Higher education institutions are introducing standardised electronic course profiles (ECPs) to advance quality outcomes. Involving both "message" and "medium", they alter traditional practice and interpretations. Critical examination is required of the values, presuppositions and operation of the nascent system. Lacking much…

This paper explores the associations between gender, collaboration and research methods in distance education research. Following a bibliometric approach, collaboration is operationalised through co-author relationships. The study is based on a review of 695 papers published in five prominent distance education journals between 2000 and 2008. It…

Technological tools challenge teachers' pedagogical activities. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education should help teachers integrate new pedagogical methods into their work. This study explores macro-level computer-supported collaborative learning scripts as a pedagogical method to facilitate collaboration.…

Students often "multitask" with electronic media while doing schoolwork. We examined the effects of one form of media often used in such multitasking, instant messaging (IM). We predicted that students who engaged in IMing while reading a typical academic psychology passage online would take longer to read the passage and would perform more poorly…

Two experiments investigated the development of fluency in interpreting adjective-noun phrases in 30- and 36-month-old English-learning children. Using online processing measures, children's gaze patterns were monitored as they heard the familiar adjective-noun phrases (e.g. "blue car") in visual contexts where the adjective was either informative…

The Joan Ganz Cooney Center has conducted a national survey of more than 1500 parents of children ages 2-10 to find out how much of children's media time is devoted to educational content, platform by platform, age by age. "Learning at Home: Families' Educational Media Use in America" is the first comprehensive analysis of parents'…

Learning environments continue to change considerably and is no longer confined to the face-to-face classroom setting. As learning options have evolved, educators must adopt a variety of pedagogical strategies and innovative technologies to enable learning. "Practical Applications and Experiences in K-20 Blended Learning Environments"…

With the emergence of innovative technologies, the digital nature of learning environments has changed the face of education. The integration of these technologies into classroom instruction is essential for promoting student learning. "Literacy Enrichment and Technology Integration in Pre-Service Teacher Education" examines the various…

Different approaches have been proposed on the design and development of digital and interactive technology in mobile learning contexts. In line with recent findings in literature, we suggest that mobile learning systems benefit from a criteria-based iterative design and development process that incorporates evaluation results of mobile learning…

Universities are changing delivery methods for courses in order to meet the demands of today's college students. The increasing usage of internet-based courses has significant implications for institutions of higher education. With a goal of expanding enrollment, many are interested in delivering online instruction. At the same time, the…

School librarians have excelled in providing a physical library space that is welcoming, making sure students have an inviting space to access print and digital materials, and developing collections that provide access for all ages of students. In the physical library space services such as collaborating with teachers and consulting with students…

Online learning is in its infancy compared to other types of learning in the history of academe. Because of its limited history, there is much to be discovered about the ontological, axiological, and epistemological aspects of this technology-driven learning environment. While literature is saturated with online student experiences, and the…

This study is based on the analysis of academic results of 692 undergraduate and graduate students in two disciplines in a French university who attended their courses using one out of four possible learning modalities. Within the two disciplines, Art History and Educational Sciences, students chose between face-to-face learning (on campus),…

A lament of some academics wanting to use online learning is their inability to promote dynamic interactions. The basic practice of "read and discuss" does not get to the heart of active and engaged learning. Existing approaches recognize participation for successful online conversation, but do not make transparent the role of the academic…

Since the signing of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) in August 2008, providers of distance education courses and programs have been looking into procedures and technologies that will satisfy the accrediting agencies responsible for enforcing the law. Continuing education administrators are at the forefront because of the pervasiveness…