The continuous advancement of natural user interfaces (NUIs) allows for the development of novel and creative ways to support collocated collaborative work in a wide range of areas, including teaching and learning. The use of NUIs, such as those based on interactive multi-touch surfaces and tangible user interfaces (TUIs), can offer unique…

This paper describes an existing web-based learning platform named "Third Place of Learning" (TPL)--"Dritter Lernort". This project's aim is to connect the system of vocational education with digital media by a web-based learning platform. TPL supports student's digital learning by means of interactive examples and exercises.…

How can educators make use of augmented reality technologies and practices to enhance learning and why would we want to embrace such technologies anyway? How can an augmented reality help a learner confront, interpret and ultimately comprehend reality itself ? In this article, we seek to initiate a discussion that focuses on these questions, and…

The current development of educational applications for language learning has experienced a qualitative change in the criteria of interaction between users and devices due to the technological advances of input and output data through keyboard, mouse, stylus, tactile screen, etc. The multiple interactions generated in a natural way by humans…

The mounting wealth of open and readily available information and the accelerated evolution of social, mobile and creative technologies call for a re-conceptualisation of the role of educators: from providers of knowledge to designers of learning. This call is reverberated by the rising trend of research in learning design (LD). Addressing this,…

This research applies Socio-Cultural theory and Distributed Cognition/Activity theory to conceptualize the design of collaborative learning activities in large shared digital spaces. The paper begins by providing a summary of previous work in the creation of a technology platform for large shared digital spaces. It then details how Socio-Cultural…

This proposed study is to investigate the design and development process of electronic performance support systems (EPSSs). The primary purpose of this study is to help the EPSS designers by proposing a more effective and productive EPSS design and developmental model. By analyzing EPSS products and observing EPSS design projects, the research…

With the increased demand and interest in electronic performance support systems (EPSS), particularly for supporting knowledge-based problems solving expertise in the information age (Gustafson, 2000; Dickelman, 2000; Kasvi & Vartiainen, 2000), instructional designers are facing a new challenge designing a system that could deliver (or…

This report describes the process and results of a collaborative annotation process for inserting internal, conceptual linking in a book about hypertext design and the implications of that process for designing collaborative hypertext environments. The book was the product of a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)-sponsored Advanced Research…

This paper describes the design and implementation of an object-oriented World Wide Web-based CAI (Computer-Assisted Instruction) system. The goal of the design is to provide a flexible CAI/ITS (Intelligent Tutoring System) framework with full extendibility and reusability, as well as to exploit Web-based software technologies such as JAVA, ASP (a…

This paper looks at the analysis leading to and design of a Web-based "hint system." The hints are designed to help middle-grade teachers participating in a mathematics professional development effort, called InterMath, achieve a high degree of success when working open-ended mathematical investigations. The model upon which InterMath is…

This paper introduces the concept of a reusable assessment framework (RAF). An RAF contains a library of linked assessment design objects that express: (1) specific set of proficiencies (i.e. the knowledge, skills, and abilities of students for a given content or skill area); (2) the types of evidence that can be used to estimate those…

This implementation paper introduces principles for the information architecture of an educational digital library, principles that address the distinction between designing digital libraries for education and designing digital libraries for information retrieval in general. Design is a key element of any successful product. Good designers and…

This paper describes the Virtual Training Program (VTP) at Fort Knox (Kentucky) which aims to provide the United States Army National Guard units with intensive, time-compressed training opportunities. The program consists of: (1) computer-generated exercises that compel units to perform actions associated with training objectives; (2) realistic…

This report begins by discussing the implications of a constructivist epistemology for instructional design and development, as well as drawbacks of the content database in instruction, the lack of special tools to help the learner actively construct knowledge, and emphasis on learning environments based on individual learning. The whole learning…