Group projects are an important part of many educational programs. In these projects, groupware tools like shared workspaces, shared editors, and synchronous or asynchronous communication tools (video conferencing, chat, email, forum) are often utilized. For synchronous collaboration, video conferencing systems are often used since they allow for…

Background: Many instructors transitioned their courses from face-to-face environments to computer-mediated learning environments (CMLEs) following the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, little was known about how teleconferencing platforms and their corresponding functions affect student learning when the COVID-19…

This paper aims at answering the "how" questions about organizing and hosting an online conference during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 3rd International Pan-Pacific Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (PPTELL) Conference and Critical Thinking Meeting (hereafter PPTELL 2020) hosted from June 29 to July 1, 2020, on Zoom is the example…

Hybrid learning environments saw significant growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic but persist beyond it, one example is the telepresence classroom. This classroom allows the connection of two classrooms in distance locations into a singular one. The technology in a telepresence classroom includes a camera, multiple projectors, microphones, and…

Multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) have great potential for supporting learning experiences with a high social and teaching presence. One particular MUVE of note is Mozilla Hubs, a system of open-source virtual worlds that allow users to join sessions and interact as avatars. To date, prior studies have not examined teaching and social…

As online education expands, cultivating a sense of belonging becomes increasingly complex, especially for students who may never set foot on a physical campus. In this article, we explore the nuanced nature of fostering a sense of belonging and mattering among distance learners on our own campus, Indiana University (IU) East. To address these…

Educators adapted to teach online during the COVID-19 pandemic, many for the first time and without adequate training. We anticipate COVID-19 accelerated the prevalence of online course offerings at the postsecondary level with long-term effects. Thus, it is imperative that educators are prepared to navigate online teaching. The purpose of our…

This study aims to examine the role of communication technology, as well as social media, by lecturers and students alike, in improving the quality of learning. To achieve this goal, 250 students and 65 professors from religious colleges in Parepare, Indonesia were recruited to participate in the study. Proportional random sampling was used to…

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak came with an unprecedented opportunity to investigate how the new reality of social distancing and limited international travel will affect the organization of academic conferences. Objectives: Drawing on conceptualization of academic conferences as professional learning spaces, in this study, we examine the…

Teacher-student group conferences (TSGCs) blend the benefits of one-to-one teacher-student writing conferences with those of peer response. TSGCs socialize student writers into discussions of academic writing, giving them an expert model (the teacher) and an opportunity to practice providing feedback to several peers. This article describes how…

Despite the rapid development of telecollaboration in foreign language education, telecollaborative exchanges involving Chinese as the target language have not received sufficient attention. Adopting an action research approach, this study focuses on examining the student perceptions as well as the challenges of a carefully designed…

The development of digital games over physical distance is a common practice in the gaming industry, yet widely neglected in the curricula of digital game development programs at university level. The coronavirus pandemic, however, pushed project-oriented game programs all over the world towards an implementation of ad hoc approaches to remote…

Higher education students with dyslexia are generally under enormous emotional pressure. The fear of getting exposed as "stupid" leads many of them to isolate themselves and avoid social contact with their peers. In consequence, a lot of dyslexic college students suffer from feelings of loneliness or even depression and anxiety. One…

The COVID-19 pandemic has made conducting in-person research a health risk for interviewers and participants. Near the start of the pandemic, many universities pivoted to emergency remote teaching where courses were delivered remotely in observance of safety guidelines. The safety guidelines also necessitated that research be done remotely. We…

Captured under the umbrella term Open Education, a wide range of educational initiatives has been popping up in the educational landscape. This study aims to offer empirical ground for understanding how Open Education introduces new forms of education. It does so by focusing on one initiative, namely the Interactive Open Online Courses included in…