For the thirty-first year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) sponsored the publication of these Proceedings. Papers were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. This year's Proceedings has two sections--Section 1 includes research and development papers and…

It is widely accepted that employees in small business suffer from a lack of knowledge and skills. This lack of skills means that small companies will miss out on new business opportunities. This is even more evident with respect to the adoption of Internet marketing in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This paper reports a pilot research…

Graduate programs which typically produce college instructors rarely teach "how to teach." There is an instructional tool, however, which is invaluable for developing instructional communication skills: the case method. It can also be an effective means of helping pre-service teachers develop teaching skills. The case method is an…

This paper describes the design and use of a Web-based instructional design (ID) case in a team case competition involving six universities. It provides background information on case methods and techniques used to help students learn about instructional design practice. Teams participating in the 1996 competition were from: Arizona State…

This study investigated the characteristics of Computer-based Case Simulations (CCS) that may be associated with case difficulty. Difficulty was defined as the average rating by physicians of examinee performance on a nine-point scale or the passing rate on the cases. Two data sets were used, one from an administration of 18 cases to 201 medical…

This paper discusses the development of concept maps for an entire veterinary curriculum, for each of the planned courses, and for each of the case-based exercises in each course, drawing on current efforts at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) to develop an integrated curriculum for use in a problem-based…

The case method poses a problem that has no easy solution. The case is based on factual information and has an introduction, an exposition, a development of the central issues, and a summary. Students must decide the outcome for themselves. Tips to help teachers write and use cases are provided. (RM)

Case Studies for "Inclusive Schools, Second Edition" presents a sampling of case studies that contain realistic problems concerning inclusion issues for teacher education students to solve. This format was chosen because the case study approach to learning is gaining in popularity as it provides students with an opportunity to apply information…

This book presents 19 real-life cases which paint a picture of middle school education. Many of the cases grew out of the Middle School Project, an experimental program for training middle school teachers. The book offers student teachers or inservice teachers the opportunity for detailed case analysis, allowing them to practice problem solving,…

This first in a series of problem-solving exercises challenges readers to examine a small college faced with declining enrollment, decreasing financial support, and industrial pollution. Background information is provided and includes enrollment trends, finances, and characteristics of the administrators, faculty, students, and trustees.…

Case-based reasoning (CBR) focuses on analogy in the context of solving real-world problems. Its research methodology of computational modeling is aimed at deriving hypotheses about cognition. As a plausible educational model, CBR can help refine education philosophy and practice and contribute to the design of educational software. (SLD)

A study interviewed 15 teacher educators who have used case-based instruction (CBI) and have presented research on the topic. Perceived benefits of CBI included the development of generalizable skills by the students, while perceived barriers included the amount of time instructors needed to develop and use CBI. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Describes the case study method as a form of simulation and presents guidelines for their use in professional training situations. Skill development in problem solving is highlighted as a reason to use case studies; steps in creating a case are outlined; and the effectiveness of case studies is discussed. (LRW)

Through diary entries and written reflections, two educators chronicle and comment on a two-week summer seminar for college faculty on use of the case method as a teaching technique. Discussion focuses on the stresses and rewards of the experience at all levels of participation. (MSE)

Investigates preservice elementary teachers' theories about science teaching and learning through their reflections on integrated media case-based instruction. Constructs a profile of the teachers' images of themselves as future science teachers. Contains 43 references. (DDR)