In Mexico, approximately 504,000 students pursue a bachelor's degree by means of distance or blended programmes. However, only 42% of these students conclude their degree on time. In the context of blended learning, the focus of this research is to present a causal model, based on a theoretical framework, which describes the relationships…

Some scholars argue that students do not achieve higher level learning, or cognitive presence, in online courses. Online discussion has been proposed to bridge this gap between online and face-to-face learning environments. However, the literature indicates that the conventional approach to online discussion--asking probing questions--does not…

Individual, unaided human abilities are constrained. Media have helped us to transcend boundaries in thinking, working, learning and collaborating by supporting "distributed intelligence". Wireless and mobile technologies provide new opportunities for creating novel socio-technical environments and thereby empowering humans, but not without…

Describes a study of undergraduates in Israel that examined the relationship between two distance learning ICT (information and communication technology)-based configurations. Results indicate that psychological attitudes held by students differentially facilitate efficient use of distance learning approaches. Considers satisfaction with learning,…

Reports on the use of short stories in Internet discussions to promote student learning. Describes off-campus teacher education students using CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) discussions of short stories and discusses results that show the use of narratives can improve the social environment of online conferences and contribute to…

Compares collaborative problem solving by learners sitting side-by-side with computer-mediated learning at a distance. Three aspects are studied: high school students' problem- solving strategies and interpretation of the teaching situation; their use of components of the situation; and the cognitive processes involved in understanding domain…

Describes activities of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the United Kingdom related to ways that information technology may contribute to learning. Topics discussed include cognitive science; evaluation of changes in learning; language skills; learner-machine interface; policy and management issues; teacher education; computer…