Description of HyperCard focuses on uses for instructional designers and performance technologists. The theoretical background that includes cognitive psychology and futuristic thinking is presented, and three main uses of HyperCard are discussed: (1) as a database management program, (2) as a vehicle for implementing hypermedia, and (3) as an…

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,…

Reviews instructional design techniques that are suggested for improving the quality and effectiveness of educational software. Three areas of instructional design are addressed: (1) instructional strategies, including provision, examples and active feedback; (2) screen display, including text style variety; and (3) human factors, including…

Discusses three factors that have particular relevance for the designers of instruction for adult distance learners: (1) support for learner control; (2) access to different levels of interaction; and (3) availability and ease of use of different technology platforms. Topics include motivation for change and the design of courseware. (Author/LRW)

Describes efforts by the Motorola Training and Education Center (MTEC) to develop and implement a model for applying the concepts of quality/continuous improvement to the design of courseware. MTEC's role as change agent is discussed; the use of an instructional systems design model is explained; and problems are identified. (LRW)

Considers issues that need to be addressed when incorporating audio in courseware design. Topics discussed include functions of audio in courseware; the relationship between auditive and visual information; learner characteristics in relation to audio; events of instruction; and audio characteristics, including interactivity and speech technology.…

Concludes that creating online instructional sites by hand with the help of an HTML editor is generally preferable to using "course-in-a-box" software because instructors can select the components needed to support their pedagogy and construct successful learning experiences for their students. (RS)

Considers the relevance of human-computer interaction (HCI) guidelines for educational interface design, including why educational software is different from other products; differences in goal focus; performance and learning; and experiments that investigated transfer of learning, including implications for the design of educational technologies.…

Defines social and instructional interaction and outlines key elements influencing the design of adaptive computer-mediated learning. Discusses options for the design of interactivity: Web-based, groupware, programming tools, and hybrid course design programs; proposes a graphical model for choosing design tools balancing interactivity and…

For five years, Advanced Learning Technologies (ALT), a unit within the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG), has worked with faculty and staff to develop the eCore, an electronically delivered core curriculum for the University System of Georgia. The eCore contains courses leading to the completion of the first two years of…

The current paper describes the design and development of a qualitative analysis course and an interactive web-based teaching and assessment tool called VSE (virtual structural environment). The widespread reliance on structural analysis programs requires engineers to be able to verify computer output by carrying out qualitative analyses.…

The purpose of this paper is to report specific motivational requirements within each motivation category of Keller's ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) model (1991) based on data collected on students' reactions to a computer-assisted learning lesson that incorporated motivational strategies in its design. Interview techniques…

This overview of the current status of computer-based learning in the United Kingdom (U.K.) begins with a discussion of the Microelectronics Education Program (MEP), which was implemented in 1981 to: (1) provide inservice teacher training in the educational aspects of microelectronics; (2) stimulate and service curriculum development efforts using…

Presents objections to the use of special-purpose computer languages for authoring courseware and recommends use of authoring procedures with a general-purpose language (in this case PASCAL). Highlights include problems in designing computer assisted instruction, developments in educational theory, a summary of modern authoring languages, and…

This literature review discusses the differences between individual and individualized instruction and explores ways of leading future computer assisted instruction (CAI) toward genuine individualized instruction. The development and design of intelligent CAI are described, and topics for future studies are suggested. (LRW)