A study examined the extent to which various individualized instructional methods were utilized in Navy "A" and "C" courses. During the study, questionnaires were mailed to instructors involved in teaching a random stratified sample of 623 Navy "A" and "C" school courses (a sample that represented 25 percent…

Three strategies for selecting number of instances needed to learn legal concepts were compared. An adaptive strategy required 25 percent less time and resulted in better post test performance than a partially adaptive strategy. The partially adaptive strategy was 16 percent more efficient than the nonadaptive strategy, and resulted in better…

Describes the Teaching Decisions Simulation, a program that allows participants to make decisions regarding lesson plan activities and student and teacher spatial arrangement or interactions. Postlesson feedback includes variables such as completion time and performance measures. Experienced teachers exhibited more deliberation in completing the…

Describes a study of undergraduates completing electronic mail and word processing tasks that investigated the effects of experience on attitudes toward computers and judgment of confidence, or self-efficacy. Use of the Computer Technologies Survey is discussed, and treatment of experimental and control groups is described. Survey instrument and…

Substantial disagreement exists in the literature regarding which educational technology results in the highest cognitive gain for learners. In an attempt to resolve this dispute, we conducted a meta-analysis to decipher which teaching method, games and interactive simulations or traditional, truly dominates and under what circumstances. It was…

The paper reports on the application of a computer local area network and software to develop both literacy skills and science content knowledge in 15 deaf students. The network approach allows for interaction between a large number of students and the teacher both within and outside the context of the lesson and utilizes support programs to allow…

This research project was designed to explore ways of making computer text presentations more readable as a way of compensating for the constraints that computers impose on the display of text as compared with print-on-paper displays, e.g., limited screen resolution and display area. Forty-eight undergraduate teacher education majors enrolled in…

This study compared 52 resource room programs for mildly mentally handicapped, learning disabled, and severely emotionally disturbed secondary students, which used or did not use microcomputers. Benefits of microcomputer use included increased active task engagement and increased individually focused instruction, but overall differences in most…

Three educators review two reports about education in the future. The reviewers address the question of which predictions seem most probable and least probable in the reports. (MD)

Discusses the application of spelling research findings to the design of computerized instructional spelling programs. The need for individualization is stressed; lesson size, content, and time devoted to instruction discussed; three cognitive models with appropriate instructional strategies for each are presented; and further research needs are…

Describes a study of 80 undergraduate foreign language learners that compared the use of a hyper-reference source incorporating an electronic dictionary and a conventional paper dictionary. Measures of consultation frequency, study time, efficiency, and comprehension are examined; bilingual and monolingual dictionary use is compared; and further…

Discusses writing instruction in elementary and secondary schools. Writing reforms are suggested, including increasing time spent on writing and encouraging process writing; writing across the curriculum is discussed; the use of technology is considered; and sidebars give examples of writing improvement programs. (LRW)

Discussion of various types of feedback used in computer-assisted instruction focuses on a study of low-ability eleventh graders that compared the effectiveness of answer until correct (AUC) feedback with knowledge of correct response (KCR) feedback. Achievement data on posttests as well as time data are analyzed. (11 references) (LRW)

This study examined the effectiveness of a computer algebra system in teaching secondary school mathematics. Pre- and posttest results and time on task were compared for students receiving conventional instruction and those receiving computer-assisted instruction using an enhanced version of muMath, a standard computer algebra package. (four…

The eight chapters of this theme issue discuss recent research and theory concerning computer-based integrated learning systems. Following an introduction about their theoretical background and current use in schools, the effects of using computer-based integrated learning systems in the elementary school classroom are considered. (SLD)