The work reported here takes place in the educational domain. The authors propose a learning environment based on a graphical representation of a course. The emergence of online multiplayer games led the authors to apply the following metaphor to the digital work environments: The method of acquiring knowledge during a learning session is similar…

The current development approaches for e-learning systems fail to explain in a clear and consistent way the pedagogical principles that support them. Moreover, decisions with regard to the structuration of each component proposed by these approaches are mainly taken by the designer/developer. As a result, the ensuing e-learning systems reflect…

Team-based learning (TBL) has been shown to improve student learning in a variety of settings. In a majority of cases, TBL has been implemented in face-to-face formats and occasionally in blended learning formats, which are partially online partially and face-to-face in a classroom. The Sloan Consortium surveys report a steady increase in the…

In this article, the authors offer the first of a three-part series on distance education. The authors discuss key trends in training and development which have five profound impacts on the field of Instruction Design (ID). These five effects concern: (1) quality; (2) needs assessment, ROI and measurement of outcomes; (3) the influence and fusion…

In this Voices Inside Schools essay, Dr. Pat Clifford and Susan Marinucci take us inside a classroom engaged in "genuine inquiry." As we follow Russell and his fellow fifth-grade scientists through their exploration of desalination, we witness the evolving nature of questioning, learning, and understanding in spaces of inquiry. The authors offer…

These days, with learning management system (LMS) offerings just about everywhere, online courses are almost as prevalent as classes taught in traditional classrooms with professors and students present at lecterns and desks. Many colleges and universities turn to vendors to help them create these courses, a service that software providers such as…

This paper examines the meta-theoretical status, basic determinants, interests, conditions and directives of theory development in contemporary intercultural education (IE). It identifies functions and main objectives of IE at the macro-, mezzo- and micro-levels of society, interdisciplinary approaches associated with the discipline, as well as…

This document is a survey in the research area of User Modeling (UM) for the specific field of Adaptive Learning. The aims of this document are: To define what it is a User Model; To present existing and well known User Models; To analyze the existent standards related with UM; To compare existing systems. In the scientific area of User Modeling…

This article presents a design methodology for matching learning tasks with learning technologies. First a working definition of "affordances" is provided based on the need to describe the action potentials of the technologies (utility). Categories of affordances are then proposed to provide a framework for analysis. Following this, a…

Most existing web-based language learning exercises may be termed "static" in that their content is fixed; the sentences exist in the form in which the developer wrote them, and the scope of the exercise and the variety of interactions can only be expanded by manually adding to the existing stock. One solution to this problem is an application…

This paper first summarizes, and then compares and contrasts two well-known instructional design models: Dick and Carey Model (DC) and Morrison, Ross and Kemp model (MRK). The target audiences of both models are basically instructional designers. Both models have applications for different instructional design settings. They both see the…

An exploratory investigation, utilizing mixed methods, was used to examine the quality and usability of the product and the client's role within a rapid prototyping instructional design approach. Forty engineering and business undergraduates participating in a leadership training session and an instructional design team comprised the sample for…

Purpose: This paper aims to provide a methodological road for the next generation of e-learning environments. Design/methodology/approach: This paper considers a survey of recent publications (1995-2002), which aim to provide practical and theoretical indications and advice, which are coupled with practical experimentations. Findings: The paper…

It is a challenge, especially for librarians new to instruction, to create effective and meaningful classroom experiences for students when given only one class session. While a one-shot BI class is not an ideal learning environment, it is still a very common instructional practice. This article describes the Direct-Instruction Teaching Model and…

In this article the author explores the construction of place within virtual worlds and, in particular, in video games that appeal widely to children and youths. With the notable exception of "edutainment" titles, gaming and education have traditionally been viewed as separate pursuits. Yet, after school, millions of children and teens spend…