This paper describes work that was done at Athabasca University as part of the "EduSource Canada" project. This work centered around learning object development based on pre-authored educational content. The major outcomes of the work were the development of an explicit semantic structure with strong educational focus for learning…

More instructors at every educational level are developing online courses and adding online components to face-to-face courses on an ever-broadening array of topics each semester. This paper provides recommendations for designing and maintaining online learning environments that encourage active learning, interaction, and academic integrity based…

In this paper we propose a view of instructional design practice in which the instructional designer is an agent of social change at the personal, relational, and institutional levels. In this view designers are not journeymen workers directed by management, but act in purposeful, value based ways with ethical knowledge, in social relationships…

This paper describes a research project that seeks to explore the experience of faculty with technology-enhanced teaching and learning. A particular focus of this investigation is on how the use of information and communications technology is influencing teaching practices and students' approaches to learning at the University of Melbourne. This…

This paper presents an analysis of papers delivered at the ICALT 2004 conference, in order to understand the current research issues relating to Learning Objects (LOs). The major research results are summarized, and the papers are classified according to the definition of LO used and the approach taken (technical, pragmatic or pedagogic). The…

The evolution of a new technology passes through two distinct stages. In the first stage, the technology may be seen as a new way of doing an old thing. In the second stage, however, the new technology went beyond the mere replication of an earlier technology. In the field of learning, a very similar evolution is taking place. The introduction of…

Metadata enables users to find the resources they require, therefore it is an important component of any digital learning object repository. Much work has already been done within the learning technology community to assure metadata quality, focused on the development of metadata standards, specifications and vocabularies and their implementation…

This work designs and implements a virtual digital signal processing laboratory, VDSPL. VDSPL consists of four parts: mobile agent execution environments, mobile agents, DSP development software, and DSP experimental platforms. The network capability of VDSPL is created by using mobile agent and wrapper techniques without modifying the source code…

Mobile computing devices are increasingly finding a place in universities, putting the pressure on teacher education to consider how best to incorporate the use of these technologies. At the same time there is pressure from the requirement for teacher education students to develop skills and experience in using digital technologies to support…

Traditional non-computerized learning environments are typically founded on an understanding of learning as acquiring silence for an effective "individual learning process". Recently, it has also been reported that the high expectations for the impact of computer-based technology on educational practice have not been realized. This paper…

This paper reports on a study aiming to develop a metadata model for e-learning coordination based on semantic web languages. A survey of e-learning modes are done initially in order to identify content such as phases, activities, data schema, rules and relations, etc. relevant for a coordination model. In this respect, the study looks into the…

With the evolution of the World Wide Web, online teaching and learning has gained a tremendous amount of popularity. New Web teaching and learning tools are created at a fast pace to help better address the multitude of teaching and learning styles. Liu and Thompson (1999) found that faculty members are more likely to use a wider variety of…

Teachers should consider using web-based platform, such as WebCT, to enhance their regular face-to-face classes. WebCT and other similar systems offer many benefits to teachers and students in traditional settings. Students can benefit by being able view slides or notes they missed in the regular classroom. They can also benefit from the increased…

Will head-to-head competition among degree programs lead to greater quality or less? States are pursuing several policies that increase market competition, such as funding distance education and virtual universities. Planning professionals need to understand what factors mediate whether competition does, in fact, occur, such as the market…

To soothe faculty distrust and encourage engagement, or reengagement, in exploring applications of digital technology for teaching, the authors believe it is necessary to do three things: (1) create incentives for faculty that balance public service goals with professional and entrepreneurial rewards; (2) clarify ownership and usage rights of…