The article addresses the challenges of distance education, i.e. how to manage the pedagogical process of project-based learning (PBL). The research objective was to use PBL as a teaching method where students learn by actively participating in a real professional task -- preparing antenatal classes for future parents. We were also interested in…

This article provides readers with an understanding of the concept of the personal learning environment (PLE). It suggests that PLEs can be used in two complementary ways: as a developmental lens for integrating ICT and creating new pedagogical practices and digital literacies for academic language learning, and as a context in which learners can…

Personal learning environment (PLE) solutions aim at empowering learners to design (ICT and web-based) environments for their learning activities, mashing-up content and people and apps for different learning contexts. Widely used in other application areas, recommender systems can be very useful for supporting learners in their PLE-based…

This paper builds on a case study on e-learning in Sri Lanka with focus on students underlying beliefs about how one learns. E-learning programs are most often set up with the assumption that students should think, act and learn independently and with underlying values of constructivism and learner-centred learning. For students used to…

Flexible teaching and learning is not a new concept, but it is one that we, as educators, do not focus on enough. Designing and delivering innovative, exciting and relevant learning experiences is needed if we are to make our classes good learning experiences. Information systems (IS) educators deal with technology every day, yet we are sometimes…

Reviews articles in this issue that deal with theories of constructivism from the point of view of an instructional designer. Highlights include technology and constructivism; generative learning environments; learning processes; assessment; learning strategies; knowledge domains; learner control; and suggestions for both constructivists and…

Interactivity in the classroom is reported to promote a more active learning environment, facilitate the building of learning communities, provide greater feedback for lecturers, and help student motivation. Various definitions of interactivity exist in the literature, alternately focusing on the participants, structure and technology. The "PLS…

Instructional designers need to be able to understand and apply virtual reality to enrich learners' experiences. This paper examines the nature of virtual reality, how it applies to education, and rationales for using virtual reality in the classroom. The following instructional design guidelines for helping instructional designers to create a new…

Web-based technology has a dramatic impact on learning and teaching. A framework that delineates the relationships between learner control and learning effectiveness is absent. This study aims to fill this void. Our work focuses on the effectiveness of a technology-mediated virtual learning environment (TVLE) in the context of basic information…

The Macquarie University (Australia) vision is to provide flexible learning options for all students. This will involve the dual development of resource-based curricula and information technology (IT) capacity across the university. This paper highlights major issues underpinning the design, development, and delivery of flexible learning and how…

The introduction of communications and information technologies in the area of education tends to create a totally different environment, which is marked by a change of the teacher's role and a transformation of the basic components that make up the meaning and content of the learning procedure as a whole. It could be said that, despite any…

This paper discusses the development of a learning approach based on the unique needs of adult learners who are required to learn and use new information technologies. It establishes how the "Inquisitivism" learning approach has evolved from a synthesis of key cognitive learning theories into one cohesive approach and how the…

The development of key competencies through higher education is of increasing interest in government, industry, and academics. The contributors to this collection of research analyses and case studies focus on the competencies associated with self-motivated autonomous lifelong learning. Examining a variety of issues from a British perspective, the…

Trends in pedagogy and in technology are converging to make distance learning environments of the 21st century. Trends in pedagogy have encouraged the movement away from the learner as a passive recipient of information and toward a more active model of learning. Earlier generations of distance learning media and methods were ill-suited to the…

The adult literacy community is undergoing a period of rapid change due to the expanding role of information and communication technologies (ICT). Developments in instructional and educational design and enhanced technical capabilities have impacted on the range of online learning being offered. The online learning environment has evolved into a…