In this article, the author discusses the CHANCE (Connecting Humans and Nature in the Costa Rican Environment) program, a coordinated effort between The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education that trains 9th- through 12th-grade teachers to be more like scientists and develop a unique, pedagogical tool for…

This paper describes a CALL approach which integrates software for speaker independent continuous speech recognition with embodied virtual agents and virtual worlds to create an immersive environment in which learners can converse in the target language in contextualised scenarios. The result is a self-access learning package: SPELL (Spoken…

The importance of thinking for language learning has been recognized for some time. ELT activities which encourage active mental processing have become increasingly common. However, there is evidence that the use of such activities has still not become widespread in a number of ELT situations. One reason for this may be lack of awareness about how…

This paper describes the design of a web-based learning module. The aim in the design was to operationalize the concepts of granularity, reusability, scalability, and interoperability as they relate to learning objects. The prototypical module was designed for contexts where identifying and solving ill-structured problems is relevant. The module…

As the population continues to age there remains an unmet need in preventing, identifying, treating, and managing mental/behavioral health problems among older adults. The purpose of this paper is to describe educational and training programs offered through three Geriatric Education Centers: (1) the Meharry Consortium Geriatric Education Center,…

Although the value of geographic information systems (GIS) technologies is recognized by practitioners and educators alike, GIS instruction has yet to make significant inroads into business curricula. In this article, the authors discuss the constraints of integrating GIS tools into business education. They develop a prototype module for…

As teachers in German vocational education, the authors have a considerable interest in and responsibility for developing intercultural business skills, which are increasingly vital for successful management across cultures. Special international competence may help trainees find attractive jobs and may also strengthen their companies' position on…

Alberta's Career and Technology Studies (CTS) curriculum is a new way to organize the previous practical arts curricula to allow flexibility and accessibility. The basis of CTS is its modular framework. The curriculum is organized around a framework of more than 21 career or technology strands. The strands are common areas of study, relating to…

Second Helping is a 32-hour, 4-module course designed by and for family child care providers to address issues of concern to the provider, such as individual well-being, business skills, family relations, and child development. This booklet discusses the Second Helping family child care provider training course and outlines the qualifications…

In-service education that truly contributes to the development of teachers must focus on the individual. The unique characteristics of adult learners (i.e., their experiences, readiness, orientation, and motivation) must also be taken into account in in-service education efforts. When teaching adults, the educator must act as a facilitator of…

The Fox Valley Technical Institute's approach to teaching adults about computers is based on three underlying premises: there is a widespread need for adult education related to desktop computers; the needs are not the same for everyone; and to be effective, a program that addresses these needs must be flexible, pertinent, and current. (Desktop is…

The development, testing, and classroom use of an instructional module for teaching French intonation patterns to beginning students are described. The module begins with the "accent tonique," the simplest of French intonation patterns, which the student must learn to detect and imitate in progressively more difficult combinations before going on…

This paper describes the aims, organization, and outcomes of a technology assessment activity that was part of a summer school for an undergraduate interdisciplinary women's studies course at the Open University of Great Britain. Entitled "The Changing Experience of Women," the course contained a technology assessment module for the…

This final report contains some narrative material and the products of a project to design and conduct inservice training for vocational educators to enable them to incorporate the Computer Assisted Vocational Mathematics Program into their curriculum. (Computer Assisted Vocational Mathematics is designed to increase students' knowledge of applied…

This report describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a pilot project aimed at reducing factors that contribute to the high dropout rate among students in vocational education programs. The author is concerned with reducing such factors as absenteeism, tardiness, suspensions, class cutting, and with increasing student…