Chongqing University, as one of the experimental universities in China, has implemented computer-assisted language learning to support and practice learner autonomy since 2003. But in 2006, as a Visiting Fellow from Chongqing at the University of Leeds, the author noted pedagogical differences in promoting learner autonomy of language teaching…

This article reports on a collaborative research project which involved first-year distance learners of Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish at a New Zealand university. Drawing on the principles of Allwright's exploratory practice, the study aimed to gain an insight into the learners' experiences and conceptualisations in terms of their…

This article describes the process of implementing Inter-collegially Supported Learning (Tigchelaar and Melief, 1997) and reflection using the ALACT [action, looking back, awareness of essential aspects, creating alternative methods of action, and trial] model (Korthhagen, 1985, 1988) an Elementary Masters in Teaching Program. This study takes a…

The purpose of this paper is to present evidence that intelligence is dynamic and can be taught. The author reviews empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, qualitative research, and conceptual frameworks. Author employed several databases in a wide review of academic literature. There are many competing and complementary theories of…

An important achievement for all students is the ability to function independently throughout the school day. For students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), activities that other students may find easy, such as transitioning from one location to the next, organizing their learning materials, and completing assigned activities, can be very…

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between students' interests, their use of certain specific learning strategies and causal attributions which they made for their academic achievement. In this manner, we attempted to explore the relationships between some important variables from three different, but connected phases of…

Individualized instruction, a form of materials-centered self-instruction, has a long, undocumented history in the United States. The context of individualized instruction requires learners to regulate their own learning processes, including their emotional responses to learning. This study offers a situated view of the processes and strategies…

This paper conceptualizes the theoretical framework of modeling learning spaces for self-directed learning at university courses. It binds together two ideas: (a) self-directed learners' common learning spaces may be characterized as abstract niches, (b) niche characteristics are collectively determined through individually perceived affordances.…

Students without disabilities traditionally either enter postsecondary education or seek employment after high school graduation. These outcomes are not routinely experienced by youth with disabilities, however. Instead, they often face an uncertain future--one that may include unemployment or underemployment, social isolation, or dependence,…

In this study, the author conducted in-depth interviews with college students from affluent suburban communities who perform 10 to 20 hours of community service each week. Three fourths of these students attribute their commitment to community service in large part to a single academic experience that influenced their respective worldviews and…

The use of virtual environments to support as well as to complement language teaching and learning processes is becoming a recurrent practice and sometimes policy in several educational institutions. This paper reports the results of an inquiry carried out at the language center of a private university in Bogotá. Those results intended to describe…

Despite being criticised for placing little emphasis on thinking, the majority of laboratory work at school level is taught "via" expository "recipe-style" labs. This has been seen to result in students struggling to be able to apply the practical techniques they have learnt in the classroom outside the narrow environment in which they were…

University students who had completed at least one distance education course were surveyed during their first and fourth year of postsecondary studies. When controlled for those who had previous distance education experience in high school, it was found that self-regulatory learning behaviors, which are frequently linked to positive experiences…

The number of online continuous education and training initiatives continues to increase in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and by extension, the number of adult learners who are unfamiliar with the peculiarities of the online teaching and learning environment. The extent to which these learners can derive maximum benefit from…

In many schools of India, students of even elementary level are encouraged to use computer and the Internet for carrying out assignments independently during the summer break. This reflects the schools' efforts to use the potential of Information and communication technology (ICT) for supporting constructive learning. Technology can also address…