Recently, webinar (web seminar) tools (e.g., Elluminate, Adobe Acrobat Connect, Live Meeting) have been attracting more and more attention with the advancement of online learning technologies because webinar tools facilitate real-time communication and enrich the interactivity in an online learning environment. Corporations have long adopted…

New technologies have an important effect on changing higher education. Using technology also has effect on improving learning and teaching in education and especially higher education. Now some universities and institutes use these technologies to apply virtual and distance education but there are another approaches to use them. Weblog is one of…

This paper addresses the assessment of an online academic course delivered through WebCT at San Diego Miramar College in Southern California. The native and non-native college students who took this course experienced online academic instruction for the first time. WebCT gives learners both knowledge input and interactive practice by encouraging…

Online collaboration exercises were used as part of a diverse assessment package for an undergraduate differential equations course. Online collaboration served as a highly effective method for promoting and assessing generic graduate capabilities such as writing in a context-relevant manner and the development of self-awareness with regard to…

Web 2.0 and its associated applications and tools have, in many areas, brought about and are continuing to bring about significant shifts in the way people communicate, create, and share information. Pervasive access to broadband Internet connectivity and communication services has created new forms of relationships and patterns of communicating…

The article deals with blended learning in the context of pre-graduate English language teacher education. Firstly, the concept of blended learning is defined, then, the attention is focused on the online component of a blend, namely on the issue of interpersonal interaction including the challenges, which learning through online networking poses.…

The student learning process is important in online learning environments. If instructors can "observe" online learning behaviors, they can provide adaptive feedback, adjust instructional strategies, and assist students in establishing patterns of successful learning activities. This study used data mining techniques to examine and…

In this paper, we report on survey and focus group data relating to the activities and perceptions of learning with Web 2.0 technologies of students aged between 11 and 16 years in 27 UK secondary schools. The study confirms that these learners had high levels of access to Web 2.0 technologies and that Web 2.0 activities were prolific. However,…

In the context of hybrid instruction, this study was designed to explore whether gender has an influence on learners' preferences for synchronous or asynchronous modes of computer-mediated communication, and whether this decision impacts learners' self-efficacy (SE) towards knowledge acquisition. The participants were 180 teacher-education…

We are presenting a methodological approach that aims to increase students' motivation by asking them to develop tasks based on professional settings. In order to meet this objective a collaborative methodology was designed and applied to two multidisciplinary projects: MARKETOUR and ICT-SUSTOUR. Both projects made students face real workplace…

The supervision of undergraduate student dissertations is an area in need of research. Although some studies have already addressed this, these are primarily based on academic staff responses. This study contributes to knowledge by gathering the responses of students and focusing on formative electronic assessment. Data was collected using a…

Drawing from a range of disciplines, the contributors to this collection describe and analyze their experiences in collaboration and in using interactive technologies. The multidisciplinary approach of this book is useful for anyone interested in pedagogical applications of interactive technologies across disciplines and institutions. The chapters…

Addresses concerns related to the replacement of large lecture courses by immersive digital environments with similarities to advanced videogames. Explains why the large lecture format deserves replacement, reviews the field of game-based learning, and illustrates the approach in the example of an introductory psychology class. (SLD)

This study investigated the effects of using Socratic questioning to enhance students' critical thinking (CT) skills in asynchronous discussion forums (ADF) in university-level distance learning courses. The research effort empirically examined two coherent subjects: (a) the efficacy of teaching and modeling Socratic questioning for developing…

Much of the research literature from the past 25 years has supported the importance of teaching grammar in the context of writing instruction (Calkins, 1980; DiStefano & Killion, 1984; Weaver, 1996,1998). Unlike other content areas, practice does not make perfect when learning grammar. While isolated drill and practice of grammatical concepts may…