Provides a series of short articles about various uses of computers and courseware in teaching chemistry. Addresses topics such as a programming utility for animation, an organic synthesis program, a program for the allocation of organic qualitative analysis of unknowns, color images of molecules, and enhancing spreadsheet capabilities. (TW)

Describes the use of an interactive multimedia computer program in the study of cardiovascular physiology. Scores on tests given immediately after completion of a two-hour animation program on the Cardiac Cycle and Introduction to Electrocardiography were significantly higher than pretest scores. Students who used the computer program achieved…

Discussion of computer-based instruction and animation focuses on a study of undergraduates that investigated the effects of two computer-based instructional strategies, visual display and feedback type, on teaching how to troubleshoot electronic circuits. Time spent on various components of the program is also examined. (35 references) (LRW)

Over the past decades, genetics has remained a difficult topic in school science. This paper presents an interactive multimedia program, "BioLogica", used to teach Grade 10 (14- and 15-year-olds) Australian students about genetics. Over six weeks, the teacher used different representations in the teaching and engaged students in computer…

A study was carried out at Pennsylvania State University to examine the effects of both textual and computer animated orienting activities--i.e., mediators through which new information is presented to the learner--and practice on the application and problem solving skills of elementary school students. It was hypothesized that students provided…

Offers tips and techniques for authoring computer-based training and courseware products. Describes basic design concepts and points that pertain to individual components. Focuses specifically on the visual elements associated with the use of video, text, graphics, animation and interactivity in multimedia courseware. (AEF)

This study compared the use of an animated pedagogical agent (agent) with an electronic arrow and voice narration (arrow and voice) in a multimedia learning environment where 74 college level English as a Second Language (ESL) students learned English relative clauses. No significant differences in learning or performance were found between the…

This paper uses the Brunwik theory of probabilistic functionalism as the backdrop for discussion of interrelationships between the individual learner and the design of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). This Brunswik learning model depicts the acquisition of knowledge as governed by the proximity of various cues and distractions. It is also…

Examines the effects of group gender composition and the use of nonverbal computer mediated communication on performance and motivation following a biology lesson which used a computer image of a human face. Subjects were boys and girls ages 10 to 15. Findings indicate that anxiety had opposite effects for boys and girls when the computer-animated…

This paper shows how World Wide Web-based technology using VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) can be applied in an industrial education and training context. Following an introduction to the importance of lifelong learning and training in industry, the state of the art of VRML is discussed, including its features and integration into the Web…

This project aimed to examine whether the use of computers could have a positive impact on the performance of academic tasks and their behaviour whilst completing them of children with ADHD. This small exploratory study therefore investigated the impact of the use of a laptop computer, with and without stimulating animations and features…

Demonstrating wave processes quantitatively in the classroom using standard classroom tools (such as Slinkys and wave tanks) can be difficult. For example, waves often travel too fast for students to actually measure amplitude or wavelength. Also, when teaching propagating waves, reflections from the ends set up standing waves, which can confuse…

This paper describes two empirical studies which investigated the importance for spatial learning of view control and object manipulation within 3D environments. A 3D virtual chemistry laboratory was used as the research instrument. Subjects, who were university undergraduate students (34 in the first study and 80 in the second study), undertook…

The purpose of this experimental study was to compare the effects of using static visuals versus computer-generated animation to enhance learners' comprehension and retention of a content-based lesson in a computer-based learning environment for learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Fifty-eight students from two EFL reading sections were…

This study evaluated the use of children's literature presented via one of three conditions: an adult reading a book to the child; the child reading a CD-ROM version of a book on the computer but without animation; and the child reading the book on the computer with high levels of animation. The study, in one primary grade classroom, involved 10…