Despite an unprecedented increase in classroom-based support staff, there are confusing messages about their appropriate deployment and a lack of systematic evidence on their impact. This article addresses the deployment and impact on pupil engagement and individual attention of support staff, commonly known as teaching assistants (TAs), in terms…

This article undertakes a detailed case study of "The Campaign", a teaching and learning innovation in media and communications that uses an online educational role-play. The case study draws on the qualitative analysis of classroom observations, online communications and semi-structured interviews, employing an interpretive approach…

Undergraduate programs in the United States range from locally funded, two-year community colleges, to state and federally funded universities, as well as private, tuition-based institutions. Assumingly most programs attempt to facilitate a relevant and balanced curriculum that prepares students for the general and perhaps specific obstacles that…

This research extends a continuing line of inquiry investigating how multimedia resources might be joined with other support structures to effectively implement problem-based inquiry (PBI) activities in secondary history classrooms. Two history teachers with experience in PBI implemented a technology-supported problem-based civil rights unit in…

This research emerged from the Social Science Research Council's collaborative partnership with the Pathways for College Network, with technical assistance in data collection provided by the Council for Aid to Education. The project has followed over 2,300 students at 24 institutions over time to examine what factors are associated with learning…

In keeping with Alberta Education's goals and responsibilities to develop and evaluate curriculum and to set standards and assess outcomes, the Ministry is reviewing the status and purpose of social sciences courses as part of the high school curriculum. The present social sciences curriculum was revised in 1985. As part of the social sciences…

Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexible Learning Centres (EREAFLCs) operate within a social inclusion framework to "walk with" young people who have disengaged from the traditional schooling system. Students attending the centres face multiple stressors in their everyday lives, as well as significant barriers to achieving success in the…

This study uses a quasi-experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of Internet videoconferencing technology. The instructor used a laptop, webcam, high-speed DSL connection, and Polycom[TM] Viewstation to teach a course unit of introductory sociology from a remote location to an experimental group of students in a large multimedia classroom. The…

In 2005, Lumina Foundation for Education supported five colleges in the Northwest--Evergreen State College (TESC), Grays Harbor College (GHC), Northwest Indian College (NWIC), Salish Kootenai College (SKC), and Bainbridge Graduate Institute--to work together to develop Native teaching cases as a culturally relevant and engaging resource for Native…

Len Annetta, Marta Klesath, and Shawn Holmes describe how avatars in virtual learning environments (VLEs) can contribute to the learning experience by giving students a sense of social presence and investment in the learning community that may otherwise be difficult to access. VLEs have the potential to become the next generation of instructional…

Quantitative and qualitative research of a case study course confirmed that the course achieved a highly interactive learning experience, associated with more effective student support and high student retention. Computer conferencing achieved high participation from the beginning and evidence of dialogue and argumentation within online tutor…

This article describes the design and implementation of a unique course developed to deeply engage MBA students in the complexities of the field of international management. This experiential course was designed around an integrative project based on the cruise industry. The professor worked with the leadership team of a major cruise line to…

Educational technology and instructional design research has focused on evaluating interventions and innovations in terms of their effectiveness, efficiency, and appeal. While such indicators of learning outcomes are important, designers should also strive for engaging, socially just, and transformational instruction. To illuminate the…

Objective: Student learning of professionalism in athletic training education programs (ATEPs) can be varied and even elusive. The purpose of this article is to define professionalism and discuss its development in athletic training students. Background: Medical professions have studied extensively how students learn professionalism. However, with…

The author provides practical ways to engage students in active learning in the classroom.