Online coursework is common across the United States, and many institutes of higher education include it in their strategic plans (Allen & Seaman, 2011). Special education has embraced distance education technology--especially personnel preparation programs that are in rural areas and/or prepare teachers who will work in rural areas.…

Interactive teaching with larger groups of students can be a challenge, but the use of mobile electronic devices by students (smartphones, tablets, laptops) can be used to improve classroom interaction. We have examined several types of tasks that can be electronically enacted in classes and practical courses using these devices: multiple choice…

The use of large online discussion forums within online and distance learning continues to grow. Recent innovations in online learning such as the MOOC (massive open online course) and concomitant growth in the use of online media for the delivery of courses in traditional campus based universities provide both opportunity and challenge for online…

In the traditional instructional method used in international trade, teachers provide knowledge to learners by lecturing using slides and setting assignments; however, these methods merely deliver international trade knowledge rather than facilitating student development of relevant skills. To solve these problems, we proposed a simulation-based…

The use of podcasting in higher education has escalated in recent years. The aim of this case study was to analyse undergraduate student use and perceptions of lecture audio recordings in the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Leeds. Students completed an online survey over a two-week period based on their use of lecture audio…

A medium-sized accredited public university located in southeastern Minnesota has been offering an introductory undergraduate mathematics course with a consistent curriculum in two instructional formats: face-to-face and blended. Previously the course was offered only through a face-to-face instructional format while currently, it is only offered…

To improve student access and success in North Dakota University System (NDUS) institutions, the State Board of Higher Education has implemented enrollment policies that better reflect the differentiated missions of research universities, regional universities, and community colleges. This report addresses the transition in policy by grouping data…

This study examined the correlation between social constructivist learning, sense of community, and learner satisfaction in an asynchronous learning environment using a nonexperimental, cross-sectional, correlational design. The study focuses on three questions: (1) What is the relationship between social constructivist learning and sense of…

The knowledge society requires life-long learning and flexible learning environment that enables fast, just-in-time and relevant learning, aiding the development of communities of knowledge, linking learners and practitioners with experts. Based upon semantic wiki, a combination of wiki and Semantic Web technology, this paper designs and develops…

While there has been extensive research on online communities of enquiry, little work has been done on the extent to which cultural factors can inhibit student participation. In this study of a "blended" model of learning in which students attended face-to-face lectures but were required to take part in online seminars, we found that…

The purpose of this study is to compare an instructional designer's intentions with the learners' perceptions of the instructional functions of visuals in one specific e-learning lesson. An instructional designer created each visual with more than two purposes related to the psychological, cognitive, and affective aspects of learning. Contrary to…

The purpose of this research study was to explore the influence of Confucian-heritage culture on Chinese learners' online learning and engagement in online discussion in U.S. higher education. More specifically, this research studied Chinese learners' perceptions of power distance and its impact on their interactions with instructors and peers in…

This study aimed to investigate the existence of cognitive presence as one of the elements of the Community of Inquiry framework in virtual centers for undergraduate students of science and technology. To achieve the purpose of this study, first a questionnaire was uniquely developed on the basis of the suggestions made in the literature reviewing…

Visualizing the structure and relationships in three dimensions (3D) of organs is a challenge for students of anatomy. To provide an alternative way of learning anatomy engaging multiple senses, we are developing a force-feedback (haptic) interface for manipulation of 3D virtual organs, using design research methodology, with iterations of system…

This exploratory study sheds new light on students' perceptions of online feedback types for a complex writing task, summary writing from spoken input in a foreign language (L2), and investigates how these correlate with their actual learning to write. Students tend to favour clear-cut, instructivist rather than constructivist feedback, and guided…