Understanding the instructional role of tablet devices while teaching a group of learners diagnosed with autism was the purpose of this research study. Five children diagnosed with autism participated in activities involving traditional paper and pencil and tablet devices. Observations and interviews with learners and one teacher were conducted.…

The discrepancy between students' understanding of domain knowledge and their actual competencies to use tacit knowledge for a given task has been an issue to consider when instruction is designed, implemented, and revised. In this study, the researcher examines teaching and learning processes in which a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) design model…

We place collaborative student engagement in a nontraditional perspective by considering a novel, more interactive educational environment and explaining how to employ it to enhance student learning. To this end, we explore modern technological classroom enhancements as well as novel pedagogical techniques which facilitate collaborative learning.…

With the advent of open source virtual environments, the associated cost reductions, and the more flexible options, avatar-based virtual reality environments are within reach of educators. By using and repurposing readily available virtual environments, instructors can bring engaging, community-building, and immersive learning opportunities to…

The aim of this study is to investigate structural relationships between community of inquiry, transactional distance perception, and motivation. The research was conducted with 109 students using flipped classroom environment utilized within the scope of a course. The data of the study were obtained from the answers given in community of inquiry…

An in-depth qualitative study with nine secondary pre-service teachers from an undergraduate "Language and Literacy" class was conducted to examine the potential of simulation using Second Life (SL) in teacher education. Games and simulations were operationally defined in the broadest sense to distinguish key characteristics between…

This study is aimed at presenting a critical overview of recent research studies on the use of educational online games as collaborative learning environments in Tertiary Education (TE), namely higher education and vocational training, with a view to identifying: a) the elements that online games should include in order to support fruitful and…

Recently, concerted efforts have been made to encourage teachers to utilize technology within the classroom. Just as other modes of presentation style have implications for students' perceptions of their classroom experiences, so, too, might teachers' use of technology. The current study investigated this possibility, as well as whether the…

This article discusses our teaching approach in graduate level Engineering Statistics. It is based on the use of modern technology, learning groups, contextual projects, simulation models, and statistical and simulation software to entice student motivation. The use of technology to facilitate group projects and presentations, and to generate,…

The objective of this article is to investigate the computer animation and virtual reality technologies for developing a virtual marine museum. The museum consists of three exhibition areas. The first area displays fishes in freshwater, including creeks, rivers, and dams in Taiwan. The second area exhibits marine ecology and creatures of different…

Presents a prescriptive model for the instructional motivation of adults. The theoretical framework that combined adult learning theory with the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) model to create two motivational needs-assessment instruments is explained, and a study that surveyed adults to determine their perceptions of…

Investigates strategies elementary school children use to conceptualize materials in computer-based learning environments. Results show that 80% of the time students had attention focused on the learning material and gained an elevated level of awareness; the implication to instructional design is that courseware stimulates learning motivation if…

This study examined whether sixth- and eighth-grade students' motivation, anxiety, and classroom learning environment in mathematics differed significantly according to the degree of implementation of technology in the mathematics classroom. Self-concept, involvement, affiliation, satisfaction, and parent participation are discussed in relation to…

Many studies have been conducted to verify the effect of learner characteristics and motivation in traditional classrooms, but very few are found in online learning research. This study sought to identify what learner characteristics and motivation types affected a group of undergraduate students' learning and application of learning for a course…

This study examined the effects of a Web site design project on students' motivation and achievement. Tenth-grade biology students worked together in teams on an ecology project that required them to locate relevant information on the Internet, decide which information should be included on their Web site, organize the information into Web pages,…