Perspectives on publishing in Africa

An indigenous publishing industry is essential to African development. The author places the African situation in a Third World context and discusses such issues as the nature of the African reading public, the politics of language, the role of multinationals, problems of distribution, and technology. He describes the challenges faced in developing an African book industry and suggests some possible approaches to providing assistance. He is the author or editor of numerous books and articles on education and publishing in the Third World, including most recently Publishing and Development in the Third World.     

About this issue editor

About this issue editor     

Research on pictures in instructional texts: The need for a broadened perspective

Considering the popularity of instructional textbooks, it is a bit surprising that few research studies have examined how pictorial illustrations affect learning from texts. This article takes a look at the research that has been done, notes its diversity of purpose, approach, and methodology, and identifies some shortcomings. The author offers some ideas for future research and suggests that the work might be undertaken by a new type of researcher, one who has traditional research skills as well as the concerns of instructional development specialists.