Producing CD‐ROMs for Schools

Abstract

The CD‐ROM market in schools is generally expected to be a growth area for computer software developers world‐wide. As a developer, publisher and distributor of CD‐ROMs for schools, the author is interested in the characteristics of CD‐ROMs schools will buy and the potential market. This paper looks at what developers must take into account when considering producing materials for this market. It focuses on school requirements as regards CD‐ROMs rather than the process of producing an educational CD‐ROM.     

Developing mathematical knowledge for teaching in a methods course: the case of function

This study describes teacher learning in a teaching experiment consisting of a content-focused methods course involving the mathematical knowledge for teaching function. Prospective and practicing teachers in the course showed growth in their ability to define function, to provide examples of functions and link them to the definition, in the connections they could make between function representations, and to consider the role of definition in mathematics and the K-12 classroom. Written assessments, interview data, and class discourse analyses illustrate how the course supported the development of mathematical knowledge that built on individual teachers’ prior knowledge as well as the development of a stronger collective understanding of function.     

Pedagogical design considerations in sex education on interactive multimedia using CD‐Rom: an example of sexual intercourse

Human sexuality is a significant issue for educators to understand and teach about, and for young people to learn about. The development of interactive multimedia technologies has added a range of new dimensions associated with designing pedagogies for sex education on Interactive Multimedia (IMM). Here, a module on CD‐Rom on Sexuality and Human Relationships designed for student teachers is presented as an example of a resource, and analysed for the pedagogical considerations that accompany it. The paper concludes that the conceptualisation and design of IMM on CD‐Rom on sexuality is able to address a range of commonly used pedagogies. The most significant pedagogical renegotiation appears to lie in the transposing of human‐to‐human interaction, as in discussion, real life scenarios, simulation, role analysis, values and attitude clarification, to human‐to‐screen interaction. This may be addressed principally by using camera phones where human‐to‐human interaction occurs visually and in real time, whilst email and discussion groups can cater for delayed, typed text human‐to‐human interactions. For some learners, using IMM on CD‐Rom for sex education may be less effective, but for others it may be ideal as it provides for privacy, solo contemplation, self‐dialogue, and negates embarrassment in front of peers or teachers.     

The effects of team training on team outcomes: A meta‐analysis

A meta‐analysis was conducted to determine relationships between team training and team effectiveness. Results from the 21 studies provided evidence that training is positively related to team effectiveness and effectiveness in five outcome categories: affective, cognitive, subjective task‐based skill, objective task‐based skill, and teamwork skill.     

Instructional Interventions Across the Inquiry Process

ABSTRACT

Information literacy aims to develop in students the necessary skills, knowledge, and dispositions to use information to solve problems, make decisions, and generate new knowledge. The literature is replete with examples of guiding students in accessing and evaluating information sources. Less prevalent is processing information—the heart of the inquiry. Analysis, inference, and synthesis are critical thinking skills that take information literacy beyond a bibliographic task. In this liberal arts college setting, librarians team with consultants in quantitative reasoning, writing, and presentation technologies to deliver an information literacy program that supports not only the search, but also the analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and presentation of findings and insights.