The problem this study addressed was that K-12 special education teachers were challenged with using effective instructional and engagement practices in a virtual setting for students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore K-12 special education teachers' experiences with using effective instructional and engagement practices…

Virtual learning has grown to become a needed and viable option for teaching and learning in secondary education settings. Students and teachers can engage and share with each other within a few clicks. As virtual learning grows as a popular option to share learning experiences using computers and the Internet, the problem surrounding inequalities…

Virtual education has been steadily growing since the late 1990s. Early research was primarily focused on the comparative studies between brick-and-mortar schools and virtual or hybrid schools. While the research over the past two decades has grown substantially and now includes broader topics such as for whom virtual education seems to work well…

This qualitative phenomenological study examines special education teachers' perspectives to understand how virtual learning environments can support, through social-emotional interactions, the cognitive development of students with low-incident disabilities in a homebound setting. For this study, which was based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory…

The field of autonomous language learning in second language acquisition has experienced significant growth since its introduction by Holec in the 1980s. Several studies have explored how to promote learning autonomy in various spaces, including online learning environments. However, research related to autonomous language learning in online…

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have been undergoing a quantum leap in foreign language training applications. Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian linguists have traditionally been reluctant to speak the target language in Defense Language Institute (DLI) and National Cryptologic School (NCS) language enhancement classes. This…

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have been undergoing a quantum leap in foreign language training applications. Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian linguists have traditionally been reluctant to speak the target language in Defense Language Institute (DLI) and National Cryptologic School (NCS) language enhancement classes. This…

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have been undergoing a quantum leap in foreign language training applications. Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian linguists have traditionally been reluctant to speak the target language in Defense Language Institute (DLI) and National Cryptologic School (NCS) language enhancement classes. This…

Technology is causing our world to change quickly. As a result, there has been a push to teach 21st century skills. This shift has caused school districts to increase expectations of teachers to use digital technologies to help student learning. To prepare teachers for the instructional shift, schools have increased opportunities for professional…

This study examines player activity in a game-based virtual learning environment as a means toward evaluating instructional and game design. By determining the goals embedded in project development and the availability and structure of in-game activities, the first part of this research highlights opportunities for players to engage with learning…

Many online classrooms today are designed based on learner-centered principles. Implicit with this design perspective is the goal to create and facilitate a virtual learning community in which students learn from and share with each other through discussion-based computer conferencing. In the current literature, little has been shared on what…

Current educational initiatives encourage the use of authentic learning environments to realistically prepare students for jobs in a constantly changing world. Many students of the Millennial generation may be social media savvy. However, what can be said about learning conditions and student readiness for active, reflective and collaborative…

Virtual Worlds have become an attractive platform for work, play, and learning. Businesses, including the public sector and academia, are increasingly investing their time, money, and attention to understanding the value of virtual worlds as a productivity tool. For example, educators are leading the way with research in Second Life, one of the…