There is a growing acknowledgement that STEM education, at all levels, is not producing learners with a deep understanding of core disciplinary concepts. A number of efforts in STEM education reform have focused on the development of "student-centered" active learning environments, which, while believed to be more effective, have yet to be widely…

Purpose: Today's technology supports the design of more and more sophisticated interactive learning environments. This paper aims to argue that such design should develop from first principles. Design/methodology/approach: In the paper by first principles is meant: learning theory and principles of course design. These principles are briefly…

The ease and glamour of multimedia seem to be shifting the emphasis of such products from content to style. This paper considers the need for multimedia designers, whether professionals or students, to take seriously their intellectual responsibility. The interactive and non-linear nature of multimedia makes it a powerful tool. Rather than using…

States that document designers presenting procedural instructions can choose several formats: prose, table, logical tree, or flow chart. Suggests that instructions should allow users to reach the outcome without losing time. Discusses two formal methods that help determine which order is most efficient--that based on the selection principle, or…

Discusses how operant conditioning has not brought instructional designers any closer to using feedback effectively in computer assisted instruction they design, defines and describes types of feedback, presents guidelines for effective feedback use, and suggests use of templates to bring instructional design to a sophisticated level of…

This paper describes the design of a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) World Wide Web site to act as a living documents repository for university accreditation. Topics addressed include: instructional design and development of a functional flowchart; interface design; and interactive elements, including bulletin boards and…

Argues that factors that create a feeling of interactivity in the human situation--response time, spontaneity, lack of distractors--should be included as prime elements in the design of human/machine systems, e.g., computer assisted instruction and interactive video. A computer/videodisc learning system for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and its…

Discusses levels of planning involved in developing interactive videodisc programs, including the macro decisions of hardware, authoring facility, and production format choices; and individual program planning, including content analysis, program design, and interaction development. (MBR)

This paper reviews briefly the essential characteristics of both invitational education and computer assisted instruction (CAI) and the ways in which coordination of these two models can produce stimulating and valuable educational experiences for students. A matrix illustrates the characteristics of CAI which can support the major values of…

Discusses conflict between instructional potential of interactive videodiscs and interests of educational publishers and proposes a generic videodisc as a solution. Generic disc design preferences, equipment needed by teachers to program various learning options to adapt materials to local needs, and a list of videodisc authoring systems are…

Although there are efforts to equalize educational methods and materials, some differences between males and females may be better served by emphasizing rather than neutralizing gender. One such point is in the area of visual imagery. Studies have shown that imagery preferred by males and females differs in certain visual characteristics. The…