Ideally, instruction should be delivered in a way that reduces the processing of information that does not contribute to learning (extraneous load) and increases cognitive processing that contributes to learning (germane load). One way students might effectively manage extraneous load is through specific video lecture viewing strategies to control…

Adult learners are a significant proportion of distance learners and many of these students are working mothers. Several instructional design models center the learner, and this requires understanding the learner needs, strengths, and context. There is a gap in the literature describing the experience of modern working mother students in distance…

This study explored the use of self-assessments, journaling, and peer sharing in an online computer programming course. We conducted an experiment using a pretest-intervention-posttest design in which 64 undergraduate first-year students participated. We aimed to investigate whether self-assessment, journaling, and peer sharing can facilitate…

The development of immersive learning technologies in the form of virtual reality and advanced computer applications has meant that realistic creations of simulated environments are now possible. Such simulations have been used to great effect in training in the military, air force, and in medical training. But how realistic do problems need to be…

Cognitive tools, computer-based applications normally used as productivity software, can also function as knowledge representation formalisms that require learners to think critically. Databases, spreadsheets, semantic networks, expert systems, and multimedia/hypermedia construction can function as computer-based cognitive tools to expand student…