Educational visionaries and reformers have long predicted a significant transformation of teaching and learning that would be facilitated by technology, essentially providing every learner with the equivalent of a personal tutor. Technology implementations in education, however, have consistently fallen short of achieving these lofty aims. The…

Discusses interactivity in Web-based learning and provides a framework of interaction attributes that can be used to select strategies and tactics to facilitate interaction on the Web. Topics include interaction with content; social interaction; instructor-centered approach; student-centered approach; collaboration; conversation; intrapersonal…

Article surveys various approaches to questions of group interaction as they are affected by the choice of a communications medium. (Author)

A discussion of a course designed to see if observable improvements in intelligibility could be obtained with two profoundly deaf subjects, using the same approach that had been developed for English phonetics training of subjects with normal hearing. (Author)

Integrates the theoretical foundations of distance education programs with the selection of appropriate media. The principles of learning that take place in traditional instruction are discussed; instructional objectives and methods are described; matching objectives, methods, and media is considered; and types of communication are discussed. (10…

Reviews the incorporation of interactivity in Web-based instruction. Discusses computer mediated learning; interactivity and learning, including instructional transaction theory and cognitive flexibility theory; advantages of Web-based instruction; content and social interactivity; asynchronous and synchronous communication; individual and group…

Discussion of the growing use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in education focuses on an intrapersonal communication model based on the cognitive experience of the individual. Four types of experiential learning that can be applied to CMC are explained: (1) response learning; (2) situation learning; (3) transsituation learning; and (4)…

Discusses the development of online courses in higher education and the use of the Web for new modes of communication and information retrieval. Describes a study that examined instructional design for Web-based instruction and suggests implications for the conceptualization of a collaborative model for the design of online courses. (LRW)

A discussion of Information Mapping, which is defined as a system of principles and procedures for categorizing, writing, interrelating and sequencing and presenting graphically information required for learning and reference. (Author)

Defines dialogue as a disciplined, consensus-building process of collective communication based on shared values and beliefs. Highlights include the evolutionary history of dialogue; the role of dialogue in building a civil society and in the design of social systems; and the need to develop learning resources in evolutionary inquiry and in the…

Reports on a study in which computer-mediated communication (CMC) messages obtained from two public access, educationally oriented electronic bulletin boards (BBSs) were categorized according to board type and intent and analyzed for structure, length, complexity, and readability. The potential for CMC in the educational environment is considered.…

Reviews characteristics of computer-based training (CBT) that make application of communication theories appropriate and presents principles from communication theory (e.g., general systems theory, symbolic interactionism, rule theories, and interpersonal communication theories) to illustrate how CBT developers can profitably apply them to…

Discusses the need for moving beyond mere information seeking and acquisition to a critical thinking and problem solving approach. Highlights include the Deweyan emphasis on reflection and deliberation; knowledge creation as a shared endeavor; and the art of communicating meaning through intelligently guided inquiry and carefully crafted language.…

Discussion of the role of a visual designer in media programing highlights the relationship between content, design, and technical aspects. Collaborative effort between the content expert, the instructional developer, and the technical staff is described, the role of style is discussed, and the function of communication is emphasized. (LRW)

Focuses on two mental activities--reflection and metaphor--that can be used with communication to facilitate changes in an educational system. Discusses two contexts in which they are being used: (1) in individual thinking and writing; and (2) as part of a facilitated group activity. (AEF)