Distance-learning courses were classified with regard to their use of computer-mediated interaction and the degree to which such interaction was integrated into the curriculum and the assessment regime. This produced four groups of courses varying according to their use of interaction and integration. The impact of interaction and integration was…

This paper focuses on the operation of heteronormativity in online and face-to-face dialogues about sexualities and schooling, and seeks to tease out the means through which this operation is enacted. The data arise from two linked research projects focusing on participants' perceptions and concerns about addressing issues related to sexual…

The paper explores the issue of teachers' professional vulnerability using a range of messages from an online teachers' community on the Chinese mainland. The study reveals how macro changes at policy level impact on teachers' professional relationships and in turn their professional identities in teacher discussants' perceptions. Furthermore, the…

Online discussion boards provide settings for conversations that give teachers information about students' mathematical thinking. This article describes how the analysis of discussion board conversations can be useful for charting the path instruction should take. The analysis of online discourse is illustrated within the context of a course for…

This article describes the process of research undertaken to examine therapists' responses to the concept of the core processes of change in dramatherapy. The research uses a combination of vignette description and analysis using aMSN messenger. The article describes the theoretical underpinning and rationale to the approach, and the…

In this article we suggest that online environments can function as alternate "organizations" for pre-service and beginning teachers who may find themselves struggling in schools. Building on prior work on framing and reframing in organizations and schools, the authors present a new frame of analysis specifically geared for web-based…

A librarian may be comfortable with the idea of using a blog, wiki, or other social application with students, but other stakeholders in his or her community may not be so sure. Any technology maverick looking to sell the use of Web-based applications will, at some point, have to make the case. This article presents some of the most common…

Cyberspace presents a serious challenge for adults who are concerned about the safety and well-being of adolescents. Approximately 93% of U.S. youths ages 12-17 use the Internet, a significant increase from 2004. The number of teens with online profiles, including those on social networking sites, also has increased. Importantly, 38% of high…

While researchers have studied the use and value of educational software for many years, study of school Web sites and/or their effectiveness is limited. In this investigation, we identified goals and functions of school Web sites and used the foundations of effective Web site design to develop an evaluation checklist. We then applied these…

In moving information onto a computer, people generally assume that the format and presentation have little effect on the information itself. Every online educator should consider the effect on students of the electronic presentation of information, however, as that assumption is questionable. Although many writers have investigated the computer…

The concept of "the fog of war" brings to mind the chaos of smoke-covered battlefields, along with the randomness inherent in any rapidly developing situation. The term is used most often to illustrate the difficulty military commanders have getting accurate information while a battle is being fought. Sketchy and often inaccurate information…

Technology has revolutionized the way professors work. With just a few keystrokes, they can gain access to vast library collections online. They can collaborate with peers halfway around the globe. They can read e-mail at home in their pajamas or at a research site thousands of miles away. The convenience of being able to work virtually anywhere…

The present study compared the relative impact of peer-mentoring that took place either face-to-face or through electronic chat. Proteges were 106 college freshmen randomly assigned to a senior college student mentor and to one of the two communication modes. Fifty-one mentors interacted with one of these proteges face-to-face and one solely…

This study analyzes the influence of avatars on social presence, interpersonal trust, perceived communication quality, nonverbal behavior, and visual attention in Net-based collaborations using a comparative approach. A real-time communication window including a special avatar interface was integrated into a shared collaborative workspace.…

This article reports on an evaluation of a virtual schooling innovation in an Australian context. The Virtual Schooling Service Pilot uses online technologies to deliver senior school subjects in both synchronous and asynchronous modes of delivery. The purpose of the study was to analyze the organizational, pedagogical, and technological efficacy…