During the COVID-19 pandemic, preexisting soil science laboratories were redesigned for self-guided learning (SGL). The SGL laboratories occurred on-campus during the fall 2020 semester in two introductory soil science courses at the University of Tennessee at Martin and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Students carried out the…

The written artifacts of nineteenth-century Virginian Robert Reid Howison (1820--1906) lend themselves to an analysis of Howison as a self-directed, lifelong learner, and non-traditional educator as evidenced through his scholarship stemming from his vocational roles as lawyer and minister as well as his work as a historian. Howison's…

This study assesses the impacts of the Science program at Piedmont Virginia Community College and its flagship capstone research experience, Supervised Study, through psychosocial perceptions associated with persistence in science and through a comparative analysis of subsequent science bachelor's degree attainment. Supervised Study involves…

Learner-centered coaching and feedback are relevant to various educational contexts. Spaced retrieval enhances long-term knowledge retention. We examined the efficacy of Blank Slate, a novel spaced retrieval software application, to promote learning and prevent forgetting, while gathering and analyzing data in the background about learners'…

This case study looks at the implementation of an extracurricular program, the ePortfolio Peer Consultants (ePPC) peer-mentoring technology group, as a part of an ePortfolio project at the University of Virginia and its impact on the development of ePortfolio skill sets. Specifically, we seek to understand if and how the participation in this…

In this article, I examine pedagogical understandings as captured through documented critical incidents of a transdisciplinary faculty self-study group which was designed and grounded in notions of sociocultural theory. I report from my lens as facilitator-participant-observer and from my work with eleven other participants in a three-semester…

Empathy and interdisciplinarity are both concepts that are current and relevant--across professions, in research, and in academia. This paper describes a large, interdisciplinary, project-based assignment, the Empathy Project, which allows students to delve into and increase comfort and skill with interdisciplinary thinking and collaborative…

Web conferencing software enables distance learners to attend classes. This paper recounts student reactions to this delivery method and makes suggestions for conducting virtual classes.

Distance education has become a major form of education in the United States. This surge in popularity has launched a plethora of scholarship emphasizing the distillation of those strategies which inform effective, learning experiences in the distance environment. A growing consensus among researchers recognizes the need for a holistic approach to…