This article begins with a definition of "edutainment," a hybrid genre that relies heavily on visual material, on narrative or game-like formats, and on more informal, less didactic styles of address. It examines what technology and education entail. Discussion then focuses on a critique of problems with edutainment, drawing on the…

One teacher's experience using student-written texts as a basis for testing other students has become a good way of integrating the four language skills in a natural progression and in pinpointing students' language weaknesses. Using students' texts has also reinforced the importance of choosing visual materials carefully. (MSE)

An understanding of the important concepts of electrical safety can be developed without the concept of potential. Stresses the idea of current flow and the hazards involved. Discusses ground-fault circuit breakers. Includes diagrams on safe and faulty circuits which could lead to electrocution. (Author/MVL)

Describes topics in chemistry as related in the Classics Illustrated publications. Provides a list from "The Pioneers of Science" series with issue date, number, and biograhical topic. Lists references to topics in chemistry. Presents many pages from these comics. (MVL)

Discusses interaction and the need for considering cultural dimensions when translating instructional materials between nations. A taxonomy of educational objectives for interaction is introduced and Stolovitch's procedures for learning verification and revision (LVR) are discussed, including case studies describing interactive radio instruction,…

Three high-school students with deafness and additional disabilities used microcomputer software featuring graphics and cartoons to improve their creative writing. Though use of correct syntactic structures did not improve, output of written language did increase. Descriptions of the software used and case studies of the three students are…

Discusses the use of videodiscs in education and highlights four main areas of application: (1) direct instruction, or programed lessons; (2) instructional support, including teacher designed lessons and the use of visual aids; (3) independent research, which students may use in conjunction with traditional reference materials in the library; and…

Study of the performance of nearly 2,000 students in grades 2 through 9 on a variety of mental computation tasks using visual and oral presentation found a wide variation in performance within the sample of each country at each grade level. (33 references) (MKR)

Presents activities to visually explore the algebraic concepts of variable, constant, the distributive property, and combining like terms. Presents four transparencies that use visual models to understand exercises in students perform the same mental calculations on a number of their choice and obtain the same result. (MDH)

Discussion of visible models of training course organization covers uses for course designers, including clarifying course structure, planning lessons, communicating course requirements, and presenting a course overview; six steps to produce a visible model; and benefits for designers, instructors, and students. An example of a schematic diagram…

Presents an alternative method to teaching percent problems which uses a 10x10 grid to help students visualize percents. Offers a means of representing information and suggests different approaches for finding solutions. Includes reproducible student worksheet. (MKR)

This article reviews the literature on the use of content enhancement techniques to help secondary students with learning disabilities to identify, organize, comprehend, and memorize critical content information. Content enhancements described include visual displays, mnemonics, advance organizers, study guides, peer mediation, audiotapes, and…

Presents the key design concepts of a software project whose objective is to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient solution for showing slides during lessons in computer labs. Contains 26 references. (DDR)

Describes a speech-interactive graphics microworld in which learners speak problem-solving directions to an animated agent and in which new scenarios can be authored. A proof-of-concept application is illustrated for sustaining basic speaking skill in Modern Standard Arabic. (Author/VWL)

Outlines important issues to address when planning video production facilities in a school's media center. Discusses spatial, light, and temperature considerations; determining amount to be spent, what the studio will be used for, and selecting equipment; considering digital video and nonlinear editing systems; visiting schools that already have a…