Maxine S. Cohen

Integrating Multimedia into a Distance Learning Environment: Is the Game Worth the Candle?.

Introduction An online learning environment (OLE) appears to be a setting in which multimedia enhancements could indeed provide noteworthy benefits. As a form of distance learning, the OLE offers a rather barren environment featuring limited student-to-teacher and student-to-student interaction, limited lecture capabilities, and severely restricted presentation capacity. Laurillard (1998, 1993), Daniels (1994), McCarthy (1997) and Riding and Grimley (1999) suggested various manners in which multimedia enhancements could be effectively used to differentially reinforce the various aspects of the teaching-learning process.

Developing a criteria set for an online learning environment

Although designing an online course is a difficult task, it is one that is faced by educators almost on a daily basis. There is a lot of pressure to put ones course online and little research available for the best way to do it. There are course management systems that aid in the procedural tasks, but we still dont know the optimal design for an online course. This paper presents a study to develop a criteria set for excellence in online courses, from the student perspective. A two-fold approach was taken in this study. A group of students brainstormed a criteria list of important factors for an online learning environment. A second group of students then validated the criteria. A factorial analysis was performed analyzing the criteria by rating and rank order.

Teaching technology in an online, distance education environment

There are numerous challenges inherent in teaching technology classes. These challenges are further exacerbated when teaching in an online distance education environment. A number of practical techniques used by the authors to facilitate teaching in this environment are discussed. Special tools and techniques such as bulletin boards, email, course syllabus, web pages, calendars, whiteboards, creation of a course CD, synchronous and asynchronous communication, and technology setups are examined in relation to their pedagogical relevance in the online environment. Organizational efforts such as effective planning, setting the tone, building communication, and evaluation and feedback are also discussed. This paper discusses the authors attempts to meet the challenges. The primary goal is to establish an effective online learning community to facilitate learning.

Computer-based task representation: a methodology for improving system design

Abstract Task analysis procedures can be used in all stages of system development to examine the nature and severity of performance demands placed upon human operators. Task analyses involve considerable effort in obtaining a detailed set of measurements that represent the behavioural and cognitive tasks performed by the operators; these measures are referred to as task representation. The present article describes a flexible method for incorporating task representation data into an electronic spreadsheet. Such a computer-based procedure has many advantages over the more traditional paper and pencil approaches to task representation and analysis, including greater flexibility in data analysis and the inclusion of both objective and subjective measures of workload. Portions of an illustrative task representation and task analysis are presented along with a discussion of the strengths of computer-based task representation and analysis.

COMPUTERIZED TASK ANALYSIS

We developed an integrated computer-based procedure for conducting task analyses of the human-machine interface. The data base established with this task analysis methodology can be used by various system designers to answer questions at different levels (e.g., assessing individual keystrokes vs. overall mental workload levels) and as the system moves through the design stage. Our methodology is based upon the use of conventional task analysis procedures for data collection purposes but employs computer spreadsheet capabilities for analyzing and presenting these data.

Book review: READINGS IN HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH ed. by Ronald M . Baecker & William A.S. Buxton (Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc ., 1987)

This book is an extensive collection of papers on the Human Computer Interface. This review will not attempt to discuss each paper in the text, suffice it to say the classical human factors issues are raised and key references and researchers in the field are included. This book will be useful to programmers, systems designers and psychologists. The book stresses, emphasizes and demonstrates the need for effective interface design to be a multidisciplinary process.

Review of "Empirical Studies of Programmers" by E. Soloway and S. Iyengar

The Empirical Studies of Programmers edited by Elliot Soloway and Sitharama Iyengar should be of interest to several diverse audiences. It will be appreciated by the computer scientist with an interest in human factors and software engineering, the computer educator trying to improve and better understand the learning process and the psychologist studying the science of programming for its cognitive insights. The book encompasses a wide range of topics and the papers use an assortment of methodologies to study the subject matter. The book contains Ben Shneidermans keynote address, and three short position papers representing a panel for future directions. These papers were presented at the First Workshop on Empirical Studies of Programmers in Washington, D.C., on June 5-6, 1986. The papers look at the cognitive process of programming, the debugging process, design and planning activities, programming comprehension and evaluation of program quality and understanding. The authors represent the academic disciplines of computer science, psychology and education. Also there are industrial based authors. Obsevations and experiments were based on a broad age range from young children (fourth grade) learning to program to very experienced programmers (20 years of experience). 34 The Territory, Path and Destinations. His speech offers several different paths researchers can follow and offers a glimpse into the future. His speech really lays the groundwork for the diverse papers that are the bulk of the text. Since the papers are diverse, it is hard to group them together but there seems to be several common threads. Several papers explored the debugging phase of programming. Other researchers looked at the analysis of programming methodology and understanding including concepts such as plans and beacons. Still others looked at teaching styles, comparing a structured approach versus an experiential style. Concepts of program quality, modularity, cognitivite modes of experiments contrasting novice/expert differences are also contained in several papers in the text reference each other. Many reference the classics in the field. The book is an important and psychologist or computer scientist studying programming, design and the cognitive process. Many papers provide a cornucopia of ideas for future research and all authors seem to welcome additional help exploring the field. There certainly seems to be sufficient material to be studied. Many of these findings will need to be replicated, new design methodologies will need to be found and most important the need to incorporate these findings into our knowledge base for better understanding …