Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology

J. Michael Spector is Research Scientist at the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory and Professor in the Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology Department at the University of Gerogia. His recent research is in the areas of intelligent support for instructional design, system dynamics based learning environments, assessing learning in complex domains, distance learning, and technology integration in education. M. David Merrill is retired Professor Emeritus, Utah State University. Since retiring, he has worked as a visiting Research professor at Florida State University and Research Consultant and Professor in Residence at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. He led the team which developed the authoring system for TICCIT (Time-shared Interactive Computer Controlled Information Television). Dr. Merrill further developed component display theory in association with the TICCIT system and refined that theory in the form of both elaboration theory and instructional transaction theory. Jan Elen is Professor in the Department of Educational Sciences of the Katholieke University of Leuven. His research is oriented towards the design and use of computer-supported learning environments in educational settings. He is the coordinator of the newly- founded School of Education of the Association at Katholieke University of Leuven. MJ Bishop is Associate Professor in the College of Education at Lehigh University. Her research interests are in understanding the fundamental components and the psychology behind instructional media and delivery systems in order to discover their pedagogical capabilities and limitations. Her goals are to devise more effective ways to design instructional technologies that enhance learning.