In communication courses, the focus has traditionally been on text: how to craft good news or bad news messages, proposals, reports, and so on. However, rapid developments in printing and computer technology have meant that communication has become more visual than ever before. Words alone are not enough; students need to be able to communicate…

If we intend to teach through educational media, we also have to teach about those media. This article explores the implications of this perspective for the use of computer games in the classroom. It seeks to explain why and how teachers might teach about computer games as a medium in their own right, just as they teach about film or television or…

Although prior research has shown that generating explanations encourages students to learn new content with deeper understanding and to monitor their own comprehension more effectively, helping students learn how to explain properly remains a significant challenge. This study investigated the use of software agents as learning partners in an…

Experimental learning environments based on simulation usually require monitoring and adaptation to the actions the users carry out. Some systems provide this functionality, but they do so in a way which is static or cannot be applied to problem solving tasks. In response to this problem, we propose a method based on the use of intermediate…

This paper outlines reasons why current school improvement efforts in the Miami-Dade (Florida) school district are inadequate and offers an approach that will both build on the formal structure already in place and add a methodology to make it more effective. The text focuses on the field of system dynamics and how this method of analyzing…

This guide, developed in Oregon, lists competencies essential for students in computer-assisted drafting (CAD). Competencies are organized in eight categories: computer hardware, file usage and manipulation, basic drafting techniques, mechanical drafting, specialty disciplines, three dimensional drawing/design, plotting/printing, and advanced CAD.…

A serendipitous observation resulted in an examination of the effectiveness of using a computer aided design course to improve high school student's strategic reading skills. Conducted in a 3 month semester period, the study relied on teacher observations, student questionnaires, and personal interviews. More than 75% of the students in the…

To facilitate an integrated 10-year development plan, a Colorado Girl Scouts council collaborated with an architecture firm to create computer-generated maps of its camp properties, with links to relevant information. Maps and software provided unprecedented accuracy and access, were easily updated, and facilitated funding presentations. Sidebars…

The use of the computer, and specifically the mathematics software package Maple, has played a central role in the authors' abstract algebra course because it provides their students with a way to see realistic examples of the topics they discuss without having to struggle with extensive computations. However, Maple does not provide the computer…

Last fall, when Mastercam, the leading manufacturer of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, announced the winners of its Innovators of the Future (IOF) contest, first, second and third prizes went to students in the advanced manufacturing program of Vincennes University's (VU's) Machine Trades Technology Department. The contest called for…

The development of abstract mathematical thinking is an essential part of mathematics and the geometry is regarded as a suitable domain to serve this purpose. As different technologies such as computers and graphing calculators are widely being used, curriculum developers on geometry should take these technologies into consideration. Several…

Examines how an individual enhances their learning about design and interacts dynamically in a Web-based learning environment. Describes the use of role playing to think about design in different contexts in a university in Taiwan; discusses the continuing need for traditional design studios; and considers communication via electronic media.…

Hagerstown Junior College's advanced technology program enables entrepreneurs to take an idea from computer-assisted design and manufacture, through prototype development and test-marketing, to full-scale production. An interactive video facility and the financial expertise of economic development agencies combine with the technology center to…

The computer industry is growing at a phenomenal rate as technology advances and prices fall, stimulating unprecedented demand from business, government, and individuals. Higher levels of education will be the key to securing employment as organizations increasingly rely on sophisticated technology. (Author)

Discusses the use of simulations in education and suggests ways in which they can be made more cost effective. Highlights include electronic performance support systems; smart tools; examples of the use of simulations in an electronics laboratory and for interpersonal problem-solving skills; and computer-aided instructional design. (Contains 11…