Describes the purpose and benefits of interactivity in computer-based learning environments. Suggests strategies to assist instructional designers in effective utilization of interactivity within computer-based programs: providing comprehensive navigation options; using questions that require students to interact with the instructional material;…

Describes a teacher education program using the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards as a framework to organize staff development classes and integrate technology into teaching methods and content areas. A sidebar lists NCATE standards and desired skill levels. (JKP)

Discusses problems that can arise when distance education is driven more by technology utilization than by proven instructional principles and describes the design and development of a Web-based performance support system that enables designers and teachers to design effective learning that incorporates proven instructional strategies into…

This study presents a model to explore the design of international virtual graduate programs, grounded in the theory of distance education. Results provide initial evidence suggesting that this new instrument can be useful to assess the quality of educational design in distance education. (Contains 67 references.) (Author/LRW)

Discusses how to structure and design learning activities that are student-centered. Considers how to teach for understanding, especially with online tools and resources; describes specific activity structures categorized by genre and learning processes; and gives examples of curriculum-based student-centered projects that use the Internet. (LRW)

Describes a Web-based learning environment that was designed to provide new learning opportunities for leadership facilitators to build content knowledge through interactive learning activities. Highlights include the iterative design process; human performance technology; learning environment design principles; and continuous improvement. (LRW)

Discussion of corporate universities and electronic learning options focuses on how to lower high attrition rates by motivating learners to complete the course and transfer that knowledge back to the work site. Suggests how instructional design teams can implement motivational techniques before, during, and after online courses. (Author/LRW)

Describes confluent presentation strategy (CPS) (i.e., a philosophy for developing student-centered, user/computer interfaces) and discusses its use to minimize student disorientation when using interactive computer-based training programs. Instructional design for computer interfaces and navigation are discussed, and an example of a CD-ROM that…

Describes Nova Southeastern University's program in Instructional Technology and Distance Education (ITDE) that was developed for graduate students. Highlights include the cluster concept, and face to face instruction combined with a wide variety of distance education technologies that include videoconferencing, the Internet, and online courses.…

Offers a synopsis of M. Beatty and J. McCroskey's 1998 reconceptualization of communication apprehension via the communibiological paradigm. Examines possible treatment implications of this model of communication anxiety for teachers of speech communication, particularly of public speaking. Advances pedagogical strategies, based upon the premise…

Notes that secondary English teachers must negotiate between using standard professional discourse and the sub-discourse used within a particular school or school district. Suggests strategies to use to help future teachers negotiate between the two. (NH)

Details myths that illustrate novice instructional designers' perspectives on usability sessions and their users. Then offers suggestions for integrating creativity and developing enhanced perspective-taking. Two tables list the myths and guidelines, and potential effects of usability-session guidelines on novice designers' myths are charted. (AEF)

Provides instructional developers' (ID) insights and observations based on the experiences of a training and development organization, Sprint's University of Excellence (UE), as it evolved from a small group of 20-25 individuals in 1990 to a large business unit comprising almost 400 individuals in 1999. Discussion includes course development…

Offers a framework for culturally inclusive pedagogy that can be applied to online environments. Proposes a theoretically grounded framework linking culturally inclusive learning with curriculum and assessment design, using the principle of constructive alignment so that instruction is flexible and relevant to students from a diverse range of…

The goal of this chapter is to outline a theoretical and empirical perspective on how learners' conceptions of educational technology might influence their learning activities and thereby determine the power of computer-based learning environments. Starting with an introduction to the concept of powerful learning environments we outline how recent…