Emerging technologies and their promise for improving learning emphasize the design of learning environments. These learning environments are comprehensive, integrated systems that promote teaching and learning through careful analysis and diagnosis of student needs. The environment supports the building of "bridges" between new information and the student's prior knowledge or experiences. Opportunities are provided for the student to engage actively in constructing meaning from knowledge, facts, concepts, and procedures. Interactive activities take into account differences in learning styles. Embedded is guided support for the students' decision making as well as learning strategies to help the students organize and link new information into their existing conceptual knowledge base. Collectively, each of these resources provide a symphonic relationship to broaden and enhance teaching and learning opportunities.
Our district has been nationally recognized as a leader in instructional computing. Many faculty have developed innovative learning environments. Many of the colleges have teaching and learning centers that support the development of these multimedia programs. This issue of The Labyrinth presents merely a few of the MCCCD programs. We welcome you to submit articles for future issues on your or your colleagues' works or efforts.