Purpose: Technology has revolutionized education, leading to innovative learning techniques like microlearning. Microlearning is gaining popularity in higher education and corporate settings for its student-centred approach and well-planned modules. However, its pedagogical design is complex, requiring a systematic review of studies to identify…

The approach of Center for Research into Higher Education study skill group sees study skills as answers to characteristic demands of study tasks and study skills training as helping students provide more adequate answers. Directions for both research and practical activities of the group are discussed. (MSE)

The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss learner responses to the television component of the various courses developed or offered by the University of Mid-America (UMA). Implications for courseware development are outlined, and research questions to be addressed are suggested. Four courses were offered by UMA: (1) Accounting I, (2)…

Describes a course developed at the University of Victoria (British Columbia) to provide training for educators that will facilitate communication with computer scientists as they work together on educational software development projects. Software engineering and instructional design principles are discussed, the course methodology is explained,…

This paper deals with techniques for reducing the amount of work that needs to be redone each semester when one prepares an existing course Web site for a new class. The key concept is algorithmic generation of common page elements while still allowing full control over page content via WYSIWYG tools like Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia…

The unique technical writing needs of the nonnative professional are identified, and their implications for course design and materials development are outlined. It is argued that recent research on the dynamics of reading technical English can be used to improve technical writing instruction for nonnatives in industry. (MSE)

In designing teaching materials for Open University students' use, authors have been encouraged to incorporate in-text questions to assist students in understanding the materials. These are relatively simple, limited-scope questions relating directly to the preceding material, and are called enabling questions. These are contrasted with the…

The three papers in this report relate to the development and activities of the University of the West Indies Distance Teaching Project (UWIDITE), through which the University of the West Indies (UWI) is continuing experiments on the use of telecommunications to extend its regional services. A report to the advisory council, the first paper,…

Open University faculty create their own instructional materials for use in distance teaching. A methodology is described for evaluating the teaching effectiveness of the materials and the teaching methods used. It is applied to a unit of a materials science course written for a specific text. A small group of students in the course was surveyed…

Business Japanese should be the study of Japanese language and culture for business communication and should include values and beliefs and institutional constraints on which the Japanese act as well as business etiquette and terminology. Topics to be covered in instruction will vary depending on the role (seller, buyer, or colleague) played by…

Discusses the abundance of electronic equipment available for use in second-language instruction in contrast to the shortage of courseware available. The lack of courseware is attributed to teacher resistance to and fear of technology and the lack of institutional support for teachers to design courseware. (LMO)

Seven basic models for teaching languages for special purposes (LSP) are outlined: (1) language-levels; (2) skills; (3) rhetorical functions; (4) notions/concepts; (5) situations; (6) topics; and (7) tasks. These models are examined through analysis of the texts (textbooks, research documents, and others) used to teach LSP courses. Examples of…

One of 15 core modules in a 22-module series designed to train vocational education curriculum specialists (VECS), this guide is intended for use by both instructor and student in a variety of education environments, including independent study, team teaching, seminars, and workshops, as well as in more conventional classrooom settings. The guide…

This paper addresses a systematic approach to training faculty to teach via two-way interactive television (ITV). The following ten training modules are presented: (1) Introduction to the ITV System, including terminology and ITV history/development; (2) Making ITV Work for You, including syllabus construction, ITV equipment, and…

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has been studied in Japan since about 1963. However, materials for computer-assisted English second language instruction at the college level are not highly developed. A 1985 experiment in CAI at one Japanese university used materials developed by faculty, staff, and students. Instruction using CAI at Doshisha…