Universities have a key role to play in the progress and development of the Knowledge Society. They should lead the way in the design of teaching strategies that promote knowledge building. Personal learning environments (PLE) represent a groundbreaking new development in educational practices through the incorporation of Information and…

In an increasingly networked and technologically mediated world, people need to continuously update their knowledge and skill base, so as to be able to self-direct their intentional learning projects. In addition to teaching domain-specific knowledge and skills, the role of higher education should be reorganizing current teaching and studying…

Environmental sustainability is one of the most pressing concerns of the twenty-first century, and working toward sustainability will require broad lifestyle and cultural shifts, particularly in industrialized societies. Yet despite a growing recognition of the importance of issues such as climate change, food security, transportation, and…

How can teachers and administrators improve the educational environment for Latino/as and other racially stigmatized youth? What does antiracist pedagogy for Latino/a immigrant youth look like? This article describes the thought, action, and reflection employed by a bilingual 9th grade teacher in the Southwest. Antiracist pedagogical strategies…

Four cases relating to the efforts of e-learning teams in valuing adult learners in their e-learning solutions were examined to better understand how e-learning teams value their adult learners within corporate settings. Two questions guided the analysis of the cases, they are: (1) What is the nature of the e-learning solutions in these cases? (2)…

Purpose: Today's technology supports the design of more and more sophisticated interactive learning environments. This paper aims to argue that such design should develop from first principles. Design/methodology/approach: In the paper by first principles is meant: learning theory and principles of course design. These principles are briefly…

On July 15-16, 1999, a group of 20 higher education leaders gathered in Roanoke, Virginia to participate in an invitational symposium on the topic of "Redesigning More Productive Learning Environments." The goal in Roanoke was to examine the validity of the conceptual framework that undergirds the projects being implemented in the Pew Grant…

Discusses the contexts where virtual reality (VR) training environments might be appropriate; examines the advantages and disadvantages of VR as a training technology; and presents a case study of a VR training environment used at the NASA Johnson Space Center in preparation for the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. (AEF)

This discussion of blended learning environments covers: (1) background; (2) why the term "blended" is used, and what can be blended; (3) goals of blended learning environments, including pedagogical richness, access to knowledge, social interaction, personal agency, cost effectiveness, and ease of revision; and (4) characteristics of…

Presents a critique of the five case studies of blended learning environments in this issue. Comments are organized around the following four frameworks: (1) the J-curve of implementation; (2) the theory of Engaged Collaborative Discourse; (3) adaptation to individual differences; and (4) Validity-Centered Design. (MES)

This paper is a case study that discusses the creation of a virtual corporation for use in teaching public relations techniques at the University of Tennessee at Martin. It also shows how the structure can be modified for teaching business or finance. A description is given on how to construct and use similar World Wide Web pages. The components…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose an electronic support tool that can be used by teacher educators and novice teachers to foster habits of reflective, systematic instructional planning. Design/methodology/approach: The authors provide a rationale for their work, present a theoretical framework, propose a unique instructional design…

Describes a blended introductory instructional design course at Brigham Young University (Utah) that was evaluated, revised, and re-evaluated. The case is an example of how a faculty member teaching a blended course must constantly determine the balance between face-to-face and online components. (Author/MES)

The aim of this article is to offer a framework model of the planning of the activities of organisations of continuing education and training, which gives the opportunity to determine their mission, to seek specific aims, to develop the available resources and to create a cooperative operating climate. Adopting this recommended model would help…

Internet-based, distance learning solutions are finding increased use and may prove effective in facilitating advanced study coursework for remotely located, place-bound students. Despite the current emphasis on distance learning, the conditions for promoting online learning success have not been entirely defined. This paper presents a case study…