As the sole librarian responsible for online instruction, there are many challenges and opportunities when developing a program almost from scratch. This case study will examine how an individual online instruction librarian developed a tool to conduct an environmental scan of a dormant online instruction program and utilized this tool to begin…

Systems theory spans many disciplines and several decades. The field of biology has informed systems theory, according to von Bertalanffy (1972) and Boulding (1956), as an organizing principle of living beings. Extensions of this theoretical framework have led to the application of systems theory as systems thinking in a diverse array of…

Beginning in the late Middle Ages and up through the beginning of the twentieth century, it was perfectly normal for children to get an education or be trained in a profession by being apprenticed to masters in their workplace. The apprentice began by observing the master craftsman at work--for example a weaver, blacksmith, or printer--and learned…

The digitalization of learning environments is changing the face of education. Learners from around the world have unprecedented access to online learning spaces in ways that were unthinkable even a few decades ago. Due to the growing diversity among digital learners, online learning spaces are becoming increasingly international and…

This study reports on a novel design methodology, namely, design-centered research (DCR), developed to analyze and evaluate the alignment between an online collaborative learning design and its enactment. The approach is illustrated in a study involving 40 groups in total. Twenty different online collaborative learning activities were designed and…

Most research on learning technology uses clickstreams and questionnaires as their primary source of quantitative data. This study presents the outcomes of a systematic literature review of empirical evidence on the capabilities of multimodal data (MMD) for human learning. This paper provides an overview of what and how MMD have been used to…

This paper introduces two central questions (1) what are available methodologies for making claims about mathematical practice and (2) when and how do claims about mathematical practice influence mathematics instruction. To motivate these questions, we critically analyze the relationship between research into mathematicians' practice and the…

This paper explores the role and history of systems theory and thinking in the fields of instructional/educational technology and design. The foundations of ID/ET as fields are rich in behavioral, systematic, and positivist notions of process, but we assert that it is weaker in the reflective, thoughtful, deep and meaningful orientations. Woven…

Intrapreneurship competence, as one of the main twenty-first century skills, has moved into focus, as it enables benefits for both organizations and individuals. To foster associated competencies and enable tailor-made instruction, teachers need knowledge not only about what their students can do but also about which errors are typically made…

The literature on the uses of gamification in education is increasingly popularizing the implementation of game elements in nongame environments, but the scholarship tends to remain theoretical and lacks a focus on practical application for educators seeking to utilize gamified methods. This article focuses on the design and implementation of…

Numerous studies have shown that learning is enhanced when students show interest in the subject matter. However, educators continue to grapple with the challenges, or simply do not recognize their potential roles, in the development of students' academic interest and interest in learning in general. This conceptual paper is written under the…

Well-designed instructional programs seamlessly promote human performance. Students are often unaware of countless iterations of formative evaluation completed to improve effectiveness, efficiency, motivation, and flow of that instructional design. This paper examines one research-based, comprehensive, systematic evaluation approach as applied by…

This paper presents a model for developing research questions that are aligned to research aims for research design in e-learning. The model is proposed as a solution to the on-going problem of heterogeneity of research problems. The model is based on Burrell and Morgan's four social paradigms, and integrates four research aims, namely, explore,…

Online learning is common in higher education, but has its drawbacks. As a result, blended learning (BL) has emerged as an alternative to alleviate the challenges of online learning. The purpose of this design-based research study was to determine what elements were needed to assist a higher education instructor inexperienced in designing and…

Q methodology provides a unique mixed-methods means of examining subjectivity through the use of an activity called a Q sort in which participants must sort a list of given items within a predetermined sorting form. Although Q methodology has a long history as a research tool, its use as an instructional tool has not been extensively explored.…