Discusses the potential of synchronous communication, in the form of videoconferencing, to support learners in distance education courses. Highlights include examples of videoconferencing in higher education in Northern Ireland; videoconferencing in schools of librarianship in the British Isles; and the potential of videoconferencing in the…

Presents a conceptual framework for distance learning that focuses on the relationship between the tutor and the learner but also includes relationships with the course team. Highlights include established theories, implications of Vygotsky's theory for the role of the tutor, and the role of language in learning. (LRW)

Describes a lesson taught in primary school based on the use of linking cubes. Shows how meaningful mathematics can be made accessible to children and how fundamental issues of variant and invariant properties might be developed. (KHR)

Discusses the use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) for foreign language instruction, and describes the development of a Foreign Language Instructional Design Environment (FL-IDE) that uses hypertext to organize the domain knowledge structure. The development of the original IDE as an intelligent tutoring system is also described. (20…

Argues that cognitive style diagnosis gives a strong and rational basis to a personalized approach to education. Discusses the relationship between information processing and learning style. Describes the National Association of Secondary School Principals'"Learning Style Profile," which assesses students' perceptual responses, cognitive…

Recent research suggests that knowledge is stored in the learner's head as a network of concepts or constructs. Children's mathematical problem-solving strategies become increasingly abstract as they are able to engage in more abstract thinking. An experimental study using an alternative Cognitively Guided Instruction approach is described.…

Cooperative learning arrangements for students with learning disabilities are discussed. Cooperative learning appears to be as effective as teacher-led instruction because it replicates natural learning contexts, enhances self-efficacy, provides level-appropriate information processing models, and addresses the specific needs of such students.…

Describes a pilot language renewal program--Tachi as a Second Language--implemented in a California preschool. (RAE)

Discusses parallels between Bloom's taxonomy for cognitive learning outcomes and hypertext design, and argues that hypertext designs should be consistent with desired learning outcomes. Bloom's taxonomy is explained; hypertext designs are described and diagrammed; and the need for more research connecting hypertext design and effective learning is…

Reviews and summarizes "Things That Make Us Smart," a book by Donald Norman that defends human attributes in the age of electronic systems. Topics include human performance; kinds of cognition; kinds of learning; design principles for electronic performance support systems; and examples. (LRW)

Describes the JITOL (Just-in-Time Open Learning) project funded by the European Community and offers a JITOL perspective on electronic performance support as a technology for accessing distributed knowledge and promoting continuing professional development through computer-mediated communication. The learning cycle, prototype tools, and courseware…

Discussion of instructional technology in the university highlights new demands on the structure of the university, different assumptions about the definition of knowledge versus information, the role of the university in an information-oriented society, and the difference between supplementing media and comprehensive planned instruction. (LRW)

Discusses instructional design and the integration of computer-assisted learning (CAL) into corporate training. Topics include the social context of learning in models of instructional design, and CAL as a substitute for other instructional media, as an enrichment, and as an organizational innovation. (LRW)

Discussion of expert systems and intelligent tutoring systems in the education field highlights an expert system that was developed to enhance the learning process in the field of grammatical constructs. Topics addressed include representing the natural language; parsing; LOGOOP (Logo in Object-Oriented Programing); and user-system interface. (11…

Missing in curriculum revision/school restructuring links is a curriculum paradigm that incorporates reflective intelligence while promoting social and utilitarian responsibilities. The "social-reconstructive wedge" model described in this article addresses this paradoxical issue by treating the school system as a social system where constituents…