Even though computer games hold considerable potential for engaging and facilitating learning among today's children, the adoption of modern educational computer games is still meeting significant resistance in K-12 education. The purpose of this paper is to inform educators and instructional designers on factors affecting teachers' adoption of…

This paper presents a methodology of discovering social action patterns in collaborative learning activities for use in improving activity design, and in particular for restructuring existing designs involving face-to-face social actions to enhance their social dynamics and thus better ensure the achievement of a specified aim. An activity in this…

Project MLeXAI [Machine Learning eXperiences in Artificial Intelligence (AI)] seeks to build a set of reusable course curriculum and hands on laboratory projects for the artificial intelligence classroom. In this article, we describe two game-based projects from the second phase of project MLeXAI: Robot Defense--a simple real-time strategy game…

As it happens in other fields of engineering, blended learning is widely used to teach process control topics. In this paper, the inclusion of a reactive element--a Fuzzy Logic based controller--is proposed for a blended learning approach in an introductory control engineering course. This controller has been designed in order to regulate the…

This article describes scenario development and suggests plans for the use of scenarios in simulations and games. (BB)

Describes Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and the subjectively assesses the worth of the approach by briefly addressing three of the most common complaints against it: (1) Does ISD spoon-feed the learner? (2) Is ISD more concerned with front and analysis than actual production and delivery of instructional material? (3) Is ISD nonhumanistic?…

Presents six research-based guidelines for the design of instruction which can be applied by instructional developers to increase achievement of affective objectives. (Author)

Discussion of modern instructional theories focuses on the use of computer-based instructional design tools to help deal with the growing complexity of the design process and the resulting instructional systems. Presents a framework to distinguish different kinds of instructional design tools. (Author/LRW)

Discusses knowledge management systems (KMS) and their application to instructional design. Highlights include a history of computing and instructional systems; computer-supported collaborative work environments; object-oriented systems; reusability; a conceptual framework for distributed instructional design; and examples of support tools.…

Describes the four-component instructional design system (4C/ID-model) developed for the design of training programs for complex skills. Discusses the structure of training blueprints for complex learning and associated instructional methods, focusing on learning tasks, supportive information, just-in-time information, and part-task practice.…

Summarizes first principles of instruction and presents a revised approach to instructional development that has been found to be most effective in overcoming the recent criticism of traditional ISD (instructional systems design), while at the same time implementing these first principles of instruction. (Author/LRW)

Investigates the appropriateness of the word "design" in "instructional design." Topics addressed include the nature of design; design problems; design solutions; the design process; implications for the nature of instructional design; and implications for the professional development of instructional designers. (17 references)…

Discusses instructional strategies that can be used in any skill domain and uses Gagne's conditions of learning as a model to suggest internal and external conditions of expertise. Differences between experts and novices are examined, including the amount of information they can bring to a new situation, the organization of that information, and…