Many early adopters of educational technology report increased costs-both in technology and in faculty time. This research shows how early followers can decrease costs by using existing online supplementary materials and a redesigned course structure that increases face-to-face contact and provides multiple means for students to learn course…

Laptops for students, increased teamwork and group interaction, and teaching as a facilitator of active learning have successfully converged in the classrooms of Northern Michigan University. This paper offers practical guidelines for integration strategies, theory, and outcomes assessments, based on a study undertaken for the 1999-2000 academic…

The objective of this paper is to present a method for extracting value from the research literature that should benefit educational practitioners. This method, called Convergent Analysis (CA), comprises the following steps. First, this focused question must be posed whose answer can benefit educational practitioners: under what conditions do…

This paper discusses educational technology and the structural changes that society must make to accommodate it. The paper begins by examining technology trends, including the exponential rate of change in the information industry, the growing ubiquitousness of computers, inequities in U.S. schools, and technology characteristics (e.g., the open…

This book describes how two teachers, half a world apart, created collaborative Internet projects for high school students worldwide. Projects helped develop critical thinking, genuine dialogue, and global understanding in the classroom. Through the development of curricular projects linking classrooms in Malaysia, Japan, Iowa, South Africa, and…

This article reports on an informal study conducted to identify and analyze the content of the five leading journals in the field of educational technology. An email survey was used to identify the top five journals being read by educational technologists. An e-mail message was sent to a total of 85 faculty members at nine schools with nationally…

The project described in this paper, representing the initial phases of a one-year on-going project, was organized to build a supportive environment for Instructional Systems Technology (IST) doctoral students at Indiana University-Bloomington to help them prepare for the Qualifying exams. An overview is provided of steps taken to create an…

Partners in Science students, aided by community professionals, learn science by designing and conducting their own research. Partners in Science brings the community and schools closer together through a mentorship program. Scientists, in fields ranging from wildlife biology to space physics, are in frequent contact with classes and home-schooled…

The goal of this handbook is to inform technology planning committee members about the dimensions of the technology planning and implementation process and to guide them through the process of aligning their technology plans with schoolwide reform efforts. Sections are included for each of the following dimensions: (1) develop a vision and policy;…

The goal of this book is to provide leads to the resources on the World Wide Web that connect with everyday events, celebrations, and holidays and that provide concepts and ideas that might help students to construct new knowledge. Sites selected include lesson plans, interactive activities, electronic visits to museums and trips around the United…

This brief paper argues for using the Internet for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Students of all ages and levels share an enthusiasm for exploring information and interacting online, and the often heard conventional wisdom that the Internet is too difficult for all but the most advanced ESL students is not true. ESL teachers need…

California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is the newest university in the CSU system. CSUMB's vision statement distinguishes the institution from others in the system by promoting learning paradigms of Outcome Based Education (OBE) and communication technologies of distributed learning (DL). Faculty are committed to the experimental use of…

Students enrolled in a graduate level social work class offered through distance education were encouraged to use e-mail and a class listserv. Analysis of the sources and content of course-related electronic transmissions revealed that distant students were significantly more likely than on-campus students to use e-mail and a course listserv.…

This paper reviews five popular and emerging models for the implementation of Internet and network technology in higher education: low tech, lab, laptop, virtual, and networked systems. Three perspectives on these models--that of a faculty member at the University of Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada), an administrator at the University of Lethbridge,…

This practical guide for K-12 teachers, librarians, and computer/media specialists presents online projects, Web sites, search engines, information resources, research tips, and "virtual" field trips--educator-reviewed and with coverage for all subjects and grade levels. The first chapter, "Cyberspace Research--Working the Web," includes…