Animated pedagogical agents (APAs) have the potential to provide one-on-one, just-in-time instruction, guidance or mentoring in classrooms where such individualized human interactions may be infeasible. Much current APA research focuses on a wide range of design variables tested with small samples or in laboratory settings, while overlooking…

This is the report of a project funded by the British Educational Communications and Technology Research Agency (Becta) to identify the key--but forgotten--information and communication technology research projects in the UK between 1980 and 1999 and to review the contribution that these projects can make in informing the current Becta research…

Factors affecting the student use of a course management system in a web-enhanced course are investigated using the technology acceptance model. Represented in the present study is the second phase of the analysis, with a focus on the causal relationship of subjective norms to student attitudes towards WebCT and their effect on three dependent…

Describes a study which investigated pupil attitudes toward microcomputers to determine gender differences, differences between elementary and secondary school-age pupils, and differences in microcomputer owners and non-owners. Results reveal a difference in attitudes between owners and non-owners but very little attitude differences between the…

Describes the Microelectronics Education Programme (MEP), a plan developed to help British secondary school students learn about microcomputers and the role of technology in society, and its successor, the Microelectronics Support Unit (MESU). Highlights include curriculum development, teacher training, computer assisted instruction and the…

Reviews the Microelectronics Education Programme (MEP) from the director's point of view, including the origins and basic structure of the program which ran for six years. The collaboration of teachers, advisers, and trainers is emphasized, research and evaluation procedures are discussed, and learning processes, computer studies, and distribution…

This study analyzes the cost effectiveness of the Radio Education Teacher Training Project in Nepal using the annualized total cost as a linear function of two independent variables, the number of teachers enrolled in the program, and the number of hours of radio lessons broadcast during the 1981-82 school year. (MBR)

Intended to provide the novice media researcher with an introduction, review, and current thinking on media-related research, this article traces the historical emphases and development of such research, discusses its positive and negative aspects, and presents recommendations by practitioners and researchers, as well as directions for future…

Compares the approaches to study of external students to those of a matching sample of internal students and discusses the relevance of current learning theories to studies of mature external students. The usefulness of the "Approaches of Studying" inventory for describing study habits of external students is also examined. (MBR)

Defines eight software production stages, and argues that the key to the production of a higher quantity of reasonable quality software lies in development of support technologies to assist teachers in software development. Three approaches--software toolboxes, computer assisted instruction (CAI) program shells, and software CAI analysts--are…

Examines current state of Logo programming language and research on Logo and presents conclusions about the efficacy of Logo as a research and teaching tool. Conclusions discuss use of Logo to teach computer literacy; transfer of training; representativeness and reliability of Logo research results; and Logo research methodology. (Author/MBR)

Presents major outcomes of a 2-year trial of the Open University's Cyclops shared-screen telewriting tutorial system. Impact of the system is considered in terms of human factors of the technology; tutors' and students' experience with Cyclops; and tutorial activities and their acceptability to participants. (Author)

Reports on introduction of microfiches to replace conventional pre-prepared paper handouts for solutions to exercises in a first-year engineering mathematics course at Nottingham University, England. Disadvantages of using pre-prepared paper handouts, details of material layout on microfiches, material arrangement on microfiche frames, and general…

Suggests five criteria (media attrributes, costs, usability, serviceability, availability) to be used to assess justifiability of use of different types of high technology instructional media (HTIM) in Nigerian schools. Principal reasons for HTIM preference are outlined, and development and use of low technology instructional media to supplement…

Presents a curriculum development model that is arranged logically rather than chronologically, and emphasizes process rather than product or syllabus contents. The model's various components are related to recent research on student learning. Observations are presented on its use as a framework for curriculum development in workshops for…