Discusses the growth of distance education courses and presents a checklist of 25 course design principles that faculty can use to critique or evaluate their Web-based online course sites. Highlights include authority; bias; citations; graphics; help systems; student performance records; links; multimedia; navigation; printing; site structure; and…

Reports on the views of 18 educational leaders regarding their vision on the future of education in an information age. Topics include people's diverse needs; relationships between morality, ethics, values, and technology; leadership; parental involvement; online courses from multiple higher education institutions; teachers' role; technology…

Considers cultural diversity in Web design and traces the design processes involved in the development of an online learning environment for indigenous Australian learners entering university. Highlights include culture, constructivist learning and situated cognition; cultural pluralism in instructional design; and ten design principles for…

Discusses how to design and develop an effective Web site to enhance instruction based on a graduate course at California State University at Hayward. Topics include the analysis phase, content organization, site architecture, interface design, testing, and the evaluation process. (LRW)

Describes the use of WebCT, a secured environment for the placement of course materials that allows the creation of Web-based educational environments by non-technical users. Explores the views of students who were required to use WebCT in their classes at Creighton University (Nebraska). The student survey used is appended. (Author/LRW)

Describes a Web-based professional development curriculum that was designed at the University of Delaware for the internship portion of the Registered Dieticians program. Topics include distance learning; technology integration; combining in-class with online instruction; multimedia use for problem-based learning case studies; course management…

Explores prerequisites for a successful Web-based distance education learning experience. Discusses technical requirements, including reliable equipment, fast Internet connections, and being comfortable with using the technology required; and personal characteristics, including high motivation, time commitment, ability to cope with lack of…

Reports on a collaborative effort between librarians and faculty at Seneca College (Toronto) to develop and implement an online, interactive tutorial for first-year business students that used Web-based technology. Discusses objectives, including increasing student knowledge of library resources and to increase levels of information literacy and…

Describes results of a survey of Deans of Colleges of Education that investigated distance education courses using interactive television or a Web-based instructional delivery model. Discusses faculty ownership of developed courses and materials; compensation; attitudes toward the distance learning instructional model; faculty training and…

The Southeast Asian country of Singapore comprises a main island and numerous islets between Malaysia and Indonesia. Inhabited by Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians, and other ethnic populations, Singapore is a vibrant mix of different cultures and religions. It is also reputed to be the most wired island in the world. This characteristic--along…

Online technology is increasingly being used as a tool for delivery of continuing education to health care professionals. This paper discusses key lessons learned in developing a distance-learning program. It provides practical information on ways to enhance interactivity and overcome obstacles. Preliminary outcomes for learners in a four-state…

The system of higher education like the public education system was designed to meet the needs of the industrial age and now is attempting to meet the needs of the informational age. At the higher education level, a need exists to develop new ways to deliver instruction to adult learners who are mobile and pressed for time with their jobs and…

This paper briefly introduces the trends towards e-learning and amplifies some examples of state of the art systems, pointing out that all of these are, to date, limited by adaptability and shareability of content and that it is necessary for industry to develop and use an inter-operability standard. Uses SCORM specifications to specify the…

Much is unknown about the effectiveness of networked technology in education. Although a great deal of research exists dealing with the effectiveness of various types of web-based learning systems, the focal question of most evaluation studies does not concern the innovation of the delivery model itself and the factors that contribute to its…

The Virtual Museum of Minerals and Molecules (VMMM) is a web-based resource presenting interactive, 3-D, research-grade molecular models of more than 150 minerals and molecules of interest to chemical, earth, plant, and environmental sciences. User interactivity with the 3-D display allows models to be rotated, zoomed, and specific regions of…