Macros are programming scripts that can be generated by recording users' actions. It appears that despite their potential for reducing monotonous work, they are under-used by non-programmers. The present paper reviews the literature on the use of macros. Included is an original study that examines the effect of adding the "search and replace"…

This article introduces the architecture and implementation of an authoring system capable of modular and standard compatible course development. This system enables the aggregation of learning objects into higher course structures and reuse in different learning scenarios. The concept of modular course development is based on the construction kit…

This paper reports on an ongoing effort to incorporate a programming component into exploratory mathematics courses and analyzes some of the many practical considerations required for successfully managing such a course in large lecture hall classes. Two pedagogical paradigms (top-down and bottom-up) are compared and contrasted for teaching Visual…

As television and print news outlets increasingly form partnerships with each other to gain larger audiences, journalism educators are cross-training more students. At a growing number of journalism schools across the country students are not only learning a specific craft such as newspapering or TV broadcasting, but they're also getting…

ITEA's Standards for Technological Literacy (STL) document is generally thought of as a tool for K-12 schooling that identifies what students should know and be able to do in order to achieve technological literacy. And that is true. However, the standards in STL are moving into another, broader venue, one that will potentially reach youth and…

The authors suggest that "CSI," a public mass media product, and other television programming have greatly influenced how students, especially female students, perceive scientists at work. Perhaps the increased airing of television programs focusing on laboratory sciences has caused student perceptions of scientists to shift away from the "mad…

In the past, it took the library staff of the University of Bath in United Kingdom around two weeks each autumn to produce cards for the main intake of its undergraduates. In this article, the author describes how he transformed the school's traditional library card production into a low-cost self-service system. He also describes how the new…

Identifying factors that contribute to delinquency and recidivism is critical in predicting the success of incarcerated youth transitioning back to the community. The task of identifying these salient factors becomes increasingly complex when compounded by the disproportionate representation of youth with disabilities in juvenile corrections.…

Several techniques exist to automatically put together a test meeting a number of specifications. In an item bank, the items are stored with their characteristics. A test is constructed by selecting a set of items that fulfills the specifications set by the test assembler. Test assembly problems are often formulated in terms of a model consisting…

This article presents a general framework for building conceptbased digital course libraries. The framework is based on the idea of using a conceptual structure that represents a subject domain ontology for classification of the course library content. Two aspects, domain conceptualization, which supports findability and ontologies, which support…

As algorithms have been seen to be hard to teach and learn, teachers have tried to look for help in algorithm animation. While the effect of algorithm animation on learning has been studied, but not reliably evidenced, this study tries to approach the problem from a different perspective. Sixty hours of assignment sessions in an introductory…

The modern world is undergoing a fundamental transformation characterized by a lot of challenges, dynamism, globalization, and the increasing influence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). These new technologies have implications for all aspects of the society and economy; they are changing the way of doing business, the way of…

Fans of mobile devices are everywhere, and they are using their PDAs, smart phones, and mobile phones to access Web-based content. Chances are that they are trying to access your library's Web site or find library-based content for their devices. In this article, the author presents some tips on how to serve those who wants to grab some fast info…

This paper reports on the findings from a quantitative research study into the use of a software tool that was built to support a part-complete solution method (PCSM) for the learning of computer programming. The use of part-complete solutions to programming problems is one of the methods that can be used to reduce the cognitive load that students…

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) that employ a model-tracing methodology have consistently shown their effectiveness. However, what evidently makes these tutors effective, the cognitive model embedded within them, has traditionally been difficult to create, requiring great expertise and time, both of which come at a cost. Furthermore, an…