Computer Science (CS) introductory courses that are offered by the Department of Information Systems at the University of Minho (UM), Portugal, seem to abound in non-motivated students. They are characterized by high failure and withdrawal rates and use mainly deductive teaching approaches. Deductive instruction begins with theories and progresses…

This paper presents the successful integration of the evaluation engine of Mooshak into the open source learning management system Claroline. Mooshak is an open source online automatic judge that has been used for international and national programming competitions. although it was originally designed for programming competitions, Mooshak has also…

This paper presents a quantitative approach to multimodal discourse analysis for analyzing online collaborative learning. The coding framework draws together the fields of systemic functional linguistics and Activity Theory to analyze interactions between collaborative-, content- and technology-related discourse. The approach is used to examine…

The evaluation of intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) is an important though often neglected stage of ITS development. There are many evaluation methods available but literature does not provide clear guidelines for the selection of evaluation method(s) to be used in a particular context. This paper describes the evaluation study of DEPTHS, an…

This article discusses feedback methods for the enhancement of collaborative learning. It presents results of an exploratory study in which self- and peer-assessments were applied in order to provide students with feedback regarding their perceived individual learning involvement in the collaboration process of face-to-face and face-file-face…

This article investigated the impact of using e-learning models' with the principles of constructivism to enhance the critical thinking skills of students in higher education institutions. The study examines the effectiveness of e-learning model in enhancing critical thinking of students at university level. This effectiveness is measured by a…

Over the past several decades, a wider range of assessment strategies has gained prominence in classrooms, including complex assessment items such as individual or group projects, student journals and other creative writing tasks, graphic/artistic representations of knowledge, clinical interviews, student presentations and performances, peer- and…

A computer assisted approach to accountability and performance based instruction is discussed. (HB)

Modern information technology and computer science curricula employ a variety of graphical tools and development environments to facilitate student learning of introductory programming concepts and techniques. While the provision of interactive features and the use of visualization can enhance students' understanding and assist them in grasping…

Article concerns preliminary research into teacher reactions and attitudes concerning COMBASI in two distinct instructional settings. (Author)

Discussion of the socially situated and constrained nature of educational computing focuses on situated critical pedagogy and computer education. Four areas are highlighted in an examination of teaching/learning situations: (1) praxis, i.e., a relationship between action and reflection; (2) situated critical pedagogy; (3) interpretive processes;…

Describes a study designed to address the difficulties computer science undergraduates have in learning formal reasoning methods. Computer-based tools providing a mixture of graphical and textual on-screen help were evaluated, and results indicate the tools had a positive effect on the learning process. (Author/LRW)

The essays in this volume explore the ways the Speech Communication Association (SCA) might use the computing technology of the microprocessor. The six chapters focus on the following topics: (1) ways the new technology will impact on the processing of manuscripts for speech journals and the SCA's national conventions, with particular emphasis on…

Describes Hyper Apuntes, an interactive learning environment developed at the University Carlos III of Madrid which teaches students the basic concepts of computer programming. Discusses results of an evaluation of the courseware that assessed its usability and utility and collected suggestions for improving the system. (Author/LRW)

This paper presents an exploratory study about the development of a structural and measurement model for the technological acceptance (TAM) of a web-based educational tool. The aim consists of measuring not only the use of this tool, but also the external variables with a significant influence in its use for planning future improvements. The tool,…