Critical questions for measuring quality in accelerated learning include the following: Does it require learners' active involvement? Use their life and work experiences? Allow time for reflection? Individualize instruction? (Contains 13 references.) (SK)

Describes a study that examined changes in writing achievement between two groups of middle school students, one of which experienced a traditional language arts curriculum and the other participated in a more technology-rich curriculum which fully integrated technology use and language arts content. Suggests future directions. (Author/LRW)

Although content-based instruction may eventually produce the same quality of learning as skill-based training, the latter produces results more quickly because skills are practiced earlier. Commonly used for teaching computer skills, the skill-based approach has other applications such as accelerated language learning and the Yamaha method of…

Reviews what has been learned about the use of motivational and informational feedback in traditional instruction, examines how this knowledge may be useful in the design of feedback for computer-based instruction (CBI), and discusses the relationship between feedback and learning outcomes. Further research needs are suggested. (13 references)…

Educators must understand two opposing traditions in education, the mimetic and the transformative. Whereas traditional lesson structuring stresses concept introduction, constructivism emphasizes exploration. To constructivists, teachers strike the delicate balance between teaching for fact and skill acquisition and teaching for independent and…

Finds no evidence to counter the assumption that reading begins with a logographic stage; teaching method had a significant impact on children's reading strategies; and several children taught using the whole word technique appeared to exhibit letter-by-letter reading. Suggests that letter-by-letter dyslexia might be an extreme form of a strategy…

Considers the use of multimedia technology for training in business and industry. Topics include multimedia benefits, including organizational benefits, instructional benefits, learning effectiveness, and business efficiency; the accelerated rate of change; the mismatch between education and the economy; traditional instructor-led training; and…

Describes two ways of organizing distance education: using telecommunications to duplicate traditional classroom teaching; and reorganizing educational resources with a total systems perspective, including sources of knowledge, structures of knowledge, and media of communication. An example from higher education is discussed, students'…

Examines (from the perspective of developmental dialectics) the on-going debate between traditional instruction and whole-language advocates in reading. Provides an overview of the differences between the two camps. Outlines the reasons why whole-language approaches have increasingly been incorporated into classrooms. Speculates on how the debate…

Investigates how Russian teachers interested in adopting aspects of the U.S. science education reform movement compared with two groups, traditional U.S. science teachers and constructivist U.S. science teachers. Analyzes the total rubric score and Russian/traditional U.S., and Russian/constructivist U.S. groups. (Contains 20 references.)…

Nursing students took a course via videotape (n=28), remote live broadcast (n=31), or in the classroom (n=54); 84% in the classroom were traditional, 70% of distance learners were registered nurse to bachelor's degree students. Classroom students rated interaction, instructor communication, and facilitation of learning higher. Overall satisfaction…

Discusses a year-long study of time spent teaching and maintaining two comparable mature university courses, one offered online and one on campus. Results showed that the distance course required more frequent attention, but the total teaching and maintenance time per student was less than that for the traditional course. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of quality in higher education focuses on quality assurance of Web-based learning in distance education, based on experiences at the Open University of Hong Kong. Highlights include problems with distance education; a literature review; traditional learning versus Web-based learning; and the changing role of faculty. (Contains 63…

Summarizes findings from studies comparing classroom and technology-based approaches to training and the respective Return on Investment (ROI) data. Highlights several advantages of technology-based training. Offers information and initial ROI numbers on the use of technology-based training at Advanced Micro Devices, a global manufacturer of…

We comment on the paper "The co-emergence of machine techniques, paper-and-pencil techniques, and theoretical reflection: A study of CAS use in secondary school algebra" by Carolyn Kieran and Paul Drijvers. We look at aspects of Kieran and Drijvers' analysis with regard to "task-technique-theory" in the light of a model of abstraction in context…