Recent growth in national attention directed toward online courses and virtual schools underscores the importance of e-learning policy and online learning practices. In response to these needs, this edition of "Policy Issues" aims to: summarize the critical e-learning issues related to education policy; provide an overview of what works,…

This document discusses how in 1999, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges began 2 major projects to develop and improve online learning and courses. The first project (a U.S. Department of Education Demonstration for financial aid rule waivers) examines current rules intended for on-campus programs in the case of online…

Traces the evolution of virtual field trips and discusses both the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual field trip. Explores three approaches to improving the interactivity of virtual field trips (interactive field exercises, generic software, and student-centered Web sites). Includes references. (CMK)

Discusses the use of communication and information technology (C&IT) in higher education in the United Kingdom and describes research that examined student perceptions of using C&IT for a virtual seminar series in psychology. Identified student learning approaches within the group and how it affected their adoption or rejection of the…

Discusses the need to focus on student learning processes and strategies rather than only on technology in the classroom. Topics include classrooms, laboratories, and virtual laboratories; learning outside classrooms or laboratories; training professors; learning skills students need, including technology training; multimedia; team teaching;…

Focuses on the use of threaded discussion and its application within graduate courses in social studies and global education. States that threaded discussion, when used with face-to-face alternatives, can add to developing a culturally diverse learning community, deepen discussions on controversial issues, and increase educational equity. (CMK)

Discussion of the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) focuses on the impact on existing educational policy; the role of electronically distributed educators and learners; and the relationship between knowledge representation as mediated by ICT and the educational environment, including cultural context and virtual learning…

Investigates ways in which instructional techniques including discussions, case studies, and workshops can be delivered in a virtual classroom on the Internet based on experiences at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). Topics include collaborative and cooperative learning; metaphorical classrooms; and student-created Web sites. (Author/LRW)

The Internet is the fastest and easiest way for one to collect and disseminate information to individuals regardless of their location. A number of educational institutions find that the Internet is an attractive method of delivering courses. This study was designed to identify elements of instruction formats that distinguish distance education…

Rapid developments in computer and telecommunications technology have allowed U.S. students unprecedented access to information about people, cultures, and events from around the world. In this article, the author argues that schools need to exploit the opportunity that this provides to further global understanding. Sections include: (1) Access to…

More and more school districts, as well as for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, are offering Internet-based summer classes in core subjects, such as algebra and reading, and electives such as creative writing. In this article, the author discusses the growth of enrollment in online education for summer. The logistical ease of…

This paper describes a CALL approach which integrates software for speaker independent continuous speech recognition with embodied virtual agents and virtual worlds to create an immersive environment in which learners can converse in the target language in contextualised scenarios. The result is a self-access learning package: SPELL (Spoken…

This article reports on how a social sciences instructor teaching contemporary global issues implemented collaborative learning among students in a virtual environment. A substantial part of this particular course was delivered at a distance with the help of the Web. The bulletin board feature of WebCT was used to implement a simulation game where…

Students are most successful in online courses that provide ample opportunities for them to interact with the instructor, other students, and the course content. An interactive online course must engage students as active learners rather than as passive participants. How can instructors design virtual classrooms that offer students with a variety…

This article discusses another ancillary project of the Writers In Electronic Residence's (WIER) program, "The Virtual Practicum," which provides online practice teaching placements to pre-service candidates. WIER offered its first virtual practicum in 1989 through the former Faculty of Education, University of Toronto, and has since…