This facilitator's guide is designed to assist professional learning communities (PLCs) in applying evidence-based strategies to help K-8 English learners acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. Through this collaborative learning experience, educators will expand their knowledge base as they read, discuss, share,…

These handouts, which are meant to accompany the facilitator's guide, are designed to assist professional learning communities (PLCs) in applying evidence-based strategies to help K-8 English learners acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. The facilitator's guide uses a five-step process for collaborative…

This paper reports an intervention study on Singapore primary five (fifth Grade) students' ICT (information and communication technology)-mediated Chinese idiom learning. We introduced "seamless learning" to the learning design, that is, the bridging of formal and informal learning, and individual and social learning, conforming to the…

Students find it relatively simple to memorize rote definitions of concepts comprising various communication theories, but a disconnect often occurs in consciously applying those concepts to their "real world" experiences. However, the ability to apply that knowledge practically requires a more advanced form of learning. Additionally, linking a…

Although textbooks are filled with practical communication advice, many students overlook the importance of basing practical advice about communication on quality research. This oversight is important for two reasons. First, given the explosion of self-help remedies focused on communication, students should learn to distinguish between…

This paper reports on a pilot study in which children aged 7-12 (N = 68) had an opportunity to study in a novel formal and informal learning setting. The learning activities were extended from the classroom to the playful learning environment (PLE), an innovative playground enriched by technological tools. Curriculum-based learning was intertwined…

This study presents an experiment aimed at the design of short learning courses in the context of LAMS, using a number of specific context-free collaboration design patterns implemented within LAMS. In fact, 25 Prospective Computer Engineers (PCEs) participated in this experiment. The analysis of the data shows that PCEs fully used these context…

Drawing on their experience in a Midwest healthcare system, the authors propose a model of leadership development through action learning that embraces "concentric collaboration" at its core. The present study suggests that the process of concentric collaboration can serve to strengthen the skills of the individual leader as well as…

A common complaint of employers of entry-level workers is that those workers have no understanding of how to work as a member of a team. Cooperative learning is a step in that direction. Working together toward a common goal is an admirable quest: however, within this system the wayward student occasionally is allowed to "coast" while the…

This study examined whether participation in collaborative learning activities during class meetings played a role in the students' academic learning and in their satisfaction with the course in general and with these activities in particular. The research demonstrated that group activities and class discussions are effective in fostering student…

This paper presents active learning theory and how implementation of dynamic instruction strategies can transform the K-12 classroom. A multi-part study was conducted to determine both the level of active learning knowledge among participants and applicability of newly acquired approaches within the participants' classrooms. First, teachers were…

This article describes the outcomes of field-based efforts to increase diversity in agricultural education programs and the FFA. This study focused on three schools in San Antonio, Texas. Guided by Rogers' (2003) theories of diffusion of innovations, a series of six intervention strategies was implemented: (a) provide specific FFA or agricultural…

This article describes 14 problem-based group activities for a sensation and perception course. The intent was to provide opportunities for students to practice applying their knowledge to real-world problems related to course content. Student ratings of how effectively the activities helped them learn were variable but relatively high. Students…

Current research work in e-learning and more specifically in the field of CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning) deals with design of collaborative activities, according to computer-interpretable specifications, such as IMS Learning Design, and their posterior enactment using LMSs (Learning Management Systems). A script that describes…

Our full-year capstone design course, "Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Design Methodology and Application," focuses on both design methodology and design application. We redesigned the course to more effectively prepare students for the "application" aspect of design. The approach was essentially to implement a short…