Welcome to Volume 3 (Issue 3) of the Electronic Journal of Instructional Science and Technology . There are 4 papers in this Issue and we hope you will find something of interest in all or some of them.
The first paper by Hashem F ardanesh (Instructional Technology and its Exigency ) asks some very topical questions about IT. These include: Why is IT a necessity in today's educational settings? Is IT the mere use of new educational technologies in instruction, or a systematic way of dealing with instructional problems that comprises the use of new technologies in instruction? The author considers these questions of prime importance.
Jeff Thomas's paper ( Using science project work in distance learning for a personal perspective on science and society ) describes a UKOU Masters module Science and the Public which includes a project element, where students undertake original self-selected research that addresses a specific and meaningful instance of science's impact on society. The author claims that establishing a personal perspective via individual project work provided students with an opportunity to develop a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the influence of science on the lay public.
Linda Cooper's paper ( On-line course: Tips for Making Them Work ) will be of interest to all Instructors who are interested in offering on-line classes. This article provides various steps and procedures for increasing their effectiveness.
And finally the paper by Philip, Davies and Naidu ( Improving Practical Instruction in Veterinary Gross Anatomy with Multimedia Based Preparation ) describes work towards the improvement of the teaching and learning of the regional anatomy of the dog in veterinary science classes. While the use of preserved specimens is a conventional and widely adopted approach in the study of anatomy in many veterinary schools, it is a practice that has several inherent problems. These problems are related to the repeated use and storage of preserved tissue, and the artificial appearance and texture of such specimens. The work reported here sought to address these concerns with an approach to the teaching and learning of this topic with multimedia-based preparation materials and the use of non-preserved specimens.
So have fun, and as usual we will welcome your comments and thoughts on any of the issues raised in this Issue of the eJIST. Please address all such correspondence to the Executive Editors.
Som Naidu & Olugbemiro Jegede