Virtual Forest is a web-based, open-access learning environment about forests designed for primary-school pupils between the ages of 10 and 13 years. It is pedagogically designed to develop an understanding of ecology, to enhance conceptual development and to give a holistic view of forest ecosystems. Various learning tools, such as concept maps,…

The amount of resources being poured by Western universities, companies, and governments into creating educational content to be exported (via the Internet) to other cultures is astounding. Those assigned to accomplish this task are left with the great challenge of meeting the needs of learners who come from cultures that are foreign to them, and…

Explores what a move to Web-based education means for today's educators as they reinvent their professional practice in a distance learning environment. Presents traditional views of teachers and teaching and contrasts them with new paradigms for teaching and learning. Offers critical knowledge, skills, and other supports needed to shift from…

This paper addresses the concept of blended learning, an approach that has been gaining popularity in recent years with the advancement of computer-mediated training solutions. It begins with an effort to define blended learning and a description of its historical context. A discussion of blended learning as a learner-centric approach follows,…

Provides an overview of practices and perceptions related to instructional design and online learning, including changes that come with online learning, merits and challenges, and concerns about quality learning. Recommendations are offered in the following areas: appropriateness of the Internet; course content; instructional styles; student…

Broader audiences of students are seeking alternative course delivery methods using electronic formats. For this reason, business instructors are embracing web-based delivery modalities to accommodate the needs of such audiences. This presentation is intended for instructors choosing to enter online learning environments. It provides suggestions…

To increase student engagement and enhance critical thinking and deep understanding, I supplemented weekly seminar meetings with focused Web-based discussions of issues in a "Race and Education" senior sociology seminar. These Web-based discussions were structured by specific questions and discussion roles. Before seminar, Staters posted on the…

This practicum was designed to enable teachers to revitalize their classroom practice by providing them on-going instruction and peer support. Current methodologies and materials, both to facilitate daily classroom practices and to implement instructional activities, were not being utilized by teachers in the writer's public school district.…

This document contains eight papers on the changing faces of virtual education. "Introduction" (Glen M. Farrell) presents an overview of the study during which the papers originated. "The Changing Venues for Learning" (Vis Naidoo) discusses innovative learning venues and forces driving and constraining their development.…

This document contains 82 papers and 6 workshop presentations from a conference on distance teaching and learning. The following are among the papers included: "Examples and Tools for Building Web-Based Learning Experiences" (Steven A. Ackerman, Thomas Whittaker); "Online Testing in Distance Education" (Tricia Ahern);…