This paper describes the design and features of LEA (Learning Environment with Agent), an educational system which has the features of both synchronous and asynchronous group learning environments. The first section discusses group learning environments, including differences between individual learning and group learning, and the classification…

This paper presents "Campus," an environment that allows University of Hagen (Germany) students to connect briefly to the Internet but remain represented by personalized, autonomous agents that can fulfill a variety of information, communication, planning, and cooperation tasks. A brief survey is presented of existing mobile agent system…

The goal of the Carnegie Mellon Online project is to build an infrastructure for delivery of courses via the World Wide Web. The project aims to deliver educational content and to assess student competency in support of courses across the Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) curriculum and beyond, thereby providing an asynchronous,…

Describes new developments in distributed educational computing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, "Athena"), Carnegie Mellon University ("Andrew"), Brown University "Intermedia"), Electronic University Network (California), Western Behavioral Sciences Institute (California), and University of California,…

Examines the prospects for learning and education through the use of interactive multimedia technologies (IMT) connected through telecommunications to create distributed multimedia learning environments. Highlights include a theoretical orientation on learning and teaching processes; teachers' roles; implications of learning theory for IMT design;…

Describes the Eastern Oregon Information Network (EOIN) that was developed to provide off-campus students with dial-in remote access to CD-ROM indexes, an interlibrary loan network module, and an electronic mail system. A sidebar, "Making Remote Access Happen--A Developer's View" (Kenneth Girrard) is included. (EAM)

The web has the potential to offer an environment that can support standardized medical education to students dispersed in time or place and, in the process, respond to reduced availability of patients for practice. This exploratory article describes how we evaluated critical thinking in an online collaborative Problem-based Learning (PBL)…

For the thirtieth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

The rapid development of modern information and communications technologies has opened new possibilities for establishing and delivering distance learning. In addition, the new learning paradigm based on cognitive learning theories can emphasize the quality of the learning process. The open learning environment that utilizes modern communications…

Prepared for presentation at the 15th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, in Edinburgh, Scotland, this report describes a proposal, created by the Commonwealth of Learning at the request by the Commonwealth Ministers of Education, to explore the creation of a virtual university to support higher education in small states. A Technical…

This paper addresses issues and cost benefits of World Wide Web-based education systems. It presents the results of an effort to identify problems that arise when considering this media and suggests conceptual solutions to some of these problems. To evaluate these solutions, a prototype system was built and tested in an engineering classroom; the…

This guide provides the layperson with a concise overview of factors to consider when making plans to outfit elementary and secondary schools with technology inexpensively. The guide draws on the knowledge of consultants, architects, electronics engineers, and the experiences of educators who have been involved in the process of designing schools…

This paper describes an authoring tool, Visual Constructor, that is being developed to help users without technical knowledge to create and organize World Wide Web-based course contents. The following goals of Visual Constructor are highlighted: (1) it does not require any knowledge of evolving Web technology; (2) the user interface is easy to…

This paper outlines CLEW (collaborative learning environment for the Web). The project combines MUD (Multi-User Dimension), workflow, VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) and educational concepts like constructivism in a learning environment where students actively participate in the learning process. The MUD shapes the environment structure.…

These proceedings present 74 selected abstracts and 47 selected formal papers under 14 special interest group headings. Topics addressed by the papers include constructing multimedia; interactive video; computers in secondary school mathematics; access in computer-based instruction; implementing computer-based technology; advisor development;…