editorial13-2 Australian Journal of Educational Technology Volume 13, Number 2, Summer 1997 ISSN 0814-673X Contents Editorial ................................................................................................. iii-iv Multicampus video on demand at Monash University Philip Branch and Bruce Tonkin ............................................... 85-97 A knowledge-based computer instruction system Joshua Poh-Onn Fan, Tina Kwai-Lan Mak and Li-Yen Shue ........... 98-114 Designing for learning: What are the essential features of an effective online course? Allison Brown ........................................................................ 115-126 Multimedia, magic and the way students respond to a situated learning environment Jan Herrington and Ron Oliver ............................................. 127-143 A case study of communication technology within the elementary school Seryn Wyld and John Eklund ................................................. 144-164 The Australian Journal of Educational Technology is published twice a year jointly by the Australian Society for Educational Technology and the Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. For details on submission of manuscripts, subscriptions and access to the AJET online archives, please see: http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/aset/ajet.html or for manuscript submission contact the Editor, Dr Ron Oliver, Mt Lawley Campus, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050 , or for subscriptions contact the Production Editor, Dr Roger Atkinson, Teaching and Learning Centre, Murdoch University, Murdoch Western Australia 6150 . Members of ASET and ASCILITE receive AJET as a part of their membership benefits. © 1997 All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be reprinted or reproduced without permission from the publishers. ii Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 1997, 13(2) ASET's EdTech series of national conferences http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/aset/confs/edtech98.html 5-8 July 1998, Perth, Western Australia ASCILITE’s series of national conferences http://cedir.uow.edu.au/ASCILITE98/ 14-16 December 1998, Wollongong, NSW Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 1997, 13(2) iii Editorial This issue attains our most immediate goal in relation to production aspects for the Australian Journal of Educational Technology. We needed to assure authors and subscribers that under joint production by ASCILITE and ASET we could produce and deliver AJET “on time, on budget”. Although we very much regret that we could not achieve the target of “print AJET 13(2) before Christmas 1997”, the journal is now well positioned for consolidation with Volume 14 in 1998. We have received a very gratifying response to our calls for papers, and with those currently in the review process, we expect AJET 14(1) to be issued well before the notional deadline of mid 1998. We have contained production and distribution costs by working to the greatest possible extent with volunteer labour, by using email only communications for review and production processes, by adopting an economical format in relation to printing costs, and by taking the first steps towards the evolution of the AJET web site into the primary avenue of publication. We will continue those trends into 1998. We need to offer authors the shortest possible period between submission date and publication date, consistent with a fair, rigorous and formative process of peer review. Whilst that is a desirable goal for any kind of academic publication, it is especially so in educational technology, characterised by rapid adoption of new technologies and substantial critical rethinking and reflection about the “how, what, why and for whom” concerning technologically mediated teaching and learning activities. We will continue our printed version of AJET and its distribution to members of ASCILITE and ASET and to libraries and other subscribers. However, to provide more rapid publication, during 1998 we will explore with our managing Societies the pros and cons of moving to primary publication on the AJET web site, with print issues following at a later date, when a sufficient number of articles, typically 4 to 7, are accumulated to warrant a “print, package and post” job. To ensure member participation in the decisions about the relative roles and primacies of web and hard copy publication, you are invited to contribute via the Societies emailing lists, accessible through our web sites. During 1998 your Editorial Board and the Societies have to consider also a number iv Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 1997, 13(2) of other matters in long term policy, including subscription rates for the print version, the number of issues per year, the feasibility or otherwise of adding new sections which publish different kinds of articles, our relationship to the substantial volume of fast track publication occurring via conference proceedings, and the possibilities for collaboration with other, similar journals or publishers elsewhere in the world. Roger Atkinson Production Editor Australian Journal of Educational Technology AJET’s 1997 Editorial Board, nominated by the Australian Society for Educational Technology and the Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education is: Ron Oliver (Editor), Edith Cowan University Roger Atkinson (Production Editor), Murdoch University Cathy Gunn, University of Auckland Barry Harper, University of Wollongong Mary Jane Mahony, Orange Agricultural College, University of Sydney Clare McBeath, Curtin University of Technology Sue McNamara, Monash University Rod Sims, Southern Cross University Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education http://www.ascilite.org.au/ Australian Society for Educational Technology http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/aset Copyright in individual articles contained in Australian Journal of Educational Technology is vested in each of the authors in respect of his or her contributions. Copyright in AJET is vested in ASET (1985-86), AJET Publications (1987-1996), and ASET and ASCILITE (from 1997). Republishing in the online archives at ASET's web site is by permission. For details on submission of manuscripts, subscriptions and access to the AJET online archives, please see: http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/aset/ajet.html or for manuscript submission contact the Editor, Dr Ron Oliver, Mt Lawley Campus, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050 , or for subscriptions contact the Production Editor, Dr Roger Atkinson, Teaching and Learning Centre, Murdoch University, Murdoch Western Australia 6150 Desktop publishing by Roger Atkinson.