Discusses why some college officials see personal digital assistants as must-have tools, while others find the hand-held computers a drain on resources. (EV)

"Crossword Creator" software allows users to generate crossword puzzles via computer. Vocational students can use it to learn computer skills while increasing technical vocabulary, practicing use of reference materials, learning cooperatively, and reinforcing spelling. (SK)

Examines the term interactivity as it is used in educational computing, and suggests that by applying deconstructive criticism new perspectives may be gained. Discusses learner control, non-linearity, and flexibility, and concludes that interactivity is not a conceptual unity. (LRW)

Discusses the difficult choices facing campus officials as Microsoft pressures colleges to sign lease agreements for desktop software rather than continue to buy licenses; the new leasing option saves money in the short term but might limit choices later. (EV)

Describes how at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the first top-level research institution to mandate laptop computers, professors are still seeking a role for them in class. The requirement for laptops has yielded savings for the institution, but educational gains are evolving and hard to measure. (EV)

The Boxer Project conducted the research that led to the synthetic review "Issues in Component Computing." This brief essay provides a platform from which to develop our general perspective on educational computing and how it relates to components. The two most important lines of our thinking are (1) the goal to open technology's creative…

The importance of updating students with new digital technologies, communicate and apply high quality of thinking is a tough goal that every teacher has to achieve. The benefits of new educational technologies and elements of understanding the framework to promote deeper learning among students are described.

This article shares examples of how technology has been integrated into the curriculum. The impact of technology has personalized and differentiated instruction. This document provides some suggestions for others and concludes with possibilities for the future. At University Primary School, the use of technology as Mindtools has been a…

This article is based on a research project called "Information and communications technology (ICT) resources in school organizational and symbolic technology: a case-study" which was carried out in a primary school in Barcelona, Spain. The research looked at various interactions that took place between the computer as a teaching tool,…

This article provides a description of an affordable, smart classroom built for the Technology Department at Appalachian State university. The system consists of three basic components: a home theater combo, a tablet PC, and a digital projector, costing a total of $7,300, or $8,800 if a podium, screen, and projector mount are purchased. The…

Much of the learning in programming jobs comes not through the directions of managers or coworkers, but from hours of research and reading. As such, the job of a technology instructor is not simply to "shovel out" knowledge. Rather, technology instructors must inspire students to seek out information on their own. This article presents some ideas…

This paper and presentation reviews the collective opinion of key Australian researchers concerning the emerging technologies most likely to have a significant impact on learning and teaching in regional, rural and remote areas. It then draws on the conclusions of the Horizon Report (2008) concerning key ICT drivers likely to influence…

For a growing group of educators, the online role-playing game World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment's massively popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), is a place to go to relax, network, and discover potential learning strategies-- and slay a few monsters if they get in the way. The online role-playing game World of…

This article talks about the latest trend in education, which is social networking. As this phenomenon continues to grow, community colleges are getting into the act, launching online initiatives and harnessing the technology to communicate, promote, and conduct important school business. School administrators believe that social networking can…

This edited volume covers the range of critical trends in the use of computers and other devices for classroom teaching, online learning, professional development, school improvement, and student assessment. "Spotlight on Technology in Education" draws on expert sources including teacher-leaders, librarians, researchers, and trainers who…