This paper presents a comparison of online to traditional face-to-face delivery of undergraduate digital systems material. Two specific components of digital content were compared and evaluated: a sophomore logic circuits course with no laboratory, and a microprocessor laboratory component of a junior-level computer systems course. For each of…

"Blended learning" is learning facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and applying them in an interactively meaningful learning environment. There are four standard modes of blended learning that have proven to meet student academic needs and provide flexibility with…

A former Teach for America recruit who completed her training in a university-based program compares the two approaches to teacher preparation. In Teach for America, she learned how to design units and prepare lesson plans; in her university-based program, she had the time to learn from master teachers and build valuable skills, then practice…

The goal is to provide highly qualified teachers to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse pool of students. The question is how to do that. Although there have been a number of variations in the path to a career in teaching, only a few paths typically exist at any point in time. The traditional route finds high school graduates attending four…

Mr. Smith and Ms. D'Amico are two veteran science teachers in a well-performing school district. Both teachers use weekly lab exercises and experiments as formative assessments. In their middle school classrooms, children are engaged and eager to learn. As students walk into Mr. Smith's classroom, a prescribed, step-by-step procedure of the day's…

The main purpose of this study has been to compare the concept mapping with the traditional instruction method in consideration of student's achievements in English course. The students who took "English" class in 9th grade at Balakgazi High School in 2005-2006 attended this study. An experimental group and a control group consisting of 23 members…

Describes research that has investigated and compared students in face-to-face classes, Web-based classes, and hybrid courses which combine both methods. Presents a chart that shows comparative advantages of face to face versus virtual classes, and discusses results that show hybrid courses have the highest success rate. (LRW)

Discussion of quality in higher education focuses on quality assurance of Web-based learning in distance education, based on experiences at the Open University of Hong Kong. Highlights include problems with distance education; a literature review; traditional learning versus Web-based learning; and the changing role of faculty. (Contains 63…

Describes a meta-analysis that indicated a slight student preference for a traditional educational format over a distance education format in higher education, and little difference in satisfaction levels, even when considering presence and type of interaction. Discusses meta-analysis as a method for synthesizing literature. (Contains 53…

Concerns about faculty workload in the online environment are a reported deterrent to participation in distance teaching. To date, such concerns have been based primarily on anecdotal evidence rather than empirical research. This paper presents results of a study directly comparing the instructional workload in a turfgrass management course taught…

Discussion of adapting established classroom practices to new online environments identifies the instructional strategies that lead to successful classroom teaching and describes an online system, WebTeach, that provides structured teacher-learner interactions and is used at the University of New South Wales. (Author/LRW)

Describes the development of courses at the University of Central Florida that are a mix of traditional classroom instruction and online courses. Discusses course assessment methods to help meet student needs; faculty incentives to participate in the assessment process; administrative support; and accountability. (LRW)

Outlines changes in infrastructure that may be needed when breaking from traditional instructional methods to distance education methods. Highlights include differences in classroom presentations, including interaction; the role of the instructor and instructional support, including libraries; problems with multi-campus sites; and locus of control…

Children starting school today have already been trained to learn by television, and the skills they have developed may not be suitable for the print-oriented learning required in school. Differences in learning from electronic sources and from books are discussed, as are strategies teachers can use to help children adjust. (PP)

Reviews the literature related to creating effective learning groups in face-to-face and virtual environments for distance education using research from cooperative learning, computer-mediated communication, organizational development, and group dynamics. Highlights include creating the groups, structuring the learning activities, and facilitating…