Analyzes how one disciplinary design heuristic influenced the production of both a computer system and a specification text for the system to investigate how heuristics used for rhetorical invention and design might be related. Indicates that disciplinary heuristics and rhetorical topics overlap in design; however, the rhetorical character of…

Discusses the use of interface metaphors in computer system design. Describes empirical research that shows users can experience cognitive dissonance with metaphors and suggests that the concept of a logical analogue rather than that of a metaphor should guide system designers. (Contains 66 references.) (LRW)

Describes a framework for designing an electronic performance support system (EPSS) that reduces the requirement for more traditional forms of training. An intervention summary table is provided that includes five types of interventions, user access, user type (expert and/or novice), purpose, and difficulty. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of information retrieval and information seeking behavior focuses on a multi-dimensional conceptual model called MISE (multiple information-seeking episodes). Identifies eight different reasons why people engage in multiple information-seeking episodes, characterizes them in terms of traits of Multiple Information Seeking Episode…

The Web has caught the attention of many educators as an efficient communication medium and content delivery system. But we feel there is another aspect of the Web that has not been given the attention it deserves. We call this aspect of the Web its "component architecture." Briefly it means that on the Web one can develop very complex…

This article discusses the pros and cons of open source software, such as Linux. It asserts that despite the technical difficulties of installing and maintaining this type of software, ultimately it is helpful in terms of knowledge acquisition and as a beneficial investment librarians can make in themselves, their libraries, and their patrons.…

In this paper, we present two studies designed to help students navigate effectively and learn from a hypertext system, CoMPASS. Our first study ("N" = 74) involved an analysis of students' navigation patterns to group them into clusters, using a "k"-means clustering technique. Based on this analysis, navigation patterns were grouped into four…

As more educators serve as "Web masters" of Web sites for courses, they soon discover that as a site grows it becomes increasingly inconsistent and more difficult to manage. The situation results, to some extent, from the fact that there is a lot learned along the way and the site represents a growing level of expertise. However, it also arises…

This article develops an environment for mobile e-learning that includes an interactive course, virtual online labs, an interactive online test, and lab-exercise training platform on the fourth generation mobile communication system. The Next Generation Learning Environment (NeGL) promotes the term "knowledge economy." Inter-networking…

In recent years, the application of virtual reality (VR) technology in education is rapidly gaining momentum. The educational benefits offered by such technology have prompted many educators as well as instructional designers to investigate ways to create effective and engaging VR learning. Instructional designers have examined widely the…

Managing the design and production of online courses is challenging. Insufficient instructional design and inefficient management often lead to issues such as poor course quality and course delivery delays. In an effort to facilitate, streamline, and improve the overall design and production of online courses, this article discusses how we…

Simulation is the process of executing a model that describes a system with enough detail; this model has its entities, an internal state, some input and output variables and a list of processes bound to these variables. Teaching a simulation language such as general purpose simulation system (GPSS) is always a challenge, because of the way it…

When examined across studies and fields, navigation research is fragmented and inconsistent. In this article, we argue that this is the result of navigation research having generally been conducted without guidance from an overarching theoretical framework. In order to illustrate our position, we have included results from a very simple…

Network externalities or alternatively termed network effects are pervasive in computer software markets. While software vendors consider pricing strategies, they must also take into account the impact of network externalities on their sales. My main interest in this research is to describe a firm's strategies and behaviors in the presence of…

An experimental study involving 30 undergraduates (mean age = 20.5 years) in mental rotation (MR) training was conducted in an interactive Desktop Mental Rotation Trainer (iDeMRT). Stratified random sampling assigned students into one experimental group and one control group. The former trained in iDeMRT and the latter trained in conventional…