The curriculum matrix is a tool to help curriculum coordinators, principals, and superintendents specify, justify, and align curriculum and instructional time to district specified standards. The problem the curriculum matrix solves is connecting the curriculum; that is, tracing an idea from initial justification to its placement in the curriculum…

Although the quality of educational software is increasing dramatically, the need for good instructional software far surpasses the supply. There are at present relatively few authors with the array of knowledge and skills necessary to produce high quality interactive instruction. In the absence of trained authors, much of the available software…

This paper describes the theoretical underpinnings and architecture of a new type of learning environment that incorporates features of microworlds and of intelligent tutoring systems. The environment is based on a progression of increasingly sophisticated causal models that simulate domain phenomena, generate explanations, and serve as student…

This paper examines research on the education of women and girls from the perspectives of sex differences, gender differences, and feminist studies, with particular reference to the implications of the findings for the design of computer-assisted instruction systems. The four modules of the Ingelligent Computer-Assisted Instruction (ICAI)…

This naturalistic study of teacher educators explored the differences between the attitudes of methods teachers and instructional development (ID) teachers toward ID and teacher education. Three faculty members were interviewed in depth, and brief questionnaires were sent to seven faculty members in each of the two fields; responses were received…

This study compared instructional methods using interactive video in order to test the prototype model of concept acquisition and to assess the kinds of prototypes that learners develop. The subjects were 30 graduate students at two universities, who were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups and completed an interactive video program…

This paper describes the development of a conceptual framework for conducting research using computer based interactive video and a generic disc as research tools. It is argued that computer based interactive video represents the beginnings of a truly computer based learning system. An altered version of the 1984 Grabowski and Whitney conceptual…

Developed to provide teachers with a framework for writing instruction, this handbook presents the objectives for writing in the elementary schools from kindergarten through grade 8. After a brief overview of the handbook, information covered includes: (1) a description of writing types (creative expression, narration, exposition, persuasion, and…

This chapter discusses General Systems Theory as it applies to education, classrooms, innovations, and instructional design. The principles of equifinality, open and closed systems, the individual as the key system, hierarchical structures, optimization, stability, cooperation, and competition are discussed, and their relationship to instructional…

This review of the literature on the workings of the brain in relation to learning and instructional design reviews recent research on both long- and short-term memory, and discusses findings on lateralized or "split-brain" functions. Problems associated with short-term memory are also considered, and the concept of the Tribune Brain is…

This booklet addresses the question of what is wrong with textbooks and then shows how textbooks can be improved through the selection process. A conceptual scheme is proposed as the basis of the selection process. Specific attributes and features to look for when selecting textbooks, based on this conceptual scheme, are discussed. Five categories…

This paper examines the possibility of developing a conceptual framework on which future research on the application of electroencephalography (EEG) to computer-assisted instruction (CAI) could be based. Consistent associations between EEG and cognitive functions for learning and instruction have the potential for bringing cognitivism into the…

Directed towards academics involved in preparation of distance learning materials, this guide emphasizes the functions of audiotapes within an integrated set of distance learning materials. Planning, production, and evaluation advice is offered, beginning with a discussion of a model approach that focuses on consideration of budget, subject…

This discussion of the educational potential of audiotape and videotape cassettes in distance teaching considers each medium individually, with examples of how the Open University has tried to exploit them in its teaching, and comments on some major differences between the two media and their implication for education. Characteristics of…

The materials in this manual are designed to help workshop leaders prepare for and present a workshop for school board members on identifying and practicing policies that effectively foster improved instruction. In confirming school boards' commitment to school improvement, this workshop also points out the boards' roles in governance, the…