bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching A level physics through microcomputer dynamic modelling: Evaluation of teaching
Authors: Wong D.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  This paper describes an evaluation of teaching A level Physics through dynamic modelling. This teaching was carried out with a group of 12 lower sixth Nuffield A level Physics students and was evaluated with three tests internal to the school and with the external public Nuffield A level Physics (NAP) examination which those students later took. The internal school tests showed that the treatment group performed better than an equivalent non‐treatment group in both general ability and in a few particular skills. The public NAP examination showed no superiority of the treatment group, but indicated a significant preference for an optional question that involved mathematical skills, even though none of the treatment group took mathematics at A level. Comments are made about the educational significance of dynamic modelling and about computers in education generally.
Sources of difficulty in assessing the cognitive effects of learning to program
Authors: Goodyear P.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  Since the publication of Seymour Papert's ‘Mindstorms’ in 1980 there has been a steady flow of articles reporting on research which has attempted, in some sense, to test the claims made for programming as an educationally beneficial activity. The overall picture that these articles paint is not a clear one, but they leave a residual impression that the claims are, as yet, unsubstantiated. This paper argues that we are not in need of further controlled experimental studies so much as a clarification of our understanding of the novice programmer's learning task. It reviews a number of studies which have attempted to model the cognitive demands of programming through detailed observation rather than through abstract analysis. It emphasizes the distinction between programming as it is experienced in introductory classes and programming as an idealized cognitive activity.
Using classification profiles to question the development and use of CAL in mathematics
Authors: Armstrong P.K. , Wiseman A.N. , Bajpai A.C.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper calls for flexibility in the design and use of CAL in Mathematics; to avoid conflict between extreme ideologies and interests and to promote the teaching and learning opportunities identified in ‘Mathematics Counts’ and required by initiatives such as GCSE. The important question is ‘do computers enhance learning and, if so, how should they be used to ensure this?’ This is made up from many more specific questions. It is suggested that by using a new CAL classification model, based on roles, control and learning processes, profiles could be constructed which would identify pertinent questions. These would prompt a re‐examination of computer use in classrooms and encourage the necessary flexibility. A brief description is given of the experiences of the authors in using the inherent philosophy of the new model to produce and evaluate mathematical software.
Information Technology in Education Research Programme 1988–93
Authors: Lewis R.
Published: April 2008

Abstract Following a 3‐year pilot programme, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) undertook to play a further major role in the evolution of new ways in which technology could contribute to learning by supporting some of the necessary basic research. It was accepted that the uncertain pragmatics of early work on classroom technologies required more clearly defined studies. Cognitive science, which promised to provide the basic concepts for work on teaching and learning, was seen to be achieving some maturity. Nevertheless, current work remained somewhat scattered. Whilst diversity of approach remains undoubtedly important when new problems are to be solved, an investment was required in broadly managed programmes across this multidisciplinary field to promote the development of ‘critical mass’ and the emergence of directions for change.

A Coordinating Centre, a Programme Evaluation Unit and three Research Centres have been approved for work over 3 years (1988‐91) with support from ESRC of over Ł1M as part of the research initiatives programme of the Human Behaviour and Development Research Development Group.
Groupwork with computers
Authors: Eraut M. , Hoyles C.
Published: April 2008

Abstract The researchers will develop a programme of computer‐based groupwork in two clusters of four‐six primary/middle schools. This will be improved and modified in the light of the first year's experience. Research techniques will also be piloted during this developmental phase. A series of studies will then be planned over 2 years as a coherent programme, involving both teacher researchers and university‐based researchers. These will investigate relationships between context variables, group processes and pupil attitudes and learning. Special attention will be given to the effects of varying the computing environment and the learning task, to pupils' psychological characteristics and their variance or invariance, to group size and competition, to gender effects, to teacher intervention strategies, and to the effect of prior training in cooperative groupwork and/or experience of groupwork off the computer.
The independent policy evaluation
Authors: MacDonald B. , Stronach I.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This article is based on the proposal for evaluation submitted to the ESRC by the authors. The proposal offered an independent policy evaluation which would help people outside the Programme to know and judge what is going on, and those taking part in the programme to take into better account the impact on others of their activities and findings. The thrust of the proposal is formative, and focuses on the communication of research knowledge both within the programme, and between the programme and various interest groups and policy‐making bodies. The major concern of the evaluation is to understand and represent — through formative evaluation — the potential impact of the Programme on its intended audiences and users. This implies a focus on the research activities themselves (in so far as these emphases are separable). The relationship between the ESRC InTER Programme and the policy evaluation is an independent one. That is to say, the evaluation is sponsored by the ESRC, but is committed to independent internal and public reporting.

The methods favoured by this evaluation are known by the term ‘naturalistic’, so‐called because they are like the ways in which people generally come to understand social life — looking, listening, and talking to people whose actions, experience and reasoning we have to represent and report in a useful form, and the article ends with a brief methodological justification for such an approach to policy evaluation.
Courseware abstraction: reducing development costs while producing qualitative improvements in CAL
Authors: Webb G. I.
Published: April 2008

Abstract Courseware abstraction is an approach to CAL whereby the lesson author creates a general parameterized CAL lesson that is then applied to many concrete examples. This approach has the following advantages over alternative approaches to lesson development: it is cost efficient; it facilitates lesson verification; it encourages the provision of as many examples as are desirable; it simplifies the selection of appropriate examples for presentation to each student; it provides a convenient framework for student evaluation, and it supports the development of factually exhaustive lessons. In short, it provides qualitative improvements, while at the same time reducing lesson development costs. Although widely used, courseware abstraction has not previously been identified as an important CAL technique and its relative merits have never received attention. In particular, there has been a failure to recognize that generative CAL derives most of its power from the use of courseware abstraction.
Microcomputer maintenance in schools‐a survey of current practice
Authors: Ganderton P.S.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  This paper is an outline report of larger study dealing with the topic of computer maintenance in schools. It examines the responses to surveys of schools, a maintenance firm and English LEAs. The results of these surveys are given showing, in the main, that maintenance is a neglected aspect of the introduction of IT in schools. It is argued that this has implications for both teaching and resource use.
The implications of the national curriculum for the use and management of IT resources in schools
Authors: Coupland J.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The introduction of a national curriculum in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is having a major effect on all schools. Information Technology is identified as a key area of this curriculum, not as a subject itself but as a theme which must permeate the curriculum. The implications are many and varied. An overview is provided of these issues, and indications given of the decisions that need to be made and the possible outcomes.
Programming in schools: 10 years on
Authors: Cope P. , Walsh T.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  Progress in school computer programming is examined in relation to early claims about the benefits which would accrue from the introduction of programming courses into the school curriculum. The implications of the methodological origins of school programming in both AI and software engineering are discussed. The difficulties of teaching programming and the consequent development of teaching strategies are reviewed. It is concluded that early claims about the development of high‐level thinking skills have not yet been supported. Nor have suggestions that children develop structured programming habits by using an interactive programming environment been borne out by the experiences of the 1980s. However, it is also concluded that to abandon programming in schools on the basis of these experiences would be premature.
What is the role of IT within the National Mathematics Curriculum?
Authors: Ball D.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  While the usefulness of calculators for the learning of mathematics is not ignored by the National Curriculum, account is not taken of the full implications of their ready availability. The prescribed uses of computers are restricted almost entirely to programming and to the use of content‐free software There are no good reasons why the National Curriculum should have neglected the use of more focused computer programs, particularly in view of the fact that such programs have received far more extensive use in mathematics classrooms than has some of the software actually prescribed. These focused programs offer learners opportunities, not only to develop knowledge, skills and understanding of mathematics, but also to use and apply mathematics as required by Attainment Targets 1 and 9.
IT in science in the National Curriculum
Authors: Rogers L.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  An investigative and exploratory approach to learning science is emphasised in the National Curriculum. This paper discusses the role of Information Technology in encouraging the methods of inquiry suited to this approach. It illustrates how the use of generic software for data‐logging and data handling can permeate a broad range of science topics and fulfill the requirements of the National Curriculum for Information Technology capability.
Information Technology in the National Curriculum
Authors: Griffin J.A. , Davies S.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The inclusion of information technology (IT) within the National Curriculum for 5–16 year old pupils in schools in England and Wales has major implications. This paper attempts to outline the aims and requirements of IT in the curriculum, to identify some of the major issues, and to suggest ways of addressing these issues.
The lack of electronic communications in initial teacher training
Authors: Davis N.
Published: April 2008

Abstract Recent reports have highlighted the lack of Information Technology (IT) in UK initial teacher training (ITT). In contrast, the new guidelines from the UK Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education state that all students must be able to use IT personally and the National Curriculum (NC) for England and Wales has highlighted its presence across the curriculum. Electronic communications are a part of the NC and a means to locate teaching materials. This paper reports on a survey of electronic communications in ITT. It found that although most ITT institutions have these services only about 10% of students are exposed to them. The publication of databases on compact disk is expected to improve the situation. Additional action is recommended to improve uses of electronic communication which involve a phone line.
Computer use during primary school teaching practice: a survey
Authors: Dunn S. , Ridgway J.
Published: April 2008

Abstract The National Curriculum for England and Wales specifies a number of programmes of study and attainment targets relevant to Information Technology. New regulations to be introduced for teacher training courses specify compulsory elements related to the effective use of computers in class. This study reports a survey of 109 student teachers who were asked about their experiences of IT on their first teaching practice. It revealed a rather low spontaneous use of computers, a focus on a narrow range of software, which emphasized practice of basic skills. The course which these students are following fails to meet new requirements, and teachers were ill‐prepared to face the rigours of the National Curriculum; nevertheless, some positive lessons were learned from the study. While non‐users identified a lack of confidence and basic skill as the major reason for not using IT in class, users reported high pupil enjoyment, few problems using IT, and gains in personal confidence as a result of their classroom experiences. It is concluded that future courses should focus initially on the development of personal confidence, and should encourage the early use of IT in teaching practice, if we are to avoid the situation where new entrants to the teaching profession simply add to the pool of teachers in need of training in the use of IT.
Information technology in the National Curriculum: a view from Scotland
Authors: McDonald S.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper examines the proposals for Information Technology (IT) in current curriculum developments in England and Wales and in Scotland. It points out significant differences between the pattern of curriculum developments in these two parts of the United Kingdom, noting in particular, that developments under the heading of The National Curriculum do not apply in Scotland. Nevertheless, IT developments in Scotland have many similarities to those in the rest of the UK and it is from this shared experience that a view is offered as to whether the proposals under The National Curriculum will allow IT to reach its full potential to shape the curriculum and to improve learning and teaching styles. Among the issues considered are the interplay between IT and the curriculum, the impact of IT on learning and teaching and the fundamental question as to whether the system—pupils, teachers, staff management and staff development arrangements—are likely to be able to respond to the National Curriculum proposals.
The ‘Conceptual Change In Science’ project
Authors: Twigger D. , Byard M. , Draper S. , Driver R. , Hartley R. , Hennessy S. , Mallen C. , Mohamed R. , O'Malley C. , O'Shea T. , Scanlon E.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper outlines the work of the Conceptual Change in Science project, funded as part of the ESRC InTER programme. The aims of this research project are to clarify and describe the process of change in learners' conceptual understandings of natural phenomena. The domain of reasoning selected for study is that of mechanics. Computer software which may be useful in exploring and developing pupils' reasoning and promoting conceptual change in this domain is being developed and evaluated. The group that is carrying out the research is based at the Universities of Leeds, Glasgow and the Open University.
IT in Primary Schools—the opportunities of the National Curriculum
Authors: Govier H.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper examines the demands made by the National Curriculum on the IT skills of primary teachers and concludes that these demands are, in the short term, quite impossible to meet. However, a longer term view examines the reasons why primary education is, potentially, a very fertile environment for the effective use of IT in education. The stumbling blocks to progress are shortages of resources; hardware, software, technical support and INSET. Suggestions are offered to overcome these, particularly the final two, in the current climate of financial constraint.
Computers and translation: integrating IT into undergraduate foreign language learning
Authors: Kemble I. , Brierlay W.
Published: April 2008

Abstract There are still many institutions of higher education in the UK, both universities and polytechnics, that have not taken on board the application of information technology to foreign language learning. Apart from considerations of cost, there is also the problem of time—deciding how best to use the limited time at one's disposal for exploring computer applications to foreign language learning. Both problems may be compounded by the mistaken belief that effective use of this ‘new’ technology necessarily involves learning one or more programming languages. This paper endeavours to show that recent advances in both software and hardware have produced computing tools of particular interest to translation and the translator, and that, since translation is a reality for large numbers of undergraduates in the UK, such tools represent an obvious starting point for the introduction of IT into the undergraduate curriculum.
Preview
Authors: THORNLEY DOROTHY
Published: April 2008

Granville
IT and Geography in the National Curriculum: some initial reactions
Authors: Kent A.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  For over 10 years now some geography teachers have been exploring the use of computers in their classrooms. Subsequent to the publication of the National Curriculum Technology Order in 1990 and the geography Order in 1991, a selection of that interest group were invited to comment on the limitations and opportunities the Orders offered to geography education. The contributions focus on the implications for: information handling; modelling; classroom management; INSET; cross‐phase linkage; implementation; and future scenarios.
A survey of the use schools make of IT linked to museum visits
Authors: Inspectors Her Majesty's
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the quality of work produced by pupils and students using information technology (IT) in various forms in either museums themselves or in schools in association with a visit to a museum. During the survey HM Inspectors visited nine museums and galleries and saw a wide range of groups from mainly primary and some secondary schools. Classes in a further four primary schools, one middle school and one secondary school were inspected. Information technology is now a well‐established resource in almost every school and college in the United Kingdom and an increasing number of museums and galleries have introduced it to give visitors a greater understanding of some of their exhibits.
Coherence & autonomy: issues in the evaluation of an open learning project
Authors: Saunders M.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  This paper will elaborate some of the key areas of interest in the evaluation of the JITOL, a project funded under the European Community DELTA initiative. The purpose of the JITOL (Just in Time Open Learning) project is to develop and evaluate a learning environment for the professional development of individuals. The environment is based upon information technology consisting of telematic network linking and making available computer resources, including data and knowledge bases, and using conferencing and communications software to facilitate access to human tutors and co‐learners.

The three domains in which testing and validation of the JITOL model will take place represent areas in which real user/learner interest is already evident. From the point of view of evaluation, the JITOL project is characterized in such a way that it raises some particular challenges.
An experimental network‐mediated study support system
Authors: Ellermann H.H. , Huisman W.H.T. , Schellekens A.M.H.C. , Zwaneveld G. , Berns R.M.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The route towards a functional design and its principle components are described for a network communication system that connects students and tutors in a distance course. The system is designed mainly to mediate the study support provided by the tutor to individual students. The key concept is the ‘study environment’ rather than computer‐mediated communication. The study environment consists of the student's computer, the network, the telephone, the tutor, the fellow students and the printed materials. A special program integrates all support tasks, ranging from mapping the student's progress to the automatic exchange of the outcomes and corrections of assignments.
Software tools in science classrooms
Authors: Beare R.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  A spreadsheet system, that enables students, teachers and curriculum developers to rapidly and easily make use of Microsoft EXCEL's database and graphics capabilities in the science classroom, is described. Different types of application are listed and the advantages of spreadsheets are discussed, particularly as they relate to the possibilities of more open‐ended investigations, more problem‐oriented activities and more active learning situations. Specific examples which illustrate this potential, are described.
IT in post‐graduate teacher training
Authors: Mellar H. , Jackson A.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The IT capabilities expected of all students training to be teachers are now laid down in government guidelines but time on one year postgraduate courses is limited. It is therefore important to be aware of the IT skills that students bring with them to help develop the courses on offer. A questionnaire survey of nearly 400 PGCE primary and secondary students was completed for a 1989/90 cohort. This study set out to find what prior IT experience students brought with them, and what they perceived as their IT training needs. Two thirds of these students were found to have little experience of using computers either at home, school, college or work, and there was a very low level of experience of some of the more high priority National Curriculum software packages (e.g. electronic communications, modelling software, control software). Most students gave high training priority to learning how computers can be used in teaching. These results are discussed in relation to other surveys of IT in teacher education, and the implications for PGCE course development.
Effects of computerized mediation of analogical thinking in kindergartens
Authors: Klein P. , Gal O. Nir
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The current study describes an attempt to improve children's analogical thinking through the use of a ‘humanized’ computer program. This program was experimentally designed to incorporate several basic features of what has been defined theoretically and empirically as basic criteria of human mediation to children. The objective of the study was to examine the possibility of improving the educational benefits of using computers in early childhood education. More specifically, it was hypothesized that by introducing into a computer program basic features of human mediation, it would be possible to raise children's educational gains to the level of the gain achieved when they work with an adult mediator. Subjects were 120 Israeli‐born kindergarten children between 4.5 and 6 years old. Despite no differences in test scores between the two experimental groups a higher frequency of ‘stopping to think’ (in contrast to trial and error responses) was found in the experimental group working with an adult as compared to the experimental group working independently.
Information technology: building structures in initial teacher training to develop effective practitioners
Authors: McDonald S.
Published: April 2008

Abstract It was reported at a recent conference, that staff of teacher training institutions are less willing than teachers to collaborate in the use of information technology in the curriculum. Teacher trainers will discuss, promote and research innovation in this area but this activity seems unable to influence how teacher training programmes are themselves delivered. This paper examines how one teacher training institution is trying to embed information technology in the pedagogy of its courses in ways that enable student teachers to re‐construct similar learning experiences in the classroom on teaching practice.
IT in mathematics initial teacher training ‐ factors influencing school experience
Authors: Monaghan J.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper presents some findings of a local study of the IT background of secondary mathematics PGCE students and the use these students made of IT in their mathematics lessons in schools. Traditional and school‐based initial training schemes are examined and although some differences appear regarding the use of IT in mathematics lessons, these differences are not large. Nationally, future secondary courses will be school‐based; implications for future training are considered.
Impact of cognitive theory on the practice of courseware authoring
Authors: Ohlsson S.
Published: April 2008

Abstract The cognitive revolution has yielded unprecedented progress in our understanding of higher cognitive processes such as remembering and learning. It is natural to expect this scientific breakthrough to inform and guide the design of instruction in general and computer‐based instruction in particular. In this paper I survey the different ways in which recent advances in cognitive theory might influence the design of computer‐based instruction and spell out their implications for the design of authoring tools and tutoring system shells. The discussion will be divided into four main sections. The first two sections deal with the design and the delivery of instruction. The third section analyzes the consequences for authoring systems. In the last section I propose a different way of thinking about this topic.
The structure of Eurropean Community R&D policy: opportunities and limits
Authors: Game A. , Grabert M. , Rivière G.
Published: April 2008

Abstract At present the future structure and development of European Community research and development (R&D) policies and programmes are being widely discussed. This paper is intended to assist those following the debate by setting out the background and some of the major issues including those raised by the Maastricht Treaty.
EC research in language learning and it – some experiences with LINGUA
Authors: Fox J.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper begins with a description of ongoing research which has the objectives of designing and producing a Danish business course for speakers of English, and of investigating the design of multimedia language learning systems in general. It then discusses certain aspects of the role and overall philosophy of LINGUA, a European Community Programme to promote Foreign Language Competence. It concludes that the statistics of activities may be impressive, but that new insights into language learning are few.
The impact of high access to computers on learning
Authors: Gardner J. , Morrison H. , Jarman R.
Published: April 2008

Abstract Researchers at Queen's University, Belfast recently completed a study into the potential of portable ‘laptop’ or ‘notebook’ computers in schools. Over 235 pupils in nine schools were provided with a personal portable computer for a whole school year. One aspect of the research was to assess the impact which the high access to information technology (IT) had on the pupils' learning. Five experimental/control class groups (with/ without laptops) were matched for age, gender and ability. The performance of these pupils in mathematics, English and science tests was measured before and after the ‘treatment’ period and the comparisons were analysed. A number of interesting effects were observed and these indicated, with due recognition of the project constraints, that the impact of high access to computers on learning in mathematics, English and science was at best marginal.
The changing picture of IT experience in post‐graduate teacher training
Authors: Mellar H. , Jackson A.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The level and kind of Information Technology (IT) experience which our Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) students bring with them when they start their training is changing rapidly. This paper compares the IT experience and perceived training needs of two cohorts of primary and secondary PGCE students two years apart, 1989/90 and 1991/92. Many of the findings of the first survey were replicated in the second: there was comparatively little use of computers outside word processing and databases, and there were significant differences between primary and secondary student teachers, and between men and women in their perceptions of their own training priorities. There was a small increase in the degree of importance attached to most training priorities but the only one found to be significantly more popular was ‘teaching information technology to students’. Comparing the two cohorts, it was found that there had been large increases in the degree of exposure to IT at work and at college, and significant increases in the use of word‐processing, spreadsheets, desk top publishing and graphics programs. Analysis of the responses of students under 25 showed that the use of computers in schools was having an increasingly important effect.
A strategy for educational technology in higher education
Authors: Adman P. , Warren L.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  Setting an institutional strategy for technology in higher education will involve both high‐level political commitment and varying degrees of financial investment, depending on the extent of structures already in place. In return for this investment, institutions will expect to see significant quantifiable gains in efficiency over relatively short time periods. This article outlines a realistic approach to ensuring that such gains are made without compromising either teaching quality, or the research base.
Portability and networked learning environments
Authors: Collis B.A. , De Diana I.P.F.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  The portability of educational software is defined as the likelihood of software usage, with or without adaptation, in an educational environment different from that for which it was originally designed and produced. Barriers and research relevant to the portability of electronic learning resources are discussed and organised into a portability‐limiting factors model. With the increase in number and scope of networked learning environments, portability issues take on a new dimension. Using electronic (study) books as an example, the portability problem space of networked learning environments is explored.
Multimedia resources In the mathematics classroom
Authors: Phillips R.J. , Pead D.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  In a study of multimedia technology in mathematics classrooms, teachers were given a set of resources which were very mixed in character and style, and from which they could freely select. These were used in lessons over an extended period, in some cases for two years or longer. By interviewing and by observing lessons, it has been possible to draw some tentative conclusions about the relative merits of different styles of multimedia in mathematics classrooms. There was no evidence that multimedia leads to radically new ways of teaching and learning but instead it appears to be a natural continuation of the evolution of ideas for teaching with computers that took place during the 1980s.
A computer‐aided self‐testing system for bioiogical psychology
Authors: Leiblum M.D. , Coenen A.M.L. , van Luijtelaar E.L.J.M.
Published: April 2008

Abstract  This paper describes a project involving the production of a computer‐aided self‐testing system for university students enroled in a first‐year course in biological psychology. All aspects of the project are described including: a) the selection, acquisition and description of computer software, b) the question bank and test structures, c) modes of usage, d) evaluation and, e) future plans. The most notable feature of this project is that it resulted in a sharp improvement in ‘pass‐rates’ on final examinations for a large student group (454). The project shows that by utilizing a fairly simple practice self‐test series, both in a Computer‐Aided‐Testing (CAT) version and also in a printed form, students not only make performance gains when compared to ‘non‐users’, but their attitude towards the tools are very positive.
Teachers' use of software for pupils with specific learning difficulties
Authors: Sepehr H. , Harris D.
Published: April 2008

Abstract Previous research in the USA suggests that teachers use mainly drill and practice software programs to support reading problems for pupils with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs). More recently, holistic and active learning approaches have led to wider use of content free software. A small scale study was undertaken to explore teacher's use of software in supporting pupils' learning. The approach used questionnaires for 56 teachers and interviews for nine of those teachers who had responded. The teaching approach used by teachers was related to the type of software that they used (64 programs were identified). The software was categorised into ‘drill and practice’ and framework groups. The teachers who used whole book approaches to teaching preferred framework software. Teachers using structured approaches made more use of drill and practice software but also used framework software.
IT under school‐based policies for Initial Teacher Training
Authors: Byard M. J.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper describes aspects of a survey carried out amongst students and staff in the use of Information Technology (IT) in the initial training of teachers at the University of Leeds during the academic year 1992/93. The survey attempted to chart the IT profiles of students during their Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) year, assessing their initial and final IT confidence, their IT activities and problems they encountered, and the extent to which IT was used on their teaching practice. The results of the survey are discussed in the light of the changes which are taking place in the training of teachers.
Co‐operative learning and development networks
Authors: Hodgson V. , McConnell D.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper has two main purposes. The first one is to consider the theory and nature of cooperative learning and the benefits which seem to result from it. The second one is to consider the Cooperative Learning and Development Network (CLDN) trial in the JITOL project, and to look at the relationship between theories about cooperative learning, and the reality of a group of professional people participating in a ‘virtual’ cooperative learning environment.
Capitalising on knowledge: organisational issues and constraints
Authors: Manenti Y.
Published: April 2008

Abstract Firms identity and effectiveness is based on a cognitive system drawing together tools, methods, organisational framework… individual competencies. Some competencies are well formalised and can be transferred through classical training. But others are idiosyncratic, unformalised and difficult to be transferred. Enriching individual know‐how and creating a common knowledge fund (capital) is a major lever for firm coherence and increased efficiency. One of the pilot studies in the JITOL project addressed some aspects of the problem in an open organisational context; it gathered medical experts from different units and different countries. The positive results of the pilot study reveal some questions about the possibility of using these methods to capitalise on knowledge in a firm.
Designing educational software as a re‐usable resource
Authors: Neilson I. , Thomas R.
Published: April 2008

Abstract The production of educational software is moving from a focus on courseware produced by the individual lecturer to the development of educational resources that can be shared and accessed from a wide variety of teaching sites. This change has a number of implications. Firstly, different resources must be capable of being seamlessly integrated into a specific teaching package. Secondly, collaboration between institutions will be increasingly important to ensure that resources so produced are sufficiently generic to be of interest to those outside the development team. Thirdly, management procedures to direct and control this collaborative effort are required. This paper details how the distributed hypermedia environment provided by the World Wide Web may be effectively exploited to realise these three goals.
Software evaluation: a situated approach
Authors: Squires D. , McDougall A.
Published: April 2008

Abstract It is suggested that the use of educational software can only be evaluated by considering the use of a package in particular learning situations. This requirement poses an inherent problem for predictive evaluation where, by definition, the evaluation is conducted out of context. Current predictive evaluation tools, checklists and frameworks, fail to address this problem. A novel evaluation paradigm is proposed which does provide a situated approach to predictive evaluation. This paradigm generates context specific evaluation issues by considering the interactions between the three principal actors associated with the development and use of educational software — the teacher, the designer and the student(s). The use of the paradigm is illustrated by the predictive evaluation of a recent CD‐ROM package. In conclusion, the paradigm may offer an improved approach to interpretative evaluation, leading to the notion of its use as a comprehensive evaluation tool.
Pedagogic principles of case‐based CAL
Authors: Khan T. , Yip Y.J.
Published: April 2008

Abstract This paper reviews the recent developments in educational and cognitive learning theory that have been adopted by developers of knowledge‐based computer‐aided learning systems. Its focus is on an artificial intelligence technology that has only recently been applied to educational applications. Case‐based reasoning provides an intelligent capability for making pedagogic decisions about a diversity of issues encountered during a learning session. Illustrative examples of implemented systems in tackling a variety of pedagogic problems are presented. Numerous case‐based teaching systems have been reviewed and fourteen fundamental pedagogic principles that influenced their design are identified. These principles are presented with background descriptions and references to the systems they motivated. The work of the authors, which focuses on case‐based task management, is described briefly.
CAL in human anatomy
Authors: Gunn C. , Maxwell L.
Published: April 2008

Abstract An evaluation of a first‐year course in human anatomy was designed to measure the impact of introducing a generic, computer assisted learning (CAL) program for medical education. Results of the study suggested that use of the different media resources facilitated complementary aspects of learning. A positive influence on the process of learning resulted from working in groups with the CAL program before going into a dissection laboratory for the first time. Both staff and students were able to use their time more efficiently, and an improvement in the overall quality of learning was noted. This was partly attributed to high motivation and interest levels that resulted from the use of the CAL program, and partly to the holistic approach supported by the combination of resources.
Identification, prevalence and aspects of molecular biology of hepatitis G virus
Authors: Thomas H. C. , Pickering J. , Karayiannis P.
Published: April 2008

Summary. Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a newly identified member of the Flaviviridae family. The positive‐sense RNA genome of the virus contains a single open reading frame that encodes the viral polyprotein. Its genomic organization is similar to that of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) with which it has only 25% homology at the nucleotide level. Nucleotide sequences from the NS‐3 helicase region of HCV varied by 10–30%. HGV is therefore much less variable than HCV. Construction of phylogenetic trees, and calculation of mean distances between possible subtypes, indicated one level of variation in NS‐3 sequences: the degree of variation between isolates was similar to that observed between HCV subtypes. Thus no evidence for clustering of sequences into multiple genotypes was found. The virus is transmissible through blood transfusion and by exposure to blood products or intravenous drug use, and may result in acute or chronic hepatitis. A causative role of HGV in acute and chronic hepatitis is not yet established. Concurrent infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV is common and persistent viraemia has been documented for many years, in many cases, in the absence of transaminase elevations.
Investigation of the pattern of diversity of hepatitis C virus in relation to times of transmission
Authors: Simmonds P. , Smith D. B.
Published: April 2008

Summary. The rate of sequence change of HCV in vivo was used to date the spread of HCV genotype 1b in European, USA and Japanese populations. Silent substitution rates of 0.0011 and 0.0017 substitutions per site per year were observed in the NS5 and E1 regions by sequence comparisons from a cohort of individuals infected from a common source of infection 17 years previously. Mean silent substitution frequencies of 0.169 and 0.224 in NS5 and E1, respectively, were observed amongst type 1b variants infecting epidemiologically unrelated individuals from several countries. This predicted a time of divergence from a common ancestor of 64–69 years. The absence of country‐specific groupings by phylogenetic analysis of these sequences suggested that the spread of this genotype occurred on a worldwide basis at a similar time. Dates for the spread of other genotypes varied from around 80 years (type 2a) to 54 years (type 3a), suggesting that different variants spread into communities at different times this century.

By extrapolating the silent substitution rate, the time of divergence of type 1a from 1b can be estimated at 200–300 years, but even this is likely to be an underestimate of the true time due to inequalities on the transition and transversion ratios, and the greater frequency of G ⊼ A transitions, compared with C ⊼ U. which are not considered in the current analysis. Thus, the diversity of the globally distributed genotypes such as type 1b and 3a suggests a relatively recent origin for HCV in Western countries and Japan, and contrast with the much greater diversity of specific genotypes in Central Africa (type 4) and South East Asia (type 6). These data may assist in understanding the global epidemiology of HCV and the mechanisms by which it has spread.
Mechanisms of viral clearance and persistence
Authors: Borrow P.
Published: April 2008

Summary. Using examples predominantly drawn from study of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model system, this review describes the mechanisms involved in control of virus infections by the cell‐mediated immune response, and some of the different strategies viruses have evolved to evade such immune clearance so that they can persist in their hosts. The important role played by the CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocyte (CTL) response in clearance of many systemic virus infections is discussed: and it is emphasized that although CD8+ CTL are classically thought of as lymphocytes which mediate lysis of virus‐infected target cells, the principal mechanism by which CD8+ T cells effect clearance of persistent and many acute virus infections via production of antiviral cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor‐α and interferon‐γ, not via destruction of virus‐producing cells. To avoid immune‐mediated clearance, viruses frequently use a combination of several different strategies. These can be grouped into mechanisms for avoiding recognition by the immune response (such as establishing latent infections, replicating in immune‐priviledged sites, down‐regulating the expression of immune recognition signals on the surface of infected cells, or undergoing antigenic variation); and mechanisms for suppressing the immune response. The latter include generalized immune suppression mechanisms, and strategies for more precisely disabling the specific immune response such as inducing tolerance or exhaustion of virus‐specific CTL. The value of understanding both immune clearance mechanisms and viral evasion strategies in the rational design of immune‐based therapies to combat persistent virus infections is discussed.
Impact of interferon‐alpha therapy on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with liver cirrhosis: results of an international survey
Authors: Bonino F. , Oliveri F. , Colombatto P. , Brunetto M. R.
Published: April 2008

Summary. Clinico‐epidemiological data show that the most severe forms of hepatitis C virus (HCV) associated liver disease occur in patients with multifactorial liver damage. We found that the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers in anti‐HCV positive patients with cirrhosis complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is higher than in cirrhotics with comparable age and disease history, but without HCC. HBV can persist in integrated forms in HBsAg negative, anti‐HBc positive individuals and we may speculate that in such patients concurrent liver pathogens, as HCV, could cause HCC more easily than in patients without previous exposure to HBV. Analysing the relations between age at HCC diagnosis and the different risk factors in consecutive HCC patients we found that patients with single hepatitis virus infections (HBsAg and/or anti‐HCV positive) were of an older median age than patients with multiple hepatitis virus infections. We also studied patients with compensated cirrhosis and hepatitis virus infections, untreated or treated with interferon‐alpha. The independent effect of treatment was analysed by matching groups with regard to all the other significant HCC risk factors. The overall relative HCC risk was three times higher (risk ratio 3.1) in untreated vs treated anti‐HCV positive patients and more than six times higher (risk ratio 6.2) in untreated vs treated anti‐HCV positive/anti‐HBc negative patients. The difference between treated and untreated patients was not statistically significant in hepatitis B surface antigen carriers and in anti‐HCV positive/anti‐HBc positive patients. The evidence that HBV coinfection may worsen the course of liver cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C is intriguing, but it has important practical consequences. It warrants the identification of high risk patients with chronic hepatitis C who need to be treated as early as possible and patients who can still benefit from interferon‐alpha therapy once cirrhosis has already been diagnosed.