Reports on a survey designed to identify how Talking Book software is being used to support reading development in U.K. classrooms and the potential benefits of adapting such software to meet individual learners' needs. Preliminary results highlight the success of this software for both early readers and older children experiencing difficulties in…

Describes software which was developed to help collaborating pupils test hypotheses. Discusses use of the software by 9-14 year-old pupils in Scotland, comparing their activity with that of similarly aged pupils who worked with otherwise equivalent software which lacked any prompts. (Author/AEF)

This survey questioned instructional designers about the increasing use of automated instructional design software to develop computer-based training (CBT). While these automated tools compact the complicated production process, educators complain that the resulting software often presents lock-stepped, linear instruction that neglects the…

Describes the design and development of Internet-based software for keeping reflective journals that supports learning from field experience by students in a teacher-preparation program. The software and learning system enables students to capture and share accounts of experiences, link to resources, and engage in various modes of conversation and…

Lists selected resources that help think about problems and issues and how they affect society in the areas of human health, social issues, and environmental issues. Includes Web sites, CD-ROMs and software, videos, books, magazines, and professional resources, with age levels and appropriate disciplines usually indicated. Suggests sample class…

Describes how middle school art class students using the computer program Hyperstudio developed portfolios that provided them with an opportunity to reflect on their artwork. Discusses Hyperstudio in detail and summarizes saving the artwork to individual disks creating a complete portfolio for the middle school years. (CMK)

Presents an exploratory case study with preservice teacher education students of an experience in collaborative discourse mediated through an educationally designed network-based application. Topics include computer mediated communication; text-based communication; small group discussion; and software design, including the design of IdeaWeb that…

Expands on an interview with a practicing teacher to examine the criteria used to decide how to incorporate computers into the preschool curriculum. Identifies and explores four areas of concern: equipment requirements; learning how to use the computer; learning how to manage the computer center; and choosing software. (DLH)

Compares teaching observational research using a lecture format to using a software program called Courseware for Observational Research (COR). Finds that the COR-instructed class obtained a mean score of 78% on the examination, earned higher grades on the research reports, and rated the usefulness of conducting research more highly than the…

Describes computer software that allows selective recording of various past audio events, and discusses the potential applications for second-language learning, particularly for students with visual, hearing, motor, or learning disabilities and for selective memory enhancement. (Author/MSE)

The Computer Use Scale (CUS) measures how people use computers across four dimensions: Enthusiasm, Entertainment, Efficiency, and Communication. The scale was found to be reliable and was able to detect differences among various classes of users. Applications of the scale to computer training, software design, and job placement are discussed.…

Provides theoretical evidence supporting the assumption that cognitive mapping is an effective learning method for students' hypermedia design activities. Checks the effects of student hypermedia design assignments in an ill-structured environment against the uniqueness of cognitive mapping, mapping styles, and cognitive mapping as a creative…

An OPAC transaction log analysis at the University of Illinois at Chicago revealed that users had trouble with basic search techniques. After the introductory screens were simplified, a second analysis showed improved search results, indicating that monitoring OPACs can lead to improved information retrieval when changes are made in response to…

Discusses the Internet and how it works, beginning with its origins in the U.S. military and covering such issues as clients and servers, upload and download, and the World Wide Web. (Author/PVD)

While Microsoft Corporation officials state unequivocally that the company does not want to get into the business of higher education, the company and its chairman have been quietly acquiring rights to intellectual property and creating software rich in academic content. College administrators, nervous about competition for students, are concerned…