Case studies of Australian classroom practice using Information Technology (IT) to enhance student learning.

While innovation advocates have focused on the need to reform Philippine schools to meet the needs and demands of society, little has been done to change the teachers' practices. Recent studies have pointed to inadequate teacher training as one of the reasons for Filipino students' low achievement. This study was conducted to identify specific variables that contributed significantly to teacher competence, affect, familiarity, and perceived skill. The survey research method utilized was a three-part instrument administered by the principal investigator. Four independent variables were analyzed: place of work, academic subject; years of teaching experience; and training in instructional technology. Findings suggest specific variables significant in designing a curriculum for preparing teachers in implementing educational programs. The results of the competence test of this study imply a need for training on the use of instructional design and in the instructional technology field. (Contains 28 references.)

This report presents the findings of a survey ("Programs and Activities Using Technology To Serve Students at Risk of School Failure") of a sampling of large school districts in the United States and Canada, conducted to obtain information on the use of technology to serve students at risk of school failure for the participants in a conference on this topic. The first of four sections describes students at risk, (i.e., who they are and the problems that they pose for society) based on the comments and observations of the 360 survey respondents. The second section provides an overview of current programs and activities using technology, particularly computers and video. A summary of procedures, data analysis, and findings of the survey form the third section, and the fourth presents a selection of survey responses. These responses include 121 program descriptions, together with the names and addresses of people to contact, in seven areas: (1) basic skills instruction, (2) programs for dropouts and potential dropouts, (3) English as a second language, (4) instruction of multiple/various targets, (5) record keeping, (6) special education, and (7) vocational education. A copy of the questionnaire and the cover letter are appended.

Summarizes results of three technology-in-education research projects: (1) New Pathways to a Degree: Using Technologies to Open the College. This pioneering Annenberg/CPB program showed that technology can be used today to restructure higher education in a lasting way, opening access for adults to a rich and supportive education; (2) Studies of Valuable, Viable Software: Is the marketplace likely to support the development of enough software for education? What kinds of software have been widely used and beneficial for learning? This unique research study analyzes 20 cases where software succeeded in influencing education and draws some conclusions about the kinds of software that are, and aren't viable; (3) Nebraska Videodisc Report (1985). The evaluation reports on the striking success of pioneering, large-scale use of videodiscs at the University of Nebraska to support lab simulations.

A study examined the effect of extended use of computers on reading achievement. The study population consisted of 75 seventh-grade students at the J. N. Thorp Elementary School located in a predominantly low-income socio-economic neighborhood of South Chicago. Of this total, 15 students were subjected to an intensive computer assisted instruction program, while 15 others, randomly selected from the remaining group of 60, received no computer training and served as a control group. The reading subtest of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills served as the pre- and post-test. Results indicated a statistically significant increase in reading achievement of the students who used computers. (One table of data is included; 13 references are attached.)

Describes best papers from the Sixth International Conference of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) held in San Antonio, Texas, March 22-25, 1995. The first paper described is "Teaching teachers to change: The place of change theory in the technology education of teachers," by Brent Robinson, Cambridge University, UK.

During 1993-94 and 1994-95, eight Wake County (North Carolina) Public School System schools were funded by the federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) as they attempted to improve students' education and achievement through technology. This report summarizes the status of the participating schools. Results include: (1) a variety of technology components were implemented in all MSAP schools. Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRTs) conducted many types of training and served as resources to help teachers use technology in their classrooms in all subjects; (2) after the first year of the grant, MSAP elementary schools and Ligon Middle School had made progress towards the two-year goal of reducing the gap between majority and minority performance on end-of-grade (EOG) tests; (3) targeted students at Enloe High School were not more likely than a comparison group to enroll in advanced courses, but were more likely to complete these courses with a grade of C or better; and (4) teachers believe integrating technology with their teaching is important, but many reported that before MSAP, they did not use technology because of time constraints and curriculum coverage requirements. Grant activities appeared to have a positive impact on instruction; teachers' views and use of technology improved by May 1994. Data is summarized in six figures.

Describes a project that explores the combined use of Internet client-server technology and interactive computer modeling software for improving secondary science teaching. Classroom core practices are evaluated for traceable impacts of change in student learning. Contains 59 references.

The abstract of the online article reads: "The Knowledge Integration Environment (KIE) combines network resources and software with sound pedagogical principles to improve science learning. KIE networking tools allow students to use scientific evidence in activities that foster knowledge integration. In a pilot test in an eighth-grade physical science classroom, students worked collaboratively to answer scientific questions such as whether light travels forever or dies out. With the KIE, students use evidence from the Net and tools such as an electronic notebook and online discussion tools to make collaborative decisions. This paper describes the pedagogical framework, the components of the KIE software, and initial results from pilot research. We conclude by discussing promising next steps for networking in science education."

When a school or district decides to implement education technology into the curriculum, one of its overriding goals must be to create plans and policies for all members of the learning community to have equitable access and use. Appropriate funding and professional development represent the key means of supporting equitable access and use of technology to ensure technology literacy and to support meaningful learning for all students.

The Clinton administration has challenged the telecommunications industry to wire every classroom in the nation by the year 2000. Most schools still have no access to the information superhighway and would be ill-equipped to take advantage of network connections. Bringing them online-and creating the conditions in which they can use their connections in ways that enrich students-will require a substantial effort at a time of tight federal, state, and local budgets. Connecting schools is within our grasp if we agree it's a goal worth pursuing.

A program for infusing technology into the high school curriculum was initiated with grant funds at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in 1993-94. The first year of the program focused on establishing an Interactive Technology Lab, assessing teachers' readiness for the integration of technology into the curriculum and the effects of this technology on teacher and student attitudes and student achievement. Attitudinal and achievement changes were assessed in two sophomore biology classes and one senior chemistry class. Interactive video and electronic networking were the technological areas highlighted as particularly useful for deaf students, whose English language skills may be weak. Evaluation results were generally positive in terms of measured student and teacher outcomes and extremely positive in terms of the development of and capacity for delivering the technology-infused curriculum. The most important result may have been student enthusiasm for the technology. Eight tables present evaluation findings. (Contains 13 references.)

Using technology to support instruction improved student outcomes in language arts, math, social studies, and science, according to a 1995 review of more than 130 academic studies.

The three reports in this collection are based on research reviews and original research from both published and unpublished sources, covering the years 1986 through 1990, and they reflect the broad array of factors that determine the effectiveness of technology-based instruction. The first report discusses research studying the effects of microcomputers on student achievement. Such studies compared computer-assisted instruction with more traditional instructional methods, and related student achievement to software design, learner characteristics, and implementation decisions. Research demonstrating the power of microcomputers and other educational technologies to motivate students and to improve their attitudes about learning and themselves is discussed in the second report. Finally, the effects of microcomputers on social interaction and relationships within the classroom are examined. Each study included in these reports is cited in the bibliography.

A pilot study with 17 middle school science teachers at 15 schools was conducted to determine how to use interactive videodisk technology to develop student ability to use visual skills in processing science information, thereby improving science achievement. The first year's progress is described in identifying how visual images seem to affect student learning. A survey of student attitudes toward the use of images to learn science was conducted with five seventh-grade classes. An analysis of 56 sets of responses identified the ways students were using the videos and what they liked. A 29-item survey was given to 395 students to learn more about their attitudes. Results support the idea that stimulating verbal achievement with visual images under the control of a teacher or students is a successful way to improve science learning. Sixty to 80 percent of students responded that the use of visual images helped them learn. Teacher reactions were also favorable. A model is presented to guide the instructional use of images in the classroom. One table and one figure supplement the discussion. (Contains 15 references.)

Examines the quality of technology-based learning, investigating whether interactive technology can improve educational systems. The paper describes a program to gather evidence for definitive empirical studies and discusses possibilities for establishing the pedagogical value of technology-based learning material.

Quotes studies that show: 1) teachers with computers expect more from their students, spend more time with individual students, etc.; 2) teachers save an average of 36 minutes a day in administrative tasks alone; 3) citations to three studies about teachers and computing.

Three general areas in which technology (microcomputers and video technology) can facilitate learning are discussed: (1) helping students develop fluency (rapid recognition of familiar patterns); (2) providing rich problem-solving contexts that invite thinking; and (3) enabling students to create products that catch the attention of their teachers and peers.

This chapter discusses technology and its role in education. Questions that are raised are: What do we know about the effects of technology on student learning and educational practice? What will future research on technology look like, and how might it different from what has been done in the past? To find the answers to these questions, three areas were simultaneously explored: (a) technology, (b) theories of human potential and human learning, and (c) issues of educational practice.

"This paper presents a taxonomy of educational technology applications organized in terms of the ways they support integrated, inquiry-based learning. The taxonomy is far from a finished document and should be read more as some rough notes. What I have tried to do is to lay out a framework for thinking about the broad array of applications of educational technology. The framework suggests ways that computers and other new information technologies can be used to support the full range of learning."

Considering questions relevant for teachers, students, researchers, and developers of educational innovations, this book centers on the words and experiences of the teachers and students who used QUILL--a system containing both computer-based tools and environments for writing. The first chapter introduces general issues on which the analysis of QUILL is based. The second chapter discusses literacy development in relation to society, culture, learning, and social contexts. The third chapter focuses on QUILL as an innovation, including the software, the activities software, and its support system. The fourth chapter describes classrooms in the Alaskan cities, town, and villages that form the social context of the study. The fifth chapter discusses the complex and important idea of "purpose" in learning and describing alternate realizations of QUILL. The sixth chapter describes how QUILL's approach to fostering revision was realized. The seventh chapter presents the evolution of a community of teachers linked by an electronic communication network. The eighth chapter presents a theoretical framework for studying innovations and change. The ninth chapter discusses what was learned as a result of the evaluation of QUILL. (Contains 164 references.)

Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) is a major research project designed to develop an innovative computer-integrated instructional program for the elementary school. It has been a four-year effort funded by grants totaling $1,055,000 from the Florida Department of Education with additional support from 7 Florida school districts and over 15 business partners. Project CHILD provides a unique synthesis of effective practices, curriculum realignment, and a new organizational structure for the elementary school. The program is designed for grades K-5 and covers the subject areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics. Project CHILD provides the model, supporting materials, and integrative applications of technology to enable today's elementary school teachers to take their first steps on the bridge to the future. This paper provides a description of the program and summary of the findings from the summative evaluation phase of the project which was conducted during the 1989-90 school year. The key finding from that evaluation concluded that Project CHILD has been an effective method of teaching students. (38 references)

Discusses Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development), a program promoting active learning and the integration of technology with learning stations. First piloted in Florida in 1991 and adopted by 57 schools, the project's success has been ensured by documentation, updates, encouragement, and support. Describes a day in the life of a Project CHILD fourth grader.

Online resources to support engaged learning workshops for District 118 teachers, media staff, and administrators during the 1998-99 school year.

Because computers fascinate young learners, they can be powerful teaching tools. Drawing on research conducted simultaneously by researchers in France, Spain, and the United States, this book shows how to use technology--specifically a word processor with voice synthesizer--to build literacy and encourage learning in elementary school students. The chapters are: (1) "The New Literacy," on what we know about how children learn to speak, read, write, and function in their culture; (2) "Birth of the Language Machine"; (3) "The Discovery of Written Language in the Computer Age," on Dr. Rachel Cohen's innovative work with computers and young children in France; (4) "A Computer Corner for Three-Year-Old Children," on the work of Spanish Researchers Dr. Gloria Medrano and Maria Luisa Herrero Nevela; (5) "Computers and Special Needs Students"; (6) "Writing to Read," on the implementation and effects of the Writing to Read Program; (7) "Software for Early Literacy," (8) "Integration of Computers into the Classroom"; (9) "Technology Program Evaluation"; (10) "The Problem of Change in the Culture of School," on why computer technology has been accepted into the school culture only so far as it supports existing practice; and (11) "Future Directions," on technology's continued impact on learning in and out of the classroom. The book's eight appendices include criteria for scoring writing samples, a list of software programs for early literacy, a teacher's checklist for integrating technology in the classroom, and a list of review sources online. Contains references.

"The Role of Online Communications in Schools: A National Study" demonstrates that students with online access perform better. The study, conducted by CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology), an independent research and development organization, and sponsored by the Scholastic Network and Council of the Great City Schools, isolates the impact of online use and measures its effect on student learning in the classroom. The study compared the work of 500 students in fourth-grade and sixth-grade classes in 7 urban school districts (Chicago, Dayton, Detroit, Memphis, Miami, Oakland, and Washington DC) -- half with online access and half without.

Web page describes research and development projects that seek to advance theory and research on effective learning and teaching, and to apply its insights to the innovative design, use, and assessment of interactive learning environments.

For the next three years, the CEO Forum (a partnership of 21 Business and Education Leaders) will issue an annual assessment of national progress toward school technology readiness using the STAR (School Technology and Readiness) chart as a backdrop and the 1997 STAR Assessment as a baseline measure. To enable more robust future assessments of the state of technology presence and integration in American schools, the CEO Forum will work with others to define and collect additional data, particularly on the integration of hardware, connectivity, content, and professional development. (The STAR chart describes technology use and integration in a typical school in 4 school profiles ranging from Low Technology Schools to Target Technology schools that integrate technology throughout the curriculum.) Also highlights the potential educational benefits that each level of technology offers. For example, in the Target Technology school, one of the educational benefits is listed as: "Student-centered, authentic, project-based."

Gives an Exploration of a technology-supported, engaged learning unit with discussion examples.

Computers offer the teacher a tool for instruction in the Social Studies that allow students to be motivated, learn social skills, attain moral ideals, develop thinking skills, and acquire knowledge easily. The findings of this review suggest that the software selected for classroom use must reflect the desired educational goals and that the teacher needs to have a clear understanding of the objectives and of the technologies' strengths and weaknesses. In order to evaluate effectively and measure the computers' contribution to education, the review indicates that the emphasis in standardized testing should focus on the knowledge that computers are able to instill in students. Time, patience, quality training, creative software, and commitment to the use of computers in the classroom are all necessary for the computer to show its true capabilities. The subject areas of language arts, mathematics, and sciences frequently use computers in the classroom. Case studies of the effectiveness of computers in the schools provide differing results and factors for consideration. Contains 23 references.

The use of technology in classrooms shares top billing with the standards and assessment movement as ways to improve education. This report is about technology in the classroom. It provides a baseline of information from which we can track change. Change, of course, is the one constant in the world of technology. This report is a "snapshot" of a rapidly changing phenomenon; the picture will have to be taken regularly for such information to be useful.

The use of paper and pencil, videotape recordings, and microcomputers in student testing provide three very different views of student achievement. Paper and pencil tests can record how students compose tests and documents, and how they critique documents or performances. Video recordings can record how students explain ideas, answer questions, listen in class, cooperate in a joint task, and perform experiments. Microcomputers can record how students learn with feedback, trace their thinking processes, and record their abilities to deal with realistic situations. The construction of tests and the format those tests take are based, in part, on the kinds of tasks that students are required to learn to perform and a change in educational testing affects the instructional material that is taught. A key part of a current effort to develop systematically valid methods of assessing student performance in the context of high school science is the exploration of the kinds of tasks that will enable students to use and demonstrate the broader range of abilities outlined above, which will require very different kinds of tasks than those that are now the norm. Data are being collected for this project using a computer program called Physics Explorer, which provides students with a simulation environment in which they can conduct experiments to determine how different variables affect each other in a physical system. Another kind of task might be diagnosing why a system is not behaving as expected. Computers can also provide a setting where students can carry out a design task and try it out in a simulation. Research needs to be conducted to test this new approach to testing in schools, paying particular attention to its reliability, generalizability across schools, and effectiveness. (17 references)

This volume integrates research findings from three multinational studies conducted to examine the impact of children's use of computers in school. Conclusions are drawn from in-depth analyses of trends in more than twenty nations. Its seven authors from four nations were key researchers on these projects.

This new report from a group of business and education leaders shows how schools can bring science and math classrooms up-to-date with modern computers, CD-ROMS, modems, and online connections -- for a very affordable cost.

When you walk into a classroom with only the basic blackboard and, possibly, sound amplification, the assumption is clear: you can teach whatever concepts and provide whatever information is necessary with the lecture, chalkboard and discussion. Master classrooms take a different starting point. They begin with the assumption that different teachers may prefer different teaching styles, that different concepts may require different media and methods of communication, and that different learners have different cognitive styles.

Describes the benefits of distance education. (Does not describe research.)

This guide focuses on the use of computers and cooperative learning techniques in classrooms that include students with disabilities. The guide outlines the characteristics of cooperative learning such as goal interdependence, individual accountability, and heterogeneous groups, emphasizing the value of each group member. Several cooperative learning models are also described, ranging from simple structures such as "think, pair, share" to more complex structures called "learning together," "jigsaw," or "student team learning." The benefits of incorporating computer usage into cooperative learning activities are explored, and four classroom scenarios that illustrate these benefits are described. A list of 6 references, 3 readings, 4 organizations, and 16 software programs concludes the guide.

This article suggests the approach to implement technology based on the author's 25 years of experience in this area, plus the findings of studies related to technology implementation. The approach suggested emphasizes instructional and student needs first and then through planning integrates technology in ways that enhance and extend instructional and learning opportunities.

The areas outlined in this document are: A) the major outcomes consistently shown for students and teachers determined to result from technology; B) technology development and applications to support teaching learning; C) local, state, and national factors to support effective technology applications; and D) considerations for an expanded R & D agenda for educational technology.

Explains what research and experience tells us about the benefits and the most appropriate uses of technology and telecommunications to support and expand teaching and learning.

During the 1993-94 school year, the Office of Research and Evaluation of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) conducted a districtwide evaluation of instructional technology. The evaluation consisted first of an accurate count of all computers in AISD schools, and then of an in-depth evaluation of the integrated learning systems of the Computer Curriculum Corporation (CCC) and Jostens Learning. The over 11,000 computers in the Austin schools are more than twice the amount present 3 years ago. Of these, 39% are considered old. This amounts to six students for every one computer in the district. Gains in student achievement have not been significant enough to declare either of the integrated learning systems effective, but the gains made at some schools warrant their continued use. Better communication and training are needed to encourage use of laser disc technology and to ensure the effectiveness of the integrated learning systems. The district should add computers and plan to replace outdated models. Eighteen figures and two tables present evaluation findings. Four attachments provide supplemental information, including the principal questionnaire. (Contains 7 references.)

How attitudes of parents, teachers, and students toward computers affect the integration and use of computer technology in schools was studied at an elementary school in Texas. Whether these attitudes changed with the introduction of computer technology and the implications of involving parents in the planning of curriculum and activities was also examined. The school purchased Macintosh computers and implemented computer training and laboratory access for teachers, parents, and students. The study involved 475 students, 34 teachers, and 230 parents in two school years. Each group reported successful experiences and positive attitudes toward computers. Measurement indicated that attitudes improved or increased in the second year. High initial enthusiasm makes the impact of the technology less apparent, but results tend to confirm the belief that successful implementation of technology requires a supportive environment from administrators and the community. Three tables present survey findings. (Contains 19 references.)

The education reform movement, gaining and sometimes losing momentum since the sixties, is now coming to a boil. The head of the boil is economic insurgency. Although the cure is subject to much debate, the cry for technology based re-engineering has become the point of the surgical lance. As the workplace has been made over by re-engineering, so will go the "learnplace".

A study examined the effectiveness of the Writing-to-Read Computer Program in elementary school language arts education. The program is designed to teach children to read through interacting with a computer by learning sound/symbol relationships and by composing stories. First through fourth graders from predominantly black, urban schools and from a rural, racially integrated school were tested in vocabulary, reading recognition, reading comprehension, and language subtests of the Metropolitan Achievement Test, and in the reading, language, and spelling subtests of the California Achievement Test. Results indicated that the Writing-to-Read Program produced significant gains in language and spelling that hold up over time. However, it did not seem to influence reading ability. Traditionally, poor language skills have been seen as a detriment to normal development in reading, yet the children in this study had strong language scores. Results also suggest that if these children had a whole language start in reading instruction beginning in kindergarten, the children's scores in reading would improve dramatically. (Three tables of data are included.)

This Yearbook was created to share visions, successes, and well-learned lessons to stimulate an extended dialogue among ASCD members. Its chapters include discussions on technology in support of educational reform, technology tools for teaching and learning science, support for project-based learning, assistive technology for young children in special education, integrating Internet services into school communities, and implementing educational technology "tomorrow morning."

This paper describes the program Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) and reports on the instructional evolution that occurred in those classrooms.

Identifies and discusses 8 current trends in this growing field: computers in schools, networking, television in the school, advocacy for educational technology, Educational technology in the community, New delivery systems for educational technology, Technological literacy for teachers, and educational technology and educational reform. A comparison of the findings from 1995 to other trend studies by the author conducted in 1988, 1989, and 1991 provide readers a longitudinal perspective on trends. Each trend is listed separately with supporting data, subjective commentaries, and references.

The engaged learning classroom is a stimulating multidimensional learning environment in which technology adds variety of presentation and a greater depth and breadth to satisfy individual curiosities.

Designed to demonstrate principles of engaged learning and effective use of technology by K-12 teachers who participated in staff development programs at Fermi Lab.

This online handbook describes projects designed by K-12 teachers that demonstrate engaged learning and effective use of technology while reflecting national standards or goals. Each project has an assessment component but results of evaluation are not included.

Commemorates the tenth anniversary of the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) Project. The contributors to this volume, most of whom have had an association with ACOT, are veterans in studying and using technology in schools. While recognizing that technology is not a panacea for education's problems, they shed light on ways in which it can serve as a powerful catalyst for student learning.

Describes a 1995-96 CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) controlled study conducted in seven major U.S. cities that measured the effects of online usage (via Internet and Scholastic Network) on student learning. Results show that online use can increase student performance. Students in experimental classes produced better results on a civil rights unit than those in control classes.

Model Schools Partnership research monograph features: Reform, Restructuring, and Technology (by Judith Davidson Wasser), Educational Technology: Support for Inquiry-Based Learning (by Andee Rubin), Professional Development in a Technological Age: New Definitions, Old Challenges, New Resources (by Cathy Miles Grant), and Community Support: A Key to Realizing Technology Visions (by Alan Feldman).

Using a new empirical method to evaluate teachers' use of technology in the classroom, researchers found that elementary teachers tend to use technology for low-to-medium-level activities such as basic skills instruction, and that even though secondary-level teachers were more likely to use technology for classroom innovation, room for improvement was found for both groups.

During the summer of 1996, at the University of Northern Colorado, we taught a problem-solving course to twenty secondary mathematics teachers. Our goals in the course included promoting the NCTM Standards regarding problem solving, discussing alternative assessment, implementing appropriate use of technology, and learning content while engaged in a cooperative learning mode. In allowing them to probe on their own, technology became a means for them to develop as teachers and as problem solvers.

A practicum implemented a program of writing instruction-using computers and measured its effectiveness in helping eleventh-grade remedial students meet the district's ninth-grade writing proficiency requirements, and in improving students' attitudes toward writing. Subjects were 13 eleventh-grade students in a C-track (remedial) English class. A pre-implementation survey determined experience and attitudes toward writing and computers. Writing assignments from the ninth grade writing proficiency exam were used as a pretest (handwritten) and posttest (handwritten and computer written). In 34 sessions over a 12-week period, students were instructed (using computers with word processing and software) on sentence structure and paragraphing. A posttest questionnaire elicited students' attitudes about writing and the use of computers. Results indicated that students improved in writing in both style and mechanics, with all students passing the proficiency paragraph exam. Improvements were noted both in the computer-generated and the handwritten assignment. Results also indicated that students' attitudes toward writing and homework improved as a result of the computer writing experience. (Twenty-three references are included; two appendixes contain the student questionnaire and the student computer ability survey.)

This report presents the findings of an external research project that evaluated the program SuperQuest. Participating schools, teachers, and students from each of the six years of the program (1989-95) were included in the study. The report discusses qualities of the program as it was experienced by various stakeholders and school sites, its degree of success, and factors that may have mediated impacts.

A study examined the effect of computer-assisted instruction on the reading achievement of third- through sixth-grade students in a low socio-economic status community. Subjects were 23 students randomly selected from 41 students who received computer-assisted instruction and 23 students randomly selected from 28 students who did not receive computer-assisted instruction. Subjects attended a Chicago, Illinois, public school located in the Lawndale community of the city's west side. Students who scored at or below stanine three on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills were randomly assigned to traditional basal reading instruction, or to reading instruction using the computer. Results indicated that reading scores were not affected by computer usage. Results also indicated no significant differences between boys' reading achievement based on method of reading instruction, or between girls' achievement based on method of instruction. (Contains 1 table of data and 23 references.)

A number of the emerging technologies are about to appear on the Web, including mobile code, integrated, full-media, interactive bulletin boards and e-mail, and virtual environment-based discussion tools; these new tools will provide teachers and students with a rich and customizable set of capabilities based on increasingly common standards and widely available software. Students and teachers will be able to establish, discover, join, monitor, and contribute to specific "neighborhoods" of interest, or "classrooms." Such Web-based collaborations will become a common occurrence and a base for students and teachers to obtain assistance with local projects and reach beyond their local resources.

Examines the factors contributing to the progression of microcomputers into the early childhood classroom. Suggests that inevitable changes in the character of early childhood education caused by technology will, in fact, be positive changes.

This report presents the results of a survey requesting information on the availability and use of telecommunications, plans to implement or upgrade wide area connections, access to the Internet and selected Internet capabilities, and barriers schools face to the acquisition or use of advanced telecommunications. Data were gathered from a national sample of 1,380 public elementary and secondary schools in Fall 1994.

In March 1990, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) carried out a study of the potential that technology offers to education at all levels. This project was known as the Vision: TEST (Technologically Enriched Schools of Tomorrow). Data for the study were collected via a review of the applicable literature, visits to schools throughout the United States to videotape and observe the ways in which technology is playing a role in creating exciting learning environments, discussions with many people with expertise over the spectrum of relevant experience, and substantial dialogue with approximately 150 experts. The purpose of the project was to: (1) describe some of the ways in which technology can help improve education, (2) help educational decision makers and administrators identify steps they must take to change education, and (3) look at the economic impact of technology in education. Evidence of the instructional effectiveness of educational technology was examined, particularly in the case of high-risk students, and five recommendations were made for educational decision makers. These recommendations include recognizing the need for improvement, making use of educational technologies, providing classroom environments conducive to learning, empowering teachers, and redesigning school systems so they can be managed more effectively. A list of the 150 experts who participated in the Vision: TEST is included.

In February of 1996, Union City--a predominantly Latino, inner city community--received national recognition when the President and Vice President of the United States came to acknowledge the extraordinary accomplishments of this urban school district. This unique blending of comprehensive school reform, technological innovation, and corporate sponsorship was cited as a model for educational excellence and national inspiration.

The nature of work and learning in our knowledge-based society and economy requires active participation by individuals and groups in the construction of knowledge. In this paper, we will provide examples of student work that not only demonstrates their own learning as young "knowledge" workers, but also makes a contribution to their community, to the learning of others, and to the base of knowledge available on the Internet. We will construct a brief vision of learning, teaching, and knowledge building in the future that assumes broad participation in these activities.

This report provides software developers and publishers with research that will enable them to improve educational technology so that it continues to have a significant positive impact on student achievement, self-concept and attitudes, and on the interactions in the learning environment for students of all ages, capabilities, socio-economic backgrounds, and areas of interest.

This volume contains 10 articles describing middle school and high school technology education programs conducted in schools throughout the United States.

Reports on a study that examines the experiences of six teachers at three schools in learning about and beginning to implement or enhance project-based learning in their middle school science classrooms using a variety of resources available on the Internet. Contains 25 references.

Education uses of networks are rapidly expanding as the problems of "ease-or-use" and "access" are gradually being solved. However, even as these problems are being solved, the solutions create second-order problems, such as students and teachers becoming overwhelmed with too much network-generated information. This paper presents conceptual frameworks that capture some of the unique properties of network learning environments, and which can be used to provide systematic guidance to the design of network learning activities and software tools to enable these activities. The authors illustrate these frameworks by showing how they have helped design two different tools for educational uses of networks, a Message Assistant and a Project-Based Learning Server.

This study compared attitudes toward computer use and achievement in biology for three groups of Nigerian students (n=64): (1) working alone with computer; (2) working in groups of three on the computer; (3) and a control group that received normal instruction (lecture). Students in the second group had the highest scores on attitude. No significant differences were found in achievement.

Written for: Palos Community Consolidated School District 118. One hundred and nineteen District 118 teachers and administrators became published instructional designers, authoring over sixty web-based curriculum units funded through a competitive grant awarded to District 118 by the Illinois State Board of Education. Their work is available on-line, and may be viewed from a link on the District 118 web site at www.d118.s-cook.k12.il.us.

Written for: Palos Community Consolidated School District 118. Gives answers to these questions: Why Engaged Learning, Why now? What is Engaged Learning? Where are models? What other resources are available? Where can I find ongoing help?

TechTalk is a periodic newsletter with technology tidbits, news, and resources written specifically for the Palos Community Consolidated School District 118 teachers and support staff. It will contain announcements about upcoming events, calls for participation, links to web resources, and information that will help keep up with what's going on tech-wise in District 118.

Cognitive tools, computer-based applications normally used as productivity software, can also function as knowledge representation formalisms that require learners to think critically. Databases, spreadsheets, semantic networks, expert systems, and multimedia/hypermedia construction can function as computer-based cognitive tools to expand student thinking, changing the college student's role to that of knowledge constructor rather than information reproducer.

Offers a way to evaluate the effectiveness of various technologies and technology programs against the backdrop of new research on learning. It presents an analytic framework to help educators insure that their use of technology compliments their goals for student learning. Explains: indicators of effective learning and high technology performance, the framework and its use, policy issues in the use of technology in learning, and key implementation issues in the use of technology for learning. Concludes with a list of recommendations about effectively using technology for learning.

Builds on an earlier study that reviewed five technologies: computer, traditional distance education, two-way interactive telecommunications, multimedia, and the Internet. A major outcome of the earlier research was a framework to assist schools and policymakers in evaluating specific technologies and technology-enhanced curricula. This paper both summarizes and extends the earlier study and adds tools for technology evaluation as well as a rationale for using regions to distribute information resources and services electronically.

This paper found that technologies used to deliver traditional models of curriculum, instruction, and assessment had very different effects and cost criteria compared to those used to deliver models based on recent research on learning and educational reform. (Includes a literature review and has an extensive reference list.)

Computers have become one of the expected trappings of today's classroom, but systemic curricular integration of computers is still more of a promise than a reality. This report discusses the need to restructure learning environments to support the active use of technology by teachers. It examines attitudes and roles that evolve among successful technology-users and gives examples of specific student activities. Throughout the document, sidebars entitled "Dynamite Ideas" offer examples of teachers, schools, and districts in the Southeast that have used technological ideas successfully. (Contains 71 references.)

Describes educational technology's place in classroom teachers' thoughts and practices, examining three assumptions (teaching and teachers, what technology contributes to instruction, and how technology is used). Information is presented from two studies of teachers' classroom practice and technology's place. Implications of changes in practice to improve teacher education are noted.

In response to existing educational systems producing individuals who fail to have sound working knowledge bases, this article examines uses of technology to improve instructional methods. Reviews results of a case study that uses problem-based learning as a collaborative learning method for medical undergraduates, and presents six principles of effective learning and instruction. (Contains 104 references.)

Over the next 10 years, there will be dramatic changes in the use of networked technology for work, play, and learning. New technologies will be developed, test beds will be installed, software will be designed, and new technology-based curricula will be developed along with the teacher training programs needed to implement them. This paper discusses possible ways to tailor evaluation designs to fit the structure of the innovation and its causal proximity to student learning, ways to assess the impact of the innovation on the structure of the education system, and ways to assess the impact of the innovation on educational processes and what potential technology has to capture and analyze these processes.

Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) is a computer-integrated instructional program for the elementary school. It provides for curriculum realignment and a restructured organization for the elementary school to facilitate the integration of technology into the classroom. This paper reports on a longitudinal evaluation of the effects of the program on student achievement. The effect was positive and statistically significant, across grades and schools, for the three areas measured: reading, mathematics, and total battery scores on standardized tests.

Presents a meta analysis that examines results of 254 controlled evaluation studies that compared student learning in classes taught with and without computer-based instruction (CBI). Outcome measures are described, statistical analysis and effect size are discussed, and results are reported that show that CBI usually produces positive effects on students.

This meta analysis of 32 comparative studies shows that computer-based education has generally had positive effects on the achievement of elementary school pupils. However, these effects are different for off-line computer managed instruction and interactive computer assisted instruction (CAI); interactive CAI produces greater increases in student achievement scores.

The Learning Research and Development Center describes 19 research projects on the connection between learning and technology.

The broad objectives of the Model Technology Schools project were to study the impact of technology on schools and student learning, to develop models for using educational technology as a tool for school management and classroom teaching, and to disseminate these models for use in public schools throughout the state. Research involved site visits and two surveys to participating schools. Project procedures, a review of previous evaluations, and observations from site visits and survey results are reported. Findings highlights include: (1) technology serves as a student motivation; (2) technology improves access to information; (3) knowledge of technology is viewed as critical to career and preparation for high school graduates; (4) adaptive devices for students with special needs are insufficient though, where available, provide excellent tools for individualized instruction; (5) 91% of students spend between 1-10 hours per week on microcomputer usage; (6) teachers report availability and student usage of computers at a much higher level than overall usage in the United States; (7) generally, conditions known to support learning (enthusiasm, improved time on task, and collaborative behavior) were reported by teachers to be much more in evidence with computer usage; (8) classroom management improved and teacher involvement in the communication network has improved thanks to electronic mail; and (9) careful use of limited, and sometimes older, computers demonstrates that state-of-the-art, expensive computers are not essential. Based on research findings, eight project recommendations are made. Twenty tables illustrate findings. (Contains 20 references.)

This study was commissioned by participating school districts served by the Mohawk Regional Information Center (New York) to document the differences that computer-related technology has made for the region's students, teachers, and schools. Elementary and secondary school teachers (n=4,041), students (n=1,722), and administrators (n=225) in 159 schools and 52 districts were surveyed. Follow-up case studies were conducted at every level of school organization in both high and low technology schools. Results show: (1) 71% of teachers use computer-related techniques for instruction; (2) schools in the region have a student to computer ratio of 7:1, compared with a state ratio of 10:1 and a national ratio of 9:1; (3) virtually every teacher has access to a computer; (4) student achievement is higher in schools where teachers believe that technology can have a positive impact on learning; (5) teachers and other faculty all credit computer-related technology with improving teaching, empowering teachers, and helping with the New York State Learning Standards; and (6) the overall gains from increased use of computer-related technology for students and teachers are statistically significant. The study consists of five sections: Introduction, Installed Base, Equipment and Training, The Process of Implementing and Integrating Technology, The Impact of Technology, and Recommendations. Appendices include the case studies, study methodology, data collection instruments, and bibliography. (Contains 47 references.)

Discusses changes in ideas about learning underlying reforms in science education. Highlights experiences with project-based science, which focuses on student-designed inquiry organized by investigations to answer driving questions, including collaboration among learners, new technology, and the creation of authentic artifacts that represent student understanding. Illustrates challenges of project-based science for classroom practice, professional development, and policy.

Report on an investigation of the status of networking efforts in K-12 schools nationwide. Confirms the positive role that technology, particularly Internet access, can have in better educating children. Education policymakers and school administrators recognize this and are "wiring" schools at varying rates. One section focuses on funding issues, and another examines issues of equity.

Noting that emergent literacy and technology are new educational fields that are just beginning to develop, a study explored the connection between emergent writing and technology by examining the effects on kindergarten children learning to write using a microcomputer. A group of kindergarten students attending North Star Elementary in Nikiski, Alaska, was divided into two groups. One group (15 students) acted as a control and wrote only in their journals. The other group (14 students) wrote only on computers. Both groups were compared for the rate of developmental growth in emergent literacy. Pre- and post-tests were administered to obtain baseline data. Students were also surveyed to determine their attitudes about computer-based writing. Findings suggest that the experience of writing is more important than the writing tool that students choose to use. (Contains 8 references. Elizabeth Sulzby's classification scheme for forms of writing, a student survey, and two tables of data are attached.)

In place of the image of the ladder of grades with students climbing upward, this article imagines instead a learning community with its youngest children entering at its very center, then moving outward as they grow through a series of concentric circles, with parents, teachers, and other adults ringed around them, and with lines of interactive electronic communication linking all from the center of these circles out to the full range of cultural institutions and specialized resources of the society.

Networking only pays off if…we provide enough computers, enough staff development and a combination of powerful tools with rich information. This article defines the kinds of wired classrooms which would make a huge capital investment in networks worthwhile.

The purpose of this literature review is to provide an overview of the administrative issues involved in conducting professional development via electronic networks. This review provides information relevant to the immediate implementation of the Teacher Telementoring Project, as well as a starting point for future online discussions among the school administrators and teachers involved in the project.

An increasing number of educators are calling for high standards and challenging learning activities for at-risk students. New technologies can provide meaningful learning experiences for all children, especially those at risk of educational failure. Schools that capitalize on the relationship between technology and education reform will help students to develop higher order skills and to function effectively in the world beyond the classroom. Achieving such fundamental change, however, requires a transformation of not only the underlying pedagogy (basic assumptions about the teaching and learning process) but also the kinds of technology applications typically used in classrooms serving at-risk students.

Articles discuss the relationship between reform and technology. Articles include: Using Technology to Advance Educational Goals; Multimedia Environments for Developing Literacy in At-Risk Students (Vanderbilt Univ.); Computer Networks: Opportunities or Obstacles? (Newman); Integrating Technology with Teacher Preparation (Barron); Using Technology to Support Innovative Assessment (Sheingold); Evaluating the Effects of Technology in School Reform (Herman); Realizing the Promise of Technology: A Policy Perspective (David); Tomorrow's Schools: Technology and Reform in Partnership (Means).

Case studies of nine sites that have been using technology in ways that enhance a restructuring of the classroom around students' needs and project-based activities form the centerpiece of this project. In selecting schools for study, priority was given to sites that have emphasized education reform (rather than technology for its own sake) and that provide challenging, authentic activities for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Eight individual schools and one network of 462 schools constituted the case study sample.

Support for the use of technology to promote fundamental school reform appears to be reaching a new high. At the same time, schools have the opportunity to profit from the experiences of those educational institutions that already have implemented various technological innovations within the context of serious reform efforts, Technology is viewed as a means of supporting goals related to increased student involvement with complex, authentic tasks and new organizational structures within classrooms and schools.

Research suggests that technology is an equivocal blessing. Although it expedites our ability to access, share, manipulate, and display information, it provides little or no guidance regarding the quality, relevance, or timeliness of the information it processes. Teachers must take this responsibility and help students develop their own information discrimination skills. (12 references)

This report examines the impact of the Utah Educational Technology Initiative (ETI) on student performance and student access to computers during the initial year of implementation in the 1990-91 school year. Chapter 1 describes ETI goals, the goals of the evaluation report, the concept of portfolio analysis, and organization of the report. An overview of school district ETI proposals is provided in Chapter 2, including details on goals, dates of operation, and funding levels. Chapter 3 discusses the impact of the ETI on student performance, including statewide testing results, ETI coordinators' reports, principals' reports, results of a Salt Lake City evaluation of district ETI projects, and school administrator and teacher perceptions. The impact of the ETI on student computer use is discussed in Chapter 4, including changes between 1990 and 1991 in the number of computers available to students, the computer/student ratio, the amount of time students use computers, and the number of schools using computers in instruction. Chapter 5 presents a case study of the Salt Lake City School District that addresses ETI planning, project descriptions, constraints, and evaluation. Recommendations related to teacher training/support and computer use policies are offered. The appendixes include student performance goals for reading, writing, language arts, mathematics, and science; examples of students writing; and examples of writing assignments.

This report begins with an overview of the Utah Educational Technology Initiative (ETI) that describes the state's financial commitment to educational improvement through educational technology, the ETI allocation process, the requirement that school districts and colleges of education match ETI funds with locally-generated funds or in-kind services, and ETI funding by district. Previous evaluation reports are described, and findings from the 3-year course of this evaluation are reported in the following areas: ETI impact on student achievement and motivation, ETI impact on student access to technology, the nature of student computer use, teacher computer utilization, efforts to support technology use, program implementation and outreach, teacher competence with educational technology, and ETI at colleges of education. Three remaining challenges are presented in conclusion: (1) to continue to support teachers through inservice training and other means so they can take advantage of the instructional opportunities offered by computers, (2) to provide funds necessary for hardware maintenance and upgrading, and (3) to continue to communicate the vision of a technology-enhanced education and to invite the participation of teachers and students at all levels.

This evaluation report describes program implementation, computer acquisition and placement, and computer use during the second year (1991-92) of the Utah Educational Technology Initiative (ETI). In addition, it discusses the various ways computers are used in Utah schools and reports the opinions and experiences of ETI coordinators in the 12 school districts closest to Salt Lake City. The five chapters are as follows: (1) "An Overview of the Utah Educational Technology Initiative and this Evaluation" addresses Utah's financial commitments to educational improvement through educational technology, previous evaluation reports, and data sources for this report; (2) "ETI Implementation during the 1991-1992 School Year" discusses comments of ETI coordinators, influences on ETI development and implementation, teachers' use of technology for instruction, and inservice training; (3) "Computer-Assisted Instruction: A Continuum of Instructional Use" considers school reform and educational technology, the continuum of computer use, and software tools; (4) "The Impact of ETI Funding on Computer Access during the 1991-1992 School Year" describes computer access and location, student/computer ratios 1989-92, and computer type and location; and (5) "Feedback and Networking Meetings" presents a summary of participants' concerns regarding inservice, software, hardware, technical support, the ETI project office, colleges of education, legislative funding, and vendors. The appendix contains the school questionnaire and evaluation feedback data from the Alpine School District.

This report examines the impact of the Utah Educational Technology Initiative (ETI) on student performance and student access to computers during the initial year of implementation in the 1990-91 school year. Chapter 1 describes ETI goals, the goals of the evaluation report, the concept of portfolio analysis, and organization of the report. An overview of school district ETI proposals is provided in Chapter 2, including details on goals, dates of operation, and funding levels. Chapter 3 discusses the impact of the ETI on student performance, including statewide testing results, ETI coordinators' reports, principals' reports, results of a Salt Lake City evaluation of district ETI projects, and school administrator and teacher perceptions. The impact of the ETI on student computer use is discussed in Chapter 4, including changes between 1990 and 1991 in the number of computers available to students, the computer/student ratio, the amount of time students use computers, and the number of schools using computers in instruction. Chapter 5 presents a case study of the Salt Lake City School District that addresses ETI planning, project descriptions, constraints, and evaluation. Recommendations related to teacher training/support and computer use policies are offered. The appendixes include student performance goals for reading, writing, language arts, mathematics, and science; examples of students writing; and examples of writing assignments.

This model, engaged learning, represents a fundamental change in the way learning takes place in the classroom. This chapter looks at the components of the engaged learning model and at ways in which the integration of technology into curricula supports engaged learning.

One of the questions regarding the use of technology in education is "Does technology (computers, multimedia, the Interment, etc.) improve the education of K-12 students?" This page pulls together resources that will help educators answer this question. Includes surveys, bibliographies, literature reviews, articles, reports, case studies, and additional resources.

If technology is to have more than a modest impact on curriculum design, educators must embrace a new paradigm integrating technology in the classroom. Describes LoTi (levels of technology implementation), an instrument to measure the degree to which computers are used to support concept-based or process-based instruction, consequential learning, and higher order thinking skills.

This book is divided into five chapters. The first provides an overview of technology and program evaluation. The second suggests a way to plan for the evaluation. The third explains how to collect the data to describe the existing technology program. The fourth explains how to interpret the data. The final chapter assists in the presentation of the evaluation report. The appendix contains the evaluation questionnaires.

This book is a collection of new works that inquire into the nature of media and technology as found and practiced in the social world of schooling. It creates a forum for investigating the social, institutional, historical, and epistemological relationships between media, education, culture, and technology. Contributions to the book include: (1) "Social Science, Social Movements, and the Production of Educational Technology in the U.S." (Thomas S. Popkewitz and David S. Shutkin); (2) "Education as Marketplace" (Howard Besser); (3) "Technology in Education: An Historical Perspective" (Alfred Bork); (4) "The Expert Teaching Machine: Unpacking the Mask" (Robert Muffoletto); (5) "The Mythical Anxieties of Computerization: A Barthesian Analysis of a Technological Myth" (Andrew R. J. Yeaman); (6) "Educational Technology, Curriculum Theory, and Social Foundations: Toward a New Language of Possibility" (J. Randall Koetting); (7) "Instructional Design and Human Practice: What Can We Learn From Grudy's Interpretation of Habermas' Theory of Technical and Practical Human Interests?" (Michael J. Streibel); (8) "Teachers and Educational Computing: Changing Roles and Changing Pedagogy" (Nancy Nelson Knupfer); (9) "Reading Educational Computer Programs" (Ann DeVaney); (10) "Aesthetics and the Social Production of Computer Graphics" (Kerry Freedman); (11) "A Learning Drama Approach to Using Computers with At-Risk Students" (Stanley Pogrow); (12) "Economic, Political, and Social Considerations in the Use of Global Computer-Based Distance Education" (Marina Stock McIsaac); and (13) "Computers and Copyright Concerns" (Landra L. Rezabek). The book contains a prologue about the contributing authors. References accompany each contribution.

An emphasis is placed on developing a shared vision for the role of technology in the school and developing a shared responsibility across the school and community for bringing that vision to life in behalf of student learning. It is strongly recommended that the "Indicators" be used as a resource for school or district-wide committees charged with the responsibility for developing or evaluating their school's or district's technology plan, rather than be used solely by an individual faculty or staff member with responsibilities for coordinating the school's use of technology.

Compares the effects of peer tutoring and computer-based instruction on student achievement and motivation through a meta-analysis of research. Cost effectiveness is also investigated via ratios which combine the effects of the intervention with estimates of implementation costs, and an appendix includes reviews of 10 cost-effectiveness research studies. (32 references)

Illinois Learning Standards, Engaged Learning Projects, Journals, Assessment and Rubrics, Ameritech Technology, Reports and Resources, Internet Classroom Recourses

This critical issue demonstrates how new technologies can provide meaningful learning experiences for all children, especially those at risk of educational failure. Schools that capitalize on the relationship between technology and education reform will help students to develop higher order skills and to function effectively in the world beyond the classroom.

Evidence indicates that when used effectively, "technology applications can support higher-order thinking by engaging students in authentic, complex tasks within collaborative learning contexts" (Means, et al, 1993). When educators use the accumulating knowledge regarding the circumstances under which technology supports the broad definition of student achievement, they will be able to make informed choices about what technologies will best meet the particular needs of specific schools or districts. This critical issue offers an informative look at this subject.

Gives suggestions and resources to help in the technology implementation planning process. Conducting a technology needs assessment will help avoid costly implementation mistakes. Other essential components of planning are specifying the intended results of learning with technology and forming a technology planning committee through pre-planning efforts. Offers suggestions for professional development needs, strategies for keeping students and parents involved, and building community involvement and support in the technology implementation process.

This document provides a self-study profiling tool for assessing current practice as a starting point for comprehensive planning that supports engaged learning and continuous school improvement. It can be used to assist schools in their efforts to enhance student achievement by integrating and implementing technology in schools.

Looks inside classrooms around the Northwest where teachers are using technology skillfully to teach subjects. Offers a guide to getting started, practical tips for using the Internet and selecting software.

Web page describes the CoVis (Learning Through Collaborative Visualization) Project, which, through advanced technologies, is attempting to transform science learning to better resemble the authentic practice of science. CoVis explores issues of scaling, diversity, and sustainability as they apply to the use of networking technologies to enable high school students to work in collaboration with remote students, teachers, and scientists. Web page includes bibliographies and some full-text papers describing CoVis research.

Describes a study that explored the instructional use of computers by beginning teachers, specifically the ways in which they used the computer, the influences on these uses, and the impact of these uses on their teaching and socialization into the profession.

Integrating technology into the schools will help prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Technology integration also is important because it supports the goals of education reform. To ensure that technology is effectively integrated into the schools, educators and community members must collaborate to create a formal technology plan. To be successful, a technology plan must promote meaningful learning and collaboration, provide for the needed professional development and support, and respond flexibly to change.

The Teaching and Learning with Technology Project was funded by Oakland Schools, Oakland County (Michigan), in 1987 to bring together in an elementary school those technologies that will be key components of schools in the future with an instructional program designed to prepare students for the information age. The project had the following objectives: (1) to explore and identify classroom applications for educational technologies such as microcomputers, instructional television, videodisks, CD-ROM, and telecommunications; (2) to design staff development programs to assist teachers in making effective use of technology to accomplish curricular objectives; and (3) to study the impact of technology on teaching and learning. The project focused on third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms in one elementary school over a 3-year period; data was collected by classroom observation, interviews, and achievement tests. Results of comparisons between treatment and control classrooms indicated that the classrooms differed in the amount of technology available, number of technologies used, and ways in which technology was used to meet curricular objectives. The overall results of the experimental program were favorable. Appendices contain questionnaires, achievement test scores, a word checklist, a teacher survey instrument, statistical data, and 11 case studies of participating students. A separately published "Executive Summary" has been appended. (9 references)

This early study, conducted with practicing teachers, examined: how knowledge about learning and teaching can be applied to using computers in education, how pedagogic insights of practicing teachers can promote the optimum use of computers in schools, and how the pedagogic problem of "how much control should learners have over their own education?" manifests itself in a computer environment. The authors concluded that when given a choice to do otherwise, educators do not limit their use of the computer to "doing traditional things in traditional ways."

A practicum was designed to interest and motivate students to participate in social studies, an area in which lack of motivation has caused many elementary students to do poorly. An active learning, cooperative, and collaborative approach to social studies was taken with a class of 30 fourth graders. Through cooperative learning, simulated touring, thematic units, technology, and online communication, students became interested in social studies to the point that social studies became their favorite activity during "free time." Online experiences were provided through the National Geographic Society Kids Network project "What Are We Eating?" in which 12 schools located throughout the United States worked cooperatively. Analysis of the data revealed that the goals set forth for the practicum were met. Not only did the students become interested in social studies, but also the new attitudes and participation were reflected in improved report card scores. Cooperative grouping and learning were essential elements of the approach. Appendix A lists 15 curriculum resources, and Appendix B gives telephone numbers for state instructional plans. (Contains 5 tables and 49 references.)

This study assessed whether or not classroom-based microcomputer applications can help improve students' performance on standardized tests, and which subject areas such programs are most effective in for fourth graders in two Mississippi schools. The Teaching and Learning with Computers (TLC) program placed a local area network in the school with networked computers and a printer in each class in grades 2 through 5. Stanford Achievement Test scores for students at both schools were analyzed for spring 1991 and spring 1992. For School A, scores for 105 students represented pretest and posttest values, and scores for 231 students in School B served as controls. An analysis of variance was used to test for significant growth for each subtest and the total battery of the achievement test. Findings suggested that the TLC program had the effect of raising mathematics scores at School A. Mathematics was the only area in which post-TLC scores were significantly higher in the between-schools and within-school analyses. Teachers indicated that the mathematics courseware was used more than the courseware for other disciplines because it was the most appropriate for the existing curriculum. On the total battery, School A raised its mean score 8.87 points, a significant change. Overall, data suggest that the TLC program did have a favorable impact on the standardized test scores. Three tables present study data. (Contains 12 references.)

Discussion of the assessment and evaluation of educational technology focuses on appropriate research methodologies for use by elementary and secondary education teachers. Distinctions between assessment and evaluation are explained; the need for adequate planning is discussed; student benefits and attitudes are considered; and teacher needs and attitudes are addressed.

This third in a series of articles on work conducted at the Texas Center for Educational Technology and the University of North Texas focuses on research designs for teachers to determine the impact of technology in the classroom. Highlights include research and the scientific method, qualitative versus quantitative research; and statistical inference. (three references)

Modular laboratories provide technology education students with valuable experiences, but they are not the total solution. Technology education can aid problem solving, technological literacy, and school-wide curriculum integration, but not within the limits of the modular environment.

Argues that video can provide effective feedback in performance courses (in speech communication) by creating opportunities for students to take the role of observer, identify and emphasize specific skills, receive feedback simultaneously with performance, and make comparisons.

Briefly reviews research and proposes a study (apparently not yet implemented): "The basis of the proposed project is this: Using a desktop publishing program, students will create the Manatee Trader, a seasonal publication of classified ads designed to generate continuous reader interest. If circulation increases, students may expand this buy-sell-trade newspaper to include classified ads from other schools and businesses in the community. Customers will be charged 5% of the selling price for each item they advertise in the paper. Finally, students will decide in group meetings how the money generated from newspaper sales will be used."

This documentary review focuses on relationships between the new technologies and student learning at the elementary levels. To be more specific, its objective is to shed light on the way in which these new technologies come into play in the learning process itself and on the immediate environment that is usually introduced in a school or a classroom to ensure this learning, as well as the impact these actions have on the students.

Discusses how to use technology to teach math and science. Answers such questions as: 1) What do students need to know 2) How can technology help? 3) What technology is essential 4) Who developed these parameters and 5) What is a necessary framework for the use of technology in education?

Planning is an ongoing process that translates organizational, public policy, and technology needs into concrete actions. It allows educational organizations to take advantage of technology innovations while minimizing the negative impact of unexpected challenges. Planning provides a road map for the implementation of technology and can result in more efficient expenditure of limited resources and an improvement in student achievement.

Offered are 10 secrets that successful educators have learned about harnessing the power of technology to education. It is important that administrators understand both the capabilities and limitations of technology.

This paper focuses on the human side of networking. How are classrooms being changed with the introduction of global links? What future can we see from the vantage point of satellites? The paper makes two main points: 1) networks bring more resources into the classroom, encouraging team teaching; 2) networks make it possible for students to leave the classroom, encouraging community participation.

Discusses school responses to changes in information technology, based on survey data and case studies of four school districts in Manitoba, Canada. Financial, administrative, and political issues appear to have dominated the agenda. Debates over priorities, costs, and expectations of teachers have been central. Information technology has not yet been integrated into people's thinking about teaching and learning. (46 references)

Describes outcomes and implication of the evaluation of LabNet, a 3-year NSF-funded project operated by Technical Education Research Enters (TERC). Its goals were to encourage the use of student projects to enhance science learning; build a professional community of practice among high school science teachers; and exploit the potential of today's new technologies — connecting teachers via telecommunication and equipping students with powerful research tools in the form of sensors connected to microcomputers.

Although adults and children both have zones of proximal development in which more knowledgeable others play essential roles, there is a difference in executive control that is most salient in question-answer dialogue. Adult learners typically ask questions based on their perceived knowledge needs, whereas with school children, questions are typically asked by the teacher, based on the teacher's perception of the child's needs. Evidence shows that children can produce and recognize educationally productive questions and can adapt them to their knowledge needs. The challenge is to design environments in which students can use such questions to guide their building of knowledge, thus assuming a higher level of agency in learning. Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environments (CSILE), a computer-supported knowledge medium designed to support intentional learning, is described, with illustrations of children's use of it in cooperative knowledge building.

CSILE, which stands for Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environments, is an educational knowledge media system. CSILE allows information in several media (text, drawings, graphs, timelines, etc.) to be entered into a common database where it is available to be retrieved, linked, commented on, rated, and so forth. The environments and operations of CSILE are designed to support students in more purposeful and mature, or intentional, processing of information. In this article eleven principles, based on recent cognitive research, are suggested for designing computer environments that support intentional learning. These principles include making knowledge-construction activities overt, maintaining attention to learning goals as opposed to other goals of an activity, providing process-relevant feedback, and giving students responsibility for contributing to each other's learning. Applications of these principles in CSILE are described, as well as observations from the first year of school try-out.

Explains that WebQuest can be a model for teachers searching for ways to incorporate the Internet into the classroom on both a short-term or long-term basis. Shows a 16-slide Powerpoint presentation based on this information.

Students participating in the technology-rich Schools for Thought program learn to acquire, evaluate, organize, and interpret information and communicate findings to their peers and to an adult, questioning audience. Evolving from three research-based programs, Schools For Thought features a rigorous, standards-based curriculum; careful content/process integration; feedback from many sources; authentic use of technology; and an inclusive learning community.

This evaluation examines the progress made in the areas of achievement and enrollment by students at the Central Middle Magnet School in the Kansas City, Missouri, School District after the Computers Unlimited program had been in operation for 4 years. The evaluation design used data on student demographics gathered from the Research Office of the Kansas City, Missouri, School District (KCMSD) and from the Central Middle School administrators. Analysis of co-variance was used to determine whether Central Middle computer students scored statistically significantly higher on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) than a random selection of students from other district middle schools. A student cohort made up of students who had attended the school from 1989-1991 and who were in grades six, seven, and eight in those respective years, was also examined and broken down by minority/non minority status. It was found that results on both enrollment and achievement are mixed, but overall, when compared with the baseline year of 1986-87, there are signs of definite improvement in both areas. Four tables and three figures display the results of data analyses.

This book is about what teachers and their students are learning online, and their success stories show why the Internet has become invaluable in the classroom.

Provides an overview of studies for possible application to instruction with children and computers and a starting point for in-depth research by listing bibliographic citations and author abstracts of nine selected studies in computer education.

This report depicts work done by teachers, students, and researchers at schools collaborating with CTE experiments. Includes: Home School Connections (9th grade New Jersey class using laptop computers), Project-based Group Work (N.Y. City alternative school where students do multimedia inquiries/ presentations, andAlternative Assessment (engineering class at NYC high school where teachers use video to evaluate.)

This report summarizes the educational technology research conducted from 1990 through 1994. It is based on 133 research reviews and reports on original research projects from both published and unpublished sources. This research varied in methodology: some studies used a technique for synthesizing and analyzing data from many different studies; some compared the use of technology to traditional instructional methods; some compared the use of technology under different learning conditions; and some utilized classroom observation. The report is divided into three sections: (1) "Effects of Technology on Student Achievement", (2) "Effects of Technology on Student Self-Concept and Attitudes about Learning", and (3) "Effects of Technology on Interactions Involving Teachers and Students in the Learning Environment." A list of conclusions drawn from the analysis is included, as well as a bibliography of the research cited. (Contains 170 references.)

Addison, Illinois School District #4 successfully used a unique staff development activity to begin the process of engaging teachers with technology. The engaged learning activity is described.

The abstract reads: "We have designed and prototyped a Teacher's Curriculum Assistant (TCA) that provides software support for teachers to make effective use of educational resources posted to the Internet. TCA maintains information for finding educational resources distributed on the Internet. It provides query and browsing mechanisms for exploring what is available. Tools are included for tailoring retrieved resources, creating supplementary materials, and designing innovative curriculum. TCA encourages teachers to annotate and upload successfully used curriculum to Internet servers to share their ideas with other teachers. In this paper we motivate the need for such computer support and discuss what we have learned from designing TCA."

"This paper describes how software tools for Internet repositories can aid fundamental collaboration activities--locating, using adapting, and sharing--at both the teacher level (with the Teacher's Curriculum Assistant) and the student level (with the Remote Exploratorium). It illustrates how tools for educators and tools for students can be orchestrated into integrated classroom support." A discussion of issue