This proceedings of the 2000 Topics on Distance Learning conference contains summaries of the following presentations: "The ABC's of Distance Learning via Full Motion Video" (Liz Owens); "Assessing the Cost of Technology in Instruction Using an Economic Model" (Joseph Lovrinic); "Collaboration Lessons Learned from the…

This report focuses on the nature, use, and challenges of educational technology. The following articles are included: "Technology and Change for the Information Age" (James B. Ellsworth); "Education in a Digital Democracy: Leading the Charge for Learning about, with, and beyond Technology" (Mark David Milliron and Cindy L.…

This paper describes efforts made by the faculty at Santa Fe Community College (Florida) to provide a learning-centered instructional environment for students in an introductory statistics class. Innovation in instruction has been stressed as institutions switch from "teacher-centered classrooms" to "student-centered…

This guide aims to help teachers plan, reflect on, and revise learning expeditions. Growing out of the metaphor of an Outward Bound wilderness expedition, learning expeditions are long-term, in-depth investigations of a topic that engage students in the world through authentic projects, fieldwork, and service. The work centers on critical…

This publication features articles that illustrate how several Northwest teachers are using problem solving to achieve rigorous and imaginative learning in their classrooms. Articles include: (1) "Open-Ended Problem Solving: Weaving a Web of Ideas" (Denise Jarrett); (2) "Teenager or Tyke, Students Learn Best by Tackling Challenging Math" (Suzie…

In this exploratory study, 135 pre-service teachers developed an instructional plan for a case study within the MIMIC (Multiple Intelligent Mentors Instructing Collaboratively) computer-based environment. Three-dimensional, animated pedagogical computer agents, representing constructivist and instructivist approaches to instructional planning,…

Combining assessment and research components on a large development and research project is a complex task. There are many descriptions of how either assessment or research should be conducted, but detailed examples illustrating integration of such strategies in complex projects are scarce. This paper provides definitions of assessment,…

Teachers participating in technology training must move beyond training classrooms to apply teaching methods that facilitate technology integration in their classrooms. Most adoption literature comes from proponents of innovations and outcomes resulting from applications of innovations, but more case studies of teacher experiences in technology…

As teachers and learners are faced with the potential of new learning environments, the extent to which the learning outcomes are achieved remains a high priority and subject to a wide range of evaluation strategies. Conventionally, evaluation is often conceptualized as occurring at the end of the development process, to assess first (formatively)…

An inservice training program to enhance the ability of child protective services (CPS) workers to provide parent education to their clients was developed and tested with CPS workers in a rural Ohio county. The CPS workers' need for training in delivery of parent education was assessed through an 11-item pretraining survey that was completed by 20…

This final performance report for the Brooklyn Public Library Literacy Program begins with a section that provides quantitative data. The next section compares actual accomplishments to project objectives for fiscal year 1992 in the following areas: (1) redevelopment of the tutor training, including redesign or addition of the writing process,…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is often promoted in response to the current need to offer authentic and effective professional education. PBL is a curriculum development and instructional system that simultaneously develops both problem solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills by placing students in the active role of problem…

The importance of learner support has been emphasized over and over in the distance education literature but there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of this issue. Besides that, most of existing studies on learner support are based on large-scale correspondence program and few of them provide guidelines for planning and implementing support…

Designing an online class guided by the principles of learner-centered instruction at the postsecondary level is a daunting challenge for new professors facing the demands of a tenure track position. This paper presents the findings of a pilot project on two junior faculty members' experiences with online course development and teaching in a…

This paper describes a distributed approach toward designing an Intelligent Tutoring System for the World Wide Web (WWW) at the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest (Romania). This approach was implemented in the EDIT Learning Environment and is defined by the following features: a WWW dedicated architecture, a distributed way of…