The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) contains a direct writing assessment, and examinees are given the option of composing their responses at a computer terminal using a keyboard or composing their responses in handwriting. This study sought to determine whether performance on a direct writing assessment is comparable for examinees…

Despite the new possibilities that speech synthesis brings about, few Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) applications integrating speech synthesis have found their way onto the market. One potential reason is that the suitability and benefits of the use of speech synthesis in CALL have not been proven. One way to do this is through…

Vocabulary learning theory suggests that productive recall should strengthen learning of new vocabulary items (Nation, 2001). CALL can provide both the opportunities for productive recall and the feedback to motivate repeated efforts to reproduce new items. The latter capability appears to give CALL some advantages over paper-based exercises, in…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how to measure student satisfaction and how its elements influence on its overall perspective earned in e-learning (EL). This study focuses on the context where EL is used as a supplementary tool to enhance instruction. Design/methodology/approach: This study focuses on undergraduate courses…

The focus of this study was on comparing three groups of Algebra I 9th-year students: one group using linked representation software, the second group using similar software but with semi-linked representations, and the control group in order to examine the effects on students' understanding of linear relationships. Data collection methods…

Tandem learning is the collaborative learning partnership of two language learners with complementary language combinations, for example an Irish student learning German and a German student learning English. One of the major principles in tandem learning, apart from reciprocity and learner autonomy, is balanced bilingualism. While learners may…

This study investigates the effect of computer animation on assessment and the conditions under which animation may improve or hinder assessment of conceptual understanding in physics. An instrument was developed by replacing static pictures and descriptions of motion with computer animations on the Force Concept Inventory, a commonly used pencil…

This study investigates the effectiveness of computer-mediated Engineering Drawing instruction in improving spatial ability namely spatial visualisation and mental rotation. A multi factorial quasi experimental design study was employed involving a cohort of 138, 20 year old average undergraduates. Three interventional treatments were…

How do educators and instructional designers assess the effectiveness of the learning environments they design? One important means of ensuring the effectiveness of instruction in distance and face-to-face settings is through provision of learner support. Increasingly, as learners utilize the World Wide Web for collaborative learning, support…

The budget squeeze is battering both community colleges and their workforce development clients. But a unique network is helping those community colleges reel in clients through computer- and Web-based learning. In this article, the author describes the ACT Center network of Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Georgia. ACT Centers are designed…

Active learning promotes higher-level reasoning, and it can be achieved in large classes without wholesale changes in class format. Applicable methods include in-class mini-investigations, robust multiple-choice exam questions, online quizzes or review, and cooperative learning, particularly during exams. Data gleaned from observing student…

This paper focuses on the existing and potential role of electronic learning in small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs). Innovations in information and communication technologies (ICTs) could create new forms of learning, particularly appealing to small organisations, to overcome traditional barriers such as lack of financial resources, time,…

This study compares the effectiveness of multiple-choice (MC) and constructed-response (CR) study tasks both with feedback. Graduate students (n = 46) completed a computer-delivered vocabulary lesson on instructional design terms followed by cued recall and recognition posttests. The CR study task was significantly more effective than the MC study…

The intention of this paper is to explore the issue of the availability and suitability of language learning materials for third level Irish language degree programs. A general outline of resources currently available is given and some tentative ideas are put forward on how the resource gap may begin to be bridged using CALL. Two trialled methods…

This article addresses the lack of outcome-based research on the integration of technology into pedagogy at the undergraduate college level. It describes a study performed at a Midwestern university, testing the relative effectiveness of paper and electronic topographic maps for teaching map-reading skills, and considers the relationship between…