PUB DATE Jul Re

In developing countries, educational systems are beset by a lack of textbooks and other instructional materials, overcrowded classrooms, poorly qualified teachers, high attrition and illiteracy rates, and disparities between urban and rural schools. Traditional solutions do not respond to the expanding demand for primary education in these nations. Learning technologies, categorized by a systematic instructional development process and validated instructional design principles, offer cost-effective alternatives. A literature review on the soft technologies of learning indicated that: (1) while textbooks remain the mr'st prevalent type of instructional material in developing nations, modularized materials, programmed learning materials, and workllooks are gaining in popularity; (2) different types of tutoring enhance the quality of education, but only small-group methods are cos