Examined differences in communication between masters degree students at Syracuse University who used instant messaging (IM) services and those who did not in the same asynchronous distance education Web-based course. Results showed that students who used IM found it easier to communicate and felt a stronger sense of community. (Author/LRW)

Describes the development of an eight-week on-campus, Web-based online course at Indiana University Bloomington for incoming freshmen to introduce them to the university's culture. Discusses course structure, design, collaboration among instructional and technology units, course assessment, and student opinions of the course. (LRW)

Discusses the design and maintenance of computer-based teaching and learning environments and illustrates consequences of evolution and change in Web-based courses. Focuses on changes in content; format of the course; infrastructure, including hardware, systems, and software; and pedagogy, or instructional design, including knowledge modeling,…

Reports on ongoing work at five universities in northeastern England that have been evaluating and implementing online learning environments known as virtual learning environments (VLEs) or managed learning environments (MLEs). Discusses do-it-yourself versus commercial systems; transferability; Web-based versus client-server; integration with…

Noting that the least responsive fields of higher education to virtual provision seem to be the humanities, asserts that as humanists come to see that education has been overly teacher-oriented, they may become increasingly receptive to virtual teaching and learning. (EV)

Discusses blended learning strategies and reports results of a two-year empirical study that concludes that blended learning methods boosts employee productivity over single-delivery options. Highlights include examples from a variety of companies that included scenario-based exercises; realistic business situations; mentors; classroom…

Describes a modular master's program in project management. Explores relationships between return on investment, management competencies, and learning outcomes in the context of industry-academic partnerships. Discusses the managed learning environment using WebCT. (Contains 40 references.) (SK)

Describes the Bryant College Collaborative Learning at a Distance (CLD) program in Belarus. Program components include Web-based courses, international virtual roundtable discussions via e-mail, seminars on business skills and Web design, Internet protocol video conferencing between the United States and Belarus, a faculty exchange and training…

A survey of 34 master's of business administration students with experience of web-centric learning found it had positive effects on social interaction, involvement with course content, technical skills in electronic environments, and the overall learning experience. (Contains 23 references.) (SK)

Discusses the online activities used in the Teacher Institute for Curriculum Knowledge about the Integration of Technology (TICKIT), a school-based professional development program involving K-12 teachers from rural Indiana schools that was developed by Indiana University. Describes the use of Web-based asynchronous conferencing to post technology…

Describes a study that investigated the effectiveness of Web-based learning using learner control with advisement for non-American English as a second language (ESL) undergraduate students at the National Taiwan Normal University. Results showed students with advisement improved significantly faster than students without advisement on learning…

Describes a pilot study that compared three course formats in an undergraduate course: traditional format, Web-based section, and a hybrid that mixed traditional and Web-based methods. Discusses student performance, student satisfaction, instructor experiences; and implications and recommendations for Web-based courses. (LRW)

Describes an inventory of the minimum technical competencies faculty members believe students should possess to be successful in Web-based instruction based on faculty surveys. Results of student surveys indicated that faculty concerns were justified that students did not posses the required technical skills needed for successful achievement in…

Discusses course material organization for Web-based courses that rely on the instructor's mental models of organization and describes a study that was conducted to determine if a discrepancy exists between instructor organization and student expectations of where to find materials. Highlights include a theoretical framework; categorization; and…

Examines recent literature on Web-based instruction by looking at authors who take a positive approach to Web-based education and who feel that it is learner-centered. Topics include access to education; active learning; personal contact between instructor and learner; collaboration; learning styles; and assessment. (Author/LRW)