Effective technology empowers learners and helps them assume responsibility for their own learning. Characteristics of effective instructional technology should guide the development of computer software and other types of technology. Software should provide for interaction since adults learn through active engagement. Feedback should be…

This guide is intended for K-12 educators who are planning to implement videodisc technology into a school's educational curriculum. Teachers need expertise in two areas for the success of interactive video in schools. First, they need to be able to integrate videodisc materials into existing curricula. Second, they need skills for reviewing,…

This report on machine translation contains a brief history of the field; a description of the processes involved; a discussion of systems currently in use, including three software packages on the market (Teaching Assistant, Translate, and Globalink); reflections on implications for teaching; observations of results obtained when elements of…

This paper highlights features, uses, and training issues related to AltaVista Forums, a World Wide Web-based conferencing tool. An overview of the features of AltaVista Forums is provided; highlights include asynchronous online discussions, chats, document attachments, URL posting, a calendar feature, and mail-to listings. Pricing and system…

A cognitive demands analysis of a learning technology, a term that includes the hardware and the computer software products that form learning environments, attempts to describe the types of cognitive learning expected of the individual by the technology. This paper explores the context of cognitive learning, suggesting five families of cognitive…

This paper is based on the premise that as computer assisted learning becomes more prevalent, teachers will be required to make decisions as to the quality of the software available for instruction. Assessment guidelines from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest No. 79 and the North Carolina Department of Public…

Written from the viewpoint of an observer of the computer industry and a CD-ROM user, this report looks at CD-ROM evaluation guidelines; notes the performance of publishers; and comments on successful product design. It is contended that some software publishers are jumping on the CD-ROM bandwagon, and are guilty of: (1) putting "any old stuff"…

This paper provides a brief comparative summary of the results of U.S. and European studies on the use of CD-ROM and other optical products in all types of libraries and information centers. In 1987 and 1988, questionnaires were distributed to academic, public, and special libraries in the United States and to libraries in 18 European countries:…

Current search engines--even the constantly surprising Google--seem unable to leap the next big barrier in search: the trillions of bytes of dynamically generated data created by individual web sites around the world, or what some researchers call the "deep web." The challenge now is not information overload, but information overlook.…

"Only the Best" is an Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) annual reference containing information on software programs and multimedia applications that have met stringent criteria for excellence. The purpose of this reference is to provide a quick and easy way for curriculum directors, technology coordinators, librarians,…

The Accelerated Schools Project is an approach to school change, designed to improve schooling for all children, in particular, for "at-risk" students. In 1997, four accelerated elementary schools associated with Florida A&M University identified reading achievement across all grade levels as their major challenge. Using the…

There is evidence of the pedagogical effectiveness of online teaching and the teaching styles that work best with it. However, few studies have looked at the specific pedagogical approaches in relation to specific learning variables such as cognitive components, motivational components, and social components, and the online teaching features that…

A group of 20 students in a self-contained kindergarten classroom was selected to receive enrichment using computer software. Of those 20, 10 were randomly selected to use "Bailey's Book House" on a Macintosh computer. "Bailey's Book House" and the Macintosh computer were considered to be the newer models. The other 10 students used "First Letter…

This paper discusses the lessons learned from the use of early state-of-the-art Computer-Based Training (CBT) applications and hopes for the future. The paper is based on experiences with large introductory personal computer applications classes with over 700 students that used CBT such as Virtual Tutor and PinPoint. Findings are presented related…

Strategic management has changed dramatically from its beginning in the late 1950s. This study examined and rated eight management business games on their ability to service the field's knowledge domain and its tools and devices. No games were found to provide perfect coverage, indicating the use of complementary course materials was required.…