Background: The motivation and emotions of students are context dependent. There are specific moments when students may find their coursework more or less motivating, resulting in stronger or milder emotional responses. Identifying factors directly controllable by teachers empowers them to effectively address challenging situations characterized…

This study explores the student perception of traditional discussion boards in online courses and their effectiveness in building connections and enhancing learning. The results indicate that, while online students recognize the importance of connecting with others, traditional discussion boards are ineffective in helping students connect.…

Online learners are increasingly diverse (NCES, 2022), which underlines the need for instructors to be inclusive and equitable in online teaching. Inclusion refers to providing opportunities for all learners in the online course, so they can actively participate and feel welcomed and belong in the course, and equity ensures that all learners have…

Block-based programming languages (BBLs) have been proposed as a way to prepare students for learning to program in more sophisticated, text-based languages, such as Java. Hybrid BBLs add the ability to view and edit the block commands in auto-generated, text-based code. We compared the use of a non-hybrid BBL (Scratch), a hybrid BBL (Pencil…

To improve student motivation, the authors propose a five-step process that entails learning about a motivation framework, identifying students' motivational challenges based on that framework, adopting interventions to address those challenges, and assessing the effectiveness of the interventions. In particular, they recommend adopting the…

Programming is a major subject in various Information Systems (IS) programs, with students often finding it a challenging skill to acquire. While there is extensive literature on factors helping students learn to program, most of which focuses on non-IS students. Due to the increasing demand for professionals with programming skills, there is a…

Dropout and low academic performance at university level constitute a big current challenge. In this work, materials comprising different interactive tools were developed following instructional design, rooted in the cognitive load theory. They were applied in a first-year lecture chemistry course to tackle low academic performance and high…

The purpose of this small-scale qualitative research study was to examine the use and perceived value of integrating collaborative learning techniques at teleconferences at the Hellenic Open University (HOU). Qualitative semi-structure interviews with tutors from the School of Humanities at the HOU were conducted in order for the research plan to…

Mathematics educators often know the widespread nature of mathematics anxiety and may even be aware of the debilitating effect it can have on their students. Although educators may develop tricks or tools that seem to help, a comprehensive understanding of what students are experiencing and how the classroom environment can be adjusted to address…

This study investigates the use of computer-mediated and mobile-mediated chat-based communication in an EFL course and seeks to explore differences between both modes of communication in order to better understand their potential to foster language development. Factors such as engagement, timing, participation, addressivity, speakership roles,…

The legal studies teaching methodology IRAC (issue, rule, application, conclusion) is widely used in universities by both law and business schools. This paper examines the effectiveness of IRAC from a teaching perspective and its usefulness for business students. Data is generated from an Australian university case study using teacher interviews…

Through qualitative measures, this article seeks to explore the efficacy of cell phones within college level instructional design specifically through the eyes of the professor. Three main themes evolved from this data: Pedagogical Approaches, Value, and Setting Behavioral Expectations. Based on interviews with ten college professors regarding…

There is a need in higher education to improve STEM instruction to increase retention, particularly of minoritized students. Student-centered instruction (SCI) requires students to be engaged in the classroom and interact with their peers. Previous research has revealed the benefits of student-centered instruction (SCI) (Theobald, 2020). However,…

This study aims to determine the key factors affecting students' and instructors' continuance satisfaction with e-learning in the higher education context. In order to identify the factors that impact e-learning continuation in higher education institutions, a systematic review of the literature was conducted, revealing that the majority of…

The extent of how mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are seamlessly incorporated into the personal day-to-day life is not often considered by University instructors. Unfocused incorporation of mobile technologies into the classroom can de-emphasize intended learning objectives if students struggle to use the technology itself or by…