This paper describes a study designed to investigate the effectiveness of narrative versus step-by-step instructions for a computer task. The participants in this study were 31 undergraduate education students enrolled in a computer literacy class at the University of Memphis during the Summer 1996 semester; none of the participants had prior…

This study examined variables which may be important in the design of instructional environments adapted to accommodate individual differences. Purposes of the study were: (1) to determine whether matching or mismatching subjects with their tendency toward field dependence or field independence had any effect on achievement in a hypermedia…

In Switzerland, bilingual education models have existed for a long time. Some schools have a bilingual tradition that reaches back to the nineteenth century, as do informal models along the French-German language border. At the same time, exchanges between language communities led to bilingual learning, and the Raetoromania is a compulsory, though…

A discussion of bilingual education teacher training in Switzerland begins with an introduction to the unique and complex linguistic situation of the country, the political and policy context for bilingual education, and the organization of teacher training in general. A more detailed description of both pre-service and in-service training of…

This document is intended to assist local school personnel with the implementation of the Virginia State Standards of Quality requirements and regulations governing educational services for gifted students. Preliminary sections present a rationale for the Virginia Plan for the Gifted, a statement of goals, and a definition of giftedness (including…

Duquesne University (Pennsylvania) has committed to the electronic delivery of an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) program to Northern Jiaotong University in Beijing, China. This paper describes the process of preparing a course for electronic delivery, along with related course preparation issues. The university's partnership with…

This paper presents a case study of the initiation of a doctoral concentration in higher educational leadership at the University of Maine. The case study documents the perceptions of curricular needs defined by practitioners in the state, the resulting efforts to develop a field-sensitive curriculum, and the impact of the academic decision-making…

This paper discusses the use of World Wide Web-based conferencing in the Collaborative Teacher Education Program (CTEP) at Indiana University. The CTEP, a program offering distance education coursework to in-service teachers in rural communities throughout southern Indiana, is described, and some of the obstacles and limitations involved in…

The rapid development of modern information and communications technologies has opened new possibilities for establishing and delivering distance learning. In addition, the new learning paradigm based on cognitive learning theories can emphasize the quality of the learning process. The open learning environment that utilizes modern communications…

This guide chronicles the ongoing work and writings of the Chapin Hall Center for Children, a policy research center dedicated to bringing sound information, rigorous analyses, innovative ideas, and an independent multidisciplinary perspective to bear on policies and programs affecting children. The guide includes listings of projects and…

The guide is one section of a resource kit designed to assist Peace Corps language instruction coordinators in countries around the world in understanding the principles underlying second language learning and teaching and in organizing instructional programs. This section focuses on staff development for language teachers. An introductory chapter…

To address problems in public education for majority and minority ethnic groups in Central and Eastern Europe, Minority Rights Group International and the Inter Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation organized a skills exchange workshop in Sofia, Bulgaria in November 1997. Representatives from Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovkia…

This paper reports the results of a study of the development of an innovative learning element designed to be implemented in a computer-facilitated learning (CFL) module. The learning element is an open-ended, short answer, text question tool (TQT) designed to be used in World Wide Web-based courses or incorporated into hybrid Web/CD-ROM systems.…

Current educational theory and practice clearly show that project-based instruction has the potential to enhance learning. Preliminary findings on one type of project-based learning in which students take on the role of hypermedia designers support this claim. This study examined the effect of being hypermedia designers on fourth-graders'…

Multimedia hypertext materials have instructional advantages when used as adjuncts in traditional classes and as the primary means of instruction, as illustrated in this case study of college-level Shakespeare classes. Plays become more accessible through use of audio and video resources, including video clips from play productions. Student work…