A series of computational laboratory experiments aimed at teaching students principles of rational drug design are described and evaluated. These experiments range from an introduction to viewing protein-ligand complexes to optimizing geometries of potential drugs with quantum chemistry and automated docking. Student feedback indicates that such a…

A new methodology is proposed for qualitative discourse analysis (QDA) aimed at gaining enhanced insights into learning possibilities and indicators that arise during classroom group discussions. The constitution of this new methodology has two principle components: a discourse analysis approach that aims to identify the relationships between…

This article explores the ideological drivers behind learning environment discourses with a particular focus on the built environment and the ways in which the built environment narrates explicit and implicit ideology. The built environment reinforces ways of thinking in the day-to-day ordinary activities of the school space. However, it is…

Most agricultural research organizations strive to address societal challenges and contribute to positive societal impacts. Fulfilling this ambition involves embedding a culture of impact in organizational culture, which, in our view, entails three main elements: understanding the role of the research community in contributing to impacts over the…

With its agile and iterative approaches, the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) is suggested as an alternative ISD model for ADDIE. However, few studies have been conducted to provide real-world examples of how SAM can be used by instructional designers to develop e-learning content. The purpose of this study was to develop e-learning content…

Students engaged in systems engineering education typically lack experience and understanding of the multidisciplinary complexity of systems engineering projects. Consequently, students struggle to understand the value, rationale, and usefulness of established systems engineering methods, often perceiving them as banal or trivial. The paper…

There are few accounts in the higher education literature of mixing methods at the survey design stage and very little guidance targeting higher education researchers and practitioners who want to implement a mixed methods approach to design survey tools. This article explores an eight-step, iterative, mixed methods approach for creating a…

The authors introduce readers to three design features of the University of Rhode Island's Summer Institute in Digital Literacy, a 42-hour, weeklong professional learning experience in digital literacy for educators, librarians, college faculty, and other adult learners. The program is explicitly designed to promote reflection on one's motivations…

The authors report on substantial evidence documenting what matters in literacy teacher preparation and invite deans, department heads, program directors, literacy teacher educators, and literacy leaders to design programs that are supported by credible evidence of impact.

The author analyzed an attempt to increase authenticity of writing in a middle school English language arts classroom. Drawing on a grounded theory of authenticity developed based on stated needs of a diverse group of students, the author and classroom teacher designed curriculum that sought to help students choose a valued topic, emphasize…

The study discussed in this article examines the experiences of teachers participating in a district-wide Educational Design Research (EDR) initiative, with a particular focus on any perceived changes in teacher practices. McKenney and Reeves (2013) claimed that one of the two main goals of EDR is to benefit practice, but to date this claim has…

In the U.S. there are steady efforts by governmental and philanthropic organizations to increase the representation of students of colour in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). After years of mixed results, researchers and educators have started to question one size fits all notions of broadening participation. An increasing…

Online courses are now a significant part of the higher education landscape. Faculty awareness of the needs of the changing population served, the inherent challenges in learning online, and the importance of enhancing student engagement are of paramount importance to successful online course design. Knowledge of theory and research in adult…

Play provides a foundation for human learning because people have an opportunity to experiment through play and learn in a safe environment. Although play is more free-form, expressive, and improvisational, serious play is more structured, rule-bound with a "serious" purpose (Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, & Nacke, 2011). Studies also…

This paper discusses some of the recurrent issues which the authors have noticed in educational research. These might be concerned with the nature of social science research, such as its representation of the reality of student learning, the role for replication studies, and the tolerance for disagreements. There are also issues related to the…