Discusses the design, implementation, and evaluation of online course materials used in combination with face-to-face teaching for a university course in community information. Describes the use of WebCT software and discusses results of a student questionnaire and student performance results. (Author/LRW)

Analyzes how a United Kingdom higher education initiative has promoted learning and teaching innovation that supports collaborative, inclusive learning by integrating online and face-to-face delivery. Topics include aligning assessments, teaching processes, and learning objectives; educational media and learning processes; using online materials…

Describes a program developed by Hong Kong universities for training primary and secondary school teachers as part of government efforts to promote a paradigm shift in education to promote a knowledge economy. Explains a combination of live instruction with Web-based systems that focuses on the use of information technology. (Author/LRW)

Examines factors that motivate community college and virtual high school students to choose online or traditional course formats. Findings indicate that, for students who chose distance learning, control over pace and timing of learning was more important; for students who chose face-to-face courses, interaction with instructor and students was…

Compares and contrasts two types of schools, the standard versus the interactive model. Topics include an emphasis on process versus an emphasis on results; constructivism and the changing roles of teachers and students; school culture; answers versus questions; and future versus present. (LRW)

Discusses the need for professional development for teachers and faculty to be better prepared to use educational technology. Highlights include incorporating technology use into tenure review; the lack of time; Web-delivered possibilities; blending online learning with face-to-face interaction; the need for consistent leadership; and preparing…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was (a) to determine if there was a difference in knowledge achievement by Thailand's vocational students instructed using constructivist instruction (with open-end dialogue, problem-based learning, and cooperative learning) and using traditional instruction (with lectures, directed demonstrations, and…

The Capital Area Technology and Inquiry in Education program (CATIE) is a content-focused, inquiry-based professional development program developed by the Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education (CIPCE) to assist K-6 teachers in the technology integration process. To address concerns of sustain-ability and cost-effectiveness, this situated…

Responses of alumni enrolled in a distance and an on-campus program at a traditional land-grant university to a survey evaluating their academic experiences were compared. Results demonstrated that both groups of alumni were very satisfied with their education. Both groups responded similarly to questions about the university's contribution to…

Parental satisfaction is critical to the politics of school reform. Many charter school advocates have no qualms in talking about a charter school movement, linking charter schools to a larger political effort to reform the system of education in the United States. If this movement is to have traction, parents who are satisfied with their…

Although extensive research has been carried out, describing the role of feedback in education, and many theoretical models are yet available, procedures and guidelines for actually designing and implementing feedback in practice have remained scarce so far. This explorative study presents a preliminary six-phase design model for feedback…

This chapter reviews the strengths and challenges of online education and discusses how effective online education is a blend of pedagogy, technology, and organizational support. The author describes how an effectively coordinated online education program is able to foster meaningful learning experiences through unprecedented opportunities for…

Since there is a real possibility that online courses will become the dominant informational platforms of the future universities need to address a range of issues from design and quality through to ethics and economics to ensure that the all-round investment required reaps positive outcomes. This paper addresses some of the issues that have…

Students learn more from introductory weather and climate courses when they can relate theoretical material to personal experience. The ubiquity of weather should make the link obvious but instructors can foster this connection with a variety of simple methods. Here we describe traditional and web-based techniques that encourage students to…

This study aimed to use a course management system (CMS) based on the open source software Claroline within a blended mode course, incorporating social constructivist approaches to learning, and to investigate its strengths and the challenges faced by the students and the instructor. Participants were 72 students and their instructor. Research…