Language is nature in action and something humans do. This literature review presents evidence from the literature that suggests that learning a foreign language in a classroom situation does not require high levels of student motivation. It is instead suggested that high levels of motivation are needed to make progress when a teacher is using…

Research on learning science in informal settings and the formal (sometimes experimental) study of learning in classrooms or psychological laboratories tend to be separate domains, even drawing on different theories and methods. These differences make it difficult to compare knowing and learning observed in one paradigm/context with those observed…

Learners who have struggled along the way can provide many lessons for everyone and for schools that are supposed to help all students learn. Based on interviews with hundreds of "great learners," the author identifies seven characteristics that describe what sets great learners apart from other learners. These are: (1) Great learners see learning…

One of the primary course delivery techniques has been the See-Hear-Do model. Under this system, the professor goes through the material and prepares a lecture for the class. The material is then presented to the students, typically using PowerPoint or some other visual graphics. The students are then asked to engage in some exercises, either in…

Discusses the need for adequate planning in instructional design and describes the Bulletproof Model for the Design of Blended Learning, a model to guide instructional design for blended learning that combines elements of electronic learning with traditional instruction. Assumes that a performance analysis indicated the need for training. (LRW)

The knowledge of exponential development, the multiple aspects of social problems, the fast technological advancements and the growing availability of advanced hardware and software are increasing demands on undergraduate engineering education and practice. Therefore, it is imperative that engineering teachers become able to accomplish much more…

Discussion of instructional technology in the university highlights new demands on the structure of the university, different assumptions about the definition of knowledge versus information, the role of the university in an information-oriented society, and the difference between supplementing media and comprehensive planned instruction. (LRW)

Discusses the design and teaching of an online undergraduate course and considers similarities and differences of learning and teaching in traditional and electronic environments. Highlights include instructional design; course assignments; student course evaluations; and the relationship between course curriculum and goals, pedagogy, and student…

Project work involves content, products, and processes. Teacher educators may notice that those new to project work adopt ideas and practices related to content and products more readily than they adopt ideas and practices related to the processes embedded in good project work. To fully implement the Project Approach, teachers need to develop an…

This paper presents an instructional model, developed as part of a research in the Autonomous Metropolitan University, Azcapotzalco, Mexico City. Elements of virtual learning environments and cognitive functions in the learning process supported by didactic strategies are described. Some general characteristics of instructional design are included…

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)

In this article, the author discovers an approach to teach her budding instrumentalists using an approach that is centered on the early development of aural skills and on research that links ways of learning music to those of learning language. This approach is based on her experience in adapting Gordon's Music Learning Theory, although many of…

Analyzes how a United Kingdom higher education initiative has promoted learning and teaching innovation that supports collaborative, inclusive learning by integrating online and face-to-face delivery. Topics include aligning assessments, teaching processes, and learning objectives; educational media and learning processes; using online materials…

Describes the Virtual Reality Roving Vehicle project developed at the University of Washington to teach students in grades 4 through 12 about virtual reality. Topics include teacher workshops; virtual worlds created by students; learning outcomes compared with traditional instruction; and the effect of student characteristics, including gender, on…

Discusses student support systems in distance education based on experiences at the Open University (United Kingdom). Topics addressed include distance education versus traditional education; changes in the learning process; management theory; student support as a service industry; course production; resource allocation; and decision-making…