Focuses on the cultural and pedagogical considerations in the design of student-centered learning systems with particular reference to three cases in Singapore. The experiences illustrate some of the challenges and problems in designing and implementing learning systems in three different contexts: local-institutional, trans-institutional, and…

Lists eight guiding principles to help Web-based instructional designers. Three areas: pedagogical, social, and technological/support address planning instructional program events, i.e., building the blueprint to guide development and design for Web-based instruction and distance education. (AEF)

Discusses the importance of instructional design when developing learning activities that involve the use of technology. Topics include validity and value; supporting thinking processes; varied learning styles; learning plans; learning outcomes; teachers' roles; connecting experience and learning; outcome-based assessment; assessment tasks; and…

Describes the development of a distance learning course at Keele University (United Kingdom) for staff training in the use of information technology for people with special needs. Discusses course design, learner needs analysis, course content, instructional design, and formative evaluation. (Contains 24 references.) (LRW)

Discusses the use of virtual environments (VEs) in teaching and learning. Examines the characteristics of effective VE in learning environments, looking at the added value produced by immersion, whereby students learn directly rather than through difficult symbol systems. Many apprehensions about VE are corrected, and the conclusions drawn are…

Offers suggestions on ways to use computers to individualize instruction for gifted students including drill and practice, simulation programs, independent research, creative projects, organization of data, and development of presentations. (DB)

Reports on a study that investigated the possible interaction effects between three levels of feedback (i.e., no feedback, knowledge of results, and elaborative feedback) and level of field-dependency in multimedia presentation among upper-level secondary school students. Implications for multimedia courseware design are discussed. (AEF)

Suggests principles for embedding support in instruction to facilitate self-regulation (SR) in less expert learners. The principles are based on analysis of the growing body of research on the distinctive SR differences between higher and lower achieving learners. Analysis revealed four instructional principles that designers should consider to…

Describes the adaptation of "Instructional Design and Development" from a residential course to a World Wide Web-based course offered in the distance Masters' degree program in Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University. A description of the Web-based course, findings regarding the adaptation process, and implications for…

Provides a brief overview of the history, research, and theory related to play. Research from education, psychology, and anthropology suggests that play is a powerful mediator for lifelong learning, and the design of hybrid learning environments is suggested based on the constructivist concept of microworlds and supported with games and…

Discussion of interactive multimedia instructional systems focuses on interactive multimedia courseware (IMMCW) and offers a conceptual framework for its design. Highlights include interactivity among students, instructors, and computers; instructional objectives accomplished using IMMCW; Gagne's events of instruction; learning effectiveness; and…

Students (n=295) with learning disabilities, ages 8-14, scored higher and had greater growth rates in 4 mathematics domains (basic concepts, listening vocabulary, problem solving, and fractions) than did age-equivalent students (n=206) with mild mental retardation. Data indicate the need to carefully consider curriculum and instructional decisions…

Describes the Novice-Expert (Novex) Analysis, a nine-step approach to instructional design aimed at effecting the shift from novice to expert by creating a series of learning activities to enable novices to construct an expert knowledge base. The "Dimensions of Processing Model" diagram illustrates how learning processes influence…

A computer simulation program for use in the study of fluid mechanics is described. The package is an interactive tool to explore the fluid flow characteristics of a pipe system by manipulating the physical construction of the system. The motivation, software design requirements, and specific details on how its objectives were met are presented.…

Discussion of the Florida Learning Support Systems, being developed by schools and businesses to better utilize information technology in education, focuses on use of the Internet as background communication, or communication between applications running on different computers without human intervention to develop new kinds of instructional and…