One of the most effective ways to implement the research-based instructional strategies from Classroom Instruction That Works is to use them with educational technologies, such as word processing and spreadsheet applications, multimedia, data collection tools, communication software, and the Internet. This book shows you how and gives you hundreds…

This issue of "Exploring," is devoted primarily to examination of alphabets and the languages they represent. Major articles include: "Shrinking the Alphabet" (Pat Murphy), a comparison of alphabet composition for different languages; "The Puzzle of Linear B" (Paul Doherty), a history of archaeologists' deciphering of an early form of written…

Graduate students often have difficulty understanding the concepts behind the various models of instructional design (ID). In order to help students in an introductory ID course come to a better understanding of the similarities and differences between various instructional models, the models were developed into dynamic computer graphics to use…

This study explores the interpretation of two types of flow diagrams composed of different visual elements intended to communicate the same meaning. Using linear and cyclical diagrams, the study focused on whether, given a series of diagrams using linear elements and a series using cyclical elements, both types of visuals convey the same message…

The purpose of this study was to measure how well business and professional people from various cultures interpret symbols commonly used in international business presentations. Questionnaires contained 15 black and white symbols, selected from the clip art collection of Harvard Graphics business graphics software. Respondents from the United…

This paper examines the various theories of motion relating to visual communication media, discusses the syntactic rules of moving images derived from those of still pictures, and underlines the motions employed in the construction of moving images, primarily television pictures. The following theories of motion and moving images are presented:…

The video-based exercises, designed at the Novice High to Intermediate High skill levels on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages language proficiency scale, are aimed at developing non-interactive listening comprehension. The tapes used contain authentic broadcast Russian. Nothing is adapted. The trick to using real Russian is…

Researchers investigated whether there was a difference in learning when teachers used PowerPoint software. Study participants were 143 students in a teacher education program at a mid-sized midwestern university. Students ranged in age from 20-48 years and were primarily Caucasian. Class size ranged from 33-39 students each of the four semesters…

To determine if using visual patterns can help technically oriented people create coherent papers, 97 students enrolled in a beginning composition class were given five hours of instruction in the use of the "hub and spokes" (central idea supported by examples), "S-curve" (pro-con), and pyramid (inductive or deductive) formats. Holistic…

A total of 121 third and fourth graders were randomly assigned to instructional treatments which each featured a short children's story. The treatments were oral-only, picture-only, and a combination of oral and pictures. Students saw and/or heard the presentation and were tested immediately and after a two-week retention interval for recall of…

Presents directions for constructing a hair hygrometer for detecting moisture in the air, outlines factors related to human space flight and reaction time, and explains the construction and use of a visual aid for map work. (GS)

In continuation courses for teachers, discussion of a picture course was found valuable, providing: nearness to actual teaching practice, expansion and solidifying of a topical vocabulary, possibility of guiding conversation, a favorable climate for conversation, and little financial (and technological) outlay. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Part of an international series of amply illustrated, colorful, small size books for children ages 5 to 10, this volume is designed to enhance learning and serve as an educational resource. The text describes aspects of the lives and customs of the people of ancient Egypt. The topics covered include the family, food, clothing, homes, agriculture,…

A need exists for a large fund of short, disconnected video materials designed specifically for rapid selective access and for use either in the classroom or the language laboratory, starting at the earliest stages of instruction. A theoretical model for creating these materials could be the language learner in public places in the target culture,…

The computer packages of PLOTALL, SYMAP, SURFACE II, QUSMO, QUSMO2, QUCRS, and QUTAB are commercially available plotting programs that provide aids for visualizing spatial distributed data and concepts. The incremental drum and line printer plots communicate often vast and difficult-to-interpret tabular data with or without geographic coordinates.…