Combining the Excel spreadsheet with an email program provides a very powerful tool for sending students personalised emails. Most email clients now support a Mail Merge facility whereby a generic template is created and information unique to each student record in the spreadsheet is filled into that template, generating tens if not hundreds of…

James Morrison's interview with Trevor Owens explores Zotero, a free, open-source bibliographic tool that works as a Firefox plug-in. Previous bibliographic software, such as EndNote or Refworks, worked either online or offline to collect references and citations. Zotero leverages the power of the browser to allow users to work either online or…

This article presents an interview with Tim Collins, president of EBSCO Publishing. The amiable Collins put EBSCO Publishing (EP) on the map through a combination of first-rate search and user-friendly interfaces, a long list of strategic acquisitions, and a dedicated, stable staff. Now, the company Collins has nurtured for over two decades ranks…

This article introduces the art of three-dimensional modelling. Three-dimensional modelling is gaining acceptance as a new medium for self-expression. Students must first master the software programs, learn the tools and functions, the menu choices and settings, and use them to create realistic objects. (Contains 4 online resources.)

It is of course very difficult to accurately project important characteristics of the future state of any rapidly evolving field, and the field of authoring systems for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is no exception. However, strong trends in evolving CAI systems of today would seem to indicate some important characteristics of the software…

In their article, Kimball and Smith nicely articulated the benefits and challenges of creating computer technology to support individuals with autism. They also provided a well-devised three-point plan to stimulate and support progress in technology development for this population. As a follow-up to their article, this article expands the…

Over the last decade, the Intelligent Computer Tutoring Group (ICTG) has implemented many successful constraint-based Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) in a variety of instructional domains. Our tutors have proven their effectiveness not only in controlled lab studies but also in real classrooms, and some of them have been commercialized.…

Teachers in e-learning play a crucial role as facilitators of the students' learning experiences. To this end, a teacher needs to monitor, understand and evaluate the activity of the students in the course. What is more, e-learning can be enhanced if tools for supporting teachers in this task are provided. In this paper, two experiences are…

This paper explores a relatively new area in the design and development of assessment procedures for the evaluation of coursework and student performance on computer and video games degrees. Emphasis is placed on an assessment which involves the development of and interaction in a virtual world, where lecturers and students are represented as…

This paper describes a study aimed to identify most common impediments related to the introduction of an open-source mathematical software package GeoGebra. We report on the analysis of data collected during a three-week professional development programme organised for middle and high school teachers in Florida. The study identified challenges…

In this paper we report on the sustained research and development work at the AMSTEL Institute of the University of Amsterdam to improve mathematics and science education at primary and secondary school level, which has lead amongst other things to the development of the integrated computer working environment Coach 6. This environment consists of…

In this article, Annick Janson and Robin Janson introduce research from the Microsoft New Zealand's Partners in Learning Programme by documenting the impact of digital learning objects (DLOs) on educational practice. Janson and Janson describe the impact of DLOs on the teaching practice of a primary school in New Zealand, tracing the effects of…

The aim of this study was to assess the learning effectiveness and motivational appeal of a computer game for learning computer memory concepts, which was designed according to the curricular objectives and the subject matter of the Greek high school Computer Science (CS) curriculum, as compared to a similar application, encompassing identical…

This case study of four B.Ed TESL Overseas Link Degree trainee teachers was undertaken with the intention of discovering what goes on in the classroom in terms of the trainee teachers' classroom interactions in relation to their questioning techniques and responses. This is looked at how much of thinking is being encouraged and how much of the…

With advancement in information technology in the 21st century, e-learning has become an invaluable technology for teaching, learning and research in education. E-learning involves the use of technology to enhance learning including digital collaboration, satellite broadcasting, CD-ROMs amongst others. E-learning has so many advantages over the…