In this article, we present findings of a research study centered around a 10-week digital production workshop developed specifically for families in an urban school board, a population rich with culturally diverse immigrant families and English language learners (ELLs). The aim of this research was to support parents/guardians in an urban…

The authors introduce readers to three design features of the University of Rhode Island's Summer Institute in Digital Literacy, a 42-hour, weeklong professional learning experience in digital literacy for educators, librarians, college faculty, and other adult learners. The program is explicitly designed to promote reflection on one's motivations…

Student engagement is a prerequisite for successful learning. Due to the tremendous change in the use of information and communication technologies, the nature of this engagement has had to adapt to fit a hybrid approach of teaching and learning. In this qualitative study, three focus group discussions were conducted that aimed to investigate…

The dramatic eruption of information and communication technology has had a remarkable effect on modern life, including the capacity to help older adults improve their quality of life and remain independent longer. However, while technology use is generally widespread, there is an observable underutilization by older people. There is sound…

To meet the increasing demand for change in the infusion of ICT pedagogy in education a nationwide project was launched in Greece on May 2008. An INSET course for primary school teachers in the pedagogy of ICT in classroom instruction. The writer, aimed to study the teachers' views about certain aspects of the training experience in terms of the…

This paper discusses how knowledge of computers can affect our daily personal life as well as in the workplace in Greece. Our research is concerned with how useful the knowledge of computers is in the everyday life and work of adults and attempts to investigate the interest of adults for learning computer programmes and different subjects via…

In this column, the authors discuss emerging research in the field of adult digital literacy acquisition. The authors argue that the field of adult digital literacy acquisition has been under-researched, especially in relation to multiliteracies and multimodal literacy practices. Data emerging from a large scale mixed methods study of adults…

Current educational policy in Mexico, as in many other parts of the world, leans heavily on teachers to use computers in their classrooms. This article explores under what conditions teachers are willing to learn about and use digital technology in their work. The authors' central premise is that incorporating technology into teaching is a complex…

With vastly ever-changing technology, there come greater possibilities in the school classroom. One possibility includes the interactive whiteboard, IWB (Higgins, Beauchamp, & Miller, 2007). However, there is little research on how to effectively promote the use of an IWB in the classroom for anything other than as a mediating tool. One option…

The potential benefits of OER have led many European governments to implement policies supporting their creation and use. This chapter aims to put these OER policies in context, discussing their focus and scope and highlighting challenges and bottlenecks. On the basis of the analysis of the current state of the art, it is argued that one of main…

Over the last decade, personal health records (PHRs) have been increasingly recognized and actively promoted by the U.S. federal government and experts as a tool for improving healthcare and containing skyrocketing costs in the U.S. More recently, the 2010 health reform legislation includes PHRs as an important means to improve the quality and…

Faculty and administrators of higher education today face a challenge with their student populations, many of whom are part of what is known as the net generation. As students become more technologically advanced, faculty must be technologically ready to meet the needs of students. Many college faculty and administrators are from earlier…

This article addresses the following questions: What impact does using the theoretical framework of new literacies have on understanding language, literacy, and learning practices today as technologies are constantly being developed and used? What is the state of research in this area? What are some new directions the field might take in order to…

Self-directed e-learning (SDEL) refers to electronic learning environments where there are often no peer learners or instructors regularly available. Past studies suggest that lack of time and lack of motivation are primary causes of learner attrition "in online settings." However, little is known about what influences motivational change during…

The importance of studying what affects adult learners and the use computer is motivated by the fact that technological innovations are being churned out in geometrical progression in the 21st century. Not to be computer literate is to be in the realm of darkness. Despite the popularity of computer training some problems still inhibit adults in…