School classes can be conceptualized as bounded communities of practice made up of teachers and students working together to build knowledge. Teachers make design decisions about physical and virtual spaces supported by information and communications technologies, and about curriculum. Design influences how students go about their work, and their…

In this article, the authors demonstrate how a simple math lab incorporating monthly height measurements can address multiple science and mathematics standards such as collecting, organizing, and describing data in context; drawing conclusions; and making hypotheses from these data. Although the yearlong math lab can be accomplished in either the…

High school students in Seattle's Global Technology Academy bring refurbished computers to schools and orphanages in developing areas of the world and teach young people the skills they need to advance in an increasingly information-based global marketplace. In 19 trips to date, teams of 5-15 students have taken computers and knowledge to such…

This article focuses on the gap between the use of Information and Computing Technology (ICT) in schools and the use made of ICT in children's everyday life outside school. Particular emphasis is placed on the communities of practice that young people create through their use of digital technology. The article is based on data collected over five…

This paper discusses the key findings of an investigation of e-learning computer systems and the establishment of a technology framework for a new generation of e-learning applications. The paper initially reviews an e-learning system case study (a core university and a number of associated institutions named Global Campus) which incorporates: (i)…

This paper describes the advancements that have occurred in the use of educational technologies over the past ten years (1995-2005) and argues that progress has been slow and reminiscent of the slow progress observed in the previous decade (1985-1995). The paper argues that one of the principal reasons for the less than spectacular results stems…

This paper describes the results of teacher education candidates' use of a Web-based assessment system including electronic portfolios. A teacher education program adopted a novel Web-based Accountability Model for assessment and learning. The Web-based Education Accountability System (EAS) was based on the Web-based Accountability Model, and…

The U.S. Department of Education report "Computer and Internet Use by Children and Adolescents" (National Center on Educational Statistics, 2001) illustrated the degree to which technology use, particularly electronic and information technologies like computers and the Internet, has become a pervasive part of the educational process. This study…

Students of biology must learn the scientific method for generating information in the field. Concurrently, they should learn how information is reported and accessed. We developed a progressive set of exercises for the undergraduate introductory biology laboratory that combine these objectives. Pre- and postassessments of approximately 100…

Designer support is critical for facilitating collaboration and knowledge construction in an online learning environment. Designer support in this paper refers to the mechanisms that a designer builds in a technology-mediated environment to facilitate online learning. This paper focuses on two aspects of designer support: 1) creating a shared…

Purpose: This paper reports on the development of a workplace-based e-learning programme for small and medium enterprise (SME) managers in five European countries. The course is designed to address the specific needs of SME managers who, it has been noted, represent a significant proportion of the EU workforce but often experience difficulty in…

The increasing use of technology to meet the vast educational needs of our expanding world has led to heightened concerns about learning experiences within educational environments that are removed from the immediate purview of instructors (Duffy & Kirkley, 2004). Recent calls for use of more collaborative environments in which students interact…

The national focus on excellence in education is commendable, Leave No Child Behind and the possibilities for classrooms of tomorrow. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers-Students and developed by the NETS Team-National Educational Technology Standards Writing Team and the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers U.S. Department…

This qualitative case study examined web-based portfolio development in the service of supporting reflective thinking and learning within the innovative context of Professional Development Schools. Specifically, this study investigated the nature of the evidence-based philosophies developed by prospective teachers as the central part of the…

Practical guidelines are offered for the use of synchronous online conferencing software by session administrators and moderators. The configuration of the software prior to conferencing sessions is discussed, and the planning and implementation of useful collaborative activities such as "synchronised browsing." The combination of these…