In an effort to address student engagement challenges, much research has explored student-to-student connected classroom climate (CCC). Research positively associates CCC to the benefits of student integration, learning, and retention in face-to-face environments. However, few studies have examined CCC in computer-mediated environments. This study…

Students nowadays are hard to be motivated to study lessons with traditional teaching methods. Computers, smartphones, tablets and other smart devices disturb students' attentions. Nevertheless, those smart devices can be used as auxiliary tools of modern teaching methods. In this article, the authors review two popular modern teaching methods:…

Computer programming is not commonly taught to geographers as a part of geographic information system (GIS) courses, but the advent of NeoGeography, big data and open GIS means that programming skills are becoming more important. To encourage the teaching of programming to geographers, this paper outlines a course based around a series of…

The present study aims to show if a skill-challenge balancing (SCB) instruction strategy can assist learners to motivationally engage in computer-based learning. Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory (self-control, curiosity, focus of attention, and intrinsic interest) was applied to an account of the optimal learning experience in SCB-based learning…

This study considers the pedagogical effectiveness of remote access to fieldwork locations. Forty-one students from across the GEES disciplines (geography, earth and environmental sciences) undertook a fieldwork exercise, supported by two lecturers. Twenty students accessed the field site directly and the remainder accessed the site remotely using…

Our paper reports findings from a two-phase deployment of iPod Touch and iPad devices in a large, urban Canadian school board. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the infrastructure required to support handheld devices in classrooms; the opportunities and challenges teachers face as they begin to use handheld devices for…

This article presents an argument for the use of networked interactive whiteboards (NIWBs) in regional Australian higher education and identifies new pedagogies for this context. Most Australian universities operate multiple campuses, and many use video conference facilities to deliver courses across these sites. For students at remote video…

The National Computing Centre (NCC) has developed an interactive video training system for the Scottish Police College to help train police supervisory officers in crowd control at major spectator events, such as football matches. This approach involves technology-enhanced training in a group-learning environment, and may have significant impact…

This paper reports on the uses of interactive whiteboards in "connected classrooms" in rural New South Wales, Australia. The research specifically focuses on the e[superscript 2] program, a senior school initiative among five schools that seeks to extend the range of curriculum options available for students by connecting classrooms…

Evaluates the impact for higher education institutions of networking PROSPECT (HE). Discusses the rationale for networking and implementation strategies adopted. Data suggests that networking provides easier access in terms of both location and time, with no evidence of any reduction in the use of the careers services. (Author/GCP)

A pilot project involved off-campus (distance education) students creating their assignments on Macintosh computers and "mailing" them electronically to a campus mainframe computer. The goal of the project was to determine what is necessary to implement and to evaluate the potential of computer communications for university-level…

The Education Network of Ontario (ENO) is a telecommunications corporation creating an access and applications network for and by Ontario's 130,000-member education community. When educators register with ENO, they receive full industry-standard Internet and Intranet services in English and French. ENO/REO works from school or home. Statistics…

Describes the first phase of an Internet overview training program presented to academic staff at the University of Sydney (Australia). The use of locally created Hypertext Markup Language documents is explained, and an evaluation of the program indicated the success of using World Wide Web browsers as an aid in training. (Author/LRW)

This publication is a short description of the research milieu at Aalborg University (Denmark) dealing with open learning and new technology, especially project pedagogy and distance education. Two main projects are described: (1) PICNIC (Project in Computer Networks in Distance Education Curricula), a project in the humanities which focuses on…

Discusses the use of the "portraiture" methodology to study a joint curriculum project between a U.S. and a Puerto Rican bilingual (Spanish-English) elementary school, which focuses on the use of De Orilla a Orilla, an international computer networking project, to arrange collaborative teaching, communicate by electronic mail and…