Relates research on instructional sequencing and type of knowledge to be learned to a model of direct instruction. Maintains that the studies reviewed provide powerful support for the direct instruction approach to many kinds of learning. States that the model provides a partial understanding of the complexities of instruction. (JDH)

When a student asks a question, he invites learning and teaching. This article analyzes student questions and then uses that analysis to propose a pedagogical plan for responding to questions. (MT)

An eight-step decision-making paradigm appropriate for guiding decisions regarding selection of instructional programming alternatives for visually impaired multiply disabled children is presented. Brief case studies illustrate the application of the paradigm. (Author/DB)

Addresses position of printed documentation in computing as it exists for use by university community. Highlights include criticisms of computer manuals, the discerning reader, form and content, trends in system design, features of good manuals, and three principles to follow when considering use or purchase of computer system. (11 references)…

Discusses effects of student and teacher cognitive styles on teacher/learner relationships and on training transactions, suggesting that teachers and students with like cognitive styles interact more successfully and that field-dependent learners, who tend to favor working alone, perform better with self-paced instruction. Instructional design…

Considers three powerful techniques--heuristics, context trees, and search via backward chaining--that a knowledge engineer might employ to develop an expert system to automate performance engineering, i.e., the branch of instructional technology that focuses on the problems of business and industry. (MBR)

A growing body of research has exploded the notion that a single, highly proselyted method of teaching is good for shorthand. Discussed are (1) the major goal of shorthand/transcription, (2) an instructional design for achieving this goal, and (3) the decisions and options that emerge in the dual-system classroom. (HD)

The process of formative evaluation used at the British Open University for course improvement is described.

How do you know when students understand something? How can you design learning experiences that make it much more likely that students understand content and apply it in meaningful ways? Since 1998, thousands of educators have used "Understanding by Design" to answer these questions and create more rigorous and engaging curricula. Now, this…

Even in today's mathematics classroom, where teachers often focus primarily on mastery of underlying concepts, students struggle to commit the multiplication table to memory. Facility in multiplication involves both an understanding of the concepts and memorization of the facts. Successful memorization of the one hundred basic multiplication facts…

The purpose of this book is to give student support personnel tools that: (1) will be recognized by educators as directly related to enhancing academic performance; (2) can be used with confidence that they will have the desired impact on achievement; and (3) are culturally sensitive. Chapters contain detailed presentation of the technology as…

A lesson plan may be defined as a systematic design for the development, implementation, and evaluation of instruction. It is a rehearsal for delivering effective instruction in that it provides the teacher the opportunity to anticipate instructional and learning needs and make plans to address them before stepping in front of the students. This…

This paper discusses the implications for technology and distance education of the following value statement: "The world's resources are not infinite and they are not distributed equally on a global basis. Continued resource consuming growth and maldistribution of ever more scarce resources will increase conflict and poverty as well as…

As the whole society is experiencing a notable shift from the industrial age to the information age, an urgent need for a mindset change in education has been frequently discussed during the past decades. This paper will approach the mindset change through three interconnected sections: the first section reviews the conceptualization of mindset…