Based on a series of videoconferences held between two universities, one located in China and another in the United States, this pilot curriculum study illustrates how successful interglobal communication via synchronized educational technology requires detailed planning and the use of a substantial number of pedagogical strategies. Achieving the…

Chinese classrooms, whether on school grounds or online, have long suffered from a lack of interactivity. Many online classes simply provide recorded lectures to which students listen after downloading. This format only reinforces the negative effects of passive non-participatory learning. At the e-Learning Lab of Shanghai Jiaotong University…

While a great deal of attention is currently paid to putting individual courses or entire degree programs online, less attention is paid to what makes these courses effective. Online courses are successful and effective once instructors analyze learning communities in a traditional classroom and transfer the knowledge successfully to the online…

The design of instructional text is an important consideration when attempting to design a successful learning environment. With the rising involvement in online distance education, it is becoming even more important to adhere to good principles of text design. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework of possible instructional systems…

The authors detail the design, implementation and evaluation of an eConference entitled "Biohorizons," using a presage-process-product model to describe the development of an eLearning community. Biohorizons was a summative learning and assessment task aiming to introduce large classes of first-year Human Biology students to the practices of…

The best learning occurs with a variety of learning experiences; it has been said that we retain 10% of what we see, 20% of what we hear, 50% of what we see and hear, and 80% of what we see, hear and do. Learning to make sense of the senses that the arts address (seeing, hearing, feeling) requires the development of special perceptual skills.…

Discusses issues of instructional design for information literacy in the distance environment. Examines the selection of technologies for effective distance learning; ways active learning approaches can be incorporated into distance education information literacy classes; and ways of assessing information literacy learning outcomes in a distance…

Examines the issue of accessibility in online learning environments (OLEs). Presents characteristics of "differently-abled" learners. Examines accessible and inaccessible elements of the learning environment. Presents relatively quick and simple usability testing techniques. Explores reasons why developers and providers should be concerned with…

This paper addresses the concept of blended learning, an approach that has been gaining popularity in recent years with the advancement of computer-mediated training solutions. It begins with an effort to define blended learning and a description of its historical context. A discussion of blended learning as a learner-centric approach follows,…

The California History/Social Science Project is using an action research model to investigate the use of online discourse in professional development and K-12 History/Social Science classrooms. There are three goals--to investigate ways of enhancing students' historical thinking and understanding; to use technology to manifest methodologies and…

The move from traditional paper-based distance education subject materials to those of information and communication technologies (ICT) has increased the ways in which students can engage with their lecturers, peers and the unit materials. In this paper, strategies for enhancing print-based learning resources are discussed. These include concept…

Three years of developing an online course, responding to student needs, technological advances, communication issues, campus policies and politics, and an assortment of other issues taught the authors of this paper many lessons about Web-based instruction at the university. Experience indicated that prior to committing a course to online…

Most colleges and universities have Internet connections that provide students and faculty access to a world of information resources. The challenge for instructors and the administrators is integrating these resources into the curriculum. One of the most influential technologies is electronic mail, which helps foster communication between…

This paper presents the theories of L.S. Vygotsky as a conceptual framework for implementing instruction that supports concept development and promotes higher level thinking skills in students. Three major components (i.e., language, scientific and spontaneous concepts, and the zone of proximal development) of Vygotsky's socio-cultural-historical…

The United Kingdom and other governments have demonstrated faith in information and communications technology (ICT) as a means of achieving a participative and inclusive society through various high-profile initiatives. It is also claimed that ICT or e-learning can bring about new patterns of power and participation for excluded learners. In this…