This paper describes an unexpected collateral finding from an educational intervention with at-risk primary school pupils in which parents worked regularly with their children's teacher to leverage his adaptive teaching methods for their children. Efficient parent-teacher communication and effective collaboration are prerequisites, but not given;…

This paper reports on a study of twelve 10th grade students using Cognitive Tutor, a math software program, to learn linear algebra word concept. The study's purpose was to examine whether students' mathematics performance as it is related to using Cognitive Tutor provided evidence to support Koedlinger's (2002) four instructional principles used…

This research examines teacher attitudes and anxieties about interactive whiteboard (IWB) use as related to perceived classroom implementation to enhance student engagement and achievement. The research took place in four western Pennsylvania, U.S.A. school districts. Data suggest that the districts in this study have invested in IWB technology…

Assessment of educational outcomes through purchased tests is commonplace in the evaluation of individual student ability and of educational programs. Focusing on the assessment of writing performance in a longitudinal study of first-time, full-time students (n = 598), this research describes the design, use, and assessment of an open-source…

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study into the experiences of a small group of learners who have made extensive use of web conferencing as part of their studies over the academic year 2009/10. The paper outlines the design of the programme and structure of web conferencing workshops. It draws on findings from a post-programme…

Research has shown that children with learning disabilities exhibit considerable challenges with visual motor integration. While there are specialized Occupational Therapy interventions aimed at visual motor integration, computer games and virtual toys have now become increasingly popular, forming an integral part of children's learning and play.…

Video games are one of the fastest growing elements of informal, virtual learning. While their popularity in informal learning situations continues to grow, adoption in the K-12 classrooms remains stagnant. We attribute this to two separate but inter-related phenomena. Game designers and developers fail to incorporate important pedagogic…

This study investigated the effects of modern educational game playing on middle school students' attitudes towards mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics achievement. Two hundred twenty-five middle school students from four different Title 1 schools in two different counties in the southeastern United States were recruited.…

Game-based learning harnesses the advantages of computer games technology to create a fun, motivating and interactive virtual learning environment that promotes problem-based experiential learning. Such an approach is advocated by many commentators to provide an enhanced learning experience than those based on traditional didactic methods.…

One innovative practice in higher education arising from advances in computer technology is the use of ePortfolio for learning and assessment. Although in theory ePortfolios are believed to yield benefits for learning, in practice ePortfolio use often leads to confusion and frustration. In this paper we ask: what is the relationship between…

A grounded theory approach was employed to explore the variation in strategies used by students when solving mental multiplication problems. Metacognitive prompts, externally generated stimuli that activate thoughtful cognition, were automatically generated via computer during the solving of mental multiplication problems to elicit awareness,…

This paper addresses several components of successful language-learning methodologies--group work, task-based instruction, and wireless computer technologies--and examines how the interplay of these three was perceived by students in a second-year university foreign-language course. The technology component of our learning design plays a central…

Interactive computer simulations with complex representations and sophisticated graphics are a relatively new addition to the classroom, and research in this area is limited. We have conducted over 275 individual student interviews during which the students described what they were thinking as they interacted with simulations. These interviews…

A well-designed syllabus provides students with a roadmap for an engaging and successful learning experience, whereas a poorly designed syllabus impedes communication between faculty and students, increases student anxiety and potential complaints, and reduces overall teaching effectiveness. In an effort to facilitate, streamline, and improve…

This article examines the qualitative findings from a mixed-methods comparison study of the use of an online multi-user virtual environment called Anytown which supplemented face-to-face writing instruction in a fourth grade classroom to determine implications for the design of such environments and the reported impact of this design on students…