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Although alternate definitions for information literacy have been developed by educational institutions, professional organizations and individuals, they are likely to stem from the definition offered in the Final Report of the American Library Association (ALA) Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: "to be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information." This ERIC Digest describes the evolution of the concept of information literacy, and goes on to discuss the following: the three predominating themes in research on information literacy; the new workplace of the future; national and state standards; K-12 educational reform and restructuring; information literacy efforts in K-12 and higher education; and information technology as the enabler of information literacy. (AEF)

This digest, based on "Survey of Instructional Development Models," 3rd edition, defines instructional development (ID) in terms of four major activities: analysis of the setting and learner needs; design of a set of specifications for an effective, efficient, and relevant learner environment; development of all learner and management materials; and evaluation of the results of the development both formatively and summatively. A taxonomy of ID models can help clarify the underlying assumptions of each model, and help identify the conditions under which each might be most appropriately applied. The taxonomy has three categories indicating whether the model is best applied for developing: individual classroom instruction; products for implementation by users other than the developers; or large and complex instructional systems directed at an organization's problems or goals. Numerous ID models are mentioned for each of the three categories in the taxonomy. Gustafson and Branch suggest that developers need to acquire a working knowledge of several instructional development models, and ensure that all three categories in their taxonomy are represented in that knowledge. They believe that all the instructional development models they discussed will survive well into the next century, and will be able to accommodate new developments in theory and technology. (Contains 14 references.) (SWC)

This ERIC Digest discusses concept mapping, a technique for representing the structure of information visually. Concept mapping can be used to brainstorm, design complex structures, communicate complex ideas, aid learning by explicitly integrating new and old knowledge, and assess understanding or diagnose misunderstanding. Visual representation has several advantages: (1) visual symbols are quickly and easily recognized; (2) minimum use of text makes it easy to scan for a word, phrase, or general idea; and (3) visual representation allows for development of a holistic understanding that words alone cannot convey. A wide range of computer software for concept mapping is now available for most of the popular computers used in education. Computer support for concept mapping facilitates ease of adaptation and manipulation, dynamic linking, conversion, communication, and storage. "Inspiration" is currently one of the most popular computer software programs for creating concept maps. (Contains 13 references.) (AEF)

A content analysis was performed to determine the trends in the field of educational technology for the period October 1, 1994 through September 30, 1995. Sources for the analysis included five leading professional journals in educational technology, papers given at annual conventions of three professional associations, dissertations from five universities that have a high level of doctoral productivity, and the educational technology documents that have been entered into the ERIC database. The analysis was complemented by the examination of supplementary documents to confirm the trends indicated in the content analysis. This Digest highlights the trends identified in the study. Trends reveal that: (1) computers are pervasive in schools and higher education institutions--virtually every student in a formal education setting has access to a computer; (2) networking is one of the fastest growing applications of technology in education; (3) access to television resources in the school is almost universal; (4) advocacy for the use of educational technology has increased among policy groups; (5) educational technology is increasingly available in homes and community settings; (6) new delivery systems for educational technology applications have grown in geometric proportions; (7) there is a new insistence that teachers must become technologically literate; and (8) educational technology is perceived as a major vehicle in the movement toward education reform. (Contains 11 references.) (Author/AEF)

Microcomputers in schools contribute significantly to the learning process, and software selection is taken as seriously as the selection of text books. The seven step process for responsible software selection are: (1) analyzing needs, including the differentiation between needs and objectives; (2) specification of requirements; (3) identifying promising software, with a discussion of possible sources of information; (4) reading relevant reviews and where to find them; (5) previewing software with intended student group; (6) making recommendations on software for purchasing; and (7) getting post-use feedback to determine the conformance or discrepancy between objectives and actual student performance. (Contains six references.) (MAS)

Presents research abstracts from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology. Topics include: classroom communication apprehension and distance education; outcomes of a distance-delivered science course; the NASA/Kennedy Space Center Virtual Science Mentor program; survey of traditional and distance learning higher education members; students' learning experiences in a computer-mediated distance education environment; and the social impact of Web-based distance learning in higher education. (AEF)

Highlights trends in educational technology according to a 1995 study by Donald Ely. Student access to computers and television; Growth of networking applications in education; Advocacy for the use of educational technology; Availability of educational technology in homes and communities; Perceived importance of technology in education reform.