The commercialization of virtual reality (VR) hardware has enabled the use of VR as an educational tool. We describe how a VR platform was used to create molecular visualizations using standard PDB files with the purpose of delivering biochemistry and cellular biology lessons for undergraduates. Specifically, we describe two new software modules,…

Mathematics evidenced un/manifested in/active, un/changeable, im/pure and primordial nature; therefore, it is illimitable to define as finite. It exists in the engineering of this universe. Philosophy of Mathematics studies abstract entities such as assumption and implication. Mathematics educators regard it as deductive tool and relate to solving…

Spatial visualization skills are essential and fundamental to studying STEM subjects, and sketching is an effective way to practice those skills. One significant challenge of supporting practice using sketching questions is the vast number of possible mistakes, making it time-consuming for instructors to provide customized and actionable feedback…

A challenge for the virtual reality (VR) industry is facing is that VR is not immersive enough to make people feel a genuine sense of presence: the low frame rate leads to dizziness and the lack of human body visualization limits the human-computer interaction. In this dissertation, I present our research on enhancing visual and gestural fidelity…

Using tangible models to help students visualize chemical structures in three dimensions has been a mainstay of chemistry education for many years. Conventional chemistry modeling kits are, however, limited in the types and accuracy of the molecules, bonds and structures they can be used to build. The recent development of 3D printing technology…

Perceiving a 3-dimensional (3D) diagram on a 2-dimensional (2D) surface or plane can be a challenging endeavor for students at the elementary or primary grade levels. Adding to this challenge are the intricacies present in understanding the processes involved in geometric problems of such a nature. To ease the comprehension of these processes,…

Learning human anatomy may be a difficult task for students for a variety of reasons including the quantity of material in the course or discipline-specific factors such as understanding anatomical terminology or learning complex physiological processes. Additionally, students may find certain organ systems more challenging than others. While…

This paper shares the process of developing a fully integrated assessment framework and model for a mapping curriculum. The foundational aspects of this model are the development of layered outcomes that occur at each level of the curriculum and the linking of courses together to ensure building blocks that are progressive within a program. The…

Instructors face difficulty in creating student-centred, customized learning designs (LDs) for teaching with information and communication technology (ICT) tools such as visualizations (animations, simulations or videos). This problem is compounded for tertiary-level instructors teaching in instructor-mediated classrooms. In such classrooms,…

Numerous Program Visualization tools (PVs) have been developed for assisting novice students to understand their source code further. However, none of them are practical to be used in the context of completing programming laboratory task; students are required to keep switching between PV and programming workspace since PV's features are…

Some cognitive abilities exhibit reliable gender differences, with females outperforming males in specific aspects of verbal ability, and males showing an advantage on certain spatial tasks. Among these cognitive gender differences, differences in mental rotation are the most robust, and appear to be present even in infants. A large body of animal…

Teacher education is under assault from the corporatization of public education. There is evidence that reductive, essentialized/ing discourses of standardization and compliance exert intense pressures on teacher education, and a market-based, audit culture constricts conceptions of the "good teacher". Despite the pervasiveness of…

Difficulties with planning, such as negotiating task understandings and goals, can have a profound effect on regulation and task performance when students work collaboratively (Miller and Hadwin, "Computers in Human Behaviour", 52, 573-588, 2015a). Despite planning being a common challenge, teams often fail to identify strategies for…

In this article, the practice of mindfulness is examined as a useful tool to address the internal and external stressors that occur daily for gifted students and their teachers. A culture of calm can be created when these simple, effective, and inexpensive evidence-based strategies are implemented within the classroom. Beyond enhancing empathy and…

Dashboards allow managers to interact with data, asking "what if" questions and looking for patterns. This topic is typically mentioned in information systems courses; however, many students will not have experience with developing dashboards or using them to answer business questions. The purpose of this assignment is to provide…