Virtual teams enabled by information and communications technologies (ICT) are increasingly being adopted not only by for-profit organizations but also by education institutions as well. This study investigates what contributes to the success of virtual learning teams. Specifically, we examine the issue of leadership in virtual learning teams. The…

Cyber schools, also known as virtual schools, are noteworthy charter school developments that provide viable options for education. Charter schools in general and cyber charter schools in particular are not "revenue neutral" to local school districts. Nationwide, hundreds of millions of dollars allocated for education are being routed…

Discusses instructional design for computerized pedagogic materials and emphasizes the elements of activity and discovery in creating effective learning experiences. Describes a virtual learning environment designed in Brazil that is open to different forms of use so teachers and students can decide on the best ways of using it. (LRW)

Reflects on the influence of globalization on the organization and functioning of universities in Latin America (including virtual universities), exploring the economic, political, and cultural impacts. (EV)

Describes the Virtual Teacher Training Center, a one-year teacher education and licensure program offered via the World Wide Web. The model includes descriptions of courses and hypothetical schedules for delivery of instruction. (Contains 28 references.) (JOW)

Based on the experience of the California State University/Dominguez Hills in offering an Internet master's of business administration, explores forces causing the shift toward online learning, unique characteristics of the virtual student, how the playing field is "leveled" in online education, the importance of communicating carefully…

The challenge of enriching the teaching/learning experience with the voice of practitioners has long been accomplished via field trips. Now, whether students are on another continent or in the presence of a teacher, they can have the field trip experience electronically. Therefore, this paper addresses: (i) the rationale for virtual field trips…

Recent emphases on prospects for difference-sensitive virtual communities rely implicity or explicity on some optimist accounts of cyberspace and globalization. It is expected that hybridity, diaspora and fluidity, marking new understandings of spatiality and temporality in a globalized postmodern era, will create new forms of belonging that will…

Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) hold great potential for people with autism. An exploratory empirical study was conducted to determine if children and youth with autism could understand basic emotions as represented by a humanoid avatar. Thirty-four participants (ages 7.8-16 years) reported to have autism interacted with a software…

In this paper, the author discusses the use of an interactive computer technology, "MOO" (Multi-user domain, Object-Oriented), in her art education classes for preservice teachers. A MOO is a text-based environment wherein interactivity is centered on text exchanges made between users based on problems or other materials created by teachers. The…

Educational institutions may choose to make a course available via the Internet for various reasons including cost reduction, a potential increase in student enrollment, to remain competitive and "cutting edge" in the market, or to reach a global student population. The designer's approach toward the development of the course is critical because…

This paper provides an overview on the current state of art in the field of Distance learning for mobile users. It mentions a large range of technologies, services and approaches that may be used to bring distance learning to mobile internet users. These technologies are supposed to considerably increase innovative e-learning solutions for the…

The world has recently witnessed large natural disasters with the Asian tsunami, the Pakistan earthquake, etc, which has resulted in loss of life measured in hundreds of thousands. One or two years later surveys of reconstruction work have revealed less than 25% of schools have been re-established, implicating long term economic and social…

The increasingly common term "online education" includes distance education as well as traditional courses with online components. The success of online education suggests that most institutions can serve more students, offer unique programs, and better serve working adults. This article discusses why more students consider online education. Keys…

This author states that "college access marketing" efforts aimed at increasing college attendance and success have been slow to incorporate new techniques such as "buzz marketing," "viral marketing," "product seeding," and "guerrilla marketing." Yet for a "connected generation" of potential college students, these kinds of strategies could be…