This collection of papers is the result of a workshop sponsored by NATO's Defense Research Group Panel 8 in the Fall of 1991. The workshop is the second of a series, the fIrst of which was held in the Spring of 1985. As you study these papers, recall that this workshop occurred during the time that many changes were occurring in Eastern Europe and world wide. The need to identify training technologies for maintaining a capable and ready force during times of decreases in military force structure was, and is currently, our challenge. The opportunities for these technologies to provide a service and opportunity for nonmilitary usage is our future. Therefore this workshop maintained its focus on technology and application, regardless of the user. These and other statements made herein are personal and reflect the opinions of the author(s) and in no way represent the offIcial position or policy of our individual governments. v PREFACE The truly international contributions to this book reinforced our belief that training technology must be collaborative and data widely shared to strengthen our future. We want to thank the authors of these papers for their abilities to see beyond the near horizon. Their contributions, and the support of the organizations that sponsored their work is greatly appreciated. We also gratefully recognize the contributions of all who attended the workshop.

In 1988, the NATO panel governing human sciences (Panel 8 on Defence Applica of Human and Bio-Medical Sciences) established a Research Study Group to synthe tions size information relevant to Advanced Technologies Applied to Training Design. During its first phase, the RSG established an active exchange of information on advanced tech nologies applied to training design and stimulated much military application of these tech nologies. With the increased emphasis on training throughout the alliance, Panel 8, during its April 1991 meeting decided to continue with Phase II of this RSG focusing in the area of advanced training technologies that were emerging within the alliance. In order to ac complish its mission, the RSG held a series of workshops. Leaders in technology and training were brought together and exchanged information on the latest developments in technologies applicable to training and education. This volume represents the last in a se ries based on the NATO workshops. In Part One, it details findings from the last work shop, Virtual Reality for Training; and in Part Two, we provide a summary perspective on Virtual Reality and the other emerging technologies previously studied. These include computer-based training, expert systems, authoring systems, cost-effectiveness, and dis tance learning. It is a natural extension to proceed from learning without boundaries to virtual envi ronments. From the extended classroom to the individual or team immersion in a distrib uted, virtual, and collaborative environment is an easy conceptual step.

Technology plays a vital role in bridging the digital divide and enhancing student learning both in and outside of the classroom. This is possible thanks to the successful use of educational online technologies and other new teaching resources being integrated into learning environments. Advanced Online Education and Training Technologies is an essential reference source that explores student and teacher learning through various online platforms. Featuring research on topics such as professional development in the twenty-first century and cultural differences in online learning environments, this book is ideally designed for educators, students, academicians, and other education professionals seeking coverage on enhanced student learning through technology-based learning tools.

The primary goal of instructional design is improving the quality of learning and instruction. Instructional designers have focused on a number of areas of critical concern and developed a variety of techniques to achieve this goal (Reigeluth, 1983, 1999). Critical areas of concern for those who plan, implement and manage instruction include (a) needs assessment (identifying gaps or deficiencies in knowledge and performance to be addressed in instruction); (b) task analysis (identifying the types of knowledge, skills and attitudes to be developed during instruction); (c) learner analysis (determining who the learners are, what they know, relevant differences, etc. ); (d) instructional strategies (developing strategies appropriate for the task and learners involved); and (e) assessment and evaluation (determining how to assess individual progress and evaluate programs). There are many books already in print that treat the general domain of instructional design, as well as texts that target each of these areas of concerns. Why then another book on these issues? There are several answers to this question. Many of the available books treat instruction as a formal process that proceeds according to specific and detailed instructional systems development models (see, for example, Dick, Carey & Carey, 2005). Indeed, the US military has created a series of handbooks specifying details of the various instructional development processes (see Department of Defense, 1999).

In this workbook companion, we expand on the strategies presented in the book by supplying need-based practical and specific strategies for implementation of a variety of other subject matters. The book provides contributions from a mix of teacher educators and practitioners. We focus on a specific targeted group, high school age adolescents. Our targeted readers are new and experienced teachers developing curricula for this group.