This article focuses on the gap between the use of Information and Computing Technology (ICT) in schools and the use made of ICT in children's everyday life outside school. Particular emphasis is placed on the communities of practice that young people create through their use of digital technology. The article is based on data collected over five…

This paper discusses the key findings of an investigation of e-learning computer systems and the establishment of a technology framework for a new generation of e-learning applications. The paper initially reviews an e-learning system case study (a core university and a number of associated institutions named Global Campus) which incorporates: (i)…

This paper describes the advancements that have occurred in the use of educational technologies over the past ten years (1995-2005) and argues that progress has been slow and reminiscent of the slow progress observed in the previous decade (1985-1995). The paper argues that one of the principal reasons for the less than spectacular results stems…

The U.S. Department of Education report "Computer and Internet Use by Children and Adolescents" (National Center on Educational Statistics, 2001) illustrated the degree to which technology use, particularly electronic and information technologies like computers and the Internet, has become a pervasive part of the educational process. This study…

Students of biology must learn the scientific method for generating information in the field. Concurrently, they should learn how information is reported and accessed. We developed a progressive set of exercises for the undergraduate introductory biology laboratory that combine these objectives. Pre- and postassessments of approximately 100…

Designer support is critical for facilitating collaboration and knowledge construction in an online learning environment. Designer support in this paper refers to the mechanisms that a designer builds in a technology-mediated environment to facilitate online learning. This paper focuses on two aspects of designer support: 1) creating a shared…

Purpose: This paper reports on the development of a workplace-based e-learning programme for small and medium enterprise (SME) managers in five European countries. The course is designed to address the specific needs of SME managers who, it has been noted, represent a significant proportion of the EU workforce but often experience difficulty in…

The national focus on excellence in education is commendable, Leave No Child Behind and the possibilities for classrooms of tomorrow. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers-Students and developed by the NETS Team-National Educational Technology Standards Writing Team and the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers U.S. Department…

The purpose of this study was to examine how variables related to computer availability, computer comfort and educational software are associated with higher or lower levels of science literacy in the USA, Finland and Mexico, after controlling for the socio-economic status of the students. The analyses for this study were based on a series of…

Web-Based Instruction is increasingly being recognized as a means of teaching and learning. In dietetics, the interactions between drugs and nutrients are complex due to the wide variety of drugs and their mechanism and interactions with nutrients. How to help student professionals acquired necessary skills and knowledge is important in a dietetic…

In this chapter the authors attempt to sketch the general outlines of the characteristics typical of students' attitudes toward the new information technologies. They touch on the following three aspects: (1) The place of the computer in the structure of leisure time of today's adolescent; (2) The role played by the new information technologies in…

The present chapter includes three sections. In the first section the authors touch on general matters that have to do with the array of problems of the use of the new information technologies in the school education process. In the second section, drawing on empirical materials obtained in their sociological survey, the authors look at the…

Electronic portfolios represent an assessment measure with strong potential for providing feedback about student performance to improve curricula and pedagogy, determining individual students' mastery of learning and providing feedback for improvement, and actively involving students in the assessment process. This study examined the relationship…

International cooperation in Distance Education which is a very popular phenomenon today can be explained by the rise of social constructivism in social sciences, namely Education and International Relations, for the purpose of this paper. Social constructive approach in International Relations with its emphasis on building social bridges via…

Students often approach history survey classes with a significant degree of dread. Nevertheless, at least one history class is required for graduation from most, if not all, universities, and most students elect to take survey courses to fulfill that requirement. Students rarely enroll in an American history class eagerly, because they anticipate…