Field experiences are important components of undergraduate music teacher education programs. This applied qualitative study investigated 12 preservice music teachers' reactions to K-12 field experiences for an undergraduate instrumental music methods course. Six weeks of course discussion board posts were analyzed via an iterative, constant…

Different new media tools like Facebook, blogs, wikis, Google docs and YouTube are perceived to have effects on English language (L2) learner motivation at the tertiary level in Bangladesh. However, the effects of new media usage on L2 learner motivation are not defined yet in the context. This study investigates the effects of new media usage on…

Online and hybrid courses offer many benefits for ESL teacher education, but can be hampered by 'transactional distance', a lack of interpersonal closeness which can cause misunderstanding and disengagement. This article describes a pedagogical project in which in-service teachers studying in a distance-learning MA TESL programme in Sri Lanka…

Student learning communities (SLCs) are more than just a different way of doing group work. Like the professional learning communities they resemble, SLCs provide students with a structured way to solve problems, share insight, and help one another continually develop new skills and expertise. With the right planning and support, dynamic…

This paper examines a peer virtual exchange project between students at the University of Cyprus and the University of Latvia. The main purpose of this project is to develop intercultural awareness. Through telecollaborative tasks, students are asked to interact in a common discussion space around elements related to their cultural values. The aim…

The benefits available to organizations that embrace diversity measures may be elusive to health organizations in their struggle with scarce resources and overburdened staff. Current literature highlight the importance of leadership in realizing the longer-term benefits that may be derived from increasing diversity. This article presents the…

Group discussions are critical for students constructing new understanding and knowledge in both classroom and distance education. Tagclouds can provide an intuitive overview about the group's collective knowledge and could potentially be used as an anchor for group discussions. The effect of using tagclouds as anchors for group discussions was…

In the current research-focused climate, academics are facing increasing pressure to produce research outputs. This pressure can prove particularly daunting for early career (EC) academics, who are simultaneously attempting to master new teaching and administrative demands while establishing their own independent research trajectories. Previous…

The purpose of this research was aimed to establish a relationship between the level of collaborative work competency and the academic performance of students in an online master's degree program. An ex-post-facto investigation was conducted through a quantitative methodology and descriptive analysis. A collaborative competency checklist was…

A growing body of research is examining the use of social media on college campuses. This study explores the use of one social media outlet, specifically Facebook's closed group feature, in two graduate courses. Findings show that using Facebook can promote student learning. Students used the groups for sharing ideas and support, asking questions,…

Aesthetic experiences have proved as a valuable tool to enhance quality childhood life and learning; yet, how young children perceive such experiences is little known. This study investigated the aesthetic experiences and responses of Hong Kong young children through drama improvisation. Deleuzo-Guattarian concept of rhizome was used to form a…

Young people's conversations about environmental and sustainability issues in social media and their educational implications are under-researched. Understanding young people's meaning-making in social media and the experiences they acquire could help teachers to stage pluralistic and participatory approaches to classroom discussions about the…

This article explores children's perspectives on risk and protection in the context of war, exclusion, political conflict and immigration via the example of the excluded Ethiopian immigrant community in Israel. Thirty children of Ethiopian origin, aged four to six, shared their views on risk and protection with the aid of photography, drawings and…

As enrollment in distance education courses continues to increase, it is clear that online course delivery is here to stay. And all online courses today utilize a web- or cloud-based Learning Management System that includes a text-based discussion forum, commonly called a 'discussion board', which is the primary mode of communication within the…

Creativity makes life more enjoyable and successful, both for students and people generally. The complex elements of society require that people be creative in order to guide humanity forward. Thus, educators often strive to promote creativity among their students and themselves. The present paper offers a broad definition of creativity and then…