This study represented dimensions from the diffusion of innovations theory and the community of inquiry model to explore the adoption of web-conferencing. It used logistic regression to model the likelihood of adopting web-conferencing in online teaching with data collected from 66 college online instructors. In the logistic regression analyses,…

A number of quality theories have been utilized to provide a framework or background for studies of online learning and instruction. While many of these theories have been useful, several have been modified as new technologies have been invented and adopted in schools. This paper examines some of the most prominent theories of online learning and…

With the growth of online and distance education in social work, faculty training and support need to be provided to ensure high-quality online social work education. A model for training social work educators in online teaching is outlined that focuses on pedagogy, technology, and social work values. Columbia University School of Social Work's…

E-learning is a general term used to refer to computer-enhanced learning based that facilitates whoever, wherever, and whenever the person is to be able to learn more fun, easier and cheaper by using Internet. In other words, E-learning is the use of network technologies to create, foster, deliver, and facilitate learning, anytime and anywhere. It…

Different approaches have explored how to provide seamless learning across multiple ICT-enabled physical and virtual spaces, including three-dimensional virtual worlds (3DVW). However, these approaches present limitations that may reduce their acceptance in authentic educational practice: The difficulties of authoring and sharing teacher-created…

Faculty members have different concerns as they integrate new technology into their teaching practices. The integration of Web-Based Instruction in higher-education settings will not be successful if these faculty concerns are not addressed. Four main stages of faculty concern (information, personal, management, and impact) were identified based…

Research in four areas has the potential to dramatically improve how practitioners address the challenges of integrating digital texts and tasks into their literacy curriculum. Advances in defining and measuring key components of online reading comprehension are rapidly emerging. In addition, instructional models, such as Internet reciprocal…

This article critiques learning design as a representation for sharing and developing practice, based on synthesis of three projects. Starting with the findings of the Mod4L Models of Practice project, it argues that the technical origins of learning design, and the consequent focus on structure and sequence, limit its usefulness for sharing…

The Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) is a popular model used to explain the continuance of information system usage. However, past studies have found that the ECM, based on extrinsic motivations (e.g. perceived usefulness, user satisfaction), has limitations insofar as people often have both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations simultaneously.…

Developing a model for effective large-scale continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers remains a significant obstacle for many governments worldwide. This article describes the development and evolution of Vital--a CPD program designed to enhance the teaching of information communication technology in state-funded primary and…

The integration of technology in classrooms is rapidly emerging as a way to provide more educational opportunities for students. As virtual learning environments become more popular, evaluating the impact of this technology on student success is vital. "Exploring the Effectiveness of Online Education in K-12 Environments" combines…

This paper examines online versus face-to-face organizational structure and pedagogy in terms of education and the teaching and learning process. The author distinguishes several important terms related to distance/online/e-learning, virtual learning and brick-and-mortar learning interactions and concepts such as asynchronous and synchronous…

This article presents the author's response to Randy Garrison's article titled, "Implications of Online and Blended Learning for the Conceptual Development and Practice of Distance Education." Garrison's article seems to have missed many important developments relating to distance education and obscures the evolution of distance…

This paper describes a study that focused on long-term web-supported learning diffusion among lecturers at Tel Aviv University (TAU), from an organizational point of view. The theoretical models we used to examine this process are Rogers' model for "Diffusion of Innovation" (1995) and Bass's "Diffusion Model" (1969). The study…

This study examined how global learning teams utilized technology in a virtual collaboration to solve complex problems. The study offers an in-depth explanation of why and how the learning teams used technology to support computer-mediated communication. A model of technology application at different stages of virtual collaborative process is…