PLUS, an authoring system designed to develop cross-platform courseware for different computer types, was evaluated for its portability (ability to run on multiple platforms without adjustment). The procedures and computer equipment used are described, and results are presented. It is concluded that PLUS produces highly portable programs. (MSE)

Discusses quality assurance for Web-based courses, based on experiences at the University of Pretoria. Topics include evaluation of courseware; the concept of quality, including quality control, quality assurance, and total quality management; implementing a quality management system; measurement techniques; and partnerships. (LRW)

Discusses how children's descriptions and evaluations of computer software are important ways to learn about how computers can be used in the learning process; describes how these evaluations can be an informal way of "child-testing" educational software. Offers examples of children's comments and suggests three Web sites that feature children's…

Reviews the Earobics program, an auditory development and phonics software program designed to provide auditory processing and phonemic awareness training. The conceptual framework motivating the software development is assessed though an analysis of the six games of the program. Strengths and limitations of the program are discussed. (CR)

Discusses use of Vygotsky's zone of proximal development as a theoretical construct for designing Ecolab educational software. Describes an evaluation of the software with elementary school students, noting the usefulness of the ZPD construct despite students' inability to set up challenging tasks and seek appropriate assistance. Considers issues…

This article discusses how professionals can integrate computer technology into early childhood classrooms. Strategies are provided for using computers to facilitate learning, selecting developmentally appropriate software, setting up a computer center, and integrating computer technology across the curriculum. A chart pairs level of interactivity…

The proliferation of computer software for young children necessitates that early childhood teachers have the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate and select developmentally appropriate software. This article describes the manner in which one university prepares early childhood teacher candidates to analyze software for the young children in…

e-Learning has become a major field of interest in recent years, and multiple approaches and solutions have been developed. A typical form of e-learning application comprises exercise submission and assessment systems that allow students to work on assignments whenever and where they want (i.e., dislocated, asynchronous work). In basic computer…

This case study describes the outcomes of 4 years of professional development funded by a PT3 grant. Participants included general education university faculty members, teacher education faculty members, school administrators, and K-12 teachers. All professional development activities were based on the "National Educational Technology…

The authors discuss multimedia presentation software (MPS) solutions in the context of the growth of Internet-based courses. Representative solutions for creating multimedia course lectures at the desktop and enterprise levels are described and evaluated. The authors suggest criteria to assist in the selection, implementation, and administration…

From a constructivist point of view, the importance of MUDs (Multiple User Dungeons) in education is justified based on their community-forming, learning, and role-playing functions. The authors propose a typology for educational MUDs and discuss their individual instructional approaches in order to measure MUD potential in ten-os of…

The ability to interpret information from any source, and increasingly visual sources, is a vital skill for all graduates in contemporary culture. The development of the skills to read visual texts and communicate that understanding requires a certain level of critical thinking and reflection, skills which can only be developed over time, through…

Objective: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education have mandated the transition from written global evaluation methods to competency-based assessments in resident and medical student training. Assessment of competency requires analysis of performance data from numerous sources. This…

Although self-regulated learning is considered as a characteristic of individual students, the question may be raised as to whether a community of learners with its emphasis on inquiry learning in teams of students provides an appropriate environment to acquire and develop active and dynamic self-regulation strategies. Two cases of communities of…

Most successes in intelligent tutoring systems have come in well-defined domains like algebra or physics. We investigate how to support students in acquiring ill-defined skills of intercultural competence using an online environment that employs clips of feature films from a target culture. To test the effectiveness of a set of attention-focusing…