This paper describes Coconuts (Concurrent Collaborative Learning Environment Supported by Awareness), a proposed module of Sharlok (Sharing, Linking and Looking-for Knowledge), an open-ended and collaborative learning environment that integrates a knowledge building tool with a collaborative interface tool. Coconuts was developed in order to…

This paper examines the use of First Class conferencing software to create a virtual culture among research students and as a vehicle for supervision and advising. Topics discussed include: computer-mediated communication and research; entry to cyberculture, i.e., research students' induction into the research community; supervision and the…

In this article, the author describes the current state of research on web-based instruction and posits new directions to expand the current paradigm. Issues of faculty attitude and support toward distance education, instructional immediacy, and the Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Chickering and Gamson, 1986) relative…

The multiyear study discussed in this paper focuses on the use of a course management system (CMS) to deliver video clips and interactive mathematics investigations and to support shared reflections in a field-based elementary mathematics methods course. The findings reveal that virtual observations of mathematics teaching episodes in diverse…

This paper draws on data gathered from a five-month phenomenological study of middle school students' perceptions of the effects of computer-based technologies on a learning community in an online synchronous environment. Twenty-four eighth-grade students participated in the Web Pen Pals project, a university-secondary telecollaborative…

This paper describes the experiences gathered in a Masters of Adult Education course at University of Botswana (UB), where 26 students of the University of Botswana and the University of Georgia (UGA) engaged in discussions within the University of Botswana Learning Management System WebCT. Individual participation patterns in the discussions…

The Computer/Technology Standards of Learning identify and define the progressive development of essential knowledge and skills necessary for students to access, evaluate, use, and create information using technology. They provide a framework for technology literacy and demonstrate a progression from physical manipulation skills for the use of…

This report discusses the need for a research agenda to understand how rural public schools can work with their communities to improve student performance while building the community. It focuses on the potential strengths of school-community relationships. Described herein are four community engagement models a school can adopt: (1) School as…

The Continuity Project is a research, development, and technology transfer initiative aimed at creating a "Library of the Future" by combining features of an online public access catalog (OPAC) and a campus wide information system (CWIS) with advanced facilities drawn from such areas as artificial intelligence (AI), knowledge…

Two Canadian universities conducted an experiment in which preservice teachers used computer-mediated communication to describe and discuss critical incidents occurring during their practicum. Participants in the practicum shared their teaching experiences with peers, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors. Over 3 years, 6 different…

This book contains 14 case studies, written by those involved in the teaching and training initiatives, that illustrate the use of open and distance learning strategies. The case studies, drawn from many parts of the world (but mostly British based), feature efforts in large and small companies in a variety of industries. The first part of the…

This guide focuses on creating educational and social service programs for seniors at Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) properties. Chapter 1 describes an intergenerational program at three properties receiving HUD assistance in Portland, Oregon, where seniors teach and learn from young students through interactive educational…

The EMERGENCE project was conducted to map and measure eWork (the processing of information and transmission of it by means of telecommunications located anywhere in the world) in 18 European countries (15 European Union states plus Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic). Data for the project were gathered through a survey of 7,268 employers of…

Part of the EMERGENCE project to measure and map employment relocation in a global economy in the new communications environment, this report on eWork in southern Europe (SE) combines results of a European employer survey, case studies, and data from other sources. Chapter 1 analyzes national and sector dimensions. Chapter 2 studies eWork practice…

A study explored expectations and experiences of online students in Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector. Survey responses from 201 students in 23 private and public institutions indicated the need for information on course and module requirements and regular communication with teachers and tutors as priorities for successful…