The purpose of this paper is to promote and improve needs assessment in distance education through the exploration of eight questions: (1) what is a needs assessment?; (2) how are needs assessments related to successful distance education?; (3) where have needs assessments been used in distance education?; (4) which approach to needs assessment…

This report describes a program, utilizing both critical and creative thinking skills, to enhance the educational process through the use of technology. The targeted population consisted of fourth grade students in a growing middle class community located in northern Illinois. The lack of higher-order thinking skills was documented through…

Librarians involved with the development, design, and delivery of bibliographic instruction to remote access patrons must be prepared to address the challenges posed by each method of delivery (videoconferencing, computer-mediated, and World Wide Web-based). This paper provides an overview of each instructional medium and discussion regarding…

The Z. Aranne Central Education Library of Hebrew University (Israel) has two functions: it is an academic library and a national library on education. As a university library, it serves the students and faculty of the School of Education, as well as students of other faculties of the Hebrew University. The Education Library plays the role of a…

While working collegially, academics usually maintain an objective distance from the work of their peers. Higher education institutions also tend to differentiate themselves from other institutions and define their own special niche in the marketplace. These attitudes are concerned with establishing uniqueness and they contribute to an academic…

This paper highlights four World Wide Web-based courses that were developed by faculty members at Winona State University (Minnesota). The courses were in the fields of physical education and recreation, administrative information systems, economics, and chemistry. The faculty members' experiences and student reactions are described. (MES)

This paper describes the process of creating an online course at the Northwestern Technical Institute (Georgia) using locally produced lessons, supplemental text, threaded discussion groups, online examinations, and student access to a transparent third party URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The course, developed for the Microsoft Office User…

Instruction Support (IS) at Arizona State University is a multidisciplinary group integrating academia with information technology. Unique features having to do with the status of computing at the university have led to the establishment of the IS Lab, which has produced a series of successful initiatives regarding World Wide Web courses. The four…

This paper addresses a range of issues that teachers must consider when designing and developing a World Wide Web-enhanced course. It offers a guiding philosophy for Web-enhanced course design, presents a discussion of improved instruction and course management, outlines design issues that are involved for a course Web environment, and proposes…

This contributed volume is designed for junior college faculty, senior college faculty, and business trainers who wish to integrate new Internet technology for learning. Chapters are as follows: (1) "Preparing for Internet-Based Learning" (Deanie French); (2) "Learning To Learn in a WWW-Based Environment" (Betty Collis and…

Starting with a brief historical overview of the institutionalization of aesthetic education, particularly in the Western countries, this paper will review some of the major ideologies and research findings related to the value of aesthetic education. It will attempt to highlight certain learning theories and approaches to arts education in…

Maintains that although women's history has made great strides in the university environment, it remains peripheral in elementary and secondary education. Suggests feasible strategies to incorporate this subject into the curriculum. Includes Peggy McIntosh's "Five Phases of Curricular Re-Vision with Regards to Gender 1983." (MJP)

This discussion of collaboration between general and special educators focuses on selection of instructional interventions in mainstream settings and curriculum-based methods of evaluating programs designed to increase the academic performance of students with and without disabilities. It then suggests ways to incorporate data-based decision…

A study examined whether instruction in collaborative skills and learning characteristics of students with mild disabilities (MD) would influence 17 preservice elementary education teachers' attitudes toward students with MD, knowledge of learning characteristics, and their instructional planning. Results found differences in instructional…

Describes the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary field course in Costa Rica focused on sustainable development. The semester-long curriculum integrated sociology, political economy, and agricultural ecology. The curriculum was empirically based and involved faculty members and students working collaboratively on different…