Considers the role of educational technology in two views of the school reform movement: one that demands more from the existing educational system, and one that calls for restructuring of the existing system. The effectiveness of technology is addressed, models for technology use are described, and technology and constructivism are discussed. (31…

Introduces the concept of abductive reasoning; discusses its importance for instructional designers in education; and describes the development of a computer program called the Abductive Reasoning Tool (ART) that helps students learn and understand abductive logic. Highlights include abduction and creativity, and field-testing ART with…

Presents a vision of higher education for the future that focuses on the role of technology. Topics discussed include the role of libraries; the information society; advances in communications; interactive media; standards for the computer and telecommunications industries; intellectual property rights; and the availability of educational…

Focuses on various technological tools that support online learning: e-mail (voice mail); online discussion groups; online resources; CD-ROM; online courseware; asynchronous communication; synchronous communication; and World Wide Web. Analyzes the attributes of online delivery systems, addressing interactivity and feedback; media features;…

Reviews strengths and weaknesses of check lists for the evaluation of computer software and outlines consequences for their practical application. Suggests an approach based on an instructional design model and a comprehensive framework to cope with problems of validity and predictive power of software evaluation. Discusses prospects of the…

This study modeled teaching with a computer-based concordancer in a Teaching English-as-a-Second-Language program. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to work with computer concordancing software or vocabulary exercises to develop word attack skills. Pretesting and posttesting indicated that computer concordancing was more effective in…

Discusses TopClass, a Web-based tool and delivery system used for online courses, and its use at Schoolcraft College in Michigan. TopClass offers many benefits, including a self-contained management system, secured access, user-friendly instructions for coursework area creation, e-mail, bulletin boards, a secured testing mechanism and student…

Reports on an experiment in which a course in psychology was replaced by a mixed formula consisting of a CD-ROM complemented by seminars and workshops. The CD-ROM was conceived as a collection of documents linked together with Netscape facilities. Students searched through these documents for information to answer questions (challenges) on the…

Provides a history of the Instructional Technology Center at Iowa State University and describes its present operations. Highlights include an organizational chart; classroom services; instructional development services, related to faculty development and courseware creation; creative services that support multimedia, graphics, and television…

Addresses the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning in a classroom environment. Discusses classroom setups, including networks and Internet connections; utilizing resources, including lecture notes, software demonstrations, and simulations; the use of laptop computers; and examples of technology use where students don't have access to…

Guest lectures are a valuable resource in higher education. However, shrinking budgets make it difficult to bring in experts from remote areas of the globe. Videoconferencing, Michael Luck and Gerard Laurence believe, may be a cost-effective way to bring experts to the classroom. Luck and Laurence describe their 2003 study that formally evaluated…

Using project-based learning pedagogy in EdTc 658 Advances in Educational Technology, I have trained inservice teachers in Southwestern Louisiana with an advanced computer multimedia program called Director[R] (Macromedia, Inc.) [1]. The content of this course focused on modeling the project-based learning pedagogy and researching Acadian's…

The last decade has brought about a major change in higher education. Course design has developed from a craftsmanship-like process to a structured production, which involves interdisciplinary teams and requires more complex communication skills. This conceptual article introduces E[superscript 2]ML--Educational Environment Modeling Language--a…

Using a comparative case study approach, the researcher followed 13 instructors for 2 years as they attempted to integrate the Visible Human Dissector, an educational software program, into their undergraduate anatomy courses. Instructors were motivated to use the software as a supplement for limited educational resources and because of its…

This paper explores the potential opportunities that OpenCourseWare (OCW) offers in providing wider access to tertiary education, based on the ideal of "the right to education." It first discusses the wider implications of OCW, and its underlying philosophy, before using a case study of a tertiary preparation program (TPP) at the…