This article introduces my C.H.A.T.S. model (Conversational, Holistic, Authentic, Transformative, Situated), a novel pedagogical framework I designed to revolutionize language learning and teaching through the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and conversational chatbots with established learning theories. The model addresses…

In the context of globalization changes in educational systems, it is important to modify approaches to the educational process and introduce learning technologies that allow for maximum involvement in learning. One such technology is the technology of active learning, which engages learners through participation in the cognitive process and…

Design-based research argues for the importance of integrating theory with design, but how design decisions are made is rarely documented in educational research. As the interdependence of technology design and education increases, these forms of documentation are becoming more important. To address this need, we present a design narrative…

A surge of literature documenting myriad challenges being faced online during the COVID pandemic strongly suggests that e-learning scholarship has fallen short of conveying an understanding of how to build highly effective e-learning spaces. Recent stories from practitioners abound with reports of absenteeism, cameras and microphones turned off,…

John Dewey's "Democracy and Education" is the touchstone for a great deal of modern educational theory. It covers a wide range of themes and issues relating to education, including teaching, learning, educational environments, subject matter, values, and the nature of work and play. This "Handbook" is designed to help experts…

This book explores the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship through multiple lenses in the context of education. Mixing equal parts of theory and practice, this volume takes a closer look on how innovation and entrepreneurship are approached around the globe as disciplines, methods, and mindsets. Focusing on ubiquitous learning and…

This article presents the concept of facilitative theorizing as an alternative to prescriptive and descriptive theory in educational technology. The authors contend that these traditional forms of theory do not offer sufficient assistance to practitioners as they go about everyday design work. Facilitative theorizing, as an alternative, is…

In the winter of 2007, a small group of faculty and administrators at East Carolina University (ECU) began discussions with personnel at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Fort Monroe, Virginia, regarding the education and continuing professional development of U.S. Army civilian interns and careerists (two types of…

This study employed a qualitative research design to investigate instructional designers' views and uses of conceptual tools in design work (e.g., learning theories and design theories). While past research has examined how instructional designers spend their time, how they generally make decisions, and expert-novice differences, little attention…

Research into learning technology has developed a reputation for being driven by rhetoric about the revolutionary nature of new developments, for paying scant attention to theories that might be used to frame and inform research, and for producing shallow analyses that do little to inform the practice of education. Although there is…

This article is the second in a series (see Willis, 2011) that looks at the current status of instructional design scholarship and theory. In this concluding article, the focus is on two cultures of ID work, one based on constructivist and interpretivist theory and the other based on critical theory and critical pedagogy. There are distinct…

Virtual worlds are an important tool in modern education practices as well as providing socialisation, entertainment and a laboratory for collaborative work. This paper focuses on the uses of virtual worlds for education and synthesises over 100 published academic papers, reports and educational websites from around the world. A taxonomy is then…

The Studio curriculum in the Learning, Design, and Technology (formerly Instructional Technology) program at a large research-extensive university in the southeastern U.S. represents a deliberate application of contemporary theory of how adults learn complex information in ill-structured domains. The Studio curriculum, part of a graduate program…

Educational technology research has been characterised as lacking theoretical frameworks that can enable cumulative knowledge-building across the field. This article explores the value of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) for addressing these issues by discussing research into the key of integration of information and communication technologies in…

Human resource development (HRD) is recognized as an interdisciplinary field covering the breadth of behavioral and social sciences. However, since its inception, instructional systems design (ISD), a methodology widely used in the HRD field, has been based on a narrow range of behavioral science. Grounded in general system's theory, the ISD…