Suggests reasons why online learning may not be appropriate for all situations. Discusses barriers for students, including self-discipline, initiative, and convenient access to computers and the Internet; barriers for teachers and administrators; suitability for course content; organizational and institutional barriers; cultural differences; and…

Discusses the seriousness of the digital divide-the discrepancy between technology-literate and -illiterate people-in rural areas in the United States. Reports that rural young, minority, and single-parent households lag behind the national average in both personal computer ownership and Internet access. Offers suggestions for ways rural community…

This descriptive research study examined the extent of technology integration in instruction by adult basic education teachers. Teachers are in the earlier stages of integrating technology and are more active in the area of exploration. However, they are not experimenting with the use of technology at the same level and have not been innovative in…

Computers have become an increasingly accepted learning tool in the early childhood classroom. Despite initial concerns regarding the effect of computers on children's development, past research has indicated that computer use by young children can support their learning and developmental outcomes (Siraj-Blatchford & Whitebread, 2003; Yelland,…

This article reviews the research evidence that relates to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in pre-school settings. While there is widespread agreement that children should be helped to become confident users of ICTs, the literature presents a more qualified picture of potential benefits and barriers. The review…

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of computer use on children's social skills in kindergarten. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K), conducted by National Center for Educational Statistics, was utilized to analyze differential effects of home and school computer use on kindergarten social…

As GED (General Educational Development) Testing Service considers the feasibility of a computer administration of the GED Tests, one issue being considered is the difference in costs of supplying only a computer-based format vs. offering both computer-based and paper formats of the GED Tests. A significant concern then arises as to whether…

This research literature on educational technology has identified important contextual factors that influence how technology is used in educational settings. In May of this year, EDC conducted the 2006 Instructional Practices and Classroom Use of Technology Survey with over a thousand teachers. This report first presents the overall survey…

This article explores ways computers can be used in special education resource rooms. Discusses management of computer access, integration of computer into curriculum, software selection, and negative computer practices. Models of computer use, including use of computer as individual learning center and use of computer as a cognitive "tool kit" …

Linda Darling-Hammond's simplistic, yet profound observation addresses the basis of reform in teacher education today. Our challenge is to develop the knowledge, disposition, and teaching performance or skills of initial and advanced teacher candidates to enable them to deliver the foundations of education necessary to meet the critical…

Many technology features that were originally developed to help people with specific sensory impairments are now widely in use. Research is beginning to show the benefits of giving all students access to these capabilities. As such, educators should not hesitate to integrate technology features into instruction for students who struggle with…

The purpose of researching the digital balance between industrialised and developing countries was to discover how information and communication technology (ICT), content and e-services developed in Finland will work on the African continent, and vice versa. Globalisation and the associated new international division of labour and well-being…

This study investigates conditions and factors that affect preservice teachers' decisions to use handheld computers in scientific investigations and explores aspects of student learning and classroom practices that would be affected by handheld-based science activities. A Handheld-Based Laboratory (HBL) was designed to model strategies for…

Purpose: Aims to examine trends in the development of e-learning in Northern Ireland, report on existing policies, practices and issues affecting its implementation across the sectors. Design/methodology/approach: The present study draws on e-learning policies and strategies that have been developed for Northern Ireland. Examples were drawn from…

In most middle- and upper-income homes across the United States, children, youth, and their families have access to the world's information-technology resources at their fingertips, while in low-income communities, access to technology and the opportunities it provides are often limited to brief periods of computer use and Internet access at…