Syllabus use in higher education instruction is ubiquitous, yet what actually constitutes a syllabus remains unclear. The authors assessed the contents of 1000 syllabi, sampled from the Internet, based on 26 criteria determined from a literature review of recommended syllabus components. Syllabi contents were assessed according to four categories:…

Distance education has become a major form of education in the United States. This surge in popularity has launched a plethora of scholarship emphasizing the distillation of those strategies which inform effective, learning experiences in the distance environment. A growing consensus among researchers recognizes the need for a holistic approach to…

The development of distance and distributed learning environments on college campuses has created a need to reconsider traditional approaches to teaching and learning by integrating research and theories in human learning, pedagogy, and instructional technology. Creating effective and efficient multimedia for Web-based instruction requires a…

Discusses integration of Lev Vygotsky's theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) with the instructional strategy of cooperative learning. ZPD provides a conceptual basis for explaining the five basic tenets of cooperative learning: positive interdependence; face-to-face interaction; individual accountability; small-group and interpersonal…