Forty years ago, Robert Gagne published the first edition of his book The Conditions of Learning (1965) in which he proposed nine events of instruction that provide a sequence for organizing a lesson. These events remain the foundation of current instructional design practice (Reiser, 2002; Richey, 2000). They represent desirable conditions in an…

The use of animation and audio as a virtual panacea for everything from advertising to educational videos and instruction has created the presumption that any materials that use them 'must be better!' Now doubt that the addition of animation can improve message delivery on a number of scales, but the use of animation regardless of message and with…

The purpose of this study was twofold: a) to test the hypothesis that participation in a course providing theory and practice in the classroom use of technology engenders such use and results in gained competence in the use of this technology; and b) to test the hypothesis that functional relations exist among the availability of technology in the…

The complexities of digital age pose challenge to existing instruction technology theory as it applies to a distance learning environment. Through the lens of Activity Theory, this study takes a broad picture of an online course and examines the socio-cultural factors affecting the success of a distance course as well as their complex…

The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) defines human performance technology (HPT) as "a systematic approach to analyzing, improving, and managing performance in the workplace through the use of appropriate and varied interventions." The first step in this approach is the performance analysis (Gilbert, 1978). In this step, the…

Interactive activities offer innumerable possibilities within eLearning environments. As such, one possibility within the interactive activity realm is netconferencing, so as to support the learning objectives. Enhancements within the eLearning environment support the learner?s focus upon knowledge and conceptual framework of understanding.…

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study that investigates what Technology Coordinators (TC) are expected to do and what they actually do. Schools have invested large sums of money on technology and they have high expectations for the educational outcomes associated with the use of such technology. A question then arises regarding…

This study focuses on the effects of map display and modality on learning geographical maps in a computer-based environment. Participants were randomly assigned to four versions of a computer program created by crossing two levels of map display (hypertext vs. rollover) with two levels of modality (audio vs. audio and text). Results showed that…

The purpose of this presentation is to continue the dialogue on the professional status of and the specialization within the instructional design and technology (IDT) field. This presentation highlights the similarities and differences among the various classification systems, which are used for ranking occupational fields, and discusses the most…

Simonson, Schlosser and Hanson (1999) argue that a new theory called "equivalency theory" is needed to account for the unique features of the "teleconferencing" (synchronous) model of DE that is prevalent in many North American universities. Based on a comprehensive meta-analysis of the comparative literature of DE (Bernard, Abrami, Lou, Wozney,…

In 1998, a state university received grant funding to convert their Special Education Blindness and Visual Impairment graduate degree program to an online format. At that time, commercial web course management systems were not accessible to blind and visually impaired users. As a result, grant designers developed a custom, accessible platform,…

The use of electronic portfolios for authentic student assessment is growing rapidly (Batson, 2002). Creating portfolios electronically offers a number of benefits not available using traditional paper-based portfolios. Advantages include the portability from one application or institution to another, wider accessibility of the portfolio, and the…

This study examined the changes in the level of intercultural competence of high school students that had participated in a transnational project where technology was utilized to exchange information, ideas, and create a final web-based product. Participants of the study included 162 tenth grade students from three different high schools located…

The teaching and learning "dance" is one that traditionally has been led by the instructor with the student following passively. Faculty members in higher education are entering the realm of online learning, many with the previous experience and hopes of facilitating student-centered, active learning experiences. However, due to factors that are…

In the development of distance learning, advances in cognitive science merge with new technology to deliver instruction worldwide. However, one major difficulty in evaluating the efficacy of these tools is determining which elements of instruction truly lead to observed changes in student performance. As content, pedagogical methods, and media are…