Studies of learning transfer within the paradigm of cognitive psychology suggest that transfer of learning from one task to another occurs rarely. Within a situated learning paradigm the idea of learning transfer can become even more problematic. Courses of initial teacher education comprise school-based and higher education institution…

This study examines the pedagogical conditions that contribute to a productive teaching and learning experience in diversity courses, using the University of Utah (UU) as the case study. The purpose of this research is to assess whether diversity courses are effective (successful) in helping students gain more information about nondominant groups…

This multicase study investigated the learning experiences of four college students identified respectively as internal and external locus of control. They were taking a basic educational technology course that supplemented classroom teaching with two course web sites. Four categories that characterized their learning experiences suggested some…

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…

Ideally, the learning dynamic between teachers and their students is a reciprocal one, wherein students learn from teachers and teachers learn from students. Though teachers can learn from all students, a particular group--second language learners--may open even wider spheres of learning. In this article, the authors explore this notion of…

Many studies show students benefit from working cooperatively. Rarely published in STEM literature are guidelines to help educators effectively incorporate research teams in the classroom. We explain how to create a positive learning experience by explaining group dynamics, and by using group contracts and team-building activities. We also share…

This paper reports on an international experience designed, within a sociocultural frame, for teacher education students to examine theoretical knowledge and make visible local knowledge on diversity issues, and the interrelatedness and complexity of language, literacy and culture and its impact on educational practices. It examines the context of…

"Instant Messaging" (IM) and "Presence," which is essentially the ability of being able to detect if other users are logged in on the network and send them messages in real time, has become one of the most popular applications of the Internet, causing people to want to stay connected to the Internet for inordinate amounts of…

The ability to access, evaluate and synthesise high-quality research material is the backbone of critical thinking in academic and professional contexts for Engineers and Industrial Designers. This is the premise upon which teaching and library staff developed Information Literacy (IL) components in Engineering & Industrial Design Practice--a…

The use of blended learning, face-to-face contact alongside e-based activities, provides academic staff with an opportunity to match their teaching strategies with the changing student cohort. This study report students' perceptions of e-learning activities early in bioscience modules; students from all three levels of undergraduate study were…

Studies and commentary from the United States suggest that current undergraduates, part of the so called Net Generation, are high end users of emerging technologies such as mobile devices and new communication tools. This paper reports results from an Australian study of first year undergraduates which confirms these assertions: ownership of…

This investigation is an ethnographic case study of the literacy learning opportunities of a fifth-grade Hmong child (pseudonym Deng) who came to the United States from Laos via Thailand at the very end of his third-grade year in school. Deng was one of 25 students in a mainstream urban classroom in the Midwest during his fifth grade in school…

This study explores how high school students learn from their experiences in an extracurricular adventure program and illustrates how students' narrative inquiries relate to experiential learning. Twelve canoe trips were studied by participant observation methods. Data were collected from recorded interviews with students and staff, field notes,…

Findings from a study that examined the effects of homogeneous ability grouping on the attitudes of secondary students toward themselves and their learning experiences are presented in this paper. Methodology involved administration of an attitudes questionnaire to 110 students enrolled in the 10th- and 11th-grade English classes at a high school…

Constructivist theory asserts that children learn through interaction with and adaptation to their environment. Social constructivism emphasizes social interaction in learning, particularly language and the use of language in interaction between the student and his peers or an adult. This paper discusses the relevance of social constructivism,…