The introduction of linear functions is the turning point where many students decide if mathematics is useful or not. This means the role of parameters and variables in linear functions could be considered to be "threshold concepts". There is recognition that linear functions can be taught in context through the exploration of linear…

Microcomputer based laboratory activities have been suggested to have a number of benefits in science education. However, their implementation produces mixed results, and student perception data have in the past yielded responses that are negative regarding the technology. This work presents a case study of three first year undergraduate chemistry…

Teaching in a classroom configured with computers has been heralded as an aid to learning. Students receive the benefits of working with large data sets and real-world problems. However, with the advent of network and wireless connections, students can now use the computer for alternating tasks, such as emailing, web browsing, and social…

This research study employs a second-order meta-analysis procedure to summarize 40 years of research activity addressing the question, does computer technology use affect student achievement in formal face-to-face classrooms as compared to classrooms that do not use technology? A study-level meta-analytic validation was also conducted for purposes…

Examined the effects of computer-assisted dynamic assessment on cognitive performance of kindergarten students as compared to dynamic assessment with an examiner. Findings revealed that intervention involving mediation processes in a computer-assisted procedure was more effective in bringing about significant cognitive changes than mediation with…

The traditional form of collaborative learning has been via face-to-face groups working together. The online forum can provide a different collaborative learning environment, due to its student-centric, asynchronous, written form. As a result of an investigation into the differences between face-to-face and online asynchronous communication,…

Describes a study conducted at two Canadian universities that surveyed a cross-section of 361 faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students to assess computer availability, experience, attitudes toward computers, and use of computers while engaged in academic writing. Compares advantages and disadvantages of writing on a computer versus written,…

This report summarizes the educational technology research conducted from 1990 through 1994. It is based on 133 research reviews and reports on original research projects from both published and unpublished sources. This research varied in methodology: some studies used a technique for synthesizing and analyzing data from many different studies;…

In fall 1997, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW) provided Science and Technology in Society, a university general studies science literacy course, to advanced placement high school students at three local high schools, using a combination of live video presentations and World Wide Web (WWW) courseware. A total of 26 high school students…