As educators in higher education are making efforts in improving the quality of teaching practices, the Internet is without a doubt a tool that holds great potential in assisting them in their efforts. Integrated into university courses, the Internet increases the interaction of student-to-instructor, student-to-student, student-to-material, and…

This study evaluated students' sense of community, satisfaction, achievement, and retention in 3 sections of the same online undergraduate psychology course. Use of asynchronous discussion threads and students' perceived interaction with fellow students and the instructor were all correlated with students' perceived sense of community (SOC). When…

Nontraditional students are rapidly becoming the majority group on campuses across America. These students are often hard pressed for time and in order to provide them with equal learning opportunities many universities and colleges are currently responding by offering classes using a variety of delivery methods and formats. In this study,…

The article argues that we make best use of learning technologies if we begin with an understanding of educational problems, and use this analysis to target the solutions we should be demanding from technology. The focus is to address the issue from the perspective of teachers and lecturers (the "teaching community"), and to consider how…

Introduction: This exploratory study examines Canadian physicians' participation in online social activities and learning discussions, perceptions of online social closeness, barriers and motivators to participation, and perceptions of the impact of course duration and face-to-face meetings on learning. Methods: Formative evaluations were…

E-Learning is a new form of pedagogy for learning in the 21st century. E-Teachers are e-Learning instructional designers, facilitators of interaction, and subject matter experts. The roles of e-Teachers are to enhance learners' cognitive engagement and interaction. This is achieved by using the benefits of computer mediated communication--greater…

As technological changes in the delivery of instruction overtake colleges, thought needs to be given to maintaining the fundamental principles of adult education, especially regarding the role of the learner in the educational process. The trend toward electronically distributed education will make college a network of resources, rather than a…

While a few educators have already started using blogs in the classroom, more have focused on the potential of blogging in teaching and learning (Shachtman 2002; Embrey 2002). For instance, some claim that blogs may further democratize the Internet, addressing some of the concerns under-girding the digital divide (Carroll 2003). This article…

Virtual teaming has come to stay in the fast developing world of communication as it brings more value to customers, saves costs, accelerates competence, and leverages organizational learning. Therefore, students need to be educated about this new type of team and the tools that are available to facilitate communication and to enhance…

In a discussion of how universities must deal with distance learning, the viewpoints of a college president of the 1950s are juxtaposed to those of one in 1995 concerning curriculum and methods of teaching. The author proposes distance learning is well on its way to becoming the academic norm. (JKP)

Discusses a pilot study using synchronous electronic chats combined with task-based instruction (TBI) to enhance learners' communication skills. TBI focuses on the two-way exchange of information on real-life topics. Shows that computer-mediated communication using less structure-controlled but more open-ended exchange had a significant impact on…

This article reports on a corpus-based, developmental pedagogical intervention for the teaching of German modal particles (MPs) in which learners examined their own emerging MP use as well as that of their native-speaking keypals in the context of electronically mediated, project-based collaboration. Individual learner development was traced…

The interest in new media for teaching and learning has highlighted the potential of innovative software and hardware for education. This has included laptops, hand-helds, wireless systems and Web-based learning environments. Most recently, however, this interest has focused on blogs and blogging. Weblogs, or blogs, are Web pages often likened to…

With gym time getting squeezed out by standardized tests and extracurriculars, schools are beginning to digitize physical education. This alternative method is first being offered by Minneapolis public schools in spring of 2005. In digital physical education, students can perform physical activities like they would in a traditional PE class but…

Purpose: The increased pressure to incorporate communication technologies into learning environments has intensified the attention given to the role of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in academic settings. However, the issue of how and why these technologies, especially synchronous CMC applications, has been given less attention in…