Computer science teaching standards for grades K-8 have been implemented in nearly all U.S. states, and the core subject area teachers (e.g., math, science, English, social studies) have been asked to integrate these standards into their instruction. Thus, it is important that K-8 pre-service teachers of all subjects are both prepared and…

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between online instructors' pedagogical beliefs and their choices of online learning activities. Data were collected from 167 faculty members with the use of online instructors' pedagogical beliefs and student learning activities surveys at a medium-sized masters-level public university…

Due to its task-based, gamified, and interactive features, unplugged programming activity has been widely employed in education and teaching as an activity away from electronic screens and other digital devices. There is ongoing debate over how to help K-9 pupils develop their computational thinking through unplugged programming activities. Based…

This paper focuses on evaluating a socio-cultural activity design (SCAD) model for using discussion-based social networking tools as a means to support the development of an online community of learners. Participants included 38 undergraduate students enrolled in a human-centered design course at a large, US university. The SCAD model includes…

Role-playing simulations can provide students with experiential learning opportunities to develop strong interviewing and diagnosis skills, and practice skills they are learning in their classes. In this study, students completed role-playing activities in an online 3D virtual counselor training facility, and interviewed "patient"…

A cyber-flipped course was conducted with the flipped classroom pedagogy by using a wholly online approach for all learning activities in asynchronous and synchronous class sessions. Literature suggests that traditional flipped courses can effectively enhance students' learning outcomes in comparison to non-flipped courses. However, conducting all…

Effective energy education depends on continuing research designed to identify instructional strategies that will proof effective in particular learning contexts. The aim of this study was to help Taiwanese students learn about energy-saving related concepts through idea-centered, collaborative knowledge-building activities carried out in an…

Computer programming is a subject that requires problem-solving strategies and involves a great number of programming logic activities which pose challenges for learners. Therefore, providing learning support and guidance is important. Collaborative learning is widely believed to be an effective teaching approach; it can enhance learners' social…

The purpose of this study was to develop an innovative addition to the curriculum to help preservice teachers cultivate an understanding of poverty. Using technology, an interdisciplinary team created two online learning modules entitled Teacher as Learning Facilitator and Teacher as Anthropologist. Preservice teachers valued the newly developed…

In response to pedagogical challenges in higher education, blended learning has become a prevalent practice in colleges and universities. Flipped learning (FL) represents a newly emerging form of blended learning, where students individually watch online lectures prior to class and then engage in classroom learning activities interacting with…

This case study investigated learners' perceptions of value from participating in a learning activity designed to model professional instructional design practice. Learners developed instructional design products for a corporate client in the context of a classroom-based course. The findings indicate that learners perceived different kinds of…

This paper reports on a design-based research (DBR) process for designing, implementing, and refining a problem-based learning (PBL) course on educational digital video (DV) use and production at the University of Lapland's Faculty of Education. The study focuses on the students' learning processes and outcomes from the viewpoint of meaningful…

The contributions to this issue share a focus on design of e-learning environments. Instructional designers stand at very early stages of knowledge in this area, but with great potential for growth and progress. This commentary offers an activity-based perspective on e-learning environments, resulting in a flexible stance toward instructional…

Compares seven positions on media influences on learning that were presented in a previous journal issue; discusses the conflict between advocates of a given approach versus integrated approaches to the solving of complex problems; and presents a model that links cognitive processes to computer-based prescriptions for improvements in learning. (35…

Investigates the effect of implementing cooperative versus individual learning and orienting activities during computer-based instruction (CBI). Results indicated that students who received instructional objectives performed significantly better on posttests than students who received either advance organizers or no orienting activities. Learning…