Considers four major decisions to illustrate the complexity of decision making about pretesting as part of the instructional process: whether a pretest should be administered; the behaviors that should be pretested; how pretesting should be accomplished; and how teaching strategies should be adjusted to pretest results. (MBR)

Revolutionary developments in collecting and analyzing data for use in improving curriculum and instruction at the local level are now possible with the advent of low-cost computers. The basic purposes and approaches of assessment methodologies must be refocused for local application. (LMO)

Describes a situation within an organization where a new problem-solving and decision-making program was being instituted and the development of a preparation program to acquaint program leaders with the changes. Objectives of the preparation program and elements of the guide and video that were utilized are discussed. (MBR)

Explores instructional design aspects of authoring software used to develop computer-assisted instruction; discusses nature of authoring languages and systems; describes instructional design implications and practical considerations in using authoring systems; and outlines needed developments in authoring software including intelligent tutoring…

Examines ways in which educational policies which seek to meet challenge of new information technologies have emerged and are emerging in three educational systems in United Kingdom. Curriculum, funding, strengths and weaknesses of the British approach, and the strategy paper of the Microelectronics Education Programme are highlighted. References…

Instructional information systems gather and link together data on pupil characteristics, pupil performance on tests, instructional methods, and attitudes and opinions. Results from a study of two instructional information systems indicate that even well-designed systems will only influence decision making under certain conditions. (BW)

Maps area of information studies as basis for discussion and course development with other university departments. Diversity versus disparity, meaning of information, information professions, information as commodity and process, information management programs and course models, information science and technology, and relationships of…

Reviews articles by Shoemaker, Morell, and Smith that appear in this issue and summarizes their suggestions for translating research into practice. Other, more aggressive approaches--the "survival gambit," the "cost-effectiveness ploy," the "younger-generation-is-going-to-hell argument," and the "infiltration route"--are suggested. (MBR)

Discusses methods of sampling the best information from instruction/training developers/candidates for professional certification and examines the problems of interpreting that information and making classification decisions. Assessment strategies including criterion-referenced, multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions, and portfolio…

Discussion of conditions that combine to influence the selection and implementation of instructional development as an approach to solving educational problems in developing nations focuses on prevailing traditions, economics, and internal and external politics. (MBR)

This article explains how teachers can develop their own interactive video programs. Suggestions for choosing equipment and developing lessons are given, and the development of a local history lesson using the interactive video form is described in detail. (PP)

Increasingly, kindergarten has become a full day of school, and nearly the whole day is devoted to academic instruction. Early childhood education is being pushed strongly toward the cognitive approach, with strong emphasis on early academic achievement, including the testing of young children to measure their accomplishments. What is lost or…

While a great deal of attention is currently paid to putting individual courses or entire degree programs online, less attention is paid to what makes these courses effective. Online courses are successful and effective once instructors analyze learning communities in a traditional classroom and transfer the knowledge successfully to the online…

The prior knowledge that a student brings into the lecture is one of the major factors influencing teaching effectiveness. It is therefore important that lecturers are able to ascertain the level of prior knowledge and adjust their teaching accordingly. This paper adopts an iterative learning model that seeks to enhance teaching effectiveness by…

This paper draws on an extensive review of literature associated with telecommuting and looks at features that might affect the offering and take-up of distance education, particularly distance education involving computer applications, telecommunications and web-based, off-campus delivery of courses or components of courses. The issue is…