In instruction there is always something that needs to be displayed. Little wonder that in some form or other media utilization is a given. But questions arise. "Is development meant to fit within media capabilities?" "Or are media to be selected because of their capabilities to meet development needs?" When in the…

There is no doubt about the value of braille in the personal and professional lives of people with visual impairments (Hatlen & Spungin, 2008; Spungin, 1996; Wells-Jensen, Wells-Jensen, & Belknap, 2005). Nevertheless, computers and assistive technology are often cited as the means to overcome limited access to information and other…

An assessment was made in 1978 of the longterm effects on school media utilization of Project Discovery (1964-1967), which was designed to test the effect of "maximum availability" of instructional materials on curriculum, on student attitudes, achievement, creativity, and motivation, and on teaching methods and techniques. The project…

This fifteenth annual report of the METRO evaluation center discusses continuing problems related to user acceptance of controversial materials, lack of and poor quality of film guides, and circulation of the right product to the right user as a preliminary to the evaluation of instructional materials. Based on statistical summaries, predictive…

Describes a dedicated method for the design of multimedia courseware, called PROFIL, which integrates instructional design with software engineering techniques and incorporates media selection in the design methodology. The phases of development are outlined: preliminary investigation, definition, script, technical realization, implementation, and…

There is a current vacillation in choosing hand or computer for design presentation in academia. Although the computer emerged as very powerful alternative presentation medium, it could not sweep away the hand totally. Believing that this vacillation cannot only be due to the positive and negative aspects of both media, we worked with a group of…

This guide to the economic analysis of media use in education reviews the evidence on the costs and benefits of educational media and provides a methodology for future decision-making. It includes chapters on establishing a framework for media choice, evaluating the effectiveness of media use, and analyzing costs. The empirical evidence from past…

Qualitative criticism is a method of understanding things, actions, and events within a social framework. It is a method of acquiring knowledge to guide decision making based on local knowledge and a synthesis of principles from criticism and qualitative research. The function of qualitative criticism is centered with Richard Rorty's theoretical…

A discussion of authoring system technology is based on a review of 80 products. Alternative authoring approaches are described; assumptions underlying development of authoring systems and their use are examined; selection procedures and criteria sensitive to varied needs are suggested; and trends in software development, evaluation, marketing,…

Instructors from two campuses of Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in Wisconsin were asked to judge the effectiveness of two integrated learning systems (ILS): the Computer Systems Resource (CSR) and Foundations for Success (FFS) systems, both of which are designed to provide adult learners with remedial instruction in reading, writing, and…