Faculty in the 21st century have a enviable choice of technology-intensive tools for teaching - from the basic multimedia PowerPoint presentations to the more intricate and sophisticated uses of the world wide web and stand-alone CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs to name just a few. As experienced teachers realize, integration of technology-intensive methods for teaching does not always translate into savings of time and/or an enhancement of teaching effectiveness.

In this paper, we highlight factors that can significantly increase the efficiency with which interactive, multimedia applications (specifically CD-ROMs) can be used in the classroom. Lessons learned from creation and use of multimedia CD-ROMs at Radford University will be shared and recommendations made concerning: a) caveats involved in design and set-up of a multimedia CD-ROM authoring station, b) wireless and transparent access and portability of CD-ROM content in classrooms across a campus, c) integration of internet-based data into a CD-ROM-driven presentation, and d) hardware and software components of a robust multimedia-enabled classroom.

Samples of CD-ROMs developed at Radford University will be showcased specifically for teaching Physical Geology at secondary and first-year college levels. Handouts will be provided that contain a recipe-type approach for selection of hardware and software components critical for set-up of a low-cost (under $7,000) multimedia authoring station.