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SECIII-Social, Ethical and Cognitive Issues of Informatics and ICT Welcome to the post-conference book of SECIII, the IFIP Open Conference on Social, Ethical and Cognitive Issues of Informatics and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) which took place from July 22-26, 2002 at the University of Dortmund, Germany, in co-operation with the German computer society (Gesellschaft flir Informatik). Unlike most international conferences, those organised within the IFIP education community are active events. This wasn't a dry academic conference - teachers, lecturers and curriculum experts, policy makers, researchers and manufacturers mingled and worked together to explore, reflect and discuss social, ethical and cognitive issues. The added value lies in what they, the participants, took away in new ideas for future research and practice, and in the new networks that were formed, both virtual and real. In addition to Keynote Addresses and Paper Presentations from international authors, there were Provocative Paper sessions, Case Studies, Focussed Debates and Creative Exchange sessions as well as professional Working Groups who debated particular themes. The Focussed Debate sessions helped to stimulate the sense of engagement among conference participants. A Market Place with follow-up Working Groups was a positive highlight and galvanised participants to produce interesting reports. These were presented to the conference on its last day. Cross-fertilisation between the papers generated some surprising and useful cross-referencing and a plethora of social, ethical and cognitive issues emerged in the discussions that followed the paper presentations.

This book considers several aspects of providing quality education at a distance: -Quality of systems that support online learning, quality support infrastructure, quality of technical access and support, materials distribution; issues in each of these areas are considered. -Quality of teaching and learning experiences, including a range of institutional projects using online technologies and issues of quality provision as well as areas of current and needed research. -Measuring quality - evaluation and assessment looks at recent research in working towards sustainable quality learning by considering quality evaluation as a collective process. -Administration and policy to support quality education @ a distance including institutional approaches to assuring quality and identification of differing perspectives for consideration. Quality Education @ a Distance contains the papers presented at the working conference of Working Group 3.6 (Distance Education) of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP). Held in Geelong, Australia in February 2003, the conference was organised in four parallel streams to consider the aspects grouped above, sharing presentations and discussions about establishing quality online environments for distance education. The QED conference attracted some of the key people in their fields both internationally and from within Australia. In addition to the papers presented at the conference, Quality Education @ a Distance contains an overview of each stream and a report of the discussions that took place in the stream groups. The papers presented by three international keynote speakers are also included.

This volume provides a contemporary glance at the drastically expanding field of delivering large-scale education to unprecedented numbers of learners. It compiles papers presented at the CELDA (Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age) conference, which has a goal of continuing to address these challenges and promote the effective use of new tools and technologies to support teaching, learning and assessment. Given the emerging global trend to exploit the potential of existing digital technologies to improve the teaching, learning and assessment experiences for all learners in real-life contexts, this topic is a unifying theme for this volume.The book showcases how emerging educational technologies and innovative practices have been used to address core global educational challenges. It provides state-of-the-art insights and case studies of exploiting innovative learning technologies, including Massive Open Online Courses and educational data analytics, to address key global challenges spanning from online Teacher Education to large-scale coding competence development. This volume will be of interest to academics and professional practitioners working in the area of digital technology integration in teaching, learning and assessment, as well as those interested in specific conference themes (e.g., designing and assessing learning in online environments, assessing learning in complex domains) and presenters, invited speakers, and participants of the CELDA conference.

This volume presents a'photograph'of the state of the art in Science Education Research in Europe as it has emerged from the first ESERA Conference held in Rome in September 1997. The Conference saw the participation of more than 280 researchers from European and some extra European countries distributed as follows U. K. 46 The Netherlands 10 Germany 35 Finland 9 Italy 28 Switzerland 6 Spain 26 Portugal 6 France 18 Israel 5 Sweden Argentina 15 3 Denmark 14 Australia 3 Greece 14 USA 3 Brasil 11 Others 18 Norway TOTAL 11 281 As it can be seen from the table, although the group from U. K. where research in science education has a well established tradition is the most consistent one, quite a large number of researchers has come from Germany and the Scandinavian countries, sign of the increasing attention these countries pay to scientific education at all levels. The presence of researchers from extraeuropean countries has allowed a comparison of experience over a wider basisthan the national one. The themes of research, identified a priori by the organizers as important, were: of the Art in Science Education Research (Biology, - The State Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science) - Science Teaching and Learning - Science, Science Teaching and Society - Teachers'Education and its Cultural Components The Scientific Committee of the Conference decided to publish a selection of the papers presented and we accepted the task of the editing.

We are pleased to present the ESERA 2001 Conference book, which is based on contributions submitted and presented to the Third International Conference'Science Education Research in the Knowledge Based Society'that was organised by the Department of Primary Education of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and held in Thessaloniki from August 21 to August 26, 2001. The focus of the Conference was to discuss the scope, methods, outcomes and perspectives of research in science education in the context of the rapidly developing knowledge-based society. Some 450 researchers, teachers, and postgraduate students attended the conference. They came mainly from European countries, with a substantial proportion - some 20- from countries outside Europe. While ESERA conferences reflect research carried out in Europe, they are increasingly becoming international events attracting researchers from all over the world. A total of 220 works were presented in guest lectures, symposia, poster workshops, individual papers and poster sessions that took place during the conference along with alternative activities and informal meetings. All these of the Conference (edited by works are already published in the Proceedings D. Psillos, P. Kariotoglou, V.Tselfes, G.Bisdikian, G.Fassoulopoulos, E. Hatzikraniotis, M.Kallery).

This volume consists of the revised versions I of a selection of papers of the second EDINEB conference, held in Uppsala from 17-19 August 1995. As with the fIrst edition, the conference and these proceedings are rooted in the participant's involvement with'EDucational INnovation in Economics and Business'. The thematic focus is quality audit, quality assessment and quality improvement, all of them collected in the theme'In Search of Quality'. For the fIrst EDINEB conference, which took place in Maastricht, December 1993,'Problem-Based Learning'was chosen as leading theme. The introduction of problem-based learning in the curriculum of any faculty is to be regarded as a major innovation in the educational system. In contrast, the dedication to the search of quality in education resulted in a large variety of case studies and theoretical contributions on educational innovations aiming at increasing the quality of teaching and learning. This contrast between the one major step and the many small steps has been the decisive factor for the editors to compose these proceedings as a kind of allegory of Robert M. Pirsig's famous novel'Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance, an Inquiry into Values'(ZAMM). Of course, on top of the very obvious reason that the conference had been saddled with a theme that is identical to the title that many critics (probably those who aren't so fond of motorcycling) used to rename ZAMM.

This book examines the theoretical basis of one of the functional layers—the message layer—of an architectural theory of instructional design. The architectural theory (Gibbons, 2003; Gibbons & Rogers, 2009; Gibbons, 2014) identifies seven functions carried out during instruction that correspond with designable strata, or layers. The architectural theory proposes that for each layer there exists a specialized body of design languages, constructs, questions, tools, practices, processes, a professional community, and most especially, bodies of design theory. It also proposes that design knowledge from other design fields, many of which approach design from the same functional perspective, can be appropriated for the further development of knowledge within the instructional technology field. A robust literature from disparate fields supplies relevant theory for message layer design. This book builds the case for validationof the message layer by bringing together work from instructional theory, conversation theory, research in the learning sciences, intelligent tutoring system research, and K-12 education. Within this literature, the authors demonstrate the existence of the message as a structural abstraction: an independently designable entity. They trace the development of the message construct historically, showing that it has remained remarkably stable over time, independent of changing psychological, educational, and technological conventions.

This book brings together strategies and innovations that educators from diverse educational contexts have conceptualized and implemented to cater to differences in academic ability, as well as in other domains such as psychosocial contexts and developmental needs. The emergence of IT and new technologies have altered the educational landscape and opened a multitude of opportunities for diverse modes of instruction catering to diverse student populations.The book addresses the gap in the literature with evidence-based reports of innovative strategies and approaches that are grounded in educational research. It identifies student differences in terms of academic ability and also, with regard to their cultural and social background, their developmental and psycho-emotional needs. It examines how new technologies are used in instructional approaches and how these innovative strategies diversify learner experiences. The book is a valuable resource to practitioners, researchers and educational administrators.

This book illustrates the problems of using eye tracking technology and other bio-measurements in science education research. It examines the application of bio-measurements in researching cognitive processes, motivation for learning science concepts, and solving science problems. Most chapters of this book use the eye-tracking method, which enables following the focus of the students'attention and drawing conclusions about the strategies they used to solve the problem. This book consists of a total of fifteen chapters. Authors from eight countries emphasise the same trends despite their cultural and educational differences. The book begins with general chapters describing cognitive processes and how these processes are measured using eye-tracking methods and other psychophysiology parameters and motivation. Finally, the book concludes the chapters presenting studies in specific scientific fields from chemistry, biology, physics and geology.

This book reports on 12 education innovation cases in Taiwan and focus particularly on an ecosystem to demonstrate innovation as a competitive advantage and requires an ecosystem to be sustainable in virtually all disciplines. It also covers the trend of education innovation in many countries, with “education entrepreneurship” being the frequently used description. The 12 educators highlighted here are even more entrepreneurial than many businesspeople. Generally, schools are required to follow certain rules, especially the public schools. Accordingly, the book also describes how these education entrepreneurs have innovatively created a fostering environment under challenging constraints to facilitate the success of students, teachers, and even the local community. Six of the cases involve school-based innovation, while the other six focus on student-based innovation. Their stories provide valuable insights for all companies seeking to become more innovative in a resource-constrained setting.

Das Buch vermittelt das Konzept einer globalen, virtuellen Universität in Kombination mit neuen Erkenntnissen aus der Lernforschung. Hierbei werden mithilfe von künstlicher Intelligenz bewegungsorientierte, virtuelle 3-D-Bilder eingebunden. Dadurch wird die Lernbereitschaft und damit auch die Kreativität des Einzelnen angeregt. So werden bereits heute Schweißer in Großunternehmen mittels Datenbrille und intelligenter Avatare ausgebildet. Über eine virtuelle Universität lassen sich Forschungsprojekte initiieren und koordinieren. Problemlösungen lassen sich mit der Verwendung von Avataren in virtuellen Hörsälen erarbeiten. Die Zertifizierung erfolgt nicht mehr über das Abfragen von Wissensinhalten, sondern über die Fähigkeit Probleme zu lösen. Weitere wichtige Aspekte einer virtuellen Universität sind, im Vergleich zu den klassischen Universitäten, die geringen Kosten, die Möglichkeit bei der Entwicklung des Contents die besten Wissenschaftler zu beteiligen sowie die immer mehr um sich greifende Sekundär- und Tertiärforschung. Eine virtuelle Universität bietet die Chance der Emanzipation gesellschaftlicher Praxis von Wissenschaft durch Wissenschaft und Immunisierung gesellschaftlich geltende Ideologien und Interessenstandpunkte gegen wissenschaftliche Aufklärungsansprüche.

Student engagement is fundamental to learning, yet it also constitutes a major and long-standing challenge to educators around the world. This book provides an evidence-based theorisation of features associated with schooling engagement, along with targeted strategies that underpin a continuum of pedagogical, curricular and social support during the years of young adolescent schooling. Anchored by the Young Adolescent Engagement in Learning Model, a multi-layered model which incorporates a continuum of behavioural, emotional and cognitive dimensions of engagement, the authors provide a framework to help support the engagement of young adolescents. Seamlessly integrating theory and practice, this book explores the importance of avoiding educational disengagement, particularly from those who are most vulnerable due to a range of personal factors. This volume will be of interest and value to students and scholars of educational young adolescent engagement and retention, as well as those working with young people.

Sören Torrau analysiert in seiner Studie einen Wandel der Unterrichtskultur im Fach Gesellschaft, wobei die Schülerpräsentation als digitales Format eine tragende Rolle spielt. Dazu zentriert der Autor die didaktische Operation des Zeigens, die Schüler•innen phasenweise übertragen wird. Historische Fallbeispiele und drei empirische Fallstudien zu den Themen Novemberpogrome, Rassismus und Sozialismus verdeutlichen, wie Schüler•innen in Präsentationen Wissen herstellen. Es gelingt nachzuweisen, dass Schüler•innen durch Präsentationen lernen können, wie sich Wissen öffentlich in sozialer Aufeinander-Bezogenheit konstituiert, da sie selbst in anderer Rolle – als Zeigende – handeln. Im Ergebnis können Lernerdidaktiken rekonstruiert, curriculare Entwicklungsprozesse zur Autorisierung offiziellen Wissens nachgezeichnet und Grundrisse einer Soziologiedidaktik entwickelt werden.

This book will offer ideas on how robots can be used as teachers'assistants to scaffold learning outcomes, where the robot is a learning agent in self-directed learning who can contribute to the development of key competences for today's world through targeted learning - such as engineering thinking, math, physics, computational thinking, etc. starting from pre-school and continuing to a higher education level. Robotization is speeding up at the moment in a variety of dimensions, both through the automation of work, by performing intellectual duties, and by providing support for people in everyday situations. There is increasing political attention, especially in Europe, on educational systems not being able to keep up with such emerging technologies, and efforts to rectify this. This edited volume responds to this attention, and seeks to explore which pedagogical and educational concepts should be included in the learning process so that the use of robots is meaningful from the pointof view of knowledge construction, and so that it is safe from the technological and cybersecurity perspective.

One of the most significant developments in contemporary education is the view that knowing and understanding are anchored in cultural practices within communities. This shift coincides with technological advancements that have reoriented end-user computer interaction from individual work to communication, participation and collaboration. However, while daily interactions are increasingly engulfed in mobile and networked Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), in-school learning interactions are, in comparison, technologically impoverished, creating the phenomenon known as the school-society digital disconnect. This volume argues that the theoretical and practical tools of scientists in both the social and educational sciences must be brought together in order to examine what types of interaction, knowledge construction, social organization and power structures: (a) occur spontaneously in technology-enhanced learning (TEL) communities or (b) can be created by design of TEL. This volume seeks to equip scholars and researchers within the fields of education, educational psychology, science communication, social welfare, information sciences, and instructional design, as well as practitioners and policy-makers, with empirical and theoretical insights, and evidence-based support for decisions providing learners and citizens with 21st century skills and knowledge, and supporting well-being in today's information-based networked society.

This book focuses on the interplay between pedagogy and technology, and their fusion for the advancement of smart learning environments. It discusses various components of this interplay, including learning and assessment paradigms, social factors and policies, emerging technologies, innovative application of mature technologies, transformation of curriculum and teaching behavior, transformation of administration, best infusion practices, and piloting of new ideas.The book provides an archival forum for researchers, academics, practitioners and industry professionals interested and/or engaged in reforming teaching and learning methods by promoting smart learning environments. It also facilitates discussions and constructive dialogue among various stakeholders on the limitations of existing learning environments, the need for reform, innovative uses of emerging pedagogical approaches and technologies, and sharing and promoting best practices, leading to the evolution, design and implementation of smart learning environments.

This book explores the implementation of an online representational tool, GroupScribbles, in Chinese-as-a-second-language classrooms from primary school to secondary school. It demonstrates the effectiveness of combining online representational tools with face-to-face classroom learning, and provides a workable approach to analysing interactions interweaving social and cognitive dimensions, which take place in the networked classroom. A series of suggestions regarding networked second language learning will help educators effectively implement information and communication technology tools in the classroom.

This book presents research on the effects and effectiveness of ICT applications in lifelong learning in relation to digital competences of educators. It sketches recent and future evolutions in higher education, explores whether universities have adjusted policies and business models in line with the rapid development of ICT technologies, and analyses whether the adjustments made are merely cosmetic or truly future-proof. The book specifically deals with such topics as digital competencies of teaching staff, the development and implementation of MOOCs and other E-learning tools, virtual classrooms, online tutoring, and collaborative learning. It presents case studies of innovative master's programmes, projects and methods, and processes of standardization and validation used in various countries as illustrations. The book explains the rapid transition of the knowledge society to the'society of global competence'and shows the necessity of an active implementation of innovative formsand effective methods of education, and above all, distance learning at all levels of education.

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into our society, cultural expectations and needs are changing. Social understanding, family roles, organizational skills, and daily activities are all adapting to the demands of ever-present technology, causing changes in human brain, emotions, and behaviors. An understanding of the impact of technology upon our lives is essential if we are to adequately educate children for the future and plan for meaningful learning environments for them. Mind, Brain and Technology provides an overview of these changes from a wide variety of perspectives. Designed as a textbook for students in the fields and interdisciplinary areas of psychology, neuroscience, technology, computer science, and education, the book offers insights for researchers, professionals, educators, and anyone interested in learning more about the integration of mind, brain and technology in their lives. The book skilfully guides readers to explore alternatives, generate new ideas, and develop constructive plans both for their own lives and for future educational needs.

In this second edition the editors continue their efforts to synthesize research and practice and project future directions in the field of information and communication technology. The proliferation of mobile devices and applications have had major implications on how the nature of teaching and learning should be conceptualised, and what pedagogical practices should be used to support bridging formal and informal learning. The advent of social media also highlights the importance of gaining a deeper understanding of social learning theories and computer-supported collaborative learning theories and practices. The advancement of new technologies to support easy accessibility of educational resources such as OER and to a lesser extent MOOCs have led to the debate on how assessment should be conducted and how technologies could be used to support it. The demand of the knowledge society requires that researchers, policy makers, and educational practitioners be conversant with new research findings in order to understand the impact of ICT in teaching and learning, and how to support learners to use new technologies and applications creatively and effectively. New research paradigms have emerged to meet these challenges.

Michaela Lichti stellt in ihrem Buch die Ergebnisse einer Interventionsstudie zur Förderung des funktionalen Denkens in Jahrgangsstufe 6 vor, die unter Verwendung von Experimenten mit gegenständlichen Materialien und Computer-Simulationen durchgeführt wurde. Basierend auf einer quantitativen und qualitativen Betrachtung der Ergebnisse arbeitet die Autorin eine Empfehlung aus, wie eine effektive Förderung funktionalen Denkens erreicht werden kann. Funktionales Denken, verstanden als das Verständnis funktionaler Zusammenhänge, ist grundlegend für das Bestehen von Schülerinnen und Schülern im Mathematikunterricht. Seine Förderung ist entsprechend von Beginn an von zentraler Bedeutung.

This second edition is a practical, easy-to-read resource on web-based learning. The book ably and clearly equips readers with strategies for designing effective online courses, creating communities of web-based learners, and implementing and evaluating based on an instructional design framework. Case example, case studies, and discussion questions extend readers skills, inspire discussion, and encourage readers to explore the trends and issues related to online instructional design and delivery.

This book addresses the theory and practice of using digital resources for contemporary learning, and how such resources can be designed, developed, and employed in a variety of learning activities and with various devices. Drawing on insights into learning theory, educational research and the practical design of digital resources for learning that the author has gained over the past 20 years, the book provides the first classification guide to digital resources for learning and links various types of digital resources for learning to both contemporary curriculum design and learning design models.

This book discusses learning and teaching with modern technology in the new knowledge society. It focuses specifically on new literacy and technology in classroom environments. Based on a social-constructivist approach, this book covers a wide range of new technology use examples, such as participatory media, video recording systems and 3D computer graphics. A case study on a constructivist approach to teaching and learning, especially CSCL (computer supported collaborative learning), is discussed from a practical perspective for educators. It also includes specific in-class practices with detailed accounts of curricula featuring readily accessible yet new technology available for classroom use, such as Google Sketchup 3D computer models.

Designing for Learning in Networked Learning Environments is of interest to researchers and students, designers, educators, and industrial trainers across various disciplines including education, cognitive, social and educational psychology, didactics, computer science, linguistics and semiotics, speech communication, anthropology, sociology and design. Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is a genuinely interdisciplinary field that strives to create a better understanding of collaborative learning that is mediated by a diverse set of computational technologies. The theme of CSCL 2003'Designing for Change in Networked Learning Environments'reflects a commitment to influence educational practice in times of the Internet. The contributions in this volume include discussions on knowledge building, designing and analysing group interaction, design of collaborative multimedia and 3D environments, computational modelling and analysis, software agents, and much more.

The main idea of this book is that to comprehend the instructional potential of simulation and to design effective simulation-based learning environments, one has to consider both what happens inside the computer and inside the students'minds. The framework adopted to do this is model-centered learning, in which simulation is seen as particularly effective when learning requires a restructuring of the individual mental models of the students, as in conceptual change. Mental models are by themeselves simulations, and thus simulation models can extend our biological capacity to carry out simulative reasoning. For this reason, recent approaches in cognitive science like embodied cognition and the extended mind hypothesis are also considered in the book.. A conceptual model called the “epistemic simulation cycle” is proposed as a blueprint for the comprehension of the cognitive activies involved in simulation-based learning and for instructional design.

In der Qualitätsentwicklung im E-Learning ist mittlerweile unstrittig, dass dem Lernenden, seinen Präferenzen und Anforderungen eine herausragende Stellung eingeräumt werden muss. Mit der vorliegenden Studie wird erstmals ein empirisches Modell individueller Lernerpräferenzen vorgestellt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen detailliert auf, welche Faktoren für Lernende beim E-Learning Relevanz besitzen. Die umfassende Studie greift dafür auf Daten aus qualitativen Interviews und der bislang größten Onlinebefragung zum Thema zurück, in der über 2000 Lernende zu ihren Präferenzen, Kompetenzen und Einstellungen in Bezug auf Lernsysteme befragt wurden. Darüber hinaus werden unter Anwendung multivariater Analyseverfahren vier zielgruppenspezifische Präferenzprofile ermittelt, die ein klares Bild zeigen: Qualitätsentwicklung aus Lernersicht kann empirisch furchtbar gemacht werden. Die Studie liefert genaue Hinweise wie E-Learning Angebote gestaltet sein müssen um individuellen Anforderungen zu genügen.

How does technology alter thinking and action without our awareness? How can instantaneous information access impede understanding and wisdom? How does technology alter conceptions of education, schooling, teaching and what learning entails? What are the implications of these and other technology issues for society? Meaningful technology education is far more than learning how to use technology. It entails an understanding of the nature of technology—what technology is, how and why technology is developed, how individuals and society direct, react to, and are sometimes unwittingly changed by technology. This book places these and other issues regarding the nature of technology in the context of learning, teaching and schooling. The nature of technology and its impact on education must become a significant object of inquiry among educators. Students must come to understand the nature of technology so that they can make informed decisions regarding how technology may influence thinking, values and action, and when and how technology should be used in their personal lives and in society. Prudent choices regarding technology cannot be made without understanding the issues that this book raises. This book is intended to raise such issues and stimulate thinking and action among teachers, teacher educators, and education researchers. The contributions to this book raise historical and philosophical issues regarding the nature of technology and their implications for education; challenge teacher educators and teachers to promote understanding of the nature of technology; and provide practical considerations for teaching the nature of technology.

This book is an edited volume of case studies exploring the uptake and use of computer supported collaborative learning in work settings. This book fills a significant gap in the literature. A number of existing works provide empirical research on collaborative work practices (Lave & Wenger, 1987; Davenport, 2005), the sharing of information at work (Brown & Duguid, 2000), and the development of communities of practice in workplace settings (Wenger, 1998). Others examine the munificent variation of information and communication technology use in the work place, including studies of informal social networks, formal information distribution and other socio-technical combinations found in work settings (Gibson & Cohen, 2003). Another significant thread of prior work is focused on computer supported collaborative learning, much of it investigating the application of computer support for learning in the context of traditional educational institutions, like public schools, private schools, colleges and tutoring organizations. Exciting new theories of how knowledge is constructed by groups (Stahl, 2006), how teachers contribute to collaborative learning (reference to another book in the series) and the application of socio-technical scripts for learning is explicated in book length works on CSCL. Book length empirical work on CSCW is widespread, and CSCL book length works are beginning to emerge with greater frequency. We distinguish CSCL at Work from prior books written under the aegis of training and development, or human resources more broadly. The book aims to fill a void between existing works in CSCW and CSCL, and will open with a chapter characterizing the emerging application of collaborative learning theories and practices to workplace learning. CSCL and CSCW research each make distinct and important contributions to the construction of collaborative workplace learning.

At two previous conferences of Working Group 3. 7, the evaluation of the implementation of computerised school information systems (SISs) in Hong Kong and The Netherlands were presented. Here, we will present the results of similar research in England. The rationale for these studies was to fill the gap in our knowledge on this important type of computer use in schools, and, by that, to gain insight into the factors that prove to promote successful SIS­ implementation. In England SIMS (School Information Management System) has the largest market share of computerised school administration systems. SIMS is a modular but integrated system in that once entered, data is available between modules. Briefly, SIMS consists of about twenty modules that support the work of clerical staff and school managers and teachers (for details see Wild & Walker 2001). 2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH FRAMEWORK The following questions were addressed: - The extent of, and ways in which SIMS was used in schools; - The user opinion on the quality of SIMS; The nature and effects of the implementation process, and the characteristics of the schools into which SIMS was introduced; - Factors affecting the degree of SIMS use. The variables relating to the above issues that were investigated in this study fell into five distinct categories according to Visscher's model (see Figure 1), i. e., features of SIMS use, the implementation process, school organisation, and the intendedlunintended effects. The study assumed possible interrelationships between all these variable groups.

In our contemporary learning society, expectations about the contribution of education and training continue to rise. Moreover, the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) creates many challenges. These trends affect not only the aims, content and processes of learning, they also have a strong impact on educational design and development approaches in research and professional practices. Prominent researchers from the Netherlands and the USA present their latest findings on these issues in this volume. The major purpose of this book is to discuss current thinking on promising design approaches and to present innovative (computer-based) tools. The book aims to serve as a resource and reference work that will stimulate advancement in the field of education and training. It is intended to be useful in academic settings as well as for professionals in design and development practices.

Like previous volumes in the Educational Innovation in Economics and Business Series, this book is genuinely international in terms of its coverage. With contributions from nine different countries and three continents, it reflects a global interest in, and commitment to, innovation in business education, with a view to enhancing the learning experience of both undergraduates and postgraduates. It should prove of value to anyone engaged directly in business education, defined broadly to embrace management, finance, marketing, economics, informational studies, and ethics, or who has responsibility for fostering the professional development of business educators. The contributions have been selected with the objective of encouraging and inspiring others as well as illustrating developments in the sphere of business education. This volume brings together a collection of articles describing different aspects of the developments taking place in today's workplace and how they affect business education. It describes strategies for breaking boundaries for global learning. These target specific techniques regarding teams and collaborative learning, transitions from academic settings to the workplace, the role of IT in the learning process, and program-level innovation strategies. This volume addresses issues faced by professionals in higher and further education and also those involved in corporate training centers and industry.