Purpose: Social presence (SP), which refers to individuals' perception of others being engaged as "real people" in the same situation, is a crucial component in technology-rich learning environments (TREs). This study aims to identify major learning design, antecedents and outcomes of SP within TREs, and identify common findings from the…

Data-based decision-making is a well-established field of research in education. In particular, the potential of data use for addressing heterogeneous learning needs is emphasized. With data collected during the learning process of students, teachers gain insight into the performance, strengths, and weaknesses of their students and are potentially…

Academic Libraries continuously strategize ways to infuse information literacy into the classroom. The libraries at a large research university created ten standalone information literacy courses in a learning management system (LMS) to be used as supplemental materials in credit-bearing courses. This article will outline the creation of the…

COVID-19 has forced many higher education institutions to move from face-to-face teaching and learning to an e-learning environment. Many institutions had already started to implement blended learning strategies, but lecturers with limited knowledge of multimedia learning could not keep up with the pace. Multimedia learning can enhance learning,…

We investigated the utility of ChatGPT 3.5 in the creation of a fully online asynchronous higher education course. Our collaborative effort with ChatGPT resulted in developing a Master's level course on Trends and Issues in Instructional Design using the Backward Design Model. Throughout this process, we recognized the critical role of precise…

This research considers the synchronous creation of a faculty meta-ensemble emergent in the pivot to online music ensembles in 2021. The unit of study outline for Music Ensemble Performance mandates live ensembles in a Kolb-inspired experiential learning model, seemingly impossible to achieve in a pandemic. Eric Ries advocates for necessary change…

This formative paper reviews the recent expansion in online teacher education programmes for "Education for Sustainable Development" (ESD) in southern Africa. The research informs the design of resource-based learning. An activity systems approach and a preliminary mapping of the design features for online learning for ESD enabled us to…

In the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was considerable innovation in designing and implementing teaching and learning with technology in fully online, face-to-face and blended modes. To provide an overview of technology-enhanced learning in higher education, we conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines of…

Using a learning management system (LMS) to deliver robust content for K-12 students became an essential part of the discussion of technology's place in K-12 education when teachers were forced to teach online at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers used an LMS to deliver content in various ways and as part of different instructional…

Adaptive learning systems aim to emulate how skilled educators provide every student with the best possible learning experience. We investigate how these systems might be enriched by incorporating activities and indicators of social learning, which focus on the influences of learners' social context and interactions. This doctoral research aims to…

The relatively new utilization of learning management system (LMS) facilitated blended learning in secondary public schools has grown in popularity, but there is a void in research at this level. Teachers learned how to use the LMS features and honed their blended learning design skills through their own experiences, and in observation of their…

In the following paper, the author identifies two overarching challenges in developing effective online learning courses and provides an easy to implement framework to address them. The first challenge is that social activity, a key aspect to learning, often falls short in the development of online learning courses. The second challenge is student…

Productive "Third Spaces" are often an afterthought when designing learning environments, both in a physical sense and online. These areas, properly mediated by technology and designed around humans, can often be a key facilitator for student success. The STAC Model is designed to provide a framework for understanding what makes these…

As online learning continues to rise, students find educational value in consistency of instruction and technological support. With the significant increase in faculty designing courses, success lies with faculty education in instructional design. Additionally, students need support to navigate through the LMS and course elements to achieve…

Classroom role-play is an interactive learning technique with a long history of success, but current attempts to augment it with technology limit the very interactions that make this technique successful. For example, digital roleplay games often engage individual students at a computer, rather than creating rich social interactions among…