This article discusses five interaction strategies that can be used in large-scale (more than thirty participants) Web-based training. Evaluation data are presented from seven Web-based continuing education workshops conducted with United States Department of Education Middle School Drug Prevention and School Safety Coordinators (MSCs) that used…

Direct observation of student study behavior is possible when students use computer-based learning materials. Data recorded on the self-directed studying of more than 100,000 students using a Web-based tool to prepare for U.S. college admissions tests reveal several non-optimal behaviors. Students had a tendency to begin studying within days of…

This article (a) explains why teachers should use the Internet as a component of instruction, (b) identifies difficulties that at-risk learners have using Internet resources, and (c) recommends use of Web-based bookmarks as a strategy for linking Internet content to instruction. Through concrete examples, it describes how Web-based bookmarks can…

Design activities allow students to create their own solutions, drawing upon a personal understanding of science principles and examples. We created the 'Houses in the Desert' project to engage middle school students in designing a passive solar house that will keep its owners comfortable in the desert climate. Students used their knowledge of…

Distance education has grown rapidly in the United States in recent years. Both private- and public-sector organizations have embraced the practice of reaching their clients, employees, and students at a distance via new technologies afforded them by the telecommunication and computer nexus. Distance education is grounded on technology, and its…

A pendulum "engine" with dynamic parameters can be created and pendulum functions manipulated and analyzed using interactive elements in Flash. The effects of changing the damping (convergence) properties, initial release angle and initial velocity conditions can be explored. The motions then can be digitized using the Flash Digitizer 1.1,…

Teacher-librarians around the world face threats to their very existence because of the advance of technology in today's schools. It can be argued that the ubiquitous use of the Internet in schools and homes, the development of school Intranet, and the increase in use of instructional Web sites in schools will make teachers and students retreat…

In this study, we explore the extent to which two instructional techniques promote critical discourse in an online class on educational standards and curriculum: instructor stance (challenging/nonchallenging) and topic level (higher order/lower order). Posts from 25 students, across four modules, were analyzed. These four modules constituted…

There is a sense of anticipation in higher education technology circles these days, a feeling of prickly excitement that hasn't been experienced since the heady days of the dot-com boom. For the past five years, the landscape has been littered with funding shortfalls, problems with network capacity and security, and the never-ending scramble of…

Even though distance education has a long and diverse history, dating back to 1840, in the last ten-to-fifteen years it has been completely transformed by the emergence of Web-based technology. This technology has had an enormous impact on all aspects of distance education (or distance learning as it is increasingly called). In addition to…

Purpose: Experience shows that there are problems arising from the implementation of learning management systems (LMS). Indications are that they are too e-learning technology driven, emphasising the virtual component and neglecting the precursory development of a vibrant and committed formal learning organisation culture and infrastructure. This…

The evaluation reports in this series usually feature several products at once. The current review, however, comes at a time when one of the most widely used (and expensive) online learning management systems is undergoing a major change in its marketing strategy and corporate focus. "WebCT" is currently evolving to a new version ("WebCT Vista"),…

Growth in distance education is increasing the need to examine students' learning strategies in distance and blended learning environments. Students' cramming or spaced-review behaviors were measured and compared across delivery formats as well as examined related to course achievement and attitudes across a term. Although theory would predict…

Everyone has heard about online courses, and how they are good for students because they offer schedule flexibility or opportunities to take courses that a school would not normally provide. After all, students can take and complete these courses anytime, anywhere. As their popularity grows, several states have added online learning to their…

The working drafts of the human genome, announced in February 2001, have clearly provided a breakthrough in biochemistry and molecular biology research. The scientific data also provide an opportunity to vary a typical approach to teaching. Advanced graduate students at our university can elect to take a course in molecular genetics. The human…