The article argues that we make best use of learning technologies if we begin with an understanding of educational problems, and use this analysis to target the solutions we should be demanding from technology. The focus is to address the issue from the perspective of teachers and lecturers (the "teaching community"), and to consider how…

Reviews the goals of the California State Department of Education's Technology in Curriculum (TIC) projects. Provides several examples of technology use and identifies several pieces of software which are being successfully used in high school social studies classes. (JDH)

This paper examines the use of the microcomputer as a mediating device, and explores its influence on curriculum. The relationship of a media device to subject matter and the nature of a subject are examined, and possible uses of the computer in science and social studies are analyzed to illustrate this principle. Three main points are emphasized…

Arguing that a well designed graphical display can function as a memory store, this article suggests three principles for the design and use of computer graphics: parsimony, accessibility, and reflection. It is suggested that "progressive graphics" are particularly suited to computer implementation. (Author/MBR)

Summarizes the rationale, development, and products of the History/Social Science Technology in Curriculum Project which is designed to take the guesswork out of selecting educational technology for K-12 social studies teachers. Describes the CompuTHINK program, and makes recommendations for developers of computer and instructional television…

Discusses problems in creating the information retrieval mechanisms used in constructivist computer-based learning environments to support knowledge discovery: (1) subject can not always be pre-specified and the learner may not know what to seek; (2) retrieval strategies differ considerably from conventional ones, with the search including data,…

Choi and Clark (2006) argue that learning is attributed to the instructional method rather than the specific medium used to deliver instruction (i.e., the pedagogical agent). Additionally, they consider pedagogical agents as unnecessarily expensive tools, whose instructional affordances can be replicated by less expensive options. In this response…

The educational problems of the United States have reached critical proportions, particularly if the nation is to maintain leadership in high technology industries. This document explores the promise technology offers for improving instruction and broadening alternatives for instructional delivery. The author considers how technologically assisted…

Provides two scenarios of teachers' use of computer assisted instruction (CAI) and educational television (ETV). Identifies reasons why ETV and CAI are more viable today than ever before, and reviews five roles for technology in the social studies classroom. (JDH)

Educators may have many questions about the values and uses of microcomputers in the school environment. Cost, versatility of software available, and amount of computer literacy desired are issues that may be encountered during computer selection. (DF)

Discusses the impact of the presentation of data on the educational effectiveness of computer assisted learning systems, describes some of the existing systems for controlling the display of instructional data on CRTs, and outlines a project undertaken at the University of Western Ontario to exploit the capabilities of microcomputer color…

Reviews the need for pairing computer and videodisc technology to represent and organize complex information and to provide learners with more powerful tools for learning and problem solving. Both the instructional applications and economics of intelligent videodisc are noted, as is the effort of the National Science Foundation to support such…

No culture in the world's history has been so consumed with controlling the future's course, and conversely, so unconcerned with discovering meaning from the past. The provocative challenge of a future which will bring fulfillment to the American educational system is compelling. The future for school library media programs must amount to…

Chronicles the development of a writing course into a G1 online course, which provides students with handouts and links to developmental education sites. Outlines the recommended processes for effective writing: prewriting, drafting, editing, and presenting. Provides links to the course Web site for others interested in adding an online component…

Computer uses in the classroom is the theme topic of this journal issue. Contents include: "Emo Welzl: 1995 Leibniz Laureate" (Hartmut Wewetzer); "Learning to Read with the Aid of a Computer: Research Project with Children Starting School" (Horst Meermann); "The Multimedia School: The Comenius Pilot Project" (Tom Sperlich); "A Very Useful Piece of…