This study explores reflections from academics (N = 13) from 12 higher education institutions in eight countries who relied on informal conversations in an online community of practice to switch to emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the absence of formal academic development, they needed to develop themselves in…

With the return to on-campus learning in progress, recalling how higher education responded to the COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge. Back in March 2020, many university leaders thought returning "to normal" (now a phrase almost as maligned as "unprecedented") was a matter of weeks--not months or years. The short-sighted…

Working remotely and collaboratively, our interdisciplinary team created an educational development workshop, "Thinking Skills for the 21st Century: Teaching for Transfer," in which participants not only experience, apply, and reflect on teaching across educational settings but also connect this work to principles that have been…

The article contributes to the discussions on problem based learning and project work, building on and reflecting the experiences of the authors. Four perspectives are emphasized as central to a contemporary approach to problem- and project-based learning: the exploration of problems, projects as a method, online collaboration, and the dialogic…

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) in teacher education have a short history which is little longer than that of this journal. Twenty years ago they were the province of early adopters only and limited to email and, more unusually, asynchronous conferencing. Today, VLEs are widespread and mainstream, sophisticated and officially sanctioned…

The report on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996), the Kelowna Accord announced in 2005 (five-billion dollars) followed by its demise in 2006, and the settlement in 2006 for Aboriginal survivors of residential schools (1.9 billion dollars), are but some of the recent high-profile indicators of the challenges to Canada in dealing with…

The electronic dissemination of information via computer networks is having a considerable impact on educational institutions in terms of the mechanisms that they are able to employ for course delivery. As a result of this, the number of courses that are taught electronically through the Internet and/or the World Wide Web has increased…

Presents seven strategies to assist educators in providing students with a high quality online communication experience: begin with curriculum; spend time planning; encourage a positive social climate; understand the unique nature of online communication; encourage good reading and writing skills; deal with inappropriate behavior and attitudes;…

Briefly examines past military distance education practices and then focuses on discussion of the Department of Defense's (DoD's) initiative in Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL). Outlines some of the potential problems that should be addressed in the near future and possible solutions towards the goal of implementing a successful ADL system for…

The best learning occurs with a variety of learning experiences; it has been said that we retain 10% of what we see, 20% of what we hear, 50% of what we see and hear, and 80% of what we see, hear and do. Learning to make sense of the senses that the arts address (seeing, hearing, feeling) requires the development of special perceptual skills.…

This book explores the creative opportunities offered by information and communications technology (ICT), and provides an authoritative survey of the ways in which ICT is currently transforming core teaching functions. The contributed chapters in this book are organizes around these core processes of learning and teaching: subject matter…

Examines the changing role of the teacher in the use of educational information and communication technologies (ICT). Explores several key issues, including effects of ICT on teaching and learning, the changing role of the teacher in constructivist learning environments, and new skills teachers may be expected to acquire in order to make fruitful…

Distance education and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been marketed as cost-effective ways to rescue struggling educational institutions in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study uses classroom video analysis and follow-up interviews with teachers, students, and local tutors to analyse…

Liverpool John Moores University (JMU) is one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom. It is a multi-faculty institution with in excess of 20,000 students. Its first learning strategy, in 1995, sought to identify and make explicit the University's commitment to learning development and to integrate this in the context of other University…

The infrastructure for using new technologies is being established in many areas of society and there will be an exploration of their use within the next five years. As providers and users of these technologies, educators and students need an understanding of how technology can enhance the university program. This will inevitably lead to new…