Abstract Although most researchers agree that more technology training is needed for teachers, numerous suggestions exist in the literature regarding the content of the training and the methods for delivering the training. Many researchers believe technology skills should be integrated into undergraduate methods courses, thus providing students with skills and experiences applying technology to their specific content areas. This field-based model is the basis for new undergraduate teacher education experiences at Arizona State University (ASU). This model provides preservice teachers with opportunities to develop and implement technology-rich instructional activities in authentic teaching situations so they leave ASU with the ability to integrate appropriate technologies into their future professional placements.

Learner analysis and needs assessments are basic elements of all instructional design models and are of concern to those designing distance education courses. Mismatches between students' expectations and actual course features may impact learning. This investigation surveyed 249 geographically dispersed online students for the course features they valued and the course features included in their distance education courses. Results revealed general agreement between course features desired by students and those included in their current courses, however, there were mismatches; particularly concerning the use of instant messaging, team assignments, and creating biography pages. Implications for online course design are presented.

Learner analysis and needs assessments are basic elements of all instructional design models and are of concern to those designing distance education courses. This investigation surveyed 249 geographically dispersed online students' computer skills and attitudes toward Internet-delivered instruction. Results were assessed by demographics. Results revealed higher self-reported computer skills for participants with greater computer use and exposure, however, a number of skills commonly incorporated into Internet-aided instruction were rated lower. Attitudes toward Internet-aided instruction were generally positive, with the most favorable reported by older students, graduate students, and females. Implications for Internet-aided course design are presented.

A variety of barriers relating to resources, institutional and administrative policies, skills development and attitudes can hinder the effectiveness of technology professional development resulting in underutilized technology resources and lack of integration of those resources within instruction. Multiple methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of a long-term professional development academy intended to address those barriers and promote increased use of technology in the academy participants' instruction. Results revealed significant gains in participants' self-assessed technology skills and computer self-efficacy, with little or no change to self-assessed technology integration beliefi and practices despite interview data indicating participants felt their teaching had changed as a result of their academy participation. This article suggests the design of the academy was successful in addressing some but not all of its intended objectives. Suggestions for the design of long-term technology professional development are discussed.

This study investigated the effects of advisement and small group learning when college students used a multimedia database to learn about the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Students worked through the database either alone or with a partner; those receiving advisement were given suggestions concerning which database resources were most relevant and how those resources might be evaluated or interpreted. Results revealed that students receiving advisement learned significantly more, had more positive attitudes, spent significantly more time investigating the database, and accessed more relevant resources than students receiving no advisement. Implications for the design and implementation of learning tasks based on multimedia databases are provided.

With the expansion of Internet-based instruction, research-based guidelines are needed to support faculty decision making during course design to ensure student success and satisfaction with instruction incorporating new delivery technologies. This investigation consisted of two phases. In Phase One, computer skills and attitudes toward Internet-delivered instruction of geographically dispersed students were assessed and those components of an Internet course considered important based on students' demographics including computer experience, computer skills, and prior Internet-delivered course experience were identified. Results revealed shallow levels of computer skills with significant differences by geographic location. Additionally, while students overall were generally neutral toward Internet-based instruction, those with prior Internet-based experience regarded such instruction more positively. Phase Two of this research concerned the rate of change in students' computer skills and attitudes toward Internet-based instruction over time. Results indicated that within a four-year timeframe, student skills and attitudes remained relatively stable with some positive shifts. Implications and suggestions for Internet course design are presented.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of overview mode and computer experience in a hypertext learning environment. College students read a hypertext unit that included a structured overview, an unstructured overview, or no overview. The study examined the effects of overview mode and computer experience on achievement, attitude and instructional time. Results indicated that participants with high computer experience learned more from the hypertext program than those with low computer experience. Furthermore, participants who received either the structured or unstructured overview spent significantly more time using the hypertext program and had significantly more positive attitudes than participants who did not receive an overview. However, overview mode did not influence achievement.

In general, research in Internet-delivered instruction has reflected practice rather than driven it. Few research-based guidelines exist to help faculty identify factors that may increase student learning and motivation when using this delivery system. The purposes of this study were to assess the current state of students' computer skills, examine students' attitudes toward Internet-delivered instruction, and identify those components of an Internet course deemed important based on students' demographics, computer experience, computer skills, and prior Internet-delivered course experience. Results indicated that overall student computer skills were relatively shallow. Additionally, students were generally neutral toward Internet-based instruction, with those having prior Internet instruction experience far less optimistic concerning the degree to which technology may interfere with learning. However, those with prior experience were more likely to recommend taking an Internet-delivered course. Implications for Internet course design and implementation as well as future research are presented.