, Jr., "Evaluating the…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Conflicts over schools in general and curriculum and materials in particular have increased in recent years. A contributing factor is that organized groups, determined to reform society by imposing their values on others, insist that textbooks and other educational materials reflect their views.…