Examination of the personal characteristics (i.e., gender, participation styles) of participants and the technical infrastructure (i.e., device type, internet connection type) of Instructional Discussion Forums (IDFs) can provide functional clues for mitigating social anxiety in these settings. In this context, this research investigated variances…

The present study describes the successful operation of an online forum designed to answer questions posted by Israeli elementary-school children during an emergency exercise. Analysis of 212 posts revealed that being younger predict higher levels of emotional intensity. Younger children are 3.561 times more likely than older children to have an…

This research was conducted to determine the opinions of psychological counselors working in Gaziantep about their professional experiences during the COVID-19 epidemic period. The semi-structured interview form prepared for data collection was applied face to face in accordance with the course of the epidemic process. The data obtained from the…

Digital media are present in all areas of society, even configured as a new space for political socialization. This is especially applicable in the case of young people due to their high use of new technologies, as they are also trained with the necessary skills to do so. In this context, social networks have prompted the emergence of a new type…

This paper aims to discuss changing perspectives observed and collected from 10 focus groups conducted with teenagers in Hong Kong between 2012 and 2017. It has identified a growing sense of distrust and fear about online participation. It found that young people were increasingly aware of the public nature of social media and exercised great…

This paper focuses on learning practices in higher education in relation to a digital participatory culture. Using key principles of critical education, the research set out to explore higher education students' sense of agency online -- or lack of it --as part of their formal learning practices. The research found that although students were…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Bridging the Digital Divide." Contents include: (1) Texas Needs an Equitable…

Research on the ways that digital tools mediate broader social inequality has traditionally focused on the "digital divide". As social and technological realities shifted over the last two decades, scholars interested in digitally mediated inequality have also shifted to focus on "participation divides". This concept offers a…

Effective health care with older adults requires that clinicians and practitioners are knowledgeable about aging issues and have the skills to work within an interdisciplinary team context. This article describes a Senior Mentoring Program that paired clinical students in medicine, nursing, and a physician assistant program with community-dwelling…

Many tertiary institutions have embraced digital learning through the use of online learning platforms and social networks. However, the research about the efficacy of such platforms is confused, as is the field itself, in part because of the rapidly evolving technology, and also because of a lack of clarity about what constitutes a learning…

Debates have been used to develop critical thinking within teaching environments. Many learning activities are configured as working groups, which use debates to make decisions. Nevertheless, in a classroom debate, only a few students can participate; large work groups are similarly limited. Whilst the use of web tools would appear to offer a…

Online learner profiles have diversified such that now, they include all types of participants from a variety of backgrounds. This study analyzed online learner profiles in regard to their entry characteristics, participation behaviors and achievement of course outcomes. The sample consisted of 186 participants from an online course that required…

In order to understand the culture of the physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents inhabit, we build on Gee's concept of affinity spaces. Drawing on our ethnographic research of adolescent literacies related to The Hunger Games novels, the Neopets online game, and The Sims videogames, this article explores the nature of…

Getting students to prepare well for class is a common challenge faced by instructors all over the world. This study investigates the effects that two frequently used techniques to increase student preparation--web postings and cold calling--have on student outcomes. The study is based on two experiments and a qualitative study conducted in a…

This study presents three case studies of students' participation patterns in an online discussion to address the gap in our current understanding of how "individuals" experience asynchronous learning environments. Cases were constructed via microanalysis of log-file data, post contents, and the evolving discussion structure. The first student was…