bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Feedback in Teaching Thai as a Foreign Language
Authors: Buranapatana Maliwan , Zhang Felicia
Published: October 2011

This chapter aims to explore the effect of providing multiple sources of feedback through a language teaching approach called the Somatically-enhanced Approach (SEA) (Zhang, 2006) in the teaching of Thai language to foreigners. Teaching innovations include: the use of relaxation techniques to relax students; the use of humming, clapping, mouthing, and physical gestures to emphasize the rhythm of the Thai language; the use of a Speech comparison tool (Sptool) for providing biofeedback; and the provision of all learning materials on CDs. Two groups of students were involved in the study. An experimental group (EG) consisted of 24 international students who enrolled in the Thai Language for Foreigners course at Khon Kaen University, Thailand. These students came from People’s Republic of China, Vietnam, and Laos. They were taught using SEA. The control group (CG) consisted of 22 Chinese students who studied Thai language at Guangxi University for Nationalities, China, taught with the traditional method. The results of this study revealed that after 24 face-to-face contact hours over 8 weeks, international students who undertook a course in SEA spoke more fluently than the control group who studied Thai for 44 hours over 11 weeks. The differences in the quality and quantity of speech were statistically significant. The results of the study, both quantitative and qualitative, will be reported. The improved gains in students’ performance in EG can be attributed to the multiple sources of feedback afforded by SEA.
Teaching French Phonetics in a Digital Language Lab
Authors: Bibbee Evan , Smidt Esther , Lazar Vladimir
Published: October 2011

This chapter evaluates the pedagogical significance of a digital language lab as part of a university course in French phonetics. Based on both quantitative and qualitative evidence, it argues that a computer-assisted context can have positive effects on students’ mastery of phonetic structures, as well as their overall engagement with the instructional process. Using empirical data from a set of controlled readings, the authors demonstrate that measurable progress was made by participants in their use of two targeted phenomena; unstable e and resyllabification. Furthermore, these conclusions are reinforced by feedback from a focus group that explored students’ perceptions about how the learning environment contributed to their mastery of course content and classroom technology. While the intrinsic case study format used does not allow for general conclusions regarding correlations between instructional technologies and learning outcomes, it is hoped that the investigation will serve as a productive framework for future research.
Cognitive Skills through CALL-Enhanced Teacher Training
Authors: Vinther Jane
Published: October 2011

The efficacy of computer-based activities that can incorporate grammar as well as language acquisition is at the centre of debates in CALL and SLA. The concern for this chapter is the integration of CALL in the language classroom in a blended learning environment that includes the acquisition of grammatical content and its effect on language acquisition at a level where the learners are proficient users and communicators. The courseware under investigation was shown to be an effective learning tool for the metalinguistic curriculum and the acquisition of particular English structures, such as tenses and adverbials, but not for morphology. The results give grounds for the conclusion that, if the courseware invites students to apply cognitive skills (rather than mere drills), there will be an effect on language acquisition through the knowledge of grammar.
Adapting the iPhone for Language Teaching and Learning
Authors: Shinagawa Satoru
Published: October 2011

This chapter will discuss ways in which the iPhone/iPod Touch can be used for language learning. The built-in functions of the iPhone/iPod Touch, along with the various Web Apps and Apps that can be used to enhance these functions, provide a wide variety of ways in which the iPhone/iPod Touch can be used in language learning. Some of these include built-in recording functions, cameras, handwriting recognition capabilities, as well as a huge array of helpful web-based applications and independent applications. Because this chapter could not possibly cover all the options that are available, it will briefly introduce some of these functions and applications and explore how they can be beneficial to language learners. In addition to this, this paper will ways in which applications useful for language learning or teaching can be searched for via Google Apps or the Apps store itself.
Combining the Body and Mobile Technology to Teach English Pronunciation
Authors: Zhang Felicia
Published: October 2011

The above research has identified a deficiency in the communication skills of international students, crucial in seeking employment. This chapter proposes various ways of helping committed international students on campus to improve their spoken English language by combining the use of the students’ bodies with mobile technology.
Leading Pedagogical Change with Innovative Web Tools and Social Media
Authors: McLoughlin Catherine
Published: October 2011

Today, in a globalised, digital world, leadership challenges in the adoption and integration of emerging social software tools to supports for learning abound. Today’s students who have grown up in technology saturated environments have never known a world without the Internet, mobile phones, video on demand, and personal computers. Leaders and educators must therefore know their students, and cater for their diverse needs. Educational institutions in the 21st century must learn how to adopt social software tools and apply sound pedagogical strategies in order to add value to existing practices and to enhance the learning process. ICT supplements and enhances learning and student engagement through access to global learning communities and rich resources, and this requires educators to be conversant with the technology, able to lead by example and capable of creating authentic contexts and environments for learning. Educators in today’s media rich society must be ready to grapple with the significant pedagogic, cultural, and social changes associated with technological innovation.
Person-Centered Online Education
Authors: Henry Daniel J.
Published: October 2011

The great psychologist Carl Rogers not only made major strides in psychotherapy by developing client-centered therapy, but also applied these humanistic principles to teaching and learning. As designers and teachers in the built environment of online learning and teaching seek to design educational experiences exemplifying practices in teaching and learning, an examination of Rogers’s person-centered learning can give instructional designers another lens through which to view student engagement and learning.
Information Technology and Fair Use
Authors: Farmer Lesley
Published: October 2011

Intellectual pursuit and the recognition of ideas is a central concept. Copyright attempts to protect the rights of intellectual creators while balancing those rights with the needs for access. As technologies have expanded, and their production has become more sophisticated, the legal regulations surrounding their use have become more complex. With the advent of the interactive Web 2.0 and increased resource sharing, as well as growth in distance learning opportunities, complying with the legal use of Information Technology can be daunting. In any case, leaders and other educators should be aware of the more important aspects of technology-related copyright laws and regulations. This article provides an overview of copyright law and fair use for educational research purposes. It explains different options for intellectual production and sharing, and notes administrative actions to support copyright compliance.
Workplace Incivility in Schools
Authors: Reio Thomas G. , Reio Stephanie M.
Published: October 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of coworker and supervisor incivility in the context of K-12 schools and incivility’s possible link to teachers’ commitment to the school and turnover intent. The data were collected via survey from 94 middle school teachers in the US. Results indicated that 85% of the teachers experienced coworker incivility over the past year; 71% experienced supervisor incivility. MANOVA results suggested no statistically significant differences in incivility by gender or ethnicity. Hierarchical regression results suggested that supervisor incivility was associated negatively with commitment and positively associated with turnover intent. Coworker incivility was not a significant predictor in the regression equations. Macro- and micro-level human resource strategies were offered as possible tools to lessen the likelihood of uncivil behavior.
Play Therapy at a Crossroads
Authors: Glazer Hilda R. , Wanstreet Constance E. , Stein David S.
Published: October 2011

This chapter outlines technology and research issues that are critical to the development of play therapy as an expressive therapy for children. Technology issues involve how to provide quality training outside the traditional model of face-to-face education. Research issues involve establishing empirical value to inform the practice of training play therapists in a way that ensures access and rigor. The growth of the profession relies on the ability to train play therapists so that play therapy continues to be part of the therapeutic toolkit for children provided by mental health providers. The vitality of the profession relies on the ability to produce credible clinical research that meets the standards of clinical evidence.
Web 2.0 Technologies and Foreign Language Teaching
Authors: Blattner Geraldine
Published: October 2011

This chapter looks at the potential of two Web 2.0 tools: forums and the social networking website Facebook for foreign language learners and educators. It highlights how these technologies provide authentic settings that are dynamic and communicative as they facilitate the cultural enrichment of learners, enhance their socio-pragmatic awareness, as well as develop their multiliteracy skills in a second language. The chapter contains an examination of various recent studies which investigated or underlined how technological inclusion of forums and Facebook complements traditional classroom instruction, and how it allows students to extend their learning experience outside of this typical environment in order to supplement their linguistic abilities and to become autonomous learners.
Using an Online Discussion Board for Peer Review of Dissertation Writing For Ed.D. Students
Authors: Kania-Gosche Beth
Published: October 2011

To improve graduation rates in doctoral programs, the Council of Graduate Schools has recommended more supports for dissertation writing. This article describes and evaluates through action research one such support, an online discussion board where students could post drafts of their dissertation and peer review each other’s work. Results of effectiveness were mixed because of the wide spectrum of student participation. Students did not feel they had the expertise to critically read another’s work, although they liked reading the instructor’s comments to other students. Future implementation of the discussion board might be more successful if it was utilized as a support group or frequently asked questions page rather than a place for peer review or if it was utilized for excerpts from the dissertation rather than entire chapters. Faculty involved with supervising doctoral students should consider what supports are being offered and continue to evaluate their effectiveness.
Change Process
Authors: Farmer Lesley
Published: October 2011

Change occurs at several levels within any system: the individual, a group, and the system as a whole. At each level, internal or external factors can drive change (although internal factors are usually responses to outside factors). Change can be viewed in terms of the changer and the entity being changed. The theories of change can be approached in several ways: change theory (defining change), the change in terms of the process itself (what occurs), change agency (catalyst for change), and change management. This chapter provides representative studies on the change process as it relates to leadership in education and counseling.
The Integrated Readiness Matrix
Authors: Bernauer James A. , Davis Christopher T. , Tomei Lawrence A.
Published: October 2011

This chapter introduces the Integrated Readiness Matrix (IRM) designed to place faculty skills and competencies along two critical aspects of teaching and learning: the pedagogical and technology dimensions of education. Bloom’s Taxonomy and Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences provide the foundations for developing faculty into more effective classroom teachers. The Taxonomy for the Technology Domain suggests a new perspective for infusing technology into the traditional and online classroom and provides the spectrum of capabilities that actually produce learning. Faculty should seek to move themselves up on either or both dimensions; the IRM will assist in this endeavor. Technology coordinators can use the IRM as a guide to develop courses that specifically target faculty based on their position in one of the five recognized sectors of the IRM. The IRM model is ready for consideration now; future work will focus on the implementation of the matrix and an evaluation of its effectiveness.
A Critical Review of Learning Organizations in the 21st Century
Authors: Wang Victor X.
Published: October 2011

This article critically reviews what constitutes a learning organization. The author argues that a learning organization is born out of a static organization. In determining whether organizations are learning organizations, components such as structure, atmosphere, management philosophy and attitudes, decision-making and policy-making, and communication must be considered. In addition, these components are discussed in comparison to the characteristics of static organizations. The theme of this article is such that in order for organizations to remain competitive in this global economy, organizational leaders must be flexible and people-centered. Successful organizational leaders should engage in the use of supportive power, involve high participation at all levels, and conduct multidirectional communication in order to turn static organizations into learning organizations.
Knowledge Sharing in Academic Medical Centers
Authors: Bennett Elisabeth E. , Blanchard Rebecca D. , Fernandez Gladys L.
Published: October 2011

In light of substantial government subsidies, upcoming demographic shifts, new technologies, and financial downturns, higher education (HE) must adopt new approaches for knowledge creation and knowledge sharing to foster economic development. This chapter explores knowledge sharing in academic medical centers which represent a nexus of higher education and workforce development and they operate as a critical component of medical education in the United States. Particular emphasis is placed on technology and culture in academic medical centers. This chapter concludes that cultural changes and the development of leadership skills are needed in both academic medical centers and higher education to most effectively create and share both tacit and explicit knowledge needed for expertise development.
Engaging the Adult Learner Through Graduate Learning Communities
Authors: Reames Ellen , Witte Maria Martinez , Howell Marcus
Published: October 2011

Providing a college education is important to the advancement of the United States and at the international level. A highly competitive 21st century workforce is in demand, and there is an increased need for graduate degrees but the adult learners and the learning venues are changing dramatically. This chapter addresses the need for graduate education, the trends and changing demographics of adult learners or graduate students, and the use of graduate learning communities to satisfy the changing needs of those served by colleges and universities.
Global Leadership Training and Technology
Authors: Parker Judith
Published: October 2011

In today’s world, where organizations’ leaders can come from dispersed geographical and cultural backgrounds, leadership training must embody cultural as well as leadership content. This article will investigate the impact technology has had on distributing leadership training across borders and will provide examples of how it can be done effectively.
Closing the Leadership Gaps Between Theory and Practice
Authors: Wang Victor X.
Published: October 2011

This article intends to illustrate that there exist gaps between leadership theory and practice. Well-reasoned theories run through the pages of books; they are hardly applied to practice. In higher education, these gaps seem to be compounded by the lack of technical skills or leadership ethics. To demonstrate the true gaps between leadership theories and practice, the author provides a real example. While the different leadership theories are briefly reviewed, the author’s intention was to show that they need to be applied to practice in order for leaders to guide followers in the right direction. Closing the gaps between leadership theories and practice may take many years and much effort. By reading this article, the readers/researchers will discern clearly the gaps that exist in higher education.
Do-It-Yourself Media in U.S. Education
Authors: Burke Quinn
Published: October 2011

The phrase “do-it-yourself”—or “DIY” for short—has increasingly become the new watch-word when describing the wide variety of self-driven activities that individuals are now capable of with the assistance of Web 2.0 technologies. The combination of the economic recession and the proliferation of innovative, affordable technologies have resulted in more and more individuals and businesses opting to complete projects themselves. On the K-12 landscape too, DIY learning is also playing an ever-increasing role in the way students acquire and transmit information. Kids now have ready access to websites and software applications that make creating and sharing digital media a seemingly routine process, and youth often enter the classroom with a far more vast knowledge of how to manipulate media than the teachers in front of them. However, rather than ignore or even condemn such innovation, educators are best to view them in terms of opportunity. This topical article investigates the social and economic origins of the DIY movement and explores how innovative school leadership alongside the latest digital technologies can increasingly promote a DIY environment within schools and make learning a more self-driven, perpetual process.
The Efficacy of Continuing Education Technology for Public Health Physicians Practicing in Remote Areas
Authors: Petty Gregory C. , Joyner Deborah H.
Published: October 2011

This chapter is an investigation to determine the receptivity of family physicians to new technologies of continuing learning. Family physicians that were active members of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP) served as the research group for this study. A response rate of 55% was achieved. Most responding family physicians perceived that Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities affect their practice of medicine. This study revealed that physicians thought the CME activity must be relevant, applicable, and the content and quality important to the learner for participation by distance education. Computer usage via the Internet, CD ROM, and email are being used more frequently and have a higher degree of receptivity by public health physicians than non-computer generated modalities. It is recommended that specialized marketing efforts, online Web-based courses, CD ROMs, and other modes of distance education delivery could change the level of interest in using distance education as a viable option for CME.
Writing
Authors: Sanders-Reio Joanne , Reio Thomas G.
Published: October 2011

Writing proficiency is a foundational skill for success in the workplace. Rapid change driven by economic pressures and technological advances requires workers skilled at communicating flexibly and effectively. Nevertheless, writing skills are weak across all segments of the U.S. population. This chapter focuses on the state of affairs in the U.S. regarding writing, which the National Commission on Writing calls the “neglected ‘R’” in the classic trilogy of reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic. Some empirical research is available on how to facilitate adults’ acquisition of writing skills, but it is remarkably scant. Some suggestions for improvement in schools, universities, and workplaces are provided.
How to Utilize an Online Community of Practice (CoP) to Enhance Innovation in Teaching and Learning
Authors: Prisk Jacob , Lee Kerry
Published: October 2011

Involving the community in supporting students’ learning is something most educators would consider high in importance. Communities of practice have proven they assist authentic learning to take place. Developing an online community of practice adds a layer of complexity to classroom learning, as it is more than simply converting activities to Web-based interactions. This chapter provides background to what communities of practice are and how they function. It outlines the considerations needed to design a successful and sustainable community of practice. Utilization, considerations for implementation and future trends will also be elaborated upon.
Learner-Centered Course Design
Authors: Weller Swanson Karen
Published: October 2011

A learner-centered instructional design is far more complex than providing riveting discussions or choices within the syllabus. A learner-centered focus demands a developmental understanding of how students transform into adults capable of making individual choices, managing multi-dimensional relationships and creating self-awareness to sustain growth over time. This chapter will address transformation (Mezirow, 2000), learner-centered pedagogy (Weimer, 2002), the demands of the millennial student, and the use of significant learning experiences (Fink, 2003) which incorporates both teaching and learning experience.
The Impact of Technology on Organizational Learning and Leadership
Authors: Parker Judith
Published: October 2011

While the idea of organizational culture and organizational learning have emerged and developed over the past decades, views of leadership have changed significantly as well. In addition to the already complex connection between these ideas, they have all been influenced by emerging technologies. This chapter will investigate and provide examples of these individual ideas, their intersections and the impact of technology on their past and future.
Leadership Characteristics of the Ideal School Superintendent
Authors: Brewer Ernest W.
Published: October 2011

This article discusses the characteristics of the ideal school superintendent based on research findings. Research has seen that the challenges to American education have become more complex with the advent of each decade of this century. The effective school superintendent of today and tomorrow must be a principled, empathetic visionary who is able to lead by facilitating and to actively encourage the development of others. While inferences may be made from the efforts of apparently successful superintendents, research is needed to scientifically validate excellence and to differentiate between superficially apparent success and long-term effectiveness.
Technology Enhanced Learning and Education
Authors: Spaulding James
Published: October 2011

PC-games, video-games, serious-games, educational games, and on-line-games share learning technology that depends on a conceptual framework of experiential learning. These are forerunners of Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) we will exploit in the future in myriad ways. This article examines these phenomena along with their conceptual frameworks as compared with e-learning and other instructional designs. It also offers ideas on how we can prepare future developers to create more effective and meaningful learning tools by integrating playful experiential learning with inter-disciplinary practice. Finally, it briefly discusses the infrastructure needed to expedite such cross-disciplinary practice in research and educational communities to create tools for twenty-first century learning.
The Effects of the Instructional Video on Pre-Service Teachers’ Technology Learning in an Online Environment
Authors: Li Wenzhen , Liu Leping
Published: October 2011

This chapter presented an investigation on the effects of the instructional video on students’ learning of technology in an undergraduate level online computer application course for pre-service teachers. An instructional video was developed and added to the online instruction of one learning module to explore the effects of the instructional video on students learning of computer application. A Chi-square test was conducted to examine students learning outcome and yielded a significant result. The result revealed that students who used the instructional video were more likely to complete the learning task successfully than those who did not, indicating that the instructional video was effective in assisting students learning of technology in an online environment.
Virtual Compared to Traditional Academic Advising Satisfaction Rates of First-Year College Students
Authors: Golubski Pamela M.
Published: October 2011

This study compared virtual/online to traditional/in person academic advising in terms of student satisfaction ratings. Students were exposed to two advising methods at different times during their first year in college. Upon experiencing an advising method, students completed an online survey that rated their satisfaction in the areas of scheduling/registration, communication, support services/majors, and overall satisfaction. The findings offered some insight into how effective virtual academic advising might be as an alternative to traditional, face-to-face methods. The results of this study indicated that students were slightly more satisfied with traditional advising across 16 questions encompassing four categories. When the survey responses were aggregated and mean responses compared in each category, t-tests results found that scheduling/registration, communication, and overall satisfaction resulted in significant differences between the mean satisfaction ratings between academic advising methods, with traditional being preferred. While the support services and majors category, resulted in no differences existing between virtual and traditional advising methods.
People, Technology and Human Resource Development (HRD) Philosophy
Authors: Hughes Claretha , Gosney Matthew W.
Published: October 2011

Technology and people are present in all organizations. How they are managed and developed is essential to the competitive advantage of organizations. Understanding the dynamics of this relationship is an area that needs to be better understood within the Human Resource Development (HRD) field. This chapter will explore the extent that HRD philosophy addresses the relationship of people and technology. Comparing people and technology has been a debate since the industrial revolution occurred in America (Swanson, 1982; Swanson, & Torraco, 1994). Man and machine are as essential to organizational prosperity as air and water is to living; yet, it is not often researched and published in HRD literature (Githens, Dirani, Gitonga, and Teng, 2008). Could this be why HRD professionals do not have a seat at the proverbial table in corporate America? Are HRD professionals and researchers denying that there is a relationship between people and technology in organizations? Are HRD professionals and researchers limited by their beliefs concerning the comparison of people to technology?
Learning Together
Authors: Kevany Kathleen M.
Published: October 2011

Creatively fostering peer-to-peer (P2P) learning reduces the distance in distance education. E-learners become teachers and learners through animated, adult oriented, self-directed distance education. Ways to mitigate social distance are discussed as are ways to enhance social capital through P2P learning. Factors that increase success in P2P e-learning are unencumbered connectivity, adult oriented facilitation, increased criticality, and learning collaboratively. The dynamic roles of learners, facilitators, and administrators are articulated along with plans for future environments conducive to learning and change. The concept onisagogy, meaning “together learning” is introduced as an approach to accelerate learning, increase satisfaction, and reduce social distance.
The Impact of Technology on School Leadership
Authors: Hope John K.
Published: October 2011

Past, present, and future perspectives on the impact of technology on school leadership are included, viewed through the framework of published school leadership standards. The chapter concludes with comment about technology induced issues likely to be faced by school leaders in the near future, followed by advice about the personal qualities required for future school leaders to confront these issues.
Promoting Critical Thinking Skills in Language Education through Online Discussions
Authors: Demiray Ugur , Hismanoglu Murat , Hismanoglu Sibel
Published: October 2011

Online discussion has become one of the most effective teaching tools in recent years in terms of its power to promote students’ critical thinking skills in educational contexts. This chapter aims at presenting an overview of recently conducted research studies on critical thinking and online discussions, explaining online discussion as a pedagogical vehicle for maximizing language learning and teaching, identifying problems related to online discussions, as well as some suggested solutions, describing application activities that promote critical thinking skills, illustrating how language teachers and learners can use meta-communication in creating successful online discussions, and stressing the importance of the teacher’s role in designing an effective online discussion environment for students.
Building a Theoretical Background for Distance Education
Authors: Kurubacak Gulsun , Yuzer T. Volkan
Published: October 2011

This chapter focuses on how to build a dynamic theoretical background of distance education, as a source of meta-communication, and how it affects the use of online learning for reflective meaning making to construct a knowledge society. Based on the main purpose of this study, the virtual world can provide online learners with an interactive milieu for problem solving, critical thinking, and personalized/group discussion, multimedia presentation of global resources, connectivity, and visualization of social aspects of discussion and communication. In this context, distance education can respond to concerns and issues to create digital self-representations through communication theories and learning theories together. Furthermore, discussing the main features of the cross-cultural implications of reflective conversations can construct a very powerful paradigm shift to establish public interests encompassing the reflections of every aspect of social networking with the enthusiasms, persuasions as well as judgments.
An Online Conversation among Southeast Asian Higher Education Institutions and its Observed Oppressions
Authors: Flor Alexander G. , Sompong Narong
Published: October 2011

The study was implemented from Kasetsart University in Bangkok and the UP Open University in Los Baños, with the latter hosting the KM system and administering the online platform. However, it involved a community of practice that came from four countries: Thailand; Philippines; Lao PDR; and Indonesia. It found that the CoP model may indeed be used as capacity development approach for the design of a graduate degree program. Furthermore, Web-based learning management systems such as IVLE and Moodle can adequately serve as meta-communication platforms for such a CoP. However, it was observed that the language barrier, cultural sensitivities of Southeast Asian participants, intellectual intimidation, as well as access and connectivity clearly posed communicative oppressions.
Avatar Manager and Student Reflective Conversations as the Base for Describing Meta-Communication Model
Authors: Mkrttchian Vardan
Published: October 2011

This chapter describes the meta-communication model and illustrates its applicability. The model integrates previous discursive approaches to reflective practice and extends them with additional relevant concepts. The meta-communication model concepts are mainly based on Avatar Manager and Student Reflective Conversations pedagogical theory. By means of the case examples, this chapter also illustrates how the model can be used for making meaning in experiential and theoretical based online educational courses and collective sense-making, i.e. the articulation and contesting the meaning and relevance of ideas. This chapter argues that the model provides a way for systematically and meaningfully structuring and organizing meta-level conversations in virtual classroom. The use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered as critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine the student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses which are utilized reflective pedagogies. One course focuses on topics related to the service-learning and the second on the placement-based internships. All of them were instructed using online coursework based in reflective pedagogies to the compliment on-site placements within local communities. Thus, created software of Meta-Communication Model applicable for using in virtual education process and in virtual research collaboration works at the Astrakhan State University (Russian Federation) and at All Armenian Internet University (Australian Federation and the Republic of Armenia) for the development of avatars has significant potential to enhance realism, automation capability, and effectiveness across the training environments variety.
Science for All through Reflective Interactions
Authors: Neakrase Jennifer J. , Baptiste H. Prentice , Ryan Ashley N. , Villa Elsa Q.
Published: October 2011

One of the goals of science education is to ensure that the discipline of science is accessible to all individuals. By many organizations this has been termed “Science for All,” and those who promote this idea also advocate the connection to science literacy. Teaching science in the online environment has been one way to offer science content to many different individuals, who do not necessarily need to be in the same location. Discourse in the science classroom is framed under situated cognition theory, whereby interactions between individuals are part of the normal culture of the classroom. For science knowledge to be adequately constructed by a student these interactions must be meaningful ones. This is especially important in an online science course where typically learning occurs through interactions between the students and the instructor, the students with one another, and within the individual themselves. As part of these online interactions, good reflective practice includes the different forms of feedback and the quality of this feedback. However, even with quality reflective interactions, there are barriers to science concept construction in an online environment. These barriers are discussed, and future research directions are suggested based on this review.
Multimodal Communication
Authors: Shaw Melanie , Stillman Susan , Cicero Gayle , Cross David , Lessard Dennis
Published: October 2011

This chapter includes information about communication patterns and organizational discourse at an online university, which utilizes a mentoring model to educate students. The mentoring approach involves the assignment of individual students to work one-to-one with a faculty mentor for each course of the degree or certificate program in which the student is enrolled. To address the types of communication inherent in this virtual education model, a mentor, a doctoral dissertation committee member, and a student shed light on their experiences of communication at the university. These diverse prospectives serve as a meta-communication model that can be implemented to enhance the effectivness of discourse at other institutions––particularly those seeking to implement a one-to-one mentoring approach.
Building Knowledge through Dynamic Meta-Communication
Authors: Klinger Mary Beth , Coffman Teresa L.
Published: October 2011

Sharing knowledge through collaboration and community using distance learning tools is an important component of today’s 21st century education. Distance learning is growing in educational institutions worldwide, and instructors are developing enhanced teaching strategies focused on incorporating meta-communication that engages and empowers students in their quest for understanding. This chapter focuses on knowledge building through interactivity, social engagement, and communication technologies in a distance learning environment. Emphasis is placed on online collaboration and community building to encourage collaborative learning and ultimately knowledge acquisition. Theoretical constructs surrounding social constructivism and practical application to instruction are provided to the reader to enhance a distance learning course using meta-communication strategies.
Metaphors in Meta-Communication
Authors: Firat Mehmet , Yurdakul Isil Kabakci
Published: October 2011

This chapter is based on the claim that the metaphors as a new and powerful tool in different sciences especially including Information Systems and a number of sociological disciplines such as linguistic, education, and sociology can be used for the implementation and sustainability of the components of meta-communication for distance education. The meta-communication aims to move the intercultural components of metaphors to the distance education and its applications. Thereby, metaphors serve to the basic mission of distance education creating cross-cultural educational environments. In order to use metaphors with the meaning put forward by this claim, restructuring of metaphors with the contemporary metaphor theory, use of metaphors in computer systems and user interfaces, the intersection of metaphors and meta-communication and finally the power of metaphors in digital meta-communication for distance education are discussed below.
The Cultural Aspects of E-Learning and the Effects of Online Communication
Authors: Hamdan Amani
Published: October 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to build on the insights of educators regarding the relationship between culture and online learning. In this chapter, I shed light on the ways in which culture has a significant influence on online education and vice versa. The chapter is based on primary data drawn from undergraduate female students’ responses regarding how online education is changing their learning culture and how their culture is influencing online education. Sixty undergraduate Saudi female students participated in the survey in order to identify how using the Internet, online education and online discussion forums is challenging cultural norms. The literature in the field of online and distance education is also explored to help answer these questions. Students indicated that online education helped them to challenge some cultural norms, enhance their learning culture and improve their communication skills.
A Global Conversation on Effective Technology Integration in Education
Authors: Seo Kay Kyeongju , deNoyelles Aimee
Published: October 2011

This chapter explored the technology perceptions and preparedness of pre-service and in-service teachers from three different countries. Twenty-one students in the Republic of Korea, twelve students in the United Arab Emirates, and thirty students in the United States of America were virtually connected. They participated in weekly online discussion forums for six weeks and shared how well prepared they felt about using technology in their content areas and how they would effectively use technology in their future classrooms. This study can serve as a good model for facilitating a global conversation and supporting a reflective online conversation across geographic distances and cultural barriers.
Technology Supported Assessment in Distance Education
Authors: Misra Pradeep Kumar
Published: October 2011

Distance educators at any stage of their career or dealing with any discipline of knowledge are required to engage into number of tasks like present and construct assessment tools, make valid judgments of the student progress in learning, facilitate the provision of feedback and support the production and delivery of mark/grade to assess their students. Assessing students in distance education is a cumbersome task and technology offers number of possibilities and opportunities for educators to make this task more enjoyable, feasible, meaningful, and reliable. In this backdrop, the present chapter focuses on defining assessment in the context of distance education; discusses about promises and on-going initiatives for using technology to assess students; underlines pitfalls of technology supported assessment in distance education; offers useful strategies for distance educators to use technology for assessment; and predicts the future of technology supported assessment in distance education.
Investigating Higher Education and Secondary School Web-Based Learning Environments Using the WEBLEI
Authors: Chandra Vinesh , Fisher Darrell , Chang Vanessa
Published: October 2011

Classroom learning environments are rapidly changing as new digital technologies become more education-friendly. What are students’ perceptions of their technology-rich learning environments? This question is critical as it may have an impact on the effectiveness of the new technologies in classrooms. There are numerous reliable and valid learning environment instruments which have been used to ascertain students’ perceptions of their learning environments. This chapter focuses on one of these instruments, the Web-based Learning Environment Instrument (WEBLEI) (Chang & Fisher, 2003). Since its initial development, this instrument has been used to study a range of learning environments and this chapter presents the findings of two example case-studies that involve such environments.
Digital Learning Environments and Student-Centered Curriculum in a University Context
Authors: Gülseçen Sevinç
Published: October 2011

With promises of rich information resources readily available, successful use of the World Wide Web (WWW) within an instructional setting is tied directly to a pedagogical approach that promotes Student-Centered Learning (SCL). SCL is based on constructivist approaches and has become an important theme in the educational theory and practice. Although SCL is not a new idea, new technologies developed for the Web and other Digital Learning Environments (DLEs) allow new forms of educational support to be facilitated, enabling new pedagogical concepts and enhancing learning. This chapter reports on an effort of empowering learners in the design of web-based teaching and learning in undergraduate programs in a Turkish university context.
Creating an Environment for Pre-Service Teachers to Develop Technical Pedagogical and Content Knowledge
Authors: Hu Chun
Published: October 2011

This chapter reports a teacher education program in applying the framework of TPACK to the design of its ICT curriculum: the design principles employed, its implementation and a formative evaluation. A survey adapted from Schmidt et al. (2009) was administered at the beginning and completion of the course. The post-course survey showed an increase in pre-service teachers’ self-reported ratings in all three types of knowledge, namely technological knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, and technology, pedagogy and content knowledge. Although majority (53.1%) of the pre-service teachers favored the approach of learning technology through engaging in design projects, many suggested that more structured instruction would benefit their learning.
MyLO
Authors: Fan Si , Lê Quynh , Yue Yun
Published: October 2011

As one of the key infrastructures within web-based learning, courseware is adopted by schools and universities to enable a systematic learning delivery and education management. Students in both traditional face-to-face learning and online courses can benefit from this technology. The wide range of courseware platforms are supporting course needs by offering great flexibility in information delivery, communication services, and collaboration. This chapter looks at the role of web-based courseware in tertiary education, using MyLO (My Learning Online) as an example. It reveals that courseware systems like MyLO have a great potential in facilitating collaborations and enhance interactions among lecturers and students. To achieve this, potential efforts from all perspective are required; including students, lecturers and faculties.
The Influence Upon Design of Differing Conceptions of Teaching and Learning with Technology
Authors: Kirkwood Adrian , Price Linda
Published: October 2011

This chapter considers some of the theoretical foundations of teaching and learning in higher education and how these are reflected in practice. We consider how varying conceptions of teaching and learning with technology have an impact upon how teachers design teaching and learning. This chapter reviews why these variations are important and how they can affect the design of the curriculum and ultimately what and how students learn. We conclude that promoting increased use of technology does little, if anything, to improve student learning. It is only by attending to higher education teachers’ conceptions of teaching and learning with technology and supporting change in this area that significant progress will be achieved. In this chapter we advocate that informed design in the use of technology is underpinned by beliefs about (conceptions of) teaching and learning with technology. To this end the chapter explores some of the theoretical underpinnings of these conceptions and argues that they are fundamental to driving well-informed practice in the use of technology to support student learning.
Instructional Design for Technology-Based Systems
Authors: Morrison Gary R. , Anglin Gary J.
Published: October 2011

As technologies continue to evolve and develop, instructional designers are presented with a growing list of possibilities for designing and delivering instruction. It is easy for an instructional designer to be seduced by a new or even older technology and focus on the affordances of the technology resulting in instruction that is both ineffective and inefficient while appearing to appeal to the learner. In this chapter, we show how existing instructional design models are capable of designing instruction for a variety of technologies. We will address the features of design models, analyze instructional interactions, examine technological affordances, and describe the importance of research-based instructional strategies.