The use of Virtual Reality (VR) in education is getting more and more common, especially when hands-on learning experiences have to be delivered. With VR it becomes possible, e.g., to simulate dangerous or costly procedures that could hardly be implemented in real settings. However, engaging large classes in immersive laboratory activities may be…

Online classes have become a popular and viable method of educating students in both K-12 settings and higher education, including in family and consumer sciences (FCS) programs. Online learning dramatically affects the way students learn. This article addresses how online learning can accommodate the sensory learning modalities (sight, hearing,…

The complementary use of the theories of instrumental genesis and shifts of attention enabled me to obtain insights into students' understandings of the concepts of eigenvector and eigenvalue. My analysis suggests that the use of different dragging modalities can provide evidence of shifts in structure of a student's attention and consequently can…

This study investigated how 22 advanced-low proficiency ESL students used computer-based multimodal composing activities (CBMCAs) to facilitate self-revision and learn English through academic writing in the USA. The CBMCAs involved a combination of writing, listening, visual analysis, and speaking activities. The research was framed within an…

Over the past decade postsecondary education has been moving increasingly from the classroom to online. During the fall 2010 term 31 percent of U.S. college students took at least one online course. The primary reasons for the growth of e-learning in the nation's colleges and universities include the desire of those institutions to generate…

For the 21st century learner, the foundational principles of information development have grown exponentially. In many fields, the life of knowledge can be measured in months or years, with learning occurring in vastly different ways than in previous decades. Education as a continual process, can last a lifetime, and can be greatly facilitated by…

This article examines the common genre of the usability study in technical communication courses and proposes the incorporation of computer and video games to ensure a rhetorical focus to this genre. As games are both entertaining and educational, their use in the technical communication classroom provides a new perspective on multimodal…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve educator knowledge of the antecedents and consequences of blended learning in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: A longitudinal case study approach is adopted. Three case studies each involve tracking a student evaluations of teaching (SET) measure (willingness to recommend) and grade…

This study is aimed at presenting a critical overview of recent research studies on the use of educational online games as collaborative learning environments in Tertiary Education (TE), namely higher education and vocational training, with a view to identifying: a) the elements that online games should include in order to support fruitful and…

Can learning of mental imagery skills for visualizing shapes be accelerated with feature masking? Chemistry, physics fine arts, military tactics, and laparoscopic surgery often depend on mentally visualizing shapes in their absence. Does working with "spatial feature-masks" (skeletal shapes, missing key identifying portions) encourage people to…

This study aimed to use a course management system (CMS) based on the open source software Claroline within a blended mode course, incorporating social constructivist approaches to learning, and to investigate its strengths and the challenges faced by the students and the instructor. Participants were 72 students and their instructor. Research…