Current web technologies are changing the landscape of education. Today's students communicate and learn differently than those of previous generations, yet a gap still exists between available technology and teacher use of technology for instruction. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of…

This research project examined how to develop and sustain online, asynchronous learning communities in continuous intake, distance education environments for learners in grades 7 through 10. The study is an action research project that is based upon in-depth, qualitative data. Interviews were conducted with distance education teachers,…

We describe the design of a knowledge-building environment and examine the role of knowledge-building portfolios in characterizing and scaffolding collaborative inquiry. Our goal is to examine collaborative knowledge building in the context of exploring the alignment of learning, collaboration, and assessment in computer forums. The key design…