The influences of a student's prior knowledge and desired goal on the difficulties and benefits associated with using hypertext were examined in this study. Participants, 12 students from an undergraduate course in educational psychology, were assigned to either the low or high prior knowledge category. Within these two groups, subjects were…

This paper describes a prototype software tool for support of peer-to-peer conversation in distance education courses in text-based asynchronous mode, utilizing the visual structure of multiple threads of conversation. The theoretical basis for this design is a comparative analysis of oral, written, and electronic communication that enables the…

Written by practicing teachers about actual instructional computing projects, this book provides information teachers need to integrate instructional technologies into their classrooms. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1, "New Tools for the Classroom: An Introduction to Networked Learning," includes chapters: (1) "Getting Started in a…

This guide is designed to supplement a computer disk (a hypercard stack) that introduces students to issues raised in the debate over global warming. The stack is recommended for grades 9 through 12, and is appropriate for social studies, government, or science courses. This guide integrates a number of interactive teaching strategies including…

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a computer-based system that would allow interactive video developers to integrate and manage the design components prior to production. These components of an interactive video (IVD) program include visual information in a variety of formats, audio information, and instructional techniques,…

This paper discusses issues related to the design of software tools that support learners in their participation in network-based learning activities. To guide the development and use of a new class of educationally-oriented network tools, this paper proposes a cognitively-based, distributed network learning framework (DNLF). This framework has…

How a multimedia program that employs concept maps and hypertext for teaching "Hamlet" facilitated comprehension in an undergraduate course is described. Results suggest factors that instructional designers should take into account to improve learning. Thirty-six upper-division college students were enrolled in a course on Shakespeare at…

In an attempt to provide a more useful and economical alternative to the traditional college catalog, St Louis Community College at Florissant Valley (SCC), in Missouri, has developed a hyptertext program. The hypertext format links pools of information that can be accessed at the rate and depth of detail that the end user desires. The hypertext…

The EPIEgram newsletter contains information about educational materials and technology for elementary secondary education. In addition to the continuing feature, "The Educational Software Selector" (TESS), the nine issues contain articles on evaluating educational technology; school reform; publishing; multimedia; hypermedia; the…

Humankind has become accustomed to reading and learning from printed books. The computer offers us the possibility to exploit another medium whose key advantage is flexibility through extensive memory, computational speed, and versatile representational means. Specifically, we have the hypercard application, an integrated piece of software, with…

This study examined whether the inquiry-based problem solving model supports sustained exploration of a multimedia database. This model contains five steps: (1) analyze the discrepant event from which a problem question is generated; (2) generate questions; (3) gather data; (4) analyze information; and (5) evaluate self. A group of 24 seventh…

The problem of a high percentage of third grade students with poor study skills was addressed through a computer program designed to teach these skills. Parent participation was an important component of the program as it has been shown that parental involvement has a positive effect on student achievement and success at school. A motivational…

Students entering beginning computer courses have a wide range of experiences with and prior learning in the use of computers. Additionally, adult learners who have returned to school at the community college level may be apprehensive and anxious about computer use. A hypertext computer-assisted instruction (CAI) program was developed in order to…

The purpose of this paper is to consider different kinds of actions learners may take during computer assisted instruction (CAI), and to examine the kind of information they need in order to exercise control over the instruction, i.e., information about their performance level, the organization of the content, the choices available to them and the…

Current issues in educational communications and technology are addressed in this collection of 47 conference papers in which research reports predominate. Topics discussed include factors related to the learner, e.g., learning strategies, information processing, spatial ability, cognitive style, and cognitive strategies. Presentation format and…