Due to the rise of virtual reality and the--at least now--hypothetical construct of the Metaverse, learning processes are increasingly transferred to immersive virtual learning environments. While the literature provides few design guidelines, most papers miss an application and evaluation description of the design and development processes. As a…

Who doesn't love a good story? In this article, the authors share how teachers can utilize the idea of mathematical stories to significantly enhance existing lessons. They use a creative framework to reimagine lessons as mathematical stories and make lessons more engaging for students. The authors will first describe how to think about a lesson…

In South Africa and in many other parts of the world, decolonising the curriculum has become a valued goal, while frameworks that would systematically support the decolonising project through "instructional design" are not broadly available. In this conceptual paper we bring readers to consider one framework for instructional design, the…

The design of algorithms is one of the hardest topics of high school computer science. This is mainly due to the universality of algorithms as solution methods that guarantee the calculation of a correct solution for all potentially infinitely many instances of an algorithmic problem. The goal of this paper is to present a comprehensible and…

Online and blended learning (OBL) overemphasize the process of creating artifacts, producing strategies, or otherwise utilizing a "making" orientation in education. As an alternative to this making-orientation, we offer a model for relational course design founded in the philosophies of Emmanuel Levinas and Martin Buber. We examine an…

Many management information systems (MIS) faculty have adopted a project-oriented approach in their systems analysis and design courses. In these courses, students use a software development methodology to create a web or mobile application project, which can be based on a predefined case or developed for an external stakeholder. Because most…

Mathematical concepts have been a consensus goal for decades, yet there is little consensus on what is meant by the terms "mathematical concept" and "mathematical understanding." This article attempts to discuss these terms in a way that can be of practical use to teachers. Greater clarity on "mathematical concept"…

This reflection on practice presents an exemplar of an integrated distributed leadership and reciprocal peer review of an academic development initiative. Distributed leadership, characterised by collaborative responsibility, is flexible and adaptive and -- when integrated with reciprocal peer review of teaching -- fosters quality learning…

One way to help frame a focus on problems instead of things is the Grand Challenges concept, which has been used in many other fields to date. Grand Challenges are an articulation of large-scale, complex problems that may be addressed through coordinated and sustained efforts but require long-term effort. Often, the articulation of Grand…

In this article, the author describes learning principles that are grounded in Daniel Willingham's (2017) simple model of the mind and suggest professional learning strategies aligned with them. These strategies are consistent with the Learning Designs standard of the Standards for Professional Learning, which states, in part, "Educators use…

Studies reporting flexible assessment strategies and their impact across different modes of study remain limited with little emphasis placed on the role these arrangements play in devising authentic assessment processes. This paper synthesises recent research work depicting flexible design principles and practice strategies for how educators might…

Although the COVID-19 pandemic required schools and districts to quickly pivot to a remote and hybrid learning system of education, some stakeholders benefited in this new model of learning. Through this project, R1CC supported two district teams in self-identifying remote and hybrid learning strategies and integrating those strategies more…

During young adolescence, many youth develop strong identities in relation to science, technology, engineering and mathematics with computing (STEM + C). One way to design for student engagement in STEM + C is to create project-based units that leverage students' interests. We created one such unit, called the "smart greenhouse project".…

Health and behavior change programs play a crucial role in improving health behaviors at individual and family levels. However, these programs face challenges with engagement and retention and typically show modest efficacy. Cognitive load theory is an established and highly used educational theory that proposes individuals have a finite capacity…

In "Making Sense of Sensemaking," readers will learn how to navigate the journey from traditional teaching to a dynamic, student-centered approach that emphasizes understanding over rote learning. Grounded in the latest educational research and aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), this book provides practical…