Distance education is often used as a cost-efficient way to train employees. This research focuses on training for teaching online. A comprehensive literature review revealed the scarcity of scholarly work in this area. To determine best practices in training for teaching online, a faculty training program was examined and experts were…

The stand-alone computer course is the earliest IT training model in teacher education. Designed in the early 1980s, the course responded to increasing demands from schools that teachers have adequate technology skills. The primary goal was to improve technology proficiency among preservice teachers. Research later determined that student teachers…

In this article, the authors talk about the Summer Safari program that is designed for 9-to 14-year-old students. It targets individuals with an interest in comic books and a penchant for writing stories and/or drawing. The highlight of this multidisciplinary workshop is the seamless integration of writing, fine arts, and computer technology to…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Confronting the Autism Epidemic: New Expectations for Children with Autism Means a New Role for Public Schools (Kate McKenna); (2) Internet Research 101:…

To support schools as they move into the 21st century, the Massachusetts Department of Education is developing improved systems to collect, analyze, and report data, which will ultimately allow districts to make decisions about instructional practices that will better meet students' needs. Many Massachusetts school districts are using these…

The potential of emotional interaction between human and computer has recently interested researchers in human-computer interaction. The instructional impact of this interaction in learning environments has not been established, however. This study examined the impact of emotion and gender of a pedagogical agent as a learning companion (PAL) on…

A study was conducted in Egypt to investigate how technology is used in English language instruction at the university level. Results indicate that teachers and learners alike are ready and, in some cases (mostly in the private-university setting), are effectively applying technology tools in the classroom and online. Specific findings indicate…

According to a January 2007 survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 55 percent of teens (ages 12 to 17) report having created a personal profile online, and an equal number regularly use social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook. Of those, 91 percent use the sites to stay in touch with friends they see frequently. With all…

For some teachers, the increasing attention to digital and multimodal composing in English and Language Arts classrooms has brought into sharp relief the profession's investment in print as the primary means of expression. Although new forms of communication that combine words, still and moving images, and animation have begun to dominate digital…

In recent years, tertiary institutions in developed countries have made extensive use of Course Management Systems (CMSs), software packages designed to help educators create online learning communities. To date, however, such packages have been little used in higher education institutions (HEIs) in China. In this article, we describe the…

Over the last 10 years, information technology has been the fastest growing sector in the global economy. Nevertheless, technology and computer-based instruction have not been sufficiently integrated into the curriculum especially at institutions that serve primarily language minority, low income, and first generation, female college populations.…

This practicum was developed to help educators overcome their uncomfortableness when using a computer. Seven adult educators were avoiding using the computers purchased for them to use in their classroom with their students. These seven adult educators showed on a survey that they were very uncomfortable using computers and were unable to perform…

Computer courses have become part of the educational administration knowledge base. This paper considers issues under the general question, What effect does computing have on the knowledge base? Three major areas concerning the impact of computer technology on the educational-administration knowledge base are described. First the paper describes…

NEAT (iNtegrated Environment for Authoring in ToolBook) provides templates and various facilities for the rapid prototyping of computer-based presentations, a capability that is lacking in current authoring systems. NEAT is a specialized authoring system that can be used by authors who have a limited knowledge of computer systems and no…

This report describes a project conducted for the following purposes: (1) research the new technologies that will be part of the upcoming information boom, popularly referred to as the "information superhighway"; (2) interview technical professionals in the scientific field to find out their feelings and predictions on the technology;…