Often colleges and universities that are just beginning to include technical communication in their curricula do so using faculty trained in traditional English doctorate programs. This digest examines several areas of concern for such institutions and discusses: (1) characteristics of technical communication; (2) issues in teaching technical…

A growing interest among industrial and organizational psychologists is learning how to predict and maximize trainability. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between dimensions of cognitive style and perceptual mode as well as their association with a learning style instrument, explore the relationship between field…

This paper documents and describes a new course in visual communications developed at the University of Oklahoma to serve a general college undergraduate audience. The course content which is summarized in three areas--graphics and media techniques, visual/verbal message design and delivery, and "pure visual" message design and delivery--is…

A printed text can be considered a picture on which readers project their own image in order to understand its original meaning. This process is explained via several kinds of original documents. Implications for instruction in reading a foreign language are discussed and several examples are given. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

The instructional effectiveness and efficiency of organizational chunking and batched postquestions within the framework of an information processing approach to learning and memory were investigated. Results indicated that the chunked treatment was a more efficient learning strategy. The intervening postquestion strategy helped reduce completion…

Modern means that can be used in the framework of teaching substantially extend the possibilities of schoolmasters, but they also complicate the pedagogical process. Can we make really effective use of them? Have we, at their application, really greater pedagogical effect? How do we include the possibilities of audiovisual techniques into the…

Presents results of research into the relationship between two anxiety measures and performance on a visual concept acquisition task for university undergraduates. Analysis of variance indicates a significant interaction between cueing treatment and scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Further research using different populations and…

A study investigated the effectiveness of stereochemistry lap-dissolve projection as an aid to students in developing three-dimensional imaging and whether certain visual orientation tasks could be correlated with aptitude. Students found the slides helpful, and a modest correlation of achievement and visual skills was found. (MSE)

Contains the following two leadership profiles of individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of instructional technology: "Francis M. Dwyer: Visual Researcher Extraordinaire" (David M. Moore); and "Tribute to John G. Hedberg: Professor of Education, University of Wollongong" (Thomas Reeves). (MES)

Describes a study of undergraduates that enhanced a hypertext environment with a graphical overview that represented the basic domain structure and designed the layout so learners were unobtrusively encouraged to follow a sequence of exploration that followed the domain structure. Results indicated that a visual display conveys knowledge in its…

Explains a generative theory of textbook design and describes three experiments that compared college students' solutions on transfer problems after reading science texts with illustrations adjacent to corresponding text and including annotations, and illustrations separated from text without annotations. (LRW)

College students were surveyed to determine whether they comprehended, identified with, and were motivated by poster messages regarding safer sex, alcohol use, and stress management. Results are presented for males and females, response differences between men and women are discussed. Suggestions for improving effectiveness and eliminating design…

Describes a study of college students that was conducted to examine the effectiveness of integrating different computerized visual-presentation strategies in learning different contents; the effect of identical presentation strategies on students possessing different levels of prior knowledge; and whether the use of different visual strategies…

Describes the "Ara Pacis Augustae" that is a monumental altar commemorating the emperor Augustus' safe return in 13 B.C. from his provincial tour of Spain and Gaul. Explains how students in a Roman history class can learn about the culture during the age of emperor Augustus by studying the altar. (CMK)