Many high school and introductory college physics courses make use of mousetrap car projects and competitions as a way of providing an engaging hands-on learning experience incorporating Newton's laws, conversion of potential to kinetic energy, dissipative forces, and rotational mechanics. Presented here is a simple analytical and finite element…

This project explored the experiences of a small sample (N = 6) of Australian academics with the use of digital storytelling as a pedagogical tool in higher education contexts. This article describes two case studies of academic uses of digital storytelling, along with interpretive analysis of six semi-structured interviews of academics working…

This study brings the concept of inquiry as stance to bear on current understandings of how inquiry occurs within online networks for teacher induction. The author presents a case study of an online network that allowed 36 new teachers to participate in informal, spontaneous conversations. Genre research is used to examine the on-network,…

Although many developments have been made in the design and development of learning object repositories (LORs), the efficient use of such systems is still questionable. Without realising the functional use of such systems or considering the involvement of their dynamic users, these systems would probably become obsolete. This study includes both…

Following a brief introduction, our paper is in four main sections. First, we lay out the points on which we agree with James Mazoue's views expressed in "The Deconstructed Campus." Second, we offer a critique of his views. Third, we consider evidence-based research opportunities for building universities that may incorporate ideas along the lines…

The purpose of this study was to examine rural school district administrators' satisfaction with distance education in the United States and to identify factors that may contribute to their satisfaction. Telephone interviews were conducted with administrators in randomly selected rural districts across the country. Analyses revealed that students'…

Research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has strongly emphasized the value of providing student support with micro-scripts, which should withdraw (fade-out) allowing students to practice the acquired skills. However, research on fading shows conflicting results and some researchers suggest that the impact of fading is enhanced…

Computer game programming has been touted as a promising strategy for engaging children in the kinds of thinking that will prepare them to be producers, not just users of technology. But little is known about what they learn when programming a game. In this article, we present a strategy for coding student games, and summarize the results of an…

This article reviews the (quasi)experimental research of the past decade on the learning effects of computer simulations in science education. The focus is on two questions: how use of computer simulations can enhance traditional education, and how computer simulations are best used in order to improve learning processes and outcomes. We report on…

Instructional games fluctuate between "restricted play" and "free play." Highly structured games with lots of corrective feedback can be less engaging, whereas unstructured games with minimal feedback can lead to frustration. This mixed methods, formative evaluation study investigated how designers might find the balance between too much and too…

Readily available software designed for the production of music can be adapted easily to the physics classroom. Programs such as Apple's GarageBand access large libraries of recorded sound waves that can be heard and displayed both before and after alterations. Tools such as real-time spectral analysers, digital effects, and audio file editors…

We consider how changing attitudes to computer use may alter the habits of students in the use of location and times of the day. We discover for one community the extent to which they absent themselves from the physical university and see some trends. We suggest that this is a deep change of habit, influenced by the "digital generation",…

Since the formation of atomic bonds is active, the authors sought a way of learning through drama or kinetic activity. To achieve this goal, they developed an activity called Romance of the Atoms. The activity requires students to use computer-animation technology to develop short cartoons that explain atomic classification and bonds. This…

Students can be seen throughout any campus in America carrying their cell phones, laptop computers, and iPhones. I've seen a tremendous increase in the student use of laptop computers during lectures and students often ask for electronic copies of lectures rather than printed versions. In an attempt to adapt to my students' increasingly…

Extending the usefulness of the instruments we have has never been more important. The current economic crisis has prompted all of us to re-examine how money is spent and to try to minimize our expenditures because of future uncertainties. We have been able to breathe new life into an aging 60 MHz NMR spectrometer used by hundreds of…