Conversational technologies such as email, chat rooms, and blogs have made the transition from novel communication technologies to powerful tools for learning. Currently virtual worlds are undergoing the same transition. We argue that the next wave of innovation is at the level of the computer interface, and that mixed-reality environments offer…

This paper presents a goal-based scenario approach to teaching introductory database concepts to undergraduates using two different scaffolding methods. One method, termed "worked-out examples," attempts to reduce extraneous cognitive load by requiring students to complete increasingly complex missing parts of worked out examples. The other…

This article describes how the design of digital learning objects can spark professional learning. The challenge was to build learning objects that would help experienced special education teachers, who had been teaching in math classes, to demonstrate their proficiency in middle and secondary school mathematics on the PRAXIS examination. While…

The "Hypermedia for Teaching" project is a European collaborative venture designed to produce a hypermedia learning package that is published on CD-ROM. Two versions of the package are to be developed. One of these is intended to be used on a multimedia personal computer (MPC), while the other is to be used in conjunction with…

The purpose of this study guide, designed for computer students who have never been involved in a research project, practicum, or dissertation activity, is to provide background information on the affective and cognitive skills required for success in any project involving research and/or statistics. Successful enrollment in computer based…

This document contains a slightly-revised syllabus for a Virtual Reality course taught in spring 1994. The syllabus begins with an introduction which contains information on the software used in the course and examples of schools that have introduced virtual reality technology in the curriculum. The remainder of the document is composed of the…

This paper presents some of the results from a course in art and design. The course involved the use of simple computer programs for the arts. Attention was geared to the development of graphic components for educational software. The purpose of the course was to provide, through lectures and extensive hands on experience, a basic introduction to…

Dynamic instructional planning was explored as a control mechanism for intelligent tutoring systems through the development of the Blackboard Instructional Planner--a blackboard software-based dynamic planner for computerized intelligent tutoring systems. The planner, designed to be generic to tutors teaching troubleshooting for complex physical…

This critical review of 13 political science software simulations and tutorials rates the programs both by quality of presentation and by educational content. Courseware does have a truly interactive nature yet allows the student to be in an active mode of control. The software programs reviewed feature a variety of graphic, textual, and…

The International Council for Educational Media (ICEM) was asked to conduct a study based on reports from a selected number of the ICEM member countries representing different styles of educational organization (from centralized to decentralized), different organizational methods for the production of educational software (from governmental to…

A dynamic story is a story in which the reader must make choices about the direction the story will take at pivotal points in the plot. Because of their interactive nature, dynamic stories may be used to effectively teach English as a Second Language (ESL). Existing dynamic stories, however, are usually inadequate for this purpose. In book form,…

The paper describes Miss STIM, an electronic teaching aid designed to increase the computer's educational potential for severely handicapped students. The aid incorporates both video images and audio signals and is programed to present lesson material in conjunction with responses from the student. System operation is described in terms of…

Experiences in the development of educational software in the Netherlands have included the use of individual and team approaches, the determination of software content and how it should be presented, and the organization of the entire development process, from experimental programs to prototype to final product. Because educational software is a…

Some concerns regarding the use of computers in reading instruction are addressed in this report. The first section explores the similarities and differences between reading printed materials and computer display screens (legibility, portability, etc.) and presents some advantages and disadvantages of computers. The next section explains two ways…

The requirement that all Drexel University students purchase a Macintosh personal computer has had a strong impact on teaching methods throughout the university. The chemistry department now views the computer as a device that is ready to take its place beside other more traditional pedagogical tools. This document describes some of the numerous…