Examines the effect of 3 different types of multimedia simulation (physical, procedural, and process) for teaching the concept of energy to 14-year-old students. Pre- and posttest results showed significant, consistent cognitive gain for the physical simulation; and a more complex and varied pattern of interaction between type of simulation and…

Presents an overview of the science/mathematics reform movement in elementary/secondary and higher education institutions, emphasizing the roles of interactive learning and technology. Describes a distance learning project at Florida Community College at Jacksonville where five faculty plus a learning theorist developed and taught two basic…

Discusses the apparent failure of information technology (IT) education in preservice teacher education courses. Offers a conceptual framework for investigating and analyzing this failure. Suggests that IT outcomes are likely to be diverse and variable for any one student teacher population and these outcomes need to be considered in the context…

Describes how robots are currently being used in education as well as their future potential. Discusses limitations and effectiveness of robotics technology. Explores three ways robots are being used in the classroom: (1) to teach basic concepts; (2) to assist disabled students; and (3) as objects of study. Contains 60 references. (Author/AEF)

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of information disparity and deficits in prerequisite science information (biology) between target minority and other students in an undergraduate science program; and to illustrate how technology-based, formative evaluation might be used to provide more effective instructional support, thus…

One hundred and forty-three subjects were identified as Field Independent or Field Dependent based on their performance on the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), a measure of cognitive style. Results indicated that Field Independent students performed significantly better on course tests and had higher academic potential, as measured by the ACT,…

Explores the principles and theories relevant to the design of effective hypermedia courseware. Proposes a hypermedia design: micro-(node) design, dealing with the creation of discrete information screens; and macro-(links), dealing with the connections between them. Presents a prototype courseware template and a courseware unit based on design…

Compares the effectiveness of two methods for teaching project management issues: written case studies and information technology (IT)-based case studies. Both methods were evaluated on the constructs of usefulness, challenge, clarity, and attractiveness. Results indicate that the IT-based method was more useful, attractive, and challenging than…

Considers how performance support systems (PSSs) fit within a business training framework with its own ideal training principles and examines what theoretical principles of learning underlie learning with PSSs. Presents a formal model of learning support that maps out current implementations of this class of system, enabling discussion of its role…

A review of current elementary mathematics software found that 41.7% of the programs had main characters that were gender identifiable; of these, 12.5% were female. The female characters all represented traditional female roles. Recommends further research to determine the effects of gender bias on attitudes and achievement in instructional…

Examines trends in computer-assisted instruction dissertations by reviewing 322 dissertation abstracts, categorizing them by year, geography, academic area, mode, beneficiary, and thrust. Results indicate that the majority of dissertations addressed the following topics: tutorial mode; analysis of data, and design and demonstration (thrust); and…

Examines technology access and use in urban, suburban, and rural schools by using data from the eighth-grade cohort of the 1988 National Educational Longitudinal Survey. Results indicate significant differences in the use of mathematics technology in school settings, and that inequalities in educational opportunity still need to be addressed. (JKP)

Reports on data obtained in Australia on practicing teachers' thinking as they interacted with a professional development interactive multimedia courseware package. Two types of thinking are discussed: (1) cognitive mediating processes related to content; and (2) evaluative thoughts about the instructional design of the courseware, from which a…

Reports on a study of the characteristics of interactions in the computer conferences on "TeleNex", a computer network for the professional development of English as Second Language (ESL) teachers in Hong Kong. A framework of message analysis is described and results of a user questionnaire are discussed. (Author/LRW)

Describes two forms of telematics, audiographics and live interactive television, that are being used for distance education in Western Australia. Effective telematics teaching is discussed, including collaboration, generative learning, contextual engagement, personal autonomy, and motivation. Recommendations for further research are included.…