Defines multimedia didactics and notes instructional aids they offer. Highlights include interactivity within learning programs; the visualization and presentation of learning contents; the effectiveness in information programs; and the challenge of multimedia didactics for research and teaching. (AEF)

Describes the design of a learning environment, called the Climate Visualizer, intended to facilitate scientific sense-making in high school classrooms by providing students the ability to craft, inspect, and annotate scientific visualizations. Discusses how visualizations can promote creation of scientific theories, especially in conjunction with…

This paper explores the relationship between mental activity and physical well-being, through examination of such component activities as imagery, relaxation, sociodrama, and play. The paper concludes that wellness involves the physical and mental health of an individual, positive future images, and true communication with ourselves and others.…

This article presents a lesson plan for teaching students the third of five steps for solving mathematical problems, "lining up a plan." Steps for teaching students to visualize the problem and draw a picture of the problem are given. (DB)

Discusses how teachers can help music students overcome performance anxiety. Divides performance anxiety into four major components: physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and psychological. Suggests fighting anxiety with relaxation techniques, imagery, cognitive statements, positive thinking, practice, and preparation. Discourages use of…

A questionnaire designed to assess experience with activities presumed to require spatial visualization abilities and psychometric tests of these abilities were given to 383 adults of 20 to 83 years of age. Findings suggested that at least some age-related differences in cognitive functioning are independent of the amount of experience with…

Describes the Chemistry Visualization (ChemViz) Project, a Web venture maintained by the University of Illinois National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) that enables high school students to use computational chemistry as a technique for understanding abstract concepts. Discusses the evolution of computational chemistry and provides a…

Investigated a secondary student's development of geometric thought during instruction using dynamic computer software. Clinical interviewing determined his predominant level of thought and highlighted the developmental process of geometric reasoning. Four learning stages were identified in terms of symbol, signal, and implicatory practices. Using…

Investigates the effects of a dynamic instructional environment and visualization on eighth-grade students' construction of reflection and rotation concepts. Also studies the effects of the environment on students' two- and three-dimensional visualization. (Author/CCM)

Discusses important lessons on the mathematics of manufacturing and how curriculum content and teaching can prepare students for working. Features concepts such as the importance of spatial and geometric reasoning, problem solving, numbers and computation, and measurement. (ASK)

Reports on a conference workshop that addressed Visual Information Retrieval Interfaces (VIRIs). Topics include evaluation methods; task dimension for evaluating VIRIs; efforts to fund European development of VIRIs; metrics, including cosine vector; navigation among documents; and interactions with users. (LRW)

Describes "Glass-box Interpreter" a low-level program visualization tool called Bradman designed to provide a conceptual model of C program execution for novice programmers and makes visible aspects of the programming process normally hidden from the user. Presents an experiment that tests the efficacy of Bradman, and provides…

Discusses information retrieval systems and the need to have them adapt to user needs, integrate information in any format, reveal patterns and trends in information, and answer questions. Topics include statistics and probability; natural language processing; intelligent agents; concept mapping; machine-aided indexing; text mining; filtering;…

Discusses the factors that seem to be significant in the development of visualization skills, and examines gender differences in background and visualization ability for students enrolled in United States, German, and Polish technical universities. Findings indicate significant differences in spatial visualization ability between male and female…

A program of hypnotic suggestion, visualization, and relaxation training was used to help improve the teaching self-confidence of 22 university faculty. Comparison of preprogram, postprogram, and six-month follow-up measures of confidence, including both psychometric and anecdotal reports, found the participants' confidence level had been both…