Identifies and describes students' variation-type thinking observed in a small sample of middle-school students as they conducted a statistical investigation. (KHR)

Considers the practice of Instructional Systems Design (ISD) as it exists in the real world and how it is being modified and used to produce training solutions that are faster, better, and easier. Focuses on Web-based training and discusses needs assessment, content analysis, design strategies, revision strategies, and project management.…

Describes a study that explored the parameter-related misconceptions of two college students in an introductory programming course. Explains how they were able to construct correctly functioning modular programs by making adjustments to formal parameter lists; discusses results within a constructivist framework; and suggests implications for…

Considers whether current definitions of interactivity in educational software are optimal and suggests a new model of interaction based on how learners interact mentally with new schema and on educational psychology. Discusses knowledge acquisition; production, or the creation of new knowledge; collaboration; and applying the learning interaction…

Discusses instructional development for human resource development and performance improvement programs that optimize business results. Identifies and defines five key variables: instructional approach, learner role, learning objective, intended outcome, and expected behavior; that can inform the most relevant instructional methods to create a…

Discusses creating an information architecture for a bilingual Web site and reports work in progress on the development of a content-based bilingual Web site to facilitate shared resources between speech and language therapists. Considers a structural analysis of existing bilingual Web designs and explains a card-sorting activity conducted with…

Discusses the socio-cultural nature of education and examines how researchers have defined culture and how instructional designers have treated culture within the design process. Considers systemic versus systematic design and examines how culture has been addressed in existing ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation)…

Proposes a three-level framework for classifying elearning (electronic learning) interactions in distance education. Illustrates how the framework may be used to design and sequence electronic learning interactions, analyze planned interactions to reduce the need for costly revisions, and organize research to help interpret findings and guide…

Discussion of the role of technology in education highlights the ways gender may influence the application of technology in schools. Feminist psychology (Gilligan et al.) is examined, male influence on the literature in the fields of educational technology and instructional design is examined, and new ways to think about technology and schools are…

Four steps to providing foreign language training in the workplace are (1) select and group trainees based on an audit of need and skill requirements; (2) choose training modes (intensive, "drip-feed," one-to-one, group, open learning, in plant, in school); (3) select a provider; and (4) manage recruitment, start-up, monitoring, and evaluation.…

Discusses the nature of instructional design and describes rapid prototyping as a feasible model for instructional system design (ISD). The use of prototyping in software engineering is described, similarities between software design and instructional design are discussed, and an example is given which uses rapid prototyping in designing a…

Explains a general theory of mathematical knowledge and its acquisition, and discusses the design of instructional computer use, including software, based on that cognitive theory. A programing language called ISETL is described, and preliminary investigations are presented on students' learning about sequences, convergence, and limits. (five…

Discusses the theories of instructional design methodologies and describes limitations for developing instruction for interactive, technology-based delivery systems. Topics discussed include content analysis; knowledge acquisition; course organization; phases of instructional development; passive versus interactive instruction; productivity and…

Describes, justifies, and illustrates a process for analyzing and comparing instructional development (ID) models at the task and subtask levels. ID tasks and subtasks are identified, weights are assigned to the subtasks, and various instructional design and instructional development models are compared, as to both comprehensiveness and…

Discusses the need for improved methodologies and tools to guide the design and development of interactive technology-based instructional materials. Topics discussed include mental models; knowledge representation; knowledge analysis and acquisition systems; the effectiveness of instructional transactions; strategy analysis systems for…